Here it
is, my very last EVS post. In two days my project will officially end. Eight months ago I came to Italy and tonight I am (already) leaving. I have been packing my stuff
over the last few days and despite having thrown a lot of things my
three-piece luggage is still incredibly heavy. I have a suitcase on
wheels, a 75-litre backpack and another bag. The suitcase is bloody heavy. 25 kg. I have no idea how I will manage with all my
luggage changing the trains twice, but at least I have enough time
between trains which makes me a bit calmer.
Emptying my closet and a chest of drawers in my room was like going
down memory lane. A package of antihistamines reminded me of having hay-fever in May (the worst I have ever had), a bottle of
aloe-vera lotion of being sun-burnt in August and being very nicely
tanned a week after, the scarf I got from Kristiāna
reminded of one of the loveliest Christmases I have ever had. It is
so hard to think of leaving Italy and my flatmates, who have become
more that flatmates, even more than just friends. Considering I have
lived abroad before a few times, I guess I could have been used to
leaving, but it never gets easier. Every single time it's incredibly
hard. However, now I have new holiday destinations, new friends I can
visit. I actually should make a plan who I
can visit this year …
I have to say, despite all the
downs
in my EVS the ups
were so much more uplifting and enriching
that I'm really content with doing it in Italy. I have spent
eight months with amazing people, I have become a better person, a
lot more understanding and flexible, I have improved my cooking and
baking skills (which I guess in a way also resulted in gaining five
kilos, damn!), plus I have learnt a new language. No regrets. Well,
maybe I would have done some things differently, if I had had another
chance, but I'm happy everything went the way it had. Eventually, all
things have to come to an end, so new ones can begin. Now, new
challenges are waiting for me. Immediately after the project, this weekend
actually, I'll be moving to Bulgaria and starting a new job. I can't
decide whether I'm excited, happy, afraid, nervous, anxious or eager.
I guess I'm all of that. I have been having weird dreams for a few
nights now, mostly about my home town, my family, my friends, going
home by train, missing the train, meeting Bulgarians everywhere I go
… I have started learning Bulgarian already, mostly only the
alphabet, numbers and colours. I have to admit, Cyrillic isn't
exactly a piece of cake, but I'll get used to it after a while. I'm
also thinking of having another blog when I move to Bulgaria as I got
quite fond of blogging over the last few months and I bet there's
going to be plenty of material to publish when I move to a country I
have never been before, I don't speak the language and I can't even
read the alphabet properly. Luckily, I don't have to speak Bulgarian
at my new job, but I can already imagine how much fun
I will have going shopping, buying a bus ticket, renting a flat, …
It's a strange feeling, leaving
one country and then immediately moving to another. It's even more
strange saying goodbye to friends. It all feels sort of fake,
like I'm going to wake up tomorrow still here in Prato, I'll get
dressed and go to maneggio
in the afternoon. My head feels completely empty and
incredibly full at the same time. I have butterflies in my stomach, I
feel hungry and sick at the same time and all the time, I can't sleep
when I'm tired and all I can think of is how it's going to be on
Monday when I start working. Everything that's going on is so
overwhelming. This is, I think, one of my biggest challenges ever, if
not the biggest, but after eight months of “holidays” I'm pretty
much craving some serious work.
At this point I can only say one
more thing. Thank you, Italy, for an unforgettable EVS, for all new
friends and new experiences, and see you soon!
