Arrival Day

 

Hey Blog People,

I'M FINALLY IN FLORENCE! Ugh, I cannot express to you how surreal this feels. It's just crazy that I'm actually across the world in Italy after dreaming about and working toward it for so long. This whole day (I'm not actually sure what day it is) has been absolutely crazy. So let me fill you in. 

*** Fair Warning: I'm currently confused about what day it is and what yesterday means because I haven't slept, but we will get to that. So I'll just try to be explicitly clear on times and days.***

****Second Fair Warning: Buckle your seatbelts, cause this post is going to be very long.****

On Sunday morning, I woke up and finished my packing. It had taken a couple days and some serious procrastination, but everything fit in the one BIG suitcase, one very stuffed carry-on, and one backpack that looked like it had a hernia (plus a fanny pack). The whole family left around 10 to drive me down to Chicago and see me off. I left them at security, but not without many tears being shed by (almost) all. I got through security just fine, got my favorite Starbucks drink while I still could, and then found my gate. I waited maybe an hour to board and my flight left around 4:00. My first leg of the trip took me from Chicago to Zurich, Switzerland. It was really weird to fly through the night while also having your body feel like it was a normal day. I watched a movie, ate some airplane food for supper, and tried to sleep, but I was just not tired. In hindsight, the black tea (which was actually very good) was probably not the smartest option. After not sleeping, I listened to some music and watched some TV episodes I had downloaded. And after 9 long hours, I landed in Zurich. 

While I was flying, I couldn't help but recognize how excited I felt about the whole thing. This was what I had been waiting for, working for, and overall just looking forward to. It wasn't until I watched the flight path of my plane cross the Atlantic Ocean (which is REALLY big. I mean I know that...but it just seems bigger when you are trying to cross it) and then saw the little lights of small French towns that I realized I was ACTUALLY in Italy. On the flight, I learned that I do not like flying over big dark water (not a true fear, I just would rather see {or sea }) or on cloudy days when I can't see the land underneath me. I like to see what I'm passing. I also learned that I love the view of a descending plane, and seeing all the little houses just makes my heart happy. I feel like I could play with them and just rearrange them all. 

It was also interesting to notice that I didn't cry on the plane ride. I only cried when I said goodbye to my family because I knew I would miss them, and all the things they do, a lot. But once I got past security, I didn't cry. I was running on adrenaline and excitement. 

ANYWAY...I landed in Zurich and noticed a few things right away. 1. There are A LOT of shops in the airport. And not just snacks and souvenirs and stuff like that. But rather makeup and perfume and purses and watches! Lots and lots of fancy, shiny watches. The whole airport was spread apart, so I took a little train from one terminal to another. 2. This was the first time that I was in a place where English was not the primary language. I ran into a woman in the bathroom and she said something and I didn't understand. I had to wait on the plane for the English version of the announcement to come on. I couldn't read the signs, only look for the English written on them or try to interpret the pictures. I realized that I was really in a foreign place, which felt exciting and terrifying at the same time. 

The flight from Zurich to Florence was short. I actually got to sleep on the plane which was great because I was so tired. Technically it was Monday, but it didn't feel like it. I hadn't gotten any sleep to signify that it was a new day. We flew into Florence and it all started to sink in: I'm in Florence, Italy. This is my home for a while. I actually made it over to Europe. Again, it seemed surreal and just hard to wrap my head around. 

I got both of my bags (No bags lost! Woo hoo!) and then waited for staff from Villa Aurora. It didn't take long for them to come and find me, and soon we were headed to the school. On the 15-minute ride home I quickly realized that I do not want to drive in Italy because the roads are crazy. At every stop, people are seemingly inches from hitting each other. People cut others off in line all the time. You get ahead if you are big or more aggressive. And motorcyclists ride all around traffic and basically just have to fend for themselves. It was crazy, but thankfully I just got to watch. I just took in all the surroundings and even saw the duomo from afar. 

My mind was blown even more when we got to the campus and the dorm. The dorm is beautiful. I don't even know how to start describing it. It has many common rooms, communal bathrooms with lots of light, tons of small hallways, and tall ceilings. It's just beautiful. I am the first of my roommates to get here, so I got to choose my closet and my bed first. I unpacked within an hour and got everything set up, then started making a lot of things that I need to get. My primary goal is baskets for organization because my stuff is all over. 

After that, I met my neighbor as she arrived and we walked down to the cafeteria. I was quickly told that Italians are eco-conscious. This was interesting because it impacted the way that we are going to live for the next few months. For the cafeteria, that means there's a 30-minute window where they will serve food fresh, trying to eliminate food waste. The other ramifications of this are at least 5 trashcans for sorting recycling and trash, showers that turn the water off after 30 seconds so there's no water waste, and lots of walking or using public transportation. As we ate lunch, we talked with new people. Turns out many people came without really knowing anyone. A lot of people have come from PUC or Southern. I have already started to make friends, just by asking questions and being friendly. I'm looking forward to growing these relationships. And it's so fun because people are from all over.

It's so weird to be in our current position. None of us have classes yet, but we are starting to see each other. We aren't sure who is who or if they are with ACA or where they came from or anything. But I also recognize that I will get to know all of these people and some of them will become really good friends. It's just so strange. But everyone is in the same boat, so that's fun and bonding. 

I did not do much the rest of the day. I wrote up part of this blog, took a nap, went to supper, and will hopefully just explore a little bit and see everything. I am already decently familiar with the dorm (which is impressive cause it's kind of confusing) and have even shown some people where their rooms are (like I'm some official tour guide or something). 

All of this to say that I'm doing well. I love Italy so far, and I look forward to learning more and getting to explore a little more. If you have any questions, write them in the comments. Thank you for reading. I love hearing people tell me they have kept updated and look forward to what I have to say. I am looking forward to everything this adventure brings, and this is only the beginning. Yay!

Ciao,

Ellie