Snow Is Syracuse

When I made the decision to attend Syracuse University, the first thing people said to me was... "You know it snows a lot up there?!"

Well yes, I heard that rumor, but that did not keep me from attending SU.  I mean, how bad could it really be?

The past three years, the winters have not been that bad.  It snowed an occasional eight inches at a time and it would continue day after day after day, but it really didn't snow the way people were telling me it would.  I was just talking to someone about how we have been having mild winters for Syracuse.  And then, December 2010 hit, and the first snowstorm we got was the biggest snow storm I have ever seen.  It just did not stop.

Each day, I went outside to remove the snow from the roof of my car.  It was so thick I had to shovel it off.

It is a whole different world when it snows that much.  But, I do not have one complaint because it truly makes for a new adventure all on its own!

Snow Stuck!

Sibericuse, NY:  It started snowing around 9 p.m. on Friday December 3, 2010 if I remember correctly.  We were in a taxi on our way to test out our vocal abilities at a Karaoke bar called Singers.  By the time we left, snow was beginning to accumulate.  This would be the last time we would see that a concrete ground even existed.  The snow continued to fall...Saturday into Sunday into Monday into Tuesday into Wednesday.  The snow momentarily stopped on Wednesday.  And each day, I went outside to dig my car out because I knew that I was going to have to do my final story for my broadcast class on Thursday.  When I woke up Thursday morning, I made the decision to postpone my graffiti story until next semester.  There was no way I was going to get my car out of my parking lot.  This obstacle immediately sparked a story idea:  Syracuse University Off-Campus Residents Stuck Shoveling Out... 

Waiting!

I get extremely frustrated when I wait over 15 minutes for a doctor appointment.  So for my one credit class, CONNECT, I decided to put together a commentary expressing how much I dislike waiting for an appointment that ends up lasting no more than five minutes.

Imagine Never Feeling Full...

7:30 a.m. :: wake up... 
8:30 a.m. :: interview with the Graduate Assistant of the Office of Engagement Programs at Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University...
9:30 a.m. :: interview with the Public Relations Coordinator at the Food Bank of Central New York...
10:30 a.m. :: tried to interview people on the street (MOS=man on the street) about their donating practices...not one person talked to us.  My partner and I must have asked 12 people.  Some people said they were running late.  Others just said no.  One person said he could not talk about that issue...
11:30 a.m. :: put gas in my car, ate lunch, organized information in order to chose a clear focus, thought about what I was going to say in my stand-up...
12:30 p.m. :: interview with volunteers at the Elmwood Interfaith Pantry...
2:00 p.m. :: transcribed interviews, logged video, captured interviews and video into AVID...
4:00 p.m. :: began writing my story...
6:00 p.m. :: recorded voice tracks...
6:20 p.m. :: ran into my professor who suggest I change a few things and who also told me my script looked waayyyyyy too long...
6:30 p.m. :: re-wrote script...re-re-re-wrote...re-re-re-re-wrote...re-tracked voice tracks...
7:00 p.m. :: edited package...
8:00 p.m. :: exported package and left Newhouse at 8:02 p.m.!!!
Finished writing the web version of my story a little after 10 p.m.
12:00 a.m. :: bedtime...

Favorite part of my day=talking to men and women over the age of 80 about their love for volunteering...

"Oyy Yeahhh" Toronto

I've always wanted to go to the airport without any idea of where I would go next.  I love the idea of taking spontaneous trips.  So I am always thinking about easy opportunities to go to new places.  I was in class and a thought about going to Canada for a weekend popped into my head.  I immediately texted one of my roommates and without hesitation she said she wanted to go.

Unlike adventures you say you are going to plan, but never do...this one actually became a reality. 

