My Home Away From Home

Old Roman Theatre, Trieste, Italy

I have already been in Trieste, Italy for over a week now and I can say that I am excited to be living here for four months. Although I am a litter nervous with the language barrier, I believe that I will be able to figure everything out sooner or later. Trieste is a relaxed place; let me put an emphasis on that. People walk slower, eat slower, close stores in the middle of the day for a few hours, and our registration process for school is going to take forever. But who can complain. The view is beautiful, people are kind and the hills are a great workout! This week I have memorized the main roads to direct me through the city and the places I need to go. I refuse to use the bus system because I feel that I can walk faster and explore more of the town on my own. You miss so much of the town when riding in a vehicle. This week has been about getting the correct documents for living and studying in Italy. The food here is not what I expected to be Italian food. I think that homemade food anywhere around the world is amazing, depending on who is actually making it. The spaghetti my mother makes at home is a million times better than any restaurant just because it was cooked with love. I have had pizza here and it tastes like pizza. The toppings are not the same because of the availability of food choices and what is in season is different, but its still tastes like pizza. I think it just depends on where you go and if it is a small restaurant where the chiefs are good or not.

Piazza Unita, Downtown Trieste, Italy

This weekend I am meeting up with a dear friend that I have known since the Third grade. He just so happens to be studying abroad in Bologna, Italy so he is traveling to Trieste, Italy this Saturday and we are going to Venice Sunday to view the city for the first time together. It will be nice to see a familiar face and be able to talk about our travels so far!

I think the best thing about Trieste is the history behind the city. The city completely faces the Adriatic Sea that has allowed Trieste survive throughout history. The story begins with a prehistoric settlement of a hill-fort on the high ground of San Giusto, which eventually was founded by the Roman Tergeste in the 1^st Century B.C. (Promotrieste.It, 2). The city has Medieval Church’s, Roman Ruins and cultural influences from bordering countries such as Slovenia and Austria. The longer I am here, the more of the city reveals itself to me.

Cruise Ship at the Port in Trieste, Italy

Classes begin on lunedi 30 (Monday) and I begin my day probably by trying to figure out which room my classes are in. The economics building has many floors and as I have found out in Europe, Piano 1 is like our second floor. The ground level is “A” and then it starts at one. I am getting used to the idea of everything being different, but I still think that the third floor of the building shouldn’t be labeled as Piano 2. This is just my American side coming out of me. Being surrounded with the Italian language I am trying to make connections that are similar to what I know in the States. Exit signs are running green men here, the 24 hour time clock is what is used here, and many other things are similar, I just have to look for them.

Adriatic Sea meets Trieste, Italy

I am excited for my stay here, but at the same time chatting with my friends and family just makes it feel like I am off to college and can only use messaging to contact them. In all reality, I am half way around the world, figuring things out by myself in a culture I don’t know much about, a language that is foreign, and I don’t know anyone. It’s just the way that you think about it. I enjoy reading Italian everywhere, it makes me feel like I am in a story book on an adventure.  I am just 20 years old and I have complete one of my dreams of getting to Europe. Now that I am here, it’s up to me to make the most of it!

Ciao!