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!
Monday, September 10, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
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!
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!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I received my host family information a few weeks ago, and just forgot to post about it.
I will be staying in Messina, Italy. Which is on the coast of the island of Sicily! I have one younger sister, two older sisters, and an older brother! The eldest sister and oldest brother study during the school year at the University in Milan, but I will meet them over breaks. As for my other two sisters, my older one will be studying in Messina, and will most likely be home. As for my younger sister, who is 14, who I will be sharing a room with. My father is an orthopedic surgeon, and my mother works at an office. They live right in the city! I am so so so excited! :)
I will be staying in Messina, Italy. Which is on the coast of the island of Sicily! I have one younger sister, two older sisters, and an older brother! The eldest sister and oldest brother study during the school year at the University in Milan, but I will meet them over breaks. As for my other two sisters, my older one will be studying in Messina, and will most likely be home. As for my younger sister, who is 14, who I will be sharing a room with. My father is an orthopedic surgeon, and my mother works at an office. They live right in the city! I am so so so excited! :)
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