The start

Hello All,

Welcome to my travel blog!

I first thought of keeping a blog after talking with Brooke Hoffman this past summer about her exchange in Russia. Her blog was so well done I was inspired to make one (in the hope that it would be just as good as hers). I also just think it's a great idea. For everyone who doesn't have facebook :P I like blogs too. I had one back in like eighth grade. Back when kids would write down online journal entries about their day or week (of course with full privacy settings so only their five or six friends could view them), pretending anyone would actually read the entries, or actually care. Now I hope this will be fun for at least a few people, and I'll put pictures up at some point, maybe not today as I have a lot of things that need to get done, even though that doesn't mean I'll actually do them.

As most of you know, I'll be leaving to Italy to spend a gap year there as an exchange student (I leave this Thursday). I'll be in high school again (though classes don't really "count") and be living with a host family in Milan. I've been emailing my host family and so far they seem great. I also met my "host sister" Ilaria this past weekend, who is on an exchange year in North Carolina. Small world.

And NO, I do not know ANY Italian. I took Latin, and I tell people that to sound like I'm not totally out of my mind, going to a country without knowing the language. Some people say "Oh that will help you some" but most just think it sounds smart, and it keeps them from freaking out. I just don't feel like telling someone and listening to the response, "You don't know Italian? What? Why not? Will you be ok???" as I see the shock in their face. Ok so it's not that bad. I personally think, and know, Latin will help at least a little. But that's beside the point. I will learn Italian very quickly if I want to have a good time, and I almost don't have a choice in the matter, I'll learn it whether I want to or not. It's up to me just how well and how much.

So this morning I'm just trying to mark things off my list. Try as I may I haven't been able to get very far packing. I brought stuff out of my closet onto my bed and folded everything. I even opened my suitcases on my floor. But everything just stayed on the bed. Then yesterday I brought everything up to my parent's room and organized it all into piles. Clothes, soaps/shampoos, gifts, books, electronics, tea (I have more tea then anything else it seems, besides clothes) etc. Yet still, I haven't brought myself to put things in the suitcase. Maybe today...

Creating a blog has been on my list for some time and, as you can see, I can cross it off now. Later today I may clean my room (or more importantly bathroom, my family doesn't deserve to be left with that mess) or my car (again, my family, no one for that matter, deserves that mess). I need to print out pictures of my family, friends, and home town, and put them in a picture book to take with me. I need to make photo copies of my passport. A lot of little things.

Anyway, the tea kettle is whistling, signaling for me it's time to go. I will write more hopefully before I leave, or at least put pictures up.

I hope you continue to visit me on this site!!! I'll try to make it as interesting as possible and update it regularly. I'll also try to carry on the work of Brooke Hoffman and keep a Rotary Exchange Student blog for the Black Mountain and Asheville Rotary Clubs. I hope I'll do the job well.

Ciao!