Beach Day

Summer has arrived! Well, at least it has in Italy! The weather is getting hotter than the new purse on display at Louis Vuitton and today was a whopping 27 degrees. So when Jeanny asked me if I wanted to spend the day at the beach with her, my immediate reaction was to pack my beach bag and head down to Ostia with her. Ostia is the beach in Rome that everyone flocks to between April and October, when the city is lingering with bus exhaust, millions of people, and humidity. Escaping to the sea was just what we needed, and apparently, hundreds of other people had the same idea.
This morning I grabbed the beach bag that came with the awesome purple bikini with the cool print I bought here in Rome with my beach towel, reusable bottle of water, and some fruit. Jeanny and I met up at the train station where we stopped by the market before hopping on the metro and bought some cookies and paninis (tomato and mozzarella for me, salami for her). Unfortunately, I was an idiot when I got dressed this morning, and paired a long sleeve white shirt with Daisy Dukes and black leggings underneath. Clearly, I had seriously underestimated today's weather forecast. I knew that if I had wanted to survive the stickiness of the metro where people are packed tighter than sardines in a can, then I would have to shed some layers. Of course, the bathrooms cost 50 cents in the train station, and being the penny pincher that I am, Jeanny and I found a semi private area in the train station where I stripped down to my bathing suit bottoms and got changed. I don't think anyone saw, but as soon as I was done getting dressed while doubling over in laughter, I stuffed my leggings in my purse and we headed off. This taught me a truly valuable lesson - you can't really call a person your best friend until they've helped you get dressed in a busy train station.
After the metro ride was over, Jeanny introduced me to this incredible gelato shop (and I mean incredible) that had really cheap prices and delicious flavours. On the way to the beach, I got blueberry and cotton candy. On the way back, I got watermelon and blueberry again. Although I've been super committed to my new workout regimen and healthy lifestyle I've been working on for the past couple of weeks, well... I hate to join the bandwagon as I seriously cannot stand this expression, but... YOITO. You're Only In Italy Once, right? Hopefully not once, but after June I don't know when I'll come back, and I feel responsible for enjoying this treat as often as I possibly can.
Jeanny and I decided to jump into the sea. Oh, did I say jump? What I meant to say was timidly tip toe into the beach's edge where we screamed at the frigidness of the water. It wasn't so terrible, though. After a while it felt better, and the further we went out, the less cold we were. It's April, and I've already been swimming! Hopefully this sunburn will fade soon, because I'm supposed to go to a picnic at Villa Pamphili tomorrow.
Villa Pamphili is my European oasis. I've spent the past several days here jogging and working out. The park is massive and is filled with these cool trees that look like the ones from The Lion King, and there are plenty of beautiful fountains to admire. Not only that, but there is also a beautiful pond with willow trees that is inhabited by swans and turtles. When Kelsey and I went for a jog together on Thursday morning, we literally saw dozens upon dozens of turtles there. Most of them were average sized, but we saw a bigger one with a pointed nose that had to be a snapping turtle, and a mini baby who we called Piccolo (Italian for small). 
I'm also hoping my sunburn fades soon because I have my trip to London next Saturday, and Amsterdam the following Wednesday. It feels like everything is coming up so soon, and time really does fly when you're having fun. I have so much to look forward to, and it's hard to believe that in a week, I'm going to visit two new countries I've never explored before.

Barefoot & Crazy

You know that scene in Home Alone where Kevin realizes that his parents left him in their giant king sized bed while they jet off to an exotic location for Christmas? That's exactly how I feel right now. And what a wonderful feeling it is! Since my kids go to the French school, they have holidays galore. Their last day of school was Friday, and they have a vacation that lasts over two whole weeks, giving me free time to do whatever I please in Rome until my trip to London and Amsterdam. The family left early this morning and I had yesterday off, so I feel more free than ever. 
When I woke up, the house was quiet. I could actually hear birds chirping instead of the loud 

