explore.

Sometimes you need to just get out & explore! Life is so much more fun when you're seeing, touching, hearing, smelling & living in the outdoors & mingling with the natives.

Whether you're in New York preparing for a new step in your life, backpacking through Europe on your own after college, moving to another country with a one-way ticket or just traveling with your family, make the most of it! Have a little or a lot of fun & get out there & EXPLORE!

This holiday break (this is a bit belated), my parents & I traveled to Peru & the Galapagos. We met the people, we walked the streets, we learned how to make colors out of bugs, we trekked on ancient ruins & cities, we swam with sea lions, we got our hands dirty, we played local bar games, we watched Sally Lightfoot crabs' mating dance, we ate the food (guinea pig & alpaca) & drank the drink, we listened to the music & we (attempted) to talk the talk! It was an experience to remember & something I couldn't even try to forget.

We started off in Peru with our "dear friend," Guido & became engrossed immediately in the city of Lima.  Sometimes it's hard to get out of a geocentric mindset. I visit a city in another country knowing it's not permanent, knowing that in a few weeks, I will be back at home sleeping in my own bed.  I forget that for millions of other people, this is their life. They walk these streets every day, they wear these clothes & they pass those buildings. For me it's travel, for them it's life.

Lima was a bustling city. There were cars everywhere, tall buildings, shopping malls, museums & even a coast line. There were parks & homeless people, bicyclists, stray cats & litter on the streets.  There was graffiti on the walls, street art being sold, bus stops, Starbucks & Subways on the corners & restaurants everywhere. The city I'm describing doesn't sound that different from Chicago or New York, but let me tell you... it was a whole other world.

Something interesting about Lima is that it never rains. EVER. Lima averages less than 1 inch of rain per year & it shows too. The city is dry & the roofs of all the buildings & homes are flat. Who needs a slanting roof when there's no rain? Another different aspect is how Lima itself is broken up into several different areas. When driving in the city, you can cross an invisible line & the city goes from clean & neat to trash piled everywhere with dogs rolling in anything they can muster. That invisible line is the difference between a governor with money & a good following & a governor with no funds on the brink of being booted out. The city was a checker board of safe & sketchy areas.

Once in the country, there was no questioning where you were. The people dressed in the brightest colors, wore the coolest hats & lived the most interesting, yet simple lifestyle. While nothing seemed to be actually going on... everything was happening. Little girls would sing to us for petty change, small snacks or stickers, women would sell everything & anything they could get their hands on & kids would scream in excitement over a small bracelet or trinket. They were a crafty bunch & it was cool seeing different ways people use their skills. Every skill had a purpose.

Now it's time to talk about Machu Picchu... It was crazy. I literally (yes... actually literally) have goosebumbs as I am even thinking about the place. I can't even imagine what Hiram Bingham thought as he pushed aside the overgrown Amazon bushes & saw that he was standing on an ancient Incan city from the 15th century.  How did this society build & sustain a life on the side of a jagged mountain in the middle of nowhere? Seriously... how? It was so incredible that it is hard to explain. I would love to return one day & hike the four-day Inca trail.  I would love to walk up to the Sun Gate once again, but this time from the other side, & see Machu Picchu sneaking out from behind the fog. I know that would just taste so good after four days of hiking & waiting.

We did tons of other stuff in Peru too, but if you've actually made it this far... you're probably about ready for me to quit writing; however, I haven't even talked about the Galapagos yet & you don't want to miss this! It will be quick... I promise!!!

This was our friend, the sea lion... he just wanted to play & luckily he invited us to join him! This little guy had so much personality & it made our adventure awesome! He swam with us in the water, barked like a dog, chewed sticks & practically played fetch.  He is the dog of the sea & for good reasons too!

