WOW that is a lot of countries in 3 weeks! My Australia trip was only 18 days and, like you, it was my first trip without my family.

Sounds like such a fun trip! I've yet to go to a country where they don't speak English as a first language...someday though...my friend spent a semester in Italy back in the day so I figure maybe she will want to go back and we can butcher some Italian pronunciations together!