Thursday, August 9, 2007

Would you like salt with your coffee?


People ask me; Aren’t you scared? How can you leave your family? Yes, If you really think about it, the world can be a big scary place, and it’s hard to say good bye to loved ones and battle the world alone! THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REMINDING ME! :)


The clue is to stay focused. I'm not going out into "the world", I'm going to a specific street, where specific people live, a specific university, a specific gorgeous apartment, a specific routine I’ve set for myself. To a life I know, love and want. I’m asking for this. I know what I’m getting into.


Besides, there always seems to be just the right song to give me the energy and courage I need... I can dance away any worry! :)


Also, looking back to each one of the cities that I have gone, I've always found a few great friends that I now consider sisters! Ladies who were doing similar things, and we met in a specific time and place that life set out for us!


I find courage in airports, something about them excites me! People in transition…


When I moved to Europe for the very, very, very first time I insisted on living in an Italian flat in the historic center with Italian girls. Le ragazze in my flat and a few other Italian girls who heard I was new in town came to visit me. How sweet! 10 Italian girls I had just met were visiting me! I made coffee.... As we laughed and passed the evening away talking over music, one girl got up to answer a phone call. Another girl decided to play a prank on her and added several spoon fulls of SALT into her coffee! When the girl returned, we tried not to laugh and continued our conversation.


To my surprise, she finished the entire cup of coffee without even the smallest facial expression of disgust! We burst out laughing and asked if she tasted the salt?!!!


She seemed relieved, and looking around for pastry to take away the disgusting coffee-salt taste, she admitted that it tasted very weird but since it was my fist time making Italian coffee, she assumed I didn’t know how to make Italian coffee yet, and didn't want to offend me...


I didn’t know how to respond to that! She drank salted coffee in order to not hurt my feelings? Woooooow… That’s Italy! How can I forget that?.


I may be taking this huge step alone, and it's a scary one, but if history has taught me anything, is that there are amazing people there already, and a good life, and good friendships await me :) I just need to stay focused on the good, have my bases covered, and take those steps forward.


Let's hope for the best, and you’re welcome to my home for coffee anytime!... I’ll hide the salt :)

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Leaving the family and going to see the world is a thing that everybody should do in the life :)
I'm not so surprised to see how americans are similar to italians in this "fear" to put distance with their roots. It's a feature of ours we are constantly fooled by north-europeans for!

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

"THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REMINDING ME!"

Exactly!

I can't work out why people say those kinds of things. I remember many "But what if..." or "Aren't you afraid that..." questions when I moved--and they still continue (mostly from strangers now, which is even weirder).

Whatever.

I feel sad for people like that because they'll probably never feel the exhilaration of following a dream.

Italiana Americana said...

great post! I know exactly what you mean, it's not easy following your dreams, especially when you have to leave certain things and people behind. But you know it's for the best and it's the right thing for you--in order to be happy! And I may be over for coffee or a study break if we are both at Sapienza! :)

La delirante said...

Very interesting post! People used to ask me if I wasn't scared when I came to live here in Malta and I must admit it is not easy to give such huge steps like going abroad to live. A lot of selfconfidence is required but also a lot of excitement and that makes things easier :) As you said, "I can dance away any worry! :)" What I am obtaining here in Malta and my experiences are worth having being scared before coming :)

Roam2Rome said...

Clarke- Yes! I agree! I hope most people at least try to see the world at one point in their life! Northern Europeans go abroad without a problem from friends and family and wouldn't get what the big fuzz is all about :)

Sognatrice, you had that too, didn't you? :) :) Yes, people will say these kinds of things until departure! The tricky thing is shrugging them off, which surprisingly I'm learning to do!

You said it best!! It's sad, since with that mentality they will never know the exhilaration of following a dream!

Italiana americana -Yea? you thinking of La Sapienza? I'll save some coffee for you!! :)

Delirante - Yes!! Every major step I've taken, I've told myself "Do this now, and you'll thank yourself in the future". Sure enough! Once I'm enjoying the benefits I look back on the troubles and smile since they seem trivial compared to the joys I live :) Isn't that great?

Anonymous said...

I hope you get the apartment! There's nothing like having the perfect place to relax in when you need to get away from the stresses of living in a foreign country.

Since leaving Canada, I've met some amazing people on the road. What's especially fantastic about meeting other like-minded travelers and expats is the instant connection you feel when you first meet.

Despite all the differences and roads that have led us to where we are in our lives, we can still nod and appreciate anyone who has followed the urge to take an unknown path. Keep taking those steps. You never know what or who is waiting for you at the end of that road.

NancyQ said...

I'm back!!!
I have to get updated on your posts, and i'm working :-& but i will, promise!
Have a good weekend!

Patricia said...

I always wanted to do what you are doing, I think that living the experience of learn of other cultures and people help us to understand better ours.
I love airports, and see the people who travels or the people that waits for others.

Mariposa Azul said...

Ay caray caray, pense que tu blog estaba en español, se hablar en ingles y entenderia lo que escribiste, jajaja pero no me gusta mucho el ingles, prefiero el español y el italiano, bueno regresare con mas calma y leere un poco, hasta pronto y gracias por tu visita..

Kathy said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog. I'm looking forwad to reading more about your upcoming move...how very exciting for you!

Eryn said...

your desire for exploration is infectious. where else have you lived. all in all you're living a very desirable lifestyle because you were blessed with the ability to do what is scary and unpredictable but yet so rewarding.

when i went across the country to go out of state for college (something that i thought was very common practice) i received perplexed faces from both directions my entire college career.....the questions never ended or changed, but your answers can.

by the end when people asked me why I traveled to go to school so far from home I answered, "because I can!"

Anonymous said...

what a great story!
i know exactly what you mean!...

missed some of your posts this last week been out of town....Went to Washigton, Oregon, past by San Fran...Nevada and Arizona...now im back in L.A....
ci sentiamo dopo

Bacini

newyorkissima said...

Wow! I feel the exact same way you do and all I can say is "you go, girl!"

Honestly, I love this little community we have going here. We're all strong, modern women. We come from different walks of life but are united by one common thread-- the determination to follow a dream.

So here's to you, big sister! I'm drinking some coffee in your honor, and I hid the salt!

I can't wait till I get to La Sapienza and get to reminisce with you about "the good ole days," aka this exact moment in time when you and I were just really starting our journeys!

And Giuseppe? You better believe he's waiting for me! ahahaha

Spoon of life said...

I feel like I'm reading a page from one of my diaries of almost 10 years ago...I remember that feeling...you gonna be fine...you gonna love it!!!

The story about the salt in the coffee is too funny hehehe...

If you need another place to look for apartments a friend of mine rents apartments in Rome...here's her website...I hope that helps :)

http://www.rhome.info/

Thanks for stopping by at my "place" as well ;)

Baaaaaaahhhhhh;)

Maria

Cuoche dell'altro mondo said...

Non devi avere paura! Roma ti aspetta. Sono tornata da due giorni e quasi quasi ti invidio. Chissà, forse un giorno torno per sempre anch'io a Roma. In bocca al lupo per tutto, Alex