Buon Natatle - Christmas in Firenze, Italy!

12/21/2010

First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! YOU ARE LOOKING FANTASTIC AT 35*! 

Off to Italy for the Holiday

Meet Riccardo (prounounced Ric-cardo)

[With the purest of intentions] “You Americans have a problem with that. You never pronounce the double C’s separately”

So, on the flight to Italy I met a quite interesting soul. Riccardo, 19, rather tall stature, deep, eccentric, puppy dog eyes, is from Florence, Italy and his currently studying in London (with no intention of returning). He is the first person who resembles the ‘starved artist’ stereotype. I find him absolutely fascinating! His English is pretty much impeccable because “I’ve had English speaking nannies since I was about 4 years old. That’s the trick you know” [Yes, Yes! I studied this in Linguistic 101 and through 4 years of HDFS. We (I) talked about the “critical period” for a bit. I am not sure if he cared to absorb the information he was unexpectedly inundated with, but…I laid it on him. It’s just so fascinating) So yes, It’s fantastic that this young man has a British accent and can speak Italian perfectly. It’s quite lovely. In the course of a few hours, we touched upon some pretty great topics of discussion (heartbreak, the temporary cure to heartbreak: distractions, one’s purpose in life: “to be happy”, music, the definition of love: hardest question ever. What actually sparked this discussion is a book (a rather quick read) I’m currently invested in, entitled love (luv) n. – the puffball that I am. Porter Sorensen Porter shares both her personal experiences and rather extensive empirical research on love (beginning from the streets of New York!)

A Heavy Topic of Discussion

I’ve settled for Helen Fisher’s take on it: [Love is] a fundamental human drive. Like the craving for food and water, and the maternal instinct, it is a physiological need, a profound urge.”

 We spoke of the work of Dante (Wow) who he thinks had the meaning of love down PAT (centuries ago). “l’amor che move il sole e li oltre stella”
“Love the moves the sun and the other stars”

Wow, love really is the most complicated word in the English language.

Arrival in Pisa!

I still regret missing the Torre di Piso (The Leaning Tower Of Pisa!) The MINUTE I arrive in Pisa I feel unbelievably comfortable. I feel at home (very strange feeling really): relaxed and calm. My beautiful cousin, Diana, came to pick me up at the Pisa airport and we took the train back to her lovely, lovely home (I could not leave with out taking photos of each room. The color scheme and spatial arrangement are too perfect to me).

My beautiful family

It was so nice to finally catch up with her. I hadn’t seen her since I was 6 years old! My goodness, is this woman an angel. Hands down: one of the kindest people I will ever know – to every one (AND I happen to be related to her). No fascade. Just a great disposition, a fantastic set of parents and a heart of gold. Are you a saint, D? 

She introduced me to the "Zone Diet" (Dad!), which I found interesting until I realized that it really is about portion control and focusing on protein, vegetables and whole grains (common sense stuff that most do not take into consideration). “All these healthy lifestyle choices go out the window during the holidays, Adaliss. I’m not worried. I just enjoy!” Her husband, Marco, is also quite fabulous. He unearthed a Guide to Florencia (in Spanish!) amidst his overwhelming library (I am talking masses of books. This man loves to read) for me to borrow for a few days. He has NO idea how much that meant to me. My niece (well, technically second cousin) Rebecca (2.5 years old!) is wonderful. She is bright, stunning, charismatic, has a higher emotional intelligence score than the average person for sure and just so much fun! I couldn’t be happier. This is such a treat. I love it: Diana tries to speak to Rebecca in Spanish as often as possible. Rebecca always answers in Italian, but it’s still a great thing Diana’s doing. (“Critical period”!). All she needs now is some English language immersion ;-) 

I think it is great that Marco’s mother and his sister live in the same complex. Their home is literally a minute from Diana’s home. I wasn’t surprised to learn that they too are quite a lovely clan of Italians.

I slept like a baby that night in that heavenly home and woke up uber early the next day for Day 1 in Firenze (Florencia). It was pouring; nothing that an umbrella can’t fix.  After (so generously) being dropped off at the local train station, I embarked on my first day trip in Italia! 

