First post!

Wow, okay, introductions?!
I'm Zoë and this blog is mainly for me to keep everyone I know and love so dearly up to date on my life as it takes an oh so drastic turn into the foreign land of Italia in about t-minus 28 days, yikess!
So rewind some more, I live in Albuquerque and when I was about 8 or so I found out about the rumored "Junior year abroad" in high school tradition and decided I was GOING to Italy. I've got such an Italian based family that really made me even more determined to make this dream a reality. Well the years past and I even spent some time in Italy traveling around the common places and KNEW that it was meant to be.
Finally, as freshman year ended, I began the process of looking into exchange, as well as a few of my best friends. Of course, everything was just fantasizing, different countries, programs, languages, everything, it was just a crazy idea to move somewhere else and experience an entirely new life. Well easing into sophomore year, a couple of my best friends and I dove into the exchange process, a neverending challenge of always being up to date, filling out paperwork, and going to Ms Lydon's classroom. Honestly.
The first day of winter vacation, I remember standing in the quad screaming at the top of my lungs with Sara, Denali, and Ericka, as we had all found out we had been accepted by the school to study abroad, and although this wasn't the first time we would be notified of our acceptance, and it wasn't certain for sure either, but in the end, it was, and not only us girls but also Drew had been accepted to study abroad. My other best friends had taken an interest in leaving as well, Alisa, to Israel, Sonia to Puerto Rico and Levi to Loomis Chaffee, probably the person I'll miss the most. However, knowing that Denali would be studying in Italy with me was the most reassuring thing ever. Denali is my best best best friend, my soul sister, my numba 1, and even the thought of not being with her for a year ate me alive. But she is one of the most determined people I know and she made a point to get accepted and wow has she blown me away with all of her hardwork!
This summer has been filled with paperwork, getting my Italian visa, fighting over a day to leave ABQ and yet only a little bit of Italian. It's been a rough summer, I mean everyday I try to enjoy every second with everyone I'm with, which isn't too out of the ordinary for me, but it's a struggle to not push away the people who I will miss the most. On Friday, Sonia left for NYC and then Puerto Rico and I won't see her for a whole nother year! I was devasted but knew it wouldn't be too hard, I'm just not looking forward to that preplanned 3-330 time slot where I say goodbye to my parents at the Boston airport.
Anyways, Denali has been kicking butt at Italian and gives me pointers as I try and learn from some tapes and books my Grandma lent me! That has all been incredibly helpful. Also, I spent a lot of time last week cleaning my beloved Land Rover Discovery inside and out to get ready to sell and put it on craigslist and in NO TIME we sold it, and as sad as I was to see my first baby go, it supplied me with enough money to get a new Macbook, the one thing that I needed more than anything else for school abroad. It's really nice, and today my Uncle Paulo came in to visit the family in ABQ and all 4 of us sat down with our Macbooks and traded tricks and tips hahaha.
I also talked to my new Italian cousin Simona today and asked her about a housewarming gift, I suggested hot hot New Mexican chile and based on her English it sounded like a good suggestion haha.
Goals for this week are to stock up on all the other things I need for next year, like you know bath products, tennis/pointe shoes, suitcases, Mac skin, etc. It's going to be a very long but speedy next 4 weeks.
And as for my life in ABQ, no complaints, successfully closing up a nice weekend with my best friends, working on planning Denali, Ericka and I's going away party and squeezing in some quality time with my beautiful family. Also, I walked in a fashion show on Friday to benefit a New Day Youth which assists homeless youth and families in NM, which was fantastic. I met a lot of people at and after the show and I can't wait to go to fashion week in Milan next year :D
Yeah, I'll be in Italy in less than a month...
for nine months...
Aw yeah :]
Off for now, until next time!