The People of My Travels

It started with my trip to San Remo, Italy. Twenty four hours to take three planes, one bus, and two trains. It was an interesting trip with some interesting people along the way.

First, was Evan the Israeli solder in the Chicago airport. He was from Atlanta Georgia, but got citizenship in Israel on his 19th birthday so that he could join the Israeli army. I wish now I would have asked him the important question, why? But I didn't want to get into politics. I regret that now. It could have been an interesting conversation. He did tell me how beautiful the country side is there and how he loved to camp out. Which to be honest, I never really thought of when i heard of that country. He was getting out of the army in November and planned on working odd jobs to travel around the world.

Next, was Kieffer the Canadian/neverlander traveling with friends through Italy. When he was done with Italy, he planned on going to the Congo. His mother was there studying rape in warfare for her PHD. I met him on the first train. I told him how brave I thought he and his mother was. He said he wanted to help protect his mother. He had just graduated High school. I'm twenty nine and I don't think I could ever be that brave. Not only to travel to the Congo alone but also Italy.

When I finally got to the hotel, I met Derek. He was an American who just quit his office job to take on odd jobs abroad for as long as he can. He worked for ACLE last year and came back this year for another summer of it. When summer was over he was to go to China to teach English there for a year. I have to say, after twenty hours of traveling and almost no sleep, it was nice to be with an American. He took me to get my first gelato. I fell in love with that cool creamy desert right there and then.

Finally, there where my hotel room neighbors Sabrina, Emma, and Isabel. New to the job like me and all Canadians. I now love canadians. Such friendly and nice people. We ate a dinner of cold cuts, fresh bread, and wine on their rooftop terrace watching the sunset over an Italian church and the sounds the meditraian sea in the background. What a wonderful, crazy day. Already I was meeting such interesting people. They were really opening my eyes to a world that I never experienced before. This was sure to be a wonderful trip.

#9: Travel to a Foreign Country

So the next few posts will be about my adventures in Europe. Yes, I made it out of the country. Not just out of the country but overseas to Europe. Italy and France to be exact. It was exiting, scary and wonderful. I am definitely a traveler at heart. I only hope I get more oppurintites like this past one too see more.

This past experience came along when my hairdresser told me I should look into teaching ESL during the summer overseas. I took her advice, went online, and found ACLE. This is an organization that has summer camps in Italy to teach Italian children English. So without a thought too it I applied, and surprisingly enough got the job. I would spend three weeks being trained and then teach English in a summer camp setting. Well, this wasn't enough. I wanted to see more then just Italy. So, I looked for some friends that would want to travel with me. I found Katie and Kim. They agreed to travel with me to Rome, Paris, Nice when I was done working. And so I spent the past month in Europe. I did 7 cities in four weeks. It was exhausting, but one of the best times of my life. Everything was an adventure, including just getting there.

#3: Skydiving

So, for my 29th birthday I decided to skydive. Yes, I have a crazy fear of heights. Yes, I get motion sickness. Yes, I hate small planes. However, I didn't want something as stupid as fear to stop me from doing something I've always wanted to try. So with my best friend in tow, I reserved my ticket to skydive.

