Catch Up

        I realized I tell my family and facebook more about what has been happening in Italy, more then I blog about! Oops :) So here is a catching up blog! Oh BTW Ciao! Salve! Or as my class friends like me saying, "CaioCaio!" I guess it is like our "heyhey!" ? Maybe ?

        So I have done a bunch of stuff in Italy so far, where to begin? . .  I will jump around a bit I think. Yes!

        I have started my Italian Lessons! Which is really like 3 or 4 times a week I go to about the only house in Lamezia (everything is apartments) and I study there with 2 other exchange students in my area! Celestina who is the most out-wordly-spoken person I have met. Meaning she loves to add curse words where ever they seem fit! (In America this award would go to my friend Maddy, she tends to do the same, its weird how much I miss it! Its always so random what she says!) Well anyway, Celestina is Australian but is a terrible example of one. She looks italian! No joke! Then there is Noriko, she is so pretty and from Japan! Sadly, she does not speak a bunch of English, so I cannot wait to learn Italian to talk to her! She lives at this house too. The house is on a mountain because Lamezia is surrounded by mountains on all sides but one, there is the sea! (I can see the sea from my bedroom balcony!) Her view is so gorgous! (Picture at bottom!) It is really breath-taking, I am pretty sure if I ever move to Italy I want to live at this house.

        I have also gone to a wine and grape tasting! The grapes they grow here in Calabria are amazing. They all taste so different. I learned that at the grape tasting! They grapes also have seeds so I eat mine with a knife...

        I went a few days ago to a birthday party for my host brothers friend. He is awesome, and speaks English. I was at this party for like 20 minutes and realized that the theme was "America." The balloons, forks, spoons, plates, decorations were all red white and blue! He loves America, like most of the people I have met. If they do not love America, they hate it with a passion. The party was fun, but I had to leave early, my host sister wanted to. I do not know why . . ?

        My first 2 weeks of school were boring and long. I barely understand what they said. Math and Physics is the hardest too. I used to love math and I am constantly asking my sister from America (Yvette) to send me my old notes about each lesson. Funny thing is, a good teacher makes a difference! I am learning similar things here in math, like I did in America. But I cannot follow any of it! My teacher writes a problem on the board, and the kids just know how to solve it. No help. If she gives help, she skips steps, so I never know how she gets numbers. Which brings me to the symbols in math. They use the basic one like + - = (.) But then they use weird ones to. Like an upside down A with xeR.....It means the problem will always be possible! I hope soon I can understand Italian because this is difficult. But I can and will do it!

        I have gone shopping in Italy a lot. Even if you run out of money you still go shopping! There is one long street in Lamezia where all the stores are, and at night time this place is packed with people. Women holding firmly to their men while wearing 5 inch heels. So of course I follow my friends leads - wearing heels and holding their arms! I think we hold arms so we do not fall, or so that we fall together . . . My theory BTW. Teenagers, this is the place to go. In my small town in America, kids did not hangout like this. We would go get a pizza or shop during the day, not at 10 at night. These teenagers go in packs of like 15 to shop very late at night, its unusual. I have gotten a hang of it too! I went shopping yesterday, but my host sister gave up on her heels in the middle, so I was the last standing! (I went with Celestina) ...I should add Italians kiss (On the lips) and hold hands alot, even if they are not dating and are friends.

        I have also gone to get my residence permit, but because that story is boring I won't tell it, your welcome!

        I also went out once to a pizza shop in the mountains. Beautiful view of Lamezia! We sat and ordered, and I was shocked when the waiter brought us each our own pizza to eat! Even more weird, once we finished (Alot of pizza left-over) we just left it there! Italians are not worried at all when it comes to left overs. My family puts everything in a bag and feeds it to chickens that my host grandmother has living near us. Anyway mountain. . . I learned how to play foosball! But I stink at it :) LOL

        I have also watched the Titanic movie about 100 times, my host sister love it! We watch it in Italian with English subtitles, but really I do not need them. I know the story!

This is about as much as I remember, so till next time lovely readers

 | § | XOXO Brystal | § |

Lamezia, the view from the house! You can guess that is Celestina (middle) and Noriko (left) with me! 

2 Weeks In!

        Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months. Soon my year will be up! I feel as if I wrote a post about Italian schools yesterday. Saying I was sure to get back to it later! Well I have finished my second week here in Italy. . . All that free time in class, not understanding anything has really given me a chance to watch italian life.

