Oh America.

My direct flight from London to Seattle was a success. It was a little cramped, the food was mysterious, and I think I was seated in the elderly section... but I watched three new movies, so I was perfectly content.

Upon arrival in Seattle, I thought about the "How to deal with reverse culture shock" email that we received a few weeks before our program was finished in Spain. The email contained suggestions for dealing wiht th ereverse culture shock that most people experience more when returning to the states after study abroad. I decided that like my study abroad experience, I needed to come back to the states with an open mind.

As I waited for the hotel shuttle bus to come pick me up, I noticed something immediately. There was a typical American family of seven who were staying the night in Seattle before leaving for a cruise in the morning. Each of the seven members of the family had 2 LARGE suitcases each. I stared down at my 1 piece of luggage that had been more than sufficient for 5 months, made some rude comments in my head, and then remembered that there was a time in my life when I took the same suitcase on a week-long spring break.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Five months ago tomorrow I was saying my goodbyes in the Boise Airport. I was second guessing my decision to study abroad. I was telling myself that there was no way that I would be able to survive away from the people I loved most. I remember the sadness I felt looking back one last time before I stepped through security. I remember trying my hardest to keep the tears from flowing as I waited for my flight. I remember the last texts that I sent and the calls that I made. Then there was the five hour wait in the Seattle Airport. I remember seeing the "USAC" baggage tags but being too afraid to talk to anyone. I was fighting back more tears. Making more calls. Thinking that I was making the biggest mistake of my life. But after all of that...I DID IT!

I can't believe that I will be leaving from London tomorrow afternoon to head back to the states. The past five months have been some of the best of my life--I will never, ever forget them! A couple of weeks ago I was reading my friend Morgen's blog and she was reflecting on the things that she learned while she was in Spain. Morgen couldn't have said it any better, it's like she crawled inside my head and stole my thoughts. With that being said, I am going to have to share with you her words...

"I've also spent a good deal of time reflecting on what I've learned over the past semester. A few weeks ago I would have made a list looking something like this:
In Spain I learned...
-Velazquez is the greatest portrait painter of all time
-Cafe con leche and coffee with milk are not the same thing
-The uses of the subjunctive
-Spanish gender roles
-Chocolate chips are a necessity
-Fluency in a foreign language
... and so on...
Now, after rereading my journal and looking back on the past few months I think what I really learned while abroad can be summed up differently. In Spain I learned the importance of family, made friends I will cherish forever, fell in love with Spanish culture, discovered my passions, became more open minded... When it is all said and done it is not the grammar, the literature, the Spanish movies or the art history lessons that account for the life-changing experience. Instead, it is the people I met, the discoveries of self, the long walks on the beach... these are the things that changed my life. I will never be the person I was when I stepped on the plane in January. This experience has made me a better person and I cannot thank the wonderful people I shared it with enough." -Morgen Sedlacek

My experience in Spain taught me so many important things about life. I am a happier person than I've ever been and that is because I now know what it is I want in life and I know exactly what I have to do to get there. I was able to experience something that I never thought I'd be able to survive and I ended up loving every minute of it! I would not trade anything in the world for the experience, the friendships, and the happiness that I gained while studying abroad. I am truly grateful for the opportunity that I had and I will never forget it!

I love this video because I think that it shows the happiness that I experienced and the wonderful friends that I made!

Maddy and Wyatt

Did I ever mention that my niece and nephew are the cutest kids in the world?? I know that everyone thinks this about the kids in their family, but this isn't a biased opinion, they are truly adorable! Not only are they physically adorable, but they have personalities to go along with their adorable button noses.

A little of this and that.

I realized something today...American women tend to complain that they can never find a man and that men never compliment them, well that is because we have been trained to take compliments as being "hit on". I was at the market today in Sicily and one of the young market men looked at me and said, "you are so beautiful". Instead of taking his words as a compliment, I immediately gave him a slight look of digust and started laughing. It was my natural reaction to give him this look because of the culture that we live in--any stranger who says something like that to you must be a creep. I gave that fruit vendor a second glance and changed my view on compliments from strangers. That'll be the last dirty look I give a European man.

In other news--today I was watching New Moon and I saw the preview for a movie that has already come out in the states, Letters to Juliet. The movie looks so cute!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz43rtBUVA0

Tonight I'm making dinner. I found this recipe on one of the blogs that I read, this is the first time I'm making it--wish me luck!

Stranger

I have never met this girl, but I hope to meet her one day. Her name in Jana and I'm obsessed with reading her blog. She loves to cook and then post her recipes, she loves to take photographs and then post her pictures, she is good at almost everything! I found her featured on another friend's blog last year and I haven't been able to stop reading it since.

http://janalaurene.com/blog/

One day we will meet and be friends.

"Gouda please..."

Today I spent the day doing "kid things" with my niece and nephew, I forgot how much fun it is! Wyatt and I jumped on the trampoline this morning and I made up a game for us to play, we also made up songs to go along with our game. Did I mention that I want a trampoline when I get home??

I made cookies this afternoon as well, which was a first in over four months. I forgot how much I LOVE cooking!!

After Maddy got home from school we jumped on the trampoline some more and then we took their dog for a walk. Maddy and Wyatt were both on rollerblades, which was hysterical! We took a break after our walk and I taught Maddy cursive and Wyatt practiced his letters.

The kids requested a snack, "Aunt Carly, can we please have apples and cheese?" I started cutting up the apples and then I was pulled some cheese out of the drawer, my 4 year old nephew and 7 year old niece said to me at the same time, "um, we don't like that kind, can we please have gouda." I looked at them and starting laughing adn proceeded to tell them that they are "cheese snobs". I guess that is what happens when you are raised in Italy.

Don't Go Breakin My Heart

I just spent an incredible 4 days in Prague....and fell in love! It was such an incredibly beautiful city. I told my dad in an email that "Prague stole my heart and I will move there some day", his response was, "you say that about every city you visit". This may be true, but Prague was my favorite European city! It was a great trip to get my mind off of having to leave Spain. I had a great time exploring the streets with my brother Justin and his friend. One of my best chicas, Sarah, just happened to be there 3 of the 4 days and was staying in our hostel. Dear Prague, I love you, please don't break my heart.





After my 4 splendid days in Prague, I headed to Budapest to visit my best friend Brittany. Budapest was a facinating city. The language was so interesting and it was really fun to see Britt interact in her city. I am so so happy that I got to spend time with before I came back to Sicily and she headed back to the states. Thank you Brittany for an incredible weekend, I miss you already!






So now I am back in Sicily and I will be here for less than 2 weeks before I head back to the states. I can't decide how I feel about that...