Summer 2011 in Florence, Italy. I took away so much from my trip, and had a blast. Before my group disbanded at the airport, we all promised to have a reunion very soon. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

There are only six days left until I return. Reverse culture shock will be really irritating. I can also ask useful questions like; Where is the subway? Or; How much is that book? I literally felt like one of thei.

I have now been back in the USA for a little over two months. Saying goodbye to my host family was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Over the course of my time there, I learned to love them as my own. Many tears on both sides were shed in the airport. Although I have met lots of wonderful people, it is hard to really relate to girls my age.

Hello again friends and Dream Team Fans,. I am the female perspective, Lexie Mastro, of the official blogging Dream Team. I just wanted to help you to understand what the AYUSA-NSLC experience meant for me and what I learned and got out of it.

Venicia and Last Week in Florence. Last Saturday, we went to Venice, which was absolutely incredible. Where crowdedness made it hard to walk. Elsewhere, it was fine. 8221; and below them, two arrows pointing in opposite directions.

Au Revoir, Last days in Paris. Last Day of French Class. Going back to America I think will be extremely odd for me. Little things like just getting in a car to go some place down the street will be strange. I have only been in an automobile. Me and My Host Mom. Anna and I in front of the chateaux. Random Fountain in the Street. Me in front of the Chateaux.

Back in the US! December 31, 2009. I can understand much more than I can say. It was cool to be able to understand what was going on. Madrid and The Countdown Begins.

But this is the first time a protest over education has affected me, because my high school never protested anything. The only time students ditched school en masse was for Senior ditch day, and even that in recent years had seen less and less participants because of punishments from my school. Expressions of a City Artist.

I do have moments, however, where my heart starts racing and my stomach gets massive butterflies and I feel like I need to either yell at the top of my lungs or run to my bathroom and throw up.