New Room, New Roommates

As the Great Apartment Fiasco of 2011 comes to a close, I find myself overly satisfied with the new place (the 2nd apartment I've moved into this week).  I refuse to leave this one because frankly, it's too awesome.  First, there's the location: one block from Eataly.  You guys remember my post about the local/organic/Slow Food grocery store in Turin?  Looks like I've already got my new gelato stop all mapped out.  Second, it kicks the other apartment from this week's ass.  Remodeled 3-bedroom/2-bath, big kitchen completely outfitted with cooking supplies, plenty of balcony storage.  Oh, and there's a bathtub.  Almost cried when I saw it.  Do you guys realize how much I miss bubble baths?  You're not me, so I'll tell you: a lot.

My side of the room.  And yes I do make my bed every day.

My room I'll be sharing with Fatemeh from Iran, an architecture grad student I met a year ago who may as well be a model. My bed is a twin with a trundle, which brings me back to being 8 years old eating butterscotch candies under my bed and playing DreamPhone at slumber parties, but that just means I've got a place for anyone who wants to come stay with me.  (Please consider this a shameless request for visitors.)

Kitchen.  Where the magic happens.

Now I've got to say I've had a lot of luck in my life when it comes to roommates.   All of them I count among my best friendships: Madison, Nicole and Estrella during my unforgettable college years, Mallary and Shelby post-graduation, and finally Ricarda, Natalie and Georgina during my grad school year abroad.  I honestly couldn't imagine many of my most memorable experiences without these girls.  This semester's new stock has got some big shoes to fill, but it's looking promising.

oh yeah, the kitchen doubles as the living room.  it's a classy thang they do here in italy, ok?

One girl is from Paris, and the subtext from this simple phrase should be read: jaw-droppingly and effortlessly chic.  She's just one of those girls that it's obvious Jesus loves a little bit more than the rest of us and you can't blame him for it either.  I don't.  She's absurdly gorgeous.  Her parents are in fashion and she interns for Vogue in Paris (who can even say that?)  She brought 5 suitcases of clothes that were mostly gifted to her.  Ugh.  Just when I think it's enough that she has a cute french accent and manages to somehow not look trashy when she smokes, I found out she has a twin.  Seriously?  I'm telling you, favored by the gods, this one.

is it weird to put pictures of your bathroom on your blog? meh.  not pictured: BATHTUB!!!

The other girl is from Simi Valley, California, which is crazy because that's where I was born and I've never met anyone who knows where that is much less who lives there.  And when I say she's from California I mean she wears a peace-sign necklace, her mom is an art teacher and she carefully packed lots of dry goods from Whole Foods.  But hey, I love farmer's markets and yoga as much as the next guy.  She's into soy milk and Toms Footwear, so I figure we'll get along splendidly.

my desk/collage wall/nook. and that keyboard drawer is full of meticulously organized jewelry.

I've learned throughout my years of living with/meeting different people that you can always be surprised by someone.  So this semester I'm looking forward to living with a Jewish diva, a Christian hippie and a Muslim architect.  This should make for some interesting conversations over diet vegan halal dinners, right? :)

Torino: A Year in Review

Alternate Title: The Time I Almost Went to Stockholm

One year down, one to go!

Readers, this week marks my one year anniversary with the city of Turin.  I can hardly believe my time here is already halfway over!  I can still feel the excitement that welled up in my chest as I was first driven through the streets of Torino, not knowing what to expect, who I would meet, or what I would experience.  I can even remember writing my first blog post from Italy and wondering what I would be musing about a year into this adventure.

My first night in Turin!

Everything about this experience has exceeded my expectations.  I completed a year of an international master's program with a 4.0 both semesters.  I did 3 internships with local organizations.  I made plenty of new friends from all over the world, a few of which became really close friends.  I've explored more Italian cities than I can count.  I traveled to three countries I'd never seen before and even couchsurfed on my own for the first time.  I overcame several things I never thought I'd be able to accomplish, most notably Principles of Accounting and driving in Italy.  (Oh, and being able to survive far from home sans family, friends and creature comforts.)  I continued to learn a language I adore, albeit by making lots of mistakes, and as a result I made local friends with whom I only speak Italian.  I completely expanded my world view.  I redefined my capabilities and possibilities for the future.  Above all, I lived my life.

Gran Paradiso National Park

As I said in a previous post, some things don't come into perspective until you put some distance between yourself and the question at hand.  For instance, I never knew (I mean really knew) how much I need my friends.  I never knew how much I cherish my family's support and approval.  I never knew I could be fine on my own, that I could start from nothing and build a life for myself in a foreign land.  I never knew acknowledged how incredibly spoiled we are as Americans.  I never knew how much I really need TexMex in my life.

Lago Maggiore, Lombardia

This week I learned that even though I'm young and living dangerously (here the term is used fairly loosely) I don't always have it in me to be an on-the-go explorer extraordinaire.  I had a ticket to Stockholm for this weekend.  I purchased it several months ago when a friend told me I should join her and a few other girls for a weekend trip.  I agreed, carped the diem, and when the time finally came I couldn't muster the spirit to clog around Sweden.  That's not like me, is it?  In my defense, I'd just returned from Puglia with an impending apartment transfer looming over my head.  A week before departure I was informed I wouldn't return to my apartment from last year, but rather a new one more toward the center of the city.  Meaning, of course, that I had to move out of 2 apartments, the one I'd inhabited this summer and the one in the south of Turin where most of my things still resided.  Feeling the stress of this, plus the lack of a car and/or friends returned from vacation, my mind couldn't enter into "fun/travel" mode.

