Tag: travel

Happily Lost In Any Light

equestri vitam3 Comments

Traditions, history dates, stories, new tastes, new smells, sounds, words, phrases, feelings, memoirs, happiness, sadness, nostalgia, the joy of going home, the fear of going home, are all the things that I experience every single day while living abroad. The adventure I’m living is taking me places I’ve never been to, neither mentally, nor physically.  With only three months left in this beautiful country there is an abundance of thoughts and feelings racing through my mind.

On occasion I look behind at the person I was when I stepped off that plane, five months ago, in a completely new environment, on the crisp morning of the 31st of August and notice all that has changed. I was scared, oblivious to what would come next, afraid of the unknown, and nervous. When I take the time to analyze who I am now, I see someone who has grown immensely, and continues to make countless new discoveries about herself everyday.

I’ve recognized that I no longer need to keep my guard up for what lays ahead of me or behind me. As long as I remember to take a deep breath when confronted with difficulties, keep true to who I am, and set my mind to what I aspire to do, I can and will achieve it. I’ve discovered that the fact of the matter is: I wanted fresh air, a new surrounding, and I attained it all because I ventured outside my comfort zone and took a leap.

This whole Italy gig has done a great amount to my psyche. It’s allowed me to pinpoint my true persona, toss out the clutter I carried which invaded my mind and untie everything that dragged behind me. The new acquired space allows me to trust, gain, and learn in greater quantities.

I feel lighter like there is nothing I can’t do, I can get lost in any light and still sense happiness and peace. Having had a stressful sophomore year due to personal issues at home, this year is acts as a retreat and cleanse.

This year serves for me to let go, enjoy and find myself through learning, new friends and new experiences. I’ve learned from being in Italy that it is completely okay to break down and show what you are feeling. It’s normal and only human to crack and carry a sad face rather than a constant happy one. I’ve learned to allow myself these days. My psyche grows everyday with every single moment.

Although one small thing haunts me as time goes by, how will my psyche change when I return to America? How will I react to the immediate switch? There is a large chance that the quick alteration of setting will disrupt my new psyche I’ve reached while living here. I’ll be forced to face reality and go on with life without the coliseum practically in my backyard. It’s a scary thought but in the end, I will adjust and trudge on with the fond memories of the best nine months of my life.

(Taken and slightly altered from an english essay I was assigned in my english class)

Image

Sleepless San Francisco.

eternity10301 Comment

Last week for our English 11 Honors class, Mrs. Wilson asked us to write a personal essay about the site we wanna live. And all of the sudden San Francisco came out of my mind. I’ve been there only once, but I just couldn’t help myself thinking about it all the time. I want to live there.

Sleepless San Francisco

There is a place that I would love to leave my heart there without hesitation. My sleepless San Francisco would be the dream I want to keep even when I am awake.

Located on a peninsula between the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean, San Francisco has its own definition of city – compact, busy, but scenic and comfortable as well. I would first arrive into San Francisco from the north via the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge, the place for a good start. I would be the first one to watch the born of sun, and enjoy the amazement of the golden sunshine.

Then my journey would start. When there came the noisy bells, the yellow cable cars would be on their way heading to me. I would choose to stand on the edge of the car and hold on to the handrail. “Ding-dong, ding-dong” – as the car drove, my hair would swing with the wind and the views would greet me as I passed by. Built on several hills, the roads are steep but also well-organized in a grid. The most exciting moment would be the downhill part, where I could experience a gentle roller-coaster.

Read More »

The Apocalypse Is Upon Me (In the Italians eyes)

equestri vitamLeave a comment

One of the things that I’ve learned about Italians is that they are utterly terrified of bad weather. No matter how minimal it is, it’s the end of the world.

Every single time it is even slightly grey or cloudy outside, my host mother makes sure I am completely bundled in impermeable clothing before leaving the house. Rain jacket, rain boots, and without question an umbrella must be on me at all times.

This morning has been the biggest example of this Italian behavior I have ever seen in my entire life. As I woke up this morning and went down stairs  it was noticed that it was snowing.  I got so excited, my first time in snow this whole winter. The snow barely covered an inch on the ground, but still, it was snow!

