Goodbye, for now.

"You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place...like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again."-Azar Nafisi

Three months ago, I remember packing the day before I left, and being ridiculously scared for what I was about to do. I was going to a foreign country, where I didn't speak the language, didn't know anybody and honestly, knew nothing about. I cried in the airport saying goodbye to my parents, and all the way to the gate. I cried as the plane was taking off (both in LA and in New York), but then once I got here I was finally excited and a little bit less scared. I arrived in the miniature town of Paderno del Grappa and asked myself the same question about a million times: "Why on earth did I decide to do this again?" Throughout the first week, I had to convince myself every morning when I woke up why I was here and why I wanted to be here. It wasn't easy.

But now I look back on those days and laugh at why I was so scared and dramatic about all of it. Since I did this, I feel like I can do anything. I'm not scared to navigate a subway system in an unfamiliar town, or analyze a map on a street corner in the rain, because I know I can do it easily. And somewhere in between the blur of speeding cars, airplane rides, studying and getting to know new people, I felt at home. I can't remember exactly when it happened, but I know that it did and that is what makes it so hard to leave.

The quote above could not more accurately describe how I feel about all of this. It is so true that part of the reason it's so difficult to leave this place is because I know I will never feel this way, or be the very person that I am right now ever again. But that is almost comforting to me because I know that I am capable of so much more than I was 3 months ago, and that from now on I am going to live my life differently whether I try to or not. Seeing foreign places, embracing different cultures, and meeting foreign people has opened my eyes to the world so much more than I thought it would.

Tomorrow I will be back in The United States for probably a while, but I am already planning my next adventure. I plan to keep this blog going, and comment on experiences and observations that I have. It is a work in progress, but I have been wanting to start a blog for a few years, and I am so happy that going abroad is what inspired me. I have gained an insane drive to travel, and I know I will never stay in one place too long ever again.

Leaving a special piece of my heart here in Italy...
Ciao

Ljubjana

If you're wondering how to pronounce that, it's like "Loo-bee-ana". Basically, the "j"'s are silent.
Some friends and I took a shuttle bus from the Marco Polo airport Friday at noon, and arrived in just under three hours. You are probably thinking, "Why on earth would you go there?"

The truth is I don't really know. But I can tell you that I probably never would have otherwise made it to Slovenia in my lifetime, and I am very glad that I did. Ljubljana was unlike any city I have been to in Europe yet. It was very small, with just a few streets and a river running through the center of the city. It was surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Snow-capped mountains are seen in every direction, and the famous Tivoli Park, which is just outside the center of the city is absolutely gorgeous and unique. It was freezing cold, but we walked around the city and caught an amazing sunset from the top of the Ljubljana castle, which was magical.

I didn't really know anything about this city before we went, except for that one of our advisors is from there, and she's pretty much the sweetest person you will ever meet. There is a whopping total of 2 million people in the country of Slovenia, but you wouldn't believe how proud they are. There is a fascinating history of all the people who have ruled over Slovenia throughout history, and it shows how much that has affected the dynamic of the country.

This trip really made me believe that sometimes, when you are unprepared for the visit and unsure of what you're going to do in a city, your stay becomes that much more enjoyable and exciting. Throughout this semester I have traveled everywhere with a very flexible guideline of things I wanted to do and see while I was there. For Ljubljana, I had none. But that is why I loved it so much because I had no expectations. I hadn't even ever seen a photo of the town or surrounding area. The man at our hostel gave us some recommendations of things to do, though. So we followed his lead and went to the gorgeous castle, took a walk through the park, went ice skating and took a day trip to Lake Bled. There was just one piece of advice that we chose to skip out on--eating horse burgers.

I really have become more adventurous with my eating since I have been living here, but really not THAT adventurous. I heard a guy once say that he refuses to eat anything that could potentially be on a post card. I could not agree with that statement more. Our hostel manager swore that these burgers were delicious and we had to try them, but I am sorry, eating a horse was just not on my agenda.

Though it was a random decision, the weekend ended up being a blast and the nightlife was insane. If you ever find yourself in Ljubljana, go to Cirkus. Sander Van Doorn, a fairly well-known Dutch DJ, happened to be playing the night that we were there, and we were front row until 4 a.m. It was very worth it, and we still had enough energy to make it to Lake Bled, hike, sightsee and eat traditional Slovenian "cream cake" the next day.

