A SUMMER SUBLET IN LITTLE ITALY
After I completed my spring semester at school, I made the decision to stay in downtown Toronto during the summer. This, I had never done before. It became a routine for me to return home to my family in Burlington, work, and save money once classes finished in April.
I was browsing my Instagram feed and saw a mutual friend’s ad that popped up. She was looking for someone to sublet the second room in her basement apartment for the summer months. I inquired; fully knowing that I had no job, not enough money, and no parental permission to do so.
As I walked down College Street to meet the place, I immediately fell in love. It was so much more quiet and quaint than the old Church and Gerrard student Apartment building I was currently residing in. The shops, the patios, the brick sidewalks. I was captured by the area when I hadn’t even seen the place yet. When I finally made it to the apartment, I smiled walking down the stairs as I approached the tiny little doorway. I could completely envision myself here. I looked at the empty room. My posters were already up on the walls in my head. I could so see myself getting a job, exploring new parts of the city, making new friends, and riding a bike all throughout the streets of West-end Toronto.
And so, this is exactly what I did. I developed a pretty great friendship with my roommate, got hired at a local cafe to serve gelato and espresso, went on a ridiculous amount of walks (with my camera of course), sunbathed at parks, did my grocery shopping at all the local fruit vendors, and I learned a lot about myself.
What I have learned from all of this, is that if it is meant to happen, it will.
The Church my Nonna got married in.
My grandmother had grown up a couple of blocks away from where I was living all summer. I often took walks to visit her old house and church. This felt very full circle.
The cutest little street in Toronto (in my opinion).
The trees hug the sky and hang over the street as protection. Walking up and down made me feel safe, happy and secure.
