Come Va?

EDIT: I just realized today -- a week after I wrote this entry -- that I saved it as a draft instead of publishing it. Niceee.


I find it ironic that when nothing was happening over the summer, I would still blog on a regular basis, but now, when everything has really been set into motion, I have yet to put in a good entry. Blah. This excuse for writing will have to suffice for now.

Everything started on the 2nd of September -- the day before I was set to leave -- when we picked up my visa (cutting it close much? nahh...), said goodbye to my friends, and scrambled to pack 10 months worth into one suitcase and a carry on. Like most, that day came and went in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, I was on a plane to New York the morning of September 3rd -- the day I had been waiting for.

Upon getting to New York, I asked three people where the correct terminal was before I actually found it due to my severely popped ears, and the fact that I didnt want to make the same person repeat it. There were about 6 kids already there, and we just had to wait around until the van came to take us to the hotel. At the hotel, there was around 200ish kids headed to places like Spain, Turkey, Ghana, South Africa, Portugal and Italy. Italia was pretty dominant, having accounted for around 65 of those. The first day was pretty grueling, with a lot of spare time to just play cards, make small talk, or stare at a wall. The activities were your typical corny metaphors for what we could expect on exchange, mostly stuff we have heard many times before. I ended up having the room to myself, but I still didnt sleep too well.

The next day seemed to last an eternity. The morning was more of the same from the day before, but in the afternoon it came time to pack up and head to the airport. It took ages to get all 65 Italy-bounds checked in, through securtiy and to the gate. The flight seemed shorter than the actual 8 hours it took us, and I was lucky someone lent me a hoodie because I had forgotten mine in my supposed carry-on (too big). I didnt sleep for beans, even with a dramomine, but it wasnt too bad. The bad part came when we landed in Zurich and had an almost 4-hour layover. Heather and I walked around the airport wasting time, as we both were feeling the lack of sleep. Finally, with droopy eyes and blistered feet, we boarded the plane that would take us to Rome.

In Rome, my first thought as I approached the baggage claim was, "What the fuck?" Hah, I usually dont swear much, but seriously. My brand new luggage was plastered with black oil from who knows what. Whatever, I will get over it. We were placed in groups and put on a bus to our hotel, and during the ride I spoke to a Belgiun girl, whose native tongue was french, in Italian. So what if it was your basic travel talk, it was still Italian :]

When we got to the hotel outside of Rome, I settled in with my roommates Vanessa and Ellie. Aside from some socializing with some Aussies and Germans, not much happened before dinner. For dinner, we ate pasta, zucchini, fish and fruit. A few card games and meeting people from around the globe, and it was time for bed.

The next day, it was time for the actual orientation, which took place in a school just up the street. More cheesy activities, basic language tips and a packed lunch of three sandwiches (who eats three sandwiches?), fruit, and a mini-pastry/cookie. We returned for dinner, when I sat a group from Japan with my roommates. The night was ended by a gathering (I am losing my vocabulary -- cant think of a better word.) in a tent up the hill from the hotel. Think of it as a motivational speech in which they told us that this was to be our "re-birth", so to speak.

With my endless luck, my group (headed for Milano) was set to leave at 6:30 in the morning, which meant a 5:30 wake-up call. Wonderful. We took a bus to the station, waited around, and finally got on the train. The ride was around 6 hours, which I mostly spent sleeping, reading, listening to music and eating (more sandwiches!). In Milan, the huge majority of the group finally met their host families, but myself and three others still had another train ride until we reached Domodossola. At this point, we were escorted by two twenty-somethings who provided a slightly amusing commentary of Domodossola. According to Agnese -- who seemingly enjoys the word fuck, to which she adds an ah (what the fuck-ah? haha) -- there isnt much to do here other than drink and smoke, although there is only one disco, which can only be described as GAY. Her exact words of advice were, "Just dont become an alcoholic...but if you do, dont blame us." What a good outlook for the four of us :]

After a picture-esque (sp?) ride through the mountains and past a lake, we pulled up to the station with sufficient nerves spread among us. Here, I met Marzia, Emanuele, and my sister Giorgia. Jeff (America), Leandra (Germany), and Katrin (Iceland) headed off to Villadossola, while I headed towards Crevoladossola, only a few short kilometers from Domo. For dinner, we had pasta and roast beef, followed by fruit and una torta that said, "Welcome Elyse." Giorgia put on Ice Age in Italian, but I was so beat that I fell asleep almost instantly.

And now, three (I think it has been three...?) days later, I am still tired, but have started to really settle in Italy. I will write more about what I have actually done so far, but I am sure this post is outrageously long already. For now, I am looking forward to the weekend, and then my first day in my Italian school. I am still undecided as to whether it is actually excitement, or suppressed nerves. We shall see.

Ciao ciao.