So while it may not be on everyone's bucket list, Slovenia would definitely be a trip worth while. It is beautiful when covered in snow and even more amazing in the summer (so I hear).

Lake Bled

Scenic Lake Bled

City Sunset

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

I know Thanksgiving was last week, but with the rush of school and traveling, it seemed that I almost skipped it. It is incredible how much I have to be thankful for this holiday season. In fact, I don't think I have ever had more to be thankful for in my whole life than I do right now.

Over the past three months I have been to 9 countries and 19 cities, stayed in countless hostels, and spent hours on trains, planes and buses. It has been a whirlwind of a semester, but it has made me appreciate things I never did before and see the world in a different way than I previously did. Seven friends and I went to dinner in the nearby town of Asolo on Thanksgiving night. We told ourselves we would go around the table and discuss everything that we were grateful for, and we began talking about how weird it was that we weren't with our families for the first time in our lives.

The first thing I could think of that I was grateful were those seven girls, plus a few more. When coming to Europe, I didn't know one person or have one friend with me. For those of you that know me, you know that I like to spend the majority of my time surrounded by people; I really don't need much alone time in my life. Coming here without someone by my side was challenging at first, but I quickly found myself surrounded by a great group of friends. And while we are going back to opposite sides of the country, I know I will see them again because we have created a bond different than any other. It's insane how quickly you can get to know people by traveling and living with them.

I am thankful for the things I have had. I am thankful for planes, trains and automobiles because this experience would literally not be possible without them. I am thankful for Facebook, Skype, FaceTime and Viber. Without this technology I would have been much more homesick. I am thankful for Italian food and the fact that I haven't (yet) become morbidly obese from eating pasta every day. Yes, every day it is served with both lunch and dinner. That being said, I am thankful for good health. Being the hypochondriac that I am, one of my greatest fears leaving the US was the lack of medicine and proper healthcare in Italy. Luckily, I have stayed very healthy running on very little sleep. I am thankful for alcohol, and it's ability to let me stay out until 6 a.m., keep me warm wandering the streets of Ljubjana and other freezing places, and help me appreciate wine. I am thankful for Diego and his wife at the Tabacchi across the street who make me delicious, fresh sandwiches. And I am thankful for Paderno del Grappa, the teeny little town in which I live, and the amazing Mt. Grappa that I stare at every day out my window.

I am also thankful for the things that I have not had. It is such a true statement that being without something for a while makes you appreciate it that much more. I am thankful for heaters, especially as I sit here in my dorm room typing while wearing gloves. I requested that someone fixed my broken heater, but instead they just brought me an extra blanket...at least they tried right? I am thankful for salad dressing, the English language, stores being open from 1-3, cars, and the ocean. I am so thankful for my friends in Eugene and at home in Newport. You really see who your true friends are based on how well they try and keep in touch when you're thousands of miles away.

I know there is so much more that I have to be grateful for that I cannot mention in just a short blog post. But above all, I am thankful for my parents for giving me this incredible experience. I can't even count how many times over the past 90 days that I have thought to myself, "How am I ever going to thank them enough for this?"I have realized that I can never thank them enough, however I can use the unforgettable lessons that I have learned here, both from my education and my experiences, to shape my future life and career. I am 100% certain that I have learned lessons by being here that I would have never learned had I not spent 3 months outside of the United States. That is what I am most grateful for. I have gained independence, self-assurance, self-awareness, and an extreme drive to travel and see the world, among many other things.

So while I may not have had time to write about it last Thursday, I have been thinking about it non-stop for the past 3 months. I am so so grateful for this life that I live. I can't believe I have just five days left in Italy, but I am going to make the most of it (in between studying for finals) and cherish every last second of this incredible experience. Happy Holidays!

Last Tuesday night, the adorable lunch ladies, for whom I am also thankful, made us a proper Thanksgiving dinner. Not going to lie, it was delicious. And there was pumpkin pie (not pictured).

Yo No Hablo Catalán

Barcelona was absolutely magical, but what fascinated me most was the Catalan independency from the rest of Spain. Upon traveling to Barcelona, I thought I was going to "Spain." But no, I was in fact going to Catalonia. I had heard that in Barcelona they have a bit of a different accent. They say "BarTHelona", etc. But I was very wrong about this. Catalan is not a dialect, it is a different language and is only spoken by the people of Catalonia, which includes the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona.

