Seven weeks down, 20 new best friends, countless trips to get gelato, and way too many close calls on Ryanair flights. Without trying to sound too dramatic, WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE? It seems like it was just yesterday that we were dragging our luggage through the pouring rain, running into what would be our new home for the next three months.
One of the first things we did when we got here was read the letters that the previous Joseph S. Bruno students had written us. They were titled, ‘to the Chigi babies’. We were the new ‘Chigi babies’ in town. It all felt so new, so unfamiliar, yet so exciting. The letters were mostly filled with advice on where to eat or how to stay sane in a house full of 18 girls (plus Christopher and Dalton, I haven’t forgotten about y’all!). One thing that stuck with me as we read the letters was the fact that almost every one reminded us to stay present because time was about to fly by, and boy were they right!
As most of us did, I signed up for the JSB program well in advance (which I highly recommend if you prefer a certain semester). Hearing nothing but amazing things from previous students, I knew this trip was for me. However, the one thing holding me back was the fact that I didn’t know one soul going. You can imagine my anxiety when I arrived to the airport, questioning if I had made the right decision. I soon came to find out that this group couldn’t have been better. Never in my life have I fallen more in love with a group of people faster than I did with this crew. Looking back now, I couldn’t imagine life without these amazing, energetic, and crazy group of Chigi babies. I can already tell they will be lifelong friends no doubt.
“The days are long but the weekends fly by”. This was the reoccurring theme for most of the letters, and they were right. The days might be long, but they are far from boring! For example, you simply cannot beat cooking class with Mary Lou. Mary Lou is the cutest 72-year-old lady you’ve ever met, but don’t be fooled by her age, she’s sharp as a tack! I like to stay close to Mary Lou in cooking class because she is so full of wisdom and advice.
And let’s not forget about wine class! Maurizio, who is Mary Lou’s son, teaches us the correct ways to evaluate wine. He knows so much, but it doesn’t stop at wine! Maurizio is one of our many fantastic instructors, and he also doubles as a tour guide!
I could go on and on about the people behind this program who make it so amazing, as well as the group that I am with. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by so many incredible people. I think I can speak for all of us Chigi babies when I say that we have grown so much in these last seven weeks, and wouldn’t trade it for the world.  It has been an experience of a lifetime, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of my time here will hold!
Ciao for now Bellas!
-Kerry Davis

Sarah and I making pasta in Mary Lou’s cooking class!