It only took us a little over four hours to get there.  We arrived in Toronto just in time for lunch.  I told my roommate we had to go to this dim sum restaurant on the harbor of Lake Ontario.  The Pearl has one of the best dim sum menus.  My mom goes to Toronto just to eat at this restaurant.  Dim sum is a Chinese dish that is made of a variety of different foods served in steamers.  The different items on the dim sum menu are pushed around the restaurant on carts and when they come to your table you can chose what you want to eat.  They have all different kinds of steamed dumplings, from pork to shrimp to vegetable.  They have sticky rice that is served inside a lotus leaf and many different types of noodles and wontons.  And of course they have dessert.  I get the same dessert no matter where I get dim sum:  Jin deui.  It has an unexplainable consistency.  It is a ball of dough that is rolled in sesame seeds and inside is a sweet bean paste.  Delicious!

I believe eating is a huge part of exploring a city.  But that is not all we did while we were in Toronto.  We walked through Eaton Centre, which is an enormous overwhelming shopping hub.  It was so crowded, we decided we did not need to buy anything.  Once we left, we just walked.  Looking up and down and all around.  We took a break from walking and enjoyed the live entertainment in Dundas Square.  And the last touristy thing we did was to glide to the top of the CN Tower.  At the top level of the tower, there is a section of the floor that is completely glass allowing you to look 1,465 feet down.  I am not afraid of heights, but I definitely felt an uneasiness in my stomach as I lifted my foot and lowered it onto the glass floor.  A lady caught on to our laughter that was generated by an uncomfortable emotion and told us the glass is actually stronger than the concrete!  I found that fact to be absolutely incredible. 

We ended our trip by driving to Greektown, which was only a ten minute drive from our hotel.  And besides walking down the street peeping through windows, we stopped to eat lunch at Mezes.  We ordered Dolmades (or grapeleaves), lamp chops, Gemista (which I tried for the first time and loved), and Skordalia.  This is my favorite way to eat:  trying a little bit of everything!  That saying is also true for how I like to live my life!

Air Purification in Pulaski, NY

For my International Entrepreneurship class, the Executive Vice President of HealthWay, Vinny Lobdell came in to talk to us about his company and his experiences in international business.  I was so intrigued by what he had to say, I decided to further research air purification systems.  For my fourth story in my Broadcast and Digital Journalism class, my partner and I went to Pulaski, NY to see where the manufacturing of HealthWay purifiers took place and what the whole operation was all about!

Colors of Fall

Green Lakes State Park in the Fall...

Enjoyable Sunday Run...

I could spend all day here!

Four Loko!

At less than three dollars a can and four times the amount of alcohol in a light beer, the alcoholic energy drink, Four Loko, has been a popular drink of choice at college campuses.  There have been many mixed reactions and concerns about its affects at Syracuse University.  For my broadcast journalism class, my partner and I put together a story about these popular alcoholic energy drinks.

Hidden Escapes in Central New York

Green Lakes! New York State Fair!! Skaneateles and Otisco Lake!!!

Three fabulous experiences that kicked off my senior year.

1. Green Lakes State Park: Fayetteville, NY

My one roommate, Sarah, and I love to run around the trail that outlines the glacial lakes known as Green Lakes. Running around the largest lake ends up being just under a two mile run. But if you add in the smaller lake, known as Round Lake, the run turns into about a three mile run. The scenery is gorgeous. When I run I completely forget I am running because I become consumed by my surroundings.

The water looks like a pond of blue Kool-Aid. You know what would be a better description of the color of the lake...the color of the blue raspberry fruit by the foot snack! The lake is intermixed with greens and blues of multiple shades, and the green trees that outline the lake further accentuate the incredible colors of the lake. Green Lakes and Round lake are known as meromictic lakes, which means the different layers of the water do not intermix. Because of this characteristic, distinct layers of color can clearly be seen.

2. New York State Fair: Syracuse, NY

The fair for the entire state of New York is located in Syracuse. This was the first time I went to the state fair. It was just what I thought it was going to be like except it was a lot bigger than I imagined. Hundreds of cows were lined up. We saw: chickens, alpacas, sea lions, a butter sculpture, a man playing more than 10 instruments and much much more...

But the best part of the fair was of course the food!

