Getting the Boot

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The exciting series for teens that explores life and love around the world.

Studying abroad isn’t at all like Kelly thought it would be. Instead of shopping for fine Italian leather and living in an apartment with a view of the Colosseum, she is stuck in a stuffy dorm room with three other girls, and is sharing one shower with the entire floor! This is not the bella Roma that she’d dreamed of. But there is one part of Italy that Kelly doesn’t mind—Joe, a really cute guy who’s in the study abroad program too. Joe’s into staying up late and partying hard, two things that Kelly used to love doing. Bad habits are hard to break, and she soon finds herself on thin ice with the program coordinators. If Kelly’s not careful, she might just get the boot…

Peggy Guthart Strauss never studied abroad, but every time she travels to Europe it is a valuable learning experience. When she isn’t writing, Peggy works as a graphic designer at the promotional advertising company she runs with her husband. They live in New York City with their rambunctious cairn terrier.When in Rome . . .

At home, Kelly had spent hours looking at Rome websites (or the cute Roman guys on them, anyway), and now, from the bus, she recognized the jagged ruins of the Colosseum, Rome’s ancient stadium. She hoped it would be as impressive in real life as it looked online.

The bus turned through a set of iron gates with a brass sign posted on them: PROGRAMMA INTERNAZIONALE DI ROMA. The building wasn’t enormous, but it was impressive: four stories high, in reddish stucco with lighter-colored details around the tall, arched windows framed with green shutters.

“It’s even prettier than the pictures in the brochure,” Kelly said. “Check out that terrace over there. That’ll be the perfect place for sunbathing and soaking up the scenery.”

“Or reading,” Sheela said.

Kelly sighed. “You can’t tell me we’ve just flown four thousand miles so you can stick your head in a book and ignore a view like this.”

“Okay, okay. For once, I’m totally with you,” Sheela answered. “This is absolutely beautiful.”

Spontaneously, the girls reached out and squeezed each other’s hands. They had arrived.

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