Update !

So, I'm REAAAALLY sorry about not updating! I've been extremely busy! I started school 2 weeks ago, last last Tuesday. And school has actually been amazing! I was really scared at first about being able to make friends (because of the language barrier) but everyone is extremely nice and talkative! Thankfully there is a girl that is pretty decent at English, so most of the time I use her for translation.
They always ask me questions about America, like today they asked me what types of food we eat, what movies are popular, and what music is popular. They are so curious, it's freakin adorable.
As for the weekends, I usually spend them with my host sister! Last weekend we went to a "get together" for pizza and such! It was really fun.
Then the next night we went for Chinese! It was weirdly different, but good! And this weekend I have a party on Friday, Saturday the girls in my class are taking me for lunch and after we will go shopping! And Saturday night I have a birthday party to go to! And Sunday I will be cooking an American meal, and Sunday night, there is an AFS dinner for all of us in Messina (me and 4 others) and I will bring my American meal!
I'm really happy about having such fun weekends, but the schoolwork is SO HARD. Uagh.
So that's my update for now. Things are going great! Although, it is Emma's birthday today (my best friend) and I am sad I don't get to spend it with her and pigging out. :(
Life is bittersweet. But it goes on and gets better.
<3

My day today en italia

Today I woke up, worked out, went to my host sisters friends house for lunch, played Guitar Hero there, baked cookies with Nutella, more GH, walked back to my host house, hung around, went to socialize outside, ate dessert, hung around some more, and here I am now. Social network-izing.
It makes me feel incredibly lonely when I do, but also makes me feel incredibly lonely if I'm doing nothing. So I figure I might as well entertain myself.
I didn't really think of how much time I would have to spend doing nothing while being here.
I hate it.
I like to keep myself busy, distracted, happy. Here I can't.
There's nothing I can do.
Other than go online.
If I try to watch tv, I can understand about 3% of what they say because of how fast they speak.
I can't listen to music (my iPad has only 42 songs) and most songs are banned on YouTube here (they want you to buy it)
And I can't watch movies either.
All I have other than Internet is the one book I brought, Mockingjay. Which I freshly bought at the airport in Boston on my way here, a week ago, and only have a mere 30 pages left.
I'm going to go crazy if I don't get another book soon.
I've been living off reading, escaping my loneliness for a little while and diving into the anticipation that is the Hunger Games.
Also, I really want to go to the Puyallup Fair. Every time I go on Facebook I see posts about it and it makes me extremely homesick.
Blah.
Well, I go to school on Monday (just to meet the teachers) and start on Wesnesday! I am really looking forward to it, and making new friends! It will be such a help.
Well, that's about it for now.
L8uh <3

Fotografie (pictures)

They aren't in any specific order, and have been taken since my arrival. Enjoy! (:

First try at socializing!

Some of my host sisters friends were outside and were calling her name, so we went down to say hello and have her introduce me to them!
I couldn't understand hardly anything they were saying -____-
They talked so fast, I couldn't even think before they expected a response, so I stood there and said, "no parla Italiano"
They laughed when I responded to "Tu quanti anni hai?" (how old are you?) with "sedici!" (sixteen) because of my accent.
They seemed to keep forgetting I didn't speak Italian and would shout a long sentence at me and I would just stare back.
It. Was. Terrible.
They adored that I was from America, because they kept saying "Lei é bella americaniiii!" (she is a beautiful American)
And they did not want to say goodbye! I couldn't remember their names for the life of me. Michael Angelo, Antonio, Patrik, Lora, and some other Italian names!
Overall, it was stressful and embarrassing, but it felt nice being social!

