FAQ: Study Abroad 2010.

[view from our living room window]

[love these people more than I thought possible in a few short months]

[roommates with our marvelous landlord (mario) and his wife (loretta)]

As my last few weeks here have been dwindling down, I've started receiving questions about my adventure in Italy! I enjoy the questions because they make me think & analyze my time here -- but some are just stinking hard to answer because over the course of 4 months a lot has happened ! So I'm going to try my best to create a blog out of some of the questions :)

What was my favorite country to visit & why?
Quite the difficult question to answer. They were all very unique & lovely in their own way. I would probably have to say that Switzerland was my favorite though! Most likey because we were able to see the mountains, snow && water. There's something captivating about being surrounded by gorgeous scenery every second. But don't get me wrong, I definitely loved them all and pray I'm able to return one day!

What's the biggest thing I'll take away from this experience?

Trillions of things- but here's my top few :)

• That I am a stronger person than I thought. I've learned I can do it - anything & everything. This experience has taught me that any obstacle put in my way can be overcome. I just have to believe in myself and trust in Jesus' promises. It always works out and this semester has been a huge testament of that!
• To actively go out of my way to make people feel loved, cherished, & welcomed - especially if it's somewhere I call home & they are unfamiliar with it. I can't even express how much it means to me that the Italians on our street smiled at us, laughed with us, and made us feel so welcomed in their home town! I wouldn't have felt at home in Arezzo if it weren’t for them.
• Plus, it's made me extra thankful for my absolutely wonderful, lovely, caring, and hilarious friends from home.

Would I recommend studying in Italy compared to other countries?

Absolutely! It's surrounded by incredible countries, which makes traveling convenient. Plus you could spend every weekend just traveling within the country - there's tons to do here! Just hop on a train && you're in one of the greatest cities in the world :)

Has this experience made me want to live abroad / could I ever see myself living abroad?

If I would have been asked this question the first few weeks of being here, I might have said no. After being here for an extended amount of time I've grown to love it & I've loved proving to myself I could enjoy living here - so YES, probably not permanently though!

What has been my favorite memory?

Well, of course I've loved it all! But here's my top 2::

• SPRING BREAK: Katie & Melissa came to visit & it was quite possibly the greatest gift we could have ever asked for !! The timing couldn't have been more perfect, 1/2 way through the semester we were able to embrace our best friends & dominate Europe together!
• Daily life in Arezzo: Buying coffee & croissants from Fabbio at Lincoln bar is truly the highlight of my day - I love starting my day with smiles, waves, and "buongiorno" from him. Even though we don't have great communication, I truly feel like he would do anything for us. I also treasure: visits from our absolutely adorable landlord, purchasing diet coke from a precious woman eager to learn English, cooking at our apartment with Pat & Bryce, dinners at MexCal with Staley & Liz, plus strolling on the Corso while eating our favorite gelato isn't too bad either! :)

The simplicity of living a fairytale life in Italy has been overwhelming & much needed. I've definitely haven't missed the craziness / stress of life in the States.

What's the biggest thing I've missed from home?
yikes! So very many things, but that's mostly just because it's home && it's what I'm used to. But truly my family & friends are what I think about most frequently from Stati Uniti!! [thank you to everyone who has made an effort to keep in contact with me via Internet- never knew I could feel so loved living 6,000 miles away]

What's been the hardest thing about living in a different country & culture?

The language barrier - but that ain't too bad anymore :)

What would I have changed about this experience if I could?

Nothing!! At first I immediately thought "better weather" -- if y'all haven't noticed we are still dressed in jeans & rain jackets most of the time -- but then I decided being in the rain 24/7 has been good for me. Before coming here, I absolutely dreaded the rain and sometimes I'd let it ruin my day. But recently I've learned to not let my present circumstances dictate my mood. It's a decision to have a magnificent day even though it's pouring. I needed to learn that. Plus the rain doesn't seem to phase me anymore [well, for the most part :)]

As we sit on our awkwardly slanted apartment couches, stand in awe of the unbelievable view out our living room window, and walk down those 3 flights of stairs for the last time today - my heart is full. I'm feeling overwhelming blessed and adored by my Savior. Never in my life could I have dreamed up an experience this perfect - but He did. He knew exactly what would make my heart beat faster for Him and He knew exactly how he needed to break me / stretch me to be a better woman of God. I'm insurmountably grateful.