Let me clarify that....the FRIED food. We had deep fried oreos and deep fried reese's cups. Followed by a wine slushy. The state fair was the first time I have ever heard about wine slushies, and they were delicious. I also tried a barbeque pulled pork sandwich. And finally, four of us girls split a bag full of sugar and cinnamon donuts. I am pretty positive I didn't leave anything out!

3. Two of the Five Finger Lakes: Skaneateles and Otisco

The drive down 81-S to the Finger Lakes is an adventure in itself. The landscape of Central New York makes a car ride so much more enjoyable. My roommate and I could not wait to pull over to take a picture.

We went to a cabin that was situated on Otisco Lake. There was a dock right on the water and you could see almost the entire lake and its surroundings. It was beautiful.

After we stared into the distance for quite a long time, we went to a community fair.

A firework finale is always an incredible way to end a night...

***

I love being outdoors. I love hiking. And I love exploring. The more I get away from Syracuse University the more I realize how much of a bubble the campus is. Syracuse University sits on top of a pristine hill with a capsule surrounding it. I do love the university, but sometimes you just need to get away and explore your surroundings.  I plan on continuing to explore what Central New York has to offer!

If you could go anywhere in the world...

CONNECT is the name of a one credit class that focuses on producing a half an hour public affairs show.  For each show we try to include a Vox Populi, Voice of the People, piece.  Members of CONNECT went to four different locations downtown at Armory Square, at the intersection of Fayette and Salina Streets, on the Syracuse University hill at the corner of Marshall and S. Crouse Streets, and at Carousel Mall and asked 110 people three different questions.

1.  What is one interesting thing most people do not know about Syracuse?

2.  If you could kick one state out of the United States, which state would you like to see go and why?

3.  If you could go anywhere in the world right now where would you go and why?
 
I put together the piece for the last question for my third semester of CONNECT...

So if you could go anywhere in the world right now...where would you go and why?!


Voice of the People

Apples. Apples. Apples.

There is a first time for everything...Apple picking in Central New York.  There are many apple farms throughout Central New York that are set up so people can pick the apples right off of the trees.  The one I went to this fall was called Beak and Skiff.  I never picked apples off of a tree before and I've never baked an apple pie by myself.  Well I can no longer say "never have I ever" to those two things because I managed to do both in one day.

With two of my roommates, I took a tractor ride to the apple trees and immediately began pulling apples off of trees.  It was an unusual activity to me, but I now know the attraction.  We did not stop picking apples until our entire bag was filled.  Pulling an apple off a tree created a slight thrill!

We could not help, but try the apples as we pulled them of the trees.  Since we figured we got all our needed nutrition for the day, we decided to fill up on the sweet delicious apple treats that were being sold at the apple farm.  We ate warm apple fritters and apple donuts.  Followed by a glass full of warm apple cider.  Since our tastebuds wanted more, we went into the store and bought apple bread and a jar of peach salsa.  The salsa was so good, we knew we would need to go back to Beak and Skiff to stock up on peach salsa to get us through the winter!

Its Just A Swipe

Visa and MasterCard agreed on a settlement that will allow businesses to offer incentives to customers to encourage them to use credit cards that have lower swipe fees. American Express was another big credit card company involved in this, but they did not agree on the conditions that were proposed. For my story, my partner and I talked to businesses in downtown Syracuse to find out their thoughts.

Take a look!

Cobblestone Creek Farm

I went to visit Steve and Diane Eggert today at Cobblestone Creek Farm. When I went to their farm last spring, I told them that I would be back to buy a pumpkin from them!

I got more than just a pumpkin when I went to visit them. Diane made Acorn Squash Soup, Zucchini Bread, Chocolate Beet Cake, Sweet Pepper Salad and freshly brewed iced tea. Then Steve gave a tour of the farm to people who were picking up boxes of vegetables. It was really interesting to see how everything changed on the farm since I was there in the spring. The tomato plants that were just above the ground were touching the ceiling and the carrot seeds that I saw planted were already picked. Once again it was a beautiful day at the farm!!

