"They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them."

The timing may not be exact but...yeah, that's just about right.  Of course, it depends on the circumstance.  We often find ourselves meeting people and if we like them, we continue hanging out with them.  I didn't realize how little we know about each other in these types of instances...you know, the social ones.  I mean, we know general information (name, where you are from...the sorts), what you are currently doing (job/school/not a damn thing), and what your typical drink is.  I still appreciate those friends, sure...but the conversations where you get to really tap into a person...those are the friends that I fall in love with.

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past 7 months, I am currently residing in Florence, Italy.  The center (equivalent to our downtown) is what I would categorize as a "commuter city". Similar to San Francisco in that aspect as well as the melting pot of cultures.  People study abroad here...people make long visits...short visits...people live here for various amounts of time...but one thing is constant, the  change of people.  I have now lived through 2 semesters: one regular and one summer....and now currently living through the "slow season".  I couldn't tell you what a difference all three have been.  Its insane.  You go from seeing the same people everywhere you go...saying hello, double kisses, coffees, lunches, dinners, drinks...the whole nine.  Then you get a new group...and you start all over.  A girlfriend of mine has been living here for 12 years, originally from the south of Italy, and does this 3 times a year for the past 12 years.  I asked her how she does it, getting to know people, becoming their friends, spending time together and then saying goodbye after 6 months.  She said she is used to it...apparently, so is everyone else.

On a typical night when meeting someone for the first time, you are asked the same 5 questions like it's rehearsed:
-can you speak Italian/English (Parli Italiano/Inglese?)
-where are you from (Di dove sei?)
-do you study here or what are you doing here (Studiare qui? o Che fai qui?)
-do you like Florence (Te piace Firenze?)
-how long will you be here for (Quanto tempo qui?)

I get it now....and now I find myself asking these same questions.  I could do this in my sleep.  Ask and answer in English and in Italian as I am thinking of a song I heard today, drinking my drink, checking out the other people in the bar and giving my room mate the "oh-my-god-save-me" look.  But not all of my encounters have been so....lack luster.

The thing with being wander lust is that you meet incredible people everywhere but when your time or their time is up, good byes are always hard. I am fortunate enough to say that I have met some really great people, that I hope to be life long friends with, here. I have also had to say "ci vediamo" to more people than I would normally like.  People that I would see every night and our normal watering hole (aka Lions Fountain), after hours places, late night jam sessions, go to Pingusta for all you can eat Japanese fusion, Sunday brunches at Clubhouse with our normal "table talk", and walks around the center together for no reason at all.  April came, and slowly, one by one...the same people I spent all my time with went back home or found new homes in new countries.  Buona fortuna, amici mio. 'Till we meet again.

I am not sure when my time will be up here in

never never land. 

But when it is, I know I can look back

and remember the

"night's I can't remember with the people I will never forget"