The Semester Is Just Getting Started

Ciao! It is so crazy to think that I have been in Italy for almost two weeks now.. time has flown by. I am starting to get in the swing of things, and am finally starting to get on a routine.

Last Sunday about 25 of us decided to hike up Mt. Grappa. Overall, it took about 5 five hours to hike up to the very top, and a little less than 3 hours to reach the bottom. Hiking this mountain was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it was one of the most rewarding as well. At the very top of the mountain is a Mt. Grappa Memorial Monument to honor those that served. As tiring, and tedious, as this climb was.. it was definitely worth it. It was such a memorable experience, and it proved to me that my body is a lot stronger than I believe it is. I will always remember how accomplished I felt when we reached the very top of the mountain. Walking through the clouds and looking across at the Alps was such a breathtaking moment.

Throughout this week I took a KT course, as well as completing the Da Vinci challenge. The KT seminar was very insightful, and showed different ways of problem solving, and analyzing situations. This information is going to come in handy many times throughout my career, which is right around the corner, as well as life decisions I am going to have to make. On the other hand, the Da Vinci challenge was an activity filled day involving a lot of team-building. This entailed splitting into groups and having to complete obstacles that looked impossible at first glance. Ranging from a human version spider web, all the way to a 15-foot wooden wall that all members had to somehow climb over. All of these obstacles required perseverance, team-building, and a lot of trust. However, after completing each task we came up with ways to decrease the amount of time each one took. We successfully worked as a team and were able to cut a lot of time off of each course.
Now onto traveling.. one of the best parts of studying abroad! Successfully, a group of about ten has decided on traveling plans for the next nine weeks. The countries range from Germany, England, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Greece, and last but not least, Slovenia. I cannot wait for all that this semester has to hold, and the amazing adventures that are to come with it. Tomorrow, a group of almost 40, is heading to Cinque Terre, which I absolutely cannot wait for!