Feels Like I'm Home

 “When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses 

are family happinesses.”  ~Joyce Brothers

You know that saying, “you can’t take it with you” ? That’s exactly how I feel when I move somewhere new. When I left home for the first time, I realized my family structure would be different from that moment on; I wouldn’t have the comfort of my big, pink bed, smelling my dad’s cologne in the morning, or the late-night Sheetz runs with my mom. My home town may not be anything to write home about, and I can strongly say missing DuBois is difficult for me. 

But missing my family; that’s another thing.

Since moving to Rome, a part of me is missing, and that part is my family. I can’t just hop in my car after work and drive 57 miles to DuBois...now I live 4,500 miles away, and that makes it a tad bit more difficult. 

Last week, my famil made the 12-hour flight to Rome to visit, and I was molto contenta, very happy. Having the ability to show my mom, brother, and my best friend the city where I reside gave me the utmost joy. I wanted them to see this beautiful city that takes my breath away, and I wanted them to experience a culture unlike ours. 

Honestly, I think many things surprised them; my mom who has drank coffee her entire life couldn’t handle the strength of Italian coffee; John wanted to meet an Italian girl, but realized that “Ciao” wasn’t going to get him to far, and Neeshy just wanted her greasy hot wings....all I could say was ‘Benvenuti a Roma!” “Welcome to Rome!”

The culture is different, the food is different, the people are different, and I utterly love everything about it, and I hope they did too. Visiting Italy will change them, whether they realize it or not. 

Even though I can’t keep my family here, or take them with me everywhere I venture in my life, I can hold onto the fact that no matter the distance, plane, train, boat, or automobile, we can be together, even if just for a moment.