Mocha Italia

So I'm sitting in Costa Coffee... avoiding schoolwork, uploading pictures, loving my creme brulee latte, and dreaming of Italy. Hence: Mocha Italia (sidenote, the poster on the wall says mocha italia is the name of the blend of coffee bean costa uses. you wanted that information, I'm sure).

Anyway, Italy.

It's been almost a week since we've been back. By we, I mean me, the other Megan, Melissa, and Tim. The four American students in our program who chose Italy for our fall "study break." The other group of students did Ireland and Scotland (super jealous btw)... but I guess for all of us it was a big dream to go to italy. I, however, have already been there. So why Italy? Well basically I love the country. It sounds lame and totally fake to say I really love the "vibe" but its true. There are few places in the world where I feel like I could fit in (even as the obvious American)... and Italy is one of them. More specifically, Venice. After our family tour of europe this summer, most of us came out of it singing Venezia's praises to the heavens... so i was anxious to go back. I was actually sortanervous to take the other three there... im sorta jealously protective. On the one hand, I wanted to show off my favorite city in the world... but on the other, I was semi-afraid they weren't going to love it the way I did. Not that it really matters... beauty is in the eye of the beholder obviously, but still... i was nervous.

Suffice it to say, they all really enjoyed the trip. The gelato, the pictures, the people, everything. I breathed a very heavy sigh of relief, and just sunk in and enjoyed myself. It was nice not to hav

e to feel like I needed to see everything Venice had to offer. In a sense, I had already seen the big important touristy stuff. This time around I got to eat, wander aimlessly, and take pictures at my leisure. Our group was very chill. We'd go back to our campsite (about a 20 min water taxi from the main island... we had really great little cabins, there was a nice restaurant, an

d lots of little kittens we made friends with!) and eat, talk, play cards. It was a vacation. And it was wonderful. Ps. my new favorite gelato: nutella. really kinda stoked about it.

We also went to Roma, which was fantastic as well... certainly more touristy... but nonetheless... i love the city. an actual city I'd be a "city girl" for. I got to revisit my favorite sculptures, sites, and of course, the basilica.

Its an awfully strange experience visiting places that I've already been before... when those places are london, rome, and venice. Its almost like a part of me feels already at home, in a foreign country. the weird part is that i got more homesick visiting rome and venice than i have been while being here in bognor. around every corner I'd see a statue kyle and duncan posed with, the gelato place we stalked, or the restaurant we ate at on our first night in venice. it was certainly a different experience doing italy "on the cheap with my college friends" than tra

ipsing through europe with my family (although admittdly that was on the cheap as well). While I don't have any new checkmarks to record on my list (ie, visit a new country like ireland, scotland, or wales)... I feel like thats ok. I'll get there one day... and until then, well, I'm going to paris next week. so that'll be a big ole check mark.

Another adventure, albeit a small one, was visiting Oxford yesterday. It's a beautiful city with a lot of history (and of course some involving my boy henry viii), culture, education, and religion. Although, scholar that I am, I was most looking forward to seeing the Great Hall at Christ Church (part of the college as well) where Harry Potter's Great Hall took inspiration and filming from. Yes, I am that girl.

And yes, I miss harry potter very much. It has now been more than two months since I've read a harry potter book... andI am jonesing for one! But, scholar that I am... I'm trying to pass

this semester, and I really need to get cracking on my studies. Like whoa, it's a problem. This

may be the first time I'm mildly stressed about college work. Its a tad bit unnerving. So I'm gon

na shut up about the great loves of my life (coffee, italy, and harry) and proceed to the piles of books I actually need to read.

Ciao!

ps. i just spent about 30 minutes trying to put pictures up in the blog... and it messed up all the writing (so if theres any errors, i promise... it made sense initially). Just go on facebook for photos! Or i'll add more another time