The start of something big

 


Hello everyone! I'm Noor, and in this blog, I will be sharing my remarkable experiences in the enchanting town of Modica, situated on the picturesque island of Sicily in Italy. I made the daring decision to push my boundaries and embark on an adventure filled with surprises and intriguing challenges. I must confess, I had my doubts about whether this was a wise idea, wondering if I would regret it. However, I can honestly say that not for a single moment since my arrival here have I regretted this decision. Of course, I've had my fair share of ups and downs; after all, it's only natural when you find yourself in an entirely new world, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and missing your loved ones. Yet, there’s a person I’ve met who came up with these beautiful words that describe exactly how it is: "Arriving in a new country, losing all certainties – linguistic, emotional, cultural – is a bit like 'shipwrecking’, but sometimes being shipwrecked in the beauty of new knowledge is SWEET…" . I see this journey as an opportunity for personal growth, a unique educational experience, and an avenue to become more open-minded. I am deeply grateful for this chance, and I intend to enjoy every single moment of my time here.

On September 8th, I got the chance to say goodbye to my loved ones and embarked on a journey to Rome, accompanied by seven other friends from Belgium, each of us ready to begin a new chapter. In Rome, 400 individuals from around the globe gathered at a hotel to spend the night before our paths diverged. During that camp, I’ve met lots and lots of interesting and lovely people, all brimming with excitement (and perhaps a touch of nervousness) about reuniting with their host families the next day.

September 9th finally arrived, bringing with it the much-anticipated moment when I would meet my host family and begin my life for the upcoming months. I caught a flight to Catania, a town in Sicily, where my host sister Martina and her friend Sara warmly welcomed me before driving us to Modica. Martina is one year older than me, I’m extremely grateful for her, not only for her warm welcome but also because she helped me enormously in finding my own way here. So I just want to say, Grazie mille Martina!

In the 2 weeks that I’ve been here I’ve done a lot! I met tons of new people, got to explore the city, went to parties, experienced my first day of school here, got to learn the language (well, a little bit), got to know the culture ( things about food, art, traditions),…..To be honest, the initial 2 weeks were  exhausting as adapting to all these changes. Nevertheless, with each passing day, I find myself becoming more at ease, and the journey grows more rewarding.

This serves as a brief overview of my first two weeks in Sicily. I encourage you to stay tuned because I am going to share countless more insights into Sicilian life. From fascinating cultural facts to delicious food discoveries and glimpses into the local lifestyle, there's so much more to come. Until then!

 Baci (kisses), Noor x

 

 

 

 








Locatie: 97015 Modica, Ragusa, Italië

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