Impressions of Florence: According to Hailie G.

I can't describe how much things have changed for me since I have gotten here. Before Florence I had only lived away from my home for 6 months, 3 months with my best friend and her family, and the other 3 with my brother. Even though I wasn't at "home" I was with people who I knew loved me. Coming here has helped me realize that more than one place can be my home. I refer to my house in the states now as my "home home," but I found myself referring to my apartment here as my real home. It's crazy. I have only been here for 4/5 weeks and this place is home now. When I go on a long weekend trip I find myself saying "Ok, this was fun, but I am ready to be home." When I say that I'm not talking about California.. I am talking about Florence.

I never thought that would happen! They told us when we got here that we aren't going to be "tourists" we are going to be LIVING here, so we should act like we are living here. I thought that was so bizarre.. thrilling, but bizarre. They were right though, I am living here.

I was so scared before I came here, I remember crying and wondering what I got myself into. I was so fearful of being on my own for 3 months and having to live with all of these people that I don't know. I won't lie.. I have gotten irritable a few times since I have been here with not having my personal space, but I have learned so much from this experience. I have learned how to hold my tongue (people who know me know that I am pretty blunt) and I have been able to practice my skills in listening to people, loving people, and being heard.

Being thrown into this pot with all of these people has been overwhelming. It has been scary, and it has been rough a few times. With all of that, I have created some pretty great friends. I have explored cities trusting my internal compass and have opened up to people that I would have never opened up to in the past. I really have changed through this trip. Because of all of these changes, I believe that when I leave Florence, I will be able to say that for 20 year old Hailie Guerrero, this place is home.