First Impressions

So this is the view from our hotel roof. Enough said.

When we first arrived in Taormina, I was very nervous. I didn't know how much I would like the group of people with us; I didn't know if our classes would be difficult; I didn't know if the people in Sicily were different from the people in Rome.

Our Elon group consisted of 15 very, VERY, very different people. We had athletes, sorority sisters, music theater majors, frat boys, Elon grads...you name it. The group was diverse! The first night at dinner, I didn't even know what to say to everyone. How do you start conversations with people you have never met, but you are thrown into a foreign country with them? Luckily, everyone was absolutely INCREDIBLE, which makes me love Elon even more. We all had different points of view, but we were open with each other and made each other feel comfortable right away. We even played ice breaker games at my table (so fellows-ish!).

Even at these first moments, I saw my "everyone is going to be friends- I will make sure of it" side coming out. By the end of the first night, I had a new nickname, which stuck till the end of the trip (and is still my nickname today)-- "Mama Tooch." I think everyone saw me as trying to take care of the group, which I was trying to do! I took it (and still do) as a compliment-- I organized, planned, made peace.......I really was the Mama.