My First Day

I'm at UWCAd!
I got here yesterday, and was overwhelmed by introductions. I can't count how many times I said, "hi, I'm Anika from America" and got a name in response (which I promptly forgot) I seem to remember countries better: I've talked with Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Palestinian, Venezualen, Canadian, Sri Lanken, and, of course, Italian students, but I can't remember their names at all.
I got to the train station at 5:00 ish, and saw a group of teenagers with big bags. I introduced myself, and got a list of names and countries back: Finland, Italy, Singapore, and Vietnam. Then we got on the bus and came to the school. When we got off, I was surrounded by people shaking hands everywhere I turned. I would introduce, shake hands, and turn away, not remembering a thing about the person because I was meeting someone else. One introduction stood out though: One of the second years shook my hand and said, "hello, I'm __, from Iraq." I introduced myself normally, but thoughts and emotions were flying. "so here I am, meeting a guy from the country my country just decimated. wow. maybe I should say 'Anika from Vermont' I don't want to be known as an american. Does he hate me? I hope not. I want to disappear..." I felt awkward and guilty and excited - I wanted to be able to talk to him and learn what his life is like. (still do: I haven't been able to find him again)
My roommates are Italian (second year) Polish (arriving today) and Palestinian. She was supposed to arrive at midnight last night, so I stayed up to welcome her, but I went to bed at 1:00, and she never came. Now they say she had visa trouble and can't come until the middle of the month. oh well. Julia, the Italian, is very nice. she's shown me around Foresteria (our dorm) and talked to me about school and life and given me advice. Most of the second years' advice consists of this: life is good for you now. you have no work, no worries. enjoy it while it lasts. in a couple months, you will go crazy.
So here I am, enjoying it. There's a lot to enjoy. The view from my window is exquisite; we look out onto the ocean and on one side are cliffs and the lights of Trieste, and on the other side is the Duino Castle. There's a beautiful mountain behind us, and the houses are so picturesque - yellow walls and red tiles. There's a trail up over the cliffs beginning right at my doorstep, and it has great views. I want to hike the entire way, but I haven't gotten to that yet. The people are wonderful, all as excited as I am, and really fun to talk to. Last night, the Italian who picked me up (Sergo, I think.) took me and a group of other people down to the "Porto" the port, and we sat on the rocks, looking at the stars and the sea and the lights across the water (it reminded me of New York, and I had to keep reminding me that this was a sea, not a lake that I was looking out onto) and talking. It was beautiful, wonderful, relaxing.
And, of course, I sent my mother off this morning. It wouldn't be right not to mention it - it was important; now I'm all alone. But I don't want to think about it. There's so much else to do, I don't want to be caught up in homesickness the second day.
And now: off to meet more people!!