WOW!

Wow is the only expression that can come to my mind when I think about all of the things I have experienced through this journey already, and we have only been here for 2 days.  The flights were long and tiring, but I do not have a heavy fear of flying, so that part didn't bother me.  I was much more nervous about missing my family and friends because I have never traveled far away from them ever.  I thought I would be handling it much worse than I actually am, and I am pleasantly surprised.

The first experience that truly touched me was flying over the Alps.  I have never seen anything so big and beautiful in my entire life, and to believe that I was really seeing something I had only seen before in magazines was extraordinary.  Another experience was trying to get dinner.  There were 7 of us that wanted to eat, but a lot of places were very intimidating and we were unsure of where to eat. We finally settled on a cute little pizzeria, and the food was absolutely delicious.  However, the entire menu was in Italian (obviously) and the waiters knew no English at all.  Communication is the hardest barrier to overcome.  It is very hard to communicate with people when they speak such a different language from your own.  This will be the hardest yet probably best experience to overcome.

I think for my first two days in Italy, I can say with pride that I am already loving this experience.  The food is spectacular (I had spaghetti carbonara last night, fabulous), the sites are gorgeous, and the weather is beautiful.  Our apartment is so cute and cozy, and we have already made it into our little home for the next month.  I am more than excited to travel, but I am also excited to envelope myself in this culture that is my family background yet I feel like I know so little about.  I want to go home with much more knowledge about my culture to tell my Pop-pop. I can't wait to make him proud.

Ciao! - Michelle