TIAMLFTA the USA # 30: Texting

I was a little late jumping on the texting bandwagon, but it didn’t take long for me to get hooked. I look that little vibration sound coming from my purse, knowing that I have a message. It’s almost like getting a present. Who’s it going to be from? What do they want to tell me? It’s quite fun. So soon.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

Advent Alps

Just a quick hello... I am in Austria right now and very removed from the wonderful world of wireless internet, so this not only going to be much shorter than I would like, but won't be accompanied by the lovely pictures I'd like to show you.

But I do have to tell you something: I spent the first Sunday of Advent in the Alps. Like the mountains. Where it was snowing. My life does kind of rock sometimes.

I'll be making the long trek home starting Wednesday afternoon and then I will be able to be much more dedicated, and hopefully share a lot more traveling and photographing goodness with you!

Peace.

Let Go

Prayer for Students

Finals may be way behind me, but I know that a lot of students are finishing up Thanksgiving break and gearing up for the last big push. I use this prayer all the time, especially getting ready for finals. Hopefully it helps!


Peace.

Prayer for Students

Father of Light and Wisdom, thank you for giving me a mind that can know and a heart that can love. Help me to keep learning every day of my life--no matter what the subject may be. Let me be convinced that all knowledge leads to you and let me know how to find you and love you in all the things you have made. Encourage me when the studies are difficult and when I am tempted to give up, enlighten me when my brain is slow, and help me to grasp the truth held out to me. Grant me the grace to put my knowledge to use in building the kingdom of God on earth so that I may enter the kingdom of God in heaven.

Amen.

You Are Beautiful

That's right. YOU are today's work of art.

The people over are YouAreBeautiful are doing their part to make the world a better place by spreading the message "You are beautiful!" I love their premise and they distribute stickers with that message on them for FREE! Click on the stickers link on the left hand side at this website. You can also see pictures of all the places that they have reminders currently. They're breathtaking. The letters in this picture are 8' x 8'!



Even though it's kind of long, i thought it was important to share their mission statement:

"You Are Beautiful is a simple, powerful statement which is incorporated into the over absorption of mass media and lifestyles that are wrapped in consumer culture.

The intention behind this project is to reach beyond ourselves as individuals to make a difference by creating moments of positive self realization. We're just attempting to make the world a little better.

Intention is the most important aspect of the You Are Beautiful project in its idea of purity. Nothing is sacred. Everything that has a perceived value becomes commodified. We work extremely hard that this message is received as a simple act of kindness, and nothing more.

Advertising elicits a response to buy, where this project elicits a response to do something. The attempt with You Are Beautiful is to create activism instead of consumerism.

You Are Beautiful uses the medium of advertising and commercialization to spread a positive message.
Projects like these make a difference in the world by catching us in the midst of daily life and creating moments of positive self realization."

To me, that sounds a lot like what I stand for too. I'm going to jump on the band wagon and make my own stickers to put in with my Etsy orders. How do you make the world more beautiful?

Peace.

TIAMLFTA the USA # 29: My Guitar

Last April my boyfriend gave me a beautiful guitar and though I am by no means a master (who am I kidding? I’m not even a little bit good yet) I miss playing around with it. My ultimate goal is to be able to play random background music while I recite my poetry, which I know is so stereotypically artistic of me, but I don’t care. I’m going to do it anyway.  


I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

Make Your Own Road

Make it yours.

Peace.

Colorspiration: Winter Red

We No Speak Americano

In honor of my first day in yet another new country that uses a language I don't speak at all (Austria), I'm featuring this fabulous music video. Enjoy and wish me luck with the locals. We'll see how it goes.

Peace.

Thirty Things I'm Thankful For

In the wonderful spirit of Thanksgiving I've been doing some reflecting on how very blessed I am. I have many wonderful people, opportunities, and blessings in my life that enrich everything I do. And though it is very far from exhaustive, I have made a list of thirty of these things that I would like to share with you.

So here's my list:

1. Faith
2. My boyfriend, John
3. Family
4. Prayer
5. Girlfriends
6. The chance to study abroad
7. Stability
8. Creativity
9. Leisure time
10. Language
11. Strawberries with chocolate
12. iPods
13. Central heating
14. College/Education
15. Freedom
16. Theater
17. Music
18. Smooth writing pens
19. Medicine
20. Literature
21. Corrective lenses
22. Laptops
23. Differences of opinion
24. America
25. Rainy Saturdays
26. Blank notebooks
27. Ice cream
28. Photography
29. Sweaters
30. Stories

What are you thankful for?

