I had a flash of creativity today while driving home. I am going to start writing a book. Recently, I've decided that one of my life goals is to write a book. It sounds so cliche... one of thoes things that "everyone" wants to do. For the past few months I've known that I want to try my hand at writing on the side, but had no clue what to write about. I don't want it to be cheesy. I want it to be about something I love. Instantly I thought about traveling. I have a huge passion for it and I'm pretty knowledgable. The problem is that I'm SO passionate about it, that I tend to turn into an overly sentimental, sappy mess. I get stuck on the emotions of it all and end up not giving very good information.
Back to my original point. I want to write something unique and written from a female perspective. It definitely has to be a work of fiction and I want to add depth to the main character. The books that I personally love are the ones where I feel like I've gotten to know the main character. I came up with this idea in the car and I instantly had to write it down as soon as I got home.
It's by no means what the final product will be... but I think that if I brainstorm a little bit, it might actually develop into something with potential.
Here's the basic premise so far:
You are given the chance to relive three significant experiences in your life. You get to pick the experiences and you have the choice to change only your actions (if you choose to). You are not able to control how others act, but you are responsible for how your actions change the actions of the people around you.
The catch: You will have to give up one important thing in your life. The problem: You are not allowed to choose this thing, and you won't know what it is until you return to the present.
The main character will be a 30-something female who has lost her husband in a tragic accident within the past year. She's started to heal and is starting to put her life back together. She's given this opportunity. (I haven't decided how she'll run into the chance, maybe a mysterious stranger or a book that she finds that tells her how to tap into this ability...) She is hesitant to try it at first, but then realizes that she can relive experiences from when her husband was alive. She knows that it's unhealthy and at first turns it down, but the opportunity is just too much for her. She gives in and decides that this will be her way to say goodbye to him once and for all.
Of course, the problem will be that she ends up giving up something that she can't imagine living without.
So there it is. The beginnings of an idea.
Who knows where I'll go with it?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Isla de Encanto... parte dos
So this could officially be the last vacation that Steve and I will have with just us. We are going to start trying to make a baby soon. I'm so thrilled because Steve is actually the one that pointed out the afforementioned fact to me. We are ready to start a family and it seems to be all we've been talking about lately. I started on the prenatal vitamins a week or so ago, and this will be my last month on birth control. It's kind of exciting to think of myself as a mother. It's one of those things that I just know I am meant to do.
Puerto Rico has been great. Mainly because these have been the most relaxing few days that I've had in a long time. We had no agenda, no schedule, and no pressure on this trip. I've been able to sleep in, get a tan, and drink lots of beer. All in all, those are the three requirements for a great Caribbean vacation in my book!
Puerto Rico is a great place, but I think that I don't appreciate it as much because I grew up by the ocean. It's something that's always been a part of my life, so the novelty has worn off for me. The highlight of this trip, for me, was meeting some of the locals and getting to use some of my rusty Spanish.
Puerto Rico has been great. Mainly because these have been the most relaxing few days that I've had in a long time. We had no agenda, no schedule, and no pressure on this trip. I've been able to sleep in, get a tan, and drink lots of beer. All in all, those are the three requirements for a great Caribbean vacation in my book!
Puerto Rico is a great place, but I think that I don't appreciate it as much because I grew up by the ocean. It's something that's always been a part of my life, so the novelty has worn off for me. The highlight of this trip, for me, was meeting some of the locals and getting to use some of my rusty Spanish.
Monday, November 10, 2008
The Love Dare
Steve and I started this yesterday...
I'm pretty excited about it. It's basically a 40 day challenge for husbands and wives to learn how to practice unconditional love. I feel like Steve and I have really lost sight of why we fell in love. We are so caught up in the mundane and stressful, that we are forgetting to appreciate and show that we love each other.
Day One's challenge was to try not to say anything negative to eachother. Now, this may sound easy (and it was for Steve) - but it was DAMN hard for me. I always look to the negative in most aspects in my life. I'm a worrier by nature and it is hard for me to look at the bright side of things. The passage for the day also focused on being patient, which also is another of my challenges. We're gonna talk about it when Steve gets home and move on to Day Two! Will keep you all posted...
Saturday, November 8, 2008
And in the end, we lie awake and dream of making our escape
Dear Coldplay,
Sweet Jesus, I love you.
Love,
Dana
Best. Show. Ever. As Steve so eloquently put it: "Damn, these guys could rub shit on their hands, clap it together, and somehow come up with a musical masterpiece." (Yes, he's great with words as you can see...)
The show was incredible. The lighting was amazing and made me feel like I was on some kind of colorful, piano-driven acid trip. At one point there was cascades of black-light reacting confetti falling from the ceiling of the arena... at another there was colored lazers blasting all over the arena to the tune of "Clocks." Between having a seizure and bouncing in my seat happily, I was in heaven!
Truly talented band. I've now seen them three times and I never fail to be impressed. I will definitely go see them a fourth time!
Positivity
I'm feeling much more optimistic than I did the other day when I wrote. I get in these moods where all I do is wallow in self pity and it's so ridiculous that I feel ashamed of myself. Today I did something that I've been meaning to do and actually wrote down my feelings and I shared them with Steve. It was much harder to do than I thought it would be, but I think that it was worth the anxiety. I feel like he really knows what's on my mind now and he understands me a little better.
Let me tell you kids, it is not easy being married. I love my husband very much. We have been together a long time and we really have built the foundations of a great relationship. But once when you live with someone in the "real world," things change. What I mean by the real world is the world where you pay bills, own a home, work 40+ hours a week and have true and unrelenting responsibilities. Before we were married, we had the Navy footing the bill. Working was important, but I wasn't too concerned about how much I made. I just needed enough to get by. Now, I have to bring home that money or we lose our home. Talk about a change in the stress. All this takes a toll on your relationship when you don't know how to handle it. I like to believe that Steve and I can handle it. Only time will tell. But we are trying hard because we love each other. I hope that that's enough.
I have neglected my blog and livejournal for a while because of the sheer amount of chaos going on in my life right now. I have been working for Yelp.com since September doing online reviews of local businesses, so most of my time online has been spent doing that. My assignment is winding down though and I'll have more time to write for fun. I have enjoyed working for Yelp though. It's really allowed me to experience a lot of places in this city that I might have overlooked otherwise. I still think Orlando is the armpit of Florida, but I can now admit that there's some positives to this city. There's so many quirky and interesting stores and restaurants. Being as I am a foodie, it's a lot of fun for me!
Well that is all for now... I'm going to try and dedicate more time to getting my thoughts out on here!
Let me tell you kids, it is not easy being married. I love my husband very much. We have been together a long time and we really have built the foundations of a great relationship. But once when you live with someone in the "real world," things change. What I mean by the real world is the world where you pay bills, own a home, work 40+ hours a week and have true and unrelenting responsibilities. Before we were married, we had the Navy footing the bill. Working was important, but I wasn't too concerned about how much I made. I just needed enough to get by. Now, I have to bring home that money or we lose our home. Talk about a change in the stress. All this takes a toll on your relationship when you don't know how to handle it. I like to believe that Steve and I can handle it. Only time will tell. But we are trying hard because we love each other. I hope that that's enough.
I have neglected my blog and livejournal for a while because of the sheer amount of chaos going on in my life right now. I have been working for Yelp.com since September doing online reviews of local businesses, so most of my time online has been spent doing that. My assignment is winding down though and I'll have more time to write for fun. I have enjoyed working for Yelp though. It's really allowed me to experience a lot of places in this city that I might have overlooked otherwise. I still think Orlando is the armpit of Florida, but I can now admit that there's some positives to this city. There's so many quirky and interesting stores and restaurants. Being as I am a foodie, it's a lot of fun for me!
Well that is all for now... I'm going to try and dedicate more time to getting my thoughts out on here!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Sometimes I feel like I am honestly going to snap. I just completed one of the most trying weeks I've ever experienced. I feel overwhelmed and tired. I'm having problems with my birth control and I feel horrible. I am going to be a whiny bitch in this blog entry, but I think I'm entitled to that. Try having your period for 14 days straight (and counting) and let me see what you come up with.
I don't want much in life. I think that my desires are pretty understandable and rational at this point in my life. I'm going to be 27 years old soon and I feel that I've worked hard for what I have and deserve to feel happiness. I feel that my happiness rests on having:
A safe place to live
A family
Financial stability
Those are the three main things that I'm working so hard to achieve right now. As my friends and loved ones settle down and start to have children, I feel left out. You could even say that I'm jealous. I want to be there also... so I work harder and I take on more responsibility... but I get nowhere. Right now there is no more room on my plate for anything else. The damn plate is full. My weeks are stuffed full of all these activities to try and "better myself" but I don't feel better. I feel like I'm going to grind my teeth down to stumps if I don't change something.
I'm currently:
Taking 2 classes (one online, one meets on Saturdays)
Working 40 hours a week (teaching DEMON CHILDREN)
Paying the bills (all of them!)
Trying to stay in shape
Taking more responsiblity on the second grade team (planning a field trip this week...)
On one hand, I like to feel busy. But on the other hand, I don't feel like I'm GETTING ANYWHERE! Ugh, I think that writing this really did help my mind calm down a little bit...
Is it normal to feel this frustrated at my age?
I don't want much in life. I think that my desires are pretty understandable and rational at this point in my life. I'm going to be 27 years old soon and I feel that I've worked hard for what I have and deserve to feel happiness. I feel that my happiness rests on having:
A safe place to live
A family
Financial stability
Those are the three main things that I'm working so hard to achieve right now. As my friends and loved ones settle down and start to have children, I feel left out. You could even say that I'm jealous. I want to be there also... so I work harder and I take on more responsibility... but I get nowhere. Right now there is no more room on my plate for anything else. The damn plate is full. My weeks are stuffed full of all these activities to try and "better myself" but I don't feel better. I feel like I'm going to grind my teeth down to stumps if I don't change something.
