Back Track to Aug 17th

Okay so this was the day I left the states. Let's say I had more than a little bit of a problem trying to get all my (and I say all with as much sarcasm as possible because I feel like I brought next to nothing with me) clothing and bathroom items in my pack. I finally won that game with the help from my new found friends rolling and zip lock baggies. My pack wasn't even ready until the moment we walked out the door. Partly because I didn't have the effort or concentration to deal with the stress and partly because I was nervous and it was a way for me to put off leaving just a little bit longer. Yes, I was NERVOUS not excited like I should've been. I guess the good thing about my nerves running is that the way for me to calm down and concentrate is to well, run. So I did a lot of running and working out that last week before I left (another nervous habit is to eat everything in sight, so thank goodness the two cancel each other out!). Even the morning before I left I went for a run. The running helps because that's when I do my best thinking, my best sorting out of all the little things going through my head. So on my run the morning that I left the States I came up with a great analogy for what my life is. I like for my life to be like a new running trail because I love the excitement of never knowing what's around the corner. I can't run the same trail for too long or I get ridiculously bored and start to mentally psych myself out to where I can physically feel the effects of the activity (aka I realize I'm running and I concentrate on how tired I am and the run becomes harder to do). My new trails are bound to have hills and rocks in the roadway that I might stumble on and get a few scrapes. I feel like I've had my fair share of hills in my life so far, probably more than most people my age. I feel as if after graduating from college that I fell into a pit in my road. When I got my Fattori, it pulled me out of the pit and I started to tackle my next hill. Being a seasoned runner I know that it's best to tackle a hill by picking a spot at the top to focus on and chant a mantra like "Come on Rach, push, you can do it, go go go!" I kmnow that if you look down thus taking your eye of the prize, you will struggle with every breath and every step. The moral of this long, drawn out story? Keep your eyes up, focus on success, because getting to the summit is an amazing accomplishment. So analogy over, Thanks for listening. :)

Kyle and I arrived to the airport in plenty of time. We got to hang out a bit before I had to get on the plane. It wasn't too intimidating because my first plane was connecting in North Carolina so it wasn't the airbus yet. In the waiting area in NC I was able to sit and listen as Italians who were also waiting to get on the plane. I feel in love with the language instantly. It's so beautifully spoken. I also walked around the entire airport doing a bit of people watching. I loved comparing the people who live in different regions, just how they act and look. It was really neat to see all these types of people in one place. Not to mention the International terminal of this airport and how much fun THAT was! I'm a dork for loving airports, but I really can't help it. Anywho, I was really lucky to have all my connections (planes, trains, and automobiles and yes there were all three and yes in that order) on time and I caught them all!

On my flight to Rome: Once I was in my seat and buckled in, I made the switch from nervous to excited. I have dreamed about Italy like most girls dream about their wedding day; since I was a little girl and in many details. My plane ride was just over 8 hours. I was able to sleep for about four hours on the plane and with that four hours August 17th turned to August 18th.