Everything (:

Sorry it's been so long! Whenever I wake up and decide I will blog today something always goes wrong with the internet on my computer. Thankfully right now it's working. The name of the post is pretty lame but there is really no one thing I could write about. I'll start with school and we'll see where it goes from there. I have eleven classes. Depending on the day I will have 5 or 6 classes. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday (thats right Saturday) I have 5 classes and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday I have 6 classes. Each class is 50 minutes long and after the 3rd class we have a 15 minute break. Break is pretty fun. We have pretty nifty vending machine's as well as a coffee vending machine with at least 25 different kinds of coffee to choose from. Here are all my classes:

Spangnolo- The teacher is wonderful (she speaks English so she's very helpful) but she's pregnant and she'll leave in March to have her baby.

Francese- I don't take anymore (: So thankful I don't too.

Italiano e Latino- Different classes but taught by the same teacher. She is very funny. I have no clue what she is saying but she makes me laugh so that's good.

Inglese- My favourite class by far! I enjoy helping out all the other kids english. Though last class I failed them because we were talking about 'Extreme Sports' and they were asking me to name, in english, the parts of a sail boat. I don't know?

Ed. Fisica- Is not so bad. We just run around in a park by school. The best part is that the park is beautiful so it's not so much of a chore to run. Though it has been very hot lately so that's the only downer.

Storia del Arte- The teacher is so sweet and she really wants me to learn so she has assigned girls to explain to me whats going on. The first class was about gothic churches and I was surprised about how much I already knew because of Pillars of Earth. Oh I love you Jack.

Storia e filosophia- Again same teacher, different class. My teacher thinks I understand Italian, when we've told her I don't. So there are many akward moments were she sits there talking to you and then asks you a question and you have no idea what just happened.

Religione- Is not religion. We talk about important issues in life today. Things like sex before marriage, religion in schools, abortion, homosexuality etc. The teacher is very nice and funny but only have the class once a week. Also he got married this weekend and is on his honeymoon so we don't havve class tomorrow.

Scienze- Is just Chemistry and so far I understand everything (:

Matematica- Is my hardest class. I understand none of the math. It's safe to say I should have payed more attention in 9th grade to Algebra 1. My classmates have told me that even I don't understand I can pass the class because the teacher is very sweet. But I really want to understand what we are doing.

Another thing about school that's very different. When the teacher can't come to class you don't have a sub. You just don't have class. For example my religion teacher is on his honeymoon so tomorrow morning I come to school an hour late. It's a good difference (: Here is a picture of my class room with my friends Benedetta, Micol, Sara and Beatrice (left to right)

Saturday's are super fun I mean I've only had two so far but they were great. We have school in the morning and then usually after school people hang out. My first Saturday I went shopping with a friend Francesca but right after school. She was disapointed because I didn't want to hang out later, which is when people really hang out in the centre. But last Saturday my friends Laura and Maria invited me to have dinner with them (McDonalds hahaa) and then walk around. At 11 we decided to go back to Maria's house and Maria and Laura had both ridden their bikes. So I got to ride on the back of Maria's bike home. I've never done that before (: Giancarlo then came and picked me up he had invited me to go to the discoteca with him and his friends but they weren't getting back until early morning and I had an AFS meeting in the morning. The centre of Vicenza is completely full on Saturday nights; it's crazy. Something I learned about Saturday that I think is pretty funny is what you do instead of a bachelor party in Italy. Basically there was this guy wandering around in trashbags and all taped together. It was pretty obvious he was wasted and he was doing pretty idiotic things so I asked about it. Apparently before you get married your friends take you out into town and have you read this poster. It's a poster all about your life and friends and fiancee etc. Also it is a very LONG poster, we are talking 7 or 8 typed pages worth of words to read. So the guy has to read it and every time he stumbles on a word he has to drink. You can see how that would turn into a vicious circle right? Then his friends make him wander the streets of his hometown and do embarassing stupid things. It's pretty funny to watch.This Saturday I was invited to go out for lunch with Micol and Sara and it's also Maria's birthday and she invited me to her party. She really likes Mexican food so her and I and a few other people are going to buy all the food and then go back to her place and cook it for everyone. I'm very excited (: Also I might go to  the disco afterwards with Giancarlo. It could turn out to be a very late night (: The picture is of the main stree in Vicenza, it doesn't look so cool because it was 7am and I was on my way to school. It's blurry because I was walking while I took it.

There are 3 other exchange students in Vicenza. Yada (thailand), Hernan (peru) and Camilla (colombia). Tomorrow is Yada's birthday so after Italian class (which turns out is going to be held at my house) we will head to the centre and hang out a bit.

My family is fantastic. I feel like a fit in very well. I was talking with Romeo about how I hate exercise the other day and he told me I was the daughter he never had. This made me smile alot but Giorgio (who turned 11 on Tuesday) had to write a story about his family and he put me in it (: I think I'm doing good here. Giancarlo and Francesco, well all the boys really, like Call of Duty. Giancarlo told me the new one comes out on the 8th of November and he is very excited for it. But all Italians use playstation, sorry microsoft. I also really enjoy having my family all around me all the time. My host cousin is Giada is hysterical. Poala, her and I often have conversations about breast size, Grandma Pasquelina joined in last time too. I have three cats Mia, Cleo and Mary- they are very sweet and a dog Bach ( I don't know if thats how you spell it). But he's VERY sweet except when you walk by him and he's eating a bone. He does not like that. I will post more pictures on facebook but I think this is good for now. Also please excuse my spelling and gramatical errors. I swear despite having english class most days, my english has gotten much worse. xxx

First Couple Days.

