So Much to Do, So Little Time

Wow! After today, I only have about 27 more days here in Oregon. I can't believe it. Ever since last July, I have dreamed about starting my foreign exchange in Italy. More than a year later, that dream is finally becoming a reality. I can not, however, comprehend how fast time has flown. This past school year went so quickly, as has this summer. In less than a month, I will be boarding a plane, not to see my family or my United States home for ten months. Less than a month! I AM SO GOSH DARN EXCITED!!!! :) With this excitement, I am also very nervous. This nervousness is not, however, the bad kind. On the contrary, it is the good kind, the kind where the butterflies provide exhilaration and a sense of independence. Because my mom and I are so close, it has been hitting me more frequently how much I am going to miss her. She really is one of my best friends. I will get through it though. I know that I will. This is something that I have been dreaming and dreaming about. It is going to be amazing. She will probably end up missing me even more than I will miss her. My reasoning for this is that she will be here in the same home and situation where as I will be off on my own adventure. I will also become part of another family.
Speaking of my family, about a month ago (probably a little less), I received my host family information packet. By reading that and talking to Agnese, I have learned a lot more about them. Both my father and my mother are architects and teachers. My dad teaches art and drawing at the school I am going to attend (more on that later). He is passionate about politics as well. My mother enjoys cinema, reading, and cooking. I don't know anything more about my mom except that she makes really, really good lasagna. :) I'm not going to complain about that one bit. Lasagna is delicious!!! Anyway, Agnese, my sister, is an amazing tennis player. She plays in international tennis tournaments and teaches tennis during the summer months. We will not be going to the same school, but I know that we will become great sisters. Federico, my brother, will be going to the same school as me. He is also a tennis player and he loves animals. My family has one outdoor cat. When I last talked to Agnese, she had hurt her arm and was stopping tennis for while in order to recuperate. We plan on playing tennis together and she informed her coach that I am coming. I'm only hoping that she didn't over-exaggerate my abilities. Plus, I started mid-July after a seven month break. I love tennis, so it will be great. She told me that they have a second house on the island of Malta. MALTA!!! She said that they will probably take me there as a family. Not many people can say that they have been to Malta can they? No. I didn't think so. :) It is going to be amazing. She also told me that my mom will be making her lasagna for my arrival. :) I'm so excited! I have probably said that a million times, but it is true every single time.
As for my school, I will be a scientific school. When I found this out, I started to cry. Science is not my favorite subject at all. I thought that Chemistry was hard enough in English, let alone Italian. Also, I don't need any more science credits in order to graduate from high school. Since then, I have warmed up to the idea. My father teaches there, my brother goes there, and they have other things besides science such as a newspaper, theatre, art, and choir. Thank goodness!
Now for the main reason that I am on here today. I leave in less than a month. Only yesterday did I officially begin to shop for everything that I need. I drove down to Eugene by myself in order to buy new clothes. I haven't been shopping in ages. On Thursday, I will be going back. One thing on my list down there were host family gifts. What I bought is just getting me started. I have a long ways to go with everything. I also some other "Oregon" ideas. As for something specific for Agnese and Federico, I don't know what to give them. I really need to figure that out. My plan is to also buy a couple of things for my first family that I had. They said that I would be able to see them and I would like to give them something to show my gratitude for them agreeing to take me in, even though it didn't work out. There is a lot of work to do.
I leave on September 8th at about 6:35 in the morning. So early! That is one day earlier than I am supposed to be in New York, but the next day, the 9th, is the first day of school for my brothers. I didn't want to ruin their first day of school by leaving on that day. So, now I will be leaving a day early. I will fly across the country by myself, get to the orientation hotel by myself, check into a hotel room by myself, stay in that room by my self, and check out the next day by myself. I have never even been on a plane by myself, let alone in a huge city by myself. Thankfully, I will be at the orientation hotel. Anyway, then for the next couple of days I have the orientation. On the evening of the final day, we will leave New York for Zurich, Switzerland. There, we have a four hour layover, after which, we fly to Roma. All in all, I leave home on the 8th and arrive in Roma on the 11th. We have a couple nights in Roma for our orientation and then I will fly down to Messina, Sicily to join my family. All of this is from memory; therefore, there is a possibility that I got something wrong. Oh well. :) You get the idea.
Sorry for the long post, but there was so much information. I will keep posting as I buy more, learn more, and get closer to the departure date.
Ciao a tutti!
Rebecca