To be honest, I wasn't really scared buying the ticket, or even the night before, and only a little fear crept up during the drive to the skydive center. I kept it out of my mind. Which is easy to do when one of my my best friends is visiting for the weekend. She would be my skydive partner, but we choose not to talk about it too much. The fear stayed at bay until we finally reached the place. This tiny little place, that J announced "Isn't a real place. This can't be it. This place isn't legit." But it was, so we got out of the car after some fussing and went inside. It was a very laid-back place. Everyone was kinda sitting around and hanging out. This didn't help the nerves. We signed up and soon took our skydiving lesson. It was about five minutes long. Which did not help the fear. Personally, I feel that when doing something death defying it should take longer then five minutes to master. But, I guess there isn't that many steps to skydiving. You jump, breath, and pray. Following the lesson we got suited up. Which J cleverly commented was like getting suited up for Armageddon, and she felt aerosmith should be playing in the background. This eased the tension a bit. Finally, it was off to the plane, the small plane, the little plane the tiny plane that could barely hold four people. I was smushed up against the pilot and the door. This is when the fear started to really hit. I prayed several times to God asking him to let me survive this. The plane climbed up and up. In fact, it seemed at times to be going straight up. My instructor went over the directions for me. I reran the directions over and over again in my head. I was not going to die by doing something wrong. Finally, the door was opened, my tandem instructor stepped out, and it was my turn to leave the safety of the plane. This is when I had second thoughts. I looked out of the plane and thought there was no way I was leaving this plane. But, my partner yelled at me to step out and I knew it was too late. I stepped out onto the railing. The instructor yelled "ready, set, go" and pushed me out. It happened so fast I didn't have time to think about it. I was out and free falling. It was awesome. The horizon in front of us, the adrenaline pumping threw my body. I don't think it accrued to me that there was nothing holding me safely. I was enjoying the fall too much. Then the parachute was opened. With a hard jerk our bodies were straightened. This was so uncomfortable. The strap across my chest made it hard to breath and motion sickness took hold. He had me hold the loops to the parachute under his. He then let go to loosen the straps. I did not like this. I held on until my knuckles were white. I didn't like being loosened, that could mean falling without the chute. But he did it and I didn't complain. Finally, he grabbed the loops from me and started spinning circles. This did not help the nausea. Which he must have noticed, because he finally said he would land us. It was a nice ride, very scenic. Surprisingly I wasn't scared falling, yet I kept trying to take big breaths and hoping I wouldn't have a panic attack. I don't know if I would do it again. But I did enjoy it and very glad I did it. When we finally landed I was relieved because the nausea was pretty bad, but I never did get sick. I was quite proud of that. I stumbled over to J who announced she would never do that again. All in all, it was an awesome birthday.

#21: A fun trip to Cleveland

Once again you think Cleveland? Who takes a vacation to Cleveland? We'll when your going on your first family road trip with a 69 year old grandmother you find Cleveland, being only two hours away, is perfect. Yes, I took my grandma on a weekend getaway to the great city of Cleveland. And you know what, it was awesome. That's right, I had a fantastic laugh your ass off time with my grandma, mom, and sis in Cleveland. How could this be you wonder? Well, it helps that my family is crazy, bold, doesn't care who's watching/ listening, and our just put it all out there type of people. That is, my mom and gram are. My sister and I aren't there yet. But unlike the embarrassed teenagers we once were, we now sit back laugh and enjoy it. This is my family, and I'm stuck with them.

My sister and I decided to take them to Cleveland for a weekend Mother's Day gift. Everything was a surprise. We started the trip with a visit to the Christmas Story House museum. Yes, they made the house it was filmed in into a museum to visit. We spent an hour reinacting scenes from the film and taking pics of it. There's one of me pretending to eat the soap. One of my mom yelling in the phone as if her child just swore, and one of my gram basting a plastic turkey for a Christmas meal. It was a good time. My mom was so surprised she screamed when we pulled up to the place. She screamed so loud, in fact, I literally swerved the car and almost hit something. So yes, she was surprised.

This was followed by checking into our hotel. Which, my sister and I soon realized was all we needed to make their night. A hotel with a bar and an indoor pool, and they would have been set. Probably didn't even need to leave our own city. Just get them in a hotel with a pool for a night and they would have thought it was the best weekend ever. But we had an agenda, so off we went to the next event.

Girls Night Out: The Musical! Yes there is a musical about a bachlorrette party and it is awesome! Now maybe a typical grandmother would not enjoy a show with girls playing ring toss around a male blow up dolls 'stuff', or women singing about orgasms, but my grandma is not typical. She was laughing her threw the whole thing and loved it. After the show, she commented that the actress were so professional and talented and she truly admired them. She even found them after to tell them this. My mother got called up to the stage by a drag queen to do the catwalk and pose for the audience. She complied, worked the run way, and got a boa for her efforts. I have to say, she shined up there!

The next day, my grandma threw on her bikini, (yes, bikini) googlies, and swimming cap and went to the pool at 9am to do laps. I have to say, if I look that good at 69 I will be very happy.

