The trendy clothing store's label seems lost in the hustle and bustle of the piazza. Between the large white letters screaming Fotografo and a brownish awning, the small black and red letters of Jack & Jack still manage to catch my eye every time. The display cases on either side of the entranceway transport me to Todd's clothing store in Brooklyn where I once shopped with my mom. That same feeling of excitement builds inside of me as I approach the doors.

I touch the brass handles and I remember-- this is not Brooklyn. This is Cagli, Italy. A small town in the Marche region of Italy sunken between three mountains and two rivers. It is very, very different from Brooklyn. My heart races. I am about to open the door to a foreign language and culture. How will I be able to communicate with the person on the other side of these glass panes?

The brass handles are warm from the heat of the sun. The door creaks slightly as I pull on the handle. It is too late. The Italian phrases I knew so well now jumbled in my mind. After a nervous smile and a mumbled "Ciao," I go with my natural American instincts to browse through the clothing, desperately trying to make this a simple process.

My fear vanishes as quickly as it arose. With a smile, "Buon pomereggio," and an offer to help from the young woman working at Jack & Jack, my heartbeat begins to return to normal.

Shuffling along New Cagli's sidewalk (or what I would normally call a gravel path) all I can think is why am I wearing these shoes? Flip flop. Flip flop. Dirty, tired feet slapping the pavement. Flip flop. Flip flop. I haven't been back to my apartment at all and it is now 7:40 p.m. My only goal is to get to the cell phone store before it closes. Flip flop. Finally. Torpedo Blu. 7:43. Just in time. The panes of the open door reflect the sunlight into my eyes. I dodge the traffic seeking the entrance. The sun hides behind the building and my vision is restored. There, in front of me, is the open door.

"Buona sera signore. Ho bisogno una carta di telefono cellulare."This simple phrase sparks an entire five minute conversation in Italian. I purchase my "TIM" card for 30 Euro and leave the store with a "Ciao" and a smile that could illuminate a room. Mission accomplished.

Flip flop. Flip flop. The walk back down Via Mameli is invigorating. The mountain air fills my lungs. There's a reflection of the sunset in a car window. Flip flop. Flip flop. I am in Cagli, Italy, yet I feel more at home each day.

Now, crossing the bridge between Old Cagli and New Cagli, my mind drifts. The brass handles of Jack & Jack presented a barrier like no other I had ever encountered. Just a few short days later, Cagli has opened its doors to me and I am prepared to enter without hesitation.