The End (or The Beginning Again)

Here it is (finally) – my last blog. This post has taken a while to manifest itself for some reason. While I was in Italy, I looked forward to coming up with posts filled with stories, fun facts, adventure and hopefully a little bit of humor. This blog, though, has been the hardest to write. As I sit and try to come up with an amazing finale, nothing wants to flow freely from my brain to the keyboard. It is like this blog post is the last piece that keeps Italy with me – once this post heads out into cyberspace my adventure will be finished.

So how do I put a perfect ending to an one hundred and eleven day adventure? How about the title of this blog – did you know that this was not the original title for the blog? As I sat on the airplane and wrote my first blog post, “The Beginning”, I decided to name my blog “Travels of the Undecided”. This title popped into my head because I left for Italy in an undecided state. Yes, I am a biology major with a concentration in environmental studies, but my interests range far beyond my degree curriculum. As seen through many blog posts, I also love food and nutrition, a career that I might want to pursue after I finish my undergraduate degree. So many paths crowded my head, making me agonize over the future, rather than focusing on the present. Yet as I traveled around Rome, I realized that many of my fellow program mates were in the same boat. We were all struggling to figure out what to do in our lives and I think that in the end, being open to new ideas and opportunities will lead you to your chosen path. This recognition allowed up to relax and enjoy the adventure that was about to unfold itself before us.

With that blog title thrown out the window, a new one was desperately needed. As I was writing my blog about my days in Rome, I began to write my favorite movement word – traipse. To traipse means to wander without purpose or to walk around in a causal manner without a destination in mind. It is the perfect description of my trip to Italy – I literally traipsed around Tuscany. My favorite trips were when we made last minute plans to go somewhere in the morning. We rarely ever had a plan on what to do, see, or eat, just to get there and experience the destination. It was, in my opinion, the best way to see Italy. I traipsed into little trattorias for lunch, little shops for cute gifts, and beautiful monuments and gardens for exploration and education. To traipse was not an action anymore, but my way of life.

As I prepare to head back to school, I am a little bit hesitant (okay maybe a little apprehensive as well). I found balance in Italy – I became much less stressed and I opened myself up to new experiences, something that is very different for me (I think it was all that traipsing). How can I incorporate the changes I made to my life in Italy into my life here in the States? I understand that it might take a little work and a little bit of time, but I feel that taking some time out to traipse around (even in New Jersey) will not only help me become a more healthier, well-rounded person, but keep a little piece of knowledge from Italy always.

As I say farewell to my Italian adventure, I look forward and say hello to my next one and step into it with all the intention to enjoy and to traipse through it. I feel that is it not only pays homage to my adventure in Florence, but also makes life so much more fun!

My many thanks for accompanying me on my adventures…

Grazie, baci, and ciao!

Catherine