Espana

BARCELONA, SPAIN

Hostel’s are much different than how we American’s imagine them. This particular one was huge, bright, clean, had sitting areas and many amenities.  In fact, each one of our rooms had large patios that overlooked the courtyard. Needless to say, staying at hostels was much better than I anticipated, thank goodness!

Barcelona is a giant city that has multiple attractions and I tried to cram as much of those experiences into my time there. I began exploring the city in the Gothic quarter, taking a tour of the architecture and winding roads and alleyways. In these alleys are the tiniest cafes and shops, but the owners are so kind and welcoming that you can’t help but jam yourself in with other strangers to enjoy an espresso.

Sacre Familia Cathedral was the crème de la crème of the gothic style architecture. The detailing on just the outside will make your jaw drop. I can’t even begin to describe the unbelievable skill that went into creating this ornate building.

There is a market off of the main street that is unlike any other that I’ve seen before. The variety of fruits, the vibrant colors, the hustle and bustle of the patrons. If you ever make it to Barcelona, do yourself a favor, find this market and get yourself some fresh fruit!

A few of us went to explore the famous Parc Guell. When first arriving it looked like we were about to walk into Hansel and Gretel’s world, because a few of the buildings looked like they were made of candy. But that was just the beginning of this gigantic park, there were multiple pathways that spiraled upwards towards other castle like buildings covered in mosaic tiles, caves created out of stone and various lookout points.  Along our journey to the top lookout points we passed many street performers, but interestingly enough they all used different instruments (strings, harmonica, guitarists, didgeridoo, flutes, singers).  At the very top of the park there were extremely rustic stone steps that lead to a cross overlooking the entire city of Barcelona. It was a bit dangerous, but the view was worth it.

After our climb to the top of Barcelona we decided to grab lunch on the beach. A city on the water, with culture, history and delicious cuisine, what else could you ask for?

Oh, that’s right, you could ask for a Spanish Guitarist, Flamenco dancers and Sangria! Which is exactly how our group spent our evening.  

The dance of Flamenco is extremely serious with fiery passion. The crowd gets involved by shouting “Ole” while the dancers use props as their skirts, fans and castanet’s to add variety.  After watching the incredible show, they taught us some moves and we danced all night long in true Spanish style.

Long overdue European adventures

LONDON

After an eight hour flight into Heathrow, I took the underground to my hotel near Russell Square. With only a day to see London I briskly walked around looking at some usual sights. Soon into my exploring I noticed a few things, firstly, everything seems smaller and more narrow (roads, hotels, benches, public transport). There are also a plethora of trees in London, which came as a surprise to me, in fact I later found that they have more trees per resident than anywhere else. The diversity in London also caught me off guard, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized it was a melting pot of cultures. It reminded me a bit of Chicago. After my exploring it was off to meet my Contiki group, my family for the next month. 

Early the next morning, and I mean 5am early, we all piled onto our Coach bus, our new home. We then drove to White Dover Cliffs and took a ferry across the English channel to France. 

FRANCE

Paris: Our first night in Paris we all went to a restaurant to have famous French cheeses, escargot and Champagne then we made our way to the Effel Tower to watch it sparkle. The following day we were on our own in Paris exploring the sights (Effel Tower, Cathederal Notre Dame, Arc De Triomphe,  Catacombs, Champes Elysse). We ate crepes and baguette hotdogs from street carts and macaroons from a sweet bakery.  That night the entire group went to go see a show at the original Moulin Rouge, it was not what I had expected, but it was interesting, to say the least.

Beaujolis Wine Region: We stayed at Chatau Criox overlooking the vineyards, absolutely breathtaking! Peaceful, quiet and beautiful. A few of us went exploring in the nearest town.

Nice, France

Nice: Up there on my favorite stops. It was a city on the beach, the had antique markets and cozy cafes.

Monaco: Yachts, money, casinos, more money and yachts and fancy cars. 

