Rome or bust!

Hey there, everybody. Thanks for dropping by. My name's Bryan, I'm majoring in English and Political Science and, for better or worse, I'll be your blogger from Rome, Italy until mid-December. I'm leaving the country in less than twenty four hours and, surprisingly, it's not nearly as hectic as I thought it would be. Of course there's some pre-flight jitters, and this will be the longest I've ever been away from family, but I'm not super nervous. I learned my first international travel lesson, though, before even stepping on the plane: packing! See, I failed to remember that each checked piece of luggage has to weigh under 50lbs. After recklessly inflating my first bag to 98lbs I needed to do some thinking. You never realize how many shirts and shoes and hoodies you think you need. If you're planning to study abroad my first tip would be to lay out all the clothes you believe are necessary and then cut that number in half. As for right now, my biggest pre-departure fear is communication. I bought a few Italian phrase books, but I have this reoccuring image of looking like Clark Griswald in National Lampoon's European Vacation--the stereo typical bumbling American. Other than that I just hope my plane isn't delayed and that they don't lose my luggage. Well, I'll keep you updated. Take care and don't be a stranger. It's Rome or bust!