What were you grateful for this week?I was grateful for my host family who made me feel very welcome and at home. They really made me feel like a part of their family and this really helped with adjusting to living in a new country. 

What was the most challenging part of this week?Adjusting to the time zone was really difficult. I feel like I’ve been sleeping excessively and I am not too sure if its normal. It is also very difficult being alone in a new city in a new country on a different continent than my own. Most of the girls in the program live in Rome so I feel very alone here in Ravenna. I have my host family who has done an amazing job at making me feel welcomed but I do wish I knew more people my age here.

Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week. A wow moment for me this week was being able to give my host family gifts I brought them from California. I was really glad they enjoyed them. 

Tell us about your week! This week I arrived to Ravenna, Italy. I spent my first few days living as a night owl. I slept during the day and lived at night. I was able to go to dinner with my host family and their friends which made me feel very welcomed and accepted. 

I explored Ravenna on my own and came across some of the most beautiful cathedrals I have ever seen. I knew Ravenna was famous for its mosaics but none of the pictures I had previously seen do it justice. At the Basilica of San Vitale I was able to meet a lovely couple from Guadalajara, Mexico, a city in Mexico a couple of hours away from where my parents grew up. Talking to them gave me a sense of peace traveling alone because I realized that I’m not truly alone, I’m just a simple hello away from making new friends.

During the nighttime I was able to go out and grab dinner. I realized that the nightlife in Ravenna is very active. I was not used to see people out and about after the sun sets. In Ravenna, restaurant and bar lights lit up the streets. I walked the streets throughout the night and never in my life have I ever felt so safe before at such late hours. 

I hope to be able to explore more soon as I have only been here a couple days. I am excited to see what the future brings for my new life in Italy.