Study Abroad during Covid
On January 8th, 2020, I left for a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. While I was going with 11 other students from the Fashion Merchandising program at VCU, it still felt as if I was going alone. As soon as I got there I was overwhelmed with the feeling of sadness and loneliness. Soon after another VCU student, Sam, reached out to me to come over to her apartment. I went over and that’s when everything change.
Over the next two months I spent time traveling around Italy and even to other countries. I had the chance to go to Germany, Austria, and Hungary. While the traveling was fun, I also started to become super close with the other girls in my program. Funny enough, I graduated with one of them from high school, but we were never close. Florence felt like a fairytale. Everything about it seemed unreal until the fairytale turned into a harsh reality.
Almost two months into my study abroad program, Covid-19 made its way into Italy. Looking back, I felt naive thinking that Covid would never come to Italy. I was wrong, so very wrong. On February 29th, my program direct told us to get the f**k out while we can. That’s when it hit me. I have to leave this beautiful place, these beautiful people, and this amazing food. It was ironic because around this time I was feeling homesick. But, I didn’t mean it literally!
I spent my last day at the Boboli Gardens at the Piti Palace with my roommate Marta. Let me just say, it was breathtaking. At 3:30a on March 2, 2020, Marta and I woke up, as it was time to leave. We had to get to the airport at 4:30 in the morning! Let me tell you, I have never seen so many people at the airport that early in the morning.
On my plane ride home, I reminisced on the memories I had created during my time in Florence. Coming home took a toll on me and i’m sure all the other students who were sent home. But, I choose to remember my time in Florence as the most amazing two months of my life. I am truly thankful to have had the opportunity study abroad in such a beautiful place. Ciao for now!