Italy

        One of the places I have wanted to visit for the longest time is Italy. Most of my childhood was spent around my dad's (now ex) girlfriend, Gina. She spent a good amount of time there and I always used to ask her about her experiences. She made this life-changing, homemade, from scratch tomato spaghetti sauce that she learned to make while living in Italy. It originally took about two days to cook, but she condensed it to 8 hours. That is just one example of the beauty of Italian people and their culture, the time and care you take to perfect this masterpiece of a dish that would be devoured in one night's supper is admirable. I have always had an appreciation for good food from the preparation to the plating which has most likely stemmed from Gina's influence as well as that of my grandma. Not much American food has the quality level and effort put into it as Italian, so I'm always looking for great flavors and superiority in ingredients. Another thing I've always admired that contributes to the beauty of everything Italiano is the language. They way it rolls off the tongue of a native speaker and the flow of the words has always been soothing to me. For this reason I have a classic Italian radio station on my Pandora account that I listen to it when I'm going to sleep, or any time I feel like it which, to be honest, is pretty often. Even though I can't understand the exact words they're singing, I almost feel as if I still know what they mean, by the pitch and the music that goes along with the foreign lyrics.
         The art one would find riddled in the streets will blow me away. Sculptures and statues, fountains, and architecture are all examples of fine art that I, personally, tend to hold at high value. Venetian canals and the hustle of down town Milan during fashion season are things I very much look forward to experiencing. I love to run, so going for an early morning run along one of the less famous, but comparably aesthetic, local, beaches and watching the sun rise is to dream of, but one day I hope to make it a reality and a treasured memory. The reason I want to go to more of a "local" beach is because I have learned, from the people of Kona, Hawaii, that the most amazing beaches are usually not tourist attractions. Only the locals know about them, most of the time. You really have to bother people to give up thee secret spots and meant it when you swear not to tell. When I'm there I don't want to stay in a Marriott hotel room or anything fancy. I want to find something like a family owned inn that's generations old and stay there, with the real people, good people. I will not have a cell phone or computer. Just paper, stamps, clothes and a camera. I also want to be aware of myself and know not to miss anything because i've got my eye focused on the view finder of a camera.
        Whenever I am day dreaming of my trips around the world, I often find myself turning to the internet and Google Earth to get my fix of stunning scenery in. My innate addiction for exploration and discovery of new things grows with every picture link I click on and every search engine is an enabler. This desire is truly a drug to me. It consumes my thoughts every day, no matter what I would do, I couldn't shake it, and I don't want to.
      

The Kick Off..

            As far back as I can remember, I've been telling people that, "I'm going to see the world." I still plan on doing so. Even though I dislike making plans, that's just a general statement I intend to follow, even if it takes my whole life to do. The main areas I want to hit are; all of Europe, South Africa, South America, India, Western Russia, China, Japan, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Guam, the Middle East, The Poles, Fiji, Samoa, and Polynesia. One of my goals is to, by the time I've settled down and had a family, be able to have my grandkids point to anywhere on a globe and I'll be able to say that I've been there. I want to be like an anthropologist in the sense that I will assimilate into the culture of the people I surround myself with, to really find out what they are like. I want to be like them, eat where they eat, stay where they stay and go where they go. I'll try to stay away from the tourist's patterns of travel. I don't want to just visit, I want to explore. I don't want to miss anything. 

           This blog's purpose is for me to have an outlet for research on the places I want to go, pictures I find, my desires, in terms of what I want to do when I get there, and many more things on the subject of travel. Because this blog is mostly for me, I'll write a little about myself. My name is Tatiana, I'm 15 and I live in Southern California with my father. I was born in Hawaii and I have three half siblings. My younger brother and sister still live there with my mom. My only older sister lives in Oregon, she is 22. My family is broken up over the U.S, but it's no tragedy, it's just reality. Some of my interests are photography, horseback riding and anything you can do at the beach. I'm a very athletic person, but due to shoulder injuries, I can't play basketball for my school anymore. I just run a few times a week now. I have no tolerance for liars and don't have a problem telling it like it is. I love life and will never stop living it to the fullest extent.