Italian voices that are usually the soundtrack of my life here. No crying, no arguing, no conversation, niente. It was beautiful. Although au pairing has it's benefits, I seriously needed a break. I set the breakfast table up elaborately and took my sweet time starting the day. I had every kind of fruit and yogurt imaginable laid out in front of me with an Italian newspaper by my side (I can understand it now, by the way!). Then I asked myself my favourite question; What do you want to do today? The options were endless. I decided that I wanted to soak up some sun after last weeks constant rainfall. I wanted to read more of that book I bought while shopping in Florence.
I want to relax. And so I did. It's late afternoon now, and I've spent the whole day being lazy up on my rooftop. I tanned in the sun for a bit (with sunscreen, or course). I took a nap. I read a good chunk of my book. I leafed through my Amsterdam guidebook. I ate some fruit. And then, after several hours, I came back inside to observe the slight tan I got and grabbed my laptop, only to go back up to the rooftop and type a new blog post. I have never felt as free as I do right now. I can see nearly all of Campo dei Fiori, and the sun is hot hot hot. I'm relaxed and happy and I've never felt as good as I do right here, right now. 
Tonight, my friend Kelsey is coming over for a sleepover where we'll drink red wine, eat popcorn, share stories and watch a movie in the screening room. She's not coming over until after dinner, so I still have time to do whatever my little heart desires. Since I'm feeling so alive, I'm going to go burn some of this energy off by jogging towards Castel St. Angelo and then take an extended bath filled with scented candles, classical music, bubbles and champagne (why not start this party early, right?). Everyone should have a day like this once in a while. 
Tomorrow is also the one week mark until my sister flies to Rome. Life, as I know it, is so sweet right now. I hope everyone else is feeling the same way. May your night consist of good wine, good friends, and dancing barefoot on rooftops. 

The Road Untraveled

Lately, I've been getting a lot of e-mails and questions from students who went to my old high school, and other students in my hometown. Most of the people who have peppered me with questions are in the 10th and 11th grade and have told me that they've spent hours thinking about how confused they were about what classes to take that would ultimately lead them into the right universities for their chosen program. What does one do when they have to choose courses for the upcoming fall and doesn't know what to do? They book an appointment with their school guidance counsellor, of course.
I was fortunate to know that I wanted to study journalism since I was 13 years old, when an article I wrote about the rise of childhood obesity was published in my local newspaper. I got my fifteen minutes of fame, and I loved seeing my name in print. But more than that, I knew I had a passion for writing, and that I wouldn't be one of those people who had absolutely no idea what to do with their life. I was so lucky to know at such a young age what I wanted to do. My mom says that when I was a child, she caught me in her mirror while driving. My sister and I were both sitting in the backseat while she was beside me in my car seat. She was reading a book, and I was jealous. Anything she did, I had to follow suit. I, too, was trying to read a book, but was holding it upside down. Also, we had this nightly tradition for my mother to read to my sister and I before bed. We would crawl under the covers while my mom recited a few chapters of the latest Junie B. Jones novels or something else that we loved. As any parent wishes, my mom had wanted me to succeed in learning to read on my own. And I did learn - fast. And as soon as I learned how to read on my own, I took everything off the bookshelf and began reading on my own. I think I broke my mother's heart a little by ruining our tradition. 
While clicking on the "read" button on e-mails and ripping envelopes open to read the 

