That was a text message I received about a month ago, from my new friend Jesus (pronounced Hey-Zeus). Have you ever met someone named Jesus? Well, I hadn’t until a few weeks ago, and I’m happy to now say that I have a close friend that I hope to know for the rest of my life.
While studying abroad, and in life in general, the people that you meet are just as important as all of the places you visit, ancient ruins you see, and all the pasta you eat. What fun is this experience without anyone to share it with?
I’m glad one of the people I get to share this experience with is Jesus; he is one of the most interesting people I know. He was born in Spain; has lived all throughout Europe (now lives in Venezuela, but goes to college in the U.S.); can speak Spanish, Italian, English and French and the list goes on. What makes him so interesting is not just the fact that he has lived all throughout Europe or that he can speak 4 languages (although I’m jealous), but it is his background, his stories and his ideas/opinions/perspectives.
Throughout this study abroad experience (and again, in life in general) it is so important to be open minded; to be open minded about trying new things, learning about new cultures, having new experiences, and meeting new people…it’s what makes life interesting. I feel like I have always had an open mind, but Jesus has helped me to open my eyes even more and see things from different perspectives–and to me, that is more important than all of the places I will visit during this time.
Location: Florence, italy
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