Monaco

All you need is LOVE

I tend to limit my media intake because I find myself just becoming saddened by the awful stories out there. Whether it be negative political rants, public shootings, family members killing each other or protests all over the globe; they all break my heart. I often find myself asking, "What has this world come to?"  Violence, hate, destruction, terror. These are the things our children are all too familiar with.    Nobody really has an answer on how to stop it, but the first step is loving each other. I am aware we all can't go over to the Middle East and just start hugging people, but start small. Start by loving the people in your life, smiling at strangers, being polite, appreciate the things that you have and think positively. 

Life is short, fill it with love. 

Oh, The Places You'll Go

Sure, I've seen my fair share of our amazing country, from sea to shining sea. I wanted to take it one step further, I want to see life outside the US, I want to see the world. Unfortunately, I don't have the funds to travel the entire world, so I started with Europe. It's something that I've always said I would do, and what better time than the present? So I booked a month long European adventure with Contiki Tours. This is where I went...

Let me start by saying that my fellow travelers made this trip what it was. Immediately all 47 of us hit it off right away. Most people were from Australia and New Zealand but then there were some from Canada, United States and even South Africa. Because of this mixture of cultures and nationalities, it made for some interesting conversation. Seeing that the majority of people went on the trip solo, it was a refreshing to meet like minded people looking to have the same life experiences. Don't get me wrong, when you are with the same people in confining spaces, such as a coach bus, for that amount of time, patience is tested and bickering is common. But more importantly, long and heartfelt discussions were had, differences in cultures were discussed and lifelong friendships were developed. I'll always remember my European Escapade with my new "Contiki Family". 

Cruise like a Norwegian

The last few months have been full of travel for me. One month in the Caribbean and one month in Europe. Both amazing experiences, each in their own way.

The month spent in the Caribbean was because I was working for another cruise liner, this time, Norwegian. And naturally, I loved it! Not only is the job of hanging out with the kids so much fun but also the people I meet and the places I get to visit.


This run included Great Stirrup Cay, St. Thomas, Grand Cayman, Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Cozumel. Basically a dream month come true! While working on my tan I was able to do things that I never imagined. Some of my most memorable activities included climbing Dunn's River Falls and "bobsledding" in Jamaica, swimming with dolphins in Grand Cayman, snorkeling in the Bahamas, exploring the old military for in San Juan, PR and having countless relaxing days on the beach.

Lend a Helping Hand

There are two organizations in the DuPage area that are always doing good and reaching out to people that I think people should be aware of.

The first is an organization called Feed My Starving Children http://www.fmsc.org/   They prepare and pack food called Manna Packs to send to children all over the world. It is quite the operation and they have volunteer opportunities in all parts of the country. Please check out their website to see how you could help.

The Hesed House http://www.hesedhouse.org/ in Aurora is a Homeless shelter which provides dinner, breakfast, beds, showers, clothes washer, toiletries and food for those less fortunate. Recently, they had a shortage on blankets (if you live in Chicago you can understand why this is such an issue) but after a few phone calls and emails over 100 blankets were donated by friends and family. To those of you that did part ways with your old quilts and throws, "Thank you so very much! You can go to sleep every night knowing that someone is being kept warm because of you." The staff of the HH was very grateful and shocked at how many blankets were added to their supply this week.




I encourage each of you to take one day out of each month to go volunteer your time and effort to a cause that is important to you. http://www.volunteermatch.org/ These examples are two totally different causes and there are hundreds of organizations like these looking for volunteers, but the one thing that they have in common is helping others, doing good and loving each other. I can assure you that you will leave whichever organization you choose with a lighter heart and being more grateful for what you have in your own life. Sometimes we all need a bit of a reminder of how lucky we really are.

Family Holiday

In the most recent years a lot of holidays were spent either in an airport or at a hotel in a different city. This year, family was my focus and it was the warmest, most cheerful holiday season that I've had in a while.

