The Gelato Life.

For the first three weeks that I was living in Florence I was hesitant to go out and indulge in Gelato {which was so hard because there is a Gelateria around every corner, even one right outside my front door!} because I knew after that first gelato I would love it too much, not be able to control myself and end up eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I finally had my first cup of gelato last week and it has indeed become my main source of food {well gelato and pasta}.  Along with adding gelato to my diet I am glad I have also incorporated long runs into my days so hopefully it all balances out. Gelato is just so yummy, I think I even enjoy it more than ice cream.  Unlike ice cream, Gelato uses more milk so it doesn't have nearly as much fat.  It also gets turned at a slower speed which means there is less air mixed into the base making it more dense and it is served at a much warmer temperature to keep it creamy.

Gelato comes in every flavor imaginable - you can walk into a Gelateria and be completely overwhelmed by the 50 + flavors inside the Gelato case.  I personally love Cookies & Cream and Hazelnut gelato but lets be real each kind is delicious!  I have two goals when it comes to gelato while living in Italy - 1) branch out and try a different flavor each time 2) Not eat it for every meal, just once in a while.

Check out different Gelato recipes you can make yourself here!

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For some more fun history on gelato check out this little video :)

I am a Nomad.

Over the last few years I have acquired the nickname of 'nomad'  {meaning someone with no permanent home, moves from place to place}.  My friends gave me the new name, not because I don't have a home {I have a lovely home and family}, but because they know I really enjoy traveling and constantly being in new places.  It is a realistic nickname, I do live a nomadic lifestyle and am always on the go - during college breaks I would barely go home, instead I would go visit New York, South Carolina, New Jersey, California or any other state I had never been to before.  Being a nomad is my way of staying in touch with my adventurous side and keeping my desire to see the world alive.
My latest nomad move was the best one I have made; as you all know I moved from Massachusetts to Italy and I couldn't be happier.  I made the choice to run towards all that the world (well Europe right now) has to offer instead of settling for a monotony office job. 

Here are a few good travel quotes that help sum up why I love traveling and why I think it is important for everyone to be a nomad at some point & go explore the world:

"We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us." - Anonymous

Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a chance that goes on deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." 

"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere.  That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place."

"I just wanna go on more adventures.  Be around good energy. Connect with people.  Learn new things. Grow."  

"We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls." - Anais Nin

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.  So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

"Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R Tolkien

The Happiest Place On Earth.

Did you know that Switzerland is one of the happiest countries in the world? 

I am fortunate enough to have been able to travel to Interlaken, Switzerland twice now - once as a student and again last week for staff training and orientation with Bus2alps.  After spending time in Switzerland I agree 100% that this is one of the happiest places on earth.  Interlaken is a beautiful town with breathtaking views of the mountains and the lakes. There are endless possibilities of activities and the fun never stops.  As a group we were able to go snow shoeing in the Swiss Alps, try night sledding and walk around Lake Brienz.  If you visit be adventurous and go skydiving, canyon jumping or skiing. Out of all the places I have seen and explored, this is by far one of my favorite spots and I cannot wait to go back!

{Bus2alps Spring 2014 Staff in the Jungfrau Mountians}

To see how cool Interlaken is click here :)

My Internet Diary.

When ringing in the new year I decided that one of my New Years resolutions is to focus on my blog. I started this blog mainly for myself because I enjoy writing but I also started it as a means to keep family and friends updated on how I am doing while living in Italy. As I write each blog post I almost feel as if I am back in middle school and writing in a diary; Im writing down what I am up to, my thoughts and feelings but unlike a diary I want to share it with who ever wants to read it.  

My goal is to have Tuesday be blog day - so new blog posts about a new city I visited or a new recipe I like or new wisdom I learn from the Italians will be posted on Tuesdays.

{If you want to hear about my adventures with bus2alps or see selfies of me in front of historical monuments then you should definitely bookmark / favorite this blog and read it every Tuesday morning with your cup of coffee.}

Here are some tips about blogging I learned that I would like to share with any of you that blog/want to blog:

1. "Write for yourself first & foremost. Ignore the fact that anyone else will read what you write; just focus on your thoughts, ideas, opinions and figure out how to put those into words."
2. Be consistent.  Blog on a regular basis to keep people interested and to have them continue reading your blog.
3. Write catchy headings on each blog post to grabs people's attention.
4. Be yourself while writing/blogging.

