Sometimes Bliss = Cookies

Here you go Ellie, finally I'm writing on my blog again!

It's almost been a month since I've been here, and I can hardly believe it. Time is going way too fast, but I'm having the time of my life! I have to remember not to take any of this for granted even though I have a routine here. I still cherish every moment cause I know in two short months I'll have to say "see ya later" to it all.

Easter weekend here is incredibly busy. The amount of tourists walking around was unreal, but I had about three different ones come up to me asking for directions so that was definitely a confidence booster.

When I arrived I was so nervous that I was coming here all alone, but now I realize it was the best thing I could've done. The social butterfly side to me has definitely come out more, I've made so many new friends, and I get so excited to meet new people everyday.

Before I left I always hated hugs (sorry Mom) and any kind of human contact honestly. But after living here and pretty much hugging and kissing every person on the cheek, I can finally give my mom the proper hug she's been asking for since my early teens. Once I return be prepared for a hug long enough to make up for lost times, Mom.

Food food food food...

There are these chocolate cookies here called Pan di Stelle. I buy a family sized bag every week cause I'm completely addicted to them. Since I don't want to gain 50 lbs I figured I should have some sort of self restraint. Since I would not even hesitate to down every single one of these delectable cookies in one sitting, I decided that when I first open the bag I am only allowed to eat the broken ones. But now I find myself "accidentally" dropping the bag in the store, and then placing all the heavy cans on top of the cookies in the grocery bag.....so my self restraint has flown itself straight out the window.

I won't even tell you guys how many pizzas I've eaten here, it's too embarrassing.

Also, Andrea and Anthony, I think every single person in Rome knows that I have a new nephew back home, since I usually bring it up in every conversation with every person I talk to. I also, against their will, show them approximately 20 pictures of him. #ProudAuntie

So glad to hear the snow has finally melted back home! I asked God to send the warmth from here to there so thank Him for that.

A presto e tanti baci!!

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Finding Myself

I've always wondered what the phrase "find yourself" meant. There are no maps, GPS's, or compasses that will help you. You won't just walk down the street and see a big wooden box stamped with the letters "YOURSELF" on it. It doesn't work like that, but I think that's what makes life interesting. It's all trial and error. Unlike many things in life, "yourself" is something that you finally have complete and utter control over. No one can interfere unless you give them consent.

I was always rushing to find out what I want to do, where I want to live, who I want to marry, how many kids I want to have, etc. I could bore you with lists of all the things that have gone through my mind. Instead, I have to take a step back, remember why I'm here on this earth, and take it one step at a time.

Ok, sentimental part of this post is over.

ROME. My goodness I wake up every morning and just thank God that I've been given the opportunity to do this. That is, unless, I'm awaken by the Italian lady next door who decides to yell (what my guess is Italian profanities) at precisely midnight and 6:00am...But just give me 10 minutes in the morning to stop being angry at her, and then you can bet at 6:10am on the dot I am thanking God for all of this.

The city is beautiful, the streets are beautiful, you could see a leaf on the street and I'd probably describe it as beautiful. I don't know how the people ever get used to this. Even if I lived here for 10 years I feel like I'd still be bringing a camera with me everywhere just in case I needed to take a picture. Every walk seems like a new history lesson, and I feel like I have never learned so much in five days.

I had my first Italian class yesterday, and it was perfect. There is a Russian, Chinese, Korean, Canadian, Swahilian, and French person in the class. Talk about a diverse group, huh? We spend the first two hours working on Italian grammar, and the next two hours on solely conversation. None of us are allowed to speak our native languages, only Italian, so my brain starts to hurt by the 4th hour. I wouldn't trade it for anything though.

I feel like I need to go-go-go when touring the city, but I've now learned to slow down and take it day by day. I know I'll appreciate it much more in the end because I'll truly have experienced everything to the fullest. I have a whole list of places that I want to visit so I can't wait to put up all the pictures. Tomorrow I believe I'm headed to the Pantheon, so pictures will be up very soon!

Arrivederci!

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Sono arrivato a Roma!

Sono arrivato a Roma!!

I flew to Frankfurt, Germany, first, which was a 9 hour flight. It was quite the adventure. The gentleman to my left watched 4 movies on the way there and cried during 3 of them. Who would've thought a German could be so sensitive? And then the lady to my right had about 6 glasses of wine so she was feeling pretty good by the 3rd hour in.

And then there was me, stuck smack dab in the middle. The lady to my right told me that she was so surprised I could crunch up with my legs on the seat and sleep. I jokingly told her, "That's what happens when you share a house with 7 people, you learn to make do with the room you have." It seems she took it pretty seriously and felt bad for me because she then gave me her extra blanket out of sympathy and continuously offered me food that she wasn't going to eat...

Finally after arriving in Germany, I hopped on the next plane to Rome. After we landed, I got my luggage and walked out to see a 6 foot Italian man holding up my name written on an iPad. He carried all my luggage out to a fancy car and called me "madam" approximately 50 times. He then took me to my apartment and bid me farewell as I went up the elevator to meet my host mom.

My host mom, Lucia, has made me feel so welcome and I have only been here for a day. She tries her best to help me understand Italian, and I already feel like I am getting better.

We went walking around to see my school, the Colosseum, stopped for some gelato, and then stopped at the Supermercato. I have never seen more Fiats and cats in my entire life. Fiats and cats, cats and Fiats, cats on top of Fiats...seems like such an odd combination, but it's Rome, so va bene.

Day 1 of Italia- SUCCESS!

Arrivederci!

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Never-Ending Bliss

As I am sitting here in a coffee shop, my green tea to my right, a whole-grain muffin to my left, it all seems a bit too cliché. My life is not nearly interesting enough to write a blog, yet here I am, and here goes nothing. My primary goal is to not bore anyone to sleep during the process, so fingers crossed.

While I try to prepare myself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to embark on a three-month journey that will take me halfway across the world, I thought now is as good of a time as any to make some use of the thoughts prancing through my head.

My first post is all about one word, a word that is also the inspiration for the name of my blog.

Bliss- noun. - perfect happiness; great joy.

This word could possibly be my favorite word in the English language. Its simplicity rolls right off the tongue so effortlessly.

But what exactly is bliss? What does it even mean to be perfectly happy?

I've been searching for an answer to this for a long, long time. I started to believe it could be achieved by a large friend group, a perfect home-life, a perfect boyfriend, but after experiencing all of these things, I never found what I would call "bliss". Yes, all of these things gave me great happiness, but I always imagined "bliss" to be something a bit more.

Then it hit me.

There is one place in the entire world where I have never been sad....wait for it...wait for it....

Church!

Ironic, huh? The one place that gives me the most happiness is a place that isn't all about me. All along I was searching for happiness solely for myself, and how selfish is that? I spend so much of my time asking for favors from God that I take it for granted. That one hour in Church is finally a time where I can say "It doesn't matter what I receive. Now let's see how much I can give." The only way I will obtain a great state of bliss is by giving. And this brings me to the first half of my blog title Never-Ending Bliss.

It's as simple as this, we can never ever give too much.

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