Phone In One Hand Ticket In The Other

One of my classes this semester is Television News Reporting. Every Thursday, we rotate between live lab and producing packages. During live lab, we work on our ad libbing skills where we get a topic and have to talk about it on camera for about one minute and thirty seconds. I find this to be the most difficult part of my major. We have all been telling stories our entire lives, but for some reason when you are stuck in front of a camera and told to talk about a subject for a certain amount of time it becomes difficult and unnatural...at least for me it does. However, each time I do it I feel more comfortable (which is how it should be!!)

Below is my first practice package. I started at 8:30 a.m. and had to have it uploaded to youtube by midnight that same day. I actually finished it with plenty of time to spare!

Articles I Wrote During My Internship At WTAE

While at my internship this summer, I spent a lot of time writing articles for the station's website. The online presence of a television station is continuously becoming more important. As new information comes out about a particular topic, an article can be changed immediately to provide new details. Below are the links to a few of the articles that I wrote during my internship...

Suspect's Release Prompts New Sex Crimes Rules In Allegheny Co.

Police Arrest Parents After McKeesport Meth Lab Bust

Construction Worker Falls From Bridge In North Beaver Twp.

Uniontown Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Aunt, Boy

Man Wounded In Homewood Nightclub Shooting

Vandals Key Cars In Ellsworth

New Target Store Coming To East Libery

One Of Allegheny County's Most Wanted Arrested

If I Could Be Anywhere In The World Right Now...

A cloudless aqua blue sky meshes seamlessly with crystal clear turquoise water. Water so clear that it is possible to see the sand 50 feet beneath the surface. And scenery so perfect that it seems as if you are seated in an artificial bubble.

The Turks and Caicos fulfill my definition of paradise. The British islands are located 75 miles southeast of Miami, 30 miles south of the Bahamas and 90 miles north of the Dominican Republic. The past three times my mother and I escaped the real world, we situated ourselves on one of the many gorgeous beaches of the Turks and Caicos known as Grace Bay. I have been to many islands and none can compare. My travel agent of a mother has been to even more islands than I have and she continuously tells all her clients that they will not find a more beautiful tropical paradise.

Unlike many of the other Caribbean islands, the Turks and Caicos islands are better off economically. There is a lower crime rate, and the inner part of the islands are noticeably cleaner. It is actually rather expensive to live on the island. The prices for mostly everything in their grocery stores are much more expensive than the grocery stores in which I have regularly shopped.

On our way to our hotel from the airport, we stopped at a grocery store, Graceway IGA. Everything was so expensive. I thought to myself that this must be the grocery store for tourists. There was no way that locals could afford to pay this much. This assumption ended up being false. Our taxi driver told us that this is the same place he shops. He continued on to explain why prices for produce and other essential groceries were so expensive on the island.

Mostly everything that is consumed on the island has to be imported from other countries because the land is not suitable for agriculture. I am not sure of exactly why this is the case. I have read that agriculture declined on the islands since hurricane Donna way back in 1960. Also, the soil composition is a major factor in why the island cannot produce. They do grow some things locally, but they do not have the ability to supply the island. Because of the inability to grow locally, the cost of living on the island is rather high.

This does not prevent the island from having numerous incredible restaurants.

Coyaba, Coco Bistro, and Anacaona are three restaurants that will tease your taste buds. All three restaurants are expensive, but worth the experience. And each restaurant has a completely different feel.

Eating at Coyaba makes you feel as if you are dining in a secret garden. The restaurant is completely encased by foliage and dimly lit only by candles. The atmosphere is calming. Every

time I have gone to this restaurant, I ordered their appetizer gnocchi. They are mouthwateringly delicious. Thinking them right now is making my mouth water at the remembrance of their taste. Ever since I can remember, my mom and I used to make homemade gnocchi every Sunday. Some people call us gnocchi connaisseurs. So when I say these gnocchi are the best I have ever had I truly mean it. They are served in this round metal serving plate that comes out stemming hot because after the gnocchi are cooked they place the plate back into the oven to bake. The dish comes out with baked, but almost burnt cheese on the top. But as soon as that top layer is pushed around a smooth creamy sauce fills the space between each gnocchi. And when you place the gnocchi in your mouth, it is the perfect consistency...not too hard and not too soft...you don't even want to chew it because you just want to let it dissolve by itself in your mouth. The true example of a little taste of heaven.