Which is completely different then American life in school because. . . .

Yea here comes a list. I have been writing this all week. I mean, what is different from Italy and American schools? 

1. The walls are BLANK! It does sound boring, but when you are stuck in a class room and the room is white all over, it makes you feel like your stuck in a bubble.... With about 23 other kids, it is just about the most annoying thing ever....
2. School is 6 days long. Yea I know my weekend is cut short! Its Saturday today, and I had school. Not fun at all! I felt like my weekend started, till I remembered I had school at 7 when my alarm woke me up. (Some schools are not like this though) 
3. At 10 the students get done with their second class of the day. It is also break for 15-ish minutes. Which means they hurry to eat, because this is their lunch period.
4. Which makes me want to state again, no lunch. Being American, with the sterio-type of eating so much that I weight 300 lbs, the Italians were shocked to see I do not eat lunch then. I mean I feel like I am still waking up! Also who wants to eat in a hallway?
5. It was weird, the floors in Italian schools do not have carpets like they did in my American classrooms......
6. The chalk board / white board. Yea its about the size of a coffee table, which means you do one math problem on it and have to erase everything else. Kinda stinks for me, I copy the problem and my friends notes at the same time, so I always seem to miss something!
7. The chairs are lonely without a desk attached to them. It also makes tons of noice if they students move their chairs. They are really built to make sure your back stays perfectly straight .All.The.Time.
8. Again, no AC! In Italy it is super hot all the time and you get no air through the windows. But I have noticed heaters! I wonder if they work..?
9. So a coatrack replaces any type of locker. There are two in each classroom you can put your coats or bookbags on. Yea they do not get used....
10. Italians do not know what "fire drill" is. I asked my friend today and she pointed at things around the building that could help take a fire out and said, "This is our drill." So I am also assuming they do not do lockdowns, or tornato drills either. Unsafe :-)
11. The students all have to wear pants! Did I mention I hate pants and it is like 500 degrees here? Perfect. No dresses or shorts, could just about make a person feel like they are in an oven. I know I do!
12. Long pants in PE too! So girls no showing off your fine tanned legs to all those guys. They just have to imagine it! ;-) Well it is PE those guys are to worried about the sport because they do not have sports in the school! Only gym....
13. NO CLUBS! What? For a girl who lives for Drama Club, I feel oddly out of place.
14. This was the weirdest thing to me. You can smoke on the property. Not in the school, but like a step outside the school, sure! These kids will kill their lungs....
15. You have classes, like 14 and you have to buy your own books. Normally in America they give you one for the year. This is so expensive.
16. The classes switch around each day. You have different ones, and you best know the schedule ! So you do not have to carry all 14 subjects. LOL 
17. The teachers also arrive basically when they want. Sometimes not at all, you just sit in class and goof-off.
18. When a teacher enters or leaves a room you MUST stand. This I am still not used too. 
19. Your class of 25ish people is your class. You do not see anyone else until break. Then you go back to study some more with the same people. Everyday.
20. I was so confused going school shopping because I needed a "Diary"... Which in America is where you put your secrets. But in Italy it is like your agenda book. They are more expensive then life itself. Buy one where you come from!
21. There is no "lab" for science. So I am guessing everything is in theory? No experiments...
22. There are different types of schools. Mine is the hardest math and science. I do mean hard, I am doing stuff I would be learning in college. You should know, whatever school your put in will probably be the trickest thing ever.
23. The schools are designed to pop out certain types of workers. If you go to a science and math school, chances are you won't be an artist. 
24. The guys wear a type of pants made for riding motorcycles. Which BTW everybody seems to drive more then cars. Mo-peds. Danger-Danger! 
25. Italy is known for playing soccer for a reason too. Guys are so good at it, I sat in guy class like, "How can you do that with your feet without tripping miserably!?!" 
26. Brings me to gym class. Yea not an everyday thing. Also my school has the smallest gym ever. Like the size of 3 classrooms. AND they jump right into playing games. In America I got used to having like 1 or 2 days of review of the game to remember how to play it, then we would have a large game of it. No here, they give you the ball and tell you to have at it. 
27. LASTLY! If you become an exchange student you will not understand anything for weeks. Best advice for ya, deal with it. I am doing it to. Going to school to sit and try to pay attention but fail because I seem to get bored if   all day I listen to a different language. 

So. I have given up all types of proper English writting at this time. I am sorry If I miss spell the most basic words. I do have to learn a new language or else. :-) 

If there is anything you want to know about italian schools, add a comment and I will answer! BYE!