Thanksgiving:

Since it was just my Dad and I for the "stuff your face" holiday we voted against cooking a lavish meal and instead decided to give back to the community. Santa Barbara, California has a high population of homeless people. The town along with OrganicSoupKitchen.com open up a local VFW and turn it into a banquet hall for those less fortunate to come in an feast on traditional Thanksgiving food, while socializing and listening to live music. We were volunteers to help serve food, talk to guests and clean up. Firstly, I was amazed at how many people were taking time out of their Thanksgiving holiday to give back. I was especially impressed by those parents that brought their children with to help; what an important lesson to instill into your children at a young age. Secondly, I think I gained more from that experience than those receiving the free meal. I realized by actually sitting down and talking to them  that not all of them got to this life by drugs and alcohol, many of them actually have pretty impressive education and skill sets and hard times could happen to any of us. They appreciated conversing with someone that actually wanted to hear what they had to say, listen to their life story and talk about their future goals and dreams. I don't know where any of them are today or what they are doing, but I do know that I will always remember Thanksgiving of 2011 and always be grateful for what I have in life.

Christmas.

There is nothing better than aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, siblings and parents all being under the same roof. The familiar smells of staple holiday dishes (vegetable mornay). The traditions that are unique to your family (The shrine and birthday song) . The silly games and topics that always make themselves present at these sorts of gatherings (post it note and now Wii Dance). The after Christmas Thulis outing (Laser tag or Shedd Aquarium). At least for me, these things are what make it special and although my family is goofy, loud and full of characters, I love them dearly and am grateful for every single one of them being in my life.

Tone Deaf? No Problem!

When some people see "Karaoke Night" outside of an establishment they groan, I, on the other hand, get secretly excited. What is not to love about people having fun tearing apart classics while making fools of themselves? I thoroughly enjoy observing, cat calling and clapping along, and even more so, I am that girl that likes to get up on stage and belt out some off key version of some 90's hit.

I blame my new found love of this Asian social activity on my time in North Carolina. Honestly, there wasn't much to do there so we joined the crowd and dove head first right into the embarrassing but oh, so fun Karaoke scene. I've quickly learned that there are a few different types of people/songs that you will always see during your night... some good, some bad and some ugly...

70's/80's Rock: The cherished ones that people know. Jon Bon is always a hit and every wants some sugar poured on them!
Silly, Fun, Pop:  Stuff that people have forgotten about but still recognize. One Spice Girls pops up on the screen you can see people smile, Hanson on the other hand, makes everyone cringe. I love doing George Michael's "Faith".
Duets: Work it out together! "Love Shack", "Summer Nights"
Journey: You can bet money that you will hear "Don't Stop Believing" at one point in the night, but it never fails on getting crowd participation.
Crowd Pleasers: The right song will get even the anti-karaoke patrons tapping their foot and singing along (at least in their head). Even though they are usually overdone, they still work. "Sweet Caroline" "Margaritaville".
Oldies but Goodies: Elvis, Sinatra...
Country: Choose wisely because depending on where you are in the country you may get some dirty looks. Personally, I love it but still choose something that is more mainstream and known.  "I've got Friends in Low Places" is a safe choice.
Girl Power: The stuff made popular in the 80's always works. Pat Benetar, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett...
Gender Benders: When a man does a chick song and visa versa... but make it funny!!! "Like a Virgin" or " F--- Her Gently".
Left Field Wonders: "Devil Went Down To Georgia" gets people out of their seat and doing some sort of jig.
Rap: If you can't rap, don't try it! If you can, do something we will recognize. "Baby Got Back" and "Ice, Ice Baby" are the go tos.
The Really Good Singer: Great if you have a good voice, the rest of us probably don't so don't get all showoff-y on us. We are there to have fun and would love for you to do so too.
Depressing Songs: If you're drowning your sorrows at the bar, do us all a favor, don't pick up the microphone and tell us all how broken your heart is. We are here to have fun, not see you cry into your beer. Sorry.
The Never Ending Songs: There should definitely be a time limit. No more "Freebird" and "Hotel California" !!!
Overdone: Sometimes go hand in hand with songs that are crowd pleasers. Hey, people do them a lot because they work. So be the best at it, add some charisma and make your performance of the song the best we've seen!
Overly Sexual Songs: Just plain awkward. I listened to a woman timidly sing about her pussy cat. No thank you.
Songs with minimal (or repetitive) lyrics: What is the point? Yawn.

