comfort in not knowing

there's comfort in not knowing what others are talking about. to be immersed in a different language and not be able to comprehend every word that is uttered. there's a certain peace in that. there are just some things i'd rather not hear. like when we were children and everything that concerned us were the basic things in life. and then we grew up.

i spent the day moving in my new flat, getting h.gladys fixed, hanging out with the mexicans, shopping, hanging out with italian couchsurfers and then heading back to galilei. all the spanish and italian around me assures there is so much to learn.

although

there is also comfort in knowing that if you are just itching to do it,there are countries like italy where you can be sure your doing it safe.

goes and wanders

oh to be a fish at a time like this

today i wished i was a fish so i could swim the canals of venice.
venice is a dream. i am quite glad it rained while i was in venice today. at least one type of weather is down and since its usually sunny, i can come back again for those pics. then once again for autumn or winter in venice. also, at night! i was just too tired and lazy to wait for it to be dark and see the lighted venice.

before going,i passed the saturday market in prato to check out one of the stores where one of the filipinos i met in the supermarket work. having been tempted by moccasins for such a long time, i had to give in. converting it to peso, they weren't exactly cheap but what the hell. let that pair be my first indulgence and hopefully, it won't be followed anytime soon.

parking my bark in front of the station, i took the train to venice, a good 30 mins or so...cost me 2.90euros. pretty uneventful ride. arriving in venezia s.lucia, yet again, i found myself at awe and disbelief that i was actually there. seeing the grand canal as i exited the station was just...inexplicable. then i let myself get lost once again, only following signs of going to rialto or san marco, oftentimes still getting confused with signs. saturday made sure it was full of tourists but since it rained, i guess the number was not at its worst yet. sono mangiato genovese 3 in crazy bar e gelato nocciola e stracciatella. being a lone wanderer pushes me to find ways of getting my picture without looking too much like a desperate tourist. setting my timer and placing the camera in odd places. i like this picture of an old couple. i was walking back to ferrovia and i saw them when i looked up in one of the alleys. i smiled and they smiled back and i motioned if i can take their picture and they smiled and gestured it's ok. it strikes me. seeing them spend their afternoon looking out to the street. together. satisfied. peaceful. kinda makes me wonder who they are, their history and other stuff about them.

the train back to padova was more eventful...after having to change platforms after not understanding the PA system, seats in the train were all occupied. met 3 venezuelan boys on a eurotrip as they were all standing beside me, tired and wanting to sit down. after the venezuelans left, i met a filipina and her german husband travelling in italy with their cute baby. and after they alighted, i talked to 2 girls who i heard speak english earlier. they are from nebraska and were on a eurotrip. i invited them over to padova as they wanted to see it too. and they have yet to set it. to all of these people i met, i gave my contacts in facebook or my number here. here's the usual plus point i notice when i travel alone. i dont care about who i talk to. and end up having great conversations with these travelers. i do hope they dont think im some weirdo. haha

bike home. billa. cook dinner.

goes and wanders

couchsurfing experience in padova

yet again, i must take a moment to thank all the people who make couchsurfing.org possible. i have had four great hosts; Oliver - a german guy in shanghai, china, Miguel - a mexican erasmus student here in padova, Emma - a beautiful italian lady in vigodarzere, padova and Roby - an italian student who is skipping this year to travel (i am writing this entry while i am on Roby's couch.)

after getting off the bus from the airport, along with the other filipinos, we walked a few blocks until they found a hotel and me and a couple of them found a taxi. miguel's address was supposedly beside the housing the program was offering to us but turns out i was actually surfing in the same housing i was going to be living in on monday and miguel's flat is right across the other pinoys....what a pleasant coincidence. small small world.

morning after, chatted with miguel and edith, his girlfriend. went to the grocery(Billa) and took the bus to the city center to talk with elisa to fix our papers for the school and staying in italy. then, miguel and edith brought me to the black market at giardini and got my first stolen bike for 15 euros! my first ever illegal transaction in italy! besides jaywalking the night before...first gelato as well! ferrero flavor! they call the flavor bacio which means kiss in english! sono mangiato gelato ferrero! trying out my italian here...