I met Juliana, a sweet and helpful Peruvian woman living and working here in Florencia. I was grateful for the few tips she shared with me. Having perused through the handly Guide Book of Florencia and visiting the Tourist Office, I felt both prepared and a bit overwhelmed by all of the amazing things to do and see in Florencia. 3 days is certainly not enough. (I can’t imagine what Rome will be like, given its sheer relative size). 

Juliana and I

I find that I genuinely enjoy just visiting churches and buildings here in Italy. I can seriously just walk around all day, snapping shots of the exterior and interior masterpieces that make up the unique personality of a given city. “Oh my gawsh” the things I was about to see!! BRILLIANT. CAPTIVATING. Just a few words that came to mind. There is CERTAINLY nothing like this in the states. 

Many a decadent treat in Italia. Thinking of a few people in particular ;-)

As I meandered through the “walking” city (a characteristic I am quite fond of), I could not stop listening to the local Italians [not that I understood a single sentence they said]. The language is just so beautiful. In fact, one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Gilbert, argues that it is “one of the most beautiful languages on Earth”. I actually wouldn’t mind being an Au Pair for a bit in Italy, as crazy as it sounds. 

I feel so safe here. Though it is very much a typical tourist hot spot, Florencia has a very relaxing ambience. It is also so easy to navigate with a city map alone – a perk for orientation-less people such as myself. I am starting to LIKE maps, which should be a pleasant surprise for some of you folks!

I met a few more helpful people along the way. “Shout out” to the beautiful Elena from Bologna and Rachel from Boston! 

Meet Rachel!

Rachel, Art History major at John Hopkins University, is one of those magnetic people; very charismatic! I met her in a lovely vegetarian restaurant (Ruth’s Restaurant) next to the city’s lovely Synagogue. After studying for a term in Paris she and her mother decided to take a 3 day trip in Italy. She left her mother in Rome and headed directly for Florencia and Vienna (on her own! Isn’t she great?). I am so jealous – from here, she will go directly to Israel for 2 weeks! I find her story so great! She lived with a Jewish Moroccan family while studying (“you know…for the holidays and all that stuff. It’s just much easier.”) Interesting factoid: France has the one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. Why? There were many Jews living in Northern Africa who, in response to Anti-Semitism moved from Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria to France. Needless to say, Rachel and I talked for a few hours – I enjoyed every second, particularly how much we identified with one another! It was nice to meet some one who can keep up with my (to put it nicely) spontaneity during conversation.  Some tend to get overwhelmed by my tendency to ask a myriad (sometimes unrelated) questions in one sitting.

We recounted our day trips to one another and found that we were equally taken aback by quite a few sites (by no means is this a finite list):

El Duomo: Pictures just DO NOT cut it. I literally turned the corner and…BAM….there it was. I was definitely not ready to be acquainted. I can’t even imagine what love at first site is like. This must come close. I just froze – I probably looked like a complete fool. All I remember is repeating “Oh. My. Gosh.” over and over again. I probably didn’t blink for a few minutes. Imagine what this place looked like when it was in its ‘prime’ (freshly constructed). Simply captivating. Rachel explained to me that the exterior is made of different types of marble! Talk about high quality work. 

The Twin Bronze Doors: A Hit!

El Duomo: Click here for a beautiful "live" view

Michaelangelo’s David There are two replicas in the city, but are rendered obsolete in comparison to the original David (currently in the Galleria dell'Accademia).

No statue is re perfect. 

“The key to the David's appeal is Michelangelo's magnificent projection of man at his best - vigorously healthy, beautiful, rational, competent. It expresses a heroic view of man and of a universe auspicious to his success. Such a projection is of immeasurable worth to anyone who holds such a sense of life - whether that person lived 500 years ago or lives today.”