"Congratulations!" that loomed inside, I felt empty. Happy to be accepted and recognized for my talent and honor roll grades, but surprised at how little I cared. This says a lot, considering I am a person whose excitement of winning $3 on a lottery ticket is greater than the average person who wins the jackpot. I'm loud and full of emotion. So upon being accepted to each of the schools I applied to, I should've had a heart attack. This is how I knew that something was very wrong.
I've always had a knack for traveling. Don't be fooled, though - I come from a middle class family, and traveling throughout North America and Europe does not mean I have a Swiss bank account. All it means is that my passion for exploring the world is so great, that I was willing to save up money and actually do it. My first ever vacation was when I was five years old and in kindergarten. My mom picked my sister and I up from school, and as we were leaving the building, we ran into another student who lived next door. "Where are you guys going?" he asked. "Mexico!" my mom told him. I remember him not believing us, and it was then that I realized that Mexico must be somewhere far and special. But I was too young to understand much, even though I had seen suitcases scattered across the house filled with summery clothes and bathing suits.
Then I went on an exchange program in France for my second semester of grade 11. And after getting a taste of Europe, I knew I had wanted to return. And so instead of going to university, which I wasn't excited about, I did return. It began with a visit from one of my best friends Shayna. Shayna graduated the year before me, and had moved to Milan to work as an au pair and take a gap year. She encouraged me to do the same, and I opened up about my feelings about university. Then I slowly told everyone I knew what I had wanted to do, and the response was surprising. My family was all for it. My parents, my sister, grandparents, cousins, and everyone else with whom I shared blood had told me to go for it. And yet my friends rolled their eyes after telling them about my dreams. They told me that they didn't really think I would do it and that I was being totally irresponsible for not furthering my education.
I'm not really close with those people anymore, because our friendships changed. Or rather, I changed. I don't really know. While I don't disrespect them for taking the comfortable route by living at home with their parents and going to school in our area, I couldn't relate to people who had scrutinized me for wanting to do something different. And now, I am finding out that many of the people I knew from high school are switching their schools or programs because they weren't satisfied with what they got. Even those who are happy in their own situations have told me that they regret not doing what I did, because I did something unregrettable. Everyone talks about the dream of traveling through Europe after school, but how many people actually do it? I wanted to be one of the few people who chased after my dreams.
And so here I am in Rome, Italy. I made an appointment with the Italian Embassy in Toronto to obtain my travel visa that would allow me to stay overseas for over 3 months. I extended my health insurance. I booked my ticket. I found a job. I became an au pair, which is necessary for me to live somewhere rent free while still making money. I've been living here since September, and I don't regret it one bit.
I also found out from a couple people that one of my school's guidance councillors has continuously used me as an example when students come into her office and freak out about their futures. She tells them about me and what I did, and offers them my name and e-mail to speak with me over the Internet about my experience. I love it when people are interested in taking a gap year, and I encourage everyone to do it. Most people who are 18 years old do not know what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It's a huge decision, and at such a young age, you aren't exposed to the experiences you need in order to not have regrets. You've been sitting in a classroom for the majority of your existence with nothing but a two month break in between. But it is in my own personal belief and experience that a person becomes who they are upon solitude and travel. Everyone needs to do something that scares them.

Someone once asked me if I wanted to go to Europe to find myself. "I'm not going to find myself," I replied. "I'm going to create myself."
I know now who I am, what I want in life, what I don't want in life, and what kind of people I enjoy spending time with. I have transformed from a high school student to a mature young woman who wants to make her mark in the world through her writing, and who enjoys poking fun at herself and making other people laugh at her own expense. But even though I know who I am, I recognize that I am still so young, and have so much to learn. I can't wait to see where I'll go, who I'll meet, and what other lessons I'll learn throughout the course of my life. So far, I'm more than happy with it, all because I took a risk that turned out to be well worth it.
For anyone who isn't sure about pursuing their post-secondary education right away, here are some words of advice. School and home will always be there. The opportunity to hone your craft or learn about biochemistry in a classroom aren't going anywhere. But how often does the opportunity to travel through Europe and be young and free arise? If you feel prepared and satisfied with going to school right away, then congratulations. That's wonderful, and I'm sure that if you're satisfied with that, then you're making the right decision. But if you aren't, please don't waste your time or money or worries on something that you're not 100% sure about. As the brilliant Robert Frost once said, "A person will sometimes devote all his life to the development of one part of his body - the wishbone."
So what are you all waiting for? The world is a book, and those who do not travel only read one page. You only life once, and life is too short to be comfortable. For those of you reader's who are older and wish you had taken the plunge in your youth, there's still hope. Age is defined not by the number of birthday candles on your cake, but how old you think you are.

