Arrivederci

So at this time tomorrow, I'll be preparing myself to leave on a jet plane. It all just seems so sudden ... feels like I've just started Summer break, and it's already the day before I have to leave. I'm excited, yes, but kinda scared too. Just because I can't be sure what everything will be like over there; people speak a different language, use different currency, have different customs, and have a different standard of living, which means I don't even know what my residence room is going to look like at all. I mean, in Canada, if you go from one city to another and stay at different university residences, you generally know what to expect about what the res will look like and how comfortable/clean you can expect to find it there. But when you're travelling across the Atlantic to somewhere like Italy, who knows? The rooms there have no air-conditioning. And no window screens. Perfect combo. I hear, however, that Siena is relatively cooler at night, so maybe it won't be so bad.

Ah, and I get a roommate, too. Never really had one before except at camp and things like that. Then there's also that pesky Economics course to worry about; I rather hope that some of the other students haven't done any of their readings yet, because, selfishly, that would make my chances of doing well in the course, relative to them, just a bit better. But no, I don't really wish that, because it would suck to go all the way over there and not be prepared and thence find the course very challenging. Maybe we'll all have study sessions or something. Then again, I'm not used to those, either, because generally I usually study on my own.

I've never been this far away for this long without family or friends before. I don't know how you do it, Andrea; I'm only going for 5 weeks and I'm already all jittery.

And oh geez, I have GOT to stop using so many semi-colons; I'm telling you, that book Eats, Shoots & Leaves is a bad influence (yeah, that's all your fault, Suz. ;)). But very interesting. Much more so than some of those readings I had to do, and BY THE WAY, do ALL business people go to the same school of bad grammar and comma faults?

Okay, well, I still have one or two e-mails I should write, amongst a few other odds and ends to tie up before I go, so I'm going to sign off for now. I may or may not have Internet access while I'm in Italy, and even if I do will likely not have the time to write long, detailed blog entries, if any at all. So in case you all don't hear from me on here -- be safe, be good, stay healthy, be well, keep fit and have fun! ;)

I'll talk to you all in September, and will miss all of you far more than I'd like to. :P :)

Big hugs all around.

(p.s. You see the title of this post? Yeah, that's pretty much all the Italian I know, other than "grazie" and "fettucine alfredo". Ohhh, man. Wish me luck; I'm gonna need it! :))

(oh, p.p.s. I added a bunch of wordsearches for your amusement if you have some extra time that needs to be filled. :) Besides, wordsearches and crosswords are brain exercises that supposedly help you improve your memory...so....you're welcome. Lol. ;))

(p.p.p.s. Q: have you ever seen 'before sunrise', or just anticipating the sequel anyway?
A: Yes, I have. Am I really that strange? ;) )