Coco Bistro by far has the most unique atmosphere. At first glance, the restaurant looks like it is going to be inside a vibrant salmon color plastered house. But as soon as you walk in the door and straight through the next, the outdoor area opens up into a large spacious outdoor area that almost seems to form into a room because dozens of enormous palm trees come together to create an enclosed like structure. Tables are interspersed throughout the restaurant. And the vibrant salmon color plastered house looks like a make believe backdrop.

Anacaona is situated one step from the beach and could not be more perfect for a romantic dinner equipped with a mesmerizing sunset as the backdrop. This is the picturesque setting for the prelude to that romantic shoeless walk on the beach that goes along with the intertwined fingers and the love struck gaze (Hokey...? No!!). Even though I love my mother more than anything else, I did feel out of place sharing a meal with her while surrounded by love gushing couples. I still was able to put a finger on this dinner as one of those moments in time when you question how something so beautiful could actually exist.

I have used my memories of the Turks and Caicos as my escape. It is where I turn my mind when things are getting gray and cloudy. There are many more places in the world that offer that sense of mental release. But if I was asked where I would go if I could go anywhere in the world at this exact moment I would automatically reply by saying..."Send me to Grace Bay in the Turks and Caicos!"

Majestic. Surreal. Tranquil.

Exploration Of My State Capital

HARRISBURG, PA - About one year ago, I went to Harrisburg for the first time. I have worked for the same law firm for the past three summers and last summer one of the partners in the law firm asked if I could drive him to Harrisburg for a meeting. I set my alarm for 3:45 a.m. in order to arrive at his home before 5 a.m. We arrived at our destination a little after 8:30 a.m. and I had an entire day to explore Harrisburg. Little did I know that it wouldn't take an entire day...

Just last week, I had the opportunity to venture to Harrisburg once again. But instead of walking around the city, reading historical signs and taking pictures I was just a stereotypical girl. This time, I didn't do anything that couldn't be done in any other city. I went to Barnes and Noble and I went to the mall. After purchasing three pairs of heels, a new pair of Nike shoxs, running pants, an outfit for vacation, and getting a pedicure with a fancy design I drove back into the center of Harrisburg.

The week before I left, I did some research on where I was going to eat lunch. I found exactly what I was looking for. The restaurant was fabulous! Mangia Qui is a tiny restaurant located on North Street. They have a few outdoor tables, which is exactly where I situated myself even though it felt like it was 90 degrees outside.

It was hard for me to decide what I wanted to eat. I was teetering between the Crabcake Caesar Salad, the Filet Mignon Sandwich, and the Chicken Diablo. I ended up ordering the Crabcake Caesar Salad and a freshly brewed iced tea. Great decision on my part for an extremely toasty summer day.

Mangia Qui also has a tapas menu. It is the first tapas bar in Harrisburg. I was interested in trying some of the dishes on this menu, but I found out that it is only open Tuesdays through Saturdays after 5 p.m.

After I finished my lunch and responded to e-mails using Mangia Qui's free wireless, I grabbed an iced coffee and ended my day walking around the city.

The capital building in Harrisburg is a beautiful piece of architecture. It is symmetrical and extremely decorative. There are many levels to the structure and the roof of each level act as public spaces. Picnic tables fill the second tier. While shrubs and flowers create small rooftop gardens.

Every city has something to offer. I am sure that if I went back to Harrisburg a year from now I would discover many more interesting and exciting things about this small city that is known as Pennsylvania's capital.

Oberammergau

Ten years ago, my mom and I went to a small town in Germany known as Oberammergau. There was a particular reason why my mom planned a trip to this area of Germany and that reason was to see a play that only happens every ten years: The Passion Play.

