Italy - 1st Impression

We made it!

Phil and I began travel approximately 48 hours ago, and what a 48 hours they have been. We left Little Rock eager for what lay ahead. Arriving in Chicago made us both giddy to be home and sad to leave it behind. What a great city. I am most definitely going to miss it. It is as far opposite of where we are now as it can get. Phil and I were both happy with the plan to travel from Midway to O'Hare because we had plenty of time, and we wanted to travel through Chicago one more time. However... it was slightly trying. Our bags, though much better and smaller than luggage, were quite heavy. We each had a stuffed-to-the-rim backpack and a jam-packed laptop bag. We each had an extra 50 lbs., at least, hanging from our shoulders, so the trip was actually pretty exhausting. We stopped at a place we had always wanted to eat about four blocks off the blue line (to O'Hare) called Handlebar that serves all vegetarian cuisine. It was delicious, but the portion sizes were enormous! I had to leave 3/4 of my sandwich in Chicago. Everything was a little overly salted for my latest tastes, but I think I have just become sensitive. We went ahead and travelled to O'Hare about three and a half hours before our flight just so that we would have a place to relax and set down our bags. There we mentally and monetarily prepared to leave the states.

I changed my $237 to euros at the airport. Only got 141 euro back. Crazy! Then we had an easy time getting the boarding crew to help Phil and I get our seats put together, as they somehow were separate even though we bought our tickets at the same time. Horrible seats, but since we flew overnight and over the Atlantic it wasn't too concerning that we were seated in the middle set of three sections of seats. We ate TV dinners while watching 17 Again with Zack Braff. It wasn't terrible. We tried to sleep after that, but only got around 3 hours. When we arrived in Dublin it was 2:30 a.m. according to our bodies, but 8:30 according to Dublin.

We were exhausted, and annoyed to have to travel through security again. We didn't have to take off our shoes, but they did have to inspect my umbrella. Luckily I made it through. The Dublin airport was under construction, so half of it was deserted, broke-down hallways and the other half was a posh shopping area. Bizarre. They also sold condoms, tampons, and jelly beans from the same machine in the bathroom. We had to travel outside the airport and board the plane via a drivable staircase. It was chilly! I insisted on the window seat, since I had sat next to other passengers the whole journey, and I was sooo looking forward to flying over Paris and the rest of Europe, but my body insisted I sleep, so I did for about an hour and a half. When I awoke we were flying over a patchwork of yellow farms that was Italy.

When we got off of the plane my body was begging me not to pick up my bags again, but of course I had to. It was 2:30 in Bologna and very hot. We again exited on stairs and rode a strange bus to the passport check in. We had a bit of trouble buying tickets for the Aerobus that would take us to the train station. It was probably the most stressful moment of the whole trip actually. But all I had to do was break a 20 by buying a candy bar, so it turned out just fine.

We traveled by train from Bologna to Florence and then Florence to Arezzo. Not too hard at all. Bologna was a bit trashy and worn looking to me. When we arrived in Arezzo, we were both delerious from travel and looking forward to a place to rest. A classmate, Taylor met us at the train station took us via taxi to the school where we will live for the next year. He wasn't very chatty. When we arrived we met a series of people, dropped our stuff off, and ate a quick dinner with the students. They have vegetarian food here. :) After that we immediately went to our rooms, made our bed, and went to sleep. Other than waking very early here (I was up before 5), today has been incredibly normal.

So, first impressions. I can't believe how pastoral and rural it is here! Yet urban because there are a lot of people living here. All around us, we see olive groves and backyard vineyards. We're on top of a hill, so we can see for miles. It is witheringly beautiful. Cyprus trees penetrate the sky from every direction, and the houses have clay-red rooves and yellow washed walls. There is an renaissance era aquaduct 100 feet from the school, and you can see the gothic towers of medieval churches. It is very beautiful. Our apartment is small, with no AC, but Phil and I like it very much and can't wait to make it home.

It is insane to realize you have an important question, but don't know the words to ask it. I can't wait to start learning the language. It is dry here, and everyone rides a moped. The staff, faculty, and other students are so far very friendly and clearly have close relationships with one another. I think that they will become very valuable people to me. I miss Darwin, but I know that I could not deal with him here. I have to deal with myself first!

Classes start the Monday after next, and Phil and I are considering taking a bus to the coast for the weekend. Maybe go to the beach and stay in a cheap hotel. Whatever we do, I'm sure we won't have done it before which is so very exciting. For every moment I spend scared or nervous here, I have two feeling exhilarated and in awe. I think this is going to be great!