My visit to the Gallery was totally unplanned. I bumped into a woman Alessandra on my way to the Piazza de Pitti. She claimed to be an employee at the Galleria dell'Accademia and begged me to stop by before returning home for the day (“Just ask for Alessandra”, she said). So..I stopped by and it turns out this woman des not even exist! Luckily, as I finished my chai, I hit off with the Museum security guards and staff (Andrea, you are incredible individual, mister)! They allowed me to enter (F.O.C.) so that I could then become acquainted with the renowned David. He really is M-A-J-E-S-T-I-C. It’s unreal. I stood there for 15 minutes admiring the quintessential man (David & Goliath anyone?).  People  pay at least 12 Euro to see this beautiful representation – oh and is it worth it, “seguramente”.

"In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it."—Michelangelo

Sinagoga: I was so busy chatting it up with Rachel that I missed it! (Closes at 3 PM, for future reference). I guess I’ll just have to come back! 

So, at some point during my tour, I started to tear up. I was in the middle of San Felice church. I started praying for every single person that came to mind (which took much longer than I thought. It felt so great! You should try it!)  I literally crying in the middle of one of the hundreds of churches I walked past through out the day. Indeed, these were tears of joy.  I was loving every second of my church visits: the colors, statues protruding from the walls, the art! It’s incredible how well they’ve preserved everything! There is SO much to see in Florence alone.

When it started to get dark, I decided to head back home. I was pleasantly not surprised that a local woman noticed me struggling with inserting my money into the ticket machine and donated 5 minutes helping me! I’m not sure if this how people are here in Florence (super helpful) or if its simply because “’tis the season”. As if I weren’t grateful enough, along comes Claudia, angelic 10 year resident of Florencia who moved here from Romania. Claudia has this warm, genuine smile/way about her that can move any one to action. Turns out she has family in Chicago. When I asked her to come visit me in the US, she said “Why not?” =) I have a new friend. Yay! 5 minutes later, I met Roberte, a nurse from Venice. Within ten minutes of conversation, she invited me to come visit her whenever I wished! How sweet!

They day just kept getting better and better. I came home to my favorite snack/foods:  Goat cheese, Fage yogurt, Green apples and almonds! Later in the evening, D and Marco had company over! They seem to always have friends over the house for dinner. It’s really refreshing. Tonight’s guests were a lovely family: another Italian/Latina couple. I love their story: He came to Venezuela for vacation over 15 years ago, he met her at the airport…and he never came back (Well, until Chávez came into power. Needless to say, they bounced out of there together.) Their son’s name is Michaelangelo (Miguel Angel). I like this name – A LOT. I also like the name Alessandro/a.

That evening, Diana made a stellar guacamole dip that I feel compelled to share with you lovely people. It’s quite simple: avocado, onions (to your taste), tomato, chili (habanero or fresh jalapeno), salt and lemon. 

The next day, Diana introduced me to Siena (about one hour from her home). We passed by Chianti (home to the most popular wine in Italy!) on the way over as well as San Gimignano (full of towers). “Florencia is to Renaissance as Siena is to Medieval”, D posits. I can’t agree more. Both cities are beautiful in such different ways. I had no idea that the Renaissance was born in Florencia (thank you Familia Medici).

What beautiful pieces of history did I meet today?

Piazza del Campo

~ Piazza del Campo (Click):
~ D told me all about a biannual (and pretty elaborate) horserace in Siena, called the Palio di Siena. According to Wiki,

“The Palio di Siena (known locally simply as Il Palio) is a horse race held twice each year on July 2 and August 16 in Siena, Italy, in which ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the appropriate colours, represent ten of the seventeen Contrade, or city wards. The Palio held on July 2 is named Palio di Provenzano, in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano, who has a church in Siena. The Palio held on August 16 is named Palio dell'Assunta, in honour of the Assumption of Mary.A magnificent pageant, the Corteo Storico, precedes the race, which attracts visitors and spectators from around the world.

The race itself, in which the jockeys ride bareback, circles the Piazza del Campo, on which a thick layer of dirt has been laid, three times and usually lasts no more than 90 seconds. It is not uncommon for a few of the jockeys to be thrown off their horses while making the treacherous turns in the piazza, and indeed it is not unusual to see unmounted horses finishing the race without their jockeys.” See what goes down. (People actually rent out Balconies for this event!)

