Embrace, disclose, and most importantly, reflect.

I can't necessarily say that I'm thrilled for the thirteen hour journey (let's be honest) but for many weeks now I've anticipated tomorrow's travels, bringing me ever closer to family, friends, and most importantly, home.

Before leaving Ireland two months ago, my friends and I were grappling with the idea of "home" and the complexities of its usage when describing where we grew up, where we go to school, and the town of Cork itself (a new Irish conception of home for us). I have heard from other friends who traveled abroad that this place of comfort is even harder to elucidate once one returns to where they've been raised. I'm not certain of how I will react when I'm back in America, but I can impart that before studying abroad, my perception of home was very narrowly defined. That expansive space from familiar Northern California to abstract Southern California was once a sizable stepping stone for me. Looking back now, it's seems hilarious that I was so nervous to make that small, cultural leap when in only seven short months I've managed to acclimate to polar opposite countries and call them home.

So my question is, how does one who has swam to the whole other side of the pond foresee their adaptation to a previous way of life and anticipate an even greater change in tide? Carrying right along with this applicable little metaphor, I thought that after such a life-changing study abroad experience, I would feel equipped and confident for anything in my future. Instead, I feel the trepidation of one slowly treading water, waiting for what lies ahead. It may just be my tendency to worry about the future and a compulsive need to have a plan B at all times (let's be honest, a plan C and D, as well) but I'm finally coming to terms with my relatively short amount of time left as a "college kid." In two short quarters, I'll need to have a couple internships under my belt, finish my upper division requirements, and already be looking for real-deal job (eek!) It's seems that time is playing tricks on me: acquiescing my requests to get home as soon and possible, and respectfully declining my pleas to slow down when I perceive the luxuries of being young.

All I can be thankful for is the people who have entered my life during this grand period of time and the places I have witnessed that so may people have yet to. Most importantly, I must commend my family for their financial and emotional support, and allowing me to experience this full depth of happiness, and even sadness and loneliness at times, which encompass any life-altering experience. If there's anything I've learned from traveling to Europe, besides how to navigate any convoluted Italian train station or how to locate any pub in a mile radius, it's the importance of fully embracing life and its nuances. The initial purpose of this blog was to embrace, disclose, and reflect, yet it has evolved into something even greater for me: a tangible preservation of the sites, friends, and adventures in which I will never forget.

Home sweet home, here I come!

A glimpse of the good life.

Here are some photos of where I'm living in Florence!

Our street on Via Faenza.

The Secluded Palace of the Amalfi Coast (in other words, Nick's pad)

As if our trip couldn't become more titillating, I now impart you with images of grandeur and pulchritude (beauty!) that is Jenna's boyfriend's getaway house on the Amalfi Coast. I think we were all lucky enough to be in Italy at the same time Nick and his family would be visiting their rental house, which overlooks the ocean between Italian coastal towns of Sorrento and Positano. After picking Irene, Jenna, and I up from the ferry port in Sorrento, Nick drove us thirty minutes to his house. I was surprised when, on the winding freeway, we had to do a sharp U-turn just to park in his driveway (this place is literally situated right above the freeway). We received a full tour of the house, which included five bedrooms, a kitchen, a pool, four terraces, and a family room.

That evening, their Italian cook made us about fifteen whole pizzas from scratch on their wood-fired pizza oven, which I thought was very exciting to witness in a traditional setting. The rest of our trip entailed lounging by the pool, eating, chatting with his family, and hiking to a sequestered beach we climbed down to from the freeway. Actually, there was a pretty hilarious incident that happened at our "private beach." After swimming around a cove, we lay on the sand and looked to our left and there happened to be a local Italian laying out, too. After a couple of minutes, he decided to strip so that he was sunbathing completely nude (a common occurrence on even public beaches in Italy). Apparently Italian men are very comfortable with themselves, because he decided to walk right by us naked and strike up conversation. I speak for the three of us when I say that we were a little distracted. For our last night on the Amalfi coast, we investigated a local club in Positano that was so much fun. Everything was neon and the walls were fashioned like caves, which made for a really funky aesthetic. On our walk back from the club, we were met with extravagant fireworks that took us off guard. Later we discovered that day was an Italian holiday in honor of one of their patron saints, and the fireworks were in celebration of him. Never have I been so close and witnessed such an elaborate fireworks show, which surpassed Mt. Shasta's one that I see every Fourth of July.

I've included (probably too many) pictures of the house, but I want you to see how stunning it really was.

View from the terrace.

The driveway.

Family room

Terrace #1

Terrace #2

The wood-fired pizza oven.

Terrace #3

The Kitchen

Terrace #4

Fireworks in Positano

Anacapri and Capri: The Coral Island

After our brief stop in Naples, we took ferry to the island of Capri, which is about forty-five minutes from mainland Italy. I really had no idea what to expect traveling to an Italian islet, but I had heard from people in my program that it was very similar to the aesthetics of Greek islands such as Mykonos or Santorini. When we arrived, my conception of Capri was very similar to what I saw in Greece: white houses lined up precariously along large hills and mountains.

