What I Miss

Four months ago, I boarded a plane in Heathrow Airport in London that returned me to the small city of Louisville, Kentucky, where I was born. After spending an entire semester in Florence, it was difficult to imagine what the transition back to America might feel like. While I constantly tried to reflect on my experiences in Italy while I was living there, I could not have anticipated what American life might feel like after living abroad.

What I did not realize until nearly one month after I returned was that I missed certain things about Florence. That may sound strange—“Of course you miss things about Florence, it was your home!” But after being away from friends and family for so long, the point of return caught up with me. I was excited to go home; excited for my family, excited for my dog, excited for the laughter of friends, and particularly excited for the Mexican restaurant around the corner from my house. That was my American life I had left behind. But when I took that U.S. Airways jet off the tarmac, I was leaving behind a new life that I had built for myself, a life completely different from what I had in Louisville, my home, or Nashville, where I attend school.

So what do I miss?

1.      The cappuccinos at Chiaroscuro on Via del Corso.

One of my best friends and I would always meet at Chiaroscuro. We met for lunches, for small caffé breaks, for the free Wi-Fi and cozy study space, all because we loved it. In Italy, the coffee is never big, and it is never watery. The cappuccinos at Chiaroscuro were the perfect blend of espresso and foam, and the kindness of the staff always brought us back. First culture shock: Starbucks is no Chiaroscuro.

2.      The gnocchi alla sorrentina.

From where, you ask? Everywhere. I traveled through Italy for my spring break, and at every restaurant, without fail, I ordered the gnocchi alla sorrentina. I had never eaten or even heard of gnocchi before I came to Italy, but once a friend made me try it, I was hooked. Gnocchi alla sorrentina is the nigh on perfect blend of all Italian flavors: potato gnocchi, crisp and baked tomato sauce, buffala mozzarella, and basil. They do not make this at my local Italian restaurant.

3.      Acqua al Due.

I should have expected that I would miss this place. Situated just around the corner from my apartment, Acqua al Due is famous for its delicious pasta and bistecca alla fiorentina—and I have to say, their wine selection isn’t half bad either. I had a frequent visitor punch-card from Acqua al Due, resulting in a free t-shirt on my last night in Florence. The owner also owns the American Diner across the street, which satisfied any comfort food cravings I had (trust me, they were few and far between though).

4.      The streets.

I loved the urban feel of Florence. In one edifice, you could find a delicious restaurant, a leather shop, and an apartment. The streets zig-zagged in an impossible maze that left tourists lost, but they were what I loved the most. Wandering the streets in the early morning, I could almost see how little Florence’s plan had changed over the past 500 year—I could picture the Medici in the Palazzo Vecchio, or Vasari directing construction of the Uffizi. The streets of Florence reminded me of the history of which I had become a part.

5.      The David.

In the end, above all else, what I love and miss most about Florence is the art. I miss seeing the David and being shocked every time. I miss standing in front of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and listening to the gasps around me. I miss seeing the Rape of the Sabines from across the Piazza della Signoria. I miss the city whose identity was art, frozen in time for visitors and residents alike to love and appreciate.

So here I am, sitting in a chair, studying for Organic Chemistry, and asking myself: why did I leave again?