No Parlo Americano

Upon arrival, we were provided with an agenda. It included the times of activities, dinner, and most importantly our first Italian language course. This two week intensive course ran from 9-1 with a 30-minute break and count for 4 credits. After a weekend of adventures, the entire AIFS program was to be at breakfast by 8 A.M and on the bus by 8:30 A.M. My roommate and I set an alarm for 7:30, excited to begin our Italian course, as we knew it would help us to learn more about the culture. Come Monday morning, we were woken up by housekeeping knocking on our door. Our alarm had not gone off causing us to oversleep and miss the bus.  We rushed down to the lobby seeking help but the language barrier was an obstacle. The front desk called us a taxi and warned us that they may rip us off. We devised a plan to pretend to be Italian in hope that the taxi driver would not rip us off. Finally, the taxi arrived and brought us to school. Filled with embarrassment, we walked in and explained what happened. On the bright side, my teacher was extremely helpful and understanding. I was relieved and happy to finally be there until she decided to reteach all of the material to the class just for me. Although our morning was perfectly planned, situations such as this still occur. It is important to remain calm and may I suggest setting more than one alarm!

The Dungeon

After a long bus trip, first of the many, we finally arrived to our home for two weeks of orientation, Hotel Colombo. Just thinking of Hotel Colombo and Lido Di Camiore, the beach town it was located in, brings tears to my eyes. It was here that we met our roommates, made friends, and explored Italy for the first time. Hotel Colombo, although it was conveniently across the street from the beach, was an experience of its own. It was the first Italian "hotel" that we stayed at and for many, it was a difficult transition from the luxury one experiences in America. There were two separate buildings, the nicer one being the main building. Of course, my room was located in the other building. After four flights of stairs, I opened my door to be completely shocked. The beds were long, narrow, and an inch apart. The shower was the entire bathroom, separated by what the Italians consider a curtain. The balcony fit one person and was behind a strange door like contraption that opened by pulling on a rope. From that point forward, my roommate and I would refer to our room as, the dungeon. Little did we know, we would grow to love the dungeon. When studying abroad or even just traveling and experiencing different cultures, it is important to be optimistic, open minded, and make the best of the experience.

Italy at last

As soon as I knew it, we got back on the bus, bright and early (5 am), and headed to the airport. The excitement was overwhelming and the flight felt as if it were forever. Finally, the plane was descending over what appeared to be the Swiss Alps. Then, a sunny, picture book, country side in Italy, our new home. It was just how I imagined. Small brightly colored houses on what appeared to be farms. We flew into Pisa, a small airport that was a very long bus ride to Lido Di Camiore, the beach town in which we would live for two weeks for orientation. Nevertheless, the ride was amazing. I was tired but forced myself to stay awake to admire the scenery.  Churches covered  the very top of mountains. Villas wrapped around the mountainsides. We traveled along a winding high way that crossed over bridges and through mountains. It was at the airport that we were given an envelope and inside were our roommates for orientation. My roommate ended up being a girl from Long Island that I had been talking to for months prior to our arrival. I'm not sure if I will ever be able to describe my feelings that day, the day I arrived in the country my great grandparents immigrated from.

The London Bridge Is Falling Down!

Finally, my Virgin Atlantic flight touched down in England. It was a long bus ride to London but exciting nonetheless. As soon as we knew it we were driving on the opposite side of the road to begin the journey of the lifetime. Overwhelmed with excitement, I jumped off the bus, grabbed my luggage, and headed into the little hotel I would call home for three days. After that, it was off to explore. The first day I  was on my own, meeting new people, finding my "group," and getting my first real "European" experience. Little did I know, I was in for it. Although English is their language, it did not make the cultural barrier any easier. I was not a fan of London, none of us really were. Was it because of the culture or because we were so eager to arrive in Italy, I'm not really sure. Regardless, the sights were amazing and it was here that I made my first friendships that will last a lifetime.