I have never been outside of the United States, but there I always felt like I belonged. It was my home and I understood how to live there and where to go. Yet, when I arrived to Rome I felt out of place, there was so much that I had no clue about, and there was this terrifying pressure that I felt that I needed to fit in becuase I was going to be living here. So after a days worth of traveling, I was finally able to arrive with Martina (my counterpart) and her wonderful family. They took me in so kindly, and even created a sign to welcome me to their home. While Martina’s mom cooked, Martina and her younger siblings and I talked the entire afternoon about our differences, and most importantly, our similarities. I couldn’t have asked for a better first day.