Piazza del Duomo: 200+ years to construct.
“Imagine all of the wear this cathedral has witnessed"

Banco Monte del Paschi di Siena: probably one of the most beautiful banks I’ve ever seen

Romuo e Remo (Romulus and Remus): if you don’t know the story. Get familiar

St. Caterina (casa –  Sanctuario):  “I loovvveee goollllld” (FB, Austin Powers)

San Domenico (Basilica): It was FREEZING in there. Enormou

Dynamite Restaurant that reinforced my belief that Italy does have, by far, the best olive oil I’ve ever consumed. After searching far and wide for a restaurant that tickled our fancy (after all, I should know that you “do not enter a restaurant unless something about it inspires you.” So very much worth it, Diana.

I can’t believe what an incredible week I’ve had thus far. Last night was fun! Marco and Diana had yet another amiable set of friends over. Billy Bob (Frederico) and his girlfriend, Georgia (you’d never guess her age! What do they put in the water over here?), was so sweet! 

Marco, Frederico, Georgia, Diana and Rebecca :-)

Marco brought Pizza for every one (an actual pizza for each person). This is apparently common in Italy. The difference between Pizza in Italy and in the US is that it’s “thin crust and so much more delicious”.

A recommended Café with FREE WIFI: Café Deluxee. 

12/25/2010: Christmas in Firenze

I feel like all I did on Christmas Day was eat. Diana prepared a delicious meal: Eggplant, tomato sauce and mozzarella appetizer, lightly breaded pan fried Salmon (rebanadas) with herbs, onions and olive oil, purple cabbage (ensalada de la morada), local olives, the region’s finest Olive Oil (Incredible), and quite a bit of queso de oveja. I may be addicted; and of course white wine. 

It was nice to bond with the immediate family for the day. We watched a movie, I wrote postcards, uploaded some incredible photos! I received some rather unexpected gifts not only from D and Marco, but from his side of the family as well. It was so very surprising. I had already received my present: the opportunity to stay with my cousin (who I hadn’t seen for years!) in her beautiful home in Italy!

So, 8 PM rolls are around and we are off to eat even more food. AH. It was so lovely! My first traditional Italian Christmas. It was PHENOMENAL. I had a really good time. There were 24 guests present. 

Bacalao a La Diana, Tipo Vizaina**

Diana’s dish was (hands down) the best of the night. We all devoured it! Oh my..and with out shame!

Christmas Cena (Dinner) Menu:

Appetizers/1^st Plate

v    Crostini (Variety)

o      Higado de Pollo en paté (Chicken Liver) – Don’t knock it until you try it!

o      Pollo y mayonesa (Chicken and Mayonaise)

o      “Germano” (es ave-cacería)

Hongos Porcini (My favorite; This mushroom is specific to Italy!)

v    Lasagne al Salmone 

v    Tortellini el Caldo de Res (Soup)

v    Bacalao a La Diana, Tipo Vizaina**

This recipe takes a few days. In increments of course. All I know is that it included walnuts, almonds, a spicy herb, tomatoes, peppers, onions

The Italians LOVE their Roast Beef

2^nd Plate

v    Galantina (De Pollo)

v    Cinghiale Arrosto (jabalí al Horno)

v    Cinghiale Dolce-Forte (jabalí en salsa aria)

v    Piselli (Chicharos-peas)

v    Ensalada Russa (Very common here)

v    Ensalada Basico

v    Tiramisú

A Quote that has resonated with me this month. Enjoy!

Liz Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it...And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.”

Layover in Geneva and Back 'Home'

 Layover in GOOD Old Geneva (A gratifying second glance at a beautiful city)

Still LOVING Geneva and its beautiful people (possibly more than my last trip!)

So, I made a friend on the plane! Her name is Karla, a young and vivacious Peruvian woman in her final year of Medical School in Barcelona (Residency Stage). She is so brilliant, benevolent, light-hearted and funny. I think it’s so great how excited she is about what she is going into – she wishes to specialize in Kidney Transplants.

Karla, my Peruvian Travelmate

My new friend and I wasted absolutely no time during the otherwise brutal 9 hour layover in Geneva. (Spanish-English translation). “Let’s not sit around. Let’s take advantage, get out there and get to know Geneva!” I explained to her that my Tio Mauro lived in Geneva and that I had recently come to visit him for a few days! I told her all about how wonderful this man is. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get through to him during our brief visit!