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with His love, he will rejoice over you with singing." - Zephaniah 3:17

Best Friends Abroad.

[Germany]

This entire blog is going to be dedicated to the two people who made my experience in Europe some of the greatest memories of my life. I am truly grateful, for the bottom of my heart, for these two beautiful girls && their love for the Lord that constantly uplifts me!!

Toni is a human GPS. This is not a joke, everyone who has ever travelled with her can testify to that. From day one, when we were roaming aimlessly around Arezzo, toni's directions have been flawless!!! She can remember turns, twists, bridges, and landmarks like nobody's business. Natalie and I would probably still be stuck in Venice if it wasn't for her !!

[Sardinia]

Natalie is the ultimate packer! This may seem dumb, but our entire semester has consisted of living out of a bag. Our first Ryanair flight was to Paris during Spring Break. For those who don't know, Ryanair has incredibly strict rules. You are allowed 1 carry on (purse must fit inside), must weigh less than 10 kg & fit certain dimensions. During spring break we travelled to 3 different countries in 11 days && let me tell you, that was a tricky trip to pack for. The morning of our departure, I literally didn't think there was a way all of my junk could squeeze inside my bag to be a specific size & weight. Don't worry though, Natalie to the rescue!! She rearranged my entire bag and magically made it all fit! Ever since she had to pack for me, I aspire to be like her on my own! She taught me well :)

[Amalfi Coast]

The Lord has blessed Toni with an extremely selfless heart! I've always loved that about her, but these 4 months her selflessness has continually impressed me. Before the 3 of us leave for trips, we typically like to shower the morning of (who knows what will be in store). With that being said, that means one of is will be getting up at the crack of dawn! Toni always offers to be first. Countless times has she sacrificed extra hours of sleep to allow Natalie and I to keep snoozing. That is a very simple example of her beautiful heart, but I could easily list trillions!

[Dublin, Ireland]

Natalie is one of the most welcoming, loving, accepting, and personable girls I've ever know. She absolutely loves people and most are automatically drawn to her. She genuinely cares about everyone and treasures quality time. Some of my favorite memories of us sharing the same room for the 4th semester in a row would be our pillow talk. Some nights we're both exhausted so we don't do much talking -- but typically we discuss life's events, recap funny stories from the day, and talk about Jesus. I absolutely love our pillow talk && am immensely blessed by her pure heart.

[Rome]

Toni & Natalie are both very organized, timely, and efficient. I absolutely LOVE this quality about them. All 3 of us are wired very similarly so it has made our traveling quite simple. We plan in advance and love itinteraries! If one of us forgets something, the other will most definitely remember. Although we are insanely organized -- we have a new found love for spontaneity & just going with the flow. Before this trip, we would have probably panicked if plan A didn't work out -- but now plan B & C are just as great !

Rat & Jone constantly are looking out for my best interest & that means the world to me. Traveling around Europe consists of multiple train, plane, bus, taxi, & metro rides! Needless to say, that is not ideal for my motion sick self! I mostly just get an awful head ache & sometimes nausea. That means sometimes I just need to close my eyes, listen to music, & not be talked to! Even after knowing I don't do well with traveling - I always forget to take my medicine. Rat & Tone are my personal reminders && sacrifice anything for me to feel ok. I always get the window seat and get to face the direction we are heading. They truly want me to feel okay and I'm not sure what I'd do without their protective / caring hearts.

Some of my favorite things about these two:

Natalie doesn't like tomatos, loves meat / pesto / quattro formaggi, gets hot easily, is incredibly adventurous, very studious, loves to be tan & blonde, thoughtful, diligent, determined, makes me laugh, loves card games.. or just any game, wise beyond her years, extremely beautiful inside & out.

Toni loves to wear the color black, likes to carry lots of change (euro cent), obsessively buys new music :), always encourages me to purchase new clothes / shoes, always helpful & thoughtful, loves to laugh, always sweeps the apartment, enjoys drinking coffee, let's me Skype in her room (better wifi), likes to do DCC workout videos, and makes my heart happy!

