First day in...

We are finally settled into our "home" for the next two months in the beautiful city of Castel Gandolfo. It was a long, sleepless trip, that began with my family sending us off at Walsh, and ended at the beautiful Rome campus. This morning, Sarah and I left at 7:30AM Canton time, and arrived here at 10:00AM Rome time,(4:00AM Canton time).
This morning started out a little shaky. Before leaving, I had my adored pillow in hand, and was about ready to leave when my "world traveler" brother TJ told me I couldn't bring my pillow with me. "You're not going on a road trip Alyson, leave your pillow here!". Being away from home for two months and having never slept a single night without my pillow, I was reluctant to leave it. Before I could say anything my sister Mary Frances said "I bet I know what you have in your pillow." I slowly pulled out my favorite bear and blanket I have had since I can remember, "Can I bring these?" I said, as I tried so hard to swallow the lump in my throat I get right before I crying. All in unison, my siblings started laughing and cracking jokes about my precious comfort items. My eyes filled up with tears, as I had feared and I said with spite, "Stop I am going to start to cry!!!". It was a pitiful moment, I must admit, being twenty years old and still needing a dingy blanket, and old bear wearing a Christmas sweater to help me sleep at night...but I eventually got over that fact and insisted on stuffing them in my suitcase.
The remainder of the trip was pretty much smooth sailing, our first flight to Atlanta was short and sweet, and the five hour layover went fairly quickly. The plane ride to Rome was long, but trouble free. This, however, was a little different for my sister Sarah who woke up from a deep sleep grabbing my arm and yelling my name after she felt a little turbulence. She spent the rest of the plane ride with her eyes covered praying the rosary, while I spent it fidgeting around and mastering the game of “bejeweled” on the back of the plane seat. Eventually, however, our patience...and prayers...paid off and we finally reached our desired destination of Castel Gandolfo.
Once on the campus, we ate lunch, and headed up to the town of Castel Gandolfo. The little ten minuet hike up to the town was the most beautiful walk I have taken in my short life. Prior to coming to Rome I had always envisioned what it would look like. The only thing I had to go off on was past movies I had seen which were set in Italy. After this walk, I can easily say that it is exactly like the movies...but better. Old ladies shaking their sheets out of their window, cobblestone sidewalks, motorcycles dangerously weaving in and out of tiny cars, and the absolutely breathtaking views. I took pictures, which of course can't do any of it justice, but it at least gives a little taste of the wonders I am experiencing over here. I would spend twenty hours crammed onto a plane if it meant I could spend two months here...it is just that amazing.