So it goes like this, I haven't posted in months and quite frankly I have lost track of all that has happened in that time. I will start in March, when the family came to town!
MARCH 2013-
Who: The Family, Molly and Aunt Karen
What: Family visit
Where: Monticelli D'Ogina (repping the home town), Cremona, Milan, Venice, and Rome
When:March 15th and stayed for a week
Why: I think it is obvious... they missed me ;)
How: A plane and an awesome aunt
Here is the short version. My family arrived at Malpensa at 7 in the morning, bright and early. I had been anticipating their arrival since I stepped off the plane myself back in September. I was so excited to show them what this country was all about. That day we spent in Milan, despite the rain, jetlag, and the fact that it was a Sunday and NOTHING was open. Va beh, la vita e' cosi. Anywho, we did that then went back to my host family's house in Monticelli. We ate and had fun just talking, well maybe they had fun. I was the translator and let me tell you, it is exhausting. The next day we spent in Cremona, meeting my friends, climbing the bell tower (in the snow might I add), drinking a hot chocolate at my fave cafe, lunch with my first host family, and dinner at a pizzeria with both of them together! So that was fun. The day after that we hit up the train station and headed to Venice. We spent two days in the sun and in a pretty swanky hotel, courtesy of The Aunt Karen ;) We saw all there was to see and even roamed random streets. Ate at a resturaunt where I had a fight with the waiter in Italian over the price... he won, but I spoke Italian... so in retrospect, I actually won. Anyways, moving on. After two days in Venice we hopped on the train and headed to Rome. We did as the Romans do and ate A LOT of pizza and gelato, threw coins in the Trevy, saw the Colesseo, and of course did some shopping! Basically we did Rome in 3 days, but didn't miss a single thing. Talk about exhausting. So after those 3 days we headed back to Monticelli where we ate a DELICIOUS dinner and went to sleep. We woke up at 4 the next morning and they headed to the airport to catch their flight. I was sad to see them go but I knew I only had 3 months left. I had an amazing time and I hope to come back with the family again!
Now I will post a few photos!
So maybe I cried a little.
The family
The snow sucked. And no, we do not look like twins at all!
At the top of the bell tower!
Venice!
When in Rome.
Rumor has it that this means I will return!
The host momma with the family. We raise the bar ;)
APRIL 2013-
April was a pretty chill month for me.. hahahah NOT! I literally was all over the place for about 2 weeks. My host parents went to visit their daugther in The US for 10 days so I was stuck here all alone. Luckily my class was going to France 3 days later, so it wasn't much of an issue. The weekend before we left for France, I stayed with my host uncle and aunt at their house. They took me to Turin, which I fell in love with. There are so many museums and the view is just stunning. Then, I went to France!
France- I went to France for three days with my class. We went for something called the Viaggio Della Memoria. It is to remember all of those who lost their lives during World War II in the concentration camps. It really opened my eyes to the world and truly changed my perspective on many things. The first day we took a bus from Cremona to Stratsbourg. It is funny because you have to drive through Switzerland to get to France and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, however the Italians didn't seem to notice that we were driving through what looked like heaven. That day after SEVEN HOURS on the bus, we went to a concentration camp. The only one in France and it is located in Strasbourg. Natzweiler-Struthof is it's name and now I will post a short piece from Wikipedia telling you the background.
Natzweiler-Struthof was the only concentration camp established by the Nazis on present-day French territory, though there were French-run temporary camps such as the one at Drancy. At the time, the Alsace-Lorraine area in which it was established was administered by Germany as an integral part of the German Reich." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natzweiler-Struthof
So we went there and saw how the camp used to run and things of that matter. It was something I will never forget in that it truly changed my life. Seeing how poorly these people were treated has showed me that racism is so extreme and so unnecessary. Okay, enough of the depressing stuff. That night we went to the hotel and of course my class insisted on going out to get beers, that of which I did not partake in, and of course who took them out? The teachers. The things that are normal here are things that could get us arrested in the US and I love seeing the differences! The next day we went to a museum and memorial for all the victims of the concentration camp and it was truly eye-opening. That night was the night of the Boston Marathon bombings and it just put these things even more in perspective. I can truly say my life was changed from that trip. That night we went into the center of Strasbourg as well. The cathedral there is unlike anything I have ever seen and I instantly fell in love. The next day was our last day and I was one of the very few people who was allowed to go into The European Parliament. We had the chance to speak to 3 representatives of the Parliament and it was truly amazing to see. That night we went home and I could not have been more tired at that point!
Now for some pictures!
This is what our bus ride through Switzerland looked like.