The Best News A Person Could Ever Receive

Today was the final day of Culture Week. I spent it with my Swedish friend Erika at Castel St. Angelo! I've been dying to go since I arrived in Rome, but knew that admission was expensive and that I could go in for free and April. And so I did. Or rather, we did. It's located at the opposite end of the Vatican and was designed between 123 and 129 A.D. The name comes from the legend of Saint Gregorio Magno, who had a dream about an angel appearing in the fortress who announced the end of the Plague. In 1500, the famous 

Italian artist Rafaello di Montelupo created a statue of he angel that is now on display in the Corile d'Onore. The castle was used as a prison for nearly three centuries. So as you can see... I had quite the day. In other news from Rome, yesterday was Rome's 2765th birthday! Like a fine wine, this city gets better with age.
Hmm... where to begin with my next piece of news? A new member is being introduced to the Pressé clan. A girl who goes to my old high school and I have each other on Facebook. This girl, whose name is Chanel, worked with my sister once upon a time, and she was also on the Italy trip when my school came to visit in March. My family has been hunting (not literally) for a puppy to hopefully adopt in June or July. Ideally, we wanted a golden retriever/yellow lab mix, but we weren't having any luck. No one we knew or contacted was breeding their golden/lab dogs, no one was advertising them, and we'd even been searching rescue homes. Niente (Italian for "nothing"). Well, I was browsing through my newsfeed when a picture of Chanel popped up of her holding what looked like a naked mole rat. When I clicked on the picture to make it bigger, it was a puppy! Could it be? I asked myself. Is this the one? 
I inquired about the mole rat puppy that was cradled in her arms, and it turns out that her boyfriend's parents had bred their yellow lab who just had puppies a couple weeks ago. I asked for the information, and was given the mother's phone number, who I passed along to my own mom. After their collaboration, her and my sister went to visit the home and... Wait for it... BOUGHT A PUPPY!!!
I can hardly contain my excitement, not that I'm even trying to. Because the litter of eight were just born, they still need to spend a couple months with their mom. When my mom asked what date they could be picked up, we were dropped with this tidbit that makes the whole situation so meant to be - June 6th. As in, the day I come home. Since we don't want to drag the poor thing all the way to the airport or bring him to my grandparents house for my homecoming dinner, we're picking up our little bundle of joy on Thursday afternoon after my haircut, where the two of us will play and bond in the backseat of a car.
Anyway, it's settled. My family and I have bought an adorable yellow lab puppy that I get to snuggle and spoil for it's entire life. 
Now, the real debate begins - what will we name him? Because, yes, he's a he. A him. A baby boy that I will sneak out of his crate and keep him tucked under my arms like a live teddy bear in the middle of the night. Right now, our family is at war between two names. Well, not really. It's more like my mom, sister and I against our dad. The three of us gal pals have already dubbed him as Sampson. It's cute, right? Sampson. It's full of cute nicknames that we've already started babying him with such as Samosa, Sir Sam-sa-lot, Sam-I-Am, Samsonite, Sammy, and so on. But a name I suggested during my parents trip to Italy was Lucca, which I half regret, because my dad claims that he doesn't like Sampson and that his name must be Lucca. I obviously like it too since I'm the genius who came up with it. It's Italian, so really, what's not to like? My issue is that there aren't as many nicknames to go with it.
My dad's argument is that he's the only guy in the house and that this dog will be his buddy, and he doesn't want to call it something girly. First of all, Sir, we also have a male cat in the house whose name is Boo Friend, so don't say you're the only male in the house. I even have a Siamese fighting fish named Kevin, although I'm unsure of the actual gender. 

Hungry?

