Italy. I've never visited before and I've always wanted to. Six months in Italy would be paradise. I'm a very picky eater but I'm fine with eating Italian food every night. Also, the accents aren't insanely annoying, which is a huge plus. For instance, if I were to be surrounded by Irish people I think all of my hair would be pulled out by day 3.
I would pack my iPod because I can't survive without music. I could go a few days listening to Italian people playing accordions in the alley but it would get old fast. I would also bring a sewing kit so I could sew a secret pocket to the inside of my pants to make it just that much harder for some kid on the street to pickpocket me. I would also have to bring a sheath for the authentic stiletto switchblade I would be sure to pick up (probably to defend my wallet). Lastly, I would pack a pair of boat shoes or something with good traction so I wouldn't slip on all of the pizza grease... On second thought, I wouldn't bring much besides a change of clothes.
I could use some Italian ice right now.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Paris, France
If I had to venture into any given culture, I would have to go to Paris, France. Ever since high school the idea (more like fantasy) of going there has always been sitting in the back of my mind. I love the feeling I get when I look at anything related to Paris or France. I love the architecture, the Eiffel Tower namely is beautiful when its all lit up.
The list of things I would bring are very much a product of my generation. I definitely would need my zune filled with any french pop, electro-soul, or R&B that I could find. My laptop if I could get it to work properly. My most fashionable clothes. Some for summer, winter, and can't forget clubbing. I would never leave without checking out the nightlife. And of course spending money so that I can find new music and movies that I could never find in America.
I love the language, the way it sounds and the way it feels on your tongue. I don't speak it at all sadly. I learned it for two years in elementary school but that was so long ago I didn't really retain any it . I hope that during my hypothetical stay I would pick it up and begin to speak without the aid of a French/English dictionary. I don't want to look like a silly American for the whole six month trip. You know the kind who goes every where in the world and expects people to know English for their convenience. I want to make an effort to adapt to the culture. I know if I got a good grasp on the language it would allow me to learn Spanish a bit easier. Spanish and French share some similarities.
Another thing that I love about the French people is that they are very body conscious without actively enforcing diets on themselves. Food is looked at in a totally different way than it is here. Food is something to enjoy not stress over. And their society is thinner because of this mindset. Here we stress too much over our weight and what food we can and can't eat. Its just a blase part of life there.
I also would love to visit because of the huge fashion industry in Paris. My whole love affair with Paris stemmed out of my love of fashion. It's one of the fashion Capitals of the world. I would just love to absorb everything about the trends there. I also want to hear what mainstream french pop and R&B sound like. Last night my friend introduced me to this attractive French R & B singer named M. Pokora. His music is obviously influenced by contemporary American R & B. I think its interesting that music is this commonality that the whole world can agree on.
Paris and Chicago are different but in the most basic ways they are similar. There is a difference in language obviously and the way that they live their lives. However the two are both world class cities, filled with most of the luxuries that grade A metropolitan areas possess. I think if I knew the language right now that I could go live in France with very little of a culture shock. That is just a blind assumption, but I like to think that there is some truth to that.
The list of things I would bring are very much a product of my generation. I definitely would need my zune filled with any french pop, electro-soul, or R&B that I could find. My laptop if I could get it to work properly. My most fashionable clothes. Some for summer, winter, and can't forget clubbing. I would never leave without checking out the nightlife. And of course spending money so that I can find new music and movies that I could never find in America.
I love the language, the way it sounds and the way it feels on your tongue. I don't speak it at all sadly. I learned it for two years in elementary school but that was so long ago I didn't really retain any it . I hope that during my hypothetical stay I would pick it up and begin to speak without the aid of a French/English dictionary. I don't want to look like a silly American for the whole six month trip. You know the kind who goes every where in the world and expects people to know English for their convenience. I want to make an effort to adapt to the culture. I know if I got a good grasp on the language it would allow me to learn Spanish a bit easier. Spanish and French share some similarities.
Another thing that I love about the French people is that they are very body conscious without actively enforcing diets on themselves. Food is looked at in a totally different way than it is here. Food is something to enjoy not stress over. And their society is thinner because of this mindset. Here we stress too much over our weight and what food we can and can't eat. Its just a blase part of life there.
I also would love to visit because of the huge fashion industry in Paris. My whole love affair with Paris stemmed out of my love of fashion. It's one of the fashion Capitals of the world. I would just love to absorb everything about the trends there. I also want to hear what mainstream french pop and R&B sound like. Last night my friend introduced me to this attractive French R & B singer named M. Pokora. His music is obviously influenced by contemporary American R & B. I think its interesting that music is this commonality that the whole world can agree on.
Paris and Chicago are different but in the most basic ways they are similar. There is a difference in language obviously and the way that they live their lives. However the two are both world class cities, filled with most of the luxuries that grade A metropolitan areas possess. I think if I knew the language right now that I could go live in France with very little of a culture shock. That is just a blind assumption, but I like to think that there is some truth to that.
Brasov, Romania
If I were able to travel for six months I would chose to visit Brasov, Romania and the cities around and possibly do some volunteer work to keep myself busy. Because of the larger Roma population within Brasov and Bucharest there are many orphanage volunteering opportunities.
I would take essential clothing for colder and warmer summers and I'd try to take my most comfortable asics and some sandals.
In terms of electronics, I'm embarrassed to say that I would not be able to live without my laptop or iPhone, both of which I would utilize for learning Romanian and the phone for common phrases while I'm out and about. I would also take my dslr and medium format camera to document my trip abroad and more so the people and families I meet.
More specifically, I would definitely find a map of my city
I'm very attached to my American trans fat diet, and I'd definitely make it a point to pack some trader joe joes (oreos) but I'm definately prepared for the typical soup, mămăligă and cabbage rolls. Yum.
I would take essential clothing for colder and warmer summers and I'd try to take my most comfortable asics and some sandals.
In terms of electronics, I'm embarrassed to say that I would not be able to live without my laptop or iPhone, both of which I would utilize for learning Romanian and the phone for common phrases while I'm out and about. I would also take my dslr and medium format camera to document my trip abroad and more so the people and families I meet.
More specifically, I would definitely find a map of my city
I'm very attached to my American trans fat diet, and I'd definitely make it a point to pack some trader joe joes (oreos) but I'm definately prepared for the typical soup, mămăligă and cabbage rolls. Yum.
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