TIAMLFTA the USA # 28: Pancakes

Actually, it’s more like breakfast foods in general. But pancakes especially would be very nice. Breakfast here is quite, “Oh, you want to eat now? Here’s some bread. I think there’s butter in the fridge.” And that’s not horrible, but I’ll tell you a secret. Most bread in Italy is unsalted because the meat here is so salty, making them both kind of disgusting, especially apart. And the butter? Also unsalted. So my breakfast every day has been unsalted bread with unsalted butter and a boiled egg. But now I am a master with a saltshaker. It’s all a give and take.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come! 

Listography Love

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Listography, but it is a great website that I use as much as I can! I am a list person, and being able to have all my lists in one place really helps me out. The website is free to use and interesting to browse. Check it out! Here's the link to mine:

Dust and Pearls Listography

Let me know what you think of the site in the comments section!

Only Yourself

TIAMLFTA the USA # 27: My Mattress

I don’t know if I even remember what a truly comfortable bed feels like. From hostel to hostel and the villa, nowhere has been terrible, but they’ve been seriously lacking in comfort. I feel like there’s a possibility I won’t be able to sleep because I’ll be too comfortable.

What a problem to have.

 

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

Angels in the Clouds

There is a bridge crossing the Tiber River in Rome that has an angel on each of the posts, carrying items from Christ’s passion and death. This bridge pretty much screams “Photograph me!” so I know I’m not the first, and certainly not the last, to do so. I did, however, have the advantage of a fabulous blue sky and wonderful clouds for a backdrop, so please enjoy these pictures. I have big plans for them, so don’t be surprised if they show up again.

I am so sorry that I haven't had time to write much about Rome yet. Know that some more informative posts are in the works! For now, just enjoy the pictures.

Peace.

 

 

 

FAVORITE

Light Grafitti Photography

I wish i knew more about photography, including how to take very awesome light graffiti pictures like these! Check them out, you'll be amazed!



Peace.

Colorspiration: Purple

Colorspiration - Purple by unresigned featuring bamboo shoes

TIAMLFTA the USA # 26: Frosting

I’ve been doodling in the margins of my notebooks, but instead of hearts and stars like you’ll find in most notebooks, I’ve been drawing cakes I can’t wait to decorate with rich, creamy, American frosting. So far the one I’m most excited about it a round cake decorated to look like an Oreo, with the frosting crème center of course. I’ll save you a slice when I finally get around to making it.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come!

Il Papa

I saw the Pope today. Because it's a Wednesday, and I'm in Rome.

And if that wasn't a big enough deal on its own--he was about five feet away from me in his adorable little pope-mobile.

I would upload a picture to prove it... but the internet is going through a "stage" at the moment. Management thinks he'll grow out of it soon.

Peace.

UPDATE: The internet has grown out of its shenanigans, at least for now. So here's the proof.

And that's without the zoom. Not a bad day, all in all.

Peace.

Don't Block the Doors

I just kind of love this.

Peace.

Arrivederci Firenze...

I am leaving Florence for the last time today. It's bittersweet because it was my city for awhile and it has become a part of who I am. The sun is setting on my time here, but there is still so much to look forward to.

Sunset over Florence (As photographed from my bedroom window. Is it any wonder I'm sad to be leaving?)

I'm leaving for 10 days in Rome and the start of another new adventure. Wish me luck! Anything I have to see while I'm there?

Peace.

The Newsies Dance to Bad Romance

I love this. So much. I've always been a Newsies girl, especially since Christian Bale has grown up. And Gaga is always good for something interesting.

Peace.

TIAMLFTA the USA # 25: My Books

My reading list has grown exponentially now that I have only been allowed to think about reading instead of actually reading them. Outside of Man Walks into a Room and The Dijinn in the Nightingale’s Eye (which was fabulous, by the way) the two books I mangaged to wrangle out of the library downstairs in the villa, I haven’t been able to find many books to satiate my hunger for literature. First book on my list for when I get home? A trip to the library for The Phantom Tollbooth. 


I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come!

