Finding Rome

Ciao all! I hope everyone is doing well, I had the chance to skype with nana, and grandpa, my brother TJ, brother-in-law Mike, my mom, and Jessica, Frances, and Melissa.
This morning we had Italian class for the first time. Seeing as I am a Spanish minor, I thought it would be easy to pick up another language. However, this is very far from the truth. I actually think it may be more difficult, I find myself speaking in Spanish, instead of Italian when people talk to me. Though the words sound similar, it is hard to speak because of different pronunciations. It is a challenge. However, I believe if we never step outside of comfort zones, and never challenge ourselves, it limits our minds simply to what we are used to. We end up delaying emotional, spiritual, and physical growth. It is for this reason I gladly welcome the challenge of language barriers.

We also visited the Spanish steps today, and shopped along fashion street in stores such as Gucci, Dior, Prada, Dolce and Gabana, Armani, Loui Vitton, and tons more. (Frances, I was thinking of you the entire time. You should be super jealous:) ) I felt so completely and incredibly out of place in every store I went into. The store workers would open doors for us (because that’s what they do in those kinds of stores) and kind of roll their eyes, and speak in Italian slang about the “Americans” disrupting their stores. But again, I accepted this as yet another learning/growing experience. It is good to feel uncomfortable sometimes....what good is there in always having the feelings of acceptance or belonging? I discover different life perspectives, gain a more open mind, and become stronger as a person because of it. Every single event has an outcome, yet the decision remains with me on whether or not to take that outcome, and learn from it.