We were taken aback (well, I was yet again) by how intrinsically motivated people are here! They are actually interested in HELPING you. “It’s Switzerland!, said Mary Jo, a local who offered her mobile to call Tio Mauro multiple times while on her shift! Mary Jo isn’t the only one who took us by surprise. We met a LOVELY woman at the ripe age of 90. She noticed we were a bit unrehearsed in public transit so she took the liberty of walking us up two flights of stairs to the Bus Station (10 minutes out of her way)! The woman was wonderful – she spoke both French and English (at the age of 90! This is very rare, to me, for an individual of that age to speak two languages!)

They are a different species. I guess people always surprise you, no?

A few minutes later, another local offers us one of his tickets so that we can get on the bus to the city; as if we weren’t stunned enough (especially Karla!), a sweet older man stopped to explain the transit system here in Geneva (what’s fastest, most efficient, cheapest, recommended bus lines, etc.) It was so lovely!

 Karla comments:

“2 Chicas extrañas en Ginebra = una Americana y una Peruana. Nos animamos a salir del aeropuerto rumbo a la cuidad. Hemos conocido gente en este pequeño trayecto hasta cojer el tren que nos ha indicado como llega =

1)    Una señora de 90 anos!!! (Con un ingles de 30%) nos llevo a la estación – (and surprisingly walking faster than we were!)

2)    Un chico de +/- 40 anos que nos regalo un ticket de autobús

3)    Un señor de +/- 80 anos con un ingles perfecto tomo como 10 minuto para explicar paso a paso lo que teníamos que hacer para llegar al centro

Cada vez, el mundo se sorprenda mas.

Si había conocido una ciudad (IMAN) como NYC (this is where she has visited for the past week) esta probablemnte la cuidad mas amable en la que he estado

Como dijo Mary Jo (la nanny lady) = ES SWITZERLAND!!!!”

- I love her!

We had three hours in Geneva! It had only just begun and we already awe-inspired (just by the PEOPLE)!

Fortunately for us, the day we stopped in Geneva is an important holidays for the Swiss!  Indeed,

This weekend marks the BEAUTIFUL celebration of L’Escalade (which took place the night of December 11 to 12 in the year 1602.  The locals celebrated the day Geneva defeated France! (This year there are over 800 participants!) 

Too bad Karla and I missed the road running segment, which is apparently “one of the most significant annual events in Geneva, and is one of the most prestigious sporting events in Switzerland”.

Official Website (Google Translated for Ya)

Streets were filled with people selling Soup, a refreshing Hot Juice/Sugar/Wine Drink, Sausages, Hotdogs, etc! I may have fallen hard for roasted chestnuts (at one point within 3 hours, about 400 grams of chestnuts lain in my digestive tract).

The city was even more beautiful than the last time I came to visit! I’m so fortunate I was able to experience this again, with a sweet new friend!

By the way, The term "Escalade" means “to climb” (more specifically on a ladder or any vertical plane)

During the flight home, I watched quite a few films: one that I particularly enjoyed is entitled Going the Distance (featuring Justin Long and Drew Barrymore). Great film for me! 

I almost could not resist Avatar when I opted for Killers. It’s so funny how rarely I watch films, actually. It’s so relaxing.

Almost home! Barcelona to Valencia

Just my luck! The plane arrives in Barcelona airport 30 minutes longer than anticipated, leaving me a precious hour to pick up my luggage (Can’t wait to be carrying with me two 50 lbs bags, a backback and purse!) Baggage Claim took at least 20 minutes.

 And then I was OFF to the bus station. AH, I reminisce my run (attempted run, that is, with the amount of luggage I carried) through La Rambla (Thank you, sweet couple from the Aerobus for directing me! Oh! And the group of travelers who allowed me to follow them to the station because I had no idea where I was going!)

I made it to the bus with a mere FIVE MINUTES to spare. I admit - I had a minor panic assailment, but I made it!

Five hours later (2 AM): I was safely back in Valencia and INFINITELY grateful my neighbor, Ruben, volunteered to collect me! I am too fortunate.

