Thursday, April 21, 2011

Lists: to go, to revisit, to live

Sitting at home with a lack of ability to plan anything of my life, I am thinking about all the places I still want to go someday. Some that I have been and would like to revisit and some that I could actually live in. The lists are in no particular order....

Places I still want to go: 
  1. Thailand 
  2.  Bali
  3. Japan
  4. Cuba
  5. Argentina
  6. Brazil
  7. Colombia 
  8. Uruguay 
  9. Morocco
  10. South Africa
  11. Sweden
  12. Hungary 
  13. Jamaica
  14. Puerto Rico
  15. Kenya
  16. Ireland
  17. Austria 
  18. Costa Rica
  19. Iceland
  20. Russia
  21. Philippines 
  22. Egypt
Places to go back to:
  1. Chile
  2. Greece (islands only) 
  3. Germany
  4. Canada 
  5. France
  6. Australia 
Places I would actually live: 
  1. Israel
  2. Northern European countries - Holland, Germany, Belgium
  3. France
  4. Chile
These probably don't even encompass all the places I would like to go, and I would definitely be up for going anywhere I was invited. I just know that I'm tired of traveling alone and would rather have shared memories with someone next time I travel. 

Who's up for an adventure? 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Flying, Cooking and Waiting...

Between March 4 and April 9 I took 13 flights, spent time in 6 different airports and spent several nights on couches and in hotels. Last weekend when I arrived home from San Francisco I woke up in the middle of the night and had no idea where I was, then I realized I was in my own bed. Ridiculous.

This was my view a lot last month

One would think that I must have had the most exciting month ever jetting all over, but in reality it was the most stressful month I have lived in a long time. I was flying all over the country for interviews which meant navigating airports, public transit, meeting new people everyday, formulating engaging questions to ask when I had none and wearing a suit all day (uncomfortable). And to top it off these interviews lasted at least 6, and up to 10 hours. It was a crazy whirlwind.

Sculpture in Millenium Park, Chicago

I am glad to have all of my interviews over, but I cannot breathe a sigh of relief yet. Now the time of waiting has commenced. All the schools correlated a day to tell you whether you are accepted, wait listed or denied to their program so decision day is also know as the most stressful day ever.

Since, I lost my job at the pizzeria for having to take too much time off, I have way too much time on my hands to be stressed and think about the future. Instead of sitting around and making myself crazy, I have taken up cooking and baking. I'm pretty sure I am gaining weight, but at least for a few hours a day I feel less stressed and I am becoming quite a good cook!

I have made indian, mexican, israeli, american, italian and vegan dishes. I have been making things I have wanted to do for years, but never had the time to. This week I plan to again make indian food and try my hand at gnocchi. Plus my roommate and I are hosting a brunch this weekend (the day before I find everything out).

I'm trying to turn my time and stress into something productive, but it is only a mild distraction. I can't wait until this is all over and a distant memory. I need to plan more than a menu, like my life.

Until then waiting, waiting, waiting, thinking, waiting....

And if you're hungry this week, please let me know what I can make you!