It’s official. In two days (Thursday), I will be aboard my red-eye out of Philly to Italy to study for the entirety of my fall semester. I couldn’t be more excited, although my nerves are winding themselves into quite the stress ball. Hopefully that stress ball nestles itself back into the shadowy part of my brain that I rarely shed light on the minute my plane touches down on my new stomping grounds! For now it’s all about preparation. From making sure I have the right luggage, to packing appropriately for the weather and culture, to minor things like stocking my iPod up with 7 hours worth of tunes to jam to on the flight… I’ll admit I’ve wished on more than one occasion I could just zap myself there with everything I need, Harry Potter style. No such luck, I’m afraid.

Can't wait to see this in person!

So as I take this week to get ready, I’m also planning out just what I’m going to be doing besides the obvious school related business. Traveling around Europe is a must, since inter-european travel is so inexpensive, but I also want to explore and discover all the hole-in-the-wall, underground, non-commercialized places in the city that I’ll be living in. In essence, I’ve realized I can’t be so touristy that I miss the authenticity of what’s right in front of me, but I can’t get so caught up in exploring that I ignore the rich history and novelty of the city. That said, however, I’m already planning a trip to both Northern and Southern Italy (on different weekends, of course) and a trip to Paris to visit a friend who is studying there this upcoming semester as well. We’ll see how it all pans out… Sometimes I’m all talk.

So soon!

I plan on taking pictures, TONS of pictures, of everything from historical landmarks, to meals, to Italian girls with impeccable style and everything in between. I will inevitably shop my face off, eat way too much, and kiss an Italian boy, but more importantly, I plan on sharing the experiences and visuals with you, my dear readers! I promise I will hunt down and document the best outfits, the chicest boutiques, the most delicious food, and the coolest travel spots! So stay tuned and read on- next time you hear from me I’ll be in Roma Capitale!

Did you/are you studying abroad? I want to hear all about it.