The BEST class I could have ever asked for. I love them and I am not sure how I will be able to say goodbye in July.
The memorial at the camp for all the victims.
A guard tower.
One of the rooms in the "prison"
In the crematorium.
The entrance to the camp.
:)
My 3 favorite Italian girls <3
The cathedral in Strasbourg. This was as night so you can't see how extremely breathtaking it actually was.
The European Parliament.
The cathedral during the day.
MAY:
Oh my gosh... it is already May. Actually May is almost over. Therefore I have less than a month and a half left in this amazing, lifechanging experience. So far this month has been a little hectic. I have been studying like crazy for the ACT and at this point I am content with the fact that it is going to be bad. No matter how hard I try to study, I just remember, I only have a month and a half left and no one wants to spend their time sitting at home, studying. Mom, this is a heads up that I may not get a very good score. I guess we will find out!
In this month I feel like I have had such a great experience. Knowing we are leaving soon, we have been living like we were dying. In a sense, a part of us is. This exchange has become such an insanely important experience in my life. It has made me who I am today and taught me more than I could have ever learned had I never had come. I am so very grateful, each and every day for these opportunities and it is still hard for me to grasp the realization that it is ending. We are on the steep downhill and I am scared out of my mind for what is at the end. I know that from here it can only get better but I also know that it won't be easy. I will have to readjust to my ife back home, catch up with my friends who I haven't seen in a year, and make a whole new life for myself because of how much I have changed. However, I am ready. I am ready to take on the world and I will not be going down without a very strong fight.
Back to this month. I have been to Tuscany twice in the past month and took the typical Leaning Tower of Pisa photo. I have become even closer to my host family, which includes bickering like they were my real parents. I have been to the sea, eaten too much pizza for my own good, and downed half a gelato shop. This month has been the month that I have given up the hope of a "bikini body" and said, "whatever". I have a month left and I am not letting anything stop me from making it the best month of my life. I have spent every waking moment with friends and family here, almost like when I left for exchange. I have improved my Italian, hung out with random people, and laughed more than I ever have in my entire life. I am counting my blessings and making as many memories while I still can. I have vowed to spend more time out with friends and watching movies with my host family than sitting on Facebook and Skyping home. Italy is my life for the next month and as much as I love you all back home, you may not be hearing much from me until I step off that plane in KCI Airport in July.
I will post a few pictures from this month before I go, but this may be one of my last blog posts until my exchange has come to a close. One of the many lasts that I hate, but then again, Everything good must come to an end.
Now for a few pictures!
Host parents anniversary in Tuscany!
The sunset was beautiful.
And of course I had to eat gelato.
Look who I saw! Karrin from Kansas ;)
Priceless.
I love this woman so much. She is my second mother and someone I look "up" to very much, despite the height difference.
MY SISTER! :) My host parents first host daughter and someone who has become a sister to me. Love you Lenny!
I saw a swan and I wanted to take a picture. Sorry guys :) This was the day I went to Lago D'Iseo with my host family and Lenny!
The best host dad a girl could ever ask for <3
Awkward picture of me... but this is my body guard. He is a good friend of my host parents and a club bouncer and well I love him.
Like mother like daughters ;)
I looked tan and a little crazy in this picture. However I kinda like it a lot.
Sister love on the beach in Tuscany.
I got the ultimate photo! Pisa swag.
Never again will I be able to eat Italian food in Amuurica. Nothing compares.
Oh hey Rotary!
The fam, minus Cecilia. Once June rolls around, these two adults better brace themselves. :)
So there you go, that is that. One of my very last blog posts while I am still here in this beautiful country. I don't know how I am going to be able to say goodbye to all these amazing people and I will definitely be leaving pieces of my heart all over the world. I am scared and sad to go, but I also cannot wait to get home to my normal life. This year has been a dream and I still am unsure if I am even awake. I have had to pinch myself thousands of times in the past year and I know it will be something that may never seem real to me. How can one sum up an experience like this. How can I explain to someone how much it meant if I cannot even explain it to myself. Maybe one day I will find a way to tell you all what this year really was for me, but then again maybe I won't ever know myself. All I know is I have grown into someone I can be proud of, I have broken down barriers, changed my viewpoints, grown up, and most importantly had the time of my life. I will post again before I leave to try and sum this whole year up but I promise you, it will never be easy. Here's to the next month and the rest of my life. To all the ups and downs. To every smile and to every laugh. To every piece of my heart that has been spread across the world. To my friends in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and Austrailia. Here's to this year.
Love and best wishes from the girl who's life has been forever changed,
Kari Porter.
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