I'm currently:
Taking 2 classes (one online, one meets on Saturdays)
Working 40 hours a week (teaching DEMON CHILDREN)
Paying the bills (all of them!)
Trying to stay in shape
Taking more responsiblity on the second grade team (planning a field trip this week...)
On one hand, I like to feel busy. But on the other hand, I don't feel like I'm GETTING ANYWHERE! Ugh, I think that writing this really did help my mind calm down a little bit...
Is it normal to feel this frustrated at my age?
Saturday, October 25, 2008
A to Zed... courtesy of Miss Jaime
A. Attached or single?
Pretty attached, married!
B. Best friend?
I have a lot of best friends - my sister, Shelly, Jaime and Kelly. I have a different friendship with each of them, but they are all amazing friends to me.
C. Cake or pie?
Pie usually. I am a sucker for cherry pie. Yum.
D. Day of choice?
Saturday is the best because it is the most stress-free day of the week. You just completed a week so the stress of that is over and there's still one more day before you have to think about beginning another week. I like to just enjoy the day on Saturday.
E. Essential item?
My iPod. I must have music around me at all times or I go insane. I have numerous places to plug it in around my house. I hate silence for some reason.
F. Favourite colour?
Fire-engine red.
G. Gummy bears or worms?
Both taste like chewing on a piece of plastic to me.
H. Hometown?
If you're going by the place I was born - Hoboken, NJ. Great little town... has suddenly become trendy and overpriced, but I still love it. I say that most of my memories of growing up are in West Palm Beach, FL though.
I. Indulgence?
Food. I love to indulge myself in great food. Life is too short to not enjoy the pleasure of a good meal.
J. January or July?
January. July usually finds me sweating like a pig in the Florida heat or hiding in the dark of my house with the shades closed because I hate the summer here!
K. Kids?
Coming right up. February! Isabella Grace or Jack Lawrence shall prepare to make their entrance into this world... :)
L. Life isn’t complete without?
Good music, great food, lots of laughs, TRAVEL!
M. Marriage date?
June 2, 2007
N. Number of brothers & sisters?
2 sisters and 2 brothers.
O. Oranges or apples?
Oranges
P. Phobias?
Closed spaces. When I was studying in Prague, we took a tour of a concentration camp. One part of the tour took us into one of the underground tunnels in the prison... it was so narrow and low that I could touch both walls and my head almost touched the ceiling. I suddenly started to panic and felt like I might actually scream. I never knew that I had that fear until then.
Q. Quotes?
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step forward." It reminds me that I need to have patience and enjoy the journey... not all the big things that I want in my life can happen at once.
R. Reasons to smile?
Fall is here, we have a roof over our heads and I have a husband that loves me and takes care of me.
S. Season of choice?
Fall definitely. I love Fall up north. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the leaves change. I hope to live where that happens one day soon!
T. Tag seven peeps!
Yeah, no.
U. Unknown fact about you?
I can name (and probably sing) most songs after hearing the first few notes. I know a lot of weird song lyrics and useless music trivia.
V. Vegetable?
I am a huge fan of artichokes.
W. Worst habits?
I bite my nails and grind my teeth.
X. X-ray or ultrasound?
Eh, doesn't matter.
Y. Your favourite food?
It is HARD for me to choose because I enjoy all kinds of food. Lately I've been obsessed with Mellow Mushroom pizza. They have the best crust! I also like Middle Eastern food A LOT.
Z. Zodiac sign?
Aries - fiesty, indecisive, and impulsive. I think I fit the bill!
Pretty attached, married!
B. Best friend?
I have a lot of best friends - my sister, Shelly, Jaime and Kelly. I have a different friendship with each of them, but they are all amazing friends to me.
C. Cake or pie?
Pie usually. I am a sucker for cherry pie. Yum.
D. Day of choice?
Saturday is the best because it is the most stress-free day of the week. You just completed a week so the stress of that is over and there's still one more day before you have to think about beginning another week. I like to just enjoy the day on Saturday.
E. Essential item?
My iPod. I must have music around me at all times or I go insane. I have numerous places to plug it in around my house. I hate silence for some reason.
F. Favourite colour?
Fire-engine red.
G. Gummy bears or worms?
Both taste like chewing on a piece of plastic to me.
H. Hometown?
If you're going by the place I was born - Hoboken, NJ. Great little town... has suddenly become trendy and overpriced, but I still love it. I say that most of my memories of growing up are in West Palm Beach, FL though.
I. Indulgence?
Food. I love to indulge myself in great food. Life is too short to not enjoy the pleasure of a good meal.
J. January or July?
January. July usually finds me sweating like a pig in the Florida heat or hiding in the dark of my house with the shades closed because I hate the summer here!
K. Kids?
Coming right up. February! Isabella Grace or Jack Lawrence shall prepare to make their entrance into this world... :)
L. Life isn’t complete without?
Good music, great food, lots of laughs, TRAVEL!
M. Marriage date?
June 2, 2007
N. Number of brothers & sisters?
2 sisters and 2 brothers.
O. Oranges or apples?
Oranges
P. Phobias?
Closed spaces. When I was studying in Prague, we took a tour of a concentration camp. One part of the tour took us into one of the underground tunnels in the prison... it was so narrow and low that I could touch both walls and my head almost touched the ceiling. I suddenly started to panic and felt like I might actually scream. I never knew that I had that fear until then.
Q. Quotes?
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step forward." It reminds me that I need to have patience and enjoy the journey... not all the big things that I want in my life can happen at once.
R. Reasons to smile?
Fall is here, we have a roof over our heads and I have a husband that loves me and takes care of me.
S. Season of choice?
Fall definitely. I love Fall up north. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the leaves change. I hope to live where that happens one day soon!
T. Tag seven peeps!
Yeah, no.
U. Unknown fact about you?
I can name (and probably sing) most songs after hearing the first few notes. I know a lot of weird song lyrics and useless music trivia.
V. Vegetable?
I am a huge fan of artichokes.
W. Worst habits?
I bite my nails and grind my teeth.
X. X-ray or ultrasound?
Eh, doesn't matter.
Y. Your favourite food?
It is HARD for me to choose because I enjoy all kinds of food. Lately I've been obsessed with Mellow Mushroom pizza. They have the best crust! I also like Middle Eastern food A LOT.
Z. Zodiac sign?
Aries - fiesty, indecisive, and impulsive. I think I fit the bill!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Reading is really my escape. Especially since lately my life is all stress and anxiety. I found this list of the "Top 100 Books" and thought it was interesting to see what I have read from it (bolded). I have a lot of good ones to check out!!!
1 Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling (some of them at least)
2 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
3 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
4 The Obernewtyn Chronicles - Isobelle Carmody
5 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
6 To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
7 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
8 Breath - Tim Winton
9 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
10 Break No Bones - Kathy Reichs
11 The Power Of One - Bryce Courtenay
12 Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
13 Magician - Raymond E. Feist
14 The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons
15 Mao's Last Dancer - Li Cunxin
16 Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden
17 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
18 Cross - James Patterson
19 Persuasion - Jane Austen
20 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
21 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
22 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
23 Marley and Me - John Grogan
24 Antony and Cleopatra - Colleen McCullough
25 April Fools Day - Bryce Courtney
26 North & South - Elizabeth Gaskell
27 In My Skin - Kate Holden
28 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
29 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
30 The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillipa Gregory
31 Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult
32 Atonement - Ian McEwan
33 Shantaram Gregory - David Roberts
34 Pillars Of The Earth - Ken Follett
35 The Pact - Jodi Picoult
36 Ice Station - Matthew Reilly
37 Cloudstreet - Tim Winton
38 Jessica - Bryce Courtenay
39 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
40 The Princess Bride - William Goldman
41 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
42 Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes
43 Life Of Pi - Yann Martel
44 Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly
45 People Of The Book - Geraldine Brooks
46 Six Sacred Stones - Matthew Reilly
47 Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
48 Brother Odd - Dean Koontz
49 Tully - Paullina Simons
50 Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
51 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D Salinger
52 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
53 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
54 It's Not About The Bike - Lance Armstrong
55 A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
56 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
57 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
58 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
59 A Fortunate Life - A.B. Facey
60 The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
61 The Notebook -Nicholas Sparks
62 Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen
63 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
64 The Host - Stephenie Meyer
65 Dirt Music - Tim Winton
66 Eldest - Christopher Paolini
67 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
68 It - Stephen King
69 World Without End - Ken Follett
70 Emma - Jane Austen
71 Temple - Matthew Reilly
72 Little Women - Alcott Louisa May
73 Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich
74 Scarecrow - Matthew Reilly
75 American Gods - Neil Gaiman
76 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
77 P.S, I Love You - Cecelia Ahern
78 All That Remains - Patricia Cornwell
79 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
80 Past Secrets - Cathy Kelly
81 The Persimmon Tree - Bryce Courtenay
82 Husband - Dean Koontz
83 Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult
84 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
85 Spot Of Bother - Mark Haddon
86 Always And Forever - Cathy Kelly
87 The Road - Cormac McCarthy
88 Cents & Sensibility - Maggie Alderson
89 Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris
90 The Shifting Fog - Kate Morton
91 We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver
92 Everyone Worth Knowing - Lauren Weisberger
93 Hour Game - David Baldacci
94 Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
95 The Woods - Harlan Coben
96 Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
97 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
98 Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis
99 Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
100 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
1 Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling (some of them at least)
2 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
3 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
4 The Obernewtyn Chronicles - Isobelle Carmody
5 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
6 To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
7 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
8 Breath - Tim Winton
9 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
10 Break No Bones - Kathy Reichs
11 The Power Of One - Bryce Courtenay
12 Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
13 Magician - Raymond E. Feist
14 The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons
15 Mao's Last Dancer - Li Cunxin
16 Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden
17 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
18 Cross - James Patterson
19 Persuasion - Jane Austen
20 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
21 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
22 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
23 Marley and Me - John Grogan
24 Antony and Cleopatra - Colleen McCullough
25 April Fools Day - Bryce Courtney
26 North & South - Elizabeth Gaskell
27 In My Skin - Kate Holden
28 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
29 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
30 The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillipa Gregory
31 Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult
32 Atonement - Ian McEwan
33 Shantaram Gregory - David Roberts
34 Pillars Of The Earth - Ken Follett
35 The Pact - Jodi Picoult
36 Ice Station - Matthew Reilly
37 Cloudstreet - Tim Winton
38 Jessica - Bryce Courtenay
39 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
40 The Princess Bride - William Goldman
41 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
42 Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes
43 Life Of Pi - Yann Martel
44 Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly
45 People Of The Book - Geraldine Brooks
46 Six Sacred Stones - Matthew Reilly
47 Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
48 Brother Odd - Dean Koontz
49 Tully - Paullina Simons
50 Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
51 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D Salinger
52 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
53 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
54 It's Not About The Bike - Lance Armstrong
55 A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
56 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
57 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
58 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
59 A Fortunate Life - A.B. Facey
60 The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
61 The Notebook -Nicholas Sparks
62 Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen
63 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
64 The Host - Stephenie Meyer
65 Dirt Music - Tim Winton
66 Eldest - Christopher Paolini
67 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
68 It - Stephen King
69 World Without End - Ken Follett
70 Emma - Jane Austen
71 Temple - Matthew Reilly
72 Little Women - Alcott Louisa May
73 Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich
74 Scarecrow - Matthew Reilly
75 American Gods - Neil Gaiman
76 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
77 P.S, I Love You - Cecelia Ahern
78 All That Remains - Patricia Cornwell
79 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
80 Past Secrets - Cathy Kelly
81 The Persimmon Tree - Bryce Courtenay
82 Husband - Dean Koontz
83 Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult
84 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
85 Spot Of Bother - Mark Haddon
86 Always And Forever - Cathy Kelly
87 The Road - Cormac McCarthy
88 Cents & Sensibility - Maggie Alderson
89 Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris
90 The Shifting Fog - Kate Morton
91 We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver
92 Everyone Worth Knowing - Lauren Weisberger
93 Hour Game - David Baldacci
94 Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
95 The Woods - Harlan Coben
96 Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
97 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
98 Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis
99 Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
100 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Amen brother
Jaime sent me this and I had to repost because it is fabulous.