Now get out there and try it, have fun and make some new karaoke buds!

Play Like a Champion Today

The one thing that makes the weather bearable during this time of the year is knowing that it’s football season. Football is a lifestyle in the US, whether they are fantasy fanatics, college fans or professional die hards, this; time of year football is everything. Everyone has loyalties to “their” teams and then we have teams that we love to hate.

Every Saturday during my childhood I witnessed my family turn into crazed College football fans. Our team: Notre Dame. Sure, watching the instant replays in the comfort of your own home, in your fuzzy slippers is one thing; but actually making the journey to the University Campus and being in that indescribable atmosphere is another thing. And it’s something that should be done at least once a season.

Every school has it’s traditions that other non-fans don’t know about. Notre Dame is full of them. From the “Play like a Champion Today” sign to the leprechaun that leads the cheer squad, here are a few of the other things that bring ND and their fans great joy.

The Band of the Fighting Irish: From the time they play on the steps and march to the stadium pre- game until they play the alma mater “Notre Dame, Our Mother” the famous band keeps the fan’s spirits high throughout.

Touchdown Jesus, Golden Dome, Sacred Heart Basilica and The Grotto are all places on campus that are important to ND and it’s football team that are must see’s if you ever attend.

 “WE. ARE. N.D”, push ups after each ND touchdown, “Go Irish” kickoff cheer, linking arms and swaying at the end of the game as the band plays. These are just a few of the things that Notre Dame fans know and love when they come to root for the Gold and Blue!  

California Dreamin'

Sand between my toes, the warm sun shining on my bare shoulders, the sound of seagulls squawking around me and smell of salt water in the air. Without a doubt, these things will always put a smile on my face. There is something about being on the West Coast calms my inner self and I cant help but feel like I belong in that atmosphere. Give me a hippie bus, surfboard and a bottle of sunscreen, I'll be a happy camper! 

My favorite part about this region is the constant excitement, there is literally never a dull moment, no matter what time of year. During my short visit I was able to do so much. I was able to....drive along the coast to Santa Barbara, live it up in the Gaslamp Quarter, watch dolphins surf the waves, enjoy a German beer at Oktoberfest, watch the famous Blue Angels preform at an Air Show, horseback ride, attend worship service at my favorite church and walk the beach at night. What a life! Not to mention the types of food SD has to offer, fish tacos AND in-and-out burger. And for those of you that haven't experienced a double double from the famous burger joint: "Go West!"


Aside from the nearly perfect atmosphere, another wonderful part about the Western state is that my Dad resides there. As much as they embarrass us as teenagers or lecture us on how to live our life, we wouldn't be who we are without our parents. Unfortunately, I don't get that daily interaction with my Pops, so our time together is precious. We try to catch up on our lives during our short visits, giving each other unwanted advice or " I told you so's".  But it always ends the same way, with a big strong bear hug, kiss and an "I love you, hope to see you again soon!" 

Wherever the Wind Blows...

For those of you that know me, you know I love visiting new places. My own mother even has trouble keeping track of my whereabouts now a days :) I'll fill you in on my recent adventures...

North Carolina, outside of Asheville. Spent a week there in the mountains surrounded by nature. It sure was peaceful, but not so quiet. Have you ever listened to all of the critters in the woods? They're loud! Visiting Looking Glass Waterfall was definitely the best part of the trip though. Amazing. 

Pensacola, Florida. I visited my old school, University of West Florida. It was kind of a wake up call to realize it’s been seven years since I’ve been out of high school. Where does the time go? I guess it flies when you’re having fun! It warms my heart to reconnect with old friends who care genuinely about me and I’m so blessed to have so many in my life. My crew in FL definitely has a good time together, they almost make it tempting to pack my bags and go live in that beach town. During my stay here Tropical Storm Lee decided to come hang out also; raining on my beach and boat days. BUT that didn’t stop me from trying to catch a wave on a board. Even though most people would say I was crazy, I found it exhilarating to be out there with those crashing waves of fury.