 
The final most incredible part of this adventure was the group we traveled with. We went on a tour to these amazing places with a company called, Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) & we were lucky enough to have the most dynamic & incredible individuals traveling alongside us. It was great getting to interact with people who have done such amazing things, have lived in incredible places, have traveled to the strangest locations, have been through crazy experiences & in the end, all ended up on a dusty road in the middle of Ollantaytambo with a huge smile on their faces & a taste for adventure.  I know this experience could have been 100% different & 100% less thrilling if the group had been a dud. But the group was awesome & I wouldn't have wanted anything to change; not even 1%.

Anyway, now is the time to explore. Now is the time to go outside. Now is the time to travel. Now is the time to follow the wind. Because there just isn't a better time than now.  Whether you do it now, or do it in 5 years... guess how old you'll be in 5 years? You'll be 5 years older... (good math, I know).

This is cliche, but I love it, because it reminds me of my aunt... so here it goes.  "It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years!"-Good ole Abe Lincoln. So I'll say it again, get out there & EXPLORE today!

~ciao~

pumpkin patch.

Florida is NOT well known for it's change of season, snow, or cold weather, but sometimes it's okay to pretend right?

That is NOT a rhetorical question... it is ALWAYS okay to pretend because fall is one of the prettiest times of the year & just because we are in Florida doesn't mean we have to suffer, right?  I mean with the ocean of red & yellow leaves, the contrast in color between the blue sky & the gourds & pumpkins, & the beautiful pre-winter clothes, it just doesn't get much better.

There is nothing better than feeling & looking pretty with a slight chill in the air... smells like fall to me & tastes like smiles.

Today was a pumpkin patch kind of day.  The Gainesville weather took a break from the muggy heat & gave us a little fall shiver.  Behind the bars & clubs, there are some beautiful natural parts of Gainesville... Paynes Prairie, The Devil's Millhopper, the farmland in old Alachua, the corn fields that turn into mazes during October,  Ichetucknee Springs, & the pumpkin patches that dot the city in orange when fall rolls around.  Sometimes you get so involved with campus that you forget how beautiful the surrounding area is.   

Dressing all cutesy, us roommates went out on a bit of an adventure... ending up at an awkward pumpkin patch on the side of the road & rolling up in our fancy outfits to a random farm for young kids with bouncy houses & "spooky trails..." Houston, we have a problem.  We were getting pretty desperate at this point in our travels... the classic graduation "railroad picture" even became an option since we couldn't find an adequate pumpkin patch & we all looked so nice in our shades of orange & blue.  But we eventually prevailed & found Trinity Church where we set up camp, the tripods, the light reflectors, the models... JOKING!  But we did set up camp for a long time.  We may or may not have overstayed our welcome.

But I bought a tiny pumpkin to make up for it... Squilliam. 

Just call us super models... yeah, we know how to work it.

Anyway, overall it was a very successful day & weekend.  Initiated 67 new sisters into Kappa Kappa Gamma & relished our beautiful ritual & celebrated Kappa's 143rd birthday today with some amazing alumnae from chapters all over the country.  There was even an alumna from our founding school, Monmouth College, which is very cool.

The extent of sisterhood once again extends outside what you know.  Thousands of other amazing women share the ritual you live & are considered your sisters.  Makes the world, once again, a whole lot smaller when you have sisters all over the country singing the same songs, wearing their keys, & loving their sisters.  "We will always remember our dear Kappa days."

But I would like to take a special aside for my sister & roommate, Rebecca, on her recent engagement to her boyfriend of 5 years!  So incredibly happy for her & her fiance!

It has been really cool getting to know you better over this fall semester.  You are a great friend & I am lucky to call you my sister; therefore, our friendship is not just for four years, it is for life!  So... you are stuck with me & Colbie.

(And your owl knit cap is so age appropriate.)

  Ciao Bella!

john mayer.

Well, in 2 words I can pretty much describe my weekend... JOHN MAYER!

Considering it was practically my first real concert, besides seeing Britney Spears in the 4th grade... "Oops I did it again" style, it was a pretty great concert to start off my music run on.  He was perfect.  Although rumor has it he has had difficulty with his throat & singing, he reached those high notes & sang almost all the class favorites in that sultry John Mayer way.  You know how he stares at you with that little quirky smile... his style is intoxicating. 

