Adrianna's last few weeks in northern Italy Blog

These 10, almost 11 months now that I have been living in the north of Italy now have been one of the most amazing, yet also challenging months of my life.

I wouldn’t say these months were very hard for me because they weren’t. Yet still I notice now that they were full of many many small challenges and little everyday confrontations and tasks, that I had to manage and get done. Some with the help and support of the great people that I am surrounded with, some, however were things that I had to do myself. They are the things on the inside that are not visible for other people. All the changes that happened inside of me, that I only really feel now, that I can look back and compare my actions, my feelings and behaviors to the way they were when I first came here, and man, they have changed a whole lot!

I have become so much better at communicating my needs and boundaries. I have also learned so much about how to behave in conflicts, big and small, and also how to tell if a conflict even is big, or if its not that big of a deal. Which for me was not always that obvious.

Another thing is that have become a way calmer. I’m fine if things don’t go just as planned and I’m fine if I can’t be everywhere all at once, because it is fine. Everything will be fine eventually if you just do your best to maintain your peace of mind and maybe sometimes just let life happen to you instead of the other way around.
Maybe it’s the beautiful (and huge) mountains that give me the feeling that actually some problems in life aren’t as big as they seem. Maybe it’s the company of all the other volunteers and co-workers, my extremely reliable and caring mentor Roberta and of course my beautiful flat-mates that show me that everything can be done, one or the other way, so don’t worry:)

I know I have been lucky. I have landed in a project, in a place with people that I literally can’t say anything truly bad about, which sounds surreal but is actually true. Yet I still believe it has also been this good because I decided to work hard and try my best to keep my mind open at all times, take what’s coming for me, just accept it and make the best of it. Also I wanted to just try to give back any excess happiness, energy and love that I had left. I tried not to force anything and not to do and be more than I actually could and was. And I am so very thankful that I could that here.

At this point I am also looking forward to come back home to my family and friends not because it wasn’t great here (it obviously was) but also because I’m ready to go back. All the things that I have done here, the challenges I have faced, the places I have been, the people that I have met, they all will stay in my heart and my memory forever, because they were so rich in emotion and growth. I am sad to have to leave, but it’s fine because I can look back and not feel regretful about my time here.

Also I’m just so very excited for what’s next in my new chapter!
So, for all the volunteers that are to come: be open and be yourself, say yes to as many things as you can and say no to as many things as you need to!

Yours sincerely,
Adrianna