Road trip to Lousiana and Texas. I’m a Northerner, so the south interests me. Their customs, food and the people are so different from the city/suburban life in Chicago. It’s a more laid back atmosphere. There is definitely something special about cruising down gravel roads listening to country music without a care in the world. And of course when in a new area I want to try the traditional food, the Cajun cuisine has some interesting, and mighty delicious things such as crawfish estufee, pistolettes, boudin, cracklins, gumbo with okra. And of course while in Texas I absolutely had to get sopailpillas. They are not even close to what they claim to have up here in the North, they best sopaipillas are at places with honey already on the table right next to the hot sauce. If you are ever in TX or NM, do yourself a favor and try them!

Wisconsin.  Lake Houses are probably the most tranquil relaxing place to be. There is something about the way the moon dances on that glassy water at night that is so calming. But man, did we have a blast! The weekend was short but full of activities such as boating, yard games, hiking, knee boarding, live music on the lake, bonfires, midnight swims and of course s’mores. Good company is the real key to having a good time and some pretty spectacular folks, whom I am lucky to have in my life, surrounded me. 

GOD BLESS AMERICA

ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM. 

9/11 ALWAYS REMEMBER. 

Chicago, Chicago...

Since moving back to Illinois, I had the pleasure of experiencing downtown Chicago a little bit more than I have in the past. I am amazed and impressed by the free events that the Windy City has to offer during the humid summer months. For those of you that have the opportunity to spend some time here these are suggestions of what to experience. 1. Chicago sporting event (clearly, I'm speaking of Bears or Cubs game) 2. Anything at Millennium Park- free concerts, "The Bean", fountains  3. Navy Pier. You must ride the Ferris wheel, if nothing else. 4. North Avenue Beach. It's a happening place with always a ton to do. 5. Walk the Magnificent Mile. At any time of the year it is magical.  6. Fit in a Museum or two. 7. Pizza and Hot Dogs. Need I say more?  On another note, a few things to remember.  -  The "El" will get you where you need to go, use it!  -  Ditka is God. We take our sports seriously and are the best fans in the world. -  Pick a side (North or South) -  No ketchup on hot dogs (although a lot of us secretly disobey this rule) There is always something exciting about coming home to your home city after traveling a lot. I actually get butterflies when my plane flies into O'Hare and I get to see the Second City from the sky. As a Chicagoan, I proudly wear my sports apparel in other parts of the country (no matter how many years since we've won a World Series) and I enjoy having to eat my over cheesy pizza with a fork and knife.  On State Street, that great street, I'd just want to say - They do things they don't do on Broadway. They have the time, the time of their life. I saw a man, he danced with his wife. In Chicago, Chicago, my home town.           - Frank Sinatra

Blessings

Life goes by too quickly.

We tend to get lost in the hustle and bussle of scheduling and checking things off our to do lists. We often forget to take a break to enjoy and be thankful for the little things in life, which are really the most important things.

I've been reconnected with a high school friend who unfortunately is battling cancer at twenty five years old. Despite everything he's dealing with, he has a more positive attitude about life than the majority of people I know. He actually said to me the other day, "Lo, you walk too fast. Take the time to enjoy what God has given us." Wow, he has a very valid point. Enjoy life and everything it has to offer!

It's funny how people come and go in our lives and we sometimes reconnect with them just when we need them the most. I feel so blessed to have the family and friends that are in my life. Since my return to "Sweet Home Chicago" my relationships with my mom, brother, cousin and long lost friends have become increasing stronger and definitely more mature. Sometimes we take for granted the people in our lives. We assume they will always be there for us. Don't. Spend time with them, stand by their side when times get rough and most importantly, tell them what they mean to you.

With that being said, to those of you who are my family and friends: "Thank you for your unconditional love and support. I love you all very much and am so grateful to have each and everyone one of you in my life."

Baby, Let's Cruise...

