Chloe ORD → JFK → MXP
Ciao! I have officially been in Italy for five days and am already thinking of ways I can come back and live here longer. The day before I left, everything I hadn’t been freaking out about finally caught up to me. I was running through my last-minute packing list while wondering, “Am I really ready for this?”
At the JFK airport, a wave of emotion hit me—it felt like the last time I’d see America for the next three months. That thought freaked me out, but it also filled me with excitement.
Luckily, fate had other plans for me. On the plane from New York to Milan, I found my seat next to a woman named Pamala. She was from Alba, a town not far from Torino, but had her own story of leaving home. She had moved to Switzerland at 22, right after finishing college in Pittsburg, where she studied to become a dental hygienist.
Pamala and I clicked instantly. For the next several hours, we talked about everything—her life in Europe, my reasons for coming to Italy, and even heavier topics like family, divorce, and love. It felt like I had known her forever.
I confided in Pamala about my nerves. What if my host family was crazy? What if I didn’t fit in? She reassured me that everything would work out—and jokingly said that if it didn’t, she’d come rescue me. Pamala had this calming energy that made me feel like I could leave my fears somewhere over the Atlantic as we flew across it.
When we landed in Milan, Pamala didn’t just wish me luck; she walked me through customs, helped me grab my luggage, and made sure I felt supported every step of the way. She gave me a hug, the classic Italian “kiss kiss” on the cheeks, and told me to stay in touch.
Pamala wasn’t just the first person I met in Europe—she was the first person who made me feel at home here.
