Mixed Emotions

While studying abroad I've had to make all new friends, and somehow tolerate the ones who could never be. Leaving home, alone. When the plane landed in Italy, I realized how alone I was, not knowing anyone, being in an unfamiliar place, people speak a different language. While everyone was talking to their families for some reason I forget, I couldn't. There was nothing to do every other kid was sleeping due to the jet lag, but I was fine and couldn't sleep; it was the middle of the day. I lay in bed with my temporary roommate, Alex, sleeping in his bed. I was in the verge of tears, missing home and my family. That one day was the only day I was homesick, until winter break.

All the students left to go home except for a tiny group of me and three others; and these others are kids I don't usually hang out with. It wasn't actually all for of us in Florence, two kids had their parents come and the spent time with them, leaving just me and Erica on Christmas, it was so lonely that day, and depressing. I only had to hold out for a week more then my family comes to visit.

New Years was the best day I've had all year: the celebrations with two of the other students, and my parents arrive! New Years Eve was spent out for most of the day looking at the lights that have been up for weeks, and the stages that will host concerts throughout the city. Night fall and I meet up with the others to go to a place to watch fireworks. We settled on a bridge until half past 11 and then we decide to go to a higher place, Piazza Michelangelo, so of course to make it there in time we would have to run, the first real exercise since the first week of Italy. We were two blocks away when the first real fireworks went off, people have been setting of minifireworks and firecrackers those small things since two in the afternoon. The fireworks were great, and they could be seen flying over the whole city. I had to catch an early train to Rome in the morning to meet my family, so it was a semi early night; 3am.

I grab my packed bag and head to the train station to ride the hour and a half train to Rome. I slept most of the way; having only three hours of sleep that night. I'm walking to the hotel we would be staying at and more than half way there I run into my family. They don't recognize me but I know it's them, we had a funny encounter.

I'm going to skip all the details of the trip together and rush to the end when they left.

We get all my parents stuff packed that morning and check out of the hotel. I didn't hit me until we were saying our goodbyes but then tears starting clouding my eyes. I was holding it in because we were in public. After out last hugs and they were in the train I couldn't hold out, I couldn't wait for the train to leave before heading home. I couldn't hold the tears forever I was in a rush to get home to let it all out, and their train probably didn't even leave the station yet. After a few hours the rest of the day was spent with the other three students so I didn't have any time to be sad or cry, which was great.

The next day, today, the 12th of January when my family boards their plane in Rome to go home I started writing this to have something to focus on and it was helping until the end when I wrote about them leaving, I started to cry again holding the stuffed animal they gave me. Right now I truthfully wish I was home.