I don't sleep at night...

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I don’t sleep at night.

I’m sure it’s getting annoying for the rest of my family—looking at my sunken in eye-sockets and putting up with my cranky, sleep deprived moods during the day—but I simply cannot turn off my brain when I close my eyes at night.

I do not know what the next few months hold for me, and it’s absolutely driving me crazy. It is literally keeping me up nights. When I lay down, every wonder, concern, excitement, question, and anxiety surfaces. Every thought I could possibly have about a trip to Europe pops into my head in quick succession and before I know it, it’s several hours later and all I’ve done is create more questions for myself. It’s frustrating in a way, to be totally clueless. But it’s also exhilarating… the possibilities of my semester abroad are dazzling.

Welcome to my Florence Study Abroad Travel Blog, started on a sleepless night before my trip.

Before I get any further, I want to give a shout-out to everyone reading this—you people gave me the courage to set out on my own and live in a foreign country for a while. I wouldn’t be awake at four o’clock in the morning if I didn’t have the friends and family I do. Each one of you is going on this trip with me, because you have all given me the support (emotionally, spiritually, technically, and financially) I needed to do this. I am humbled and staggered by the immense outpouring of love and help that I have received prior to this trip. I leave this country in the full and comforting knowledge that I am loved in the fullest capacity by the people I’m leaving at home. Don’t worry—I’ll be back soon (that is, unless McCain wins the election…), and I’ll be thinking of you all every step of the way.

Now that the sappy stuff is out of the way, we can get on to the interesting items: the specifics of my trip:
Itinerary:
I will be leaving from Charlotte, NC on September 2, 2008, and arriving in Florence, Italy, on September 3, 2008. My return flight is scheduled to arrive back in Charlotte on December 20, 2008 at 6:53pm. Everything in between is up for grabs. (That will be the interesting part of this blog, so don’t unsubscribe because this one is boring!)
Communication:
-My cell phone will not operate in Europe, so I’m leaving it at home. I will have a cell phone to use sparingly in Florence. Please send me an email if you need that number, and I’ll email it back to you. My email address is [e-mail]. I have a skype name (allisonkatrina). If you go to skype.com and download their free program, you should be able to search for me by my email address or name. If we are both on Skype at the same time, we can speak to each other for free as if using a telephone. Since the time difference between the US and Florence is 6 hours, it would be helpful if you emailed me and set up a time when I could be at the computer to talk to you. If you want to talk to me on AIM, my screenname is allerbydarlin.. I will be able to receive mail (address forthcoming), but since the post system in Italy is notoriously slow, email is probably your best bet if you are looking for a timely response.
School:
I’ll be attending classes that should count towards credit at NC State at the Florence university Lorenzo De’Medici. You can check out their website at http://www.lorenzodemedici.it. I’m taking 5 classes: Italian, Creative Writing, Studies in 19th Century Literature, Digital Photography, and Contemporary Italians & Society. I have classes 4 days a week. My program is designed to be one that immerses participants in Italian culture, not necessarily in the language, although I’ll certainly pick up more than little bit. While I have taken one semester of Italian, and will be taking a little more in Florence, I’ll sort of be hurtling a language barrier most of the time. Pray for me.

Many of you know I sort of have a history of homesickness, so I can tell you in advance that your words of encouragement and continued support will make me so happy. Rest assured (Mom) that I will do my best to not “fall in love with an Italian man and never come home.”

I’ll leave you with a Borges quote that’s been floating around in my head for a few weeks:
“I walk slowly, like one who comes from so far away he doesn’t expect to arrive.” - from his “Boast of Quietness.”

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Comments

[Maria]

You might want to consider getting some anti-anxiety meds to help calm your nerves. I'm so excited for you and I know you'll have a great time!

[Mother Deborah]

And all shall be well and all shall be well
Dame Julian of Norwich says it best in the quote above and then she concludes with "and all matter of thing shall be well." Part of taming anxiety is living through it. You lived through homesickness your freshmen year and grew stronger and wiser. That will happen with this experience also. We love you and come home with Sarah Palin, that gun totin breast pumpin momma is vp or not.

[Katie]

Yay
I love your end quote! It sounds like you are going into it with a great attitude! I miss you already...

[Aunt Vicki]

Arrivederci!
I'll be thinking about you ALL the time, sweetheart. What a chance of a lifetime. Savor every moment. Finding an Italian man is okay (I found a great one) ... just be sure and bring him back home!! I love you!

[reese]

oh, Al
Allison, don't worry about falling in love with an Italian. Worry instead about falling in love with where you will be and not wanting to come back regardless of who is in office! Right now you are probably in the air over some foreign sea. I wish you happy travels and surprising new ideas that will change your world forever. Love you!