Four Weeks Until The Big Day

I thought I would write at least one post before I leave to talk about my mixed emotions and what I hope to get out of my experience in Italy.

Exactly four weeks from today, I will be already flying from Atlanta to Rome.  Scary that it is now less than a month away!  This past week, we received our final packets.  One of the most important and most exciting things it contained was our housing assignment.  I am living in an apartment with five other girls (so six total).  There are two bathrooms, three bedrooms, a living space and a fully equipped kitchen.  Best of all, our apartment is on the third floor and luckily there is an elevator (no having to carry all that luggage up the steps)!  We are right next to the Arno River, and while I initially was bummed out that it wasn't located right by the Duomo, I think this will be a perfect location and it looks really cute!

This is my address:  I would attach a Google Map, but it won't bring it up (still learning how to work my new Mac).  I, of course, will take lots of pictures of it once I get there!

Via della Vigna Nuova 24 50123 Florence, Italy

I am having so many mixed emotions about the trip.  While getting to know my roommates and talking about all the things we want to do is exciting, it has made it all that more real.  I am really starting to get nervous and wondering if this was the right choice for me.  I am one of those people that needs to have everything planned out, and that just isn't possible with this type of trip, so it is making me uneasy.  I have NO idea what to expect and don't know a single person going!  I mean, how do you prepare to live 5000 miles away?  How do you cram trying to learn a new language in four weeks?  How do you make sure you pack everything and don't forget one important piece?  

However, i am getting very excited to see all the amazing things that I have only dreamed about or seen in pictures.  The Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Venice (and Carnival!), Ireland on St. Patrick's Day, London, skiing and skydiving in the Swiss Alps, Rome, and even more... 

I think this trip is going to teach me a lot about myself and show me how strong of a person I really am.  I know this will be the experience of a lifetime, but I just need to get on the darn plane so that there is no turning back and I can forget all these nervous feelings.  Here's to learning a new culture and la dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing).  Italy, I will see you in less than a month!

Ciao.