Our first plan of action was to figure out how to get to our hotel, named Hotel Bussola located in Anacapri, and this entailed a treacherous and windy bus ride up the steep hills of the city. Once we were dropped off (knowing absolutely no idea how to orient ourselves) we made our way into the tiny city center, and finally found our hotel which was tucked away within many side streets. However, the trek payed off because our hotel was absolutely beautiful. We arrived to discover they had given us a sea-view room free of charge...paradise! The first day we went to one of the local beaches, and just as the sun was setting we ordered Sangria while overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. What we thought was finally going to be a luxurious, relaxed, and carefree beach vacation after a frenzied stay in Rome, turned into another couple of days packed with sight-seeing and hiking. Irene was the spearhead of this operation, which I can't complain about now!

We first hiked to the Natural Arc, then around the southern coast of Capri, and ended in the city of Capri to have lunch. Before we left, we also managed to enter the Blue Grotto, the main highlight of our trip. The Blue Grotto is a cave in Capri that was discovered by a German explorer, and is famous for its limestone basin that reflects light that enters the cave in a way that it emits a rare, aqua coloring in the water. Even those that come to Capri specifically to see the grotto are often disappointed because the tide has to be at a perfect medium in order for people to safely enter.

A lot like Greece!

The view outside our room at Hotel Bussola.

Sangria and bruschetta for dinner.

The coast of Capri, world renowned for its coral used to make beautiful coral jewelry.

We made it! The Natural Arc.

Hiking around the coast.

A gargantuan cave we discovered.

Taking chair-lifts around the island.

When entering the Blue Grotto, you had to lay down in the bottom of the boat while the paddler sang to you. Those crazy Italians!

Inside the grotto...so pretty.

When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie...

That's amore.

There is only one crucial thing you need to know about our stop in Naples: the Pizza is the best I've ever had in my life. Granted, pizza as a cuisine was first invented here, so I had high expectations. Yuummmyy!

Roma: Take Two!

We began our week-long endeavor by taking a train to Rome to show Jenna such sights as the Coliseum, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain, Roma's Jewish Ghetto, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican Museum (my first visit!), and Irene's old neighborhood, Trastevere. We packed all of this in two short days, which was quite exhausting! The biggest and spontaneous surprise of the trip was Roma Euro Pride 2011, a huge music festival that took place at the Circus Maximus in honor of Rome's gay population, in which we found out was happening the very night it was scheduled to take place. After a rushed spaghetti dinner, we met up with Irene's friend who is still living in Rome, bought a couple of bottles of wine, and raced to the concert in hopes of seeing Lady Gaga, who was performing for a couple of hours. The minute we stepped off the bus, we heard her singing and ran up the hill to the Circus Maximus just in time to observe two of her songs live (and for free!) It was a huge venue, and so much fun to see so many Italians grouped together. As we sat on the grass and popped our wine bottles, we had to share a laugh due to almost missing her performance all in the name of wine.

Jenna and I at the Trevi Fountain. We had to coax her into throwing a coin in to assure another visit to Rome in her future. (It worked for me last time I did it with Grandma and Grandpa!)

The Spanish Steps. Can you tell just how crowded Rome is in the Summer?

The Geography Room: surprisingly, one of my favorite rooms in the Vatican Museum. The maps chronicle different eras in Italy's history.

So intricate!

The famous School of Athens painting in the Stanza della Segnatura.

The best spaghetti I've had in Italy.

Roma Euro Pride stage

"Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the Italian flowers."

I begin this post with an insightful comment by Jenna, who has often had to remind Irene and I that in order to live the true Italian lifestyle, one must "stop and smell the flowers once in a while." It has only been a week or so, and the dynamic of our threesome while traveling has surprised even me while touring the Duomo, Piazza Michelangelo, and Galileo Science Museum locally in Florence, and our recent hike of Cinque Terre, a rugged portion of the coast on the Italian Riviera. I almost forgot how much I laugh on a daily basis when the three of us are together, especially when I observe Irene trying to cut in front of slow-paced Italians, trying as fast as possible to get to our destination, while Jenna trails leisurely behind, "smelling the roses," so to speak. I surmise that I lie somewhere in the middle, trying desperately to shed my unobservant tendencies, take in everything around me, and keep up the morale of the group (especially when we encounter a huge hill we have to climb to get to the city of Corniglia...but more about that later.)

