View from the Half Way Point

During the stress of midterm exams, it was easy to forget the significance behind them. Yes, they marked an important period for grades to either rise or fall, but they also denoted something more—Mid­-terms, as in, middle of the semester—meaning this experience of a lifetime was already half way over. Before I left school in the states for the semester and thought of leaving my friends and the home I knew for a semester, 5 months away seemed like an eternity. Now that I am actually here, I realize how little time 5 months actually is, and I wish I had 5 months more to explore Milan in more depth, visit other countries, and improve my Italian (although I’m not sure any amount of time could make my Italian much more passable). However, within these 5 months, I have made amazing memories I am proud of and recently went on some of my most unforgettable trips yet.

I visited Berlin with an old friend of mine at the beginning of March and was completely surprised by the wealth of art, culture, and variety of people there was in the city. We saw the Bradenburg Gate, the Holocaust memorial, a burlesque show, and a techno club, which offered us a historical but also entertaining visit. The week after, I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend from Texas visit me in Milan. We spent a few days in the city as I took my midterms, but after they were complete we took a weekend trip to Cannobio, Italy, and Lugano, Switzerland—two of the most stunning gems of cities I have been to yet. The night before he left we capped off the visit with an AC versus Inter Milan soccer game. As much of a blast as Texas can be, it’s safe to say he was incredibly jealous that I got to remain in Europe while he returned.