then the next day, Emma picked me up from miguel's and went to her place up north. this was definitely a food trip. although she is a vegan, she still made sure i had meat and bought turkey in the market. many firsts here as well, first tortellini with spinach and cheese inside. my first train ride in italy as well! from padova to vigodarzere which lasted only 5 minutes. she showed me around the city as well...went to the saturday market and also bought my sim card!

right now, i am at Roby's. i met up with him and his friends in the mensa, a university cafeteria. very cool guy, he has taught me the essential bad words and how to get around in the city in terms of where to go, what to do, etc..i had my first drink in italy with him in the city last night and it as all the other things that ive been experiencing was surreal...its cool, chatting with him reminded me of so many things about myself. he likes the same stuff as i do, travelling, into the wild, books, etc...parang italian counterpart.

it has been great and i know it will be even greater. the three hosts ive had here were very essential in making me feel at home. each had shared with me very useful stuff for my survival. miguel with his foreigner point of view on things, emma with her knowledge of so many things italian and roby with his italian college life culture. i should be all set because of all their help.

goes and wanders

p.s. sorry, a bit badly written, thoughts were all over the place. :D
picture with emma and the place where i bought my stolen bike! look closely and there's some dude on his way to bring the bike to an interested client

welcome to italy

i have been itching to write so as not to overload my head with so much to write. tomorrow night, it will be a week since i arrived in padua, italy.

hours before the flight:
i was still quite tired from all the packing and despedidas. my bags were overweight but being nice to the persons in the check-in counter paid off. 27kilos and terribly more than 7 kilos for my handcarry. sent my last farewell messages, made my last few calls and read all the notes on the books i brought on the plane made by some of the most important people in my life. i admit, all the emotions got in the way of being a prepared traveler.

11:16am GMT +8 - officially airborne and off manila ground

11:47pm GMT +8 - wheels touch amsterdam soil in schiphol airport

5:22am GMT +8 - wheels touch italian soil in marco polo airport

me and the other filipinos took the 12am SITA bus to padova...
i already had to decide as to which couchsurfer host i was to spend the night as i accidentally booked two for the night. i called miguel rubio, an erasmus student as well and said id be taking the so and so bus to padova. then i had to call emma peron and asked if it was possible to move the dates of my surfing to two nights later, fortunately, she agreed. before she hung up, she said,
welcome to italy.

goes and wanders

LAST FEW HOURS

im leaving.

im scared.

im exhausted.

"the reason we travel goes beond the desire to see pretty places or try new foods. we travel in order to broaden our horizons -- to expose ourselves to new ways of thinking and behaving. we travel to better ourselves, to experience things that we can apply to our lives back home." this is patsy's text to me a few hours ago

ill miss home but ill come back a new man enriched with new experiences.

goes and wanders

3 days

one chapter of my life is about to end and a new one will begin in 3 days.
change is inevitable as they say but knowing it does not make it easier.
i've been struggling on how to let go of what i'll miss here...all this time i've been wanting to leave and few days before i actually do, i suddenly burst into tears (true story: at my despedida, the mix of alcohol and getting together with some of the best people in my world did it. what a crybaby)

i am scared of what i will be facing in the next few months. the next few days will be for me to say goodbye...imprinting a few memories of the people i love for me to keep sane in the land of pizza and pasta.

goes and wanders

10 days

10 days.
i like to think i've patched up some things that need patching before i leave.
i guess time will tell.
_____________________

i have two shows left for tick, tick BOOM!
last night's show was amazing.
here's the plan, after my last show on the 15th either i push through with going to the beach or straight to my 5 day packing strategy (i still have to get started on that strategy though)
i am really hoping the beach would push through though

some friends are leaving for france on the 19th and they'll be there til january and a few days after i leave a good friend will also be in italy for a weekend...

do i really want to leave?

goes and wanders