Italy: Ella Buffalo (Final Reflections)
In the weeks leading up to my departure from America, I studied countless maps of my destination. I closely observed the boot-like shape of Italy and scratched in little stars on the cities I hoped to visit. Milan, Rome, Naples, Venice. At the time, each of these places were simply names in my head. I could barely remember whether they were north or south of Florence—my future home.
If I was already sick of looking at the map of Italy before I left, I had no idea how many hours I would spend staring at it in the weeks to come. Each time I travelled outside of Florence, my perspective changed. I not only understood the placement of Italian cities, but I also began to associate them with more than just a name. After the weekend of February 2, seeing the little star on the boot that read “Rome” triggered memories of walking on the floor of the Colosseum and strolling through the sparkling lights of Vatican City after sunset. After February 21, hearing “Milan” caused flashbacks to brunch overlooking the Milan Duomo and sleeping across town in our cozy little hostel. Rome and Milan were no longer just the names of random cities in a country I had never been to. Now they were places in which I had made unforgettable memories. Each of the cities that I studied on the map of Italy will eventually be the same way.
When I return home, I will have more of a sense of how other people live and what other places exist in the world, but most importantly, I will cherish the unforgettable memories I made in each of these places.
Ella Buffalo
Hometown: Maplewood, Minnesota
Major: Journalism