Till next time readers! | § | XOXO Brystal | § | I love you all! 

What It Is Like Being Me!

        If you have ever sat at home reading blogs all day, then you may wonder what it is like to be that person. Well yea my life is fun, but what makes mine better is I am a full time exchange student! I mean every single moment of may day revolves around studing Italian!

Take a jump in my shoes will ya? This will just be a sec.! 

        Now from the beginning it is do or die, remember that! . . . First, I wake up and I have a different culture I must adjust to. I go to school where it is either understand or fail miserably. Then I go out with friends and it is like - look really stupid speaking Italian or look so extremly stupid not speaking Italian, where you want to crawl under a rock and hide. Then you come home and have to eat! I can either ignore what I am eating and deal with it, or ask, so in all I learn! (When you do not know what you are eatting, it is not fun! Trust me!) TV time is the same, understand italian words or you sit for two hours making your own story up! (Which I have done and it gets lame fast) Then you go to sleep, and oddly enough you dream in the language anyway! Now that was just a quick rundown, but being me has its ups and downs!

|§|  |§|  |§|

        Being a exchange student is like being a prize pig! You come in first and everyone wants to meet you, but they do not really meet you, they meet your family which talks for you! Then they dress you up, bring you to parties so you can be shown off somemore! Whats cool is they ask the same questions, and I have gotten used to them and know what they mean! I still let my parents answer for me thou! I mean, I could seriously fumble with the words and look like a dork! (Which I seriously look like all day anyway!)

        If you are an exchange student you also have to go to class! I think it is a waste of time. . . Let me explain. . . First, you know none of the language, so sitting at home doing Rosetta Stone (language learning online) will help more then sitting in physics where you do not have google translate on hand. I sit in class and observe italian life, take in a few words, and think about memories "all day long." Also, taking notes is miserable... :) I find it so hard - the hardest maybe! I do not know the words, soooo I copy 3 letters at a time and have to look back at the board - it is so slow! I write some words wrong anyway by mistake, oops! The girl I copy from is so sweet, but it took days to figure out that in Italy "n" looks like "m"....and "m" has an extra hump! Also she writes her "l","e","c" all the same way. Just slightly different! Well perks of being an exchange student, things have to look different!

Now view this picture . . . yes now. . . done yet? OK! I feel just like this! So similar really.... just put under what my School thinks I do - Nothing. She can not understand anything! :) Funny thing is, they talk to me all the time, I just shake my head and look like I understand, when really I have no clue what is happening!

Well so far this is me being an exchange student! With help from google translate of course! I have to translate everything I read/write to English! Even still this is AWESOME!

Till next time readers. (At the bottom of my page are some blogs from OTHER PEOPLE read them! Really, reading is what smart people do anyway! Without reading you would always be an idiot. So read some more! Its fun!) 

| § | XOXO Brystal | § |

A Little Late

Lately I have been seeing many travelers abroad unhappy about their choice to study abroad! So if you may be one of them reading this. . .  STAY IN THERE! We are all in the same boat! Unsure which direction the water and wind will take us! Do not turn around and give up! Now I will get onto my blog topic!

I realized that my readers do not really know anything about me! So this is to get to know me better! Brystal Paey, the 17 year old in Italy!

I thought I was perfect for traveling abroad because I have so much experience with moving into different situations! This is my 10th time I have moved! Normally I move around Pennsylvania, but I have also lived in other places!

My places lived really helped form who I am . . .

I lived in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, A few times.... This is where Just Born is! Just in case you are an idiot and have never heard of this company, you have probably tasted the sweets! On Easter you get "Peeps," in the shape of little sugar covered rabbits. I know, you have seen/tasted them, they are just so yummy! They are also known for the "Peep Car!" Picture at the bottom! Also Music Fest! If I spelled it right, lol! But this is a big event here! I would go!

I have also live in Allentown Pennsylvania! It is just a big city, but I do not remember much of it!

After switching between these two for a few times I moved to Loysville Pennsylvania! Home of Amish people! I lived in a house owned by Amish Landlords too! They were so different, and productive! They had a barn moving, which was really them taking horses and moving a big barn that was about to break! I learned how to live in the woods here too!

Then we got up and moved to Virgina! Suffolk! We went there for my sister who was in the military! (Briana, so proud of her!)  We lived in a huge house that was Victorian! This was very different because it was more south, so I went to a school that was mainly African-Americans! I met the coolest people here. :) Beautiful!