I am so lucky that I've had a chance to see most of these beautiful places.
http://www.tomisimo.org/blog/2007/places/27-reasons-to-visit-spain/
I am so lucky that I've had a chance to see most of these beautiful places.
http://www.tomisimo.org/blog/2007/places/27-reasons-to-visit-spain/
Another journey first?
Steve and I have been discussing starting a family for the past six months or so. We've been trying to prepare ourselves both financially and mentally for the challenges of being parents. Throughout the whole process we've always been discussing whether or not we should wait - or whether the time is right. I personally know that I am more than ready to be a mother.
The only problem is that we really would love the opportunity to live abroad. We told ourselves that we could always do it later, when our children are older. I'm sure that that could be a possibility... but after having children, will life ever be this uncomplicated again?
An opportunity has presented itself:
There is this amazing organization, http://www.aassa.org, that places teachers in American schools in South America. I have a teacher friend that did this in Mexico for a few years. Basically, if you are qualified, you sign a 2 year contract and teach at an international private school that teaches the American curriculum.
I am applying. If all goes well, Steve and I will be traveling to Atlanta in December to attend their job fair. If I get hired, we'd leave in August 2009 and stay for two years. The best part is that we'd get to bring the dogs with us also. We'd also be paid in both local currency and USD.
First things first, I need to get that application in. Then we need to decide which South American countries we would want to live in.
I want to be a mother... but won't I be a better mother if I experience the things that I've always dreamt about? If I don't at least try for this, will I be resentful towards Steve and disappointed in myself? What if I start to feel stuck? I don't want to feel those things and when I have a child I want my life to be 100% dedicated towards them. I need to get my selfish "travel needs" out of the way.
The only problem is that we really would love the opportunity to live abroad. We told ourselves that we could always do it later, when our children are older. I'm sure that that could be a possibility... but after having children, will life ever be this uncomplicated again?
An opportunity has presented itself:
There is this amazing organization, http://www.aassa.org, that places teachers in American schools in South America. I have a teacher friend that did this in Mexico for a few years. Basically, if you are qualified, you sign a 2 year contract and teach at an international private school that teaches the American curriculum.
I am applying. If all goes well, Steve and I will be traveling to Atlanta in December to attend their job fair. If I get hired, we'd leave in August 2009 and stay for two years. The best part is that we'd get to bring the dogs with us also. We'd also be paid in both local currency and USD.
First things first, I need to get that application in. Then we need to decide which South American countries we would want to live in.
I want to be a mother... but won't I be a better mother if I experience the things that I've always dreamt about? If I don't at least try for this, will I be resentful towards Steve and disappointed in myself? What if I start to feel stuck? I don't want to feel those things and when I have a child I want my life to be 100% dedicated towards them. I need to get my selfish "travel needs" out of the way.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Welcome Fall
I just spent the past five months or so complaining about the heat and torture that is summer in Florida. I woke up this morning and it was actually in the 60s and I felt that surge of energy and optimism that I feel every fall.
Fall in Florida is absolutely glorious. The sky is the brightest shade of blue you can imagine and the air smells so fresh. Why can't it be like this all year?
Monday, September 22, 2008
Twilight
In the past week, I have read 3 out of the 4 Twilight Saga books. I was skeptical at first - they seemed like they might be a little too teenage-angsty-drama-ish. After reading the first one though, I could not stop. Yes, the subject matter is kinda corny if you think about it (A girl in love with a vampire... she's also best friends with a werewolf...), but if you just sit back and enjoy it for what it is, you will not be dissapointed.
The story centers around Isabella "Bella" Swan, a 17 year old who moves up to the depressingly wet town of Forks, Washington to live with her father after her mother remarries. She meets Edward Cullen, a strikingly handsome and confounding classmate of hers. Drama ensues... they become friends... she discovers he's a little less than human... and they fall in love.
I am not one for the sappy love novel and if you're with me on that - no need to worry here. There's enough action and suspense to counteract the gushy love stuff. I love the way Meyer gives you insight into what's going on inside her characters heads. Bella's character is funny and endearing, so much that you could almost imagine her being a friend of yours. I always thought that these books would be more aimed towards the adolescent crowd, but the storyline and issues that are brought up are definitely relevant to a more mature audience.
Since last Saturday, I also read books 2 and 3 (New Moon and Eclipse) and they just kept getting better. New Moon started out a little slow for my taste, but it did introduce a new and interesting character, Jacob Black. He's an old family friend that Bella becomes close with during a difficult time in her life. He's a complex character and adds a little more drama to the already juicy plot. Eclipse tied together a lot of the loose ends from New Moon and leaves you anxiously jumping into Breaking Dawn, the final book.
So regardless if you're 15 or 35, you should definitely check out the Twilight Saga. I promise you won't be able to pull yourself away until you're finished them all (take it from me....).
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
That day in Cadiz
I knew that life was going to be hard after college. As I was traveling and avoiding all of my responsibilities a few years ago, I knew that I would call on those memories when I was feeling stressed or depressed. The past few weeks have been trying to say the least. I find myself driving to work and daydreaming about taking the Metro to Universidad Complutense in Madrid. As I sit in gridlock on East Colonial Drive in the hell that is Orlando rush hour traffic - somehow these memories calm me. Usually a song sets them off.
Today I was in the shower at 10pm after a particularly exhausting day and Don't Panic by Coldplay came on my iPod. What a suitable song for me, since today I almost had a panic attack about three times. Anyways, it took me back to the four days that I spent in Sevilla and Cadiz with my three Persian buddies from ISA - Diana, Natalie and Rebecca. I listened to Coldplay pretty much non-stop during my months traveling and therefore most of the songs are connected to that experience for me. But this particular song brings me back to a morning on the beach in Cadiz.
That day in Cadiz was my first time at a topless beach. I have zippo body confidence, so I kept my top on. Diana's friend from Paris was traveling with us that day, and she promptly shed her top and conversed with us while getting sunburnt in areas that were definitely not used to seeing the sun. I loved the beach that day because it was actually cold out. The sun felt so amazing on my skin. I grew up in Florida and going to the beach for me includes chest collapsing humidity, uncomfortably harsh sun, and blistering heat. I actually had a sweater on over my bathing suit and my really Cuban-looking straw hat.
I remember feeling completely free. That is what travel is to me. Feeling like I don't have to answer to anyone except for myself. When I travel, I'm allowed to be completely self-indulgent. I can change my plans and go where I please. My daily life is so far from this that it stiffles me. It is not that I don't enjoy my career and love my husband. I truly do. But sometimes I miss the carefree and spontaneous version of my self that I seem to have left somewhere over in Europe. I wish I could get that part of myself back and teach her how to live in my here and now.
That day in Cadiz, I put my headphones on and snuggled up in my sweater. I laid back on the warm sand and fell asleep to Don't Panic. Forever, that song and that memory are bonded together.
Today I was in the shower at 10pm after a particularly exhausting day and Don't Panic by Coldplay came on my iPod. What a suitable song for me, since today I almost had a panic attack about three times. Anyways, it took me back to the four days that I spent in Sevilla and Cadiz with my three Persian buddies from ISA - Diana, Natalie and Rebecca. I listened to Coldplay pretty much non-stop during my months traveling and therefore most of the songs are connected to that experience for me. But this particular song brings me back to a morning on the beach in Cadiz.
That day in Cadiz was my first time at a topless beach. I have zippo body confidence, so I kept my top on. Diana's friend from Paris was traveling with us that day, and she promptly shed her top and conversed with us while getting sunburnt in areas that were definitely not used to seeing the sun. I loved the beach that day because it was actually cold out. The sun felt so amazing on my skin. I grew up in Florida and going to the beach for me includes chest collapsing humidity, uncomfortably harsh sun, and blistering heat. I actually had a sweater on over my bathing suit and my really Cuban-looking straw hat.
