It's about 1:30 in the afternoon and everyone's anxious to get going. With much anticipation we wait for the limousine to pick us up and take us to the airport. I could only imagine what it would be like the rest of the trip. The HarlemLive staff, and their proud parents are waiting to say their always tearful good byes.

We start out with a prayer led by Jianna Caine's mother wishing all of us traveling to Rome on this day a safe trip. I felt like we were huddled up for a pre- game pep talk. We were all psyched about going and now it's actually happening.

"Dreams coming true."

We said our good-byes to our family and friends. We must have exchanged a thousand kisses that Friday afternoon on Fifth Avenue. We were all overly excited about getting into the limousine. It being the first time for some of us being in a limo and all. But the funny truth was that we weren't going to get to enjoy the luxury of the spacious limo because some of us did not pack as lightly as we should have.

Some of our luggage accompanied us into the limousines, heck most of it was on top of us. But we made the best of a not so good situation. When we arrived at the airport we were asked by many. "Where are you guys going?"

"To Rome," we shouted.

There were many surprised looks when we gave that answer. "You guys are going to Rome? That's great. Why are you going?" some asked. Then we give them the speech that we have given to a million people. "Well were going to Rome to present our web site and compete for an award at the Global Junior Challenge . . . blah blah blah"

While on line to board our plane this one guy asked, "Hey you guys going to Rome to play basketball?"No, we are going to compete in an international technology contest. The words seem to come out automatically, as if they were programmed into each one of our heads.

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