Photo Highlights of Scotland

Scotland really was beautiful, even though it was wet and cold. Here are the highlights. For more on what I did in Scotland, check out the "Bookbag Challenge" posts.

Peace.

Half of a full rainbow over the National Gallery of Scotland

the Princes Street Gardens

St. Giles Cathedral

A beautiful Scottish sky

The beautiful fall colors

Cute boots, beautiful leaves

This super creepy mausoleum is "home" to the Mackenzie Poltergeist

And this is the Covenenter's Prison, supposedly the most haunted place on Earth and the first concentration camp. Scots who opposed the King's takeover of the Church in the 16th Century were sent here, where they were horribly mistreated.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the original Hogwarts: an Edinburgh school outside the window of the Elephant House, where J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter books.

Castle Rock, the volcanic rock on which Edinburgh Castle is located. There have been castles on this spot for over two thousand years.

This heart marks the spot where a duel purpose building used to stand: it was the tax collector's office and the holding cells for criminals about to be executed. Therefore, it became tradition to spit on the door of this building, which was marked with a heart, as a sign of distaste. When the building was torn down they replaced the heart in the pavement so that there would still be a place where one could legally spit in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Castle

A Look Back Part Two

 Here is the second half of my paper on what this experience abroad has taught me. Enjoy.


5.     I really and truly am an introvert.

Like most people, I think, I idealize experiences before they happen. I imagine them playing out in a certain way, usually completely divorced from what I already know about myself and how I react to certain situations. And even though I have found my college community to seem too small at times, I thought that living with a very small group of people was going to be absolutely ideal. And it’s not that it hasn’t been good, it’s just that I need just as much time away from people as I always did at school. It has been tempting to feel guilted away from the time that I need alone to write, draw, and process my experiences, but I think that I’ve done pretty well staying true to my own needs. I do struggle with stress and even though the class load has been light, being abroad and planning travels stress me out more than anything else I’ve ever dealt with. I’ve needed a lot of time to deal with things, but I think that this list itself is proof that I did pretty well.

6.     We wear pants for a reason.

This could probably be better stated, “Western Civilization is the way it is for a reason” and I have never appreciated that fact as much as I have while I’ve been here. Thanks to Francesco and his excellent class I learned that there is a purpose behind so many things we take for granted now about how we live, interact, and see the world. Our letters are Roman, our numbers are Arabic, and barbarian horsemen inspire our pants. Every day we are interacting with the past in the present. We are the heirs to a long, long line of tradition and innovation, especially as members of the Catholic Church and Western Civilization. Now we are the stewards of this tradition and it is important for us to preserve it and understand it so that it will not be lost in the future.

7.     Art/architecture/places are more beautiful if you understand them.

I don’t know if I’m ever going to feel comfortable traveling without a tour guide again, not because I don’t feel confident in my own abilities to get around, but because I have fully realized how important it is to understand the things your seeing. Thankfully I had the opportunity to go on MANY guided tours here in Europe, upwards of twenty by my count, and this helps me to feel like I got as much as I could out of my travels. My mind is full of trivia and tidbits that will be of use or amusement to me for the rest of my life. But more than that, I understood why I should care about what I was seeing. I’m all for appreciating things because of their beauty, but things are that much more beautiful if you understand why they are unique. I’ve seen numerous churches, but there are many that stick out on their own because they were important for specific reasons: The Porziuncula was the church that Saint Francis rebuilt, the Duomo was the first modern church with a dome of that size, Notre Dame is an 800 year old example of Gothic architecture, the list goes on and on. Attention and understanding we’re keys to this semester to me, and I plan to strive to fully understand other places I visit in the future, even if I don’t have a tour guide.

8.     I am thankful that I am an American.

There are so many things about America that I appreciate so much more now. All semester I kept a list on my blog going of all the things I miss most about the States that I’ll be happy to return to such as lemonade, ice, free water in restaurants, frosting, fried food, free bathrooms, and my closet of clothes, in addition to the obvious ones like family and friends. But even more than these things there are many aspects of American attitudes and ideals that don’t play as big a part in the outlook of other countries, such as Italy.