Now that I am back…

I can’t help but admit how much I’ve fallen in love with this city. Walking to the center of the city is such a gift. It’s literally a 10 minute walk from the Pont de Fusta metro stop, 

which I can WALK to in less than 15 minutes if I please. I absolutely love crossing he bridge, passing by several soccer practices in session (futbolistas ages 8 to 25+). It is so invigorating having soccer around all the time again! Dad, I can’t wait to share this with you! Oh, and the BUILDINGS (the history behind the beautiful architecture in Valencia) is more captivating now than when I left simply because at home, well, we don’t have this type of scenery. I take it in and count my blessings. I missed every one here in Valencia: my friends, my coworkers, my students (oh, how I adore them), my ESL students (outside of el colegio). I definitely missed how much affordable fruit and vegetables are here (Fruterias are our friends). 

Reading is Music to the Mind 

So, I recently finished a phenomenal read– “Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.” may very well be one of the most phenomenal reads I’ve delved into thus far. Truly. HIGHLY RECOMMEND (Thanks, Chels and Heather Swick). Bali (Part 3) was my favorite, for sure.

After reading the book, I perused the web for other peoples’ reactions to the books. I came across some pretty lovely pages.
Lessons learned thus far (applicable to all! So please do skim!)

• Embrace Failure. Have you lost a job recently? Gone through a divorce? Life has a way of bringing all our well-thought out plans to an immediate halt sometimes. I think that's because our plans are oftentimes too linear. Life is really more like a 2-step dance; you take two steps forward, followed by one step back. Or sometimes two steps back. The point is that when life sends you a flat tire, don't just put on the spare and keep going. This is a great time to also reevaluate the map.

• Be Your Soul Mate. We all spend (or have spent) a lot of time looking for or that perfect life partner, our soul mate. It seems to be part of human nature. But how much time do we spend nurturing the soul mate within? So many of us have busy lives running kids here and there, working, commuting, etc, that we hardly take time to spend time with ourselves. And even when we do get a few minutes of quiet time, do we really spend it trying to know ourselves more? Elizabeth Gilbert took a voyage to Europe and she went by herself. You don't have to go to Europe, but how about a walk in the park? Or a trip to a local museum. Julia Cameron in her book, The Artist's Way recommends weekly dates with ourselves where we treat ourselves the way we act toward someone on a first date. Go to a local cafe. Enjoy yourself. Pay attention to the scenery. Enjoy the moment. Then you can return to your family refreshed and with stories of your own to share.

• Defend Your Happiness. I love this quote from EPL, "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it...And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it." I've never thought of myself as the warrior for my own happiness, but I think it's an idea worth considering. The important thing to note here is that I'm not defending my happiness at the expense of others, but that in fact, others around me will benefit from my happiness. As a warrior for my own happiness, I am much better prepared to be a beneficial presence to those around me than when I'm filled with misery.

Source

 

• You’re Not Alone – Though at times you may feel you’ve entered a long dark tunnel - population one – when you take time to look around, hundreds of people wish you well and do all they can to ensure your happiness and security. Sitting in that dark tunnel brooding over past mistakes and judgements solves nothing. Talking with friends and family, or even a professional can go a long way to help your emotional healing. Make a list of all your friends and keep it open, adding to it daily. Focus on the good things in your life and force yourself to write down at least one a day. You’ll soon see that life balances the good with the bad. Stop focusing on the bad.

• You Can Change Your Life – If you’ve ever driven down a busy highway on the wrong side of the road, it won’t take long before you realize you’re headed towards a nasty collision. You’ll feel it instantly and swerve to avoid crashing. Other drivers will honk at you and scream profanities to let you know your error. Life acts in the exact same way. If you lead your life yet feel like something is not right, listen to that inner voice and become aware of the ‘collisions’ in your workplace and home. Only when you begin to recognize the signs can you begin to turn your car around and start driving in the right lane.