They really aren't kidding when they say you understand nothing. The only striaght up English I've heard in the past 5 days is american music. I don't mind this at all because it will make me learn Italian fast but at some points it's very frustrating because you feel you are frustrating other people. My family is fantastic. Everyone is very nice and has tons of patience. The food is fantastic and I like that for all meals we sit down all together and eat. We did this with dinner at home in America but Lunch isn't considered a big meal. Whereas here when I get home from school the table is set and we all sit down and eat.  The 2 youngest boys Giorgio and Lorenzo (who the family calls Lore) are very sweet. One of the first days here I laid out all the coins in my wallet and we would take turns designing things with them and then guess what the others had designed in Italian. We played for a bit and I am proud do say that I know the word boat (barca) very well. The 2 older boys Giancarlo and Francesco know some english so we try and talk, mostly about music and teenage stuff. Giancarlo told me he thought it was very strange people in America say "This is the shit" to say something is cool. It's true it's very weird. Francesco likes pancakes alot, so I think I will make them Sunday morning.  Also I watched a movie the other night with Francesco, Giancarlo and Romeo. It was an American film, but in Italian, and Romeo commented multiple times about how much Americans like fire and explosions. He then said that if I was ever to use the Barbeque they would watch me very carefuly. I take the bus to school with Francesco in the morning and depending on the day I take it home, take it with Lucia ( a family friend), or Romeo or Giancarlo pick us up. Most of Romeo's family lives right next to us so I have met many cousins and aunts and uncles, and the grandparents- all very nice. Also they have many friends nearby who come for lunch and to hang out for a bit. I also enjoy helping people with English, I know that is not my purpose here but I like it. Yesterday I helped Vittoria, Poala's niece, with her English homework and she helped me study Italian. It was a good trade off. The house is beautiful. There are many large windows that open all the way and they have bars in front of them. They keep them open during the day and then you can close them window at night. It feels like your living inside and outside at the same time. It's awesome. They have 1 dog Baca (I'm not sure if that's how you spell it) and 3 cats. The cats are my new bestfriends (:

School is alright. I understand close to nothing. Except English class and Spanish class. I thought I was going to be in the classico school but instead I am in the Linguistico class. Which means I take french, the french teacher does not like that I am in his class and told the principle he didn't want to teach me so they said it was possible I would have to leave the class I was in 3E and go to a different one. Yesterday they said I would stay in 3E but I'm not sure if that still is the case because today in class he tried to talk to me and I had no clue what he was saying. He told me that the school has a certificate saying I am intermediate french so he didn't understand why I couldn't speak. I'm not quite sure where that certificate came from? But anyway I can't imagine had frustrating it would be for a teacher to have a student that has no clue what was going on and can't communicate with them in a language they know. So I understand a bit why he is upset. My Spanish teacher is very nice, as is the English teacher so I'm glad to know I can talk with them if I need anything. The kids at school are very nice. They ask many questions, like what does 'cheesy' mean and things like that. I sit next to Laura and Francesca who are both very helpful with the school work. Also I think it's interesting to learn about Italian teenage slang. Figo translates literally to cool in English but I think it means more sexy or hot than cool in English. Thus when you see a hot guy you say Che Figo! Francesca really likes to explain things about  dating and boys to me, I guess there is not a direct translation for the Italian word for dating to English. The closest translation is engaged. So I have had many people think Roberto is my boyfriend because they see we are 'engaged' on facebook. I have trouble explaining that it is a completely platonic thing and that we aren't really dating. Please excuse the spelling and grammer errors, I'm not particualy good at either of those things and I've noticed I've become worse since I arrived here. It's not joke when they say you are tired. I am tired all the time and would love to take a nap at any point in the day, but don't. I do sleep very well at night. So far Italy has been wonderful and I'm very excited for the next 10 months (:

Less than twenty-four hours!

I now understand why many of the foreign exchange blogs I've been reading have only around 20 posts. I haven't even left yet and it's difficult to find the time to sit down and write! Please know that I will try my hardest to right as much as possible. I leave tomorrow at 7 am and I'm pretty nervous. Actually more sad than nervous; I don't want to leave my family. Honestly that's all I'm sad about leaving, my family and dog. I've never been away from them for so long and it makes me extremely nervous to know they won't be there in person with me. I'm not worried about 'losing' a year with them. It's definitely not a lost year. I think my family and I are so close to a point that nothing could break the bond. That sounds pretty cheesy but it's true. I love them all the way around the universe and back and I know, that if not in person, they will always be there for me.

I have so many reasons to thank my family. Last fall and winter was a tough time and I'm amazed they stuck through it and even helped me through it. Had I been them I don't think I would have had the patience. Not only I am thankful for my parents and siblings but also for my Grandparent's and Uncle Dale and Aunt Lisa. Everyone has been so supportive and shown me so much love. I am sad to leave you all.

On the other hand I'm excited to start this adventure. In fact I'm not sure words could even describe how excited and happy I am. It's a very bittersweet thing. Right now the adventure is packing bags below the wait limit and figuring out how to unlock my blackberry so I can take it with me. Next time I post I'll be in Italy (: So until then, Ciao!

.....and Dad, Mom, Hannah and Emmett I love you so much. (Tula too)