Challenge Accepted

Today I went on a field trip to the Mazzei Company Winery. My professor told me we could go and it would be free because our class is doing a project for them. 

That opportunity was not about to be passed up- I jumped on it immediately, and I am so glad I did.

I finally got to see (a very small) part of the hills of Tuscany.

When we arrived I was actually very surprised at the main building where everything is done. It was small and modern. I guess many wineries are switching over to this type of design and vision for their business. I always thought of Italian wineries, or any wineries for that matter, housed in an old castle-like place that is oozing with history, culture, and wisdom. 

Either way- the speaker had my full attention- I was ready to learn about some wine!

I saw how it was made, blended, aged, and finally bottled. 

The I got to drink some. =] Not like a $15.00 bottle- I am talking wine priced at 70.00 Euro. I won't lie- I felt a little fancy.

After, when we were driving through the breathtaking hills to get to good ol' Florence I started thinking about my experience so far, and how fast time has flown by already. 

"I am driving through the hills of Tuscany. I literally got tired of taking pictures of the landscape. It doesn't capture the essence and feeling you get when you see it- so I thought I would just enjoy it.

This has made me realize how comfortable I have gotten with the Florence life. It makes me uncomfortable to think how quickly a person can get used to their surroundings, no matter the situation. The past half hour, the ideas, goals, dreams, and challenges I have set for myself have been running through my head. I cannot let myself forget them- I can't let myself forget them. I know that as I am here and I learn more and more, my "bucket list" is only going to grow.

I am reminding myself of this because believe it or not, I have already began to lose focus. Not necessarily from an academic perspective, but more so in my own life:

Which I think is the worst because usually these are the aspirations that other people don't know about- so there is no one to keep you on track or point out when you are veering off the path. It is me myself and I that needs to remember why I am here and the type of person I want to be when I leave. 

 People seem to find a niche, then fall into a comfort zone which allows us to subconsciously  limit ourselves in terms of potential and growth. My plan when coming here was to NOT do that. So therefore, I had to actually tell myself to keep pushing and challenging myself by doing things that seem scary, difficult, even impossible. Allowing myself to be open like this is only going to enhance my time here. 

Falling into that "rut" is my biggest fear I think. Not seeing all of Europe or Italy is something I can live with, but not doing all I know NEED to experience, enjoy, and see, will be something I can never get back or do later in life. The time is now. I need to make the most out of each day- each moment even. I am here to learn- for my education and career yes, but mainly about myself- my ambition, drive, and passion."

 So all of these thoughts came into my mind when reflecting on last night's Valentine's Day celebrations. I run with a large group, so it is hard to plan things, but for some reason I was put in charge of the dinner selection. Even though a majority of us wanted to go to a romantic Italian restaurant (with a pack of girls no less), my roommates ended up booking an Argentine place. To say the least, I was upset. I figured I came here to eat Italian, not Hispanic, and if I wanted that type of food I would have studied there. I was being ridiculous basically. To give myself the smallest credit though, many people did not participate because of said restaurant choices, so I was not alone in this feeling. 

Half way through the dinner- after I ordered a pizza just to be difficult, I stopped and noticed how good of a time we were all having.  My narrow mindedness blocked me from seeing that I should be open to everything- who cares where we go? It is the experience, not the location. Later on I apologized, for being 5 years old and ended up having an amazing night. 

Good news- I made it to a secret bakery! Turns out it is literally down the street from my apartment. Go figure. That may be dangerous as time goes on. I know what people mean now when they say "follow the smell." It is so true.  

This story is very much a ... I guess "textbook" example of how not to behave or think, but it is stupid stuff like that that get people caught up, it leads to other limitations. Thinking about it also got my thinking about how much I have fallen into a routine with classes, friends, and activities. I will not form a clutch here that hinders the independent "gun-ho" spirit I had on day three. I will not I will not I will not.

I WILL:

Try new things.

Be crazy/adventurous. 

Accomplish something everyday.

Everyone back home keep these things and this type of mentality in mind too. You may get a whole new perspective on your life. 

**My mind is sometimes all over the place with this type of stuff- so if it doesn't make sense. I'm sorry. It does up in my noggin.**

 Okay Ciao!!