Back!

Sigh.

Another semester over and my senior year rests like a sleeping beast on the other side of my summer. I have lots to show you from the last couple of months (I've been so bad at updating, lately!) but first I have some great news:

I'm Going to Italy!!!

I got a full scholarship for a month long summer class with MICA in Sorrento, Italy! It's pretty amazing...I never could have afforded it without so much help. I applied for the trip and the scholarship kind of on a lark just in case some miracle would occur but I never really thought it would happen!
I leave in the end of June along with my instructors and 16 other students, including my good friend and temporary roommate, Jimmy. I'm going to get to see Sorrento, Naples, Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius and probably/hopefully Rome. The program is mostly independent study so I'll get to spend lots of time exploring the area and documenting what I see. I'm really, really, excited! However, I'm also a tiny bit nervous; I've never left the continent before or ridden in an airplane or been so far away from my family for so long in a country who's language I don't speak. I've been working a little bit on that last one, learning common terms from a CD with PDF guide that one of my roommates just happened to have lying around. However, if any of you guys have advice on any of the other stuff please share! I've been asking around ever since I found out about this (a few weeks ago) and so far most of the responses are along these lines:

• Hide my money/split money up into several places/be careful around ATMs/avoid carrying valuable items if possible, especially passport/avoid gypsies
• Eat pizza
• Check out Italian thrift stores (I'm super psyched about this one!)
• Beware that skeezy men will be hitting on me like I won't believe.
• Try to go to festivals if any are going on (also an exciting prospect!)
• Never leave anything important at a hostel.

All sounds pretty practical to me! Though again, if any of you have more advise please pass it on, particularly if you have any specific tips about the area or spots you consider "must sees." I will have a little bit of time for day-trips each week, keeping in mind distance and a college student's budget, and there are three days off during the month that I plan on using to see Rome, though it would be possible to change my mind.

Alright, all that aside, artwork posting starts NOW!