FLORENTINE DAYS TO NYC NIGHTS

If I have to sum up my year in Italy in three words, they would be "Eat, Work, Love."

I ate a lot. From All' Antico Vinaio's l'inferno Panino to Penne Al Ragù, I chowed down delicious meals everyday in Florence where the food is as savoring as the views of the Arno sunset. I even learned to cook a handful of new dishes including Spaghetti Alla Cabonara, Gnocchi and Tiramisu.

I worked a lot. For a girl who wasn't allowed to work for the first time in five years (because I didn’t have a work permit in Italy), I worked a bit much. I took online courses in addition to my in-class courses, blogged monthly for the school's website, interned at a non-profit Italian concept store, and served as the president of the student activities club. In other words, I was greedy and wanted to do it all.

I loved a lot. I fell in love with Giulio when I saw him in Yoshi costume on Halloween. I was Mario. A visibly drunk Italian lady pulled me over that night and told me what a lucky girl I was. I knew it then and I know it now. 

Where am I in my life now?

Three months shy of turning 25 years old, I have been working a full time job in Midtown Manhattan in apparel wholesale since graduation. And yes, I still have my braces on but that’s a story for another day.

I’m still eating a lot. Most of the times, it’s at my desk in front of my two monitors as I shift between Excel spreadsheets, Power Point decks and my Outlook inbox. Other times, it is documented on Instagram or on YouTube.

I’m still working a lot. I have poured all my work ethic and energy into my 9 to 5. In the first two years, it was usually 7 to 7.

I’m still loving a lot. Giulio moved to New York, and we now live together with our cat, Allie, in a one bedroom apartment. They are my home.

Since my last blog post four years ago, I have been growing up just like everyone else; making mistakes and memories. I have stories to show and tell - more to come on that. Overall, while I have gained confidence in some areas of my personality and purpose, I have grown more insecure with my passion. In going through motions of life, wanting to avoid grammatical errors and not wanting to say too much that I can’t erase, I have been careful with the content I’ve created publicly. Photos and videos with minimal text are cool and all but I would like to incorporate writing here and there again.

There’s so much going on in the world right now, and after randomly watching ‘Our Planet’ on Netflix and remembering how small, fragile and insignificant I am, I am feeling inspired. (Strange but it’s a great feeling.) Let’s catch up and pick up where we left off!

I’ll give it my 100%. Even if I miss the mark, I hope to learn and grow from it.

Love,

May