After Virginia we went and moved to Edison, New Jersey. We lived with my Grandmother Rose! This is where I decided I loved color guard. Flag twirling! The school I went to was also very different. In New Jersey there were so many Chinese and Indians! I even met a girl who came from India that year, Mahima! So I am used to different types of people, Italians will be a breeze!

Then I moved to Shippensbug Pennsylvania! Something about PA keeps making us come back! Here I joined color guard with my sister Yvette and drama club with my sister Yvette! I have been in Bye, Bye Birdie; Christmas Carol; and Footloose.  I also learned I had a passion for math! (That is why I am in the most difficult math school in Lamezia Terme, Italy. They study mainly math and science!) At Ship I also took my first foreign language! French! I loved it to say the least! I also thought I could tackle studing abroad!

Thats when I ended up in Italy! :) I hope this is easy to read, most of these words have a red underline because the Italian computer does not speak English! You now know where I came from! Which is about everywhere if you count where I have traveled!

Lastly I should mention I love to read and write! I also am shy at first! Also my family means the word to be...I think I am done, yes! Goodbye!

Till next time Readers! | § | XOXO Brystal | § |

First Day of Italian studies???

        Yea, I finally started school guys! ;) A bit late compared to all the kids in America, who started weeks ago! Oh well, My studies are harder! Not only because they are in a different language, but the locals say that my school is really hard! Bring-it-on-Italy! I can do anything! 

So my first day went alittle like this.....

Yea got up and ...Was totally late. My host sister set my clock wrong, so I ended up taking a shower and coming out to have 10 minutes (yea 10) to dry my hair, put on makeup, get dressed, eat, brush teeth! ...Only it took me 12 minutes... Everyone was kinda freaking out at that point.....

I got to school, and met the teachers, only I can not remember any of the names! Oops! Then they had a welcoming ceromony, infront of the entire school. This was when my face got so red because I had so many eyes on me. What made it worse was, not understanding what the speaker was saying about me.... They could have been saying I was an ugly american...gosh I hope they didnt. My point is, I could understand maybe 1 word in each sentence!! Not good....

Classes were fine, but I will be choosing me new classes tomorrow! ...This girl has no idea how to speak Latin, so I am going to have to change that! Anyway, school... Italian students do not change classes, the teachers do! So I was with the same 24 people all day! IN NO AIR CONDITIONING! It was so hot today, and I wore a sweater..... :) I should know by now I am not in Pennsylvania !

Now I really did not understand anything the teachers said, except that I need to buy a book...So I sat in class looking at the italians, thinking how different they are from americans..... Which is not that much.!.

This was my first day, and so many other exchange students first day! In retrospect, mine went well compared to others! Really read other blogs too! These exchange students like myself need support! Gosh I know I do! If google translate was not around, I would be walking around in a haze..... So If you plan on going to an Italian school anytime soon for your first day! Learn how to say, "What is your name?" Because I did not know how to say this. HAHA

Till my next blog readers! So far I seem to blog like every day. I do not want to miss anything, ya know? 

| § | XOXO Brystal | § |

Just Keeping Things Different

        Today was the first day I went to Church in Italy....! Yea, your probably thinking, "But dont they speak Italian in their churches..?" Yup, they do... and of course I could not keep my focus on the father for 5 minutes. My mind kept going swiftly back to what the differences and whats similar between America Catholic churches and Italian Catholic churches... Want to know a few?

Different:
1. They speak a different language! Duh!
2. The church is huge! Maybe that is because the ones I got to are smaller, but this church was made for like 200 people...
3. The decorations around the church were very different. They had so many painting!
4. The Church had a wooden ceiling
5. The pews are not all one long one. They were meant for like 4 people to a pew and then a row next to your pew. Like benches!

Same:
1.What you answer back as a group is similar, or at least I could follow that!
2. The father wore robes, his were green.
3. Lots of white.... walls, floors, decorations. You get the jist
4. They collect money here to!
5. Lots of singing! :) Very pretty!

        Told you it would be short! I only went once you know! Next time maybe I will see more differences. My family was late going, so we only caught the end.

        Anyway, at this point in the game, I am about to start school tomorrow! Wish me luck, I will need it till like Christmas when I understand the language! Not just 3 % of the language!

