Traveling in the military has taken me many places. However growing up through my adolescence, I never thought it would lead me to a serene place called Aviano, Italy. I arrived one cold winter day to where the clouds were gray and the land was dark. Stepping off the plane left a chill running down my spine. Overlooking the iced topped mountains, I was left me pondering will this assignment give me happiness during my two years here or will I leave here unfilled? Living in a foreign country allowed me to experience many different cultures, foods, entertainments and life itself.
             As I entered a new world, my heart was beating a mile a minute. The air was extremely cold, and as I exhaled the warm air from my mouth, it blurred my vision. Learning a new language surrounded me with many barriers. While driving down the street one day, searching for an apartment, the scenery left me in complete awe. Even with the depressing weather the grace of Italia overwhelmed me. Their small quaint houses with tiled roofing and potted flowers made me feel warm like the sun shining on me face during a hot summer day at the beach, and their ambience left me feeling welcomed. The little old ladies, with wrinkled faces and long flowered dresses, walking down the street on an afternoon stroll would wave with grace even though they did not know me. It reminded me of that good old southern hospitality that I once knew as a child. As I found a place to live, the surrounding environment and neighbors grew as one, and it felt like we were all family. Gazing out the window, I found that as time passed, there were no more iced roads and snow-topped roofs. The winter wonderland was soon to be non-existent. When spring and summer arrived, children played in the narrow streets without a care in the world. Mothers, fathers, and grandparents would sit on their porches sipping wine as they watched their children play.
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