So, this was my last week! 9 weeks in Italy and an unforgettable experience!
But what did I do on the last week?
The last week already had a bit of an atmosphere of departure. I finished my last few projects and fine-tuned the ones that I have already completed. During the last week, I tried to enjoy every minute I had with my colleagues. On Friday was my last official day and I brought some pastries and invited all the people with whom I have had contact to get some.
During the weekend I really didn't do a lot. I bought a lot of pistachios and dried fruits as in Italy they are soooo much cheaper than in Austria! Also my parents came on the weekend so that we could leave on Monday. It was a really kind gesture that I was allowed to stay in the apartment for another weekend, so that I could leave without having to go to a hotel or any other place!
Saying officially goodbye on Monday was hard for everyone, but I think with this everyone started cherishing the past two months that we had spent together.
My conclusion during this period is that the people I have met during are beyond outstanding and I will really miss them! For myself I can say that in these 9 weeks I have learned a lot about myself, I have grown as a person, and real friendships have been formed!
I can recommend everyone to do an internship abroad. In my opinion 4 weeks are nearly not enough to really get to know someone and really experience the spirit of a country, but 9 weeks also can feel a bit too long.
My suggestion would be 6-7 weeks as at that point I somewhat started longing for Austria again, but you still get to enjoy the entirety of place XYZ! Also, a suggestion would be to do it alone, because you really have to start caring about your own wellbeing and there is no fall back line. It really is a great preparation for moving out. You are also strengthening your own self-image, because you know that you can live on your own, plus you are doing this in a foreign country which most likely is not a language that are all too familiar with.
Overall I can only say that this was probably one of the most experiences in my life and it really changed a lot of my opinions/prejudices and belief systems! So... Do Erasmus+!