My normal routine carried on, walked out the door at 7:25 to catch the bus, got on the bus around 7:35. As soon as getting on the bus I noticed that less than half the people that normally are on it, weren’t. Two minutes into our commute to town the bus slows down and slides slightly while going down a hill. As soon as it began to slide, every single italian in the bus lets out a death shriek. After five minutes of being stopped we are notified that there was an accident up ahead. In my head I’m saying to myself “Seriously? there isn’t even half an inch of snow on the roads!” But sure enough there was actually a car that had driven off the road into a ditch.

I immediately called our Direttore of school to notify him that we’d surely be late arriving to school today.  When he answered, before even giving me a chance to speak all I heard on the other line is: “NON C’E SCUOLA, NON C’E SCUOLA, NON C’E SCUOLA,”(if you didn’t catch on that means “there is no school”). My classmates that I share the bus with quickly got off the bus and walked home.

Read More »

South America Bound, Jack Marcus’s Journey to Chile

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

South America Bound!.

^^^^^Here is a great blog from a very close friend of mine.

I have known Jack since we were younger, but we became close friends my freshman year of high school.

I am also close to his younger brother Peter, and we spent many great days and nights together.

I am incredibly proud to have a friend who has the guts to pack up and go to a country where he can’t really speak the language, and leave all major civilization for nine months to be in Patagonia.

File:Cuernos del Paine from Lake Pehoé.jpg

This isn’t his first adventure out of the country alone, his sophomore year he spent a semester in Israel, learning Hebrew, and embracing the life of a jew in Israel.

He loved living in Israel, and while Israel and Chile are very different places, I am sure Jack will love it.

Jack is not known for speaking Spanish, really, he doesn’t at all, and when he does it provokes a good laugh.

Although I have been unable to spend time with him in the past few months, I will be thinking about him through his journey, and hope to go visit him at some point in South America along his journey.

I will keep him in my thoughts, and hope all goes well.

I am sure when he gets back he will have plenty to tell, and hopefully some pictures.

While you cannot read this Jack, stay safe and have fun, we will be thinking about you back at home!

I am sure you will spread your odd humor and good vibes to all the people you are with.

Adios Hermano!

Promise me, Dear Lapland.

eternity10301 Comment


Do you remember the promise, Lapland?

I know you do.

Covering the whole of northern Finland, Lapland is said to be the true home of Santa. No surprise then, this place really comes into its own at Christmas. Imagine cozy log cabins, crackling campfires and husky sleds and reindeer sleighs swishing through the snow. Plus, there are plenty of ways to get out into the wilderness, like snowmobiling and skiing.

And that is the place that hides at almost the northern top of the world, also the deepest corner within my heart.

Read More »

Souls from Southeast Asia – Pee Sai

theycallmedameLeave a comment


His name is Pee Sai.
He is 23-years-old.
He is my friend.

Pee Sai speaks very little English, and I speak absolutely no Burmese, but the language barrier is not detrimental towards our friendship.  I don’t need to speak his language to know that Pee Sai is hilarious, kind, and worrysome.  He does not need to speak my language to know how well we get along.

When I first met Pee Sai, I had just crossed the Burmese-Thai border after sitting between the two countries in horrendous heat for an hour.  I was sweaty, irritated, and was suffering from one of my headaches; he was shy, not speaking to anyone as we found our way to the bus that would take us throughout Burma.

I officially met Pee Sai outside of a school in the Burmese mountains.  I was asked to grab my ukulele from the bus so our group could sing a song for the schoolchildren, and Pee Sai was asked to escort me.

“Hello, I am Pee Sai, what is your name?”
“Hi, I’m Aria!”

When I tried to converse further, I realized how those few words were some of the only English words Pee Sai knew.  After we discovered this hurdle, we communicated through outrageous gestures, silly faces, and universal sounds of approval, disapproval, annoyance, and happiness.

Pee Sai would seem to be, to most of anyone, a shy but friendly face; a man who has lived a relatively easy life and recognizes that.

Pee Sai has not lived such a life.Read More »