• There Are Worse Things Than Being Alone – Being in a dead-end relationship or one that leaves you feeling battered and abused (whether emotionally or physically) signals danger. Heed relationship don’ts and get out. If, like Gilbert, you spend the middle of the night sobbing on your bathroom floor, you must realise that something is wrong. Find the source of your pain. Do you want to remain in the relationship? Or is it time to move on. Thoughts of being single at any age conjure fear and uneasiness, but nothing kills your self image and worth faster than remaining in an unhealthy relationship. Fix the relationship with yourself first, then find solutions to your other problems. Once you feel better about yourself, everything else will fall into place.

• Let Go Of Control – Trying to control every last detail of your life can make you sicker than you realise. Life is about living. Life is not linear, rather it spins off into many directions. Trying to control everything is like an octopus trying to juggle with all its tentacles at the same time. Eventually it will tangle its arms into a knot and the juggling pins will crash down on its head. Control the things you can and assume the strength and wisdom to cope with those you can’t.

Source: 

If you happen to check out the book, I found a few excerpts particularly interesting (at least go to Border/Barnes & Noble and check out the following sections. Make sure to follow up with me):

•  Pg. 16-17 (if you find the text online, I believe it is page. 13-14), Gilbert's discussion about her take on "God". On Point!
• Pg. 175, The author's take on the notion of "Faith" (STIMULATING. I loved it). In fact, I read it three times over.
• Pg. 177* Discussion about fate/destiny. 

 The concept of the perception* of "pain" is fascinating to me, particularly after reading this work. It really is ALL mental. "It all goes away" (It is truly only temporary.)

Take some time for some self-discovery, my dear friends (men and women alike).

Ask yourself a few questions (who knows, these few minutes may change your life):

Think about it — when was the last time you asked yourself…got quiet…got in touch with your heart, and asked:

• Who do I really want to be in my life?
• What is my definition of success?
• What are some of the things I want to experience in this lifetime (And, do you have a plan in place to turn them from fantasy to reality?)?
• Am I really alive in my life or just passing through without much engagement?

See more

My (All too brief) Trip to my Beloved EEUU

10/17

I’ve been hitching a ride with Mar (Sea), one of Barranquet’s three Preschool teachers (maestras de infantil), the past few weeks. She is saving me quite a bit in transportation costs! When I tell her she is an angel, she simply replies with "Si, caído del cielo" (Yes, fallen from the sky). Mar is so sweet and a really great teacher!

She is only 24 years old and has teaching down PAT. I hope that I, too, will be this fabulous when I have my own classroom of 3 to 5 year olds (X = 40) – pardon me as a I slightly hyperventilate.

A few days ago, I witnessed what may be one of the most hilarious AND awe-inspiring conversations between several second graders. For a quarter hour, they literally spoke of the past, present and the future; debating over what they inherently…ARE. They agreed to disagree, although my buddy Pau (Pablo in Castellano) adamantly believes that the past is the present which is the future. I’m not sure how else to describe their behavior, but I feel as if my students (even some first graders!) act like little adults (most of the time!) Seriously. Fascinating!

12/10/2010

The Week of December 3^rd. A (much too) Brief Return to the Homeland

                                                                                                                    

I will ask this again in the near future: Why am I so lucky sometimes? I could not believe I left Valencia (Thursday evening) before the STRIKE (Friday)! One of my coworkers, Raf, lost his flight to Istanbul! Chels was not able to travel to Bilbao to visit her friend. Que lastima.

Ms. Spurka

Simone The Sweetheart

29 hours to the US. Yes, that’s right. I saved a few hundred Euros, but certainly felt the repercussions. Nevertheless, I bumped into fellow Fulbrighter, Ms. Spurka and new Italian friend, Simone (Such a sweetheart!

I found it interesting that his father is a Gynecologist. I have such respect for this profession. It is not easy, I gather), in the Valencia airport on my way to Barcelona (first layover…) This was a treat! I met an extremely nice individual from Mallorca, traveling on business. 

What a philosophical man! I could hear him talk for hours – in all seriousness!

The night in Barcelona was rather brutal. I (understandably) did not sleep much. It is rather uncomfortable sitting Indian style on a cold hard floor for 7 hours. Fortunately, my layover in Zurich, Swizerland (#2) wasn’t as bad. I made a new friend! Florian (Flo) from Germany, who was on his way to Rome for the weekend!Celosa!

