yungeinstein

My trip to Italy, and why I'm clueless about it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm really, REALLY, looking forward to being out of the country this Christmas. The main problem is that I have only a vague idea of what D and I will be doing during those two weeks. This trip was supposed to happen after I graduated instead of just before. It just worked out that we were able to get tickets for two for under $1000 roundtrip, but we had to be a little flexible. Flexible for a college student means you have only a few weeks to do anything before the madness of learning takes its toll. In essence, this trip is my "take some time off after my six year stint as a college student" (it's just a little early).

Because of the fact that I'm so terribly distracted all of the time, D has taken the reins and planned the entire trip. What I do know is that we leave the day after Christmas, and after a 9 hour flight, we get to change airports in London. From there we have a 2 hour flight into Venice. D's mother, who happens to know everyone in Chicago (or so it would seem) hooked us up with a person who owns a condo in a resort town about an hour and a half from Venice. Free is the best price. 12 days later, we depart from Rome.

What happens in between? I wish I could tell you. A good bet would be sightseeing. Michaelangelo is high up on the list. He's one of the more well known engineer-artists of his time, and since I'm studying to become an engineer it would be fun and humbling to witness such genius. I most interested in anything that exists on a huge scale. Things that make me aware of their size, their genius or their devotion. A few years ago, D did a painting for me of the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. If we're anywhere near that, I need to see it and let it take control of my mind for a little while. I've seen pictures, but pictures almost always pale in comparison to the real thing.

I believe that Florence will happen on New Year's Eve. It seems almost dreamlike to imagine the scene, and honestly I can scarcely even describe it. Fireworks in another country, surrounded by locals chattering away in a language that I'll barely be able to speak. Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to my first New Year's Eve outside of the US. I'm just hoping that the travel bug won't bite too hard before I finish my degree.

As I said in my earlier post, I'm already starting to feel that old familiar draw to travelling. I knew it all too well in the past. There was about five years when I travelled around the country working at various Renaissance Faires. Referred to the Renaissance Faire Circuit (or casually as just 'The Circuit'). Things are really different on circuit now than when I used to do shows, but it still offers some truly amazing experiences. I had the time of my life, and will always look back on those years as some of the most incredible. The friendships I made are deep and meaningful, and are still strong even though my friends and I have all gone in different directions. That's part of the beauty of it all. You build intense relationships based on the fact that you may not see them for some time. It's natural not to see someone for a while.

I think the most important part of my experience of being on the road is that it has given me a sense of confidence and self-awareness that I may not have developed otherwise. I now know that I can go anywhere and probably do well for myself, mainly because I've done it before. It's a really liberating feeling to know that just because you live somewhere doesn't mean that you can't live anywhere else. The world is bigger than most people imagine.

Now I've got myself thinking about travelling. Maybe I'll have to take a short trip during the Thanksgiving break. I've got friends down in Arizona, that would love to have D and I around for a few days...