We finished the trip with breakfast and outlet mall shopping. We raided the Coach store and came out with many prizes. It was a great trip. I haven't laughed that long in awhile. Whether it was my grandma flirting with the rude waiter saying his rudeness was hot, or my mom posing with her boa, or strangers staring at us in a restaurant while my family discussed the size of males 'stuff' and if it maters and what a good kiss really is. I had a great time all in all. I would do it again. Going in I really wasn't sure if it would be fun, but I'm glad to find out I can have a great time with my family.

photo credit 

#13 The Pacific Blue

The pacific blue, rolling, tumbling, moving. The magnificent ocean that connects our world to the mystic east. I finally made it. After only talking about it for years, I saw the pacific. I have to say, I fell in love with it. In fact, I fell in love with the whole west coast. The laid back feel, the beautiful landscape, and the beachie atmosphere. If I didn't love being near my family, I could see trying it out for awhile. But, I'm stuck here. I know it's by choice, but I still dream of being closer to the sea.

A few years ago, one of my best friends moved out to San Diego. I've talking about visiting for years. With time and money restraints, I just never got to it. But this year, I decided I was going to make it happen.

The trip was wonderful. I saw the Wildlife Park, the outlet mall, all the wonderful restaurants, and got to spend some very important quality time with my friend. The only sad part was that the gloomy overcast east coast weather decided to follow me. Four out of the five days it was overcast and kinda misty/rainy out. The only day we should have gone to the beach was the day I flew in. But I was jet-lagged and really tired. My smart self decided not to sleep at all the night before the flight and just sleep on the plane that departed at 6am. Which just so you know doesn't work. You cannot have a good nights sleep on a plane. Babies, bumps, and uncomfortable seats keep you up. So needless to say, I was cranky and not feeling well the first day there. So we went to the pool that day, which was a really nice. Pool, burgers, and a scary movie is always good to start a vacation.

My friend did try to plan a trip to the beach for me, though. It was supposed to be a great beach day the next to last day I was there. Deb told me about a great little beach town, Coronado Island, about an hour away. It had a nice beach, good restaurants, and nice shopping. When the day came, it was sunny yet chilly. She watched the weather diligently, hour by hour. It said it was supposed to be a nice sunny day. We wore skirts and tanks, packed magazines and beach towels. We figured we could lay on the beach and relax even if it was too cold to swim. As we drove closer to the town the clouds got thicker and the wind grew stronger. By the time we got to the town, we figured we would eat and maybe the clouds would blow over by the time we were done. So we went to this historic hotel, Hotel Del, which is located right on the beach. We ate a delicious lunch on a covered patio over looking the ocean. Afterward, we walked onto the beach quickly realizing that with the wind, it was simply too cold to lay and relax. The sand was too wicked and that misty rain was falling from the sky. We did take a long leisurely walk in the sand and enjoyed the view. It was beautiful with the rolling waves and horizon that just seemed forever away. I really enjoyed it, even if it wasn't the perfect day beach day I envisioned. After our walk was finished, we went beach town window shopping and got ice cream. It turned out to be a great day. The pacific ocean is beautiful. The waves are high, the sand is smooth and it is just so calming to watch.

Thanks Debs for such a great trip. You really made me feel at home and showed me how great Cali can be.

Oh! The Places You'll Go

This little phrase is so true of my life in the next couple of months. I will be a very busy girl going from one far end to the other. Let me explain, so far I have three trips coming up in the next four months. It is taking a lot of planning, saving, and excitement but it is all coming together in a very surprising way.

Trip #1: San Diego

I'm leaving next week to visit one of my best friends on the other side of the country. Not only do I get to see California, but I get to spend time with a close friend that I don't see very often. The farthest west I've ever been was Vegas. Traveling is a huge passion for me. I want to see as much as possible. Plus, I am even more excited to see my friend. So next week, not only will I be relaxing with a good friend in the sun, but I'll be dipping my toes in the Pacific blue. No more #13.

