It all began 5 years ago...

I remember as I applied to colleges my senior year in high school, I felt like I wanted to take some time off and travel. I cornered my Dad in the kitchen one day and told him of my concerns about college. And his words still ring in my head, " If you do not got to college now, will you ever go? It's harder to go once you are older." I took his advice and accepted to go to college. I graduated high school and chose to go to Stockton Unviversity. 

 Fast forward two years: 

“Everyone will have to write a story about an uncomfortable experience,” explained my Professor in my college sophomore writing class. I thought to myself, I am living my uncomfortable experience right now. College, I pondered, is my uncomfortable experience. As I sat in class, I thought what I would do if I was not in school? Travel...it was a thought always on my heart and I finally admitted to myself I needed to go somewhere new and different. But where? Italy- Italy would be my escape from this uncomfortable experience. 

Why Italy you ask? I took Italian in high school and I became fascinated by the language. It was easy to read and fun to say. Italy- I would perfect my rusty Italian and eat lots of pasta while staring at the Colosseum in Rome. But first- I had to do something about this uncomfortable experience. I had to fill out the leave of absence form and actually hand it in to the Registrar’s office.

How surreal, after many sleepless nights and talking with my roommate and parents. I gathered enough courage to check the leave of absence box and hand in the form. What an exhilarating feeling, for once in my life, I felt that I was making a decision for myself.

I booked my flight to Rome (advice to those who want to travel book the flight the money makes you commit to the journey!) and paid for my WWOOF Italia membership.

Side note: WWOOF stands for World Wide Opporuntites on Organic Farms or Willing Workers on Organic Farms, it is a loose network of national organizations that facilitate placement of volunteers on organic farms. 

On September 27, 2011, I arrived at Rome Fiumicino Airport and somehow made my way to the Termini Train Station and onto a bus to my first farm in Lanciano, Abruzzo, Italy.

The view from the bus in Italia!

The most beautiful mountains I had ever seen

Tunnel to new beginnings

Whoa- where had I arrived?

View of olives and vineyards and the sea.

Did you know olives are purple first and then they turn green?

One of the houses at the farm- the wwoofer house.

Home of Carlo and Gunda and children Lorena and Moreno,

my gracious hosts for the next month

View of farm from the top

Gunda loved horses and taught riding lessons 

I think they owned 5 horses

My horse friends

View of the farm from the bottom

Check out those olive trees

Oh the hammock.. many siestas  (naps) were taken here

Vegetable Garden at the Farm

Delcious simple meal,

 the last of summer's bounty from the garden

Pizza with prosciutto on it

Ham goes on everything here

Mezza Luna (half moon) cookies

Filled with grape jam and topped with powdered sugar

Apples picked off the farm by yours truly, and  homemade crust made by Gunda

Delicious apple tart anyone?

I heart Italy

Sunday Feast!

La'Roo, another Woofer, cooking the chicken

Friends, Family, Woofers, eating the delcious chicken and fresh pasta

Mangia! Mangia!

Carlos, our host and owner of the Farm

Talking, always talking,,,

The sign I made for my hosts

It says, " Welcome friends"

All the Woofers hanging out by the fire 

Grapes picked for vino (wine)

Homemade Vino

Straining our concoction

Collecting the finished product

Homemade Gnocchi

Also know as pasta with potatoes

It was like they knew how much I love pasta and potatoes

and they invented gnocchi just for me

German wheat grinder Gunda brought with her

when she emmigrated to Italy

Homemade (you see a theme here) bread

I made the bread!!! 

We used the grinder to make the wheat for the bread

Erin and her men 

aka the three other three Woofers I mostly worked with

And drum roll please.... Rome!

And I made it to the Colosseum too!

Look- there I am-can you spot me?

And of course I look a tour of the inside...

Where am I write now is this real?

Please check back for more blog posts about Italy- making ravioli at the first farm, the Hills are Alive with the sound of Tuscany-my adventures on the second farm in Italy, and my adventures to Rome, Florence ans Siena.