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Life > Experiences

Still (Mentally) Living Across an Ocean

Claire Fisher
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

This summer I spent five weeks in Sorrento, Italy. I know, I know, I fell victim to the Colin Bridgerton study abroad student stereotypes. But, alas. In an effort to pretend I am still there working on my tan, and maybe letting Rafalei treat me to a free sunbed, here is a brain dump of SOME of my favorite memories, moments and concepts from my time in Europe. 

1. Reading The Alchemist 

Imagine peacefully sitting in a beach chair with a coral colored umbrella above you. Children laugh, adults joke around you in Italian, your tan is perfecting and as you listen to the waves crash, you open a brand new book. That is the life, and it was MY life.

During my study abroad, I decided my summer read would be The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. As I started to acclimate to my new routine, I read one quote that set my intentions for the summer: “And, when you wants something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Woah. Now, I don’t particularly believe that everything happens for a reason, but I think the Holy Spirit has continually placed me in the right place at the right time. This was the summer I was MEANT to be in Italy. This is the year I am MEANT to graduate Bonaventure (you get the jist). The comfort of having a supportive universe, higher being, God, whatever your prerogative is, was really comforting during these intense five weeks. 

2. Caserta Palace (… the bus ride home)

Okay, so the title of this section is a bit odd. Included with the study abroad price was an excursion to the Caserta Palace in Campania. Now, I attached the link because I know nothing about this palace. If you are curious, feel free to research. During this excursion, I was horribly sick. Hot girls have stomach issues, okay? Anyway, I don’t really remember anything about the palace besides crying in the bathroom and a mysterious man with a vespa paying for my pharmacy visit (thanks, Mario!) 

What I DO remember, very vividly, was the bus ride home. I feel like Ellie, Becca and our professor solved world peace on that ride (we actually just laughed and giggled about stalking boys for an hour). Seriously, I have never laughed harder in my life. Leave it to me to be in one of the most beautiful hand-built palaces in the world but have more fun on a stinky bus ride home. Shoutout to Paolo for being PATIENT with us. 

3. The Rome Airport (and France, I guess)

If you don’t already know, during my time abroad I took a weekend trip with four friends to Paris, right before the Olympics. Now before we could arrive in Paris, the Microsoft outage caused us to add an extra 15 hours in the Rome airport to our adventure, plus a quick stop in Brussels. So, now when I think of Paris, my mind first goes to 2 a.m. airport Pringles and a random grandmother who we connected with on the airport floor. 

Once we arrived we saw the beautiful Arc de Triumph, Eiffel Tower, heck, I even shared communion with Olympians. Simply put, it was amazing. During these 48 hours, I also got locked in a bathroom, almost got pickpocketed, filmed the Apple dance, photographed my friends by luxury purses, found out Joe Biden had dropped out of the presidential race and tried to peek at the Olympic village (it was just a volleyball court). Paris, you saw me as a different breed. 

4. THE saint anna Firework Show 

Italy is generally a very religious country, but Sorrento in particular is very in tune with the Catholic faith. The patron saint of Sorrento is Saint Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary. To recognize Anna’s feast day, July 26, the city of Sorrento puts on a brilliant firework show down by the water. These were certainly the best fireworks I had ever seen. They were timed with an orchestra and were clearly less regulated than American fireworks. I wish I could describe it better, but I really could not do the shapes, colors and effects justice.

 As used all my senses to take in this moment, I could not help but reminisce as I looked on the water. This waterfront area is where we had our welcome dinner and where just a few days after the show we would have our farewell dinner. This waterfront is where I had my three hour lunch with Anna, where I first swam in the Mediterranean, where I watched many sunrises and sunsets and where I started to process the death of my dear friend, Fr. Dan. This space soon meant everything to me and I could not think of a better way to celebrate the space than with a beautiful firework show. 

I hope the theme that can be seen from this article is that my summer was made of a million tiny moments. Duh, I know. But it wasn’t about grand gestures. It was about the smallest, seemingly insignificant moments. Isn’t all of life that way? Obviously we should be appreciating the big moments, but the small ones are often much sweeter. 

Sure, being bussed to Rome and the Trevi Fountain was cool, but what I really remember about that day was laughing with new friends over a REALLY hairy bird and a McDonald’s cheese fry. It’s attempting to do a cartwheel while swimming at sunrise with friends. I could have been in the YMCA pool for all I knew (well, maybe not, but you get the point). One of my favorite “going out” memories was before we even got to the club, but actually when me and three friends serenaded Sorrento locals with National Anthem by Lana Del Ray (sung by us, of course). 

Make more time in your life for the small moments. Take the extra time to start up a conversation with service workers. ASK MORE QUESTIONS. Go out of your way to truly connect. The “in-between” moments are what make life so sweet. 

Sorrento, I love you. 

You changed my life, but I guess I’ll see ya.”

Gracie Abrams, Normal Thing
Claire Fisher is the co-campus correspondent for the St. Bonaventure Her Campus chapter. She is responsible for the general managing of chapter and executive board logistics with her roommate and co-president, Leah! Claire even implemented a once-a-year print issue of HC at SBU. Claire is currently a senior studying Communication, Social Justice & Advocacy with focuses on theology and political science. Aside from Her Campus, Claire currently serves as co-president of Jandoli Women in Communication, passionate about representation in the media field, and works in the University Ministries building. Lastly, she is a content creator and the communications officer for St. Bonaventure College Democrats. In her time away from academics, Claire loves to walk on local trails or lay in the sun, especially while listening to playlist she made herself. Her love language is music; she even works as a DJ at a local bar! A fun fact you may not know about Claire is that her favorite game show is Press Your Luck.