Venerdi 02.05.09

After a failed day trip attempt to Lago di Maggiore the day before, we packed up again and left for Torino on Friday.We saw the shroud of Turin, the cinema museum, and one of the best Egyptian museums (second only to Cairo).The city had wide avenues and plenty of piazzas and we took full advantage of tasting the chocolate that they're famous for.Consequently, we did not get to indulge in their other inventions: martinis and tictacs.Have to leave something for next time…

Anyway, I was in a writing mood on the train ride home for some reason and grabbed a paper bag and a pen to get this out of my head:

More and more I have been losing interest in describing things that I do and see to gravitate more toward describing how they make me feel.I know on the one hand, this seems inefficient because when I look back at my experience here, I will most certainly remember how I felt; it's already ingrained.On the other hand, I feel it's very important to put my emotions and observations into words and what better place to do so than in my blog, my space for recording memories.That said, I'd like to put down a few things that I was reflecting upon on the train ride back from Torino:

1.When people make stupid comments, my first thought is, "How unnecessary."

2.I like being silly with people probably more than I like being serious with them.

3.I never hesitate to express positive things I'm thinking about someone because I know how much genuine compliments lift people's spirits, mine included.

4.When I'm exhausted, it's difficult to maintain the balance of focusing on my own inner thoughts while listening to others express theirs.This is one of the most frustrating and embarrassing things for me as it reveals my struggle to first, grasp at something witty to say and second, even appear interested at all.

5.I don't give people nicknames, though it's not that I refuse to do so. In fact, I quite like to hear other people use them.It's just that I have never personally assigned one that stuck and that worries me for some reason.

6.It also worries me that usually I'm the girl that says, "Oh that would be crazy" or "That doesn't sound like a good idea."I rectify this by usually being the one easiest to convince with a little encouragement.Peer pressure: bringing riskiness to your doorstep since the dawn of time.

7.I like getting dirty only when there is a legitimate purpose, like gardening or hiking.Working out usually doesn't qualify as a legitimate reason but maybe that's because I would describe it as being sweaty, not dirty.

8.My favorite sound is church bells ringing and even though I know that they sound every hour, I'm always surprised and so stop to listen, feeling that they are just for me.

9.At least once a day I reflect on how the little things in life seem to work out in the oddest ways.It's never a conscious decision, it just always seems like life reminds me somehow or another how everything is so interconnected and for that, I am extremely grateful.

Whether or not these things were obvious about my personality before this trip, they have been fully brought into the light by traveling with a highly diverse group of people for almost 5 months.In a situation like this, I have learned that 1) there is no point to keeping secrets and 2) you might as well be honest with yourself about your flaws and your merits because it's just a matter of time before someone points them out.