Ciao, Italia

Hey everyone!

      I can't believe my time in Italy is almost over.  It's been such a fun experience and I will undoubtedly take these memories and lessons with me for the rest of my life.  I've learned so many new things and experienced places I have only read about and seen on movies.  I am not so sure the movies even do Italy justice.  There is so much culture here and it truly is a whole different world.  When you're in front of the Trevi Fountain, or climbing a hill that looks out on all of Tuscany, you can't help but lose your breath.  Italy is beautiful and something I will always treasure.  Sometimes, three weeks feels like forever.  Every time I talk to someone from home, I feel like I have so much to say and catch up on.  On the other hand, some days, I feel like I've just gotten here.
     Anyways, regardless of how it feels, tomorrow night (or I guess I should say morning) we are departing for the Rome airport at 4:00 A.M.  Most of us girls have decided there is no need to go to sleep since we never get to bed before 1:45 or 2 A.M. on most nights.  We will take a long nap tomorrow though.  We have a four hour bus ride to Rome.  We then have three hours at the airport and a ten hour flight back to America!  I'll fly into Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and have about two more hours to kill before another two hour flight back to RDU.  All in all, we'll be traveling about 23 hours.  I can't describe the feeling I have in the pit of my stomach.  I am so excited to see my mom, dad, and Eric at RDU.  I have never been abroad before, much less for three weeks.  I can't wait to squeeze everyone.  You can better believe I'll be eating a snack in Philly to tie me over until I get to Outback with my family and Eric.  In fact, Kelly, Kayla, and I made a list of all the possible snack choices we can't wait to find in the airport!  We're hoping to find some good french fries!
     Tonight, Kelly, Kayla, and I ate Yummy's (pronounced Yoomies) one last time.  It is our favorite dinner around here.  We can get a huge slice of pizza and a "Coca Cola" for 3 euros.  Tomorrow night, our group of child development girls will be going out to dinner with our amazing professors for a final get together.  Kelly, Kayla, and I decided we wanted/needed a manicure and pedicure before returning home, so we went and got an Italian mani/pedi.  It was very different from the way we do it in America, but it was a neat experience.  The girls were so friendly and spoke very good English.  One girl said, "I want to visit America, I love it.  A little piece of my heart goes to America with you this weekend."  We thought that was super sweet.  We went and had a final yogurt date and that was yummy.  Frozen yogurt and white chocolate is my favorite little snack around here.
     Tomorrow morning we will have our presentations in class, clean up, have one last lunch at the Palazzo, and take a nap.  We'll have our final dinner tomorrow night and begin our adventure for home.  Everyone, keep us in your prayers as we have a lot of traveling to do!  I normally do not mind flying, however, a ten hour flight will quickly change ones mind.  I was beyond ready to step foot somewhere, anywhere, after the flight "across the pond."  Although, the view from the plane was truly breathtaking as we landed in Italy.  I will be very excited to see Raleigh, North Carolina Saturday night at 8:00 P.M.  I may be a little jet lagged, but I know where home is!  To anyone considering going abroad, do it.  It's a life changing experience.  I've grown as a person, grown closer to friends, and made some amazing new friends.  I've learned so much about myself, Italy, and child development.  These are truly memories I will never forget.  I'm so grateful to my parents for giving me such an amazing opportunity.  


Thanks for the prayers everyone.  I'll end with a few of my favorite pictures.