As you may or may not know, now you do, I am studying abroad this 2012-2013 school year. I am in Viterbo Italy, which is a small medieval city north of Rome. I am a part of a program consisting of 68 American students from all over the United States. We all departed from Boston Logan-International airport the 30th of August. Most of the first day in Italy is a blur because I was so exhausted, up until the evening when the host family ceremony took place. My host family consists of two parents and an eighteen-year-old sister. Where I live is not in downtown Viterbo but in an outside neighborhood called Bagnaia. I have a 25-minute commute to school on the bus into downtown. Viterbo is divided into two parts, “New Viterbo” and the historical Viterbo. What is the “historical Viterbo” is completely walled in. The historical downtown is absolutely beautiful, while walking through the streets I feel like I’m walking into a picture from a history book. My first full day in Viterbo I was pooped on by a pigeon, which is said to be good luck, and found a worm in my plum at lunch. A little bit of a turn off for my first day, but regardless I can’t express how excited I am for the next nine months here! I’ll be following up with another post about the Santa Rosa festival, as a sneak peek I will just say that it involves a 5-ton, 7 story tower being carried on the backs of 100 men…

Arrivederci!