Conversations...

Man! Talk about wanting to learn something each day! I just had a conversation with the girl sitting next to me on the plane - definitely not a chance meeting - she's a nurse too!


Here are some great quotes I found in random literature on the flight:


"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" - Helen Keller


"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones that you did do...explore, dream, discover." - Mark Twain


Later as I tried to sleep for an hour or so...


Man! What a way to wake up! I hate sleeping on the plane because it's so ridiculously awkward but I woke up to the simple fact that the midnight blue that had dominated my window for the past six hours had transformed - there was color in the sky! I assumed the sun had already risen so I looked away for a second - a mere second - then turned back to face a miracle. There -- along that far horizon, a ball of hot orange light popped up as if it had been holding its breath beneath the expanse of the Atlantic.That tiny bob shattered the never-ending blue of night and turned the entire sky into God's stained glass window. Out along the line of the sea was now an inky maroon that gave way to the intense red of a blood orange that shot its tendrils across the sky. Then, ever softly, the red bled into strokes of bright tangerine that just by looking at it made me smell the crispness of an orange being shared or the honey sweetness of a mango on my tongue. This gave way to the happy yellow of day so bright and beautiful that it chased away the navy of night like a child slowly stirring out of slumber. Before long, the telltale baby blue of morning had yawned over the sky and the sun, once so powerful it set my skin on orange fire had now pulled on a sheer blanket of wispy clouds and instead left its whisper in the trail of fire it set upon the water.


I've never seen a sunrise so fully before and being almost at eye level with it is truly magical. There's something about being up here in the sky that sets the bird in me soaring with freedom. What a way to start the day!

Ciao Bella!

Alright - so I haven't been able to update this since forever so I guess I'll do that in a bunch of installments now. I've been writing in my journal stuff that I've wanted to write here...


In the airport waiting for the flight that will take me to Italy:


Goodness me! I can't believe it! I can't believe that I'm starting off my summer in Italy! So I've been walking around the airport all afternoon and reading magazines and such - so far, I've seen an Edward Cullen, Johnny Depp, and Leonardo DiCaprio lookalike haha.
As I was trying to keep myself busy for hours, I started to realize that as great of an experience it is to be doing this alone, I'd like to do this next time with family or friends - it's always better with someone close to you so that you can share the experience. At the same time, I think it's very important to go off and do something alone like this because of the immense learning experience it will be but still - I guess we need both!

Holy Canoli!

Man - this sure is exhausting...packing and repacking and checking lists and then packing some more and then running around doing errands...haha! But I guess this is all worth it right? I mean - a whole month away on an adventure I've dreamt of since I was little? Gosh - it's almost like a once in a life time chance! 
Which is why I ask myself why I have these nervous little butterflies fluttering away in my tummy at the moment...
Maybe it's because for the first time, I'm traveling alone and that I'll have no one with me that I know even once I am in Tuscania! I've been getting all these "oh snap, this is the real deal" moments all day long seeing as I leave for the airport first thing in the morning - moments of "why am I up and leaving everything that I know to travel to a country I've never been to before?!" or moments of "what if something crazy happens?!" and even some moments of "I wish I would be able to experience this adventure with the people closest to me..."
and then I just answer by asking myself the same question I've been asking myself my whole life..."why not?!"
I came to this silly realization that this is exactly what I need to do - I know so many people who made the choice to uproot themselves from what they know...people who aren't afraid to get a little scared or be challenged -- knowing that all of those moments are just baby triumphs that are like puzzle pieces ultimately creating their identity. I'm hoping this adventure will help me grow and understand myself just a little more. I'm excited to make memories and live out bits and pieces of hopelessly romantic daydreams I've had running through my mind since forever. 
I have no clue what to expect and in that is the real beauty of this whole journey. I mean, here I am up reading all these study abroad preparation pamphlets and packets that are pushing me to write down all my expectations and goals and plans and I'm kinda feeling like I don't really wanna do that quite so much. I think there's something about the innocence of living in the moment and truly soaking in the experience second by second that is simply amazing. 
Of course I have my list of must-sees and generalized plans of things I would love to accomplish but I'm starting to realize that things just might be better off if I go into this whole lovely thing without expectations...and seeing where that takes me. 
This anxious/excited feeling reminds me of when I was younger and at the poolside during the summer -- I would climb that slippery ladder up to the diving board and peer into the cerulean depths below...and although I played up all the bravado I could muster, I was scared like crazy to jump off that thing! But the minute I did? Man, I was hooked! 
So I guess I'm hoping that this feeling is that feeling...but hey...no expectations right? Here I go! 

Away we go!

I can't believe this is actually happening! Starting this blog is making me super excited for this journey that I haven't even been able to think about due to school and finals and whatnot. Today's my birthday and it just hit me that it's been a full 10 years since I've wanted to go to Italy and find a little old Italian grandma and learn how to bake biscotti with her haha. Watching Letters To Juliet a few days ago has definitely increased my appetite for the adventure as well. As I continue to think about it, I'm super happy that I chose the current program (Tuscania) instead of another one I had been debating about (Rome) simply for the fact that I'll be living in a little baby village and will have the full opportunity to explore. It's so cool to think that I'm finally giving into this feeling, this calling I've had for as long as I can remember. Sure I'm scared...and travel? Holy cats - I've never traveled internationally by myself before, but whatever, that's part of the experience I guess! Bring it on! haha oh boy...

I have yet to pack or truly plan for the trip, but that'll have to happen soon considering I leave in less than a week! I guess all I can say for now is qui andiamo!