My New Room--

Today my dad and I tore out my ceiling, spackled the walls, and added new trim. My room has had the same walls, carpet, and ceiling since I was in first grade.
I can't help but notice the symbolism in the remodeling of my bedroom.
I'm changing almost everything about it, starting a new.
My life hasn't been too great lately; I really can't complain, but I know this isn't want I want.
I'm slowly becoming everything I didn't want, but I'm trying hard to change that.

I'm done chasing dreams and living in the past. I'm entering the real world now and starting to act more like a grown up. I'm reconnecting and patching some things up, and I hope it makes me feel better.

I'm trying to avoid a downward spiral and stay optimistic, but it's becoming increasingly difficult. I used to wish life was like a dramatic novel, full of passion, drama, and a happy ending. I'm realizing that life is more like a poorly written sitcom and I'm the butt of every joke.

This week things should start to turn around though. I'm changing my environment and hoping it helps lead to more change.


Wish me luck. =]

My Postponement

Alright. Here's the deal:
In the planning of my trip I picked a bunch of places I wanted to see; I neglected to really look at the places though.
I've been in Dublin for three days and I'm already bored.
I'm coming home for like a week, then going to Italy, then coming home.
I'm taking all of my money and putting it into my "money market account" to build up interest, then actually sitting down and planning a real trip.
I really messed up that aspect of my trip. I mean, what the fuck am I going to do in Berlin for a week with hardly any cash?
I'm in no way cancelling my trip; I'm merely postponing it a little. I want to do it with at least one other person, and I want to actually take time and look into places to visit.
I am also going to reduce the time from two months down to one. I've thought about it all day yesterday and came to the conclusion today.
It's not merely the matter of being alone, but really the fact that I'm alone for two months with hardly anything to do.
I want this to be exciting and eye-opening. Unfortunatly I neglected to plan it that way.
I'm going to finish out the week here and treat this as a vacation.
Then on September 18th I'm going to Italy for a week with my mom. So I'm not completely wasting my time with this. I am still taking this all in and appreciating it.
I made the decision myself, and I know I'm going to be glad I did.
I will admit that I was so excited to backpack that I neglected to really plan the trip I wanted. I based my trip around the idea of getting out there, not getting out there and living.

My Jetlag

I've never had jetlag before. It's a new kind of tired.
Not only do I feel drained, but I also feel dazed.
My sense of time is all askew, and I'm can't remember the time difference between here and home.

I'm hoping this will pass.

On a lighter note, I had a safe flight and check in went alright. I showed up four hours too early though. I dropped off my bag and started exploring.
This would have went better if I had slept well, but I made the most of it.
The city is surprisingly small. I've already seen so much.
I found out that my memory card doesn't work, so I'll have to get a new one. I'll probably end up getting two. Then my mom will bring my old one in Italy. That should last me the next few weeks, if I limit myself.

My Hostel does have a computer; I don't know if my next few do.
Feel free to comment my facebook or myspace to get ahold of me.

My Last Week

Well, I guess this is it. I have but a week left here in the United States.
I'm leaving for Dublin Wednesday afternoon, and I still have so much to do.

I need to finish cleaning out my room, say my goodbyes, finish applying for college, get any addresses I didn't get initially, and pack. In writing that doesn't look like a lot, but in reality it's going to take me awhile. Mainly because I hate cleaning and saying goodbye.

If all goes well, I won't be coming back to the US. I'll find a place to call home overseas. I can finally get away. I can start my own life somewhere new.
I just hate leaving all of my friends and family, but this isn't about them. It's about me.

Monday night we went to Riliegh's to watch shooting starts; I saw five. One of them shot right down into the Big Dipper. It was a pretty good night for the most part.
Nickolas graced us with his presence, and then said his final goodbye to us.

I had spent Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday with Michael, and then yesterday he left for Altoona.
Everyone's leaving, including me. I just wish it wasn't so depressing.

I guess I'm just starting to realize that I'm gonna be in Europe next week backpacking from Dublin to Amsterdam.. It's going to be amazing.

I worked my last night at Tim's last night. I'm not going to miss that place so much, but I will miss the people. I've made a lot of friends there, and I'm sure they'll miss me too.

I'm gonna try and update this a few more times before I leave.

My Final Stretch

This is it.

Three weeks left. Three weeks until I'm gone.