If I had to delineate my experience here in Italy thus far, I would have to enunciate that Irene, Jenna, and I are currently staying in a beautiful Florentine apartment with a terrace for sunbathing, stainless steel (fully equipped) kitchen, three huge bedrooms with air conditioning, with the walls all adorned in charming Italian paintings. Basically, la bella vita in every essence. The apartment is also central to the city of Florence, and we are closely situated to the train station and the grocery store. It's is pretty plush to have all of these things at your fingertips, something I did not have while studying abroad in Ireland. Also, unsurprisingly, my diet has changed significantly. I've been stuffing my face with delicious Italian pizza (almost daily), a variety of pastas, gelato, risotto, salami, parmesan cheese, bread, bread, bread, cabrese, and sandwiches, which I'm sure is having a negative impact on my figure. Also, it has happened, and it didn't take long... I have become a wino! You can buy a cheap, 4 euro, bottle of wine here and it tastes wonderful, as opposed to the States or Ireland, where you have to spend 10 euro to receive a quality bottle of vino.  We have wine every night with dinner, and by every night, I mean every night. You've got to love the Italian lifestyle!

Two days ago, Irene, Jenna, and I decided to hike Cinque Terre, better known as "The Five Lands" composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was our first taste of the Mediterranean Sea, and although it was a strenuous endeavor, it was absolutely beautiful and totally worth the labor. My favorite city in particular was Corniglia, in which we found our own little private cove where we could sunbath and swim in the clear/green water. This city is also famous for its pesto, which was invented in the Cinque Terre region. We all ordered a penne pesto dish that was delectable! I even picked up a jar to bring home, it was that good. I've attached some pictures, just so you can get the full effect of this region.

The current background picture of my blog. The water is so clear!!

The first town, Monterosso.

Our little cove.

The first, and easiest, part of our hike, called the "Love Walk."

On June 10th, the three of us head out on our epic, week-long trip around Italy. We're planning on spending two nights in Rome, head to Naples for a day, then take a ferry to Capri and spend two nights in a very nice hotel. I'm the most excited about this destination because it is supposed to be similar to the aesthetics of Greece and we splurged on a resort-type pad. After that, we will travel to the Amalfi Coast and stay with Jenna's boyfriend, Nick, who's family rents out a house right on the ocean. I've already seen pictures, and this place looks so nice. It even has a swimming pool and huge, luxurious rooms. Best of all, we get to stay there for free! We plan on taking a day trip from there to see Pompeii, and then we'll head back to Florence. Towards the end of the month, we also want to squeeze in day trips to Umbria, Pisa, Verona, and Venice, of course. Talk about a whirlwind adventure! I'll be sure to post pictures in a couple of weeks.

Farewell, Éire!

As I sit here sipping my last pint of Bulmer's Irish Cider ever, I can barely comprehend that I will be leaving Ireland in five hours. Like everyone has said regarding their study-abroad experience, time simply flew by. It's hard to believe that I'm completely done with school until fall quarter. My Literature and Modern Ireland & Contemporary Irish Writing exams went splendidly, but I can't help but feel a little heartbroken that school is over, because this means my time in this wonderful country has come to an end. However corny this may appear, I decided to compile a list of all the great things I will truly miss about this place. Here goes...

I will miss...

...the homeless Irish drunkards who hang out on the corner of Copley Street

....as well as their corpulent sheepdog who snoozes on the concrete, eats out of chip bags, and drinks puddles all day long

...the lady at the coffee house who gives me free cups of coffee at 8am when I figure out in a sleepy stupor I've forgotten my wallet again (oh yes, this has happened more than once)

....Step dancing lessons and my fellow dancers

....An brog. Drunken shenanigans. Self explanatory.

....Critiquing advertisements, deep conversations, and ruminations on life (general bonding) while watching Irish television with Dan

...nightly Dexter gatherings

....being able to get a beer at noon anywhere

...sleeping in until noon six out of seven days of the week

....learning to cook, thereby shedding my destined role as a "spinster" (-Dan)

....not having midterms

....not working

....a.k.a the ease of the Irish college educational system

....playing French drinking games with Toumtam

...conversing with Fergel, the most awesome of all bartenders, at The Corner House (the pub we have deemed our own)

...the manageable size of this lovely city

...fiddle music floating through the apartment every day

....being bundled up at all times

....blending in for once with my ghostly white skin

...learning about Irish literature from the experts

...reading Irish literature, while drinking stout, while surrounded by Irish accents, thereby feeling very Irish all of the time

....being gratefully interrupted by Rebecca with her guitar to be serenaded with Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and The White Stripes tunes.

...dessert every night!

...Irish musicians playing live Irish traditional music, and being able to say that my flatmate can play along with them

...hiking all around southern Ireland with Kasey, Britt, and Laura

...innapropriate, yet strangely liberating conversations with Kasey and Dan

....being able to get anywhere within the country in six hours on Bus Eireann

...The English Market making my mouth water on the daily

...Tesco vodka (riiighhtt...)

...taking weekend trips to Dublin and being doted upon by mama bear Nicole

....above all...the people who have become my family in this wonderful place: Dan, Toumtam, Rebecca, Kasey, and JQ

So, farewell Éire, and ciao to my next big adventure: Florence! This summer will entail an epic trip to Amsterdam and touring all around Italy, including Sicily, Capri, and Cinque Terre. In my heart, this blog will always remain dedicated to my experiences in Ireland, but who knows, I might feature a couple more posts this summer, so stayed tuned!
xoxo