By:  Guest writer Marta Guarienti  (2015 Foreign exchange student from Italy)

Alone in my room, sitting at my desk with my homework as a company on a cold winter evening my dad came and told me the great news. I started to listen only when I heard the words: foreign country and year. “ Would you like to go to a foreign country for an entire year and learn another language?” I did not know what to say. It was not an easy decision. I did not want to leave — my friends, my family, my sport. It took me a while, but when I decided I never changed my mind again. I will never regret the choice that I made. The teen-age girl who left the airport in Italy was a different person from the one who landed in the United States of America.

My experience started Aug. 22, 2014. I woke up with the song “How to Save a Life” by The Fray at 2:15 a.m. I did not realize right away why my alarm went on so early, but after a second I remembered and the anxiety stuck me like a punch on the face. After a quick warm shower to relax the nerves I tried to eat an apple and drink some water. My stomach was closed. I went to my room; it looked extremely empty. My 17 years of life were in two suitcases on the floor. While I was sitting on my bed waiting to leave, my mom took my hand: “ It is time to go.” She kissed me and sat by me in the car. During the trip to the airport a heavy silence surrounded the car. My dad had his eyes on the road, my mom slept, my sisters connected to the world via headphones and I was whispering “Bye” to my city.

With the whisper still on my lips we arrived at the airport at 6:15 a.m. My plane was at 8:35 a.m. We checked the suitcase and waited. We took some pictures and laughed. We did not want to think about what was going to happen: the separation. It was the hardest moment. The excitement for all the adventures that were waiting for me overcame the melancholy to leave my family for an entire year. My mom, my sisters and I cried, but my dad tried to be strong. I hugged and kissed everyone wet cheeks. When I started on my way to the first metal detector I turned only one last time. I saw my mom lips say: “I love you.”

With the first emotional step passed the first physical check crossed. They checked my passport and my bag. I was ready to go to Paris. On the first plane I met an Italian guy who started talk about how he wanted to be an exchange student, but his parents did not allow him. Right at that moment I understood how lucky I was. As a student not to many people have this big of an opportunity; I was ready to enjoy the experience. While I was taking this decision the flight landed. With my backpack and a tired face I did not hesitate to experience an American tradition: Starbucks. The sweet smell and the sour taste of coffee gave me the charge I needed. I spent two hours on my diary, the words that flowed on those pages cleared my mind and took me to my little universe. Unfortunately, it was almost time to go.  I went to my gate and when I saw the screen I started panicking. My plane was almost an hour late.

The panic made my legs shake. I sat down on the first chair and  tried to think. I had one hour and 25 minutes in Minneapolis before the next plane. If the plane was an hour late, I had 25 minutes left. “What if I lose the plane? Where do I have to go? Who do I call?” My thoughts were flying to a place where my control could not reach them. I said to myself that the right thing to do was to stay calm. When it was finally time I embarked with my legs still shaking. It has been a long flight. I was too nervous to sleep,  eat or drink. I wanted to arrive and take off the heavy stone on my stomach. When the pilot announced  we were landing I took a deep breath; the stone lightened. When we landed I had 20 minutes before the other plane. I checked my suitcase again, passed the metal detector and started running. I stopped. I was lost. I asked the first person I met where gate 19A was and he pointed to the far end of the long hallway. I ran like never before in my life. The drops of sweat fogged my eyes and my heavy steps made a dull thump. As people stared at me, I imagined their voices cheering, screaming for me. The adrenaline flowed in my blood; I started running faster. When I arrived to the gate the woman said: “You made it!” A big smile opened on my face. The happiness struck me and the stone in my stomach broke to little pieces.

The stone that broke was the sign that something changed. The little and insecure girl who left Italy did not exist anymore. Now, a girl more responsible and stronger landed in America. I felt like I was capable of anything. I will never forget the anxiety, the stress, the sound of my breath after I ran, the emotion of being on top of the world. All those elements changed me from a teen-ager to a young adult. Travel empowered me to understand problems that I cannot solve. It does not matter how big or small. I can always find a solution.