just 7 month ago I was a Roman girl

I don't remember what day was it, but I'm pretty sure it was about july 15. My association called me, Giulia was on the phone: "hey Benedetta, there is a family that has decided to host you for your exchange student year, they live in Owensboro, Kentucky".
I was thinking: "what is Kentucky?? is it a place??? Owensboro???, are you telling me that I'm gonna live in a place with this name?? I mean... that's such a rude word in italian O.o"
Giulia: "their name is Carmon, dad, mom, son and daughter"
Me: "great"
Giulia: "we are gonna send you all the information about the place, the school and the family"
Me: "great, thanks, byebye"
Giulia: "bye"

"well...good conversation, but what kind of place is that :S :S :S I'm from Rome, I don't wanna go to live in a little place... I don't even know where is it!  let's go on google maps......mmmmm, ok It doesn't look awful, it's probably better then Alaska"

I was a little scary, I wanted to go in a big city, but after a little bit I start to be excited about that.
"It's America I will have a good experience anywhere".

Now, after almost 7 month here, I'm so happy and I love this place, I love my H-family and all my friends. School is easy and fan. I started to have a real life (it is no longer the life of "exchange student"), so far from my family and my friends but I'm so happy and I decided to stay here. I hope that everything is gonna be ok, I hope to get a Visa and I hope to be able to stay here, next year and for college. :D 


I gotta go, I have a volleyball gameeeee...


FURURE EXCHANGE STUDENTS, DON'T BE AFRAID IF YOU WILL HAVE A CALL LIKE MINE! 


I LOVE YOU ALL, AMERICANS AND ITALIANS.


XOXO
Benne


BCS

SHARING

I was a normal exchange student, after six month my host family told me: "next week-end there is a Chrysalis, it's with all high school students" I was thinking: "well...Chrysalis... the name look like something about Christ, at church, with other students, with some girls that i know, it could be fun spend a week.end out, and probably my family want me to do something and not stay at home all the time, so...Ok I'll go." I was a little bit worried: "I'm not Christian, my family either, what i'm gonna do?"
I though a lot about that but...Saturday came early so... Saturday morning I was at church, I met so much guys, someone new and someone that I already knew.
We went in a big room and they explained what to do.
I do not want to waste time with unnecessary things, so I'm gonna writing just what I wrote that Saturday night:

"I was setting on a chair after a wonderful day where I song, talked, and played with the best people I ever met. We heard four speakers, I really recognized a little bit of my life in their speeches. But only in that chair, after a quiet walk and after hearing the last speaker I started to think deeply, there was a very little light in the chapel, just enough to see where to put your feet. I felt different, in my thoughts I was NOT ALONE. In that dark chapel I got up, I wrote my sin on a red card, the thing that I wanted Jesus to bring out of me, I stuck the ticket on the wooden cross, and then I went back to my chair. With sweet background music I started to think about all the bad things of my life. Slowly I felt different, free, happy, with a reason to live, I felt like someone was taking care of my past, of my future, of my life. 

Suddenly I heard the voice of a girl, my new friend, my new sister, she told me that if I wanted to talk she was there for me. I started to cry, she gave me a hug and she left me by myself, she gave me my space and time to understand and to realize what was happening to me. 

After a little bit I felt the hand of my group's leader that was supporting me, Rachel was with me too, she gave a hug, no words, a hug, a big and unforgettable hug that is worth than 1000 words. The last hand resting on my back was Jamus's hand, he asked me and Rachel if it was everything ok and he told us that he was there if we needed to talk. I'm usually shy but in that moment I felt God with me, he told me that I'm strong enough to overcome my shame. I said "yes I would like to talk to you ". I started to cry, I was crying so much, I was scared, confused, happy. Jamus told me to keep the time I needed. When I stopped to cry I pulled out my fears, I pulled out what I was feeling. 

Jamus talked to me, he told me to accept Christ, he told me that I should not be afraid. I felt Jamus and Rachel close to me, I was ready to open the door where He was knocking. I OPENED IT. Jamus prayed for me. 

After prayer Jesse came to me and Rachel and embraced us, it was a deep and warm hug. Jesse prayed with us. 

At the end of this day, at the beginning of my new life, I'm in my silence with this new life, with this new feeling, with this new family. 

I want to say thanks to Jamus, Rachel, Jesse, Jeff, Zetta, all the people that helped me to discovered what wonderful life God gave to me.

