Italy Here I Come

One week from now I will be flying somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean on my way to Italy, and whatever the next six weeks holds. Any time someone hears that I am leaving the country for a few months, the same questions are asked. So here goes:

The Top Five Questions About My Trip to Italy

1. Why are you going?
Why not. I always say I love to travel, but when I am asked where I have been, all I can do is stare blankly at the wall.

2. Where are you going?
I'm heading to Italy where I will be renting an apartment in Lucca, Tuscany. From there I will be making some shorter trips to Venice and Rome, with day trips to Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Umbria, Cortona... Basically where ever strikes my fancy that day.

3. Why Italy?
I don't know. Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to go to Paris. But for some reason this past year, I started dreaming about Italy. So when the opportunity to take some time off work and travel came up, Italy was where I longed to go.

4. Do you know anyone there?
No, but with a population of nearly 60 million, I'm sure I'll meet someone.

and the final question...

5. Do you speak Italian?
No... hey wait, wasn't that Italian? Actually I have been working on Rosetta Stone and I know a few phrases such as...
Io non parlo italiano... I don't speak Italian
Non capisco... I don't understand
Quanto costa?... How much is it? (shopping is universally understood)
Dov'e una toilette?... Where is the bathroom?
Questo treno va a Miami?... Does this train go to Miami? (wait... that's not really helpful)
Vorrei zuppe... I would like soup (I just love that word, zuppe)
Oh well... I hear that immersion is the best way to learn a new language anyway.

If you have any other burning questions that haven't been answered here, just leave a comment and let me know.