Anyway, it was very cool to see him in action after listening to his music for years now.  Growing up it was one of the few CDs in circulation that my mom actually liked.  You know... the old school "Room for Squares" album that had some of the best songs (Your Body is a Wonderland, 83, My Stupid Mouth...).  I grew up with John Mayer getting stuck in my head, seeing him rise to fame, watching my parents go to his concert (jealous of course because I didn't even get an invite... hint hint).  But I have gotten over my raging jealousy because... (drum roll please) I finally got my turn!

It was definitely worth the wait, but I was still hoping he'd sing some more of his oldies but definitely goodies.  Believe me... I was more than happy just to be there, watching him jam.  I never understood how talented he actually was at the guitar.  You know the songs & you hear the instrumental parts, but I never sat back & thought about his playing.  He was GREAT--playing behind the back, playing like we were listening to the song in fast forward, & playing long rhythmic solos.   (The way the camera zoomed in on his hands was like watching the "Titanic" all over again... if you've seen it, you'll understand).

I never understood why miss Chloe Briscoe was always so OBSESSED with John Mayer, but now I get it all.  It's all in the music & it's even better live.

Besides him playing my personal favorite, Your Body is a Wonderland (which he sang looking directly at me, of course!!), he did a few covers; including another one of my faves, Don't Stop Believing!  I didn't know how much I would like his concert at first since I wasn't super caught up with his newest album, but it was fantastic... even the new stuff.  I just kind of jammed & swayed along (pretending to know the words) with the music.  I didn't want it to end. 

Met some lovely EPhi Kappas :)

You can tell John ( I can call him that... right?  I think we have that kind of relationship) is a smart guy with those deep, beautiful lyrics, & he had a few wise things to say that reminded me of my blog: he spoke about how when he was younger he always thought about the future, how old he was & constant everyday worries, but now he just thinks about how it is great just being alive & awesome.  It sounds familiar, right?  Sounds a whole lot like "living in the moment..." huh?  I knew John would quote me one day... just didn't realize it would happen so soon!

Anyway... the weekend was in a nutshell, PERFECT! Besides the Gators losing, which we WILL NOT discuss.  

And a big shout out to Chloe Scott & family & friends for providing me with food & shelter during the weekend!! Thank you so much, it was great!

Ciao-Ciao.

colorado colors.

Colorado literally comes from the Spanish word meaning, "colored red."  The name is basically derived from the deep red sandstone that cakes the mountains during the summer time.  However, when I think of Colorado, I see so many other beautiful & bright colors that play a major part in what makes everything so perfect.

Such as the color WHITE in the winter...

Or the color YELLOW in the valleys...

 
Or the color BLUE in the sky...

Or the color GREEN in the trees...

 Or the color PURPLE in the flowers...

And, of course, the colors ORANGE & BLUE everywhere for both the Broncos & my Gators...

I am a Gator Girl

Colorado is the land of colors.  Not only does red appear in the sandstone on the mountains, but in the Indian's paintbrush on the hillsides, the Aspen leaves in autumn, & in my heart all year long!

"Home is where the heart is, & my heart is in Colorado."    

the call of the bells.

 The Maroon Bells have been two rather ever-present mountains

that I would always see from the Elkcamp Lift.

Today my parents and I challenged the Bells & even ourselves.  We 

reached Crater Lake (our intended

finish, but I FORCED us to continue up & hopefully

over to Buckskin Pass.

The trail proved to be more difficult than expected & we 

were probably a bit in over our heads,

BUT it was Beautiful! 

 The neat thing about the Maroon Bells are how the look so close

at all times, but they are always so far!

It reminded me of our family vacation to Alaska, where we hired

a pilot to fly around Mt. McKinley.

Pj would fly that plane (while looking back at us he flew!!), & the cliffs

looked so close that you thought you

could reach out & touch them (hence why we would freak out

when he would look back at us.

No need to look while driving... it's not

important or anything!)  The Bells seemed the same.

