Ciao!

"Adventure" is the only term I can think of to describe this experience. Even from the very start, every part of this journey has been unlike anything I expected.

I arrived nearly four hours early to the airport in order to get through security with plenty of time to spare. I stood in line with my parents for the first hour waiting to get ticketed and go through the first round security screenings. Once we reached the front of the security line, the airport security guard told my parents they couldn't go any further without a ticket or gate pass. Since there was such a long line of people behind me, and since everyone in airports seems to be rushing (which I find ironic because they usually end up just to sitting at a gate for hours on end and gambling with the chance of flight delay), I was herded through the line without getting to even hug my parents goodbye! Call me childish, but I didn't even get the last minute advice that parents are always nagging as they hug their children before they set them free. Also, this was not just like sending me off to college an hour away. They were sending me off to a different country for months! Example number 1 of how things don't always go as expected.

So I suppose the airport security checkpoint was the place where the adventure officially began. I was on my own. I got through all of security without any problems. Thank goodness. Even though I was traveling with medical supplies, not one person at any of the airports I went through, asked me to open my bags or to see my prescriptions...

Pro: Convenience Con: I'm feeling a little dicey about airport security now. However, I got through and am thankful for the easy process.

After getting to my gate, it was time to wait. For hours. I started to re-think my "bright idea" of getting to the airport so early. Other students started to arrive one-by-one and we began to bond. At that point, all pre-game jitters disappeared.

The first flight to Frankfurt took 9 hours. Although we were to sleep most of the flight, no one did. In Frankfurt, we took a connecting flight to Verona. It was a small plane and only about 20 people were on board. I couldn't tell you much about the flight because the moment I sat down I fell asleep. As Colby would say, "I was super sleep dawg tired!" It was the best hour nap of my life. I woke up once during the nap- just long enough to snap a picture of one of the most beautiful views seen from our plane window. Despite the wear and tear that a rough day of travel has on us all, God sends little reminders that it is all worth it.

A picture of the Alps taken while I was flying from Frankfurt into Verona

We all caught a taxi to our residence. Thankfully we survived. Despite my popularity with police and a lead foot when it comes to driving in the U.S., these taxi drivers make me look like a grandma. They seemed to think that they were racing in the Italian Grand Prix. First lesson learned in Italy- Let the drivers drive and close your eyes.

Our humble abode for the next few months

Somehow we arrived safely at our destination and unloaded our luggage. We then met our Globis contact, Martin. He's a champ. He's a little hard of hearing, but a sweet old American man who now lives in Italy with his wife. He took us out for dinner at an Italian buffet. Dangerous. This restaurant had absolutely every kind of Italian food you could ever dream of eating! And everything I tasted was delicious. Food on this trip will be a blessing and a curse. We wined and dined like Italians, taking our precious time and enjoying the newfound company. We walked back to the residence and got to see the city of Verona at night. Unbelievable. It was a great way to kick start our immersion into the Italian culture. I cannot wait to see what adventures come next!

...Ciao!