Till next time readers, have a great day!   | § | XOXO Brystal | § |

(Ignore all spelling mistakes please, was never great with English, now it is my best subject in Italy!) 

I Spy With My Little Eye!

        If you lived in a different country, which differences would you notice? I have seen many bloggers (exchange students) write blogs on how their country is different from America. :) So I will do the same!

1. The food!!! Yea, if you live in Italy your in food heaven! These women know how to cook, and they cook a lot! My host mother seems to come home from work - cook lunch, clean, then cook dinner and clean again! Her cooking is amazing, it is unlike my American Moms cooking in many ways. She cooks as if we are all about to pass out with hunger. Olive oil and salt are used here alot too! Potatos are used in about everything, same with cheese and bread! In Italy, you have courses: pasta first! Then meat, next comes veges that cover your plate! The next course is cheese and fruit.... lastly dessert! When you are a guest and not used to the amount they eat, THIS IS ALOT! I have had to say "No grazie" about a thousand times these few days in Italy!

2. The price of food here is much cheaper! You can buy everything you need much cheaper here, even with the exchange rate of money! They only thing I have noticed that is expensive is soda. . . Wonder why ;-)

3.Family life! Yea, its different too! We all gather to eat lunch together, and dinner! Your work day practically ends at 1. You eat together always, it is rude to leave the table early too! You also sit and watch TV after your 10 O' clock meal too!

4.TIME! yea, it is not the american time zone I am used to and it is in military time to top it off! You eat lunch at like 1 and wait till about or 10 to eat dinner. By this time I am falling over I am so tired! Why eat soooo late???

5. American stuff! It is everywhere, I am not kidding! People wear things with our sayings, and with our money on it, our flag...I do not know why they would want too? Also people just love talking in english to me, where ever I go!... Hello, I am here to learn Italian! I think they just want to use their english skills, and not let them go to waste!

6. America is held very highly! People speak our language, they listen to mainly american songs, yea I know they dont understand them, but they like them none-the-less! They also watch american shows, all the time! (The shows are translated into italian thou...) My host brother wants to move to America so badly to become a banker, so I am helping him learn American TXT language! I have also met another guy who is excitingly waiting till march! Why? Because he goes to America for 15 days, so now he has a real american girl to help him improve his speaking skills! Oh goody! Someone please help me speak Italian now?!? :) Guess I will wait!

7.The driving is crazy!  Italians have no idea how to drive! If my host brother goes to America, he will have to start at level one again! They do not listen to signs. Signs are more of a suggestion! They really just go when ever they want! Parking spots. . . They make their own where ever there is room! Stop lights are so rare and circles are so common! It is sooo scary, I cried my first day :) yea I know lame, but I am already terrified of driving! To top it off, backseats have seatbelts but in Italy you do not need to wear them! I always go to put mine on, then remember I dont have too! My host mom yelled at me when I went to put mine on one day.... Scary! Also the speeds they go, well I have not seen one speed limit sign anywhere! So they go what they feel like going. 60 in a town, ok! 100 on a highway, why not! No harm in going fast! WRONG! I should also say that they drive so close too other cars! You can stick your hand out of the window and touch another car easily! So bumps and scratches on cars are very common! You do not buy a nice car in Italy! It will be ruined by you, or someone else! ...Lanes.... Yea they have them in Italy, but yet again they are a suggestion. If you want to drive on the curb, go ahead! If you want to drive in the middle, there is no promblem with that! Crazy italian drivers!

8. You knew it was coming, bathrooms!  they are so weird here! The showers are smaller, (well at least mine is) so if your a girl and need to shave your legs, rethink that! It is so difficult but I refuse to give up my razior! No matter what! That also brings me to a side note: Shaving here is a no..... for girls at least! Just go hairy! Anyway back to bathrooms! The watts are different so no american hair dryers ! Buy them here! Also the toilets are different! There are 2! One for the norm, and one I have yet to even turn on! The butt washer, it is how italians go without showers for a few days! (Thank goodness my family takes showers more oftenly!) The shape is also very different then americans! The flusher is also on the wall, it is a button!

9. Dress codes!  Around the home you must have dry hair!! Or you will get sick! Also must, must, must have house shoes! Or you will get sick! So, socks do not count as shoes like they do in my american home! Also you have to wear PJS around the house! Now there is also going out clothes, which means fancy! Heels, jewlary, just fancy clothes in general! But do not wear these to school! No heels no matter what! Also no shorts or dresses or skirts that show your legs! You can wear stocking with dresses, so if you know me, that is exactly what I will be doing! If you show your legs, teachers will yell at you....loudly!

