I Am Capable

I look back on the past week and a half and I can't believe I'm still alive and mostly sane.  Really, it surprises me! I have never had to step out of my comfort zone as much and make as many decisions as I have since I left the U.S. on January 25th. 

Since childhood I have been the kind of girl who can't even make silly decisions without assistance. At home I would beg my family to tell me what to eat for breakfast and lunch because I really couldn't decide. Whenever I felt ill or hurt in any way I would have to ask my mom which medicine to take. At home I would have a parent drive me to school because I was too afraid to take the bus. The only areas where I was completely independent were at school and teaching violin lessons. 

Making the decision to come to Italy was one of the biggest of my life. I decided that I needed to see more of the world and discover more of who I am in it. Completing the paperwork and packing all my things felt like big accomplishments in themselves. I was very nervous about going through security and customs. The entire night before I left I worried about the people at customs going through my things and telling me I couldn't bring them into the country. I worried they would tell me I couldn't get in without a visa. Despite all my fears and anxieties I somehow managed to get on the plane from San Francisco to Zurich and then get on another one from Zurich to Florence. Getting through customs in Florence was really nothing I should have worried about. The two uniformed gentlemen didn't even ask to see my passport!  

After getting settled into the apartment I share with Lily on January 27^th, a whole new wave of worries found their way into me as we realized the refrigerator wasn't cold, the hot water wouldn't turn on, and that the WiFi was very temperamental. None of those things were nearly as stressful as what happened that night though. That night, I, Lily, and two other girls decided that we wanted to check out a certain restaurant that was on AIFS’ meal voucher plan. One of the other girls already had a place in mind so, map in hand, we set out through the streets of Florence to find it. On what we thought was the way there we were assisted by the owner of a different restaurant who asked us if we needed help. When we asked if he knew of the place we sought, he responded with:

“What?! Why would you want to go to __?! They have nothing there! Well…I guess they have pizza…Americans like pizza.”

After he kindly gave us directions, we made it to the restaurant. He was right; the food was very much Americanized and nothing special. The scary part of this venture began when we got lost on the way back. We had traversed those same streets in the daytime when we shopped for food and we had been sure we could find our way back. However, in the darkness the streets looked completely different than they had in daytime.  We wandered around thinking we were going in the right direction when we finally decided we had absolutely no idea where we were.  As we stopped in the light of a lamppost to consult the map for the hundredth time, a Japanese lady stopped and asked if we needed help. She told us that we were practically on the other side of the historical center than where our apartments were. She showed us her tour guide badge and offered to take us to the Duomo. We felt we had no choice but to follow her. At the Duomo she asked if we could find our way back from there and we said we could. We went in circles for a long time but in the end we made it back safely to our apartments. This experience really scared me; I had never been lost in a strange city at night before. It didn't help my nerves at all that all of the guys we passed by on the street had to ask what party we were going to or if we would like to attend theirs. Luckily, this venture also showed me that many people are willing to give directions and help out if you look like you need assistance.

More adventures followed in the days after, such as me hurting my ankle really badly on the evil cobblestone streets. My right foot has always been weak because of it missing some bones and muscles and the cobblestone streets didn't help anything. I came back from a day trip to Pisa and Lucca to find my right ankle swollen and in a lot of pain. I could only get around by limping. I didn't know what to do without my parents to give me advice and a lot of crying was the result of my frustration. I am so glad I had friends to take care of me! Some of them went to the 24 hour pharmacy for me and got some medicine to take care of the pain and swelling and the next day they went shopping with me for more comfortable shoes. I also paid a visit to the pharmacy down the street and the chemist helped me find some braces for my ankles and topical gel to take care of the pain.

Many other things have happened in this past week and a half that has caused me to be anxious. Even simple things like buying food and waterproofing my shoes for the first time have brought their own type of stress. Living without my parents for the first time, sharing an apartment with someone I didn't really know before, dealing with getting a cold, trying to see everything I can around the city, and making sure I do all of my homework have caused me all sorts of worry. However, I have learned that I can deal with all of the stresses that come with change and survive. I CAN live in an apartment and buy my own food.  I've learned that I am not alone and that I have friends who will be there when I need it. I am capable of coming to a foreign country without my family and making all sorts of decisions on my own.  If that is the only thing I learn from this adventure it will have been worth going on. 

Meet the Rachel!

Hi! I'm Rachel, it's nice to meet you.  I'm a music major from California who is going to be having a three month long adventure in Italy.  I've only been here since January 26th but so many things have happened that it's going to take me a couple of blog posts to get you all caught up on what's already happened! 

You will learn more about me as you read my adventures (as I really hope you will!) It is now time for me to attempt to do justice to the craziness of the last couple of days.

Finally in Florence!

On January 26th I attended an orientation in the Hotel Michelangelo and then we were put into taxis to go to our apartments. I loved my apartment right away, it was a nice size and had a lovely view. Things got a little sad though when the wifi refused to work, the refrigerator wouldn't get cold, and the hot water refused to exist. The funny thing was that the hot water HAD existed when the landlord showed it to us, but when we needed it a couple of hours later it was nowhere to be found.
That evening was quite eventful as me and three other friends got lost going to and from a restaurant that had been recommended by AIFS. On our way to the restaurant we stopped in front of another restaurant to try and read our map by its light. The owner came out and the conversation went something like this:
"Are you lost? You need help?"
"Yes, do you know where the restaurant __ is?"
"WHY would you want to go there? They have nothing special there. Well, I guess they have pizza... Americans like pizza."

"We have meal vouchers from our school to go there. You know, we get the food for free."
"You have meal vouchers there?! How do they get to have meal vouchers there?! How do I sign up MY restaurant to get meal voucher for there? What school you go to?"