This particular play has been performed since 1634. It all started with a pledge to God that if He spared them from the devastation of poverty and disease they would perform a play every 10 years in his name. Over half the residents of Oberammergau take part and you have to be born and raised in Oberammergau to even be in the play.

At the age of 11, I remember sitting in this open theater among thousands. I could clearly see the outline of the Bavarian Alps providing the distant backdrop. The entire play was in German and it did not even matter. Throughout the entire production, I knew exactly what was going on. I did not have to read the English translation on the monitor that could be seen directly above the stage. There was so much emotion that it was facial expressions and body language that told the entire story. And at times, I would take my eyes off the stage to look around me and saw tears streaming down the cheeks of people from all over the world.

It was an experience that I would recommend for everyone. Religion has not played a large role in my life, but it has always been in the back of my mind. I was raised Roman Catholic...had my communion and confirmation, but I cannot remember the last time I went to church. I am still trying to decide what role structured religion plays in my life. But The Passion Play is a story and experience that everyone would be in awe...religious or not.

The next play is being performed this year from now until October 3rd and will not be performed again until 2020. My mom is going again this year. Unfortunately, I will not be going with her because I will be back in Syracuse beginning my final year. I am looking forward to going back to Oberammergau in 2020. I wonder what the experience will be like from the eyes of a 31 year old as opposed to an 11 year old...will there even be a difference?

Oh...the play is five hours. That's a long time for the attention span of an 11 year old, but for some reason it did not seem that long.

A Day At The Farm

For my final assignment for my Photography class, I did a story on a local farm that is making use of Facebook and an online farmers market. I really enjoyed doing this story. Steve and Diane Eggert, the owner's of the farm, were amazing. They shared a lot of information regarding the farming industry in Central New York and where it is heading. I even got to ride on a tractor with Steve and Diane.

The process of putting together this story was not easy. First, I drove all the way out to the farm and found out that I forgot the tape that I needed to record the video on. I drove all the way back to campus to get a tape and then all the way back to the farm and the sun was just about set. So all I accomplished that night was an interview with Diane Eggert. I went back the following week and spent an entire Sunday with the Eggerts. It was a fabulous day. I will definitely visit them when I get back to Syracuse. I told them that I will be stopping by to buy a pumpkin from them!

So after I thought my piece was perfectly put together, my professor told me that my stand-up was out of focus...if I turned it in with an out of focus stand-up I would have received an automatic F. Not ok with me. So I went back to the farm for a third time to re-shoot a stand-up.

Here is a look at how my final story turned out...

Learning How to Become a Reporter

The second assignment for my Photography for Broadcast Journalism class was to do a story on anyone who had a job. I chose to do my story on a local chocolate shop owner.

The truffles made by Sweet on Chocolate are delicious!!

Everyone Has A Story

As my profile says, I am going into my senior year as a Broadcast and Digital Journalism major at Syracuse University. This past Spring semester was the first time I put together actual packages. The following video is my first attempt of putting everything together... shooting the video... interviewing... writing the story... voicing the sound tracks...editing the piece together...

Our professor paired us with a random person in class, and we had to find an interesting story to tell. My story is on a Senior Broadcast and Digital Journalism major who makes money doing people's hair in her own apartment.



Everyone really does have an interesting story to tell!

Traveling the Galaxy

So I have already been to Moon and Mars!!! Ironically, I live in Moon Township, which is about 20 minutes outside of the city of Pittsburgh. And Mars Township is another area of Pittsburgh that I have passed through a few times. Is it possible to visit all the planets?!

The idea of attempting to travel the galaxy came from a very good friend and mentor. We were talking about my love for travel and he was telling me that he was extremely happy with my decision to not go to Africa. And to lighten the mood, he said something along the lines of..."Well you have already been to Moon and Mars." ha ha ha ha...very funny. So with that comment I ventured on the Internet to see if it was possible. And as it turns out...it is!

So according to Google there is a Mercury, Alabama and a Mercury Street in San Diego.

There is a Venus, Texas, a Venus, Pennsylvania and a Venus, Florida. Also a Venus Street in San Fransico.

