It's A Bittersweet Symphony

This past week has been an emotional roller coaster.

I started off being stressed about my final papers. But then, when hope was just about lost, I found a Rachel! Having Rachel come visit was fantastic. I loved showing her around Rome and running around eating gelato, crepes, and cannoli (this is not a mistake. cannoli is plural). I was also fun to show off my Italian language skills :)

However, Rachel left after a few days and I was left in the middle of finals week and completely stressed out. On Thursday I took my last final. The feeling of not having to memorize anymore emperors or popes was amazing. However, the joy of being done with finals was quickly replaced with denial and sadness. Thursday night IES hosted a farewell dinner and it was almost impossible not to cry. It was the last night that we all had together after spending four of the best months of our lives together in Rome. One of my roommates was leaving early in the morning so we stayed up all night saying goodbye to people and then went to Gianicolo. Gianicolo is by far one of the best sights in Rome. It is an overlook of the entire city that we pass on our way to school everyday. During the summer Gianicolo is filled with lovers and happiness, because who wouldn't be happy when you look like your life should be on a postcard? However, last night Gianicolo was home to seven girls laughing and crying and reminiscing about the best four months of our lives.

I am still in denial about leaving Rome but it's starting to hit me and it makes me incredibly sad. Yet at the same time I am happy to be going to Paris to see some of my favorite people and then to go home and be with my family, who I have missed very much during the past semester. I am currently packing all of my belongings and cleaning our apartment and buying last minute Christmas presents. I'm going to miss Rome but I know that I'll make it back one day and it'll feel the same. After all, Rome is the Eternal City.