Everywhere I went, if I happened to accidentally utter the word Spanish or Spain, I would be quickly corrected by English-speaking locals who would say, "No. You are not in Spain, you are in Catalonia." It was as if they did not want to be affiliated with Spain at all. I learned that Barcelona inhabitants speak Catalan and Spanish, but they think of Catalan as a traditional aspect that separates them and makes them different from the rest of Spain. There are Catalan flags hung on almost every apartment balcony and not once did I ever see a Spanish flag. In fact, Catalonia is trying to become its own country, and is gaining very little support from Spain and the rest of the E.U.

I found this independence to be so interesting because we have nothing like it in America. Everywhere you go in The States, people are Americans and the language they are speaking is English, even if they may have an accent from Boston or Texas. The Catalan people are very proud of who they are, and strive to keep the traditions and history of their region alive. It is really a beautiful thing that they have this sovereignty, but it the divide is a very difficult concept for me to grasp as an American.

All in all, the Catalan people were very nice; some of the nicest people I have encountered since being in Europe. From the gorgeous sunsets on the beach, to Gaudi architecture, to tapas, to the insane nightlife, Barcelona was an amazing time.

Belgium Christmas Markets: Chocolates, Trinkets and Twinkling Lights

Below is part of an essay I wrote for my Travel Writing class. After visiting Brussels and Bruges, Belgium, I was fascinated by their emphasis on Christmas, and their premature decorations. While I was not there during the markets, there were lots of lights, garland and Christmas trees everywhere during my stay. Happy Holidays and enjoy!

During the most magical time of the year, the cities of Brussels and Bruges, Belgium are transformed into winter wonderlands with their Christmas markets. The Brussels market takes place in the picturesque Grand-Place, surrounding the Bourse, the Place de la Monnaie, the Place Sainte-Catherine and the Vismet. In Bruges, there is a market with different attractions, which is set up in Market Square and Simon Stevinplein. The Bruges also features snow and ice sculpture and dance festivals. Brussels and Bruges are just an hour apart by train, so you can easily get to both galas in one weekend. This year, it will be especially accessible for citizens of the U.K. to travel to the markets. The DFDS Seaway has made a decision to offer daily ferries from Newcastle to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam, people are encouraged to go to the markets and experience the fantastic holiday celebration.

            The Brussels Christmas market was established in 2000, and is more modern than many of the other markets around Europe in places such as Berlin and Prague. Last year at the Brussels market, there was a lot of controversy with the modern Christmas tree, replacing the traditional one. Instead of having a normal Christmas tree at the festival, there was a lit-up geometrical figure that was made to look like a tree. After receiving many complaints in 2012, the art piece will not be returning to the market this year. To keep the modern art theme going however, this year there will be an innovative and interactive lit-up iceberg through which attendees can walk. The iceberg lights up different cool colors: blue, pink and purple, which reflect off of the snow and make for a beautiful small light show. Similar to this is the Grand-Place light show, which actually runs from the summertime through the winter. It is especially exciting during the holiday season because there is sound to go along with the lights. When I was just in Brussels in mid-November, the lightshow occurred every night at 9 o’clock. It really was an amazing sight, and also something that attracts a lot of people into the square. If you have not yet been to Brussels, the Grand-Place is a beautiful attraction all year round. I met both locals and tourists alike watching the lightshow on a Saturday night. These modern aspects are only part of what makes the Brussels market so special.

            The Christmas markets attracts people of all ages. There are around 250 chalets set up throughout the city center. These chalets are wooden structures, built just for the market to look like gingerbread houses. They sell souvenirs, chocolate, Christmas ornaments and more. Their twinkling lights and white-capped roofs will make you feel like you are at the North Pole. While I was in Brussels the market was beginning to be set up and it already felt like Santa’s workshop. The Brussels market is very child-friendly and aims to attract families with the Ferris wheel, merry-go-rounds, slalom track and ice-skating rink. Just a quick train away, another joyful festival is set up, in the sentimental city of Bruges.

            Bruges is the perfect holiday getaway for a couple. By mid-November, all of the streets are lit-up, ornament stores are open, and the big tree is placed in the Center of Market Square. Bruges boasts to be a romantic city with beautiful, historic places to kiss. While less family-friendly than the market in Brussels, it appeals more to the young adult. Belgian florists prepare their most pristine garland centerpieces, wreaths, baskets and bulbs. They will teach you how to make these decorations and famous Belgian florists will present their latest winter works for all the guests to see.