I remember feeling completely free. That is what travel is to me. Feeling like I don't have to answer to anyone except for myself. When I travel, I'm allowed to be completely self-indulgent. I can change my plans and go where I please. My daily life is so far from this that it stiffles me. It is not that I don't enjoy my career and love my husband. I truly do. But sometimes I miss the carefree and spontaneous version of my self that I seem to have left somewhere over in Europe. I wish I could get that part of myself back and teach her how to live in my here and now.
That day in Cadiz, I put my headphones on and snuggled up in my sweater. I laid back on the warm sand and fell asleep to Don't Panic. Forever, that song and that memory are bonded together.
Otra vez!
25 Nov 08
Orlando, FL 7:55pm
San Juan, PR 11:40pm
28 Nov 08
San Juan, PR 7:45pm
Orlando, FL 9:52pm
Orlando, FL 7:55pm
San Juan, PR 11:40pm
28 Nov 08
San Juan, PR 7:45pm
Orlando, FL 9:52pm
It will be a little strange to not spend Thanksgiving at home with our families. I am more excited this time because Steve and I have a better idea of what places to avoid and what places we want to spend more time in. We'll definitely be heading back to Dorado for a full day of snorkeling and surfing. This time I will bring the camera!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
All the stars and boulevards ain't close enough for you...
I'm in a really weird phase of my life right now. The past couple of months have been hugely stressful and trying. Steve's brother was living with us for a while and we got wrapped up in his family drama. Even though it didn't directly involve us - being there around it all the time was extremely hard for us. Once he left, Steve and I have been going back and forth about what we want to do with our lives... when will we start having children... how can we move into a bigger house... and on and on.
I have the type of personality where I can't leave things unresolved. Everytime we have one of these "discussions" I feel more and more frustrated because nothing is going to get resolved in an angry discussion occuring at 8pm on a Tuesday night. If anything, we go to bed angry and the whole cycle starts again the next day.
Fortunately, we have a strong marriage and open lines of communication. We decided to come down to West Palm to visit my folks and for once we didn't have any definite plans. Just to come and relax. GREAT idea. We spent most of yesterday getting tanned and laying in my parent's pool. Then we watched about 5 hours of football and went to bed early. I feel refreshed and energetic and for once positive about what the next few months may bring.
Things are not perfect (nor will they ever be...), but I think that if I can be patient and keep my head on straight - Steve will figure out what his path is. I need to just stick to mine and his will come with time.
I have the type of personality where I can't leave things unresolved. Everytime we have one of these "discussions" I feel more and more frustrated because nothing is going to get resolved in an angry discussion occuring at 8pm on a Tuesday night. If anything, we go to bed angry and the whole cycle starts again the next day.
Fortunately, we have a strong marriage and open lines of communication. We decided to come down to West Palm to visit my folks and for once we didn't have any definite plans. Just to come and relax. GREAT idea. We spent most of yesterday getting tanned and laying in my parent's pool. Then we watched about 5 hours of football and went to bed early. I feel refreshed and energetic and for once positive about what the next few months may bring.
Things are not perfect (nor will they ever be...), but I think that if I can be patient and keep my head on straight - Steve will figure out what his path is. I need to just stick to mine and his will come with time.
Friday, August 8, 2008
For the love of the job
I really love my job. I really jumped right in to the whole teaching thing and not only is it my job, but it's such an important part of who I am at this point that I can't imagine having another career. I found something that works so perfectly with what I want in a career. I get to be creative, laugh, and learn myself all day. I could never work in a career where I wasn't constantly learning myself. It saddens me just how much teachers are unappreciated and underpaid, but that just makes me want to work harder. I hope to work my way up to a principal some day and possibly work have some leadership position with the county that would allow me to work towards changing the mistreatment of teachers and students in this state.
I honestly can't wait to go back to work. There is so much more that I want to do this year and I can't wait to get started on it.
I honestly can't wait to go back to work. There is so much more that I want to do this year and I can't wait to get started on it.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Worry "Cure"
So I am a worrier. My mom is, my grandma probably was, and I'll probably pass this wonderful neurosis on to my lucky future children one day.
My worrying has morphed into full blown anxiety causing attacks and depression. It's not fun.
Well, today I found this great book:
My worrying has morphed into full blown anxiety causing attacks and depression. It's not fun.
Well, today I found this great book:
I almost put it back on the shelf, but I started flipping through it and it kind of frightened me just how much of this applies to me. People always say, "Just don't worry so much!" "Relax!" "There's no need to be so stressed..." But what people don't realize is that this worrying is so ingrained in who I am, that it's an unconscious process.
It seriously sounds like this doctor wrote this about me. I am so excited to read it because hopefully it'll give me some insight into what I can do to fix this.
The thing that really hooked me into buying this book was this:
The Seven Rules of Highly Worried People
1. If something bad could happen- if you can simply imagine it0 then it's your responsibility to worry about it.
2. Don't accept any uncertainty- you need to know for sure. (This one REALLY applies to me)
3. Treat all of your negative thoughts as if they are really true.
4. Anything bad that could happen is a reflection of who you are as a person. (Another that I do ALL THE TIME)
5. Failure is unacceptable.
6. Get rid of any negative feelings immediately.
7. Treat everything like an emergency.
I read these and almost started crying - my whole life I've approached my life like this. I have to solve all my problems tonight... right now! Before I go to sleep. I usually lay in bed thinking about things and getting up sometimes to write lists.
Anyways, this post is mainly to say that I am stoked that I am not the only person out there that goes through this. There might be hope for me. :)
Monday, July 21, 2008
Contemplating
Today I had a really good conversation with a friend of mine about the things that we hope to accomplish in the next couple of years. He told me that he admired me because I have the kind of life that is hard to predict over the next 20 years. In his words, "you can tell where some people will go, what type of lives they will lead - and actually predict where they will be in 20 years. You aren't like that." It was one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.
There are so many dreams that I want to accomplish. Most of them are what most would consider "silly" things. No life-changing, universe-altering accomplishments. They are mostly selfish exploits. Things that would make me feel good.
So here's the short list that I rattled off to my friend today:
Learn to speak Italian
Take a photography class
Learn to surf
Go snorkeling in the Florida Keys
I look at that list and each of those things would bring great happiness to my life.
I really feel that lately I've been seriously lacking in the happiness and joy department.
It's the little things that can bring a little bit of sunshine into your life.
There are so many dreams that I want to accomplish. Most of them are what most would consider "silly" things. No life-changing, universe-altering accomplishments. They are mostly selfish exploits. Things that would make me feel good.
So here's the short list that I rattled off to my friend today:
Learn to speak Italian
Take a photography class
Learn to surf
Go snorkeling in the Florida Keys
I look at that list and each of those things would bring great happiness to my life.
I really feel that lately I've been seriously lacking in the happiness and joy department.
It's the little things that can bring a little bit of sunshine into your life.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Isla de Encanto
Last week, Steve and I visited Puerto Rico for the first time. I was exceptionally excited about this trip because not only was it a place I'd never had the chance to visit before... but it's also where my maternal grandmother was born and raised. My father recently bought a condo on the beach outside of San Juan, in Loiza. I had never heard of this city - and to be honest with you the city itself wasn't exactly memorable. It kinda reminded me of Hialeah. BUT, all that being said, it had one of the most exceptional beaches I've ever been to.
Steve promptly jumped over the barrier and we snapped this shot of him in front of the small waterfall. There really wasn't anywhere for us to hop in for a swim though. We asked the cashier at the nearby gift shop where we could find a larger waterfall. She told us that just a few miles up the road there was a trail that would lead us to the second and larger waterfall. So we hopped back into our car and drove up another few miles 'til we spotted the beginning of the trail. We parked our car in the adjacent lot and set out on the Big Tree Trail.
I tend to have a hard time just sitting still and enjoying the atmosphere. Fortunately for me, Steve is one of the few people in this world who can get me to just sit down and take it all in.
The sky was blue, there were families all around, we had not a care in the world on this day. That's what traveling should be about!
After spending a while there, I decided that it was absolutely imperative to have a piragua (snowcone). We found a street vendor and grabbed a couple. We then started to just wander. Our first night in San Juan, we really had wanted to find the historic part of the city where there was some nightlife going on. We failed miserably though - it was like 100 degrees out and we were totally in the wrong part of the city. This day really redeemed that experience for us though. I completely fell in the love with the colonial Spanish part of town.
Now granted, I am probably biased because
I love anything that even remotely reminds
me of Spain. I couldn't stop taking pictures. I also fell into my "reminscing mode" where I can't resist thinking of how much I miss my Espana! All that being said - I really, really love the architecture of Old San Juan. I've always been an "architecture nerd" though. I rather take pictures of buildings than anything else.
The streets were narrow, cobblestone, and hilly. Steve and I found a few cute little shops before we we started to feel the exhaustion of the busy day. We wished that we had more time to spend eating dinner at one of the little restaurants in the city, but reassured ourselves that next time we're in Puerto Rico we will dedicate much more time to this part of the city.
We had to head out to meet the family for dinner... but I managed to snap a few pictures of the colorful Spanish colonial buildings:
Our last day in Puerto Rico was spent on mainly touristy exploits. We visited the Casa Bacardi Visitor Center and indulged in our two free rum drinks. I learned a lot of useless information about the history of the Bacardi Rum business and drank a Mojito. Rock on.
What can I say? I'm a classy traveler.
All in all - we liked Puerto Rico. We also realized that we had just scratched the surface of all that it has to offer. We hope to return sometime soon and find a few more "hidden" treasures (like Dorado!).
The sand was powdery white and the water was crystal blue. I'm used to the brown waters of lovely Cocoa beach, so I was impressed. We spent a late afternoon at the beach and I snapped a few pictures of the sun setting. I've never really appreciated the beach until this trip. It's always been a nuisance to me - the sand getting stuck in my bathing suit, and the awful sun burning my shoulders. I've made a resolution to not only "sunbathe" at the beach... I'm getting in the water.
