A Time To Be Thankful.

Logging into FaceBook nowadays has a 50/50 chance of potentially finding out some bad news you never thought imaginable. As I signed into my FB last night I stumbled upon a horrible post, a remembrance post of a girl I once had the pleasure of knowing. I was shocked. Could't move my hand to scroll any further for a solid 5 minutes. A girl one year younger than me had past away, tragically. I'm not sure how, I know little of the passing, but what I do know is that she had so much life within her and so much good to offer in this crazy world. That girl, that smiling, sassy and amazing spit fire was taken far to soon. For the little time I knew her she had one of the best personalities I stumbled upon that summer in 2011. She was someone who you instantly clicked with and you couldn't help but laugh when hearing her contagious laugh. It's almost surreal looking at pictures and seeing posts from hundreds of people remembering good times with her.

How is she gone?

That's life. 

It's a mystery.

One day you are talking to friends, laughing at a snapchat, trying to complete a project due the next day, going to the mall, watching your favorite Netflix show, everything is pretty good. And the next moment, all that is stripped away.  Life can be taken away in an instant, that all it takes, an instant. 

Coming across a tragedy such as thinks makes you think long and hard about all you have in your own life and all you have to be thankful for. 

As I found out the news, I texted my cousin and all we could say to each other is "I love you." Sometimes you just need to remind the ones you love how much you truly care for them. And even on random days, tell your family you love them, text your grandma, text your siblings, always make time for the ones you love because you never know when things can change. You never need a reason to spread love. 

There is little time in this lifetime to have anything but a positive outlook on things. Sure we all get down sometimes, sure we have our bad days where we feel close to nothing, but in the grand scheme of things we are ALL worth something and have a reason and purpose for being on this earth. 

Find that purpose.

Take control of your life and find your happiness.

And hey, don't forget your smile. 

Rest in the sweetest peace Jess, hope heaven opened you with open arms. You will never be forgotten. Fly high. 

So I can't fly home for the weekend?

IT'S COLUMBUS  DAY WEEKEND!!
CANT WAIT TO GO HOME AN-wait...wait..
Oh right I forgot, I'm in Europe. Mhm. Scratch that, looks like I'll be staying in Rome for the weekend.

My first columbus day weekend away from home. Isn't that strange. A year ago today I can clearly remember sleeping at my new house for the first time and being so excited about this new change. I think it was my second time being in the house and I was little overwhelmed by everything.

And now, I sit here in my dorm room thousands of miles away, experiencing a new change called ; Being away from everyone because of Study Abroad.

Don't get me wrong, I knew what I was getting myself into when I entered this program, but it's one thing talking about missing home and a whole other perspective when actually experiencing it during moments like this. I see snapchats, instagrams and those lovely facebook status about how everyone is reuniting with their families for the long weekend and it pulls at the heart strings a little.

I wish I could drive home right now, listen to some country and of course some Ariana Grande for the ride home, open my door and be greeted by my dog who would bark endlessly at me, see my mom running up to hug me and embracing her and not letting her go for about 5 minutes, having my dad be sitting at his computer buying his life away on amazon but realize I was home and give him the biggest bear hug, go upstairs to my room and see my giant stuffed elephant, peanut, that my best friend won for me at a fair and cuddle up into my bed until dinner, have a home cooked meal that my mom made just for me, see some of my high school pals even if it's just for a short time, drive over to my cousins house and watch home videos with her, and then when it would be time to go back to school stop by Dunkin Donuts just to make going back not too too bad.
But the reality of being away is I won't be hugging anyone, I won't be getting to reminisce on home videos and I certainly won't be getting Dunkin donuts. (oh how I miss my new England coffee)

This long weekend will be different no denying that, but I guess thats the price you pay for being able to do a million and one amazing things overseas. So everyone that is home, hug your dog a little tighter, tell your brother or sister you love them, spend some quality time with the family I'm talking a serious game of monopoly shut off the nextflix and actually enjoy each other! Family is all you have to lean back on in this world, so cherish it, because I would give anything to be in your shoes right now.