Italiaaa

Today was pretty laid back! I didn't wake up until 11, and then I hung around for awhile, read more of Mockingjay, ate lunch, and then headed out with Federica (older host sister) to pick up Fernanda from school!
Then we returned back to the house, and left with my host mother to the post office to fill out the application for my green card.
After that we returned back to the house and I got changed and about an hour later I went with Fernanda and her nonna (grandmother) and we went to her house! It was FILLED with AMAZING paintings! (because nonna is an artist) and they were literally all over the living room and (what should have been) the dining room! It was spectacular.
After that I went with Fernanda and her nonna to a few stores! Then we went to a "bar" where I had Nutella gelato!
BUONA!!
After allll that, we came back to the house, changed, and went out to look at stores with the entire family!
After that, Fernanda and Federica and I went to this small pizza/bakery place to pick up pizza for dinner!
I also got a Domoni (I think that's what it's called) which is bread like on the outside, and ham and cheese on the inside. It was DELICIOUS!
Then we returned to the house and ate dinner, then I am where I am now!
Today was so much better than yesterday. :) of that I am really thankful!

Loneliness

Today my older host sister, Federica, and I, and her nonna (grandma) went shopping for my younger host sisters birthday present! Afterwards Federica and I went to a place to get my dollars exchanged to euros! I had $320 and only got back €230 :((
After that we went to the local dance studio, but it was closed.
We came back to the house, which is where I am at now. And I can't help but feel extremely lonely.
I want to talk to Nathan. I want to Skype him.
Blah.
It would make me so happy just to hear from him..
But never mind that.
I'm sitting in the more "relaxed" living room, with a tv, two couches, a bookcase, a computer, and wifi.
I'm just reading Mockingjay.
And I just want school to start.
I want to get my mind off him.
I hope he doesn't read this...
Hahah.
Well, poo.
I hope my mood changes this evening.
Ciao

First day in Messina!

I woke up, ate yogurt and cantaloupe, showered, and my older sister, Federica, (who is 18) showed me some of the city! We came back and had lunch, which was something similar to mozzarella sticks, but they were not fried! And they were on a stick,
4 or 5 of them.
Then I met my host nonna (grandmother)! Who gave me a wallet as a welcoming gift!
Now we are going to fill out my rules form so I know what rules to follow in the house.
Then we will go get me an Italian phone!
I love it here, so much!
I will post pictures later. :)

My first night in Italy!

After grabbing my luggage from checking, I nervously headed to the exit doors, which seemed to be the scariest moment of my life.
I walked out, seeing many signs, and was hoping I would get one.
I looked all over, and finally heard someone saying my name. I felt a wave of relief and nervousness.
They came to greet me with kisses and hugs, and I was excited, but extremely overwhelmed. There were pictures taken and lots of hugging and lots of "Ciao Claire!"'s. It was very exciting!
I met my host family and we had a group picture of the AFSers and the 3 other students staying in Messina also!
Then we headed to the car and had an hour long drive to Messina from the airport.
We finally made it to the house, which is an apartment right in the city. They showed me the house and my room and everything.
Then Fernanda (my younger host sister) showed me some of Messina, and it was so so cute!
She showed me the Cathedral and it was beautiful! Very tall ceilings and many beautiful sculptures and paintings. We then headed back to the house after finding my host parents at a different church we looked at.
Then we had about a half hour till dinner.
We ate a special type of chicken with a very delicious sauce! We also had tomato and basil "salad". I then have them their gifts, which were tee-shirts for my siblings, that said "Gig Harbor, Washington" and had a heart on it that was the American flag. I gave the parents a Gig Harbor calendar and a book on the Puget Sound. They were very happy with them!
Afterwards I got ready for bed and read a little bit.
It was a very good first day!

Orientation in Rome!

