Arrivederci!

CIAO!

The countdown has come to an end and the big day has arrived - I'm off to the airport in just a matter of hours now! We'll be going from RDU to Dulles (Wash. DC), then on to Rome from there; arrival time is 8:50 am Italy time, 2:50 am EST. After we get through customs, Dr. Webb, the program director, and her husband, John Rose, will be meeting us to help direct us to the train station in our zombie-like state. We'll go from Rome to Arezzo via train then wrap up the journey with a bus ride to beautiful Sansepolcro!

It's going to be a long trip, but it's comforting to remember what's waiting for us on the other side. I am so excited to see what they've done to the Palazzo Alberti - the last time I saw it (in October), the transformation had only just begun. I'll take photos and post them on Picasa as soon as I can so you all can see where we're living! I will also try to update this blog Tuesday evening if only to let you know that I have arrived safely. After that my plan is to update this blog a few times a week, so check back for new posts when you can. I'm thinking that since this will be my first time in Italy without homework (!), I will consider this blog my self-assigned homework of sorts. If nothing else, I hope to do far better than my all too infrequent scribbles from last semester ... which won't be hard :)

I covet your prayers! I will have five of the students under my charge for the journey, so please be praying for any anxieties they may have regarding travel and that we would all have good attitudes and be flexible whatever happens.

Grazie mille! A presto ...