During your stay in Bruges, I highly recommend buying decadent sweets from Pur Chocolat. It is just about a five-minute walk from the train station towards the city center. Compared to many other chocolate shops (there is one on every corner), it is inexpensive and tastes better than the pricey places. When I asked the woman behind the counter what her favorite piece was she pointed to them all and said that she had been trying to figure it out since she was six years old. She is the daughter of the owner, and has worked there her whole adult life. She grew up being the best taste-tester her father has ever had. She nibbles on chocolate while helping customers, and will eagerly tell you through broken English about the most popular chocolates behind the glass. I suggest getting a box of café truffles, and a bag of assorted candies of your choice. I can personally say that I had the best chocolate I had ever tasted at this little shop in Bruges.

There is really no better way to immerse yourself in celebration and get into the Christmas spirit than by attending the festivities in Brussels and Bruges. Belgium offers something for people of all ages and interests. There are options for the artsy type, the child-at-heart, the romantic, and the foodie. The holidays are a time of indulgence and appreciation meant to spent with the people that mean the most. So whether you are looking to get away with your family, your girlfriends, a loved one or a group of friends, Belgium is the place to go.

Picturesque Bruges in November

A European's View On Americans

          While at a bar in Amsterdam, I got the opportunity to visit with a student my age, who has lived in the city is whole life. Throughout my time here in Europe, I have had a lot of opportunities to speak briefly with other Europeans, and I have found it to be very common that they ask us about politics. I personally find this annoying, but I always go along with it. When beginning a conversation with this young man, I never thought we would discuss this bothersome topic. However after about 45 minutes of speaking to him, we began a bit of a controversial and political discussion.

            It was probably my fault that this subject matter got brought up because I asked him about the legal marijuana laws in The Netherlands. He informed me that weed is, in fact, legal in all of Holland, not just in Amsterdam. I also asked him if it is common for people to smoke marijuana with their families, in their homes and at a young age. I figured that it would be fairly common since it is legal. He made it very clear, though, that parents raise their children to believe that it is a drug with negative impacts, and is seen as low-class and unintelligent. He then proceeded to tell me that the biggest “pot-head” he knew was a friend of his who spent a year at an exchange program in Oregon during high school. This made me laugh but did not really surprise me. It just added to the thought that when something is illegal and seen as a rebellious activity, it is more common for young adults. Similar to how many Europeans can maturely handle their alcohol by the time they are 19 years old, unlike in the United States.

            I think he thought my reaction to this was amusing, so he then asked me my opinion on Europeans. I told him that each European country I’ve been to has been so different that it is hard to make a generalization about everyone. So he said, “Okay, well then what is the difference to you between Europeans and Americans?” I thought for a few minutes and said, “You guys are much more into traditions than we are, and you also pay more attention to beauty, at least in many places I have been.” He agreed.

            So I asked him, “Why? What do you think the difference is?” To which he quickly replied, “Well, for example, we don’t walk around with guns in our pockets.”

            I nearly spat out my drink on him, laughed, and asked if he was serious. He told me that he knows weapons are much more accessible in America and that we all have guns for hunting and protection. He also told me that in The Netherlands hunting is illegal.

            With the current controversies around gun control, I found it really interesting to get the European, or at least the Dutch perspective on the issue. I cleared it up for him that we do not just walk around with guns in our pockets and that I personally have never hunted or even held a gun. We continued to talk about other political differences such as health care, taxes and higher education.

            At the end of the night when I was leaving, he told me that he had never before talked to an American girl about such topics, and that I had really changed his views. Although he did mention that he is still not very fond of Americans, aside from me of course, he admitted he dreams of traveling to The States one day. Hopefully he will relay the knowledge I gave him to the rest of Europe so that they can all stop hating us. But the odds of that happening are slim to none.

