It was my last year at the university, I had to do the very last exam before the discussion of my thesis, therefore I was brimming with commitment and enthusiasm. If I wanted to discuss my thesis in October, I needed to do the exam by mid-September, so I decided not to go on holiday that August.
Big mistake: at that time, August was traditionally the month during which Italy stopped working: not only all the factories were closed, but shops as well, and restaurants, bars, and cinemas were closed in my city. Only an "emergency-supermarket" and one pharmacy in the whole city were open.
My family was on holiday by the sea, my brother was abroad with his girlfriend (actually, it wouldn't have been any differences if he had decided not to go on holiday: he would have preferred to spend his time with his friends instead of helping me with my duty), my friends were on holiday as well or, a couple of them, occupied in their jobs.
I was completely alone.
To be honest, I think loneliness is a precious gift when it is a choice, and during that month alone, in the beginning, I felt undeniably happy and perfectly comfortable. But I have to admit that one month is excessively long and, at the end of August, I was grateful to see my parents coming back from their holiday!
