Archive for April, 2009

Journal entry, April 4th 2009,

Milan – Lecco:

Today was beautiful, with sun throughout the morning and a light cloud cover through the afternoon. It was simply magnificent. I started this morning with a hot shower, some cold water on the rocks and a breakfast of peanut butter (heck yes!) and nutella. After that I had a chat with my room mates, wrote a little and then headed out into the city.

I had a train to catch and made it to the station just in time to receive an SMS telling me to take the next one. I waited for the train and got a good seat. As the two level train left the station it dropped into the tunnels and headed out of Milan. I was on my way! The train headed to Monza outside of the city and then on to Lake Como and the gorgeous town of Lecco. Better yet, I was to spend the entire afternoon and evening with a beautiful woman. I was antsy in my seat…excited and restless. I arrived at the stop and hopped off the train, sent a txt to my escort and waited outside the station. She arrived and off we went to pick up a date for her friend as well. Together the four of us sped off on the Autostrada to Lecco. Lecco is the town facing Como – where George Clooney lives (name dropping) – its picturesque…set into the mountains on the shores of Lake Como. With multi-colored homes and long lakeside pedestrian and car paths the city is a perfect Italian village.

As we arrived we were surprised to find a motorcycle rally taking place (Street bikes) and in addition, a student’s fundraiser for young children. The bicyclists were ages 8-14 and racing for their cause. Excited Italian parents shouted and screamed as their children sped past.

We continued our walk along the lakeside, stopping here and there to rest in the sun along the water.

After we returned to the heart of town, we took the car and headed over to another small town. When we arrived, we found a gelatoria and sat by the lakeside enjoying the quiet lap of waves, the noise of ducks scuttling around and our company. Later, we headed back into Milan. I ate dinner and am preparing for my trip to Biella tomorrow early morning.

With the passing of my uncle, comes the second affirmation that this lifestyle is viable. I miss him and I want to be a part of the ceremony that celebrates his life. However, at this juncture I do not see how that would be possible. I think that in the end he would rather that I continue on, follow my dream and press forward taking advantage, as he did, of every day. It’s a conflicted feeling. Return home, attend the funeral and celebrate his life with family…Or remain, celebrate his life alone, physically but mentally connected to my family and to him. A hard question.

Another question also arises. What is it that I must do now? I need to make decisions regarding my future and what I am planning to do as time passes. Looking at the decisions I’ve made, I realize I settle for something and grow to enjoy it without attaining a passionate burst of unstoppable will that would carry me toward a single end goal. Instead, I make do and work my way through the experience as though it were an exercise. Strange this connection to it and my experiences. International relations… a mixture of sociology, liberal arts, urban systems, planning, political science, public administration… what a trip. Throw into the mix a class on cultural awareness and dancing and you’ve got a real melting pot of ideas and disciplines. Not so much interdisciplinary as tutto disciplines. Ha.

Allora, che altro? Troppi, too much, always too much. There is a mixture of aggravation and motivation that keeps me constantly pushing forward seeking the next new experience, and because of this restless nomadic spirit I believe I need a constantly changing environment which is always demanding I develop new skills and relate to new experiences. Without it I get bogged down in a wrote pattern and my productivity and motivation falls.

Communque, there is a feeling in the air…change…a charge which is overwhelming. I’ve got a bit of work to do to finalize my current journey. Complete these videos, write summaries, cables, riassunti… sempre lavoro anche al mio paper on the future of Milano.

So much time is left yet it will fall away so quickly. And now is also a time of planning…a general outlook on the cities I must visit.