Samantha Hirschman | Blogger

My eyes have been opened to see the true reflection of myself. I have had the opportunity to see who I am and what I mean to the world. 

1. I don’t have to have a reason. I just have to give myself purpose.
 
Some people believe we are each placed on the earth for a reason. There is not just one reason we are each here. I’ve learned that we each have to give ourselves purpose; just like we have to make ourselves happy, someone else can’t make us be happy. I’ve found a few reasons why I think I am here. I am here to give love and happiness to my family, friends, and my love, Emanuel. 

2. I am an extroverted introvert. 

 My entire young adulthood, I’ve always tried to put myself out there. I thought I was an extrovert. However, after my first year of college, I found myself enjoying more alone time, study time, and finding happiness in not “going out.” After coming to Rome, I’ve seen something about myself that I never realized. Alone time and privacy are two of my necessities for happiness. I’m okay with being alone. I still enjoy being around people, some of the time. I enjoy my clubs and organizations. I like to be a part of things, however, I need to have a balance in my time with and without others. It’s not extrovert or introvert — it’s a spectrum, and I just happen to land somewhere in the middle. 

3. I can survive on a carb-only diet.

Italy is pasta and pizza. And, I can’t really make much more than potatoes, pasta, and rice. My diet has consisted of little meat, and I can survive on that. However, I’m a meat and potatoes kind of girl, so I won’t mind catching up when I get home.

4. I’ve learned how to communicate.

I thought as a communication major I would learn all there is to know about communicating. I was wrong. Communicating without a common spoken language is difficult, but learning to communicate without speaking is the most important language to know. Four months in a country where I knew nothing but Ciao, I’ve learned a few more words since I’ve gotten here, but still am unable to have a full conversation. On a trip to Paris, I learned something though. I was staying in a hostel with Lindsey where we had breakfast at one table with all those sleeping in the house. There were three Korean girls at the table with us. One of the girls asked a question in Korean, but since she motioned to the bread, I picked it up and handed it to her. She asked for butter and I gave that to her as well. She was surprised, but I was learning.

5. I am more self-reliant than I thought I could be.

I have always had the capabilities of relying on myself. I have done it since I was a young age. However, after having to learn an entirely new life-style, I’ve learned I’m much more capable than I thought. I’ve had to self teach myself how to live in a city, how to live in a new culture, and how to live in Italy. Sure, blogs and articles helped, but I had to teach myself a whole new world.
 
6. My open-mindedness is on a new level.

 If you know my father, you know he is continuously trying to enlighten people with new ideas about the world. He is always trying to open my sister and I’s minds to an idea that may otherwise be considered crazy. So, in other words, my mind has always been open to new ideas. Studying abroad simply broadened it.
 
7. I love Iowa and the mid-western values.

 Iowa is full of small towns, and I miss mine. And all the reasons are explained in a few articles: what I miss and what I don’t like about Iowa that I still miss. And here’s a few things to know if someone is not from Iowa.  

8. The city life is NOT for me.

After living in the city, I know that I could live in a city. However, I do not want to. While I am able to do it, I am not a fan of the busy streets, insane amounts of people, or public transportation.

9. I live with my camera in my hands.

I love taking pictures — as if my three thousand photos on Facebook didn’t already say so.