Happy Holidays!

Well the Christmas presents have been opened and now it is relaxing time. I got a lot of stuff for Italy from my parents and grandparents. Lets see, I got 3 Italian translation/dictionary books, a suitcase, a hat and jacket, walking shoes that are travel size, a travel mug, and the book "Eat, Pray, Love." I gotta get crackin' on learning key Italian phrases. I got a nice travel size book that has important phrases regarding travel, food, emergencies and being polite.
I hope everyone's holidays are going well and that everyone is in good health and in good company!
Remember: "Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away."

Hello stranger

I promise I have not forgotten about you.
Here is what happened:
Finals week + Many papers to write + My computer's hard drive crashing = Stress attack
Yeah, it was the hardest finals week ever. My computer decided to die last week of all weeks so I spent every second in the library cranking out papers.
But finals are over now and I home :)
I hope to get substitute teaching soon and picking up random jobs from neighbors as well. I have a little over a month to make it to the $2,500.
My mom and I will also be looking for direct flights to Italy...the less I have to navigate an airport the better haha!
I hope everyone is doing well.
Here is a question for you...what important words and phrases should I learn for Italy?

News!

Our group has been confirmed to go to Italy!!
We placed our deposit of $500 down. Another deposit of $2,500 is due by January 31st! Ahhhh And then on March 31st $2,600 is due. Wow. So much to get done. I also have to book my flight now. I have two friends who are also going so I am going to see if I can fly with either (or both) of them.
I am hoping to make the $2,500. I will have to do a lot of work over Christmas break to make it but I will do everything I can!

And the winner is.....

Randy R. from Waverly, NY!!
Randy R. has won the quilt raffle and will be receiving the quilt this coming week. Congratulations!
Thank you very much to everyone who participated in the raffle.
Keep coming back and I will hopefully have another raffle or event where you could win!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Well, since I have my paperwork in it's going to be slow going. I won't have many updates until we have a meeting on the trip. The professor in charge said we will have a meeting once we have enough students attending and once that happens we can order our plane tickets.
The slow going is probably a blessing since finals week here at school is around the corner and course work is picking up.
Once I get my last two paychecks of the semester and count any last minute ticket or fudge sales, I will let everyone know how far I am with raising money.
Don't forget, there are only 3 more days until the quilt raffle ends!
A huge thank you to everyone who has purchased a ticket or fudge. Another huge thank you to my friends and relatives who helped me sell raffle tickets. And yet another thank you to everyone who is following my blog and believing in me.
Well, we had our first snow fall here at school so I am off to dinner and then having a snow-ball fight with friends and will probably make a snowman or two :) I love the snow!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!! I certainly did. I had a great time with my family talking and laughing.
After posting this I will be updating my money tree at the bottom of the page. Between saving all of my paychecks from work and sales from the quilt raffle and fudge sales, so far I have made $555.
There is only ONE WEEK left for both, so make sure you get your share!
Thank you again!

The point of no return

Well, there is no turning back now. I handed in my $500 along with my papers today. The classes I signed up for are (drum roll please): The "Grand Tour and the Romantic Myth of Italy" and "Modern Italy: History, the Culture of Food, and La Dolce Vita."
This is unreal. I don't think it has sunk in yet that I am actually going to Italy...

"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal." - Pamela Vaull Starr

I applied for my passport today and it should be here "in 4 to 6 weeks."
Tomorrow I am meeting with the professor in charge of the trip to hand in my papers and money. This will secure me a spot on the trip. I am also going to talk to him about classes. I am leaning toward The Grand Tour and Modern Italy. I think Modern Italy is a definite. So now I am deciding between The Grand Tour or Survey of Italian Renaissance Art. I know, I know, I added another class...but there are so many and they all sound so interesting! With the Italian Art class, I have a feeling there will be a lot of trips to museums and galleries. I am going to talk to the professor and see what classes have more trips. These classes will have a larger course fee but will be more interesting and I can dive deeper into the culture.
I will let you know what I decide!
I hope everyone is doing well and thank you to those who stop in often! I can't wait to go and get pictures up for everyone to see!
Oh, and don't forget the Fudge and Quilt sales end the first weekend in December! Don't miss out!

"You may have the universe, if I may have Italy" - Giuseppe Verdi

Well, I just got a parent's signature for my paperwork, I have the $500, I have the insurance information figured out, and the only thing I need to do before handing the paperwork in is figure out what classes I should take. Here are my choices:
-Survey of Italian Renaissance Art
-Pastel Drawing in Perugia
-Photography I
-Fresco Painting
-The Grand Tour of Italy and the Romantic Myth of Italy
-Passion, Power & Creative Process: Unmasking Dance in the Italian
Renaissance
-Ballet I
-Modern Italy: History, the Culture of Food, and La Dolce Vita
-Creative Non- Fiction: Italy of Imagination
-The Roman Empire
-Elementary Italian

I am leaning towards Photography and Modern Italy. But I also think the Grand Tour sounds interesting.
What do you think?

