1000 Words, 5 days: Day 2

This, here, is a photo I snapped of my mother. We were making our way down from the dome at the Vatican in Rome. She was visiting me for a few days and I actually had to do a little convincing before she agreed to visit Rome.

Just a little background information: I don’t live in Rome. I live in a small city about 40 minutes south from Rome. Originally my mother wanted to just stay with me in the city I live in. I told her that it’s mandatory she visits the most well-known and visited city in Italy. After some time she finally agreed to be a little tourist.

What makes this photo so significant is what happened before and after. Before taking this photo, we had hiked our way up the thousands of steps. It was very narrow and tiring. In fact, it was so narrow, there were a few people who needed to stop along the way because of their claustrophobia. I do not suffer from this fear, however the small space made me feel slightly claustrophobic. Although strenuous, we made it over the hump and gained our reward of a beautiful view. We could see all of Rome. I was able to see things I hadn’t seen before.
You will notice a smile on her face. She and I were both pretty happy to have completed the hard part of this trek. It was a relief to make our way down. However when this photo was taken, we still had a bit of a way to go until we reach the bottom.

Out of breathe, we continued our way through Rome.

We went to the most touristic places: the Trevi Fountain, the St. Peter’s Basilica, the Roman Forum, and Colosseum. We made our way back to my city by train and ended the evening with a stereotyped American meal. The following day we went on a mini road trip to a small village located in a national park. It was cold and foggy but absolutely beautiful. We stayed at a farm that had horses, goats, dogs, pigs, chickens, etc. Although our time on this farm was short, it was very cute to stay at.

Honestly this entire trip for the two of us was really nice. It had been a little over six months since I had last seen her so it was a great way for us to bond. I never really had a good relationship with my mother because we tend to disagree on many things and share a difference in opinions. We did not argue very much but we found time to share traditional arguments over stupid things I always forget about. However, as a whole this trip made me appreciate my time with her. She is my mom and we don’t always get along, but when we travelled together in the car around this part of Italy, we had the chance to talk about things we haven’t talked about before. Since we didn’t have the eavesdropping ears of my brothers, we had freedom to just talk.

Saying good bye to my mother at the airport was a bittersweet parting of ways.

She entered the security check and I made my way up the escalator towards the train station. Although it was a little hard to say good bye and let go of her, I wasn’t too broken up about it because I knew I was going to see her again soon and we were probably going to talk on the phone the following day.

I felt like an adult.

There are scenes in films and series of parents and their adult children visiting for a holiday or birthday. When they say their goodbyes there usually isn’t crying involved. I felt like one of those adults that were portrayed on screen. I felt like I was one of those people that visit their parents only certain times of the year.

It was at that moment I had realized how grown up I had become.

When I look at this photo I am not only reminded of the time I spent with my mother during her stay, but I am reminded of how much I have grown since I have been apart from her and my family. I love my family and my friends and my hometown. However, I have come to the realization that living close to family is a wonderful thing, but spending time apart from them is when I really grew as a person. I had no other choice but to be independent. I moved myself to a completely different continent with a 9-hour time difference. I was nowhere near any friends or family. I entered a foreign land alone, but not completely alone. Lucky for me, I had the warm welcome of a wonderful Italian family who introduced me to people who have now become very good friends of mine. Although I was a little nervous, I have proven to my family that I can survive being apart from my family. I have made stupid decisions here and there but I am young and still learning from poor choices.

I connect this photo of my mom with my experience of being away from home. Just as we struggled through the narrow halls of endless stairs, I faced the almost impossible journey of being away from my family, friends, and home. I conquered the challenge and became a stronger and more woman because of it. As we made our way down the stairs with smiles on our faces, I am coming to the end of my experience in Italy with a grin. Although it is not over; I still have about three months left, I am thankful and happy to have made it past the hump. Once I got over the hardest part of being away from them, everything became easier and it seems like it is going by even faster.

Thanks again for taking the time in reading a little background story behind this photo. I hope it inspired you or made you think. Check back tomorrow to look at the photo I decide to write about and share with you all!