Steve spent our time at the beach playing around with my brothers and just basically being "nature boy." He climbed a tree, taught my brothers how to open a coconut and surf waves. It was a great afternoon and for once I didn't want to leave the beach.
On our second day in Puerto Rico, we went to El Yunque National Forest. Our goal was to find a waterfall and swim in it. Simple enough - right? WELL we did find our first waterfall pretty easily. It was just a couple of kilometers into the park and right off of the main road.
Steve promptly jumped over the barrier and we snapped this shot of him in front of the small waterfall. There really wasn't anywhere for us to hop in for a swim though. We asked the cashier at the nearby gift shop where we could find a larger waterfall. She told us that just a few miles up the road there was a trail that would lead us to the second and larger waterfall. So we hopped back into our car and drove up another few miles 'til we spotted the beginning of the trail. We parked our car in the adjacent lot and set out on the Big Tree Trail.Now I was expecting a bit of a walk - but it was actually much more strenuous that I expected. We hiked in just under a mile... which sounds easy. However, it was on a steep and sometimes slippery and narrow path on the side of a small mountain. I consider myself fairly fit - but I was panting at some points. We were determined though and were greatly rewarded with a beautiful sight after our 30 minute hike.
The waterfall was just a little larger - however, there was a pool at the bottom of it. We stripped down to our bathing suits and hopped in. It was icy cold but really refreshing. I tend to be a little more reserved and uncomfortable when it comes to nature... but of course, my Nature Boy husband was all about it. I had a really good time watching him scale all the rocks and climb into the different areas of the waterfall.
Our next day was spend taking a drive over to the Cuevas en Camuy (Caves in Camuy). Unfortunately, we didn't do our research and were only allowed to see the sinkhole. The caves have apparently been closed since January because of a tragic accident. A tourist visiting from California was hit in the head by a rock and died after visiting the main cave. It kind of made me nervous and respectful of the danger of a place like that. Despite that, we had a fairly decent time and got to see the entrance to a really gorgeous (and creepy) cave.
We were a little disappointed (and I felt really selfish for that... based on the reason it was closed) by not being able to see the inside of the caves. There was also a lot of family tension going on that day - I won't even go into that story as it deserves a whole entry of it's own. It was hot and we were all irritated by the inexplicable amount of lane closures on the highway in Puerto Rico. It took us a few hours to get home and we were basically ready to crash.
The next day, Steve and I took off and went to the beach at Dorado. We actually had never heard of this city until we saw a picture of someone snorkeling in the most astonishingly blue water on the cover of one of our travel books. (Thank you Frommer's!) We looked in the index and found out about this little beach town. We left fairly early that morning - glad to be relieved of the family tension and opressing heat of my Dad's condo. We found the beach and were pleasantly surprised - all locals! I hate touristy areas and when I travel it's my personal mission to find where the locals go. That's the way to experience a place.
Anyway, we scooped up one of the last parking spaces still available adjacent to the beach and grabbed our snorkeling gear from the trunk. We meandered down the beach and through numerous barbecues and family gatherings. I told Steve that I loved how going to the beach was a "family affair" for the Puerto Rican's. I noticed that when you go the beach here in Florida, you will no doubt see groups of girls sunbathing and guys playing volleyball. At Dorado, there was none of this. Each group was a family - portable play pens and all - and everyone had a grill and coolers full of great looking food. I loved it. I wished that I could mosey up to one of the families and enjoy the day with them.
Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of this lovely beach. We left our camera in the trunk and spent a few hours swimming out past the shallow reef to go snorkeling. The highlight of my day was being able to swim in the midst of a school of brightly colored, tropical fish. I saw a number of different fish and sea life and quite possibly the one of the largest brain corals in existence. It was a liberating experience to float above all of this beauty.
We were really excited after our gorgeous day and decided to take a ride into Old San Juan. We parked our car next to El Morro (the Spanish fort that hugs the ocean at the corner of the city). We spent a little time walking through the big, open grass field next to the fort. There were tons of families (again - LOVE the closeness of the hispanic families) flying kites and just relaxing. Steve and I found the place we wouldn't mind being buried.
I tend to have a hard time just sitting still and enjoying the atmosphere. Fortunately for me, Steve is one of the few people in this world who can get me to just sit down and take it all in.The sky was blue, there were families all around, we had not a care in the world on this day. That's what traveling should be about!
After spending a while there, I decided that it was absolutely imperative to have a piragua (snowcone). We found a street vendor and grabbed a couple. We then started to just wander. Our first night in San Juan, we really had wanted to find the historic part of the city where there was some nightlife going on. We failed miserably though - it was like 100 degrees out and we were totally in the wrong part of the city. This day really redeemed that experience for us though. I completely fell in the love with the colonial Spanish part of town.Now granted, I am probably biased because
I love anything that even remotely reminds
me of Spain. I couldn't stop taking pictures. I also fell into my "reminscing mode" where I can't resist thinking of how much I miss my Espana! All that being said - I really, really love the architecture of Old San Juan. I've always been an "architecture nerd" though. I rather take pictures of buildings than anything else.
The streets were narrow, cobblestone, and hilly. Steve and I found a few cute little shops before we we started to feel the exhaustion of the busy day. We wished that we had more time to spend eating dinner at one of the little restaurants in the city, but reassured ourselves that next time we're in Puerto Rico we will dedicate much more time to this part of the city.
We had to head out to meet the family for dinner... but I managed to snap a few pictures of the colorful Spanish colonial buildings:
Our last day in Puerto Rico was spent on mainly touristy exploits. We visited the Casa Bacardi Visitor Center and indulged in our two free rum drinks. I learned a lot of useless information about the history of the Bacardi Rum business and drank a Mojito. Rock on.
What can I say? I'm a classy traveler.
All in all - we liked Puerto Rico. We also realized that we had just scratched the surface of all that it has to offer. We hope to return sometime soon and find a few more "hidden" treasures (like Dorado!).
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Daydreaming in the City of Brotherly Love
This weekend I flew up with Jerry to visit Jaime and Dan in Philadelphia. It was a great trip. One of those weekends that feels like it lasted more than two days. Jerry and I were exhausted and on our flight back all we could think was, "Damn, we did a lot this weekend."I decided that instead of writing a lengthy post reflecting on every last detail of the trip, I'll just write about some thoughts and impressions that I have from this trip:
1) You know how you know someone is a true friend? You don't see them for a year and yet when you're reunited it feels like you were never apart. There are a lot of superficial friendships and acquaintances in this world. But certain friendships you know will last until you are old and gray.
2) Good friends are GOOD to travel with. Jerry = most laid back, low-key person I've ever traveled with. We were delayed for 3 hours on the way back and not once did I hear this man complain. I spent a large part of the 3 hours griping about how I'd only get 5 hours of sleep before my class on Monday. Yes, I can learn a lot about having a positive attitude from my friend Jerry.
3) West Chester is gorgeous. If I could could describe what my ideal suburban paradise would be - it would be West Chester. The houses are huge. The houses and lawns are immaculate. There were these beautiful trees with white flowers all over them that I couldn't stop taking pictures of. You'd think I live in an urban craphole - but you seriously don't see things like that around Orlando anymore. I wonder if I can convince Steve to move there.
4) I've said it before and I'll say it again - I don't care if it's Philadelphia or Prague. I love to see new places. One thing that I liked about Philly was all the random street art. It added a colorful, trendy kind of aspect to the city that I really liked!
4) I missed acting a fool with my friends. I really like playing Mario Kart. I love to drink cheap beer and sit around talking shit with my best friends. My friends define who I am. Life is dull without my friends.
Coming Soon: My visit to Eastern State Penitentiary
Monday, May 12, 2008
Taormina
Since my husband is out of town on business and our anniversary is in a couple of weeks - I've decided to revisit some of the amazing travel that we experienced together early in our relationship.
Taormina.
Wikipedia says? A comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina about midway between Messana and Catania. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th Century.
I say? Beauty. A perfect picture of Europe. Classy. Breathtaking.
If Taormina was a person she'd be 6 feet tall, impossibly gorgeous and towering over you in her 4-inch leather stilletos. She'd be confident but not snobby. Approachable, attainable, and hopelessly charming.
Yes, Steve and I definitely fell for Taormina.
I had just finished my month studying abroad in Prague. This was my second study abroad experience, and I had approached it with a different attitude. I was completely taken with Eastern Europe and loudly proclaimed to anyone willing to listen that Prague was "the most beautiful city I've ever seen!" I had a week free before returning to the States and so I purchased a ticket to visit Steve in Sicily. At that time, he was one month into his six-month deployment in Catania. We had survived our separation through endless amounts of overpriced Czech phone cards and sappy letters. I was so excited to see him that I could barely sit straight on the plane.
While I was there, we decided that we needed to get out of Catania and explore Sicily. We rented a car and drove to Taormina on a balmy Friday afternoon. I had never even heard of the city but Steve had heard great things, so we decided to check it out. We rented a car (manual of course) and were almost mowed down by a tour bus on our way up the mountain to Taormina. Our nerves were so rattled by the drive that we promptly found the first parking lot in town and dropped the car off.
Getting to the city center involved taking a cable car up the mountain. That allowed me my first views of the spectacular city. Taormina is separated into two different sections - Taormina Mare (the part by the ocean - where we left the car) and Taormina Città (the city center). We arrived at the top and proceeded to look for a hostel for the evening. The first thing my eyes focused on was a small hostel on the corner where the cable car station was. The side of the building was painted with a mural of bright colors and there was a waterfall of bright pink Bougainvillea tumbling over the side of the wall next to it. Everytime I think of Taormina, this is the first picture that comes to mind. So simple and so gorgeous. We walked into that hostel and ended up staying there for the evening.