And in other news....

This has nothing to do with Italy but I am very excited about it:
Today I am celebrating my anniversary with my boyfriend! We have been dating for a year. He asked me out on 11/11 at 11:11 one year ago tonight. (for those of you who don't know, 11:11 is the time you make a wish)
I love him very much and he is being so supportive of me going to Italy.
Have a great night everyone!

"Success is determined by how determined you are to succeed." - Unknown

Just a quick update:
So I have reached $100 in quilt raffle sales! Thank you to everyone who has gotten a ticket or three. The raffle ends in a couple weeks so if you would like to participate, do so soon.
I now have the fudge sales sheet. With the help of my RA, I sent out an email to my floor in my dorm letting everyone know that I had fudge and tickets for sale.
I have all my forms filled out and I now have the $500 for the deposit. The only thing I need is a signature from a parent. Luckily, I will be going home next weekend, so I can get it signed and have my spot secured before Christmas break.
Leave any questions or comments you have!

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. - Japanese Proverb

Hello everyone!
As you can see, my money tree at the bottom of my page has moved from $900 to $1,010! We have sold about $60 in raffle tickets for the beautiful quilt and I have gotten about $50 from people clicking through to Amazon via my page. Thank you to everyone who has helped me earn this money!
I will be putting my deposit down soon; once I get the $500 transferred out of the bank things will be in motion.
Don't forget that you can order fudge through my Mom's PayPal at the side of the page. You can also order it from me, if you are here on campus or from my Mom if you are back home. I will be selling for the Christmas Season and hopefully again for Easter. Thanks again to Sweet Dreams Bakery and Fudge Shop for all their help! Be sure to check out their website, 'like' them on Facebook and even stop in for some yummy treats!
Also, make sure you get your raffle tickets for the quilt. The raffle ends in the beginning of December! It's a great chance to get a beautiful, hand-made, king sized quilt that would normally go for $1000 for only $10!
I should be getting my first paycheck soon. There were problems with my paper work but they are straightened out now. I actually have to go to work soon.
I hope that everyone is doing well and that your weeks go smoothly. The snow will be coming soon around here, which I am looking forward to.
Leave some comments! I love reading your feedback!!

Good Morning!

I promise I have not forgotten about you! It looks like my blog is working again so I will repost hopefully today. I have to run to class now, but I will try to get my update in between classes. Thanks for staying with me!
Peace and love,
Sarah

Can you read me now?

Hi all,
For some reason, I am not able to post. An "error" keeps occuring. Comment and let me know if you can read this post and then I will rewrite my last blog.
Thanks,
Sarah

Update from the library

So I am taking a break from my studies to blog :)
I wanted to thank a couple of people who are helping a lot.  Thank you to Denise S. for making and donating the wonderful quilt.  It is beautiful and king sized!  I will be selling tickets to win the quilt $5 a piece or 3 for $10.  Pictures of the quilt will be up soon.
Also, thank you to Sweet Dreams Bakery and Fudge Shop.  They are letting me sell their fudge and I will be getting 30% of the profits.  I will hopefully be selling some for Christmas and some for Easter.  There is a link to their page below.
A HUGE thank you to all my family and friends who are so supportive and helpful.  You guys are making my dreams come true.
And finally, thank you to all those who have stopped by my blog, whether you wrote something or not.  Your interest in my journey means a lot to me.
Thank you for using my links below!
Have a great Sunday everyone! I am going back to homework.


***OH one more thing!  If you wish to purchase fudge from me I am selling 4 flavors in 1/2 lb boxes for $6.00. You can use the PayPal button on the right to order. If you would like to buy raffle ticket for the quilt please use the button on the right as well...but PLEASE remember to put your first name and phone number(or email) in the text box so I can contact you if you win! Thanks again for all of the support!

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping” - Chinese Proverb

Sorry for not posting anything in awhile!
School has gotten so busy and I have barely had time to breathe. 
I started my job last week. I work as a housekeeper and I clean floors/desks/chalkboards etc.  It is my hope that I can stay at the 9 hours a week I promised my boss, along with classes, homework and 5+ hours of tutoring I have to do. I believe I make 7.25 an hour so I will make about $65. Since I am an education major, I need money for projects and lessons so I plan on taking $15 out for expenses and putting the remaining $50 in Italy savings.
 There was a comment that I should make a lottery wreath; that's a great idea, thanks!  I am working on writing up a letter that I will send to family, friends and local businesses offering my labor for any odd jobs that they need done. I am thinking: bake sale, pet sitting, babysitting, housecleaning, present wrapping, shoveling sidewalks, tutoring, chauffeur (especially for those who are younger and can't drive but wish to go to a movie, etc). Any other ideas are welcome!
I will try to keep updating as much as possible. I am still not used to having a blog...this is my first one.
My professors and clubs hit me with a lot of extra work for the next two weeks so I will be busy but I will try to get on and check comments as much as possible.
Also, I really want to thank everyone who is following my journey and helping me out with ideas and donations. It means a lot to me that so many people, both people I know and some I never met, have taken an interest in my dream.
Oh, and please don't forget to use my link to click through for all your amazon needs!
Well, I am off to read Shakespeare until I fall asleep.  Goodnight all!

