I am leaving in ten days for Florence, Italy.

I'm working on getting myself ready to go, and I'm going slowly insane. I'm sure I'm stressing more than is necessary... but I'm stressing nonetheless. I started packing a little bit earlier today - hence the blog title "Two Suitcases and a Purse." It's a name born of pure panic.

Two and a half months really isn't that long of a time, but I'm freaking out about what I need to take with me and whether or not it's going to fit into the two suitcases and the purse I am alloted on my flight. Enough clothes to last at least seven days, but does that mean I pack like seven outfits and just rotate those, or is that weird? And I can only fit so much in one suitcase (keep in mind that there's a lot more than just clothes that I need to bring), which has a 50 pound weight limit. Then I get a 17 pound carry on and a purse. I know a million other people do this all the time and I am making a big deal about nothing, but these are the only thoughts that populate my mind these days.

Oh, then there's what I'm going to do when I actually arrive in Florence. My flight gets in at 9:15AM Sunday, I'm not supposed to be at the Academy until 5:00PM, and the school isn't even open since it's Sunday morning. So I have to figure out what to do for the day in this foreign city with all my luggage. And I don't speak the language. And I don't have any money.

Am I going to have to buy things like forks and plates and cups?? I've never personally seen a school apartment/dorm that has a stocked kitchen, but I'm going to be there for a minute and there's no way I can eat out every day...

There are literally a hundreds of thoughts like this in my head at all times of day no matter what I am doing. Every time I see an airplane I go into deep thought. I have no idea what the next two months of my life is going to bring and I am so, so scared, but incredibly excited too. I'm hoping these next ten days of constant panic and stress will be the worst of it.

Wish me luck!