I always thought that I might live abroad, but now I don’t think I will, and if I do it will only be briefly, mostly likely a year or less. Although it’s rather en vogue to belittle America right now, I have no desire to jump on the bandwagon. I’ve seen other parts of the world and have come to appreciate them, but I am an American at heart. I believe in what America stands for and I could never walk away from that. Does it have things to work on as a country? Of course. Could it learn a lot from the rest of the world? Definitely. But do I love it despite everything? You bet I do. And I really can’t wait to go back.

Peace.

TIAMLFTA the USA # 24: Mass and Confession in English

You can find it, but it’s hard. English mass is only on Saturday evenings in the center of Florence, which is inconvenient but doable, however few things have been as frustrating on this trip as finding English confession. It’s funny how much I have always taken liturgy in my own language for granted. As a member of the clearly post-Vatican II generation, I’d never even been to a Latin mass before this trip. I know that regular Sunday mass will be a welcome experience for me on December 5^th!

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks to come! 

A Look Back

Although I still have about two and a half weeks left abroad, classes are over for the semester. Our last assignment for our Study Abroad practicum was to write a five page review of what we learned and experiences abroad. I chose to make a list of what I know I'll be taking home with me from this experience. I'd like to share what I wrote with you in two installments. Today I'll be sharing the first four things on the list and tomorrow I'll share the next four.

Peace.

1.     I can sleep anywhere.

Though this might seem a bit tongue in cheek, it’s actually quite the revelation for me. When I was in middle school and high school I was very uptight about getting enough sleep, and I depended on a strict routine to allow me to fall asleep. But even then stress would pile up and I would occasionally lay awake for hours tossing and turning. Sleeping in strange places always made me anxious and sleepovers were often a nightmare. College has diminished this problem a little bit, but now I am officially able to sleep just about anywhere, as I have proven on this trip. Whether it was on an uncomfortable (and upright) transatlantic flight, a train sleeper car, or in a Scottish hostel room packed the brim with a loud and post-camping Belgian family, I’m not worried about falling asleep anymore. High stress levels, uncomfortable settings, strange people—none of it bothers me like it used to. I think this also speaks to a level of comfort I have reached with my own capabilities to adapt to new situations and relax about them. I have learned to let go a little bit, at least enough to turn off my brain and go to sleep even when I don’t have everything figured out. 

2. There are still stories that need to be told. 

This one is especially important to me because I came to Europe a disillusioned undergraduate writing student who had forgotten how to think outside the box. I couldn’t shake the feeling that all the stories my life would have to offer had already been told. Reading had lost my interest. I wondered why it mattered to create new work when there was already more than a person could possibly read in a hundred lifetimes. And then I got thrown into not just one, but many new cultures. I re-discovered some of the magic in stories. I found wonder again. I started to see the line connecting all the art of Italy, each work growing out of an amalgamation of others. I realized that there are many stories that need to be told in this time because they grow out of what has come before. But the icing on the cake was the talk by Dony Mac Manus. One of the things he said was that every generation needs its own art. I am one the artists of my generation, and I firmly intend to do what I can to add to the canon of this time. I’m going home ready to learn and ready to work. There is no time to waste.

3.     I cannot underestimate the importance of my hobbies.

You know what you love by what you miss, and what I miss the most actually surprised me. It wasn’t English classes or theater like I was expecting, but my hobbies of making jewelry and other crafts. I also missed painting, which is not something that I’ve historically put much emphasis on. While I’ve been here I have started thinking about other career options based on these interests instead of the interests that I’ve always pursued in school. I’ve had the space and the time to look at my life and see what really matters to me and because of that I know I’m going to make some changes when I get home. Instead of scheduling the GRE exam I might be applying to design school—we’ll see. But for the first time, it’s an option.

4.     Language barriers are especially daunting to me.

As a writer, language is my thing. I love it, I know it, and I can command it. Not so much with a foreign language. Although I lived abroad this summer, it was in an English speaking country. Italy has really been hard for me because I do struggle with spoken foreign language a lot, though I can usually write and read fairly effectively. I get flustered very easy when people start speaking to me in Italian and I also get embarrassed easily, meaning that I haven’t put myself out there as much as I could have to converse. Although it made things uncomfortable sometimes I am glad that I now know this about myself so that I can work on it. I’m really going to try to become fluent in either French or Italian so that I do have another language that I am comfortable conversing in, but also want to continue learning new elements of language because I think it’s good to be challenged like this.

"Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein

Today is our last day of school here in Florence and we have a fabulous Italian final very soon. I can't believe the semester is already over! I was feeling nostaligic recently and I rediscovered this poem, along with the books of Madeleine L'Engle and Phantom Tollbooth, which I am totally planning to re-read over winter break. Inspiration galore! Enjoy the silliness--it keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously.


Peace.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

Bookbag Challenge Day 5

Here was my day last Friday in a nutshell, highlights are in caps:

Wake up.

Leave hostel.

Bus.

Walk.

Wait.

Plane.

Walk.

Bus.

Wait.

Train.

Walk.

Bus.

Wait.

Bus.

Walk.

Villa.

PIZZA.

And btw: this took TWELVE hours. It all really needs no more elaboration than that. Except for the fact that this is what I wore, and I actually took a picture!

The hair is really inexcusable, but I’m just going to say that I was tired of trying. Traveling really can take it out of you. 

And this concludes my foray into style blogging for now. I'm definitely thinking about continuing though. Let me know what you think!

And that was my trip to Scotland! Have you ever been to Scotland? What did you do there? Let me know in the comments section.

Peace.

How to Be Miserable as An Artist

This is not mine, but I agree wholeheartedly with all of it, so I thought I would share.

Peace.

Bookbag Challenge Day 4

Today we woke up early and braved the morning air to make it in time for the HAIRY COO BUS TOUR!

To me, this initially sounded disgusting, and I was not really interested. But then I saw the words “Highlands tour” and “Free” in their brochure, so I decided to look a bit closer.

True to it’s word, this tour really was a FREE, DAY-LONG bus tour of the Scottish highlands. Umm, yes please. Even if the name is gross sounding.

 Turns out “coo” means cow in Scottish English, and there were plenty of hairy cows to go around. John and Fiona were in love with them, but I was a touch more reserved about the whole thing. They were cute, but really—they’re still cows.

This, my friends, is a hairy coo.

In the end, this was one of the coolest things we did in Edinburgh. We went to the Wallace National Monument (As in William Wallace. As in Braveheart. As in AWESOME.) and there was beautiful fall scenery galore. And just to put the cherry on top, we went to the castle where they filmed scenes for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. And they provided us with coconuts. It was fabulous.

 Unfortunately this probably the best picture of my outfit that I’m going to be able to provide you with. That super adorable hat was my one purchase on this trip and I love it dearly. Prepare to see much more of it, especially at the end of this month in Austria!

I regret immensely that our budget didn’t allow us to tip the Hairy Coo Bus Tour more than we did. Please, if you’re ever in the area, look them up. I think it’s important that small (and free!) tour companies like this keep going. Check out their website here.

So here is a better idea of what I actually wore:

TIAMLFTA the USA # 23: Personal Vehicles

You want to go to the store? Hop in the car. You want something to eat? Hop in the car. You want to do anything? You hop in the car. Now we can quibble about how bikes are better than cars all day, but the fact of the matter is I would take just about form of personally motivated transportation over the cattle car buses I’ve been bouncing around on for the last two months. Even getting walk places would be an improvement. It is easy enough to walk around Florence itself, but we’re a ways away from the city here in Settigano. Something to look forward to.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

Colorspiration: Vintage Warmth

Colorspiration: Vintage Warmth by unresigned featuring tube tops
Okay, so I know it's not exactly a color, it's more like a family of colors. That's okay, right?

Bookbag Challenge Day 3

Last Wednesday we set out for the Royal Mile to see what we could see. Fiona went to Edinburgh Castle, but John and I passed due to the high entrance fee and our super tight budget.

 Instead we walked the whole Royal Mile down to Holyroodhouse where the Queen stays when she comes to Edinburgh.

We all met up again at the Elephant House, the café where J.K. Rowling wrote the first two Harry Potter books, and had lunch. 

After lunch we went to the Writer’s Museum, which had exhibits on Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns, and Walter Scott. 

Afterwards Fiona and I went to the National Gallery while John went to read some greatly missed American comic books in the bookstore down the road. 

Not much else to say, here's what I wore:

Nice quiet day abroad, just like I like.


Peace.

