3...2..1.. ROME!

In just a few short days, I will be getting on flight to Rome, Italy. Ever since I was little, I have been obsessed with traveling. Granted the only major traveling I did was family trips to India, but the excitement you get when traveling is like no other. When I stumbled upon this program, I was unsure whether or not I would actually go through with it because I had never gone out of the country alone. But, Italy has always been a dream. Besides, no one is necessarily alone on this trip. I met some great people just from the short orientations we had as a class, and I am looking forward to meeting more. This trip is not just about learning about Italy but also about the peers we have known at the University of Washington for quite some time. 

Taking advice from everyone who has been to Italy, whether that be family or friends, I learned that everyone makes their own experiences. Of course, there are certain things we should all know before going, but some people's opinions differ. I cannot wait to go and experience and make those connections on my own. You truly do not know until you go out and try for yourself, so that is what I am trying to remind myself.

As a daughter of a dad who runs a business, I am extremely excited to learn about the local businesses in Italy and expand my knowledge on the similarities and differences between Italy and the United States. Gaining such knowledge will expose me to things I could not have learned here in the United States. 

I feel this trip will teach me a lot about myself as well. I am somewhat of a control freak; I get obsessed with the small details which can be good but sometimes not great. So, when it comes to making plans, I am very precise and like a specific plan. However, I believe this trip will challenge that part of me that wants everything to go perfectly, and I'll learn ways to slowly, but surely, change that about me. Actually, one of my goals during this study abroad program in Rome is to take one day to completely go with the flow. This will not only help me when traveling but in work, school, and life. I believe that a person should always be prepared and be ready for when something goes wrong. So, planning for this trip was very difficult as I want to visit every place during the given three-day weekend; of course, that is impossible since Italy is so big and has so much to offer. One place I definitely want to visit is the Amalfi Coast. It looks so beautiful, and I would love to be by the water during the hot weather. From the food, to the sights, and the people, I'm so excited to experience all that Italy has to offer.