Thanks YOU for coming to me

                                                                                                                                               1-15-2011"

I wanna share this with all of you because it's really important to me, that week-end changed my life. And I think that SHARE is one of the most important thing to make people come to know this wonderful world, the world of Christ. 


ps. I'm tired and it was an hard day for me so I'm sure that there are some errors with my english, I'm sorry. :)


BCS

sweet day

When I opened my eyes I was feeling different, as the last 5 days, I was happy, I'M happy, but actually something was strange, my alarm didn't played, so I woke up and seeing outside the window I saw a wonderful withe world. Big withe snowflakes coming down fast. I've never seen so much snow here.
I took a shower, I've done some homework, studied a little bit, listened music, watched a movie and spent time with my family.
 Tonight baby-setting with my sister at Edwards's house, four little babies, so cute and sweet. It started like a normal night but after a little bit James, Rally Kate and Allie started to be less shy, and after about 30 minutes i was playing with them like i knew them for a long time. How much cute are they? :) James learned my name and we play so much! He is the sweetest baby ever, he is 3 years old, and tonight he was the man of the house. They are so sweet and different from Italian babies, maybe because they are American or maybe just because they have wonderful parents. Hugs, laughter, smiles. :)
When we came back we stopped to Starbucks for an hot chocolate, just to make this day a little more warm, and then home sweet home. We watched American Eagle, only girls, we had fun watching some crazy people :D.
At the end of my day I talked a lot with my hmom about everything and now I'm ready to go to sleep, hoping that i can sleep tonight :)

goodnight sweet-world

BCS

my lovely birthday

I actually miss my little blog...this is being MY LIFE, not my Exchange student life.
This is not one year of your life, this IS YOUR LIFE!
well...after Christmas i had my birthday, my 18 birthday, the most important in Italy, all people hope to do a huge party with so much people, but they probably don't really care about you. Well...i'm in the usa so i have not had the chance to do that. I was scary because i dreamed my 18 birthday all my life, now they are coming and... I'm here, i have a lot of friend, GOOD friend and so i made a bday, but just with the most important people. It was awesome, scavenger hunt around the city, so much fun. I'm glad and thankful to be here. I met so many pretty, friendly and sweet people, children, guys, and adult.
After the scavenger hunt we ate, and play games. I really felt happy, but not the happy like when you hangout to dance or to drink, ONLY HAPPY, REAL HAPPINESS.
Wonderful presents, with a meaning, something that i'll bring with me forever.

BCS

CHRISTMASS BREAK

my christmas break is started, precisely friday, after a week with only 3 days of school.
I went with my family to Tennessee, we meet Zetta's parents and other relatives. Zetta's mom is a great cook, we ate so much. Before the big dinner, on Saturday, we went shopping. I really love Sevierville's mall! It's huge and there are all my favourite shops. After shopping we are back home, waited for the relatives, opened the presents, ate...etc etc
I receive many gifts, I wasn't expecting to receive gifts from everyone :) :)
Sunday nigh we are back to Owensboro, 6 long hours in the car. I start to read english books: WOOOW ahahah
Actually i don't really wanna write in this moment because i'm tired and  i'm watching a movie.

anyways, dears readers my Christmas break is going great!
kisskiss

BCS

ready for another positive day

FANTASTIC, yesterday we had snowday so we skipped school, today Christmas party in advocate :).
And i really hope to have snow day on thursday and friday so we have a lot of time to study for final exam.
I'm so excited about christmas break and especially for the next semester. I can't wait to change schedule :D  change classes and the guys in my class, just because I wanna know some other people.

Today I won the "110% awards" in english class! :D
anything interesting in my latin class, we talk, watch a movie, I had fun time!  :)
art we continued our project, right now my penguin is with me because I have to finish it at home (penguin paper michè)! :) -.-'
spanish.. we are studying for the final exam...it will be hard! but I wanna have my A+ :D
we had advocate in last block for the Christmas party, we ate a cake, chick-fil-a and other fat and good stuff!

I'm ready for my Hbrother and Hsister's concert

kisskiss

BCS

my parallel universe

my new goal, I don't have to write in italian anymore. My english project is over so, now i can write whatever I want to and i don't care about my grammatical error.
I'm talking with some friends on FB, other exchange student.
WE are totally different from the other people. We want something that a lot of people are afraid to dream.
I just talking with Chiara, she send her curriculum to the King's University and some other uni in UK. She haven't the graduation but she is trying, :S:S I think that we, EXS are totally crazy. We dream we hope we imagine things that... are FUORI DAL COMUNE.
I talked with another EXS, he received a letter from Washington University! O.O AWESOME!
The other Chiara, my little Buddha, is the craziest girl ever. She is the leader.
We have energy to sell. We can be the saddest people in the world and 5 minutes later the happiest in the universe.
We are different, we are EXS!

love yall EXS!
XOXO

BCS