Ready. Set. Here weeee gooooo! Round 2!

15/09/13

When I applied to the GIOCA Program in Bologna I was extremely excited for the opportunity to return to Italy. After being accepted I was still super pumped, however as the summer continued and the legal documents cost more and more time and money, I started to reconsider what I was about to do. I mean, was I crazy? Going back to the city that was one of the toughest experiences in my life? And this time alone? This time without housing or the distractions of other Dickinson students? What was I crazy?! Then the week of, important things still weren’t in my hands and I was still homeless. The terror began to seep into my head and heart. I didn’t have time to just “be” before leaving that morning. I rush packed, too much as always, and didn’t get to say goodbye to the Watrals or Tombs. I forgot how much I realized that I love fall at the house. I had found a rhythm and contentedness doing things around the house for my parents and being productive. I had energy again.

I cried the whole way to the airport.

I should be excited right? Not freaking out. Not second guessing the incredible opportunity I have been given. But nothing I said or did was helping. Then I travelled to Oslo, Copenhagen, and finally Bologna. The travelling just took forever and of course I didn’t sleep on the plane at all but finally some relief from the anxiety; I met an Erasmus student (Aaron) on my flight from Copenhagen to Bologna. He is German and was going to Bologna for a year. We chatted the whole way to Bologna, realizing we were staying in the same hostel and have met up several times since to head to the center or find the grocery store.

In my hostel room were two German girls travelling around and a girl from Austria (also looking for a room). I got up early Sunday and headed to the center to buy a phone and I had a 2pm appointment to see a room. There was a race going on in the city center which brought a ton of people out and the Wind store was actual open so I got a phone. Which was great because I then found some numbers of people renting rooms and met up with another woman who showed me two rooms, one of which I have decided I am most likely going to take! A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Also, I met another Erasmus student from Cairo today who played 3^rd tier national soccer in Egypt! He is pretty cool though.