I have now been home for exactly one week after studying abroad for three months in Rome, Italy. It feels so surreal to be home and back with my friends and family in my own house. As much as I miss Rome and the new friends I made abroad, it is comforting to be back with my family.
Leaving Rome I was so upset saying goodbye to my new friends that made this foreign place feel so much like home. I was worried about my adjustment back into the United States and my “everyday” life because I now had a new normal. I quickly realized that I was worried for no reason and I got right back into the groove of things. I was worried that I would be very jetlagged and exhausted, but it did not affect me until about the middle of the week. I then began to feel run down and tired at the most random times. My best advice is to listen to your body and know when you need a break. It is totally normal to feel lazy or unlike yourself for the first few days of being home.
I was also worried that I would fall out of contact with my new friends. After spending every day for three months with these people, you quickly become very close to them. I had always heard that the friends you make while studying abroad are always special, and I can affirm that it is true. These girls I met abroad will always hold a very special place in my heart because they could always sympathize with how I was feeling. They were experiencing the same levels of excitement, homesickness, sadness, and more at the same time I was. But, at the same time, we were experiencing the opportunity of a lifetime and exploring all of these new places and cultures. So far, I have talked to all seven of my roommates every day and although we are now thousands of miles away from each other in the US, it feels like we are still together.