A great friend of mine, Shayna, has inspired me. Shayna and I grew up next door to each other and have been friends since before I can even remember. She was an extra sister for Nicole and I to play with, and one of our favourite pastimes included seeking revenge on her older brother, Eli, for all the cruel things he did to her throughout childhood. Shayna is an artist who is easily one of the most humorous and creative people I know. She is also the friend of mine who previously worked for the family in Rome that I am currently with.
Anyway, Shayna recently began her own blog. It mostly consists of photographs from her time in Italy as well as recipes that she collected. I decided to post a recipe in my own in hopes that you are all taking my advice in trying new things. While browsing through one of the English cookbooks that was on the bookshelf, I came across the "Roasted Eggplant Lasagna" recipe which I thought was perfect, as it is Italian, healthy, and vegetarian. I promise that it's not as hard as it seems. 
Roasted Eggplant Lasagna:
Preparation time: 50 minutes. Baking time: 30 minutes. Serves 8.
Ingredients:

• 1 small eggplant
• 2 small zucchini
• 5 tomatoes
• 1 large sweet red pepper
• 1 large onion, cut into small wedges
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of fresh basil, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 2/3 cup pitted Greek olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons of Asiago cheese
• 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese
• 6 lasagna noodles 

Directions:

• Cut eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and red pepper into 1-in. pieces; place in a large bowl. Add onion, oil, 2 tablespoons basil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss. Transfer to two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 450° for 20-25 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in olives.
• In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Add bay leaf and nutmeg. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons Parmesan, Asiago and remaining basil, salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.
• Spread a fourth of the sauce in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Top with 2-1/3 cups vegetables, 1/4 cup mozzarella and three noodles. Repeat layers. Top with a fourth of the sauce, remaining vegetables, mozzarella, sauce and Parmesan. Cover and bake at 375° for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Rice Paper & Other New Things

Lately, I've been doing all sorts of new things. Fun, brand new shiny things that are bringing so much joy to my life. It's really one of the main reasons why I decided to move to Italy - to try new things. Everyone should do this more often (try new things, I mean - not necessarily move to Italy). Before I go any further, I would like to recite a passage from Elizabeth Gilbert's novel Eat, Pray, Love, in which she tries meditation for the first time:

"I walked home that night feeling like the air could move through me, like I was clean linen fluttering 

on a clothesline, like New York itself had become a city made of rice paper--and I

was light enough to run across every rooftop."

That is how I feel upon trying something new and invigorating. As though I can jump across rooftops and walk through the entire city as if it were made of rice paper. Tomorrow morning, I'm visiting the National Museum of Rome with my friend Erika. Neither of us have been inside the gallery, and since it's Culture Week, we both want to take advantage of the free museums and monuments. In the afternoon, I arranged to go horseback riding in Villa Borghese, the famous heart-shaped park in Rome. Yes - horseback riding! My Italian friend Stefano told me that his family owns a stable and that I can go riding if I like. All I have to do is talk to his uncle Tomaso, tell him who I am, and bravo. I will be riding a horse in Italy at sunset, with the wind blowing through my hair and the smell of manure in the air. What's not to love, right?
I've also been seriously devoted to learning how to cook new foods. Anyway, the 

Filipino chef and I have been collaborating together in the kitchen and frying up new dishes. Even she is learning new things! We found this fantastic cooking show that is hosted in Rome that plays on the TV before noon. Since my understanding of Italian has improved so much, I can actually catch on to what they're saying. And when I don't, Yaya is there to translate. Yesterday, I made Japanese styled rice with cubed carrots, snow peas, and egg. Yaya and I were feeling adventurous, so we also threw in this suspicious looking spice that was in the cupboard. Suspicious it appeared indeed, but what a pan! It turned out tasting a bit like Indian curry, but with more of a... I don't know... Pizazz? Kick? Whatever - it was amazing.
I was feeling so alive today, that after my friend Kelsey went home from our very overdue

