I just returned from spending four months working on a permaculture farm in Costa Rica a few days ago. Now I’m preparing to spend about four months in Europe, starting off with this first month in Cagliari. My first instincts are excitement for delicious food and spending time in a Mediterranean climate. I’m nervous to go from an isolated farm in the jungle, to this chaotic time of preparation and catching up, to an entirely different culture with an entirely new language.

After immersing myself in a relatively new community in Costa Rica, I’m interesting in this switch to a culture which connects deeply to its history. I’m excited to explore an area which has been inhabited for a period of time unfathomable to me. Many of the Italians I’ve met have been really proud of who they are and where they come from. Most have been boisterous, friendly, and very welcoming. While I don’t expect everyone to treat me like an old friend, I’m curious to see how I am treated on the street, in a classroom, in a restaurant. I’m ready to go with the flow and meet and hopefully befriend a part of Italy.