I feel like there's a lot I want to get off my chest, but I don't know an appropriate way to do any of it. So much has happened. It's just all so different. I dunno... I try and live my life with no regret, but the truth is that I will always have regrets.

I've spent the past 4 years trying to get you to love me, but after last night I finally realized that it's never gonna turn out the way I want. I've always tried to stay optimistic about it, but really what is the point? I'm just gonna set myself up to get hurt again, and I don't want that.

TV, the movies, greeting cards all give us this false idea of love, but in reality it's not like that at all. You get hurt, you move on, you find someone new, you get hurt again, but you learn from it all. I've learned, finally.

I'm leaving for two months, so maybe things will change. As of right now, I'm not going to look for "love" anymore. I'm just going to live.

If you're reading this, I love you... I'm just done.

My Countdown

41 days and 11 hours left before I leave for Dublin.

Pretty soon I'll be entering the final stretch, and I'm sure most people won't know how to react.
I'm not going to be around for two months. Most of you won't even be able to talk to me. Hopefully I'll make it to a library or two so that I can update my blog or even my facebook.

I'm just getting tired of the same.
I'm ready for this change.

It's like I'm driving down a highway. Everyone just keeps going straight, and I see a random turn up ahead, and I take it without thinking twice. I don't know where it leads, or how long I'll be on it, but I turn without even hesitating.



I sold my soul to the open road
You'll find me in the same spot believe me
I could never stop, my life's turned upside down

Meet me out past the train tracks I'm leavin' and not coming back

You're right and I was wrong
this town will be the downfall of us all.

My Insomnia

Most nights I fall asleep around 3:00am. Last night I didn' sleep at all.
That's a hyperbole, I did eventually fall asleep sometime after 6:30am. I haven't had a night like that since Middle School.
I think it's time I started on a regular sleep schedule again; one where I go to sleep around 1:30 and wake up around 9:30. That should give me time to fit in a half hour workout every morning. I can start eating breakfast again, and have time to relax in the pool.
I've had insomnia on and off for years now, but last night was the worst it's ever been. Normally I just take awhile to fall asleep. I feel like all the medicine I've been taking has something to do with it.
As I lie there I found myself wondering and thinking, two things I shouldn't do very often. I often over think situations and wonder about things I should let lie.
I tapped into my creative side a little bit and began writing a song. Hopefully with the help of Kyle Montondo I can lay it down before I leave.
I'll figure this out...

My Momentary Lapse of Weakness

This was the blog I wrote after my two week hospital stay in September of 2008. Enjoy...

Let's start back say, 4 and a half weeks ago. I was lying in bed and my pulse started racing, at the time I was talking to Felicia Ellis, who is now my girlfriend and thought that she was the reason my pulse was racing...this was NOT the case.
After 2 days of being VERY short of breath and having a lot of chest pain I asked my mom to bring home her stethoscope and listen to my lungs...the prognosis was NOT good. She couldn't hear any air flow in the lower section of my right lung.
Friday morning I went to see the Dr, now my normal Doc was not on that day so I saw Dr Alex Solomon...BAD IDEA NEVER EVER EVER SEE THIS GUY!
He walked into the room and without even listening to my lungs told me I had walking pneumonia and that I just needed antibiotics... here's the part where I get worried.

Five years ago there's this kid who gets diagnosed with Walking Pneumonia, then 3 months later they find out his lung collapsed and he's in the hospital for like a month and fails 8th grade... We know him as Kyle Beatty.

ANYWAY
I have heard Kyle's story about having a collapsed lung, I've heard OVER AND OVER AND OVER with different characters and a guest appearance by Orlando Bloom. I know it is not pleasant..at all.

So I'm like "Are you gonna listen to my lungs?" and the Dr is like "blah blah blah I'm a dick head" and my mom's like "don't you wanna give him a chest X ray?" and he has the nerve to say "That's not going to change my diagnosis."

WHAT THE FUCK!?! That would COMPLETELY change the diagnosis!

Yeah, two weeks go by after the Doctors appointment and I don't feel any pain, then Friday the 29th I wake up gasping for breath...oh yeah I'm fucked.

I got to the ER that afternoon and after 3 hours of waiting they tell me that it's 70% collapsed and they're amazed I'm walking. They take me back into a room and shove a tube into the front of my chest...WHILE IM FUCKING AWAKE!
You know that sound you hear letting the air out of a balloon? That is what came out of my chest.