Mr. Florian

The flight to JFK was even more pleasant! I bonded with Judith, another new friend who is enrolled at Virginia Tech (born in Indonesia. We hope to travel to Bali together someday. She’s never been! Can you believe that?). She studied in Switzerland for a semester! Sweet.

I was a bit nervous to come home. I’m not quite sure why, but for sure I was BREATHLESS when we landed in JFK. The lights. The cold air. The unremitting chaos that is the Big Apple. I was moved to tears (embarrassing). 

So yes, longest 29 hours of my life (particularly with no power converter, wifi connection, cell or inflatable bed). But SO worth it!

Oh my gosh, have these past 7 days just FLOWN BY. What else is new. Simply just not enough time. I say this out of risk of appearing rather corny, but It’s been such a treat being able to feel my loved ones’ presence. Sure, Skype, gchat and facebook chatting suffices (hey, it is better than nothing), but really – nothing beats the real thing! While I did not get to see HALF the people I wish I could have, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have at least passed time with those whom I did.

What I’ve missed:

• Family, Friends – a given!
• SNOW (Surprise, Surprise)
• Stores open on SUNDAY. Stores open between 2 and 5 PM!! (No siesta) Capitalist economy that is you, America, [ooo..as horrible as it sounds] I missed you a bit.
• Driving in the car with Mom.
• The SMELL and FEEL of my HOME.
• Being able to HUG the family and friends.
• Finally!!!! Being able to take a hot shower for > 5 minutes.
• All the Grapefruit, Greek Yogurt, Almond Milk and organic peanut butter I can eat!

I certainly realized that people are much more direct in their communications in Spain. No beating around the bush. Some in my country may perceive it as rude, but I view it as a rather utile tool in many cases. Tact is important, too, however.

I can’t believe how much I accomplished in 7 days!

My Ironman

(UConn alum, current PCOM Med student, future Doctor and Lobbyist. my best friend, JBKerzer). “Dericious” food. I loved contributing to your impeccable presentation about Sickle Cell Disease.

Michelle* Spent a night with my blossoming sister in Brooklyn Heights

My International Consultant of a Sister, age 21 (The Big Deal)

Ate the most delicious meal at a lovely vegetarian restaurant, Ginger, in Brooklyn Heights. (21^st!) birthday girl – still can’t believe I missed the festivities and landed a KILLER job with Capgemini!

Family* I’m not going to lie. I visited Abuela twice in three days. What can I say? Inocencia’s my girl. My mother and Abuela organized and hosted (respectively) an amazing dinner get-together at Abuela’s house the day before I left. 

I was so happy that they all made time to come see me on a weekday during such a busy time of year. How fortunate am I? It was rather emotional for me, particularly because I haven’t seen these BEAUTIFUL people, who I was accustomed to seeing several times a month, in over 4 months. It was so nice being able to bond with my aunts and awe-inspiring cousins, Kayla and Elisa, even if for a few hours. I am SO proud of you girls (as if I haven’t said it enough). I even have time to squeeze in a lunch date with my Godmother, Awilda! 

 I got to see Lucy and Tio Perfecto (visiting from Puerto Rico!! Lucky I caught them!)

K-5 and College Bound Represent. My girls, Andy and Carla

Special Breakfast the DAY of departure with Andy and Carlita. Oh yes, and It was so nice bonding with My Mish Zaj for a few hours!

Thanks Mamadukes for accompanying me while I ran around like a chicken with out a head (Dentist, Eye Doctor, Store and Store) Now..PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR – schedule that massage NOW.

Thanks Papibueno for cooking and packing with such finesse. I have NOT the slightest idea how you were able to fit everything into two 50 pound suitcases (Quite a bit of shopping, indeed).

So yes, (contrary to my initial thought process) I ultimately elected to treat myself to a MUCH needed pampering session (29 hours of traveling will do it to ya. I didn’t even want to think about the trip back. Layovers NEVER again): Manicure, Pedicure, a lovely hair appointment with our beloved Elisa, among others things. Why am I so fortunate?