As I reflect on my study abroad experience, I’ve realized something that I hadn’t before, which was that my mom is still growing and learning how to live life, just like me. When I was younger, I took for granted how many sacrifices my mom made to make me happy, and now as I’m older I’ve come to see how grateful I am to have a figure like her in my life. Here’s how one weekend with my mom abroad reshaped the way I see her, and a little reminder of how we owe our moms a little more grace.
My Mother-Daughter Weekend in Florence Made Me See My Mom Differently
I started off my study abroad experience completely on my own, and the first two months were filled with learning how to adjust on my own in Florence, Italy. I learned how to get around the narrow alleyways of the city and began making friends with everyone in my program. Halfway through Week 7, my mom finally came to see the home away from home I had built for myself.
Throughout this mother-daughter weekend, I showed her all my favorite restaurants in Florence and all the sights to see including the Duomo, walking through the Uffizi Gallery, and watching the sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo. One standout spot was walking along the Arno River up to the Park of Villa Strozzi at Boschetto – a place I hadn’t seen or been to yet because it was about a 45-minute walk from my apartment.
As I walked through the luscious green landscape, with my mom by my side, I realized even though she was twice my age we were both exploring a new part of the world we both hadn’t seen. Before this trip, my mom always knew what to do. She guided me through every place we visited. But for the first time, she was in a country she had never been to, and watching her navigate Italy made me see her in a different light.
POV: It’s Your Mom’s First Time Living Life Too
We’ve all seen the wholesome TikTok’s along the lines of: “POV: It’s Your Mom’s First Time Living Life Too” and it hits even harder when your mom visits you abroad and experiences a new country for the first time, just like you did at the start of your study abroad journey.
After this week-long trip with my mom, I learned that even though I’m used to her always guiding me, it doesn’t mean she has everything figured out. She’s just like me, exploring a new country and still learning from all the challenges she faces.
When I was younger, I remember being a brat to her sometimes, calling the clothes she picked out as “ugly”, yelling when she pulled too hard while brushing my hair, and sometimes forgetting to say “I love you” as she dropped me off at my friend’s house.
As I walked with her around the park in Florence, suddenly all these memories came back to me, which also included the laughs, arguments, the crying on her shoulder, and more. After this, I gained a deeper appreciation for everything my mom has done for me, finally realizing that she’s experiencing life for the first time too, still growing and learning just like I am.
The Older I Get, the More I Get Her
My mom is the strongest woman I know because she not only sacrificed so much to make sure I was happy, but she also faced the challenge of moving almost 6,000 miles from her own mom and the rest of her family, to start a new life with my dad and raise my brother and me.
No matter how much homesickness she felt from missing her mother, she embraced the hardship with the sweetest smile so I could grow up in Southern California. She’s always been caring and kind-hearted, thriving on helping others, especially within our family, since we’re the only people she has here while the rest of her family lives almost 6,000 miles away.
This Mother’s Day, Remember: She’s Still Growing – Just Like You
I wish I could go back and be grateful for the things I took for granted from her, including the times she helped me pick out clothes while shopping, brushed my hair, or dropped me off at my friend’s house.
Seeing my mom explore a new country made me realize that even though she doesn’t have everything figured out yet, she still sacrificed so much for me because of how much she loves me, which is a good reminder to remember as Mother’s Day approaches. This Mother’s Day, and any day, make sure you tell your mom you love her and appreciate all the obstacles she takes on to put a smile on your face and remember she’s experiencing life for the first time just like you are.