It was not was I was expecting at all!
I was expecting a beautiful grand hotel, a pool, very nice rooms, and great wifi. Buuut my expectations were a little high. The hotel was nice, but it was no Hilton.
The rooms were very plain, some with two beds and a few with three. Mine had three. I roomed with two girls from America, Zoe Bennett and Alexis Amada. We had our own little porch and bathroom, which was one of the only ones in the hotel that was pink.:)
The first night was very boring, we mostly just sat around and did nothing, socialized with the other students from around the world, had dinner, and went to bed.
The next day was all orientations. The group I was with walked to the school a few minutes away and brought bagged lunches with us. It was very hot. The school was so cute! The floors were all marble, and the walls were very tall! The classrooms had very small chairs (compared to the US) and the boards were mostly all chalkboards.
In the orientations they told us what to expect of our Italian families and some social aspects based on the area we were staying. (I was with one of the southern Italy groups)
We then played a few games, which were games I had never heard of before, and they seemed a bit odd.
Then we talked about our worries and hopes for the year, which (for the majority) were hopes of making friends and not being too homesick, and worries of not being able to communicate with people because of the language barrier. Others were generally social correctness, and learning what is and isn't normal in Italy. It was very informative, but long.
We then had a 2 hour break for lunch and a bit of socializing.
The bread was really thick and a little old, so the sandwiches were a little hard to eat. I sat with Abby, from New Zealand, and a few other USA students. We then went to the courtyard for some socializing and then headed to groups based on where exactly we were staying. (Sicilia for me, which was split into two groups)
We talked, played some games, went over more things, practiced more Italian, and had a test on our Italian to give the AFS advisors an idea of how much Rosetta Stone helped. (we were required to finish at least one level)
After that, we returned back to the hotel, where we had socializing time, dinner, and more socializing time.
Afterwards there was a welcome ceremony in a very big "tent-like" room. They called each country and we all cheered for our country. They gave us some words of wisom, and then dismissed us for bed.
The next morning I woke up and packed everything, and brought my things to the room which had every destination in sections. I socialized some more, and then, by 12:00, it was time for me to get on the bus to leave.
We finally got to the airport, and had to go through all the checking and such, which took what seemed like forever with 40 students.
Abby, Zoe and I went to the McDonalds to get bottles of water. From there we headed to the airplane.
We checked in, and were transported from a bus to the plane, which was one you had to go up a staircase to get on. (which wasn't easy with a big carry on)
The plane was so, so, SOOO hot. They couldn't turn on the air conditioning yet, so it felt like it was 100 degrees. It was so warm I fell asleep. I woke up just as the plane was taking off. I read Mockingjay the entire (1 hour) flight there.
Then we landed, and I headed to get my bag at checking!

Our tee shirts! And some friends I am making!

New York City!

Yesterday I had such a long day. I landed in Boston at 6:34 a.m., and from there had a 4 hour layover until my flight at 11:30 to NYC! I pretty much just sat around and ate Starbucks.
After that flight, I went to baggage claim, and waited another 45 minutes with the other AFSers , and finally headed on a 10 minute bus ride to the JFK hotel.
After that, we checked in, waited some more, and had a really long orientation. Pretty much from 5pm-9:30 last night. Whether it was talking as a group, eating dinner, going to our departure groups, or our country specific rooms to discuss preparations.
Over all, it's been pretty fun! Getting to meet all these people is so much fun and everyone seems really nice! There are people here going to France, Turkey, South Africa, Portugal, Spain, Ghana, Belgium, and Italy!
We head for the airport at 6:00 pm tonight, 2 hours and 10 minutes from now.
We have tons of free time right now, and are just socializing!
I am getting really impatient.
Our flight doesn't leave until 10pm tonight.
Then we have a 2 hour layover in Zürich (Switzerland) and then land in Rome at 2pm their time!
The time difference is 8 hours later than home. So at about 6 am!
I am so so excited to leave, and meet even more people in Rome at that orientation. :)
Ciao America!

The day before departure

The chances of my trip depend on the Postal Service.. My visa coming in the mail.
Either I leave tonight, or I have to wait another 2 weeks and leave on September 18th.
I don't want to wait any longer.
I just want to leave.
I don't want to have to say goodbye all over again.
This is so hard.
Last night was the first time I've cried about leaving, and oddly, it wasn't after hugging a friend.
It was after getting in my car, and driving.
All I could think about was Nathan. Or was it even him? Was it just the thought of having to let go and leave everything I have grown up with?
I don't know.
I hate being unable to identify which emotion I am truly feeling. 
I just want to be there.
In Italy, meeting all these incredible people, and me myself, doing incredible things.
Finally seeing the world outside of this little town that I've always known.

These past few days have been made great, by a, recently good friend of mine.
If it weren't for him I would be an emotional wreck.
I am sad to say goodbye. Sad to let go. Sad to start over.
But I am ever so ready.