After I got over the initial shock of how much my life was about to change I decided to combine two of my passions in life, traveling and having fun! I took a job as a youth counselor on Princess cruise lines. This

experience was literally life changing and couldn't have come at a better time for me. The people that I worked with were from all over the world. I kid you not that out of over 1,000 staff and crew, only twelve of us were Americans. It was truly amazing to see people from over forty different countries and cultures work, live and socialize together in a respectful manner. It's really strange but now I can say that I have friends that live all over the world (Australia, India, Brazil, Philippines, South Africa, U.K. Etc) and I am very much looking forward to visit them!

The other, probably more obvious advantage to working on a cruise ship is traveling. This particular ship

began in NYC, which has been on my places to see list for some time now. WOW. Ya know, being from Chicago, I didn't think that New York could be that much more impressive than the city of big shoulders, boy was I

wrong. It was absolutely incredible to see all of the sights. Central Park, Times Square, Empire, Rok Center, St. Pats, 9/11 memorial, Bryant Park, Grand Central, Statue of Liberty. You see it over and over in movies but until experience it in person, it's not the same. I didn't get a t-shirt but "I LOVE NY".

From the Big Apple our ship sailed all the way to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada. The towns we stopped in were Halifax, Charlottetown and Sydney. I'm not going to lie, I don't care for Canada, it's cold, kinda boring and most Canadians I know are weird. There, I said it...

Now onto the good stuff, USA! Next on our itinerary was Bar Harbor, Maine. Which consisted of

massive amounts of lobster, blueberry pie and football. Then down to Newport, Rhode Island where you have never seen so many sail boats and yachts in your life. Here i took a boat tour of the area, passing some outrageous mansions and touring a lighthouse. Did you know people live in those things? Some friends and I grabbed lunch at the oldest tavern in the US, the White Horse Tavern. Then onto Beantown, or Boston, whatever your fancy. Upper deck trolley tour is the way to go here to be able to see the entire city. I was amazed at the history and actually at how small the city actually is. Finally, I'm able to say that I've visited New England area and I fell in love with it!

Lucky for me, my ship didn't just stop there. We also made a run to the Caribbean. This included Bermuda, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk. It was a lot of sand, sun and snorkeling, including encounters with stingray and reef shark! The waters were so blue I wouldn't be surprised to hear that they dump food coloring into the area.

Oh yeah, I guess I should explain a little about my job and why I was on a cruise ship in the first place. As a part of the youth staff I literally got to play all day long. It depended on which age group I was with but my daily activities consisted of fooseball tournaments , wii dance, pajama parties, ice cream socials, karaoke, disco parties, dodgeball, boardgames, movie nights, arts and crafts. Tough life, huh?

Silent Warriors

Saturday was a tragic and devastating day for the United States. We lost over twenty of our military's best. Unfortunately for me it hits even closer to home. Even though I know the fears associated with having a loved one in that position, I can not start to understand the pain and suffering that those families are feeling right now. My heart breaks for every single one of them, more than I can even express. We should all be thankful to those silent warriors for the sacrifices that they and their families have continuously made to keep us safe. These Navy SEALS have done things that we can't even fathom to protect us, the people of America. We can sleep soundly at night because of their commitment, bravery and selflessness. I am thankful everyday for them, they are truly amazing people. May God bless every single one of them and may the fallen heroes rest in peace.

Changes

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. That's what I have learned over the last few years. Even though sometimes these surprises in life are unwelcomed and we fight nail and tooth to not accept them, they still happen and in the end we can understand why more clearly.

My marriage to a Special Forces military man was a dream come true until one day it came to a screeching halt. Yep, the D word. I of all people do not believe you give up on that sacred promise, but unfortunately if both people aren't in it until the end, it just can't last. I'm not going to sit here and badmouth love and marriage because I enjoyed every minute of it. We created wonderful memories that I will forever carry with me for the rest of my life. It was time to go our separate ways... which I have come to accept because no longer am I told where to go, what to do, who to talk to and how to act by the government. I can actually plan for my future instead of waiting on orders from his command.

My life is much more my own now and for that I am thankful. I'm starting to spend more time with family and friends that I've lived away from for the last few years and I plan on traveling to different parts of the world. I'm very excited for what unknowns lie ahead in my future!