            

My Favorite Part of Paris: Le Marais

The most frustrating thing about traveling in Europe: everything is closed on Sundays. Fortunately, this is not true about the Jewish district of Paris, called Le Marais. I had never heard of this area, but a friend of mine is studying and working as a fashion blogger Paris, and she said it was a must. We failed to meet up on Saturday because she had a deadline, so we decided to spend the day together on Sunday. I knew she would not want to do touristy things with me such as see the Louvre and gaze at the Eiffel Tower (which is a block from her apartment). So I told her I was up for anything, and this was her first suggestion. I immediately responded (as if I knew what I was talking about), "No, Emily. All the shops will be closed--it's Sunday!" She replied by explaining to me that Le Marais is historically and aristocratically Jewish. It is close to La Seine, and is host to a famous old temple. At the end of the 19th century, it became home to a large Jewish community. Since the idea of not working on Sundays is a Catholic belief, there was an abundance of unique restaurants and boutiques that were ALL open on Sunday!

I met her at the gardens outside of The Louvre, and took the subway to Le Marais. We walked to an Italian restaurant that had been recommended to her called "Grazie."While kabobs and gyros are apparently amazing in this area, the lines were wrapping around block and we were more in the mood to sit down and catch up. After a fabulous lunch and drinks, we walked down a few blocks to do some window-shopping. I felt like I was in a completely different city than what I had seen of Paris the past 2 days I had been there. All of the clothing stores were high-end boutiques, which we could only hope to one day be able to shop at. There were also stores that sold amazing chocolate, fancy soaps, homemade jam of exotic flavors, beautiful flowers and so much more.

What I loved about this district was how quaint it was. Paris is a pretty overwhelming city, and to be able to spend my last day of the trip in a small area, filled with my two favorite things (shopping and food) was extremely refreshing. Not to mention I was with my childhood friend whom I had not seen in over a year. 
I made a few purchases, but my favorite one was the jam that I bought for my mother. In this tiny jam store, customers could sample all the different kinds of jam with a little plastic spoon. There had to have been at least 50 flavors to choose from. After sampling a few, I was having a hard time deciding which one to get. The woman working came up to tell me that there was a new flavor that had just been made a week ago: vanilla and pear. I loved the sound of that. After tasting it, I knew it was the one and that my mom was going to love it.

            I bought it and later realized that it was too many ounces to take on the plane. Fortunately, Emily was kind enough to ship it home with some things she was sending to her mother. After my fancy purchase, we walked around some more and bought some chocolate that was to-die-for. We took a nice walk along La Seine, and finished with a wonderful dinner at a restaurant called "La Favorite." Obviously there are many attractions in a city so huge and filled with tourists such as Paris. But as amazing as it was to see L'Arc de Triumph and The Eiffel Tower, nothing brought me more joy than the day I spent in Le Marais. Whether you are a jam-lover and window-shopper like me or not, Le Marais is hands-down the place to go on Sunday in Paris. And I can assure you will find something there that sparks your interest. 

Prost!

        Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany. Let’s start with my living accommodations. I booked a campsite through a company called Stoke Travel. It is run by crazy, young Australians, whose main concern is making sure everybody is having a good time. We slept in giant tents, really more like tee pees, in the freezing cold, rainy weather. I know I am making it sound miserable, but it really was worth it and an amazing experience. The campsite turns into a party at night, with food, drinks, and a “dance floor”. This was basically a make shift DJ set with rainbow lights and a covered grassy area. It was awesome.

            So after a night of little sleep we woke up at 7am to set off for Oktoberfest! Thankfully, our campsite sold dirndls, which are traditional German dresses. So we bought those early in the morning and didn’t have to worry about long lines and expensive prices.

            Oktoberfest reminded me of a fraternity party times 1000. There were people of all ages and all nationalities. Women of all ages would walk around taking orders for beer. The beer we drank was Hofbrau, and I surprisingly liked it more than I thought I would. The woman waiting on us was extremely friendly, attentive and efficient, which is rare I have been told.

I met people from Belgium, Germany, Australia, The U.S., and New Zealand. That is just a handful of countries that were represented at the festival. The most interesting thing I found about meeting a lot of foreigners is how many of them were interested in American politics. I met an Irishman who said, “So what are your thoughts on the War in Iraq?” right after I had told him my name. I had similar experiences with other foreigners as well. I thought it was strange, but also showed me how educated people from other countries were.

            All in all, it was a fabulous weekend. The campsite situation was an experience, and I was definitely ready to be home in a bed and have a proper shower by the end of it all. I found Germans to be friendly, fun and down to earth. Munich did not steal my heart, but it was a nice city. Most importantly, I cannot wait to return to Oktoberfest one day.