Set your sights straight 

now, don't forget pain. 

Think of the shorelines 

you have yet to see, 

and men who will hold 

you with eyes you believe. 

On the way I will go 

where the days left to 

breathe are not gone, are 

still long. 

I am traveling on. 

-Rio, Hey Marsailles

Now that my departure is coming up incredibly quickly, a few questions have been running through my mind...

*I'd like to fill in the answers as I'm discovering them.


Is it a major problem that I know virtually no Italian?
Only sometimes. Between taking an Italian class and being fully immersed in the language, it is not difficult to be able to recognize a few words here and there. I feel a large improvement already, and it has only been a few weeks.
However, learning an entirely new language is complicated. If people know virtually no English, communication is not an easy thing. This has been one of the most difficult barriers to overcome sometimes. When you're lost and worn out and frustrated, you just want someone to tell you where to go in a perfectly crafted English sentence.
Do Italians use notecards, notebooks, and highlighters as much as I do?
At home, it's quite easy to find virtually everything you need at any store: CVS, Kroger, Walmart, the store on the corner by my apartment. Here, there are shops strictly for specific things. Us spoiled Americans may find this inconvenient. I have been able to find highlighters. The notebooks and folders are legal size (larger than what I'm used to/too big to fit in my bag if I don't use my big backpack). And notecards are nowhere to be found.
What clothes should I bring?
The answer to this question is that I should have brought more summer clothes. I brought only a few very light t-shirts, dresses, and nice tanktops because I expected it to cool down soon enough for me to be able to wear the light sweaters and jeans without sweating to death. It's stayed much hotter for much longer than I expected. (Today, October 6th, is one of the coolest days, but it's still 82 degrees and strong sunshine). Once I had literally worn every summer outfit combination I brought about twenty times, I got to go shopping :)
Am I going to have any friends when I come back?
Of course! Your friends will be very excited to see you come back at first, and will soon make it very clear that they are tired of hearing about your Roman life!
Will I get fat off Italian food?
Probably only a little bit, but it will be worth every bite.
What happens if I get lost in the airport?
Here, I have learned the more accurate question: what if my luggage gets lost in the airport?
And I have the answer to this question:
1. Even though you are at an airport in the United States, it is still a cultural hub (I was in D.C.). Therefore, the first step will be to find an employee that speaks enough English to figure out what you're trying to say.
2. Once the first employee is located, she will be of absolutely no help. She'll tell you to go to the gate you exited in order to ask for your luggage. However, since you simply walked out of some random gate, you'll have no idea what gate number it was.
3. Find the general vicinity from which you entered the airport. Even if you don't know the exact gate, find the nicest looking employee around there and ask them for help.
4. Even though you thought the employee you chose will be able to speak English well, he doesn't. You explain your problem to him, and he does not respond.
5. The other employee standing there will stare at you. You'll wonder if the first employee ignored you, or is currently looking for your bags.
6. You'll stand there awkwardly for a few minutes until you hear your name being thrown about back and forth over the employee's radios. You can then assume that the first employee did indeed understand you, and is looking for your bag or simply talking about you.
7. The second employee will tell you that you have to go to baggage claim. This means exiting the airport then going through security again. You're not thrilled about this idea, so you stand there for another second.
8. After a moment, a third employee will carry your bag through the gate entrance, and you'll be really relieved and thank them a lot. They won't really respond.
Is my broken foot going to be healed before I go? Should I even bring any left shoes?
Without jinxing myself, I haven't had any major foot problems so far! I've been able to keep away from the boot I had to wear before. Hopefully it stays this way all through the fall!
Can I bring my dog?
I wish.
How many clothes are too many?
There are never enough clothes. Although one of my roommates brought 3 suitcases and I think that might be a little extreme.
Are my roommates going to be cool? Why can't I find any of them on Facebook?
It turns out the roommate I'm closest with doesn't even have a Facebook. My physical roommate has the same name as about a thousand other people, so she was difficult to find online. However, my roommates are all really cool! Somehow we all get along. Really well. We have very civil meetings, cook each other dinner, pile on to the couch for movie nights, talk each other out of crying, and hang out together! 
Should I pack my own oil paints or try to buy them there?
I ended up bringing my own paints and brushes, but buying thinner, canvasses, and brush cleaner here. I haven't actually begun anything yet, but I know I need to make myself because I bought things here for painting!
Are my classes going to be hard?
Classes are definitely the worst part of my pretend Roman life! They're not easy, and it's really hard to make yourself sit down and do homework when there are a thousand more exciting things you could be doing.
Will I get lost in Rome every day?
Easy. Yes, definitely.
Can I get everything done before I leave?
There are very few loose ends I've had to tie abroad, which is good. I'm glad I got everything out of the way before I left so I don't have to worry about things at home on top of things here.
Should I bring some novels or will they weigh my suitcase down?
Why can't I just rent books from the library for 4 months?
The library should definitely consider this option.
Will my jeans shrink okay without a dryer?
They shrink okay, but they're as stiff as boards. So are my sheets and shirts and underwear and sweatshirts and sweaters and towels.
Is it going to be weird living in a dorm again?
Joke's on me. My apartment is nicer than I could have even imagined.
Is Irene going to make me miss my orientation?
Irene did an excellent job of splitting up our group. About a fourth of the students, including myself, made it on time. I have yet to meet some of the others that were delayed.