We're Here!

We finally made it to Italy and then to the Army base in Vicenza earlier today. We started from Cedar Rapids to Chicago and had no problem wasting 5 hours in the Chicago airport until our flight! It was a long flight from Chicago to Madrid, but we road a really nice, big plane and some of the people next to me were friendly. I talked to this old lady and her daughter from California throughout the flight and by the end the mother was sure I was from Ohio and the daughter said "No mom, she's from Idaho." Sadly they were both wrong, but close....hahaha Anyways, we were only in Madrid for about an hour before our flight left and had to rush to get there on time because of going through customs, security, and riding the tram to the right gate!

The flight to Venice was shorter and there were le

ss people so we could stretch out. I think I may have been sitting by a famous person

thought because all the flight attendants were super nice to her and she would say no thanks to pop and newspapers, yet they gave them to her! They also brought her a blanket and pillow without her asking...it was a bit suspicious.

So our Camp Adventure project director picked us up after we got our luggage and

we rode a bus to Vicenza (about 1 hr. away). Once on base, we went to the hotel 'Ederle

Inn' where we are staying, dropped stuff off, and then went to get some food/look aroun

d the base. Because of Memorial day, most things were closed so we got some food for tonight

at the gas-station type store. I have 2 roomies and we have 1 room that is divided into 2...one half has a small kitchen and the other half has the bathroom. It's really nice and we put our stuff away

already!

So tomorrow we are getting up to eat breakfast and then have orientation for the CDC's (military lingo for daycare centers) and also get our ID's to get on and off base. So far, the base looks pretty American except all the buildings are painted tan with the tanish clay room things. Also, it is pretty quiet on this base right now because most all of the soldiers usually here are deployed right now.

1 week left..

I will be leaving in one week for Italy! I fly out on May 30th and will be gone until August 21. I, along with 15 other students in the Camp Adventure program will be staying on the U.S. Army base in Vicenza and working with the CDC and youth programs there during this time. We will be working during the week and will have most weekends free to travel!