Adjusting... (continued)

Part 2 of 2
*Warning: long post*

There has been much crying and up's and down's but luckily and thankfully my mom and Cat (one of my best friends) let me vent, help me figure things out, and just overall supported me.

I am so grateful for all the wonderful, loving people in my life that I can sometimes take for granted. Especially since I've been here I've realized how important it is to have people to rely on. I understand it's good to be independent and go out of your comfort zone - believe me, I'm doing it every day I'm here - but it's also extremely important and beneficial to maintain those truly important relationships with loved ones. That way, if you're ever in a tough situation, even if they are not physically with you, you know that you have people supporting you.

This past Monday was an extremely low day.
And the weather reflected it.
As I mentioned, it was the first day of classes, and I'm still - even now - adjusting to the time change and jet lag and all that.

Simply put, it was not what I was expecting.

I thought i was going to be a part of this group of other Americans taking classes together and making friends. However, because the school administrators bent over backward to get me to come here it was not what they had been telling me.

So, after ranting to Cat and discussing and crying with my mom, I set out to make it better. Still not exactly what I was expecting, but definitely an improvement. Although, as one of the other American students in my home-stay said, "Since I've been here I've learned not to have expectations because I just get let down."

This sounds like an awful way to think of things, and not necessarily how I will live most of my life, she has a point: if you don't expect something, you can't be let down, and there is more room for surprises.

I don't think I particularly like this "motto" very much, but after the day I had Monday and the realizations I've made since I've been here it doesn't sound too wrong for me right now...

Tuesday morning was rough:
homesickness + bad sleep + new food + culture shock + ...

but I talked with the academic coordinator, and cried some more, and changed around my classes, so now I have 2 classes with the other American students (all from Elon University) as well as my interior design internship which will be a few hours every Monday-Thursday.

After that meeting, I had a short break where I had time to think (or not) and went on the internet (Facebook) to "get away."

I don't know what it was but after that break I had a much better sense of inner peace and calm. I can only believe God was looking out for me. After all, as the saying (according to my dad) goes:
"God helps those who help themselves."

I believe God saw that I was struggling, heard my prayers, helped me figure out how to fix my situation, and then brought me a sense of inner peace (for a while anyway).

I still find myself missing home every day, but each day gets a little bit easier, and keeping in contact with my family and friends definitely helps :)

Tomorrow brings the start of the weekend and days off (except for homework...) and most likely some exploring.

Sunday the majority of us are going to Viareggio for Carnivale which will be a wonderful distraction, a great way to continue getting to know the others, and a ton of fun!

Stay tuned for future posts, if you're "friends" with me on Facebook all my pictures are up there, and if you have any questions about anything in particular, what I'm up to, or just want to check in please do!
(just remember it's a 6 hour difference between here and the East Coast)