48 hours left to live... in Italy

I am sitting in the middle of Piazza Duomo, the main square in Trento, Italy, in the dying hours of my exchange. At 5:00 am tomorrow, I will be boarding the train as I have done countless times before. However this time is different, as my ticket does not have a return stamp on it. I will not be coming back, at least anytime soon.

I spend my final two days going back to the places where the adventure began, while reflecting on the many ways in which this experience has impacted my life and challenged me to grow as a person.

Day 1

My first destination is Urban Coffee Lab, a popular spot among the younger crowd in Trento, as its modern look and caffeinated beverage options are more along the lines of a Starbucks than most Italian cafes.

Urban holds a special place in my heart as it was the site of many firsts- making my first Italian friend, as well as drinking my first shot of espresso and cappuccino. Each of these events were simple but important to helping me feel part of a culture so different from my own.

I also looked forward to study break chats with my new Italian friend, who worked behind the counter. In between taking orders and mixing up drinks, we would talk about everything from cultural differences to sharing in each other’s miseries over the amount of studying we had to do (she was also a student at the University)

Today, I nursed my last Americano con ghiaccio (a newly discovered favourite), while talking with my barista friend as always, only this time, our parting “arrivederci” had a more permanent ring to it.

Day 2

This morning, I woke up to the sun streaming through my window, with the mountains looming in all around as I had so done many times before. I eventually rolled out of bed and headed into town to enjoy the main fountain.

During the day, we walked around the University of Trento campus one last time, taking pictures of the buildings and admiring their ancient style of architecture. These were the buildings we had spent the past several months learning about everything from psycholgy to pressing concerns in the European Union; topics presented from a point of view that had us asking questions and thinking about global issues in ways we never would have otherwise.

That evening, my friend and I went out for our final dinner at Restaurant and Pizza Antico Pozzo, one of the best pizzerias in Trento. We then ended our night by getting gelato from Gelateria Pingu, a shop we had been eyeing throughout the entirety of our exchange but for some reason, never tried.

As we licked up the remaining drops of cremino in our cups, a mix of Nutella, chocolate and cream, we both looked at one another, speaking the same thought out loud.

“Want to go for another round? ”.

We ran back, getting the pistachio this time, savouring every last bite as well as the view of surrounding mountains and people, making their way through the piazza, sipping a Spritz over apertivo, all of them enjoying a warm and quiet Sunday evening.

At the same time, I pulled out my camera to take a short video of our final minutes here so that I could truly remember the magic of what had become my second home; a small town, in the North of Italy.

Looking back...

Naturally, I felt different that evening.

I felt stronger having spent the past 6 months navigating not one but nine countries, as well as language barriers and public transit systems. My confidence also grew as I was forced to engage with complete strangers in order to figure out the simplest of things, like understanding which product on the shelf was actually butter.

I also noticed physical changes, as I was living in a mountainous region in a culture that walks or bikes everywhere they go. Tasks I typically used a car for I was now going by foot, lugging heavy grocery bags along with a loaded backpack to my residence each day. My exercise routine also became more intense, as running meant hills through the vineyards, planted in neat rows throughout the hillsides.

I thought back to the moment I sat down on my bed for the first time feeling shocked at how calm I felt. Being on the move was becoming normal, having lived in many places over the course of my university career. Rather than wanting to turn myself right back around as I had in the past, I was excited to see what the coming days held in store.

And just like that; all those days that were once ahead of me were now behind me. Six months had past. I was all moved out of my apartment with my suitcases a little fuller, my head a little wiser and my body a little stronger. While I was taking many memories, as well as a stockpile of Trentino chocolate and coffee with me, I was leaving a part of my heart behind.

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