Everyone's First Questions....

So what is AFS? The simple answer would be to say the love of my life, but it is really a non-profit study abroad organization. AFS matches students with the perfect family in their host country. It has a giant network of volunteers and advisers that are the friendliest, most helpful people I have encountered in an application process. Their job is to help me adjust while I'm abroad, while my job is to make my best effort to be respectful to my host family and culture. This has succeeded with over 300,000 students! 
Why study abroad right now? When I started planning for fall 2011, a study abroad advertisement caught my eye. Some serious soul searching led me to AFS and I knew this program had won my heart. There is no doubt that I am a victim of wanderlust - I'm ready to go wherever and whenever I can. The timing could not be better because I feel ready for that next step, in both my life and education. And really - if not now, when? 
Why pick Italy? Since AFS provides so many options, choosing just one country was a little heartbreaking. I spent a few days there back in summer 2009 and absolutely loved it. But how could I appreciate this culture in all its glory with such little time? Immersing myself there will give me a chance to love every little beautiful thing about Italy. 
Does the language barrier intimidate me? I guess I would be lying if I said it didn't. Settling on my “bring it on” attitude has kept me from scaring myself with those details. I thought I would look silly trying to communicate by playing charades for ten months, so I have jump-started my Italian learning! I have enrolled in a basic language course and my next step is tackling the Italian Rosetta Stone lent to me. Just like Americans speak with different slang and accents across the country, Italians do too. These are adjustments I cannot prepare for, but I expect to just learn as I go. 

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page