In conclusion, if you are a regular reader of my blog, you know I was somewhat reluctant to return. I was not reluctant because I dreaded Italy, or because the first experience was horrible. Quite the contrary. I was reluctant because that first experience had been so great.

Thanks to the encouragement of my lovely wife Amy, I did return. And it worked out wonderfully. Working with Danilo Mori is always a pleasure. And this time I got to work with Mike Cinson, a relentlessly positive person. But most especially the credit goes to the students. They can make or break the experience. My students in 2010 were "da best". And somehow this trip I was blessed with students cut from the same cloth: enthusiastic, positive, caring, and really interested in what we were trying to accomplish here. Thank you

Katie Bell
Emily Cramer
Emily Craver
Gabby DiTullio
Katie Dodds
Sydney Durham
David Honeck
Aimee Jones
Danielle Morgan
Katie Moore
Amy Roberts
Henna Patel
Ciarra Ramsey
Rachel Schneider
Brandon Shannon
Aubree Simon

And a special thank you to my wife for letting me do this again. For encouraging and supporting me to do this again. For taking care of all the little problems at home in my absence. From mowing the grass and raking leaves, to taking the car into the shop, to picking up Alex at Butler, and for arranging everything in my absence so all I had to do was focus on the task here in Italy.

I am the luckiest man in "da" world!