Thinking...

My apologies for being quiet the last week or so! I can't even blame it on the lack of happenings... because I DO have a post or two that needs to come up. Once I get pictures off my camera. But I was thinking about the real reason I haven't been writing much, and I realized that I was worried about coming off as bragging. But then it crossed my mind that blogging for the sake of keeping friends and family updated was only half my reasons! The other reason was for my benefit! I'm not keeping a regular journal... because I don't at home and I would not be diligent enough to write often enough. My blog is supposed to be my way of writing about my experiences, and my thoughts about them. My thoughts about my experiences? Honestly, every single day that I am here I think about how awesome it is to be here. It hits me again and again that I am living in Italy and that is so incredibly cool! I mean, I have the novelty of doing day trips to places like Rome and Florence. I walk down the hill to school and have the most breathtaking view of Tuscany. I'm learning to speak Italian! I drink wine with dinner every single night, and I love it. My taste for wine is most certainly developing. Could be a very expensive habit when I come home... We go for cappuccino's at one of the many local cafe's, or if we're feeling elegant we'll have a glass of wine. We buy our fruit and vegetables at a local store we've dubbed 'The Fruit Cave", or on Saturdays at the market. Living in "rez" is so much fun also. I'm not a "partier" per-say, but you certainly get to be close to people really quickly when you interact on a daily basis. Lying in the Tuscan sun while studying, and opting for a nap instead. All the leather! Oh how I love leather! The almond trees have begun blooming around Cortona, and I've heard that this is a very important sign that we'll be getting an early spring. You'll hear no complaints from me!

All in all, I LOVE living here. And that is by no means an attempt to brag about it! I know that I am incredibly blessed to be here! I'm going to look back on this experience and not regret a single moment of it! I'm going to be able to tell my children some day that travelling before settling down is worth it! Whether it be Italy or somewhere else in the world... where do YOU want to go? If you have the chance to go, then GO!

All this said, I would be lying to you if I said my heart was not in Canada. It is in good hands, and I have no doubts about that. This is one of the biggest differences between this trip and the Kyra-Colette assault on Europe in 2009. So I suppose that guarantees I'll be coming home!! What a wave of emotions that will be. Excitement to see him, but a longing for the Tuscany I've grown to love.

Expect another post (or two) in the next few days with picture updates of the last week: Day trip to Rome, San Valentino (Valentine's day), and maybe some of those infamous almond blossoms...