Solo trip to Berlin

I told myself, ahhh you can figure it out when you get back (the week school starts) and move your things in later.  Sweden!  When are you ever going to go again?  You already have a ticket!  But then lame-old-me thought: I really just want to be settled and have my things in one place (How old am I?!?)  I struggled with this decision a few days.  A friend told me, "it's like going running - at first you're not in the mood, but once you put your shoes on and get out there you're glad you went."  Aside from the fact that running and I are arch nemeses, the theory made sense.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get into the right frame of mind.  In the end I'm glad I didn't try to go because the apartment they gave me is spartan at most and I was told yesterday I'll be moving again today for the 3rd time this week.  Hooray! :/

On the beach in Trapani, Sicily

See folks, it's not all roses and tulips over here.  This week I had the impression that not every day is worth seizing, nor is every diem worth carping.  I don't believe this state of mind will affect any future travels, as there is something to be said for knowing you have a place to come home to after a small vacation, or even a place to come home to after 2 years abroad :)  So I suppose this means that during this year I've learned something about responsibilities.  No matter how much we'd like to run off and have fun, our problems won't resolve themselves upon our return.  But that'd just be awesome, wouldn't it?

Summertime, and the Livin's Easy

Remember that time I was really scared about August being the harbinger of my inconsolable loneliness and despair?  The Germans actually have a word for that entire state of being: mutterseelenallein (mother+soul+alone) which means feeling completely lost - fascinating, right?  Well, it didn't happen!  You may have noticed I haven't written in over a month, meaning either I was holed up in my room writing angst-ridden poetry or I decided to live a little.  And since you've been following this blog religiously, you'd lean toward believing the latter, and you'd be right.

ahhhh it's august and i don't know what to do!

In mid July I got an email from an old resident of mine, Carolyn, a friend I made when I used to be a Resident Assistant at the Honors dorms at UT.  That's right, I used to mentor freshman girls - when I wasn't saving puppies from runaway trains.  Anyway she graduated from the UT Business School and with her signing bonus from her new company she decided to traipse around Europe for 3 months.  *sigh* (that *sigh* is not only at the fact that she can afford 3 months in Europe, but the fact that she got a signing bonus, you know, with a job attached to it).  Carolyn stayed with me for 4 nights and I realized she was my first guest in Torino.  I haven't hosted anyone from back home in my new city and it was rather exciting!  It was basically like I was hosting a couchsurfer that I already knew.

shelby, aka shelbers, and me in piazza san carlo

The real treat was a few days after she left I had another houseguest, this one is among my best buddies. My old roommate Shelby found a new job, quit her old one, and bought a ticket for Europe all in the same week!  I was super happy to have her, and from the minute I met her at the train station I felt such a sense of calmness.  The poor thing had traveled overnight 13 hours by train just to see me and all the stress had worn her down.  She wasn't feeling well but we still managed to make the best of it.  I introduced her to my boyfriend, Mr. Yum E. Gelato and they got along rather swimmingly.  We did a short bike tour of Turin's hot spots, visited the Cinema Museum and the Queen's Palace, sipped cappuccinos in the shade, grabbed foccaccia on the go, and toured the markets for italian leather bags.

shelby's reaction after seeing true fashion in italy.

The best part of having Shelby around was what the Italians called the dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing.  I was thrilled to sit with her in my room, the windows open to the sounds of the church bells, talking about anything and everything.  I enjoyed her being there to help me with outfit selection, laugh about old times and show me the newest must-see viral videos.  I must say, being in one of the most enchanting countries in the world tends to pale in comparison to the joy of laughing in the company of a good friend.  It was just refreshing to have someone here from back home.  I realized how much I miss having my friends and family in the same time zone - somehow it makes the distance much more real when my life back home comes to me.  I suppose the internet makes everyone seem closer than they really are, and that can be both a good and a bad thing.

Otranto, Puglia

www.residencealtair.it/otranto

The Shelbinator went on to Paris and I had a few days of work to complete.  Just when I thought my summer fun was fizzling out with the rising heat, I decided to take a friend up on an invite and head to Puglia!  Thinking of Italy as a boot with Piedmont being the sultry upper thigh, Puglia is the stiletto heel.  The Adriatic Sea on one side and the Ionian on the other.  Beaches like you'd never believe, with rocky cliffs, grottoes and the bluest of waters.  One day in Lecce where papier-mâché is a respected, centures-old artistry. Two days camping in Otranto where I faced my fear of seafood head-on by ordering linguine with mussels (quite tasty, if you don't look at the plate). A day trip to Gallipoli where I met a purple beach hat I couldn't live without. A trek up to Monte Sant'Angelo looking out over the bay of Gargano, which is the "spur" of Italy's boot.  Days of snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing and enjoying la dolce vita.  All of this and who, would you believe it, forgot her camera?  Yep, this one.  Luckily I wrote rather descriptively in my journal so when I'm old my children can read the pages aloud and remind me of the beauty I saw.

Piazza di Sant'Oronzo, Lecce, Puglia

www.emmetti.it/lecce

Oddly the summer passed ever-so-quickly.  From hosting my friends to hopping down to the opposite end of Italy for some fun in the sun.  And to think I was so worried about what the summer would bring me. In the end it brought me many happy memories with good friends, some glittery papier-mâché fish earrings, an awesome floppy beach hat, and one of the best tans I've ever sported.  Even if the Italians are still calling me a mozzarella.

frozen memories.