Last Week Worries

It's official, I'm at the one week countdown!! I am starting to get super excited (but also very nervous).

It is mind boggling that I will be in Italy in just a few short days! Traveling to Italy has always been #1 on my bucket list... so I CANNOT WAIT!!!

I also got a warm Christmas wish from my host family in France, and they posted pictures of my room on my facebook wall! Finding out what my French room looks like was an awesome Christmas gift!

How cozy does this room look?

Besides all of the excitement, there are a few issues I can't help but worry about:

1) How am I going to pack for a month... in one suitcase? I made a list today of all the clothes I want to bring, and I believe it would hardly fit in 3 large suitcases... so something is going to have to give! I have started to throw some odds and ends in my bags, but I am reserving all day Sunday to pack. I am going to have to say a lot of prayers Saturday night that my suitcase doesn't break! Packing is not going to be fun!

2) Will I be able to maintain my weight abroad? This probably sounds very trivial, but I have been very health conscious this year, and it has paid off on the scale. I would be so angry if I regressed during the month of January. I am going to try to wake up before class each morning and run, especially since I am starting training for my half marathon in May while abroad too! And the food choices will be difficult, especially in Italy. Who can refuse gelato or pizza?

3) I really hope I do not blow my budget. I have saved for over a year now for this trip, and I have a nice cushion if I do go over budget. But taking a month off of work and exploring the world comes with a cost. This is not a huge concern though, as I do not want to sacrifice any experiences because of the price tag. The costs will definitely be worth the memories!

In 7 short days, I will be on a plane to Europe, and I am sure these concerns will be short lived!

No Cincinnati classes until February! Instead, I will be studying at the University of Toulouse ESC business school. Pictured below:

More pre-departure updates to come soon!

Two Weeks to Go

14 days, 8 days of work, and 2 weekends stand in between me and my month abroad!!

Reality is setting in that my time to prepare is dwindling. I have so much to do, and time is against me. Somehow the bags will get packed though. I am more weary about the time with my friends and family in Cincinnati that I will be missing in January. I have to keep reminding myself of the awesome experiences I will have in Europe. These memories will last a lifetime, and I have many more months with friends in Cincinnati after returning.

The good news about my preparations: hostel in Rome booked, new camera and electronics ordered, and I've heard from my awesome host family.

I will be staying at Alessandro in Rome. It has a bar and a pretty neat atmosphere from the website: http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Hostel-Alessandro-Palace-and-Bar/Rome/753?source=adwordsromenames&kid=451063&aid=2&gclid=CLmop-uHkq0CFULAKgod9Hx0nw 

One of the hostel rooms

The hostel bar!

My four friends and I are in a mixed room for 8. It should be an experience! I'm just looking forward to the Italian experience in general. So much planning to do... or maybe we will be spontaneous when we get there!

Ebay has been my best friend the past few weeks. I now have a camera that flashes (something I previously did not own), an iPod charger for European wall sockets, and adaptors! I am hoping I have covered all the bases!

And finally the best news of the week: I found out my host family! I got a very welcoming message from my host dad on facebook, and he even met my cousin who studied abroad a few years ago (what a small world). The most exciting part too is that my current roommate is at the same home!! We could not be happier. It will make packing and adjusting to a foreign lifestyle much easier.

The next few weeks will be a whirlwind, but only 14 days until I start the adventure of a lifetime. Europe: here I come!

When in Rome....

Three good friends of mine (and one new friend we met through the trip) are traveling to Rome for the first leg of our journey before we meet up with our class. We are meeting next week to finalize some of our plans, but there is a lot up in the air still.


Issue 1: Hostel or Hotel? I am leaning towards hostel because we have an awkward number of people- 5, the cost should be less, and it is part of the European experience! Right?

Issue 2: Is three days in Rome adequate? Can we accomplish everything in 2 days and take a day trip to Naples on our last full day? Would that be rushing our Roman adventures?

Issue 3: What to do in Rome? I obviously want to hit up the big landmarks (especially Vatican City!) and eat lots of amazing Italian food and gelato... but what places are a "must see" that tourists often forget?

Lastly, when booking a hostel or hotel, does anyone have any area of town they recommend? I just want to stay somewhere close to public transportation!

...26 days and counting!

The Countdown Begins

With less than a month to go, I am getting so excited for my month in Europe! The official countdown is 29 days, but who is counting anyway?

My official schedule:

January 3: Depart for  Rome
January 4: Arrive in Rome early morning
January 7: Depart for Toulouse
January 21: Depart for Barcelona
January 28: Leave Barcelona, spend the day in Paris
January 29: Return to the States

The first few days in Rome is a trip with friends. We are then meeting our class in Toulouse for a three week study abroad, which ends in Barcelona. We are staying with host families in Toulouse and in a hotel in Spain. Then, I purposefully planned a 22 hour layover in Paris on my way home to get another chance to see the Eiffel Tower in person! My three days in Paris last year was not long enough!

I am certain January 2012 will be one of the best months of my life! When will I ever have an opportunity to spend 26 days abroad again?

This week is exam week for fall quarter, and it is very difficult to concentrate on finance exams when I just want to order guide books and plan itineraries! Thank goodness I only have 29 days to go!