No matter how many miles you walked toward them, the distance just didn't seem

  to change... I always felt like I could reach out & grab hold of

them & ring them, but they were miles & miles away.
Well played Bells, well played.

One of my favorite things is looking at all the contrasts of color.
The blues, the greens, the greys, & the browns.
Could a sky get much bluer?
I mean seriously... look at that sky!!  

I have to throw a shout out to my mama bear, who struggled every

twenty steps or so... but after some

gentle coaxing (aka personal attacking), she trudged (almost) all

the way to the top.  So we thought...

apparently we were far from close.  We hiked for hours,

across a river, over a waterfall (yes, this is real life), through woods, past

lakes, up scree fields, & through wild flowers.

Hours later we could just barely see

the pass & decided to call it a quits. Hey, it counts!  We saw the pass!!!

Right now she is talking bad about me because we are all tired & 

our feet our sore & it seems like a good idea, but she will

thank me later...  YOU KNOW I'M TALKING TO YOU

MAMA BEAR! It was worth it & we were just

living in the moment!

Ciao-Ciao

green.

Colorado in the Summer... wait, what?  I barely recognize the place!  There is so much green!  I already love it!  What a contrast from my last location... old, stone buildings with small, winding streets, no greenery, and people everywhere to serene and natural Snowmass Village, Colorado.  What a change of pace.

I have never actually been to Colorado in the summertime, besides summer in miniscule Florissant, Colorado during my summer camp days.  I have only ever visited Snowmass when snow covered every surface: the trees, the slopes, the chair lifts, and every building rooftop.  Snowmass in the summer is completely green.  Birds are a-chirping, leaves are quivering, and NOBODY is talking.  It is wonderful, natural, and a great way to relax after a movement-filled study abroad experience.

Yesterday was quite the trip over... in the past year and a half, we have traveled to Snowmass four times, and exactly none of those plane trips have run smoothly.  My mom coined the term "airport hell" for out nightmarish experiences.  We have stayed in two hotels and one condo due to cancelled flights, sat in the airport for hours on end from weather and mechanical issues at our destinations, had delay after delay, missed connections, had re-routing through New York, and we were even late to school after Spring Break because of flights in and out of Colorado.  We were lucky enough last night to be the LAST flight into the Aspen airport at eleven o'clock.  Thunderstorms persisted throughout the evening... causing massive delays in Denver.  Nothing made us happier than seeing our beautiful condo still in great condition after months or renting out.

It is beautiful right now as we sit with all the windows open just basking in the silence and cool wind.  I am glad that Firenze was only hot for a week because I was born for the cool weather!  We plan on hiking the Rio Grande trail today... apparently and easy trek along the river to get ourselves acclimated!  Excited to see Aspen in the summertime with the music festivals, art shows and farmers markets, and of course the stores carrying a completely different season!

Hopefully I can keep up my Chaco tan as I head out with my parents!  Have a great day and it's nice to actually be on a more similar time line even though I am still eight hours ahead in Firenze!

As always, Ciao-Ciao:
Rachele in Colorado

cinque terre.

GIORNO VENTI

Today was a Cinque Terre kind of day!  Christina, Erika, and I woke up early and headed to the Santa Novella train station with Cole!  We took a bus from the station and two hours later we emerged onto the vast Mediterranean Sea.  After weeks of landlocked cities, seeing the sea was a perfect weekend getaway!  It was beautiful!  Although the sun wasn't out and it was a bit overcast, the water was a deep blue and the cities along the coast were so colorful and perfect.

The first city we visited was Riomaggiore, we didn't stay there long because apparently there isn't anything to do there, so we rolled outta there and headed by train to Manarola.  We had so much to do and so little time to do it, but there was a beautiful rock in the water that overlooked the city.  I love the colors of all the buildings... they complimented each other so well on the rocky coast, just like Christina and I do... we PI CHIS know how to stick together when the going gets going.

