Well, I’m doing it….I’m checking off several block of my bucket list at one time. ….I’m heading across the ocean to Italy….somewhere I’ve wanted to go as long as I can remember. ..yes, I’m going interna solo at 49 years old and I’m backpacking (with my rolly suitcase) across the country of Italy….Rome, Venice, Tuscany, Amalfi
Coast…..dreams of the Coliseum, gondolas, Gelato, Sistine chapel, wine vineyards are finally coming true. … (I know many of you are thinking….I call this my misadventures because the things that happen to me are usually things that may happen to several people,people, the cumulative amount of things will happen all at one time for me.
Before I take off, I want to answer the most common asked questions….
1. Aren’t you scared?
Nervous?…a little…Afraid?…not really. If you mean fearful for my life then I need you to understand what I do for a living…I’ve either been an at risk behavioral counselor for teenagers or a high school teacher for alternative …been doing these jobs for 20+ years…I’ve been caught between fights literally over my head, I’ve had a girl fall out of ceiling on top of me, I’ve had chairs and desk fly around rooms, I’ve taken weapons away daily from students, been through numerous bomb threats,….so am I any more scared than my normal life?….not really. Do I have a false sense of bravado…no, I just understand danger…and I practice caution daily.
2. What about all the bombings? (Paris,Brussels)
Hmmmm…I live in The USA. There is not a day I can go to a mall, South Carolina church, a greyhound station, school, college campus or even a holiday party at a social service agency without taking the chance of being shot and killed….I scathed by 400 mass shootings in US (mass meaning more than 3 killed per incident ) in 2016….I’m hoping my luck will hold out. I figured my odds are pretty good consider US had 130000 violent gun deaths last year and Italy had 66. …but who knows with my luck.
3. What if you get lost? Well, the way I see it Italy is surrounded on 3 sides by water….if I hit water, I turn around….If I end up in France, again I turn around…..but then getting lost in Italy….lots of tall dark and handsome eye candy, 75% coastline and beautiful waters, pizza, spaghetti, Gelato, wine…..I’ll try my best to get lost ( oops, i mean I will try not get lost)…..
I hope everyone will follow along with me…I plan on keeping another blog, much like my trip to China…..so please follow, I’ll keep you posted.
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travelingwithkim 