10. The money is beautiful! They have such colorful money here, I am going to frame some when I get back to america! Everything is also very expensive here! I bought 6 shirts (the were counted as cheaper then others) and it was 52 euros. In american dollers that is like 70 dollers! I am having mini-heart-attacks here! I never want to spend money again! You also either go to the mall and shop, or go street shopping! Both are expensive! So if you go anywhere in europe, check the exchange rate!!!!

11. Washing and drying clothes! In my family we have a washing machine, thank you heaven! But no dryer! Everything is put on lines so that your neighbors can see what you wear! People really do look to see what you wear too.....

12. The trees and wildlife! Both are different, I have not seen any PA animals around. Have not really seen animals around at all either... But the trees!! Gorgous! Amazing! Bellissimo! Seriously they are so not American trees, you just have to see them for yourself!

13. The water! Drinking water is fine! Not what I wanted to talk about thou...... Ocean water is so crystal clear, blue-green! I swimmed in the Mediterraneo sea and I felt like I was on a cloud! Even the sand was soft! Salty though! For me this is so cool, because I have learned about these waters and now I got to be in them! The beach is also much cleaner, and less crouded then the Jersey Shore!

14. The ice cream! Here is it called Gelato! Wow do they spend time and love on their gelato! It is so tasty! I have had so much here, and I want to know how to make it! Gelato is thicker then ice cream btw!

        Now I have many other things that are different but I got bored! So next time the list will be long again! I also wish I could show you pictures, but my phone broke the day before I was about to go to Italy, so my lovely father is fixing it for me!    (Also please ignore all grammer/spelling mistakes, still not used to this computer!)

Till next time readers   |§| XOXO Brystal |§|

Look at the trees in the backround. That is what I am talking about! 

Goodbye USA

I have a few things I will be saying goodbye to in the United States, so pictures seem to speak a 1000 words, and why not use them instead? 

My Mother Rose and My step-father Tom 

My Father John! I will miss his silly-ness!

My sister Yvette (blue dress)...I am in the sparkly shirt ;-) 

Sister Briana!!!! 

Me and my sister Adrienne! 

Shippensburg Area  High School! My high school in the US!

My drama Club from last year -Footloose-

MARCHING BAND!!!

My friends from the Christmas Carol!

Maddy, Becky, and Me in the pink!! Zombies!! For color Guard 

Traveling Abroad

        Hello again readers! It has been a while since I last blogged, so this may be long, I dont know yet! Also if you read this and think that I have no idea how to spell or use proper grammer... well I dont know, but it is even worse because Italian computers translate everything into italian sooooo I do not even know what I am writing!!!! Red lines are under...almost.ever.single.word....

        So I left New York on Thursday! JFK airport - goodbye America and hello to Switzerland!!! For all those people out there that like planes, your crazy! I had to take 3 to get to Lamezia Terme Italy, and I think I would prefer sailing there! Planes feel like you are being swept off your feet and flipped upside down while your ears fill with water.... and the landing is much worse, at least I think so! Gum helps and swallowing air too! But, no matter what, I still got off those planes with hard-of-hearing! People had to scream for me! No lie!

        Switzerland is beautiful by the way, it is so green and peaceful! The only thing I noticed is that it is so expensive! I bought a keychain with a little book hanging from it and it was 11 dollers..... like what? Why so much?! We had about 3 hours in the airport before we had to get on the plane for ROMA! So I was bord lol!

        Then, I got to Rome, Italy and it took my breathe away! Well the country side did, I never got to really see Rome except for the inside and outside of an Italian hotel! Now lets talk about people, no not italian people, people from around the world! I met kids studing abroad in about every country Earth has! Most of them could speak at least a little English, and that got me thinking... Why on earth does America only learn 1 main language! I felt so stupid over there! All the american kids had trouble because we really did not know other languages....I met one girl who knew 8 languages! WOW! I really need to learn more!

        I spent 3 days and 2 nights in Rome and took so many pictures! It was such a different experience, I noticed the bathroom is the most different... Yea I know! Look up Italian bathrooms!!! Crazy! I still have not turned on the butt washer, I really do not know why they would use them??? Anyway to less weird things, I met 2 other girls going to my area "Lamezia Terme!" One is an Australian girl, the other is from Japan!

