Italian Excursion Finalized

So it has taken me over a month (I personally blame it on my green-ness as a trip planner), but my 10 days in Italy are finally...well, final. I am very proud of the fact that I have successfully narrowed down my list of places to see in Italy from everything to a more manageable list, which is the following, in chronological order:

1. Venice
2. Florence
3. Rome
4. Pompeii
5. a surprise for Sam (:D)
6. Siena

Now that those 10 days are solid, I just have to worry about the other 18 days...

As my time at Emerson Climate Technologies winds down, I cannot believe I am so close to leaving this country behind for SIX months. In preparation, I find myself observing people and their general habits more closely, wondering which if any of them are uniquely American traits. Our obsession with reality shows and fast food, our love of shopping malls and hatred of aristocratic manners may all disappear in the presence of medieval castles and foreign languages. I look forward to the slow, leisurely European pace with greater opportunity to enjoy life and soak up the sights, but as an American who is obsessed with punctuality, I may also find the change difficult to handle or comprehend. Who knows? Only time in Italy will tell me if I will love gelato or can tolerate that stereotypical Italian male attitude; France, if I like wine rather than water with meals or can relate to and understand that devout French patriotism. As an avid people watcher, I plan on using those long meals and seemingly slower-moving clocks as an excuse to discover what is the same and what is surprisingly/delightfully different about the European philosophy toward everyday life.