After changing we decided to take a walk down the main avenue of Taormina Città - il Corso. It was lined with adorable little shops and tons of gelato stands. It was a warm summer evening and the street was clogged with locals and tourists alike. After strolling for a while, we found a small restaurant tucked into an alleyway. Our meal was unremarkable (I think I had Chicken Marsala?) but the atmosphere was definitely memorable. The waiter was friendly and accomodating - suggesting different items on the menu and never rushing us. We took our time and savored the relaxing setting. I remember halfway through the meal we heard "In My Place" by Coldplay drifting through a window of a nearby shop.
Yes, you could say I was in heaven.
We eventually had to move inside after it started to rain lightly. We ordered a bottle of wine and sat down to enjoy the rest of the evening. For me, one of the most enjoyable things about the "European" way of dining is their complete lack of urgency. Three hours for a meal? Why not? Eating here in the United States is about getting the food in your body and getting on with your life. Eating in Italy is about enjoying the food, atmosphere, and most importantly - the company. We were surrounded by couples and families who, like us, had been there for well over three hours and were in no rush to leave.
Our dinner put us in the contemplative and talkative mood. We tried to find a club, but we weren't really in the mood for it. We settled down in a small bar and ordered a couple of beers. We continued our conversation and enjoyed the warm summer evening. We were content with simply enjoying each other's company. Being in Taormina with Steve made me realize that we just might be meant to be. I know it sounds cliche, but it is definitely something special when you feel completely at ease traveling with a person. At this early point in our relationship I was aware of the fact that Steve and I had reached a new level of connection.
The next day, Steve and I spent doing the tourist thing. We went to the ruins of an ancient Greek theatre that you can reach at the end of il Corso. It was overwhelming to think that we were standing in the midst of something so historically significant. In the pictures taken from that day, we look extremely content with ourselves. Our tanned bodies are posed in front of the handrails, the ampitheatre in the distance behind us. I have my brown travel bag slung over my shoulder and Steve has his arms wrapped around me. We look like the typical American tourists. Despite that, I like to think that there was nothing typical about what we gained from our trip to Sicily and Taormina. I think we gained something greater, deeper, and more significant from our trip. Like I've said before, the typical tourist events don't really stand out in my mind when I think about my travels. Yes, those experiences can be beautiful and interesting. But do they make a lasting impression on my soul? I truly don't think so.
Taormina.
Wikipedia says? A comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina about midway between Messana and Catania. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th Century.
I say? Beauty. A perfect picture of Europe. Classy. Breathtaking.
If Taormina was a person she'd be 6 feet tall, impossibly gorgeous and towering over you in her 4-inch leather stilletos. She'd be confident but not snobby. Approachable, attainable, and hopelessly charming.
Yes, Steve and I definitely fell for Taormina.
I had just finished my month studying abroad in Prague. This was my second study abroad experience, and I had approached it with a different attitude. I was completely taken with Eastern Europe and loudly proclaimed to anyone willing to listen that Prague was "the most beautiful city I've ever seen!" I had a week free before returning to the States and so I purchased a ticket to visit Steve in Sicily. At that time, he was one month into his six-month deployment in Catania. We had survived our separation through endless amounts of overpriced Czech phone cards and sappy letters. I was so excited to see him that I could barely sit straight on the plane.
While I was there, we decided that we needed to get out of Catania and explore Sicily. We rented a car and drove to Taormina on a balmy Friday afternoon. I had never even heard of the city but Steve had heard great things, so we decided to check it out. We rented a car (manual of course) and were almost mowed down by a tour bus on our way up the mountain to Taormina. Our nerves were so rattled by the drive that we promptly found the first parking lot in town and dropped the car off.
Getting to the city center involved taking a cable car up the mountain. That allowed me my first views of the spectacular city. Taormina is separated into two different sections - Taormina Mare (the part by the ocean - where we left the car) and Taormina Città (the city center). We arrived at the top and proceeded to look for a hostel for the evening. The first thing my eyes focused on was a small hostel on the corner where the cable car station was. The side of the building was painted with a mural of bright colors and there was a waterfall of bright pink Bougainvillea tumbling over the side of the wall next to it. Everytime I think of Taormina, this is the first picture that comes to mind. So simple and so gorgeous. We walked into that hostel and ended up staying there for the evening.
After changing we decided to take a walk down the main avenue of Taormina Città - il Corso. It was lined with adorable little shops and tons of gelato stands. It was a warm summer evening and the street was clogged with locals and tourists alike. After strolling for a while, we found a small restaurant tucked into an alleyway. Our meal was unremarkable (I think I had Chicken Marsala?) but the atmosphere was definitely memorable. The waiter was friendly and accomodating - suggesting different items on the menu and never rushing us. We took our time and savored the relaxing setting. I remember halfway through the meal we heard "In My Place" by Coldplay drifting through a window of a nearby shop.
Yes, you could say I was in heaven.
We eventually had to move inside after it started to rain lightly. We ordered a bottle of wine and sat down to enjoy the rest of the evening. For me, one of the most enjoyable things about the "European" way of dining is their complete lack of urgency. Three hours for a meal? Why not? Eating here in the United States is about getting the food in your body and getting on with your life. Eating in Italy is about enjoying the food, atmosphere, and most importantly - the company. We were surrounded by couples and families who, like us, had been there for well over three hours and were in no rush to leave.
Our dinner put us in the contemplative and talkative mood. We tried to find a club, but we weren't really in the mood for it. We settled down in a small bar and ordered a couple of beers. We continued our conversation and enjoyed the warm summer evening. We were content with simply enjoying each other's company. Being in Taormina with Steve made me realize that we just might be meant to be. I know it sounds cliche, but it is definitely something special when you feel completely at ease traveling with a person. At this early point in our relationship I was aware of the fact that Steve and I had reached a new level of connection.
The next day, Steve and I spent doing the tourist thing. We went to the ruins of an ancient Greek theatre that you can reach at the end of il Corso. It was overwhelming to think that we were standing in the midst of something so historically significant. In the pictures taken from that day, we look extremely content with ourselves. Our tanned bodies are posed in front of the handrails, the ampitheatre in the distance behind us. I have my brown travel bag slung over my shoulder and Steve has his arms wrapped around me. We look like the typical American tourists. Despite that, I like to think that there was nothing typical about what we gained from our trip to Sicily and Taormina. I think we gained something greater, deeper, and more significant from our trip. Like I've said before, the typical tourist events don't really stand out in my mind when I think about my travels. Yes, those experiences can be beautiful and interesting. But do they make a lasting impression on my soul? I truly don't think so.
That evening, we drove back to Taormina. We had a much more relaxing car ride (I think Steve had figured out how to drive manual by then). We spent the ride talking about how we would definitely be returning to Taormina. That gorgeous city. Not a few weeks has gone by since then without us referencing our time there. "Where can we go next?" Taormina is always mentioned as a possibility. Steve and I plan to spend our five year wedding anniversary falling in love with each other (and Taormina) all over again.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Adventures to Come
So this summer is looking quite promising. So far we have planned:
- A tentative trip up to Philly to visit Jaime! (Finally)
- A confirmed trip to Puerto Rico. I am extremely excited about this one because I'll finally get to experience a place that is part of my heritage.
- A trip to Destin, FL to stay on the beach and celebrate our one-year anniversary.
Ahh... the feeling of knowing that there is travel in your near future is fabulous.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Kentucky here I am
This trip has turned out to be way more fun than I thought it would be. :) I've been in KY since Saturday afternoon with a group of 7 people from my school. We're here for a literacy conference. I was a little anxious about traveling with these people that I don't really know that well... but it turns out that they are pretty awesome.
Yesterday, we hung around the hotel and did conference things. We had a free wine and appetizer hour on the 25th floor of the hotel we're staying at which was awesome. I have drank SO MUCH wine since I've been here.
Today we decided to rent a car and to venture across the Ohio River to Indiana. I thought it would be boring, but we had a great time. We drove about 30 mins into Starlight, IN to http://www.huberwinery.com for 7 bucks I did a wine tasting and had 8 different awesome wines. Then they gave us a sample of a Raspberry brandy infusion inside of a dark chocolate edible cup. Can we say ORGASMIC? We toured the winery and there was this beautiful little lake with geese and swans. I seriously felt like I was in another world. The area was so beautiful. I felt so peaceful and relaxed for the first time in a looong time.
We were feeling adventurous, so we drove another 45 mins to Marengo, Indiana and went to vist the http://www.marengocaves.com. It was seriously one of the coolest things I've ever seen! I can't even describe how awesome it was to be beneath the ground like that. I really had a good time.
I realized today why I like to travel so much. It doesn't even have to be Europe. I like going somewhere that I know nothing about and experimenting to see what I can find. I planned out the car rental and navigated all the driving around today and I loved it. Everyone was just content to have someone take charge and of course I welcomed it. I like to travel with people that I don't know well either, because it gives you such a chance to get to know people on a whole different level.
The best part is that I've been speaking Spanish almost exclusively since Saturday. I really love it. It's making me feel more confident and great to have a chance to use it.
I head back to Orlando tomorrow. I am off of work all week for spring break and I am really looking forward to being back home with my hubby!
Oh, and I turn 26 tomorrow. :)
Yesterday, we hung around the hotel and did conference things. We had a free wine and appetizer hour on the 25th floor of the hotel we're staying at which was awesome. I have drank SO MUCH wine since I've been here.
Today we decided to rent a car and to venture across the Ohio River to Indiana. I thought it would be boring, but we had a great time. We drove about 30 mins into Starlight, IN to http://www.huberwinery.com for 7 bucks I did a wine tasting and had 8 different awesome wines. Then they gave us a sample of a Raspberry brandy infusion inside of a dark chocolate edible cup. Can we say ORGASMIC? We toured the winery and there was this beautiful little lake with geese and swans. I seriously felt like I was in another world. The area was so beautiful. I felt so peaceful and relaxed for the first time in a looong time.
We were feeling adventurous, so we drove another 45 mins to Marengo, Indiana and went to vist the http://www.marengocaves.com. It was seriously one of the coolest things I've ever seen! I can't even describe how awesome it was to be beneath the ground like that. I really had a good time.