{If you like reading my blog but it's not enough - you want a hand written note from me on a postcard, just message me your address and I will be sure to send you one}

-ACM

The Next Big Adventure

I have had my fill of days of complaining and moaning about not having a job and being useless to society since graduation but after months of searching and "self-discovery" the right opportunity has FINALLY come my way.  Recently I was offered the opportunity to intern with Bus2Alps in Italy and I did not hesitate to say YES!
{A little bit about the company} Bus2Alps is the #1 travel company in Europe for students studying abroad. The companies goal is to provide amazing and memorable experiences for students that are studying abroad through trips to other cities and countries outside where the they are staying.  Bus2Alps offers a huge selection of trips which include round trip transportation, hostel accommodations, a city tour guide and a Bus2Alps leader [which will be me in a month]!  

{The best opportunity for me} Since the day I left Italy exactly two years ago I have been longing to go back.  For the short 4 months I was there I fell in love with Europe and Rome became my favorite city.  There was so much I didn't get to see and explore though so in the back of my head I knew I would end up going back.  While I was applying for jobs and figuring out what to do with myself I had also been scheming on the side how to incorporate my passion for travel back into my life: be an Au Pair abroad?  Take a trip with friends?  Backpack through Europe on my own?  Go live with family in Ireland?  There was also the option of applying for a position with Bus2Alps.   For the last two years I have wanted to apply to work with Bus2Alps;  I always thought it would be such a great opportunity to continue traveling and help other students going abroad experience grand adventures.  I never thought it was realistic though [just like the other ideas] because I  had to finish school and there was so much pressure from family and the university to find a 9-5 kind of job after graduation.  When I finally realized a cubicle job was not right for me and that I needed to find my sense of adventure again I took the chance of applying for a position with Bus2Alps in September.  I was ecstatic to get an interview and even more thrilled to have been offered a position for Spring 2014!  I am so so so happy to be moving back to Italy and working for such a fun and amazing travel company!  It might have taken me 6 months to figure it out but this is exactly what I want to do in life right now and I couldn't be more excited!

— Bus2alps (@bus2alps) September 26, 2013 

People keep asking me me, "How did you even know of this company in Europe?"  I tell them that while I was living in Rome in 2011 I did a lot of traveling to other countries and used Bus2Alps for multiple trips. I traveled to Germany, Czech Republic and Switzerland with them and had so much fun!  I always thought it would be a fantastic experience to be a B2A trip expert one day.

{What I'll be doing}  Well "one day" is now and come this January I get to be a leader/trip expert for new students living abroad and help them make the best of their time while traveling to different cities though out Europe.  As an intern I will be getting to know the new students, promoting & selling tours, helping plan events for the company and traveling on the weekends as a guide!  

I still may not know what the next five years of my life looks like but this is the next big adventure I have been waiting for and I cannot wait to start - 3 weeks to go!

Winter Basics.

Recently I have been planning for my trip abroad and have been very preoccupied with making sure I have all the basics before I leave.  Whether I'm wondering around Boston for the holiday season or off exploring Prague in a month these are a few items I love and are essential basics for the cool winter season.
- Steve Madden Brown Leather Boots: go with everything; pair with a warm pair of wool socks if spending a lot of time outside.
- Red Mac Lipstick:  I am being fancy with lipstick this holiday season!  The red is a good look for any pale girls out there; it brings out the warmer undertones in your complexion.
- Infinity Scarves:  I would wear Infinity scarf on top of Infinity scarf I just love them so much (one at a time is good though).  They are warm and you don't have to worry about tying them up; they're the best for any cold winter day!
- Cross body bag:  An everyday essential.
- Parka: Comfortable and stylish, I personally prefer no fur trim on the hood.
-  Bangles: I don't care if you hate them but I love them. They dress up your arm and your outfit no matter what time of the year.

Soon I am going to have to start packing (and I am going to have to pack a lot more then these few basics).  I don't want to overpack but I want to make sure I have all the essentials - if anyone has any suggestions on what I should bring with me, let me know!

Take A Minute

Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with family, food and football and it is a great time to share [or tweet] what we are thankful for when gathered with the ones we love [in case you forgot what Thanksgiving Day is about].  Being grateful for everything you have and the people in your life is important but we should not wait for this one day of the year to share with others that we are thankful for them.  I have to remind myself to be appreciative of everything and everyone in my life and make sure my I tell my family I love them everyday.  Take a minute everyday [thats the other 364 days of the year] to reach out to a friend or family member to just let them know you appreciate them and are thankful for them in your life.