Hello again to all my loyal followers- all 3 of you! This blog started as a way to document my travels during a graduate school institution in Italy one year ago. I envisioned at that time how this blog would become so much more than that. I envisioned for it to turn into a journal of my travels around the world. I am pleased to announce that my vision is becoming a reality in a few short months.

I will again visit Italy for the same graduate school institution for three weeks in May. This year I have been given the opportunity to present some research I have been working on with a few classmates. My co-presenter also happens to be one of my best friends which is a whole other level of excitement. Italy does not own party pants large enough to prepare for this trip. May the odds be ever in it's favor.

After my time at the institute, my oldest friend will meet me in Rome and from there he and I will spend the next month or so exploring more of Italy and then moving on to Monaco, France, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands and England. Heart be still. I do not even know where to begin with my excitement over this journey. Awkward flailing arms is about as accurate a description as I can provide.

The fun does not stop there. If you thought it did, then you should be ashamed of yourself. 

We will part ways in London at which time I will continue on to explore the rest of England, Scotland and Ireland. Is your mind blown yet? Mine is.

To say that I am excited about this trip is the understatement of a lifetime. The opportunity to grow and learn and eat and ride trains and learn new languages and meet amazing new people; The chance to see castles and international landmarks and drink amazing wine and visit historic breweries. The challenge to find my way around foreign places and maneuver cultures I am unfamiliar with. Three months of doing all of these things every single day is an absolute dream come true.

I cannot promise constant communication with you all, my loyal readers. I mean, I will be pretty busy going and doing and being. You know, galavanting around the world. I can assure you though that I will post plenty of highs and lows from this trip and provide at least one picture.. maybe two.

I have a travel pack. I have a starter stash of Euros. I have plane tickets. I have a loose itinerary. From here, the countdown starts and the excitement builds. Please try not to contain your excitement within over my travels, it will only manifest as a health issue if I had to guess- maybe a heart murmur or spontaneous combustion.

Keeps those ears perked, brew another pot of coffee and keep those eyes peeled for another update before my May departure!