Mangiare e bere, per domani muore.

Dare il benvenuto ai viaggi di una donna curiosa! For the next few months I plan to digitally document my travels, adventures, and lessons learned while in Europe. I hope for this to be one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life so I don't want to miss a beat. Being an International Studies major, I find it imperative for to fully appreciate more than just our cliche American lifestyle. The world is too beautiful to live inside such an ignorant bubble. Aside from random excursions throughout North America, this is my first time being away from home for such a long period of time. I hope that these entries will help strengthen my memories later on. I promise to do my very best to be as detailed and consistent as possible.

I depart for London in about a week and it can't seem to come fast enough. I feel as though I may burst with excitement at any given second. I have been preparing for this for what seems like forever now and I can't wait to be in a new environment. The biggest goal I want to accomplish while abroad is to live every minute to its' fullest potential and to absorb every experience with new and old friends. For the past couple of years I have felt warped in a world that I cannot escape with people that can't seem to understand why. I want to get to know myself better and explore my passion and confusion for living in the moment.

"Carpe Diem" seems to be the omnipresent phrase of our flourishing generation that I want to learn how to fully embrace. I will not allow myself to dwell or regret anything from the past or future but rather to LiVE and LOVE as though tomorrow the world will end. A good friend once told me that I cannot allow myself to be so rooted while also still being so young.

He's right.

My life is not a game, it is a chance to be all that I can and to love, learn, and aspire to whatever or wherever my heart takes me. Europe is my new best friend and I haven't even met her yet.