And as always, don't forget your smile :)

10 Favorites from September

Welcome to October people. What? October already. Snap. Well, I guess we should look back at my top 10 favorite things that I did/bought/became obsessed with during September.

10.) Facebook

I couldn't tell you the last time I have used facebook to this extent, but Facebook has become my second most used app..right next to twitter. Twitter you will always be my first love. I think why I love it so much is because all my pictures are in one place and organized, my family and friends can creep on me, I can talk to my friends on messenger if they don't know how to download whatsapp or viber (you guys really need to figure it out) and it's keeping me connected to America. Shout out to America, you are very missed.

9.) Wine

So I'm not a big Wine drinker, but here wine is all the rage. You can buy a very large bottle for a solid 3 euro and you can't pass up that opportunity. To my surprise, it's actually quiet good for being the cheapest bottle on the planet.

8.) Kikos

No this is not a name of a wanna be frat, but actually the name of possibly my new favorite makeup brand. I was running super low on my foundation so I walked into kiko and my face became magical again. There products are so light, inexpensive, but does the trick. For all those makeup lovers out there, If you ever go to Europe try and find a kiko you will be the happiest person on earth,

7.) Tea

When I tell you I had a huge hatred for tea back at home, you would probably never believe me now. For some strange reason all I have drank over here is tea. WHO AM I. I AM CONFUSED. Once I factimed my mom and she couldn't believe I was drinking tea she had to take about 5 minutes to come to terms with this new sophisticated Ali. Yeah that's right mom, I'm cultured.

6.) The metro

Oh oh oh...the metro. Something I wish was a little easier, but is one of the best forms of transportation. The only form of public transportation I used at home was my car. I don't even think I've been on the metro at home. I'm just a very sheltered child. But the metro here is the bomb.com. At first you think you will never make it on, but you just gotta push bitches out the way like your life depends on it. After that, everything is splendid..expect for smelling like everyones B.O after. But besides all that, I dig it.

5.) New found friends

Could that sound any more corny, yeah it probably could, but I'm over it. I have been lucky enough to have entered a study abroad program with some pretty great people and even luckier to have 4 closer girls to practically travel the world with. We all just somehow click and it's a reassuring feeling have close people here to give you that sense of home, when home is hundreds and thousands of miles away.

4.) Bus2Alps

Making my abroad experience that much better. This crew is the reason I'll be having some pretty sick instas and some life long memories. They take you on a bus to wherever you desire and are your tour guides, that end up becoming your friends, during your excursion. I recently just went to Oktoberfest, one of the best weekends thus far, and it was all thanks to them. I cannot wait to get back on the road with them. You guys rock.

3.) Italian Cuisine

So at first, our chef was serving us fish left and right and I can't say I'm a huge fan of the fishyness in front of me, but soon enough we were a group that enjoyed a nice hardy plate of meat. She has been making some amazing meals, I wish I could cook like her because if I did I would be set for life. The portions here a defiantly smaller, but I've come to realize this is a good thing for the waist line. I needed this.

2.) Being two arms length away from the pope

That's right, the pope and I are homies. We were lucky enough to sit at the papal audience and I was incredibly close to this amazing man. His presence was like any other and it was a little mind blowing being that close to him. It really didn't hit me until a few days later when I was just hanging out in my room and I was like, "hold up...I really just saw THEEEEE POPE."

1.) The moment I boarded the plane

Why is this my favorite moment, why wouldn't this be the least favorite moment??  Leaving all that I know and love behind. Well my friend, here's why. The majority of my life, I have been held back from no one other, but myself. Stepping onto that plane and knowing I wouldn't be returning for 3 and a half months was the scariest but most riveting moment I had in September.  From that moment, I proved to myself I was more independent than I thought and there was no time to over thinking what I was doing, it was all or nothing. And from that simple flight over to the other side of the world I have done more than I could ever imagined and have changed for only the better in my eyes. It's only a month in, but I know there is still so much more to come.


So there it is. The top 10 snazziest times in September.


Bring it on October.

Here is where I am 90% of my time.
TWITAH
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