Bookbag Challenge Day 2

This was our first full day of Scotland and it surprised us by being mostly dry, but ungodly cold. Taking advantage of the lack of rain we decided to try for the free three hour walking (I know, I was a bit worried myself) tour that left the Royal Mile at 11am. The tour turned out to be really interesting and worthwhile, and it was a great introduction to the history of Scotland, although I was a touch underdressed, and therefore froze for most of it.

They do tours like this at many destinations all over Europe, so please, look and see if you’re next destination is on the list. It was really worth it. Visit their website here.

And then, Tuesday night, we partook in one of the highlights of our trip: dinner in a home.

Yes, yes dear friends, we ate a real meal out of a real oven with a real family, WITH TORTILLA CHIPS NO LESS. It was a little slice of heaven. Family friends of mine are living in Edinburgh right now and they just so happen to be alumni of the same school I go to now. They were kind enough to invite us over for dinner, and made our week.

And during all this awesomeness, here’s what I wore:

 

I added the skirt over my dress when I started getting cold in the afternoon and that helped a lot. Made a good cold day walking outfit overall.


Peace.

Wishery

This is seriously amazing. This video is a mix of sounds from Snow White and it rocked my socks off. Check it out. He's also done the same thing with other movies like Toy Story and Up and they're all worth a listen (especially Toy Story).

Peace.

Nightingale Songs

At this website you can translate any word or phrase into a nightingale song that you can then export to your music player on your computer in the mp3 format. I made "I love you" and "I miss you" ones to put at the beginning of CDs I made for my friends leaving for school. And don't worry if your phrase is too long. I just made two, the second one picking up where the first one left off, and spliced them together on GarageBand. Have fun!

Bookbag Challenge Day 1

A week ago today we took off from the Villa at 6am to make it to the train station in time for our train to Bologna, because oddly enough Florence doesn't really have an airport to speak of. I’m telling you, they could make a mint if they put one in. Anyway, we made it to Bolonga, took a FIVE euro bus to the airport (which was not FIVE euros away—such a racket), checked in and waited for our flight with our backpacks. You’re not actually assigned a seat on Ryanair flights so people started lining up about twenty minutes before boarding to get a good seat. And then boarding was delayed about twenty minutes, so we were standing in our winter coats for about forty minutes shoulder to shoulder. It was a wee bit warm.

The flight itself was good and we managed to be close enough to the front that I snagged us an emergency exit row, because in addition to being wonderful, my boyfriend John is 6’6” and a lot of that is legs. The exit row was actually very roomy and he could cross one leg over the other, which I think is a flying first for him.

We landed in Edinburgh and took a bus to our hostel, which was cleverly called ‘The Hostel.” Considering that we only paid $5 a night to stay there, it was like heaven. I stayed several places in France that were not near as a nice but cost a lot more. So if you’re going to Edinburgh, hit them up. Sure we were sharing a room with 13 other people, but they were mostly quiet and very courteous, so it was good.

We decided to get something hot to eat (Hello fish and chips!), walk around and get our bearings, and do some grocery shopping that night. We also made a trip to Edinburgh’s Catholic cathedral for All Saints Day mass, but when we got there we found out that the priest who was supposed to say 7:30 Holy Day Mass was sick/gone and so there had been a Polish mass at 6pm to replace it, which we missed. We got a good 40 minutes in prayer in though as we waited for it to start!

So, I failed at getting my picture taken on Monday, so here’s a summary of what I wore:

Bookbag Challenge Day 1 by unresigned featuring a green handbag

It was a good airport outfit because everything was loose and the boots were easy to take on and off for security. Also, that's not really the scarf I wore, so here's what it really looked like, wrapped around my head.

It is a beautiful scarf I got here in Italy and I love it dearly. You can also see that I had a black bomber jacket that I found for 10 euros in a side street on the way to the Duomo two weeks ago. 


It was a good first day!


Peace.

TIAMLFTA the USA # 22: Making Phone Calls

My new least favorite pop-up on the Internet is not the “Congratulations! You’re the One Millionth Visitor!” anymore. It is the page on the RailEurope website that says, “Oops! The information for this trip is not available on our website at this time. But our Help Center is at your service! Call…” That’d be a great idea. If I wasn’t ABROAD without a PHONE. Still figuring that one out.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

My Current Obsession: PS22 Chorus

Hailing from Staten Island, these 5th graders will blow you away. I sat and watch various videos of them for about 2 hours the other day. This was my favorite.

Peace.