"AIFS."
"AIFS," he mumbled as he typed it on his phone, "I will contact them so you can get meal vouchers here. Then you can come back and have GOOD food."


After he gave us directions, we finally made it to the place. He was right, it wasn't anything special. It was very Americanized and every person dining in there was speaking English.

Then we got lost going back from the restaurant! A Japanese lady who had a tour guide badge finally stopped and asked us if we were okay. Apparently we were on the other side of the historical center! She walked us to the Duomo and asked if we could find our way back from there. Like dorks we said of course we could. We walked in circles for about 30 more minutes when it only should have taken us five. It certainly didn't help my nerves that every dude we passed by had to tell us how beautiful we were and ask what party we were going to.
"Ciao bella! You going to party? What party you going to?"
or "You want to come to my party? Oh no? Maybe another time? Tomorrow?"
I mean seriously, how stupid do I look!? huh? Wait, don't answer that....
Well, we made it back alive, and I sat on my bed and cried.
The End!

More Traveling.....

The plane ride from San Francisco to Zurich, Switzerland was about eleven hours long. I talked the ear off of the girl next to me, ate interesting airplane food for the first time, watched Wolverine, and tried without success to fall asleep. I spent the night eyeing all the peaceful sleepers with envy and thinking how next time I would call ahead and order the Kosher meal plan (the dude across from me was Jewish and his food looked a lot more appetizing than mine).
 Once we landed in Zurich, we went through what felt like a maze to find our next gate. After getting my passport stamped, I waited with my friends near our gate. We got into a bus and were driven to our plane, which was tiny compared to the monster that had flown us to Zurich. I probably would have fallen asleep on that plane but unfortunately I had some makeup stuck in my eye that wouldn't budge. My eyes were very mad at me for wearing makeup for such a long time and they showed their disapproval by watering, burning, and turning red. I don't wonder why I sat alone on the bus to the hotel, I looked like I had a disease. 
I had gotten myself all worked up over going through customs but as with most things I had no reason to. Customs consisted of two uniformed gentlemen that stared deep into one's eyes as one tried to pull one's heavy luggage through a hallway. If they couldn't see any ill intent in one's eyes, they let you pass. I didn't even have to show them my passport or say where I was from, that's how good I am at concealing my wickedness.  
We all spent the night at the Hotel Michelangelo in Florence. I hung out with my friends for a little while at the bar downstairs and watched with amusement as they tried out the phrases in their Italian phrasebooks on the bartender. Once I was too tired to continue watching them ask him how old he was and if he was on facebook with their phrase books, I went up to my room and attempted to fall asleep. Yeah, that didn't work out so well but I had an orientation in the morning so I did my best to convince my body that it was nighttime. 

The San Francisco International Airport and the Plane to Zurich

January 25th dawned with me anxiously throwing any items I had forgotten to pack into my giant, black purse. I had been told that purses (aka "personal items) didn't have any kind of weight limit, only a size one. It was rather bulgy as I swung it across my shoulder to walk out the door and I prayed that it would still be able to fit under the seat. 
Since I was riding with a friend to the airport I said a tearful farewell to my family on our front lawn. It was with a sinking feeling that I got into the car, knowing that I would not be able to hug them again for three months. 
I had never been to the San Francisco airport before and it was pretty big. I also found, as I walked through the parking garage and through the airport to check my bags, that my large suitcase didn't like to roll. It is an old, flowered thing that holds all my stuff quite nicely but it likes to fall over when I try to roll it. I had to pull it like a dog on a leash and it kept tipping over if I tried to pick up my pace at all. 
After checking my suitcase in (and apparently there IS a weight limit on purses) my friend and I made it through security pretty easily. Then we met up with some other AIFS students and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant. 
It was around 6:45pm when we finally got to board the plane. I sighed with relief as I stuffed my over sized purse under the seat in front of me without much drama. As I sat down I surveyed the seats around me at people that might be fellow students in the study abroad program. If any of them were, then they were mostly young women with only a few dudes sprinkled in. I sighed, tried to make the really constricting seat a little more comfortable, and prepared myself for the longest plane ride of my life (so far). 

Why Does My Laptop Have to Weigh So Much? And Other Stresses of Packing

So, about four months ago I decided I was going to study abroad with my college in Florence, Italy. It was kind of a quick decision because registration was starting soon and I needed to get a passport. I was in denial for a long time though until I paid the program fee and realized that it was really going to happen. After I paid the fees I had to tell my violin students that I was leaving for three months and that my sister would substitute for me. The only barriers left between me and my new Tuscan residence was the trip there.  Packing my suitcase, carry on, and purse was extremely stressful. How many shirts should I bring? How much shampoo is really necessary? Are these shoes comfortable enough to walk for hours in? Is hair dye considered a dangerous item? Yep, that was pretty much all I could think about. Along with the ever-dramatic classic: OMG I CAN'T FIND MY CAMERA USB ANYWHERE!! Just let me die now!!!
It probably didn't help my worrying when my laptop got a nasty virus about a week before I was leaving and I didn't know where to go to get it fixed. 
Then there are the weight and size regulations for baggage...yeah I think that one almost gave me an ulcer. I inwardly freaked out every time I had to add something more to one of my suitcases after I had already weighed it and found it to be acceptable will this be the hairbrush that sends the weight shooting up the scale? 
Once I decided my bags carried all the essentials and were an acceptable weight there came the next big question: can I carry all of my bags at once? I could carry them from the bedroom to the living room but could I carry them around an airport and up apartment stairs? Believe me, that was something I was about to find out....