From beginning to end, it was unforgettable and I was so happy I’d decided to just go with the flow.

I remember the feeling in my stomach, in my legs, and in my lips where a smile had lingered since I got off the train.

Have you ever spent every waking moment thinking about something? To the extent that it became an obsession?

The instant I made eye contact with the mysterious Italian guy, I felt like a new version of myself.

I brushed off their comments and good-natured teasing. I wasn't there to snag a guy. However, I can't lie and say that a small measure of excitement hadn't stirred in me.

They invited me to visit and that is how, three or four days after I arrived in Italy, I met the Italian/American family who was to change the course of my life forever.

You see, I hadn't had the perspective of having a choice until then. I was on the brink of marriage at eighteen and had not given any thought to other possibilities for my life.