Comin' home!

Friends, this will be my final post.

Ugh.

We had our one final farewell hoorah at Archi's last night.

We leave tonight at midnight for Rome. Then from Rome to Frankfurt, and from Frankfurt to the the good ole' U.S. of A.

We'll get into Atlanta around 4 tomorrow.

Where has the time gone? I can't believe it's already time to come home. This has been an experience like I've never had before. I've made great connections with awesome people that I would never have known otherwise. So much laughter, food, adventure, and new experiences all wrapped up into one.

Italy is a wonderful country filled with hard-working proud people. The air constantly smells like pastries (except in Rome, it smells like pee there). The Tuscan landscape is so striking it makes your heart hurt. Everywhere you go there is an impenetrable sense of culture and custom that exudes out of every person, building, and street corner.

I could go on forever, but I have to go pack.

There is a gray cloud over everyone's head today. Lots of somber faces and deep sighs. We know our time here is up, slipped through our fingers despite our efforts to cling tight to every fleeting moment.

Lots of wandering around, trying to spend our last few Euros on last-minute souvenirs and gelato. Oh how I will miss the gelato. I'll never be able to eat Baskin Robbins again....actually that's probably not true.

I will miss this place so much. Montepulciano is now tacked on the list of places I have left a small piece of my heart. I made sure to throw a coin in the Trevi fountain, so it's official. I'll be back. I come home no different than when I left, but somehow I know I'm not the same.

I miss everyone like crazy and I can't wait to see you all!

I really hope no one forgets to get me at the airport tomorrow. That would really be a buzz kill.