Hakuna Matata

What a wonderful phrase. It means no worries... which is what I'm trying to have: no worries. Which is proving to be difficult in the week leading up to my year abroad in Bologna, Italy. Among all the emotions I've been feeling (excited, stressed, sad, grateful, etc.), the primary thought I have is "this is surreal."

It reminds me of 2 years ago, when I was starting to pack up my life to move to UCLA. Through elementary, middle, and high school, I knew I'd go to college "someday" (maybe even study abroad "someday"), but it never seemed to be a concrete day until the week I had to pack up my life in preparation for moving down to So-Cal. I had no idea what to expect--I couldn't fathom the life I would lead in a dorm room and I had no idea what kind of people I would meet or who I'd become friends with (it turned out quite well, I'd say!). Every thought of the great adventure of college was a hypothetical one and the idea of packing up my life into a car and unpacking it in a tiny dorm room was stressful.

Well, "someday" has come again. The concrete day (Tuesday, August 16th, 2011 at 2 pm) has arrived and I will step onto a plane (with my good friend Allison, whom I met in Italian class) and live my life in an apartment in Bologna for a year. Don't get me wrong, I'm SO excited and grateful that I'm able to have this opportunity. I can't wait to immerse myself in the culture, language, and food of Italy, to travel around Europe, and to meet new people! At the same time, however, it is really hard to leave the places I'm familiar with and the people I love.

But, just like Timon and Pumbaa, I'm going to try to use "Hakuna Matata" as my motto, my problem-free philosophy for the next year. I'll try to sink into the Italian culture and learn to just roll with whatever comes my way and to be flexible (another key word that will remind me to breathe). Goodbyes are hard, but I'm counting on staying in touch with all you lovely folks back at home, and I hope this blog will be a way that I can share my adventures with you. And then the goodbyes won't seem to be for so long. It will just be an "arrivederci!" (see you soon!)

Baci e abbracci,
Natalia