Through my experience in Italy, I went from the scared "tourist" who needed someone to help me translate to order at a restaurant or cafe to being able to order for myself. I am now able to say "hello" and "thank you" or "I need help." This change felt like it happened overnight.

Being almost forced to live in a country where you don't speak the foreign language kind of feels like you are basically fending for yourself out in the wild. Having the chance to live with a family and be immersed in their way of life and their love has helped a lot. Even though I seem to be adjusting well, I still deal with a great amount of homesickness.

Being in another country, and being 19, while not speaking the native language really hits you at moments. Especially when you are, for all intents and purposes, alone...an entire ocean and more away from all family and friends. That means, never really feeling like I am home because of the loneliness I sometimes feel out of missing my loved ones.

Of course, while traveling, you meet new people and can sometimes make new life-long friends, but there is something about people at home that always sounds safe and secure. There are like the comfort food but, you know, people. So, they're comfort people.

There are times where you are so consumed with your adventure, or your job, that there really isn't time to think about the things you're missing at home. Missing things like birthdays, deaths, the 4th of July, my sister passing her driving test (yay, sister!). So many big events that you only hear about on phone calls late at night due to time changes. You even start to realize how much you miss the little things when you are away from home for so long. Language barriers just seem to intensify all of that.

I guess now this has turned into an article about homesickness more than anything. There is a comfort in being able to fit in a little more to the new culture and a foreign language. You feel more secure in your 'place' and safer while out on your own. Also, it makes you feel cool as hell when you can order a meal in Italian at a local cafe, without any help. Being able to get around on trains and buses is also a huge plus and can make you feel very accomplished.

I am now starting to feel more like a "local," rather than a scared tourist floundering on my own. From being terrified on the plane coming to Italy to falling in love with the amazing cities and views, to learning to fit in with the Italian culture, this whole trip has opened my eyes to new things.