#yaep2017

Jackson

Alice is most excited to try the different fast foods we have in America. The famed In and Out is definitely high on her list to eat at and she really wants to see…Walmart! In fact all the girls are excited to see the size of the grocery stores in Phoenix. Alice is also excited to see a cactus in person for the first time and I can't wait for her to experience her first Phoenix sunset- they are truly something else. I don't know how to begin to describe how hot it is here and I feel awful about the temperatures they are flying into but that's why there are pools. Alice is excited to meet my family and friends and she can't wait to compare the beaches of Ireland to the California beaches. Alice has traveled to New York and Florida so I don't think the city life will be that shocking but it might be different since she is here for a longer time. I just can't wait for everyone to meet her and I hope that I can show her the best of the good ole USA and make this summer one to remember!

If there was one thing I could tell people about my sister city Catania, it would be the ambience that the city holds. I know that it is a very broad generalization about the city, but I couldn’t seem to find a better way to describe it. Catania is such a sublime locus; the city itself has this atmosphere that makes you feel lost in the history that is embedded within it, but it is also the people that help mold that aura into something which you can find nowhere else. The people of Catania, ensure that the city is one of a kind by just being themselves; friendly, lively, hilarious, accepting, and much more. Together, the city remains historically beautiful but it is the people which modernize it and creates its unique beauty and ambience in our world. 

2/30/17 (day of departure) : The viewpoint at Dobeška was the first place Saša took me after settling in on the day of my arrival, and it was the first place we really started to talk. So it felt right to finish off my adventure in Prague in the same place I’d started it.

I'm currently at Prague airport with the rest of my cohort waiting to board our flight, and as my time here really has come to a close, there are a few things I think everyone should know about the amazing city where I've spent the past three weeks. Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, not Czechoslovakia, because Czechoslovakia doesn't exist anymore. It split in 1993 into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and Prague is in the Czech Republic, not Slovakia. So that's my first point, and here's my second. Prague is probably best known for its gorgeous historical city center full of colorful baroque and gothic architecture, and that part of the city may look like a fairytale. However, as my counterpart Saša jokingly reminds me all the time, they don't live in the Medieval ages! Prague may not be as big or commonly known about as Paris or London, but there are working toilets, and fast food chains, and electricity, and everything else you'd expect from a thriving urban city! (I don't think anyone is quite that clueless but still...) Prague is the largest city in the Czech Republic and has been an important economic and cultural center in all of Central Europe for a long time! One of my favorite things about Prague is how beautifully it has protected and celebrated its history while still embracing the modern aspects of its culture with art, music, food etc. in and around the city. Something I learned by trial and error that should be avoided, because most money exchange places inside the city will try to take advantage of tourists, is that although the Czech Republic is part of the European Union, the official currency in Prague is the Czech crown or "koruna", not the euro. Some places take euros, but if you're exchanging money for a trip to Prague, you want crowns. Another thing to know if you're planning a trip to Prague is "city of a hundred spires" may mean "city of a hundred breathtaking views" but it also means "city of a hundred (thousand) stairs". And the cobblestones are pretty but they aren't fun for your feet either, so bring good walking shoes! The last thing you should know about Prague and the rest of the Czech Republic is that is it absolutely 100% worth the trip. I'll proudly talk it up because I genuinely don't remember one minute of my stay in which I was disappointed by my sister city. Absolutely everything from the natural beauty in the countryside to the historical architecture in the city blew me out of the water and if I had the chance to go back and choose where I wanted to go... I wouldn't change a thing.

I am beyond excited to share a lot of things with my counterpart, Renata, when she comes to Phoenix. Some of these things include my closeness to my family and friends, my hobbies of running, skateboarding, and baking, my interests in seeing new movies, trying new food, etc. However, I am most looking forward to sharing my family with Renata. She is excited, yet anxious to live with my family. If you don’t know, I have quite a big family: 4 sisters and 1 brother. After getting to know and bond with Renata and her family a lot during my 3 weeks in Mexico, I am definitely positive that she will get along with my family, as we have many similarities. Although she has a smaller family(2 sisters), both of our families are really funny, easygoing, family-oriented, and have a strong Catholic faith. I am super excited for her to meet my parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. When I was in Hermosillo, I grew close with her parents and sisters, and also got to meet her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They were all very kind, caring, and welcoming. When coming to Phoenix, my counterpart should expect extremely hot weather, a lot of sweating, meeting my big/sometimes crazy family and friends, a lot of food/movies, and bonding with the other ambassadors we have not met yet. Renata has been to Phoenix a few times before to buy clothes and other goods, but she has not been fully exposed to our way of life, activities, culture and customs here. Therefore, I am excited to take her to places like In-N-Out, Cane’s, Dutch Bros, and show her around Phoenix. Renata is looking forward to meeting my family, friends, and the other counterparts from Phoenix and the other countries. I can’t wait to take part in the activities planned on the hosting calendar, like American holidays, escape room, Diamondbacks game, and Six flags. My time abroad in Mexico met my expectations and more. It was an absolutely amazing experience. Evan, Gaston, Corinne, Rebeca, Renata, and I all had so much fun. We hung out everyday and did everything together, from exploring and walking around the plaza, and getting tacos late at night, to going to Kino and San Carlos together, so I can openly say that I miss all of them so much already. When you are used to seeing someone everyday, 2 weeks without them feels like forever. We did not even have to do much to have fun. We could just text in the group chat on a random night and ask for the others to come over and watch a movie. One night after going to the plaza and balcony, we got little caesars pizza and brought it back to Rebeca’s to watch ‘Employee of the Month’ movie. The only thing that was different about my expectations abroad was my expectation of Renata. I thought that even though we got along over text(before I met her), that we wouldn’t get as close as we actually did. In the end, I wholeheartedly love Renata, Corinne, Rebeca, Evan, and Gaston. We have become familia.

THE END

My time in Catania, has been absolutely the best I could have ever asked for or experienced. It wasn't only the city itself in general that made this experience memorable and amazing, but also my counterpart, host family, and all the friendships I created. When I arrived I was afraid that I wasn't gong to be able to fit in but in a matter of days I felt as if I belonged to this city. So when it was time to finally go back home, I wasn't ready. Although I wanted to stay much longer I knew that all my newfound friends would be arriving with us at our homes in a matter of days. And the guys and I would then be able to, hopefully, give them an unforgettable summer as they did to us. When I asked Martina if she was ready to come live with me, she responded that although she is nervous she can't wait to meet my family and friends. After that, I asked Martina about what she wanted to do when she arrived in Phoenix and all that she would say is to let herself be immersed into my life and what the city had to offer. I thought that this answer was the best becuase I would be able to make a list of all the things we could do and from then be able to plan accordingly. So far as a cohort, we've agreed to take a trip to the Grand Canyon and possibly other places, but what seems to be interesting Martina, Matteo, and Edoardo the most seems to be the food! For example, when Eric, Beck, and I were talking about some of our favorite foods- like mac & cheese or chicken and waffles- they stared at us as if we were making these dishes up. Martina and I were able to make a list of all the food places I wish to show and take her to, and we're both looking forward to that.