Finally here

It's 9:15 pm here in Sorrento, right outside of Naples, and I'm sitting atop the roof lounge of my hostel sipping a lovely drink (with a live band playing some great jazz) and staring out at the backdrop of Italian hills and the Amalfi coast. Simply breathtaking. I can't believe I'm actually here

I've met some pretty interesting people so far, beginning with a girl who was going on a trip to Israel (Jewish heritage trip), backpacking Europe for a month before heading over to Ghana. I've got some great book suggestions, and the company was wonderful for the long layover. During my flight from JFK to Dublin, I sat next to this Irish woman and we ended up talking almost the entire flight. We talked about traveling, Italy, Obama, the American political process, American sitcoms, careers, women's status in the home and in the workplace, ambition, and Georgia Dawgs football fanatics among other things. Wonderful conversations... not a bad way to start out this experience.

After sitting for so long on planes and in airports for the last day and a half, lugging around overly large backpacking packs and a horrendous duffel bag (DEFINITELY will be re-packing),
I met up with Kate, another girl from the program who also arrived early. She liked my idea of booking a place at 7 Hostel in Sorrento (highly recommend it, folks!) and we ended up navigating out way here. From Naples International to a shuttle to Stazione Centrale (the train station), taking Circumvesuviana line out to Sorrento and getting off at S. Agnello, to walking through the streets in order to find the hostel itself.

The train ride itself was probably one of the more eventful things that happened today... A random Italian guy came up and started talking to us. I responded as best I could in broken Italian, as he spoke moderate English himself. (I'm pretty proud of how much Italian I've been trying to use! The brush up study session on the plane helped immensely). The conversation began asking us about our study abroad and quickly dissolved into this Italian guy hitting on us relentlessly in a trying-to-be-cute way. Hilarious, until it got annoying and I found as many ways as possible to flat out say in both Italian and English that there was no way in hell I was going to leave my boyfriend. (Besides... my Italian's definitely more handsome than the men I've been seeing here!) Either way, Kate and I found our way to the hostel and had a good laugh over the whole ordeal.

We showered and stowed our bags before wandering around town, taking pictures and exploring. This city is absolutely beautiful, and I've got a feeling that I'll be saying that about many more to come in the future. We took the train out one more top to Sorrento itself, stopping for dinner: traditional pizza and wine, followed by gelato eaten as we strolled along the coast and cliffs before hitching the train back to the hostel.

I've taken so many pictures so far. Yes, it's all beautiful. Yes, they all drive crazy. And what's with the horns? Still can't figure out exactly why they use them so incessantly, what their code is for when to honk. When in doubt, honk the horn. When you're sure of yourself, honk your horn. Hell, just honk at whatever you damn well please. I delight in the Italian stereotypes walking around in greased back hair, chest hair, and stylish button up shirts with bling. And the super duper adorable kids with huge brown eyes. And then there's the 3 soccer fields I pass through in the streets, constantly occupied.

Well, I am thoroughly sleep deprived at the moment, and my drooping eyes and sore shoulders are showing it. Look forward to picture uploads! I love you all and miss you something terrible, especially my certain someone.

Love from Italy!