Jupiter, Florida and Jupiter Island Florida. Either one I would be happy to visit! There is also a Jupiter, Minnesota.

There is a Saturn in Indiana and Texas.

Uranus, New Mexico here I come!

Neptune, New Jersey or Neptune Beach, Florida...hmmmm

And I am just going to include the so-called dwarf of a planet Pluto. Pluto, Mississippi!!!

I did not list all the towns, cities and streets with the names of planets. Just picked out a few.

So it is possible to figuratively say you have traveled to all the planets in our solar system, including our MOON!

Bucket List of Destinations

This past Tuesday at my internship at WTAE I went out on two stories with Michelle Wright. To my excitement, she was doing a promotional piece on a travel agency: Holiday Travel International. The focus of the piece was on how people can save money on their vacations. I was not interested in hearing what the travel agents had to say about money savers. I was completely interested in their travel stories!

The couple who owned the agency had so many travel stories. I could have listened to them all day. The one lady just got back from Egypt. She went on a Nile River cruise and rode a camel for only $15. She said that if you paid anymore for a camel ride that you were being ripped off. That was shocking news to me. You would think that riding a camel is such a must do thing in Egypt that they would charge an obscene amount of money.

Egypt is definitely on my "Bucket List of Destinations."

The next travel story they told was about a Ritz Carlton Tour through China. How incredible does that sound?! Go from city to city, Ritz to Ritz. Yet another adventure added to the list.

Other destinations that have made my list so far: Dubai, Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, Madrid, Barcelona, as many places as I can get to in Greece, Hawaii, Russia, China, African Safari, and Brazil (rainforest safari). I am positive the list will continue to expand.

I also want to go to Mokai Gravity Canyon in Taihape, New Zealand. The reason...When I was in Interlaken, Switzerland I went canyon jumping. I jumped off a cliff that was almost 300 ft high...attached to a cord of course! It was an incredible experience that generated an unexplainable feeling. I was told that there are only three places in the world where you can do this type of canyon jumping. I would like to tackle all three, but I don't remember where they said the other spot was...

Until I get the next opportunity to travel outside the United States, I think I am going to take some time to explore my own city a little more...Pittsburgh!

The Special #22

Twenty-two things I want to do this summer...

1. Do a stand up at WTAE and be proud of it.
2. Take a sushi making class.
3. Go to the Turks and Caicos with my mother.
4. Be happy working six days a week.
5. Come up with an interesting blog.
6. Formulate a business plan for "the idea."
7. Attend an important fundraising event in Pittsburgh.
8. Get all three of my roommates to like each other.
9. Improve self-confidence.
10. Go to the gym at least five days a week.
11. Go to a Pirates game.
12. Lose weight! I am in pretty good shape already, but it never hurts to exercise more!
13. Go to the top of the Cathedral of Learning at U. Pitt.
14. Get better at golfing.
15. Read five life improvement books.
16. Go to a concert.
17. Go to Ohiopyle State Park and go white water rafting again.
18. Play paintball.
19. Play tennis.
20. Go to a shooting range.
21. Go camping.
22. Positively affect as many people as I can.

Firenze

When I was in middle school, I told my mom I wanted to do a foreign exchange program. We requested information on multiple programs when I got to high school, and I thought that I was actually going to go through with it my junior year. But as we all already know...time flies by, and before I knew it I was graduating from high school and beginning my freshman year in college.

Not only did Syracuse offer my dream major, but it also has an incredible study abroad program. When I found out about studying abroad, I knew that is was definitely an experience that would be in my future. Beijing, Hong Kong, Florence, London, Madrid, Santiago, Strasbourg...so many options! I did not even second guess myself...My choice was Florence, Italy. Even though, I was conversational in French and had no working knowledge of the Italian language besides "Ciao Bella" I knew that I wanted to spend four months in one of the most gorgeous cities in Italy.

