Let me start off by saying the first three weeks have flown by; however, in the past couple of weeks I have learned a remarkable amount about myself and the world around me. To be completely honest, at first I was scared and uncomfortable. I had never been anywhere without my family let alone a whole new country where I would be living for an entire month. Coming from Southern California (a bit sheltered I must admit) I had never been on a bus or metro, never encountered people in such large quantities, and I certainly had never been anywhere that English wasn't the primary language. This all took some getting use to, but man do I feel like a pro now!
In these three short weeks I have seen beautiful monuments, elaborate churches, and breathtaking scenery all within my new home away from home. BUT THERE'S MORE. On our free weekends I've had the opportunity to see Florence and all of its beauty, Orvieto , Sorrento, Pompei, and my favorite the island of Capri. Each place I've been to is so unquinely interesting and full of culture. In Florence and Capri you have chic fashion and streets lined with designer shops, but each offer vastly different lifestyles. Orvieto was a cute little town filled with gorgeous views. Sorrento was a great  coastal town with the nicest people and yummy pizza. And Pompei was just unreal. It's a city that was preserved beneath volcanic rock.. That's insane!
I've seen all these incredible places and my trip isn't over yet! This weekend it's Cinque Terra and then after the program it's off to Greece with my two best friends for a week!
Negative parts of the trip: vegan food is not in abundance here and I miss my family (that's all)

Until next blog!
Xoxo,
Hannah