I'm sure that many people can agree that spending time in a foreign country takes a lot of adjustment and getting used to. I'm sure that many people can also agree that the adjustment back at home after being abroad can be just as challenging. I spent this past semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy, something that has always been a dream of mine.

It's crazy how quickly my time abroad flew by and that I'm sitting here today reminiscing on all of the amazing adventures that I took part in just 4 short months ago. My time at home post abroad has given me lots of time to reflect on my experiences and feel all different sorts of emotions.

Before I got to Italy, I thought that I would never want to come home. Nothing's better than eating pasta every day, strolling the streets of the birthplace of Renaissance, or traveling to a different country each weekend for such cheap prices. However, as the weeks went by I found myself missing my family, my friends, and the American lifestyle more and more each day, which made me excited for my departure date.

My time and experiences abroad were indescribable, but I was ready to come home. However, now I'm becoming more and more nostalgic of my time abroad as the days go by. Many people that I know have recently arrived in Florence to study abroad for the Spring Semester. Social media outlets, such as, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat allow me to watch them live a life very similar to the one that I was living just a few months ago, and its hard not to get just a little bit jealous of them. It's weird to not be watching the sunset over the city.

It's weird to not be walking down the cobblestone streets with a gelato in hand. It's weird to not be in my home away from home. Part of me wishes that I was back in Europe, but I also have so many exciting things to look forward to being back in the United States.

It's safe to say that Florence stripped me of every cent that I had to my name, so I was very excited to get back to work and attempt to make back all of the money that I spent while abroad. I enjoy keeping busy on my school vacations, so I have been trying to pick up as many shifts at work as possible. It's nice to get back on an actual schedule, and it was just as nice getting to catch up with all of my coworkers.

I was able to go running and workout a few times while I was abroad, but due to all of my weekend travels, there wasn't as much time for it as there is back at home. I can proudly say that I ate my way through Europe, so I was certainly ready and excited to get back into that gym grind. Nothing feels better and more accomplishing than getting back in the gym after taking some time off, especially when that time was accompanied by gelato, pasta, and pizza.

I haven't been at school since last May. While I was abroad, I took fairly simple classes, so that I would have as much time as possible to travel around Europe and explore Florence, so it may be a bit challenging adjusting back into my typical study schedule.

I may regret this statement in a few months when midterms roll around, but I'm excited to get back on a more academic and rigorous school schedule. I am a student who needs structure in regards to academics, so it will be challenging but nice to get back into the swing of my typical course load and difficulty.

Lastly, I am feeling excited to see all of my friends and family who I haven't seen since before my trip. I can't wait to hear about what's been going on in their lives and to tell them about all of my abroad adventures. Being back at home with my family is great and makes me realize how much I missed them while I was gone.

I'm excited to get back to school and see everyone who I have been away from for so long. It is a bit scary heading back to school after being away for so long, but I know that everything will fall right back into place quickly.

Studying abroad was a once and a lifetime opportunity, and I have no regrets. I learned so much about myself and about the world around me, but I also learned to appreciate everything that I have back at home.