On the flight from New York to Rome, I sat by this little Italian boy that was traveling alone. I tried to talk to him, but an apparent language barrier existed. He knew more English than I knew Italian so I resorted to using hand gestures. He probably thought I was ridiculous. I even took out my pocket size Italian/English dictionary to try to interact with this little boy, but I didn't even know how to sound out Italian words at this point. The "Drive Time Italian" CD collection that I bought obviously did not prepare me. I should have tried to learn Italian the way the boy sitting next to me learned English: Video Games!

I arrived in Florence on September 1st. After a few hours of waiting around in the airport, we loaded our luggage on tour buses that drove us to Hotel Mediterraneo.  The hotel was 100 steps from The Arno River.  There was a small outdoor cafe situated near the water.  I could not wait to sit by the water and look up and down the river.  The first time I went to the cafe I was by myself and I was content and mesmerized by the sights I was taking in.  This was a favorite spot of mine and I later returned with a few of the people I met on the plan.  This was the place where we committed our first Italian faux pas.  Wine and Italy are thought to go hand in hand.  So with this knowledge in mind, the girls and I each ordered a glass of wine.  We began sipping on our wine, talking quickly in English, and then slowly began to look around at the people around us.  To our surprise, no one was drinking a glass of wine!  Apparently, wine is not the drink of choice before dinner.  There was a large group of young Italians and everyone of them had a beer infront of them.  Wow was that a shock for me!

This was just the beginning of an unbelievable adventure...

Travel Obsession

An entire semester has gone by since I spent four months living in the beautiful city of Florence, Italy, which is so hard for me to believe. Those four months were the most incredible months thus far in my life, and I am not sure why I did not decide to start keeping a blog while I was living in Florence. Better late than never I guess!

Traveling is not new to me. My mother has owned a travel agency for 19 years and I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to travel before I went abroad. Together, my mom and I went to Vienna, Prague, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Heidelberg (where my mom was born!), Oberammergau (to see an 8 hour Passion Play in 2000), Rudesheim, Rothenburg, Lake Como, Lucerne, and Lugano. We have also been to many islands together: Jamaica, Punta Cana, St. John, St. Thomas, Turks and Caicos, San Juan, Grand Cayman. Since Cancun is a tropical destination, I will mention that I have been there more than once. I have also been to the Bahamas 20 times. The reason why my mom and I traveled to the Bahamas so many times is because she had to renew her gambling license every year. So we HAD to go to the Bahamas quite frequently! Not a bad deal! But nothing can really compare to my travels during the months of September, October, November and December of 2009.

In four months, I visited Munich, Brussels, Amsterdam, Interlaken, Rome (4 times), the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri, Positano, Pompeii, Venice, Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Corniglia), Monteriggioni, Assisi, Ravenna, Pietrasanta, Carrara, Sienna, Pienza, Lucca, San Gimignano, Milan, Lake Como, and Pisa.

I changed a lot during that semester I spent abroad. Obviously, I became much more independent. I felt more comfortable with the English language. This statement might seem a bit odd, but it is in fact a truthful observation. Not being able to communicate with ease was at times frustrating. I became much more confident in communicating my thoughts when I came back to the United States. I was not thinking about what I wanted to say. I was just speaking without having to think. Living abroad also intensified my desire to travel even more.

Traveling is a huge part of my life. This summer I even had the opportunity to go to Uganda and Cameroon for three weeks all expenses paid. At Syracuse University, I have a work study with the Africa Business Program in the Whitman School of Management. Most of my time was spent organizing a conference on Entrepreneurship in Africa that was held this past semester on Good Friday. Many representatives from Africa were flown into Syracuse. On the first day of the conference, I met a research team whom I exchanged contact information. Two weeks later they e-mailed me asking me if I'd like to apply for a summer research opportunity to carry out case studies on journalism, technology and business. What an incredible opportunity that would have been?! Unfortunately, my mom and grandparents persistently objected to it until I agreed to not go.

I know another opportunity like this one will come my way. I am head over heels in love with traveling and I will make sure I will have the opportunity to see the world. After being abroad and having the opportunity to travel to Africa, I came up with a new dream job. My new ultimate career goal is to work for the travel channel! And preparation for that starts now...