I'll be home for Christmas...

 ...if only in my dreams. This might be the hardest thing I've ever done, being away from my home and family during Christmas. I was warned. Everyone said it's the most difficult part of exchange, and they were right. But you don't understand how much Christmas at home really means to you until you are spending it away from family, in a place without snow, and different traditions. Don't get me wrong, I'm really excited to have Christmas with my host family and friends here. Also I'm completely thrilled to have a vacation almost twice as long as I do in Minnesota. But not matter what, it's just not the same without family. So if you are home for Christmas, appreciate it. If you aren't home, I feel you.

It is really weird to be here with such a difference weather. In Minnesota it is -20 with lots of snow. In December this is what I'm used to. Lots of cold, snow, and ice. But here in Cagliari it's the opposite. Really, it feels like spring to me. It isn't normal to be able to get hot in December! Today walking in to school the grass was being mowed. This is a summer thing in Minnesota and seemed so wrong. The weirdest thing is that this year is colder than usual for here. I can't even imagine a normal winter when it's even warmer. I used to wish for snow because I miss it but now I have no expectations. I will absolutely die of heat in summer if I'm warm now in December.

So just some things I've done lately... I've finally started getting letters sent to everyone. I love writing and getting letters but it's 2 euros for each letter so as a poor exchange student I can't afford to send a lot. I sent a package of Christmas presents to my family and now just hoping it arrives in time and intact. I also received a package a Christmas presents that I was really excited about. I found an English section of a bookstore and bought a book I'm really excited to read. I've sprinted to multiple buses, making it to some and missing some. Mariana and I have watched 9 episodes of American Horror Story and now we are waiting in agony for the next episode in January. We did some baking. And that's pretty much it.

Ciao lovies.

(Update: If you didn't figure it out, this was written before Christmas and I just now got to uploading it so I'm so sorry about that. It happens when you hardly can get your computer connected to the internet. Christmas was great and it was really interesting to see all of the differences and similarities between my normal Christmas and my Christmas here. Also Mariana and I finished American Horror Story, season 2 and 3. In case you cared.)