Tonight after class I walked with a classmate to a large grocery store. We chatted in Italian (she’s Japanese), our ways parted in the store and after stocking up on cookies, licorice (Dutch will be Dutch…) and chocolate I walked home. Rain was pouring down and I realized that this was the happiest I have been in a long, long time. Right there. In the rain and dark. Carrying home 2 bags full of groceries. A 20 minute door to door walk. Firenze really does weird things to me…
Day by day I can feel my language skills slowly improving. Found a new place to practice yoga. Made some friends to spend time with. There’s been way more laughter than sadness in the past week and I’m convinced there’s even more to come. Meanwhile I feel very inspired to start my own business here, even though plans are still in a very early stage.
There will be rough days. There will be moments of cursing Italians for being so Italian. I’ve already yelled at stupid drivers almost killing me while I was trying to bike through the streets of this bella città. My cat doesn’t seem to like most of the pet food here and the apartment I live in doesn’t really have any windows that actually have a view.
But if there’s one thing this past week has already taught me; if you’re in the right place. Both mentally and physically, you can work miracles. Not overnight. Nor will it be easy. But it’s all possible as long as you decide to dive in head first. So here I am. Swimming through this new Italian life of mine. Bumping my head to the edge of the pool every now and then. Finding it VERY scary to not be able to feel the ground under my feet whenever I try swimming in deeper waters. But I am swimming and if at any given moment I get tired of that, I’ll just float for a bit and see where the stream takes me.
