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I was thinking about what makes this blog interesting and why there is growth and why I love it. I know it has to do with the reader, but I think it has to be about the creativity aspect. Every day something new. I am a teacher in my real life. In my blog life, I keep coming up with new ideas for you, like the ebook, the art gallery, the 43 new languages and all the great links.
Every day something new.
Sometimes, I cannot wait to get to my computer to see if I can make these ideas appear. I sketch out some plans, usually during History class. History class is intense. I have such a hard time studying history. It’s a series of wars, dates and conquests.
Maybe it’s a guys thing. I just can’t stand the fact that there is war in the world. If I don’t write about it maybe it won’t be true. Besides, you guys didn’t pop in here for a History lesson! We are covering World War II right now. Alliances, defectors. I feel like a defector at the moment for having left my beautiful United States of America for the wonderful and brilliant Italy.
One thing I miss from America is the sense of pride, innovation, medical advances and most of all team spirit.
The high schools in this country don’t have school sports. How crazy is that? Most kids participate in sports but they are not at the schools.
♥ I'm so proud of you.♥
When I am in front of the class, for example a couple of days ago I had an AWESOME class I got to teach.
One girl, bless her heart, raised her hand and told me she thought I was the best teacher in the school.
We did a music lesson, then a question answer about USA. They wanted to know about if it’s beautiful or not. If it’s like what they see in TV. Seeing how these kids will buy everything I say and it was dead silent, I didn’t want to influence them. I didn’t want to tell them how I find it absolutely wonderful, beautiful and all the things they probably would hope to hear.
In fact, I avoided the answer completely by pointing to a map and showing them where California is.
What isn’t so wonderful for me in USA was my broken heart and my broken family. I’ll give you a great example. One day I went home to Santa Monica after a six month long stint working in Paris, France and Munich, Germany. Europe.
I went home to a big and beautiful empty apartment in Santa Monica, California, right by the beach. Everything functioning, everything new, complete with remote control for the garage and the automatic car. Cool bike too.
Back to Santa Monica
After about four days of completely unwinding I found everybody had left me COMPLETELY alone. There was a complete absence of interaction with people. Maybe only in my mind. If I called someone, I would always have a good talk. On one hand, I find it fantastic the freedom that that kind of environment provides.
You can literally decide every day what you want to do. For me, it became more of a decision of how to fill the hours. I tried to plan each evening after work with a special friend or relative.
You hold my heart.♥
Still, while living here in Italy I find that is NEVER true. Call them wonderful, call them insistent, call them invasive or nosy, call them what you want, the Italians have opened their arms to me and never let me go. It’s the feeling that no matter what you do you have an open invitation. If you don’t go to the next social event I will be certain to get the call or email or facebook comment that says, Hey, where were you?
Perhaps I needed to give living in America more time. I dream of space. I dream of open fields. But for now, Italy holds my heart, holds my hand and guides me through my new journey.
Now it’s your turn. I’d like to hear about your life
Where are you joining me from? Have you ever dreamt about living abroad? Do you think your life could be different by changing physical places or do you think that no matter where you go, you bring yourself with you? Are people plants who need to grow where they are planted? Or or they free to take the road less travelled and see where life leads them?
Julie
Amazing thoughts. A good friend told my husband that when he takes me to Italy and we visit the ancestoral village, I will be “home”. I like that idea and I am looking forward to it. My family here is splintered and distant. I don’t like it. Thanks for sharing your heart and I am so happy you found a home in Italy.
Splintered and distant. Those are sad words. I could think of a thousand. I like to say the past is not the future. I repeat, the past is not the future. Every day we can either build or destroy through the amazing power of choice. I choose to build. A family, like anything takes enormous amounts of patience and input to grow. The more you put in, the more you get. I’m planting seeds. It is, most welcoming, spring.
Hi Julie,
I am glad to see that my posts about adding the retweet button was helpful. I retweeted your posts:) and added you on Twitter.
Nice blog! Keep up the good job.
Mirella
Dear Julie,
Thank you for taking me straight to your ‘leave a reply,’ Wow, do I have a lot to learn! I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all your inspirational words. I am so appreciative of being one of the winners of your book. I am learning so much already and couldn’t think of a better person to learn it from. I have watched your blog grow over face book and it has inspired me to think that someone out there might be interested in my adventurous life and maybe, just maybe I too can add to inspiring others to get out in to this beautiful world and create some of their own new adventures.
From Kenya with Love,
Tana
Tana,
Thanks. I’m still in the learning process too. As you can see I’ve just started blogging four months ago. It’s so fun to put your ideas into place every day. No problem on the book. Glad it was inspirational to you. I have a good idea for your blog or book. You said it: From Kenya with Love. How about that? I think you could give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, what have you lost? You can always erase or delete it. Plus it’s free. I’m just having fun with it. I love that every day my readers inspire me in ways I have never imagined. I have found that my confidence has increases, my readership has increased. I’ve just become more communicative overall. So good luck. Looking forward to your first post. Julie
Well, now that you have defected, will I ever get to see you again? or talk to you? or even on Skype?
Miss you so much
Mom stop it! It’s always the same story. I’ve been here for 15 years. Come on! Su.
You asked, Julie? I will answer.
1. Where am I joining you from? Well…my living room computer here in New York, in my pj’s, drinking my first cup of morning coffee and waiting for the school bus to arrive to take my children to school. Then I’m off to go shopping with my mom and my daugther for a dress for an upcoming family wedding.
2. Have I ever dreamt of living abroad? Kind of. I think all of us dream about living somewhere else, more exciting, more different than where we came from, at some point in our live. I’ve travelled quite a bit and still seen only a small portion of the world. But no matter where I go, home is always where I want to be. It’s where my roots are and my family.
Think I kinda already answered the last two questions so I’ll leave it at that!
BTW, you need to add your story of how you came to move to Italy and get married. I think your readers would love it! I know I would!
Pam
I covered it in one of my earlier posts, but I suppose you are right. I studied abroad for a year in Florence when I was in university. I fell in love with the country when I came off the bus. My husband is the icing on the cake. My boys are the candles.
I lived in L.A. for 10 years. It’s the loneliest place I have ever lived.
I never felt lonely in NYC even when I was alone. I wonder why that is? All the driving?
Why did I feel so disconnected in L.A. versus how I feel in Rome which is a new city, new language, new country?
Yes. You are so right. Do you feel like I do that the Italians just accept you immediately? The day I arrived here 15 years ago I felt like I entered a history book. Now I feel like I living part of that. Hope you enjoy Rome!
Julie