Insomnia

As the title implies.....
I cannot sleep and I don't know why, well kind-of. Although I woke up rather "early" for teenage summer mode (8:20am) I should be tired and ready for bed, but I am not. I received some more information from ASSE today! Just a few days ago I was worried about not receiving anything new and just how few days I have (64). Today I went up to Poughkeepsie to the jail with my mom for some more ASSE business. We went to get a form filled out and signed to state I do not have a criminal record. And after the wonderful ride up, creepy coffee truck outside the sherif's office and the ride back, I DON'T NEED IT! (The whole thing was not that bad really, plus on the way home we stopped at Borders and picked up some new books.) I called ASSE (not knowing new info was on its way in the mail) and asked if they wanted the hard copy mailed in or if I could fax it. The form really needed to be filled out if I was going to Germany, which I am not, but Hanna from ASSE said it might be handy when I go to the Italian Consulate. I am still unsure what to do about my student visa. ASSE said they will send me information about my visa and how to apply and with today's new info there was some info for visa's, but it is still unclear. I guess Italy needs to send ASSE some more information. Nothing else exciting about my trip though....but soon. :)

As I mentioned above, my mom and I went to Borders and bought books!!! I found two gifts for my host family, which I won't say just in case they read my blog before I give the gifts to them. I also got this book called A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. I have heard a lot about this book and seems really interesting and something I would enjoy* reading.
*When I say enjoy I mean a sense of fascination, interest, and a way to expand my knowledge and understanding of what is happening in the world through the eyes of others and not that I enjoy war or child soldier like I enjoy shopping or something.

Another note, U.S. is out of the World Cup. :( Not much to say about that. They had a great run and I am still proud to be an American and I still enjoy soccer. And yes Mom I would like a jersey, something American to bring over and represent my country. :p

Thanks to the world having different time zones and talking to my friend across the world about spaghettification (Google it!), and this blog, perhaps I will be able to sleep and dream sweet dreams once more...

For now, Buona notte! Or should I say Buon giorno!

GO TEAM USA!!!!!!

This is a really random note that I did not want to add to my most recent post. I just want to comment on the USA team and the game they played today against Algeria in the World Cup. It was unbelievable!!! The game was so intense and kept my heart racing! There were many attempts to get a goal and earlier in the game they did score, but the referee called it and did not allow the goal, but they should of had it. On ESPN 2 England was also playing and they had scored earlier in their game. With this one point if the US did not score, they would be done with the World Cup. The game just went back and forth between Algeria and the US shooting trying to score. The game went into overtime and there was four minutes left and in the 91st minute US tries to score but the Algerian goal keeper blocks it but gets out of his hands and Landon Donovan kicks the rebound and gets it in!!!!!!! Making the score 1-0 allowing the US team to win and advance in the World Cup with England. Not only did they advance, they won top of their group!! The game was amazing and nerve wracking! If you didn't watch the game, you missed a wonderful match! At the end I was filled with pride and joy to be an American, not that I wasn't already :) Definitely go to ESPN and watch the goal!

WAY OVERDUE UPDATE

Sorry it has taken me about 3 months to update my blog again. My life has been a little busy with school and work and parties. First we shall start with school. ITS OVER!!!!!!!!! Not only is the last day over, but so are all of my tests!!! The only huge test I had was the U.S. History Regents, which I beasted on and got a 99, sooo close, but oh well. Monday was the last final for math and I am sure I did fine on that. Recently I just got a job as a cashier at a local grociey store (not saying which cause if creepers) and I have been working here and there. I did recieve my first pay check and all I thought about was Italy!!! As for my other job while school was in session, selling candy, I raised a little over $2500!!! Which is over half of what my goal was at the begining of the year way back in August. I have also been selling subscriptions to my newsletter which not that many signed up, but thats okay its still some more money.

Before I go any further, I would like to thank a couple of people. I would like to give a HUGE thank you to all of Masque and Mime because although I am not a senior, they allowed and treated me as if I were. With this they nonminated me to win a scholarship to go towards my trip! Thank you everyone you have no idea how much that is going to help.

I also was awarded the Dennis J. Hannan English Award!! This was a complete shock and wonderful surprise. Many of my English teachers nominated me for the award. As you know I have doubled up on classes, including English. I would like to thank my two English teachers from this year, Mr. Guay and Ms. Sutton. I have had so much fun in their classes and learned a lot. Their gifts were more than I could have expected. Thanks to Ms. Murray and Mrs. Cooke for also nominating me for the award. And yes Mr. Foxhall I know that you would have been among them if they let you. We do have a special bond from Masque and Mime and I will always remember the English teacher who opened my eyes to Poe and Shakespeare and for the first time really like English class.

Another personal shout out to my wonderful Italian teacher Signora DeSorrento!!!!! She has been my Italian teacher for three years now and just as excited as I am about my trip. She is sad; however, this trip means I will leave her one year earlier and miss out on Italian 5. I am not that worried about missing a year of Italian class because in 69ish days everyday will be Italian class times 1000000000! Her generous gift and kind words hit close to home and as I read what she wrote tears filled my eyes and I just stood before her and cried. I am excited to continue to talk with her throughout my exchange and talk to her more and more in Italian. I do feel that just having her has opened my eyes to the true beauty of the Italian language and culture.

I am super excited for summer and no more school, but there is a pain that it is my last year of American high school. I don't think I will miss Ketcham that much, but Masque and Mime and my friends..... it is hard to think of life without them. At the Masque and Mime banquet, which was wonderful, I had a whole bunch of my friends sign my yearbook. That night the first one I read was from my best friend Liam and I cried. As I continued to read my eyes would water and tears would drip. Part from what they wrote, our memeories together, and the thought of leaving them. I know at first it will be hard, but we will talk and stay in touch and time will fly. Even now I think about it and joy fills me, but along with it is sadness. I will be coming back and going to a local college so I'll see many of them, but others, I know I won't. I haven't even thought about leaving my family! Yes I talk about gong, but in a dream like fashion. It has not hit home that in less than 70 days I will be leaving my family for 10 months! Truly this will be one of the hardest things I will have to do not to mention one of the craziest things I will do.

Although I talk about how sad it will all be, I need to think how amazing it will be. Everyone is happy I am going and going to have the time of my life, and I should be thinking that way than leaving everyone and everything I know behind. For over two years I have dreamed about this trip and what it would be like and here it is!! I have a host family who seem wonderful and nice, a beautiful town in Southern Italy that I will be living in, and the support of my friends and family! I just wish they could all come with me, but they can't so I will do my best to bring it to them. Through this blog, pictures, my newsletter and possible website people will be kept updated and experience only half of the adventure because I know that there will be somethings that are undescripbale.

I can wish that everything goes smoothly and make the best out of everything, and remember that I have a crowd of people who love me and are cheering me on every step of the way and to those I would like to say thank you because you are the ones who believe in me and make me believe I can do anything.