Hi Kathleen. 
 I am very new here myself with no experience at this at all, and have never flown out of the country. 
I have booked Tuscany for the 18th Oct., and having read the posts here, I am confident that I will be travelling and meeting with like minded  people. 
I wish you all the best in taking that first step, my thoughts are, that life is too short  to not do it. 
Freddie