Trip #2: Cleveland

I know I know, your thinking Cleveland? Who takes a big trip to Cleveland, and how would that fit the list? We'll I actually do like the city. It has an amusement park, a nice downtown, and surprisingly it has the house from the movie, A Christmas Story. Yes, I am driving all the way to Cleveland to go to the house/museum for A Christmas Story. Do I love the movie? Not really. Do I love Christmas that much? It's nice, but not house/museum nice. I am going, because it is my mom and grandma's favorite all time movie. So this small vacation to Cleveland crosses off #21. Now even without the list, I would still be taking my mom and grams to Cleveland. It just worked out nicely. I saw a groupon offered for half off admission and thought a weekend trip for Mother's Day for them might be nice. I'm not exactly rich so this fits in the budget, it's drivable but not too far, and I really think it will be a nice surprise for them.

Trip #3 Italy

Big news, big big news!!! I got the Italy job! I actually will be spending a month in Italy this summer! I don't think I could be anymore excited. I've always wanted to go to Europe, never thought it was possible. But now I won't just be visiting, I'll be living and working there. I'm nervous and excited all at once. I'll be teaching ESL in a summer camp there. I'm ready for the experience. The only part that really scares me is getting there by myself. I'm taking a plane to France and a train to the city I'll be working in. I've seen the movie Taken too many times which is where the nervous feeling come from. But people travel alone there all the time. I figure if I drove from Texas to Pennsylvania by myself, I think I can do this.

Also, several of my wonderful friends are meeting me out there after I'm done working. We will be sightseeing in Italy and France together. So #9 will be crossed off soon. Who would have thought?

 photo credit

#5 Cat Cuddling 101

So I finally was able to start my volunteer experience. After a smashed in window and several reschedules, I made it happen. I'm a cat cuddler. I know this doesn't sound like a strenuous volunteer experience, but I feel I'm still making a difference. And it's a start to volunteering, a step in the right direction. And an enjoyable one at that.

So what is a cat cuddler you may ask? Well, I'm one of the people at the Humane Society that play with the kitties. Basically, I try to make them more social and less fearful so that they look cute and potential adopters will want them. If you have ever adopted from a shelter, you should realize this is important. I know I always tended to stay away from the hissing or hiding kitties and went for the ones with personality. So, socializing the cats will help them feel more comfortable with strangers. Also, I can talk to adopters about the cats and their personalities and match them up to the right kitty. I think this will be a really nice experience.

I knew this was right for me when during orientation I made friends with Teddy Bear. Yes, that is a name for a cat. The volunteer director (Who had questionable hair. Not one to judge, but a rat tail, really?) Wanted us to practice picking up a cat with the scruff and holding the belly. Teddy Bear, an older gray boy, practically leapt into my arms. He nuzzled my neck, purred away, and I just fell in love. Thank god I already have two cats, otherwise this volunteer experience might be trouble. When it was time to put him back in the cage, it was definitely hard. However, he would get adopted I'm sure. Being here was better then being on the street for him. At least he got out to play for a little bit.

I've always been a huge animal lover. Almost wrecking my car a few times to avoid a chipmunk. Feeding the stray cats and even making beds fro them on the porch in the winter. I have always gotten my pets from shelters to try to help. I love cats especially. Probably because that's what I grew up with. My mom was not a dog person, too much work. I like dogs, but not being used to them they make me nervous. So for now, I go a few hours a week to pet, play, and try to sale cute little kitties that are always so happy to see me. It's hard putting them back in the cage at the end of the day, but I know in a small way I'm helping these small creatures find a better home a better way of life.

With the way things are in this crazy world. I think everyone needs a little help. Volunteering is not only a way to give to others, but it makes you feel good too. ( I know how cliche that sounds, but it's a cliche for a reason. It's true!) I know I just started, but I do enjoy going and look forward to it. I definitely plan on expanding on this in the summer, when I do have free time. I would like to try other organizations. There is so much craziness in the world, I feel just a tiny little something you can do can make such a large impact. If your willing to just go for it.

I've included the sight to the Humane Society in case you are interested in donating, volunteering, or even need a new friend for your home. 

http://www.wpahumane.org/