There's No Place Like Roam & La Valigia Dei Sogni

After 10 weeks in Italy I heard myself saying "I think I'd like to stay home next weekend," in response to planning trips to other parts of Italy. For a moment I realized it sounded kind of stupid:

1) Although I am living here for almost a year, I am not, technically, "home."

2) I really want to soak up as much as possible while I am living here, so things like, "I really want to cozy up in my Florentine apartment and write papers vice going on a guided tour to Rome for the weekend" just don't sound right (like most things that fall out of my mouth).

Um - Loser much?

My neighbor and I were talking about this earlier while I vacillated between going to the gym and curling up under a blanket with a hot water bottle and old Italian movies. (The gym won - they have a bitchen hydrotherapy area - hot tub, Turkish bath - 'nuff said). Many of our classmates are here for only 5 more weeks; we attribute our reticence to be out every weekend to the fact we don't share the same "semester mentality" - to get all the touring in before finals. We are here until summer, and are both somewhat homebodies, love our studies, and agree when you live somewhere for this long, it's easier to let the tourist mentality go after a while. We believe in that taking every opportunity to soak in all this experience has to offer, but part of that is also being happy where you are for the time being.



So when I recently felt myself starting to get a little run down, and maybe not as far ahead on some projects as I would like, I had to take a step back and regroup. I spent the last 5 weekends out "doing stuff" - so I guess no matter where you are in the world, sitting in buses, trains, and automobiles gets old. Don't get me wrong, all the trips were fabulous, and I am so grateful to be seeing and doing these things. But I also love the experience of living in Florence. Quiet time in Tuscany with my books, music, thoughts and my life here is quite good - is something to be enjoyed as well. It's nice to get out of the city; it's nice to come "home."


Therefore, I made a command decision after doing Parma and Modena in the cold and damp yesterday with sinuses running amok. Rome can wait until winter break - I will have 6 weeks of "goofing off time" before Spring semester starts.

There's no place like Rome, but there's no place like home.

Home - Is it where you hang your hat? For me, that has been so many places over the last 26 years - literally - and figuratively. I can be at home anywhere.

Or is home where your heart is? My heart is kindof spread out all over the world - some of it MIA, perhaps (hey - no regrets) - but I have to say a chunk of my heart will always be at home in Italy as much as in Colorado.

Home - right now - is curled up under a wool blanket, drinking herbal tea, watching, ironically, "La Valigia Dei Sogni" on TV - a collection of old Italian short films and translates, literally, to "The Suitcase of Dreams."



My suitcase, still quite full of dreams, is standing by for more adventures. For now, I'm content chilling, if you will, in Tuscany - which is still a remarkable dream in itself - and it's home.

P.S. I need a name for this hot water bottle - as we've become quite close...