The Scottish Bookbag Challenge

You’ve probably heard of Ryanair, but if you haven’t, it’s the legendary super low cost European airline that students hang their hopes of cheap intercontinental travel on. And it’s true, Ryanair is cheap, but it has one of the most awful baggage allowances known to man.

One carry on. That’s all you get.

So, being the inventive, resourceful girl that I am I decided to challenge myself. One backpack, everything I need for the trip AND five cute outfits. That’s right. I wanted to have everything I needed for the hostel and look decent in photograph every day, for five days, out of a backpack.

Faced with this challenge, I immediately realized that I could cheat. I got to wear an outfit there and one back, so actually I only had to fit four looks in the bag. That was so much more doable.

So here’s how I did it. No pants, just lots of leggings and dresses. They're smaller to pack, and it offers the ultimate versatility.

The Scottish Bookbag Challenge by unresigned 

This week I’m going to go through my week last week day by day (it will make sense, I promise) and tell you about what I did in Scotland and what I wore while I was taking it all in! Stay tuned.

UPDATE:

Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five


Peace.

The Return, and the Answers

Did you miss me? I miss you, or more specifically I missed personal internet, space, and more than three pieces of clothing. I'll tell you all about Scotland soon. It was cold and wet, but fabulous. 

But the long awaited answers have arrived... and if you missed the questions, find them here.

Okay, here you go:

1. How long did the Hundred Years War last? (116 Years)

2. Which country makes Panama hats? (Ecuador)

3. From which animal do we get catgut? (Sheep & Horses)

4. In which month do the Russians celebrate the October Revolution? (November)

5. What is a camel’s hair brush made of? (Squirrel fur)

6. The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal or bird? (Dogs.) [Canares, from the Latin, meaning dogs] (P.S. And the Canary Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean)

7. What was King George VI’s first name? (Albert)

8. What color is a Purple Finch? (Crimson)

9. Where are Chinese gooseberries from? (New Zealand)

10. How long did the Thirty Years War last? (Thirty years. GOT YOU ON THAT ONE.)

Peace.

TIAMLFTA the USA # 21: Reading Packaging

There is an interesting looking package right next to the Oreos in the supermarket. You pick it up because you want to see what’s inside…but wait. You can’t read it. Guess your options are to buy it and try it out, translate the packaging word by word with the pocket-sized Italian dictionary in your purse, or forget about it. Based on my historic patience level you can probably guess which one I pick, unless there is visible chocolate involved. Sometimes it’s just nice to have simple “What is this?” questions answered on the spot. Ah, English. How I miss you.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

Wash the Dust Away

TIAMLFTA the USA # 20: Making Smoothies

We do eat a lot of fruit here, but I miss making smoothies. Besides gelato, there aren’t a lot of cool food options here, and on top of that my mom and I were just perfecting our homemade smoothie recipes, not to mention the fact that smoothies made up about 95% of my breakfast menu while I was living in Ireland. Therefore I was pretty hooked and now I’m having withdrawals. Unfortunately it will be a little cold when I get back… but maybe I can put on my parka and some gloves to maintain homeostasis.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!

Richard Carpenter's Pine Needle Bears!

This is so random, but I had to share.

Artist extraordinaire, Richard Carpenter, is from Idaho. His work is absolutely breathtaking and, as he says on his website, " My bears are made from Pine Needles - gathered from the ground, sorted, washed, trimmed and hand woven. It takes a couple hundred thousand pine needles and over 8 months to make a life-sized bear." Incredible. Check it out at this link.



What I wouldn't give for that kind of patience!

Peace.

TIAMLFTA the USA # 19: Bacon

There’s ham, and there’s bacon, and yes there is a difference. Pasta carbonara in Europe? Don’t get excited when it says “pasta with a cream sauce and bacon.” It’s going to be ham. They’ll call it bacon, but it’s not.

I’m hoping there’s a pound of ready-to-fry all-American bacon in the freezer when I land.

I assume that it will be hard to transition back to standard, comfortable life in the USA when my time abroad is over. So, to help me get psyched about the Kansas January and term papers that await me in the spring I am starting a list of things I am looking forward to Stateside. Look for more “Things I am Most Looking Forward to About the USA,” or “TIAMLFTA the USA” (pronounced “tee-am-left-a”) for short, in the weeks and months to come!