My name is Sophia Fox and I am junior majoring in print and digital journalism and I will be spending my semester in Florence, Italy.

You should know that I am currently lying in my bed in my own bedroom that is in my average American house that sits in my little neighborhood, which is located in a little suburb, which is surrounded by more little suburbs. And this is one of the last times I can say that before I leave for a trip that will take me across the world for the next four months.

I’ve lived in the same house for over 10 years and I know the scenery outside of my window in my bedroom like the back of my hand. But after four months, I can’t help but to think that it may not be as recognizable. I wonder what the scenery will be like outside my window in Florence and will it become as familiar. Will I change as a person and become someone different than I am today or will I be just as recognizable as I was when I left?

In all honestly, it really still has not hit me that I leave in less than two days. But I came pretty close yesterday as I was driving home from hanging out with some of my college friends for the last time, I turned to my friend and said “We are going to be spending a semester traveling around in Europe. That is unreal.” Unreal is about the only word I can really think of to use to describe what the next four months will be like.

It is unreal that me, a pretty average American college student, will leave my comfortable life to live within a culture I no nothing about, let alone the native language. It is unreal that my family and my marvelous college have given me this opportunity. It’s unreal that I will be leaving some of the greatest people I have ever met in State College, but their endless encouragement has made it slightly easier.

Within the next 72 hours I will embark on a trip of a lifetime. My final word of thought is: unreal.

Location: Harrisburg, PA 17110