How I Got Here

I grew up in a small town on the south coast of Massachusetts. Life there was quiet, secure and simple. I feel asleep to the sound of crickets during the summer and hardly heard any cars driving by. There isn’t much to do besides going to the beach and as a pale person- not the best place to be. Sometimes we would go to Target as our form of entertainment. There are benefits to growing up with the simplicity roots- as it humbles me, gave me lifelong friends and a place where I can ground myself whenever I need to. I deep down knew this wasn’t the place I would spend the rest of my life and I would romanticize the day I could leave. Not that I wanted to leave my family or friends, but in order for myself to grow I had to step out of my comfort zone and see what is out there. Because living in a small town, I was sheltered and naive to what goes on in other parts of the world. 

Flash forward to August 31, 2015- I left everything I knew to go study abroad in Florence, Italy. Anxious, but excited I was ready to take on an adventure of a lifetime not knowing how it would change my life forever. Florence is a place of many firsts for me. First time traveling internationally, first apartment I ever lived in, first time relying on a paper map instead of an iPhone, first time being able to go to a bar legally- the list could go on and on. This magical city will always hold a special place in my heart. During that time, I traveled to seven countries and too many cities to count. I was living my dream life- traveling to a new city each weekend. I was able to experience new cultures and traditions first hand. That type of experience was invaluable to me and went far beyond anything you could learn about in a textbook. 

I’ll never forget the day I was able to tell an older British couple the correct directions when they asked where the closest grocery store while in Florence. I felt super proud and confident in myself even though it was a small little thing. When I first got to Florence, I kept thinking to myself “I can’t wait until I know where I’m going and not acting so lost all the time.” I felt like a local even though I was just temporarily living here. Just in that moment which seems so small, I started to notice how confident I was becoming. Which sounds super dramatic- but I felt like a citizen of the world. Meanwhile during freshman year of college I would visit my friends Allyson and Mariah in Boston and I would make them bring me to South Station from the Fenway area because I was afraid to do it alone. After coming back from Italy, I’d just meet them at their door instead. 

I have learned many valuable lessons in those four months. I’m a little less scared of the world. The world has it’s dark side that I will always be paranoid of but I cannot sit and dwell on those thoughts anymore- otherwise I would be sitting in my house all day. I learned I have to rely on myself, trust my gut and do what feels right. I learned to be adaptable to different situations. Sometimes things don't go as planned but just have to go with the flow and make it work. But the most important one is life is beyond short. You are extremely lucky to have the privilege to grow old. As cliche as it sounds, you never know when your last day will be your last. I try to think about this as much as possible and try to take in every moment that I can and know how blessed I am to be here. 

I crave traveling. It gives me this feeling inside I cannot describe. I’m calm- but excited. Because of my undying love for traveling I have made it my life goal to visit a new international city and domestic city each year. Excited to see where 2020 brings me. 

Thanks for reading-

Arrivederci

xo Jenna