hangout, I decided to look up some new yoga moves on youtube. Unfortunately for me, I didn't steal any of my mom's yoga DVDs before I left in September, which means that I've had to stick to the moves I knew prior to September. You might really surprise yourself and learn something new. The worst thing that could happen is trying something, and then simply not liking it. But if you're not a natural risk taker, take baby steps. My risk taking went from switching up my usual Italian dressing to Chipotle at Subway to moving halfway across the world entirely alone. And you know what? Italian dressing has nothing on Chipotle.
I'm not suggesting that you conquer your fear of heights by climbing Mount Everest, but... well... actually, I am. Because what do you have to lose? As sad as it is true, I am not a cat, and I don't have nine lives. I have one, and I don't want to waste it away. Trying new things is a part of life, because if you don't, how can you expect to grow? It isn't possible to evolve as a human being if one does not hangout with new people, move to a new city, or try new food at any point in life. If you're not sure where to begin, I compiled a list of 10 things that any person can do to add some spice to your life.
1. Grab a cookbook off the shelf, close your eyes, and flip to a random page. Make whatever you land on, even if it looks complicated.
2. Try thyme. It's a kind of spice that is best grown in Palestine and is a green shade that you can find in any authentic supermarket, Healthy Cupboard, or Ten Thousand Villages. Get three plates and fill one plate with olive oil, another with slices of bread, and the other with thyme. Dip the bread in olive oil and then in the thyme so that it sticks to the bread. Pop it in your mouth and your taste buds will thank you.

3. Do something physically challenging, whether you try a new sport or a complicated yoga 

position (downward dog does not count as complicated).
4. Go to the bookstore and pick up a novel where you haven't heard of the title or author. 
5. Buy the game Table Topics and invite some friends over. The questions will not only allow you to learn about your guests, but you'll also learn something new about yourself.

6. Make something out of nothing. Start a flower garden in your backyard, learn to sew with forgotten pieces of fabric, etc.
7. You know that one person who you know you'd totally click with, but haven't had a reasonable excuse to hangout with? Invite him/her on a friend date.
8. Check out a band in your area. My new favourite is The Years, which is a band from my hometown who just released an album called Red Wine & Clarity. You can download it for free at www.theyearsband.com. My personal favourite song is Ghosts of Men.
9. Join some kind of organization that meets once a week/month. My suggestions are a Book Club or Zumba Class.
10. Wear socks that don't match. Skip your morning vitamin. Put an extra cube of sugar in your coffee - baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Kudos for trying new things and loving them.

Culture Week

Since 1998, Rome has hosted something called "Culture Week", or as the Italians call it, "Settimana Della Culture." Oh, the fabulous festivities that are about to occur in the city I've been calling home for the past seven months! Allow me to elaborate. Culture week begins on Saturday, April 14th and ends on Sunday, April 22nd. For one whole week, every single monument and museum offers free admission. This includes the National Museum of Rome, the Vatican museum, the Colosseum, Castle St. Angelo, and so on and so on. Although I don't exactly feel like I'm lacking any culture at the moment, I refuse to miss out

on the opportunity to soak up more Italian exposure that I would normally have to pay over 10 Euros for. I've already been to the main targets in Rome, but I'm going to revisit them and sprinkle in some new museums along the way. The only way that this could possibly get more exciting is if all the gelato shops were free all week as well. I know its an unrealistic idea, but a genius one, in my opinion.
Unfortunately, the weather in Rome right now is less than perky. It scheduled to rain for the next three days, which I feel like I should be upset about. Of course I would rather be spending my afternoons reading on the rooftop, jogging in the park, and walking around the city with friends while snapping pictures and stopping for pizza. In reality, it isn't really so bad (unless it doesn't stop by the time Culture Week starts). Instead of being outdoors, I'm going to spend a couple days writing in this blog, reading up on information and deadlines for the University of King's to prepare myself for the fall, and read the last two copies of Cosmopolitan magazine that I saved from when my parents brought them to me in March.
But not to fear... My older sister, Nicole, will be bringing more magazines upon her arrival in Rome. Which is coming up really, really soon. It hasn't hit me yet how soon she's going to be here, in my favourite city in the entire world, with me. I haven't seen Nicole since the day we said goodbye at the Toronto airport on September 11th and saw her cute little tanned face disappear from the crowds as I passed through the gate. She had her dark brown hair in a messy side braid, and she was wearing the cool ivory coloured tank top I bought her from American Eagle for her 21st birthday. So after seven and a half months, I'm going to see her. Her plane takes off on Wednesday, May 2nd, and then I'm picking her up at the airport the following day. Do you know what its like to go nearly eight months without seeing your one and only sibling?!