So I am here.... so far so good.

I was in an airplane for 12 hours, I went from Dallas to Frankfurt and then from Frankfurt to Rome, then I had to take a train from Rome to Arezzo and then a taxi to my house. Everything went well, nothing got lost in the process and me and my freaking heavy 50 pound bag made it safely....yay !

I arrived at 9:30 at night and all i wanted to do was sleep so I did just that. Today I woke up very early and had an awesome breakfast and went to run some errands with Charolette ( the wife of my professor) and her two little boys, Max who is three and Alessio who is four but almost five. I start watching them on Wednesday and I think that it will be alot of fun, lots of sidewalk chalk, parks, gelato, and i must not forget Thomas the Tank Engine. I brought the little ones fruit snacks and they are the talk of the town. They dont exist here so they are something to be cherished.

I saw my friend Giulia and I was surprised by how quickly my Italian is coming back to me. Normally I have trouble conversing with her friends but today it was not that difficult as long as they were talking one at a time and not all at the same time. The month away let my Italian kinda sit in my head and I was finally able to reflect on all that I learned. I felt very overwhelmed the last time that I was here so the break was much needed. I don't think I realized how much I miss her and all of her friends. Giulia is younger than I am but most of the time I forget that because she holds herself with a level of maturity. I do not feel the same fear to speak that I used to feel the last time that I was here. I found it terrifying and this time I find it much more satisfying and useful. It is a big step for me to say that I am not as afraid to be wrong anymore.

I have yet to meet the other American girl but hopefully I will meet her and the other local college students soon.

It was easy to forget how beautiful this place is and how much I love it when I was home surrounded by all the things that make me comfortable, but coming back reminds me of all the reasons that I never wanted to leave in the first place.

There is a joust going on this weekend. It is a really big deal, all the people in the town are wearing the flag of their district and there are people in medieval garb in the streets and the city is absolutely packed.

Well I love all of you and miss you, please email me and keep me up to date with your lives.

Baci.

a presto,

Amanda