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This month has taught me many things about myself and how to adjust to uncomfortable situations. It’s been full of self-growth, while also doing things that make me happy and taking time for myself. Below I have filled out my REPORT for the month; things I’ve been reading, eating, playing, obsessing, and realizing.

READING

I have a Kindle I brought abroad because I figured that traveling & buying physical books can be very unsustainable. I am someone that LOVES holding a book, but I highly recommend anyone that is traveling or studying abroad to invest in a Kindle. It makes everything so much easier – I’ve been reading so many books on the train or during the daily siesta (I can’t nap during the day, unfortunately). I’ve read 3 books this month and am currently on my fourth.

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: The reason I chose to start reading Harry Potter is because a) it is in Kindle Unlimited, and b) fall is finally here and I’ve heard the books are so cozy. I’ve never read Harry Potter and have only watched the movies when my brother would watch them when we were younger. So I am not very well-informed in this world, but I’m learning! I gave this book a 4/5 star, but I would probably now rate it as 3.5/5. It was a fun book to read, but I think I should’ve read it when I was younger for it to be more magical.
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Okay, the entire series is on Kindle Unlimited. I highly recommend KU to anyone with a Kindle and doesn’t have a list of must-reads (there are only so many options for KU). Same as the first one, it was a fun book, but I should’ve read it when I was younger to feel the magic. 3.5/5
• If Cats Disappeared from the World: I read this entire book in 2 travel days. I could not put it down. Essentially, a man learns he has cancer and can keep living if he chooses something to disappear from the world each day. It puts into perspective what is important and what isn’t important. This book really resonated with me because I’ve been having a hard time living in the moment, but after reading this book it has made me appreciate life and where I am at. I have no rush in life, I need to sit back and enjoy the ride (especially when I’m in Italy!!) 4/5
• The Phantom of the Opera: I am about 70% done with this book, but omg I am so in love. It is a hard read for people that don’t know the story. Fortunately, I am a big Phantom fan, I love the movie, musical, everything. I have been reading this a lot on the trains and am getting excited because next weekend, I’ll be in Paris and visit the Opera House where it is based.

EATING

I have been eating so well in Italy, but a lot of it has been pasta, pizza, and gelato. Nothing is wrong with that, of course. When my friends and I traveled to Lerici, a very small beach town in Italy, we stumbled across the most beautiful Italian restaurant on the water. La Marinella was the perfect authentic restaurant with seafood. I had the pici with shrimp. Pici is essentially a thicker spaghetti noodle that originates in Siena, Tuscany. I mentioned this restaurant in a previous blog, but I took my friends to Fuoco Matteo and it was the perfect girls’ night. From pizza, to lobster spaghetti, there is something for anyone.

Although there are many different restaurants to choose from in Florence, I have also been cooking my own food – in class and in my apartment. In class this month, we’ve cooked PITA DI FARINA DI FARRO E FETA AL FORNO CON CAROTE AL MIELE (Pita bread with honeyed carrots and baked feta cheese), CENA FRUGALE ROMANA (traditional Roman meal with quail eggs, bread, cheese, and fish), and PASTA FRESCA ALLA CHITARRA CON LE SARDE (fresh pasta with sardines). LdM also offers “activities” each week, and I signed up for a cooking activity. There, we made PASTA FRESCA ALLA NORMA (fresh pasta with eggplant and tomato sauce) and SALAME DI CIOCCOLATO (chocolate salami). Through class and these activities, I can work hands-on and learn how food plays such an important role in Italian culture.

PLAYING

As I mentioned before, I can’t partake in the “siesta” because I don’t nap during the day. That being said, I have been watching a lot of shows or movies. For the classic sitcom, I’ve been watching Emily in Paris. I feel like I can relate to Emily in some aspects. Emily has to pick up and move to Paris to help her marketing firm. At first, she sees Paris from a tourist point of view. She takes it all in and it feels so magical. Suddenly, reality sets in and she realizes that her life is there now. I know my life isn’t as extreme as this, but in some ways, I feel like I viewed Florence as a magical vacation, but September has forced me to learn how to live in this new environment. I have gotten my bearings of the city, tried to recycle like Italians, and have even gotten more comfortable ordering my cafe latte in Italian… well I’m still working on the Italian part. Gilmore Girls has been my go-to show whenever I am feeling homesick. I would watch it all the time at home with my dog and mom. It reminds me of my relationship with her, because we are so close and I see her as my best friend. I am so lucky and thankful that she and my dad can support me through this experience, but I am very excited to see them again.

For movies, I typically just watch them at the bookstore/cinema in Florence. They play a lot of different movies and different themed days. My personal favorite day is when they play old Disney movies. I watched Cinderella for free here! I have also seen Moulin Rouge twice here (I am getting ready for my Paris trip by doing so) and have seen a lot of Marylin Monroe. This is my favorite place to come and decompress, whether that is reading my book, calling my family, or writing my blogs.

OBSESSING

I hate to say that I have been obsessing over cafe lattes and chocolate. You would have NEVER heard me say that before coming to Florence. My go-to cafe order in the States was always a cold chai, but here I have been getting cafe latte. It is a latte, so not straight espresso, but it is still out of my comfort zone. My go-to cafe is the Vintage Cafe. It is a very clean and also has a lot of seating inside and outside for homework or just grabbing a drink. If I don’t get a cafe latte, I will usually get a Coke with a lemon – a new way I’ve learned to drink Coke here! My liking for chocolate doesn’t come as much as a surprise. I have liked M&Ms and a few different kinds of chocolate, but here I love chocolate bars. It must be something they put in it, but I have not gone a day without chocolate.

REALIZING

I have realized a lot of things since being here for a month, but the biggest thing I can express after reflecting, is that it is okay to not morph into a completely different person when moving to a new city. Sure, it is important to welcome the new culture and take part in immersing yourself, but it is just as important to do the things that make you happy and the things that remind you of home. Watching comfort shows, making chicken nuggets, and listening to country music are just a few things that could be “frowned upon” but it isn’t realistic to change yourself completely. If it’s not broke, there’s no need to fix it.

A dopo,

Hadley