A few years ago, a mudslide ravaged some of the cities, leaving them in a sort of disarray and with a few of the hiking trails closed from city to city.  Therefore, we also took the train to the third city, Corniglia.  There we had about two hours to find lunch in this small city.  We didn't walk long because we smelled the pesto through the door and it called us in.  Christina and I ate together to let the Benefields enjoy their lunch together.  We both ordered a bowl of pesto gnochi and a little pear and ricotta cheese tort for dessert.  One annoying thing about money in Italy is that ALL they want are COINS!  Every place you go to wants, not only for you to pay in cash, but for it to be in coins.  We split a twenty-eight euro lunch and the man couldn't break a fifty!  The problem is, vendors always want coins, so I use coins, so I don't have them for the next vendor... it is truly a vicious cycle.

Corniglia

After lunch, Christina and I walked around the town and into the church at the top of the hill.  It is cool to see the way other people live.  Old ladies casually do laundry on their porches in front of one of the most gorgeous views I have ever seen... just folding laundry as if it were a normal day here.  No big deal.  The sad thing about the Cinque Terre is the decline in population.  The majority of the people that remain are elderly individuals who have lived there their entire lives, who farm on the terraced land above the cities.  They still remain on the Mediterranean diet and are in great shape, while their children move off to an easier lifestyle.  The towns will one day be a ghost town...           

From Corniglia to Vernazza, we hiked the 1.5 km trail right on the cliff.  It was a beautiful hike, that I have apparently trekked before, but my memory has failed me once again!  It was more difficult than I expected it to be, but in a good way, if that makes sense!  I was pleased at the level of challenge and enjoyed talking with everyone as if back at Adventure Treks, hiking along a mountainous trail.  The weather was perfect for a quick, but gradient hike.  It was rocky and I liked it a lot!  Besides the waiting around for the group at certain points in the day, the trip had been a really awesome experience!  It took about an hour and a half to hike along from the one city to the next, but by the time we got to Vernazza, I was a sweaty mess!  It wasn't even that far of a hike, but the warm(ish) temperature and the up and down of the trail made me sweat for the FIRST time since I have been in Italy since it has been abnormally cold here!  This is a good sign I hope?  

The Benefields holding up the cave

Corniglia from the hiking path

Anyway, at Vernazza, we treated ourselves to some gelato (duh) before walking underneath some cool cave-tunnel to the water!  It was the first time I had had the chance to touch the water so far and I was so excited!  We didn't have enough time to swim until the next city, but I was already getting pumped!  The water was cold, but nothing I couldn't handle... if I did it at seven, I could do it at twenty!  We headed back to the meeting area to take the ferry to the last city, Monterosso al Mare, where we could actually SWIM!!  We waited by the dock until our boat arrived to take us to the next city... when we go onto the boat we immediately went to the back so we could take pictures of Vernazza from the water.  Good decision!  Next to us was the most adorable sleeping dog ever.  The lady was just holding him like a baby and he was sleeping with a huge smile on his little scrunched up face.  It didn't even look real it was so cute!

Vernazza from the water!

When the boat docked in our final city, I was so excited because it was the beach... well not the beaches I am used to in Florida with the soft sand and warm water, but you know what I mean.  The beach was a pile of colorful, hard rocks with a deep greenish aqua tone.  I don't know what type of landscape I prefer, but it was gorgeous! 

The girls decided they wanted to nom at a bar by the sea, but my child within drew me to the water and I immediately jumped in by myself!  I skipped some rocks on the surf and collected lots of pretty rocks that I will probably regret lugging with me... oh well, I like them!  The others all watched me from the restaurant above, probably thinking I was crazy... it was, you guessed, WORTH IT!  It was definitely one of my happiest moments on the trip and I don't regret it even though I lost my breath for a minute or two in the cold water.  I adapted to it really quick though and luckily right after I got out, the sun started shining, keeping me warm!  It was a good day and I smiled a lot!  Don't miss out on the water, it is perfect! :)

The bus ride home was slightly chilly because my hair was still wet, but at least Tarah is nice enough to do the sleeping shoulder thing that Daniel and Scott never let me do!!  Brothers...

Ciao-Ciao