I realized today why I like to travel so much. It doesn't even have to be Europe. I like going somewhere that I know nothing about and experimenting to see what I can find. I planned out the car rental and navigated all the driving around today and I loved it. Everyone was just content to have someone take charge and of course I welcomed it. I like to travel with people that I don't know well either, because it gives you such a chance to get to know people on a whole different level.
The best part is that I've been speaking Spanish almost exclusively since Saturday. I really love it. It's making me feel more confident and great to have a chance to use it.
I head back to Orlando tomorrow. I am off of work all week for spring break and I am really looking forward to being back home with my hubby!
Oh, and I turn 26 tomorrow. :)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Making Decisions
Just when I think I have everything figured out... travel - you sneaky little obsession, you - come back to make me question my choices.
I am at a point in my life right now where I'm being pummeled by changes. In the past 8 months I:
Got married.
Moved to a different city.
Bought a house.
Switched jobs (and careers).
Decided to go back to school.
In the past months I have not:
Traveled.
I have felt generally good about all of these changes. I welcome change. However streessed I've been, deep down I live for the excitement and uncertainty change brings me. If my life falls into monotony, I always try and find ways to add some excitement.
In October, I decided that I was not happy with my profession and would be starting law school in the fall. It wasn't what I thought. I wasn' t done with school. "There's just so much more for me left to do," I told my husband. "I know that I can accomplish more." He supports and agrees with every choice that I've made.
Now, I'm starting to think about the implications of being a student (and thus POOR) for the next three years. One of the main problems I'm having is that there will be NO travel in my near future. Although I've traveled before on a student's budget, before I didn't have a mortgage, husband, and responsibilities.
Damn you responsibilities. How do people with all these burdens manage to find time to travel? Is there some secret formula to making sure that you take some time to enjoy yourself, while still working hard and keeping up with all your bills and burdens?
I am at a point in my life right now where I'm being pummeled by changes. In the past 8 months I:
Got married.
Moved to a different city.
Bought a house.
Switched jobs (and careers).
Decided to go back to school.
In the past months I have not:
Traveled.
I have felt generally good about all of these changes. I welcome change. However streessed I've been, deep down I live for the excitement and uncertainty change brings me. If my life falls into monotony, I always try and find ways to add some excitement.
In October, I decided that I was not happy with my profession and would be starting law school in the fall. It wasn't what I thought. I wasn' t done with school. "There's just so much more for me left to do," I told my husband. "I know that I can accomplish more." He supports and agrees with every choice that I've made.
Now, I'm starting to think about the implications of being a student (and thus POOR) for the next three years. One of the main problems I'm having is that there will be NO travel in my near future. Although I've traveled before on a student's budget, before I didn't have a mortgage, husband, and responsibilities.
Damn you responsibilities. How do people with all these burdens manage to find time to travel? Is there some secret formula to making sure that you take some time to enjoy yourself, while still working hard and keeping up with all your bills and burdens?
Friday, January 25, 2008
You have been drifting for so long
One of my favorite things about traveling within Europe was the convenience of traveling by train or bus. The simplicity of being able to purchase a train ticket on a whim, just because you felt like going somewhere new. This simplicity and convenience allowed me to see a large part of Spain while I was abroad.
After a few of these quick trips, I started to look forward to the bus or train journeys just as much as actually seeing the locations themselves. I would find myself planning out not only the details of my trip - hotels, restaurants, clubs - but also my relaxing hours aboard the train. There is something refreshing about traveling by train. I think that I needed those hours with my thoughts to process everything that I had seen and all the changes that had gone around around (and within) me.
Or maybe it was just the novelty of it - here in the US taking a leisurely train ride is pretty much unheard of. We are so focused on getting to our destination as quickly as possible that we overlook the fact that half of the enjoyment is actually getting there.
Is it strange that to this day, riding on any form of public transportation throws me into such nostalgia that it practically makes me cry? One of my fondest memories of traveling in Spain - resting my head against the warm glass of the train window as we rode through the country on the way to Salamanca. I had my walkman on (as always) and I was watching the sights roll by. Numerous "Toro" billboards, rolling hills, and crumbling buildings. I loved every second of it. It's funny how a seemingly insignificant memory like that made such a mark on me. I can remember that train trip more clearly than anything that I actually did in Salamanca.
I think that one of the joys of travel is having the ability to detach yourself for a moment and spend sometime alone to reflect on your experiences. Whether it be sitting down in a cafe with a journal or by daydreaming while you ride on to your next destination.
After a few of these quick trips, I started to look forward to the bus or train journeys just as much as actually seeing the locations themselves. I would find myself planning out not only the details of my trip - hotels, restaurants, clubs - but also my relaxing hours aboard the train. There is something refreshing about traveling by train. I think that I needed those hours with my thoughts to process everything that I had seen and all the changes that had gone around around (and within) me.
Or maybe it was just the novelty of it - here in the US taking a leisurely train ride is pretty much unheard of. We are so focused on getting to our destination as quickly as possible that we overlook the fact that half of the enjoyment is actually getting there.
Is it strange that to this day, riding on any form of public transportation throws me into such nostalgia that it practically makes me cry? One of my fondest memories of traveling in Spain - resting my head against the warm glass of the train window as we rode through the country on the way to Salamanca. I had my walkman on (as always) and I was watching the sights roll by. Numerous "Toro" billboards, rolling hills, and crumbling buildings. I loved every second of it. It's funny how a seemingly insignificant memory like that made such a mark on me. I can remember that train trip more clearly than anything that I actually did in Salamanca.
I think that one of the joys of travel is having the ability to detach yourself for a moment and spend sometime alone to reflect on your experiences. Whether it be sitting down in a cafe with a journal or by daydreaming while you ride on to your next destination.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Not So Nice Trip
It was the first weekend in June 2003, and I was nearing the end of my time in Spain. My study abroad group and I were getting restless - stuck between being homesick and completely not willing to leave Spain yet. I myself, was torn - just a few weeks ago, I was more than ready to go home. Now, I couldn't imagine not being in Spain. I tried to do what the rest of my friends were doing - make the best of those last precious weeks!
One of my friends came up with a great plan. Four of us - Lindsey, Karen, Gildade and I- would spend the first weekend in June traveling to the South of France. We'd go by train to Nice and take a short trip over to Monaco. I was thrilled - who would've thought that this poor college girl from South Florida would have the chance to visit one of the most glamorous areas of the world - the French Riviera! We discussed it for about two seconds before we all agreed that it was a fabulous plan. Train tickets were bought for June 2nd.
June 2nd came and we found ourselves sitting on the floor of the Atocha train station in Central Madrid. Our backpacks scattered around us, we played cards and daydreamed about all the amazing things we'd do in our four days in the South of France. Our plans were as follows:
1) Take the overnight train from Madrid into Nice.
2) Find a hostel. Book rooms for 3 nights.
3) Take another train into Monaco for the day and sight-see.
4) Catch another overnight train back into Madrid on the 4th day.
It all seemed so simple, straightforward and exciting. At about 10pm, we boarded our train and settled into our 6-person cabin. If you've never had the "pleasure" of traveling on a Renfe overnight train, basically like three coffins stacked on top of each other in two rows. Fabulously comfortable. Me and my slight-bit of claustrophobia were not going to have a restful night. Just as we'd settled into the top two bunks on each side (there were four of us traveling) and got out our bottle of three-euro-priced Merlot and paper cups... two elderly women abruptly opened the door to our cabin and came inside. They said a quick hello and settled into the two vacant, bottom beds. Crap.
We really tried not to be "Obnoxious Americans" - sipping our cheap wine quietly and trying to keep the laughing to a minimum - but we were in full celebratory mode. This was our last weekend traveling together before heading back to the States. After being reprimanded a few times for being too loud, we finally decided to call it a night. I spent most of the night listening to Coldplay on my Walkman and daydreaming about the amazing times that I'd already had in Spain. I thought about the friendships I'd made and wondered if they'd last after we all parted ways. I smiled while thinking about my "familia" - the Spanish family who had welcomed me into their home as one of their own for the past few months. The only way to sum it up was that I felt like I had finally come full circle. Needless to say, I felt very content laying in my bunk and I finally fell asleep sometime before dawn.
We awoke around 8am to our train stuttering to a halt. As we slowly rubbed the sleep from our eyes, we realized that our elderly cabin mates were no longer there. Another realization was that we weren't scheduled to be arrive in Nice for another two hours at least. So why was the train stopping here? Lindsey opened the door to our cabin and walked down the hallway to see if she could find some answers. I opened the cabin door and looked out of the window in front of us. Instead of the gorgeous, glamorous streets of Nice... I saw some rocks and hills. We were basically sitting in the middle of nowhere. The train station we had stopped at was pretty deserted as well. What the heck was going on?
Lindsey comes back a few moments later accompanied by a girl about our age. She introduced herself as Marion, a backpacker from Venezuela traveling alone. She explained that the train had stopped just shy of the French border because all of the public transportation (trains, planes, even TAXIS) in France was on strike indefinitely.
One of my friends came up with a great plan. Four of us - Lindsey, Karen, Gildade and I- would spend the first weekend in June traveling to the South of France. We'd go by train to Nice and take a short trip over to Monaco. I was thrilled - who would've thought that this poor college girl from South Florida would have the chance to visit one of the most glamorous areas of the world - the French Riviera! We discussed it for about two seconds before we all agreed that it was a fabulous plan. Train tickets were bought for June 2nd.
June 2nd came and we found ourselves sitting on the floor of the Atocha train station in Central Madrid. Our backpacks scattered around us, we played cards and daydreamed about all the amazing things we'd do in our four days in the South of France. Our plans were as follows:
1) Take the overnight train from Madrid into Nice.
2) Find a hostel. Book rooms for 3 nights.
3) Take another train into Monaco for the day and sight-see.
4) Catch another overnight train back into Madrid on the 4th day.
