While we're on the subject: Traveling

I recently read an interesting blog post by Giselle Rosas, talking about the importance of traveling (you can read it here). As someone who also grew up in different countries, I can not agree with her more. It is crucial that we open ourselves up to other cultures and other people, see what the world has to offer us. Traveling is an essential part of growing up and finding yourself. We are so lucky that we have such easy access to other countries these days; think about how hard it was for our grandparents or even our parents to get around "back in the day." Flying via airplane was more expensive, riskier (they're still scary to me) and not very common until the 1980s.

My advice: save as much money as you can, grab a traveling partner (or two, or three, the more the merrier!), and book some flights! What are you waiting for? Whether it's to Dallas, New York City, or Rome, just GO! It's really not as expensive as people make it out to be. I mean, it's not like I'm rolling around in money and I just got back from a month-long vacation in Italy (see below for pictures).

Buy your ticket through websites like kayak.com (my boyfriend found a $900 roundtrip ticket to London, usually they're $1300 at the very least!). When it comes to sleeping arrangements, and if you're running low on money, try to think of places where you know people - friends, family, even friends of friends... people are usually more than happy to lend you a couch for a few nights. Another good website to check out is tripadvisor.com. They seem to have access to EVERYTHING and it's nice because you can compare prices, see what past customers have to say about different hotels/hostels/etc. and narrow down your search by using their awesome, well-thought-out filter that will help you find your match.

I just spent 4 weeks traveling through Italy, from Naples to Milan, and then stopping by Paris on my way back home. Here are a few pictures from my beautiful month-long experience in which I ate delicious pizza, sipped on some tasty wine (drink responsibly!) and learned even more of that wonderful Italian language, which is as yummy as their much-loved food.

My family and I (missing one brother, who's taking the picture) in Naples, Italy. Fun fact: this is where my grandfather (mom's side) was born. He moved to Argentina in the 1920s as a small boy with his brothers, sisters, and parents. 90 years later, after moving from Argentina to Texas as a young girl myself, we found ourselves back where our family first began, completing some kind of family cycle.

Adam and I in Cinque Terre, Italy.

Grotta Azaurra, Capri, Italy. Yes, this place is real and at the same time SO surreal. It is essentially a cave off of the island's coast, and the electric blue light is the result of the sun reflecting off of the white rocks in the bottom of the water. For more information.

Paris, France.

If you guys like, I can write a more extensive report on my trip, full with adventure stories and yes, more pictures. Just let me know and I'll deliver :)

Until next time,

LMB