Dear Best Friends,

There are truly a million things I could say about you both that make my heart incredibly happy! I truly can't thank you enough for being my best friends. I honestly can say my life would be shambles without both of you in it. You bring excitement, joy, laughter, encouragent, accountability & love to my life!! Thank you for the countless meaningful conversations that have helepd shape who I am today. Thank you for knowing me & caring to know more about me. We've shared some precious memories together that have stretched me & made me a better person. You both have truly been nothing but a sweet testament of the Lord's love for me. I can only aspire to be 1/2 as incredible of friends to y'all as you've been to me. I am eager to see what the Lord has in store for our friendship. There are no two other girls I'd rather have these memories with!!! I will cherish them forever. Thanks for making my semester abroad the best one yet :)

Can't wait for the memories to continue -- We're seniors!!!! Yayyy :)

[Switzerland]

One More.

As I begin writing this, my eyes immediately start to tear up. I wish I could adequately put into words the incredible experiences I've had this semester and the overwhelming grip I've felt Jesus have on my heart every step of the way.

The past 4 months: moving, changing, growing, trying, seeking, learning, trusting, laughing, crying, loving, smiling, waiting, relaxing, hoping, dreaming, praying, encouraging, rejoicing, and doing my best to soak it all in.

This experience has exceeded every expectation I had and fulfilled all my hopes and dreams of living in Europe. [plus I had my best friends with me! What more could a girl want?]

ONE MORE.

A phrase that's quite appropriate for how I'm feeling right now...

One more final to take.

One more paper to write.

One more trip to Kirk & Charlotte's (for our send off barbecue).

One more meeting with Mario (our absolutely precious landlord).

One more Tuscan sunset of vibrant colors.

One more trip to Pam (our ever so faithful grochery store).

One more load of laundry that will have to hang dry.

One more time of withdrawaling money in euros.

One more caffè latte.

One more marmelata croissant from Lincoln bar.

One more traditional roommate dinner of tortellini & pesto.

One more week of rotating the same clothes I've been wearing all semester.

One more weekend vacation (Cinque Terre).

One more train ride to Roma.

One more plane ride left -- this time, to the United States of America.

Wow!! I am truly at a loss for words when it comes to the thought of returning back to my daily, normal life at home... Arezzo, Italy has captivated my heart & become my new home. I honestly didn't expect this place to feel like home, but it does. I'm nervous about going back to Texas and seeing how things have changed. In the end, I know basically it will be the same and I'll pick right back up where I left off- but I've got this erie feeling that it's just going to be a bit different this time... Mostly because I know I'm different.

Living as a completely independent (yet extremely co-dependent on Natalie, Toni, and Sarah) woman in a foreign country with a language barrier has forced me to grow up.. Which ultimately left me running to the foot of the cross. I've learned to look for goodness and His perfect plan in every situation. I've learned to take the good with the bad & laugh about it. I've learned life doesn't always have to be as my expectations have made it -- most of the time God proves His faithfulness & surpasses those expectations anyway. I've experienced the joys of sitting, waiting, wishing with an abundance of hope. I've been taught that the so called 'American dream' isn't necessarily right or wrong. I've embraced the slower pace of life. I've treasured eating and drinking deeply with some of my favorite people over 2-3 hour long dinners. I've been lucky enough to visit some of the most famous places in the world. I've witnessed the Lord's majesty in creating lovely, helpful, joyful European men & women. I've been welcomed & loved by a different country, culture, and people. I've grown to appreciate Tuscan wine. I've breathed in the european air full of history and art. I've fixed my eyes on many of the most incredible masterpieces ever created by well known artists. I've stood in awe of the biblical history throughout Europe. I've grown to absolutely love this place, the place I've called home for the last 4 months.

I will leave Europe with nothing but an extremely thankful heart.

Before moving here, I was a little more dependent on other people, a little more paranoid of strangers, a little less accommodating to foreigners in the states, quite a bit less cultured & open minded, a little more of a clean freak, a little more impatient, a bit more hi- strung & schedule oriented, a little more materialistic, and a little less reliant on my King Jesus.

Thank you Jesus for holding me in the palm of your hand throughout my time here. Your love for me, although undeserving, never ceases to amaze me. Spring 2010 is one for the books. Could not have asked for things to have played out more perfectly.

livin' a blessed life,

Callyn.