It all seemed so simple, straightforward and exciting. At about 10pm, we boarded our train and settled into our 6-person cabin. If you've never had the "pleasure" of traveling on a Renfe overnight train, basically like three coffins stacked on top of each other in two rows. Fabulously comfortable. Me and my slight-bit of claustrophobia were not going to have a restful night. Just as we'd settled into the top two bunks on each side (there were four of us traveling) and got out our bottle of three-euro-priced Merlot and paper cups... two elderly women abruptly opened the door to our cabin and came inside. They said a quick hello and settled into the two vacant, bottom beds. Crap.
We really tried not to be "Obnoxious Americans" - sipping our cheap wine quietly and trying to keep the laughing to a minimum - but we were in full celebratory mode. This was our last weekend traveling together before heading back to the States. After being reprimanded a few times for being too loud, we finally decided to call it a night. I spent most of the night listening to Coldplay on my Walkman and daydreaming about the amazing times that I'd already had in Spain. I thought about the friendships I'd made and wondered if they'd last after we all parted ways. I smiled while thinking about my "familia" - the Spanish family who had welcomed me into their home as one of their own for the past few months. The only way to sum it up was that I felt like I had finally come full circle. Needless to say, I felt very content laying in my bunk and I finally fell asleep sometime before dawn.
We awoke around 8am to our train stuttering to a halt. As we slowly rubbed the sleep from our eyes, we realized that our elderly cabin mates were no longer there. Another realization was that we weren't scheduled to be arrive in Nice for another two hours at least. So why was the train stopping here? Lindsey opened the door to our cabin and walked down the hallway to see if she could find some answers. I opened the cabin door and looked out of the window in front of us. Instead of the gorgeous, glamorous streets of Nice... I saw some rocks and hills. We were basically sitting in the middle of nowhere. The train station we had stopped at was pretty deserted as well. What the heck was going on?
Lindsey comes back a few moments later accompanied by a girl about our age. She introduced herself as Marion, a backpacker from Venezuela traveling alone. She explained that the train had stopped just shy of the French border because all of the public transportation (trains, planes, even TAXIS) in France was on strike indefinitely.
We all started at her in awe. Are you kidding me? Marion explained that this happened a lot in Europe and that we shouldn't be alarmed. It took a few moments to realize that not only could the French train service leave us in the middle of nowhere without providing other accommodations... but that that's exactly what they would do to us. We were stranded.
About an hour later, we were asked to leave the train with all of our belongings. The train service had terminated in Figueres, Spain - about 60 miles from the French border. Seeing as none of us had ever even heard Figueres and had no desire to abandon our Nice plans... we started to throw around ideas of what we could do. Just then, Karen notices a bright-green "Europcar" kiosk. Ding! A lightbulb goes off in all of our heads... we could rent a car and drive into Nice! Plan B initiated!
We bounced on over to the kiosk and learned two important facts from the nice lady behind the counter:
1) All rental cars in Spain are apparently manual transmission.
2) You must be 21 and over to rent a car in Spain.
All eyes turned on me - I was the only one that was over 21... and I'd briefly mentioned to my friends that I'd been given a brief lesson in driving manual by an ex-boyfriend (they conveniently forgot the part of the story where I mentioned that the lesson was very brief and occurred in Iceland... two years ago). After debating it for a few minutes, I gave in. I didn't want to be the one to rain on every one's parade. Plus, I was pretty confident that I would remember how to drive manual after a few minutes. How complicated could it be? So it was settled, we signed the paperwork and even offered to give our new friend from the train, Marion, a ride into France.
About 10 minutes later, we found ourselves trying to stuff five different pieces of luggage into a very small, purple, Seat Ibiza. Quite possibly the smallest car I'd ever seen to date. Definitely not designed to carry five full-grown women. Actually, two of us had to leave some of our luggage in the rental lockers inside the train station. Once that complication was dealt with, we settled in for the long drive to Nice. I was a nervous wreck but tried not to let it show. After adjusting the mirrors and flashing my travel mates my best confident smile - I turned on the car and proceeded to run it into the chain "barricade" in front of me. The screams coming from behind me did little to decrease my anxiety. I freaked out and the car stalled.
At this point I was pretty much in tears, so we decided that Marion would drive us to Nice. But after a few minutes of debate, we realized that she would be leaving us in Nice - so how the heck were we going to get back to Figueres and drop the car off? That lead us to our other solution - Marion would refresh my memory on how to drive manual... that way we'd be fine when she left us. I spent the next horrific hour "relearning" how to drive manual around the winding roads of Figueres, Spain. A few distinct memories stand out from that experience - almost running into a gas station pump, my friends cringing in the back seat, and Marion patiently patting my hand as I shook violently with nervousness.
Once everyone was feeling confident, we decided to head on the road towards Nice. We figured that we'd make it there sometime before nightfall if we really pushed. Our original plan was to stop every now and then and scope out some small French villages that we might have never seen otherwise. We quickly nixed that plan after we realized a few things:
1) Stress can cause even the best travel partners to get on each other's nerves.
2) I cannot shift from 2nd gear into 3rd gear without stalling or going into neutral. (Big problem on the highway)
3) European drivers are scary.
Hell, we were all pretty sure that we'd head back to France one day anyway. Why rush and see so all those little villages now? On top of all that, every time I stalled or had "shifting difficulties" Gildade sounded like she was going to have an aneurysm in the back seat. I didn't want to be responsible for killing one of my friends just to see some scenic, French countryside.
Around 7pm, we rolled into Nice. This caused a few more minutes of extreme stress for all of us. Driving manual is not so hard when you're driving on the highway... throw in some stop-and-go traffic and you are bound to end up stalled out in the middle of the road. Lucky for me, I managed to only stall once before veering off into the first public parking that I saw. My friends and I got our bags out of the Ibiza and proceeded to abandon our little vehicle for the next three days.
Although not what we thought it would be, our trip to Nice did in fact turn out quite nicely. The first night we were there, however, we ran into some trouble finding a hostel. After scrambling around for about two hours, we settled on the only available room we could find. It was overpriced, hideously decorated, and I'm sure it was a health hazard. Fortunately for us, we had no intention of spending any time (except for sleep) in the room.
It's really funny what I remember about that trip to Nice years later. I can't tell you where we ate, stayed, where we went out, or even the sightseeing that we did. What I can vividly recall is the exhaustion and stress that I felt that night while falling into bed at that horrendous hostel. I remember feeling that I'd let my friends down by not being able to be a confident and safe driver. I also vividly remember the fear of driving that I developed over those few days in Nice. I was dreading the day that we would leave.
Two days later, my friends convinced me to drive into Monaco. By then, the shock had worn off and I felt confident again. I had no idea just how many hills and mountains there were between Nice and Monaco. I am pretty sure that my heart stopped a couple of times, but I managed to get us safely onto the main drag in Monaco. It was gorgeous! Now all that we had to do, was park. Unfortunately, this simple feat culminated in us stalled out on top of a hill behind a very expensive-looking, black Mercedes and a huge bread truck. All obstacles aside, we spent a lovely day on the rocky beaches in Monaco. For a day, we pretended that we were living amongst the rich and famous. Walking in front of Monte Carlo, I couldn't help but shake my head. All my life I'd dreamt of seeing places like this. I could only make a promise to myself to visit them again one day - with a much more plentiful budget than that of a backpacker.
I won't bore you with describing our drive back from Monaco and eventually back into Figueres. Obviously, we made it. By day four, our nerves were shot and our patience was wearing thin. There had been outbursts of anger, nail biting galore, and even a few tears. Needless to say, if you put four emotional women in a car together and add a little bit of pressure and stress - it's bound to turn out badly. When we finally arrived back in Figueres, I practically threw the keys at the Europcar kiosk and ran onto the train. Instead of dwelling on the "bad" experience we'd just went through - Lindsey, Karen, Gildade and I did what any self-respecting traveler would do. We found the nearest pub, ordered copious amounts of beer and tapas and laughed about the past few days.
Even though our "dream vacation" didn't turn out as planned, we had enough forsight to realize that it might just turn out to be one of our favorite memories together. And hell, it sure does make for a great story, doesn't it?
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The persistence of memory
Cigarette smoke, strong black coffee, and brisk morning air. Suddenly, I am no longer walking down a quiet street in Orange Park, Florida. I am crossing a hectic street in Puerta del Sol, trying to get to class on time. My bag bumping against my hip, I half-jog across the busy intersection. If I close my eyes and really fall into my reverie, I can see the Tio Pepe sign on the building in front of me. I hear the music from my walkman and feel the sun on my shoulders. I smile and shake my head at the offer to purchase jewelry from a dark-skinned street vendor.
Opening my eyes, I am still walking down the street - my dogs impatiently pulling at their leashes. Car exhaust, horns blaring, people speaking rapid Spanish while kissing their companions on the cheek. If I listen closely, I can hear my classmates laughing and talking alongside me on our way to El Son for Salsa lessons. I hear the click of my roommate's stilletos on the cobblestone streets. I can feel my metro pass tucked tightly into my pocket.
I smile and snap out of my memory. As I continue walking down the street, I feel a warmth and happiness envelop me.
No matter how many years go by, I have taken a piece of of that city with me. I will call on it on those days where I feel helpless and stiffled by my ordinary life. I will know that I took a chance and experienced something beautiful. That is the beauty of travel.
Opening my eyes, I am still walking down the street - my dogs impatiently pulling at their leashes. Car exhaust, horns blaring, people speaking rapid Spanish while kissing their companions on the cheek. If I listen closely, I can hear my classmates laughing and talking alongside me on our way to El Son for Salsa lessons. I hear the click of my roommate's stilletos on the cobblestone streets. I can feel my metro pass tucked tightly into my pocket.
I smile and snap out of my memory. As I continue walking down the street, I feel a warmth and happiness envelop me.
No matter how many years go by, I have taken a piece of of that city with me. I will call on it on those days where I feel helpless and stiffled by my ordinary life. I will know that I took a chance and experienced something beautiful. That is the beauty of travel.
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