One Week

Another blog post today, you are all in luck!!!! This post is to tell everyone who does not know already, I am coming home early. I will be coming home in one week, next Thursday. I have decided that I do not want to stay in Italy until June. I followed my dream and took a huge chance by coming here. I was excited to come and after a few months of trying my hardest I realized that this is not the right thing for me, not in high school, not for this long, and not going to an Italian high school. There have been hard times, fun times, sad times, all types of times and I have learned a lot. I am glad my mom and dad said yes and let me follow my dream. I am glad I came and didn't just say, "No it will never happen." I am a little sad things didn't work out like I hoped, not for lack of trying, but I am content with my decision to come home. I will finish my senior year at home with my friends and family. I will start classes again on Feb. 1st, continue with Masque and Mime, I will be home for senior prom and graduation. I will start learning how to drive, go back to work and start saving money for college. I don't know what my next big thing is, but I want to enjoy what I have more because you never know what you have until it is gone. My little town might be boring with nothing to do, but I have my family and friends and they are the reason I love living there so much. Thank you for all of your support! All of you! Everyone talking with me, keeping my spirits up, helping me out, listening, understanding, everything. I could not have come this far without you. I still have dreams of traveling the world and doing things with my life, still unclear, but still plans and dreams the same.

I am enjoying my last few days in Italy and getting excited for coming home. I miss so much from America and home, things I never thought I would miss. I am going to have a little Christmas style party with my family, an Aly Christmas when I come home. I have come so far and grown so much as a person and realized some things are more important than others. Family would be number one. Some of my friends falling into that category and friends in general number two. Having these people in my life have made me who I am and helped me to get where I am. This trip has not changed me into someone else, but I have changed some, I am sure. I fear that I changed in some ways that my friends will not like and don't understand why, but I have a feeling it won't be that big of a change. Things could have gone better and far worse, but what happened, happened and all I can do is learn from it and move forward. I may not know why until later in my life, but staying as long as I have is better then not coming at all. I know some people will judge me for coming home early and I know some people are sad things didn't work out, but I am happy for the most part. I am 100% happy to come home and cannot wait. I know I will miss Italy some, but I will be back to see Italy my own way. Doing what I would like, going where I want and not having to worry about school and this program.

If I have learned anything, it is that you need to be happy with you and surround yourself with people who love you, doing what you love to do. You are the most important and no matter how crazy your dream may sound, do it! You will never know unless you take a chance and try. Somethings will not work and you might be heartbroken, but with time things get better and you move on. You learn and strive for something better while enjoying the most of what you have. Never give up because reaching your goal, your dream is one of the greatest feelings in the world and make you so much stronger.