         Now to catch up to the present!.... I am here in Lamezia Terme and it is huge! They say it is small, but compared to what Shippensburg PA looked like...wow... Big is the new small! My host family are amazing! Even though they do not speak american very well, but at least the mom knows how to cook amazing meals! It makes me miss my american mom, because I really wish I would have learned how to cook more when I was there!

        Italians really do know how to cook! They also tend to think that you are grown men, yea me included! They eat so much!!!! Also because I am a guest, I get even more! So if I come back extremly fat, You all know why!!!! I seriously will keep track of all the weight I put on! HAHA!

        Now I start school on Monday, I will really just be sitting in the class for 3 months not understanding a word they say, but pretending to understand! :) Gosh I hope after three months I will understand! Italian ...they just talk so fast in this language, I am really walking around with google translate on handy!!

        I also went swimming in the Mediterraneo Sea and shopping but those are as side notes!

Till next blog my readers * XOXO Brystal *

Find Your Destiny! It is waiting for you!

        Arrivederci Pennsylvania e ciao ai miei prossimi giorni a New Jersey e New York! I will be leaving one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the privilege of living in, for wide open skies! I leave Pennsylvania tomorrow morning to go to New Jersey, where I will spend my last few remaining days with my family, before my adventure. Wednesday...This day I have been looking forward to for MONTHS...I am not even kidding, it has been the only thing on my mind all summer! On this Wednesday I get to go to New York, my fate begins then!

        This week is filled with so many goodbyes: To my old school, my friends, the band I will miss, The drama club I wish I could take with me. Goodbyes to my family, neighbors, my state (PA), and most importantly my country! I have never been outside of the United States, and now I get to do it by myself! To be put easily, I am nervous beyond words! I mean seriously, I will be in Rome on Friday! So goodbye to my american life!

        So for good news, I should probably add, I finally finished level 1 of Rosetta Stone today! I thought I was done awhile ago, but I really only did unit 1 not level 1. :) I guess I can also say I am ahead of a few AFS students who are not done yet! We need to get a level done before leaving for Italy! Good luck to all of them! I barely understood Italian, soooo I am sure they don't yet either!

        On happier notes I think it is about time I told you about my Host Family!!!!!!! I have 4 people who so graciously wanted to host an American Girl! Their names are: Pietro Gatto (The dad) Anna Maria (The mom) Maria (The daughter) & Attilio (The brother). So I should start off mentioning I have never had a brother, so this is already interesting! When you have practically lived in a house run by women, you may forget that guys have to grow up somewhere too! Attilio also just had a birthday (Happy Birthday again!) and I thought it was cool how he is the same age as my sister Briana!

        So alittle-bit about the family... They seem extremely sporty! For most people that may seem common, but for me and my american family, it is rare! Meaning, I am probably the least sporty person they could have gotten! Unless you count shopping and marching band as a sport? Yea, I didn't think so either.... Well I guess I just might have to become sporty over in Italy! Starting with doing a club with my Host sister Maria! Signor Gatto suggests dancing or swimming, but because I have never been into sports, I want to do them both!

        Now if you look for signs in the stars to guide you in your life, you may understand where I am coming from in the next part. Gatto. Yup, thats a last name, and it is my host families last name. In Italian it also means "Cat." Now my american mother pointed this out, their last name is cat and we have cats. Let me explain more...We always had a stray kitty come to our house for food, and one day we decided to just let the cat inside and help her. We later found out, it was our Neighbor's cat! Around November they came looking for it, and somehow we got 2 gatto's coming inside after this..... Best part is, we have never had cats before. We are a dog family to boot! I always thought, if its too small that I step on it all the time, then I do not want it! But, nonetheless we took them under our wing! Now I personally have a Host family taking me under their wing! (Thank you so much Signor Gatto and your lovely family, I can not wait to finally meet you all in person!) Now I think this is a sign, given to me well in advance that I have a bright future coming! In Italy of course! You may not think so, but look into your life, signs may be guiding you to your destiny!

This was the kitty that came to us! She had her first Christmas inside, because she was always an outdoor cat!
 Her name is Babes!

This is Princess, she later came to us! And yes, she is sitting on my suitcase, I think she wants to come to Italy with me! Do you notice the yellow book? Youcat! Its my Church book, and I got it at the beginning of summer before I knew my Host Family! (signs are around us all!)

These two cats and my book were the signs I saw! Just keep your eyes open and you will notice signs too! 

Till next time readers ~ XOXO Brystal ~