Answers

Thank you for all the feedback!!  Okay, I will answer some of the questions I got in the last post.  Yes, I am an education major. I am getting Triple certified, for those of you who don't know what that means, it means that I will be certified in Early Childhood, Elementary Education and Special Education with a concentration in English.  In other words, I will be able to educate children from birth to 6th grade, both special and regular ed.  I honestly became Triple Cert to be more marketable when I leave college. I knew it would be a lot more work but I was willing to do that if that meant finding a job would be easier after college.  It never occurred to be that I would love Early Childhood. Yes, I have always loved younger children too but being a part of a preschool never caught my attention. However, after taking an early childhood class and observing in a preschool, I fell in love with it!  They are so full of energy!  I honestly can't wait to be a teacher, even if it scares me too.  I have always admired the way children view the world and how they actually enjoy learning and expressing themselves, which I believe many people lose with age. And yes, I have taken Praxis1.  For those of you who aren't up on teacher lingo, that is the test to be a teacher in most states in the country. I passed all the sections except for math...which I missed by ONE POINT.  So I am going to take that part again. I still have to take L.A.S.T which is the test to be a teacher in New York. Since I am not sure where I will be living, I want to cover all my bases. 
Also, thank you for the idea to sell some stuff on Craigslist!  I am thinking of selling my old prom and homecoming dresses from High School and any other random items I can find.
I will update everyone on Italy related information once I learn more! 
And again, thanks for the feedback!
Well, I am off to bed soon. I have an early class in which I am learning how to use technology in classrooms as part of lessons.
Goodnight everyone!

Money Money Money

Well I am back at school and had a great midterm break.  I have to apply for a passport soon and I guess that is a little over $100.  This weekend I plan on filling out my paperwork and seeing what is what. There is a $500 non-refundable deposit I have to put down soon to save a spot for me on the trip.  I just want to be sure that this is all possible and that I will be able to go before putting this money down. There are "check points" in which I have to make payments.  I think I am going to put down the money and find a way to make it all work even if I have to take up more jobs :) The thought of Italy is making me so excited. The opportunity to experience a new world and learn so much about another culture is more than I ever thought I could do at my age...or ever for that matter.  Keep checking back and asking questions!

Say HI!

Hey please leave a comment and let me know you are out there and any ideas you might want to share!

Baby Steps

So, after I went to the informational meeting at school to find out all about this amazing opportunity I knew that I was in trouble! That was a lot of money to come up with and a short time to come up with it. Mom and Dad would help I knew, but we are not rich and they are putting two kids through college with two more at home. So I knew that I would have to work my fingers to the bone and think outside the box. I applied for and was accepted to be added to the Substitute teacher list at my school at home, which is great but only during winterbreak when I am actually home. I also got an on campus job that is flexible enough to work around my classes, mandatory tutoring, student teaching, ect...so that too will help. I am planning to offer my services to neighbors and friends and family when I am home in a variety of odd jobs and chores. Mom suggested we do a bake sale, a neighbor offered to sew a quilt that I could then I raffle off. I added associate boxes for Amazon and Endless to this blog so please, if you shop at these website, click-through the links on this site so I can get a tiny percentage. I will keep updating as I come up with and try new ways to get to Italy!

And so it begins...

As some of you may know, I am attempting to go to Italy this summer as a part of my University's summer study abroad program.  I have been saving my pennies and gotten an on campus job to help me make this a reality. I still have a long way to go however and I decided to document my struggles. I am doing odd jobs, and working on ways to make some extra money during my school breaks. I would love to hear any ideas you may have to help me reach my goal. I come from a very small rural town and never really considered going overseas but I am a Junior this year and I am facing the "real world" all too soon. So, I have decided to sieze every and all opportunities that I can. I go to a Catholic Franciscan University and to see Assisi in person, and to study there, is a wonderful opportunity that I would hate to miss. I will be taking 6 credits and I may have some opportunities to participate in the Italian school system (as I am an Elementary/Special Education Major) 
This is a five and a half-week program (the last week in May through June) that offers six credit hours from among a large selection of courses in the following areas: business, education, Italian language, fine arts, humanities, and social sciences.
I look so forward to achieving this goal! Thank you for your interest, advice and support.