Taking A Step On My Soapbox

Sometimes, it's still hard to believe that I live in Italy. It's also hard for me to understand why some people complain about getting this as a duty station. Believe me,  I am the first to understand how difficult it is to be away from family. I come from a family who lives in the same town. I only have a couple of family members who took the big leap to leave the Fayetteville area. So, I do get it. But, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and its not forever. I was speaking to a friend of mine about this as we were driving to Nove. We were looking at all the houses with the mountains in the background and found ourselves saying, "how could anyone not appreciate living here." Not only are we given the opportunity to see the major sites, but we get see the little towns nearby as well that offer just as much. For example, Nove. It's known for making ceramics. The ceramics that are sold in the U.S. for much higher prices we are able to purchase here at low prices. Another thing we did is just found a random vineyard and purchased wine and olive oil. There's not many places in the states that just have vineyards out of the wazoo to choose from. There's nothing but vineyards here. It's all about making the best of a situation. I know thats what Im trying to do and so far it's worked pretty well. It doesn't mean that some days havent  been hard or lonely. But, there have been many more good days than bad. Im seeing places I never thought I'd see, interacting with people from other cultures, and meeting people who are becoming good friends. I'm thankful for this experience and thankful that Thomas and I have been able to begin our marriage with this. I wish more people would just learn to appreciate what's been handed to them. I firmly believe if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Make the most of what you're given. Okay, stepping off my soapbox. Ciao Bella!