See the reason my lung deflated was because I had these things called blebs, they're soft bubbles on the lung that pop very easily. Well I had 4 of these and one decided be awesome and pop.

Now imagine you have a lung that is working at 30% then suddenly it re expands to 100% in less than a minute...YOU START TO CHOKE ON YOUR OWN BREATH!

Now okay let me skip a head a few days.

Normally after a tube is put in the hole in the lung will heal itself...Not happening for me. I go see a different surgeon and he puts a new tube in the SIDE of my lung, OUCH OUCH OUCH!@ FUCKING PAINFUL!

I'm loaded on painkillers, I can't leave my bed, I smell like peroxide...I just want to fucking go home.

Guess what else? THAT TUBE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING EITHER!

So they go in with their little tools and CUT OFF a quarter of my lung and staple it shut! Then just for shits and giggles they put a 3rd chest tube in! EVEN MORE PAINFUL!

Now Today they pulled that tube out and quickly plugged the whole with gauze so I'm all good. But it's been 2 fucking weeks and I can hardly walk, I took my first shower today in 2 weeks and had to wear a fucking Plastic Wrap bandage because I couldn't get my dressings wet.

I hate it. I'm so fucking done with injuries, I'm never getting injured again.

My Journal

Every few months I decide to start keeping a journal. I've never fully been able to handle it though. I'd miss a night and see no point in continuing. Today I pulled out a nice notebook I had lying around and decided to start a summer journal.
The first entry I will write today and the last entry I will write on August 25th, 2009. I may not update everyday, but I will keep it up to date as often as possible. I feel like if I do this it will not only better my writing, but I could be able to sell it in the future.
Jack Kerouac was able to take his life, write it down and type it up, and eventually sell it as a series of books. Some of the greatest books I have ever read.
Why can't I do the same thing? The people in my life are worth reading about, my life is eventful, my life has drama, my life has adventure, my life has a romance.
I'm determined to become famous' whether I be a director, actor, or writer is up in the air. I just think that I have a story worth telling, and who ever is willing to read it will.
I'm not hoping to write the Great-American Novel; I'm just hoping to write something people will enjoy.

My Internal Struggle

I know nothing will ever come of us, but I can't help but wander why so much still happens. My feelings remain unchanged, but my mindset has altered drastically. I expect nothing from us, not now, not ever.

Still, I cannot shake these feelings for you. I see you and want to stand beside you. I want to embrace you with everything I have to offer. Everything about you entrances me. You are always there when I need you, even if we're not speaking.

I just don't know what to think anymore. I don't know what to feel. I love you, but I don't want to. I'm not setting myself up to get hurt anymore, but I feel like in doing so I may hurt us both.

I just wish life was as displayed in the movies and TV; Then I could reference The Notebook, 10 Things I Hate About You, or even Scrubs to see where we're going.

I truly care about you, and I always will. Don't ever question that.

My Finale

It’s amazing; it’s truly, truly amazing. I’ve graduated; I’ve finished my high school career.

The ceremony was beautiful; it was nice being one of the first to enter. The choir sang this year where normally the band would sing. We sang Footprints, a song about leaving an impression. It’s amazing how we seniors pulled the song off together. I thought Mrs. Benn was going to cry in the middle of the song, but she held back.

I guess I’m just getting used to the fact that after that day I won’t see a lot of people from my class. That fact both upsets me and entices me. I’m glad that I won’t be seeing some of those faces again, but I know I’m going to miss a lot of them. I know I’ll keep in contact with the important people in my life, but there are others that I’m sure I’ll miss.

Sam’s speech really hit home for me. When she was listing different forms of teams I looked over towards Nickolas and realized how much the cast members of the play become dependent on each other. I’ve learned so much from my cast members, and I’m sure they’ve learned from me. It makes me wonder what impressions I’ve left on the underclassman. What lessons have I taught them?

I just hope that somewhere down the road, when I’m looking back on my high school life, I can remember my graduation, my finale. I don’t just mean the moment I entered, my singing Footprints, and my name being called. I mean the moments of reflection that kept coming forward throughout the speeches. The memories I have gathered could never be replaced, and if they could I wouldn’t. I love the life I’ve lived thus far, and I cannot wait to continue onward.

My Single Tear

Last night, as my name was called, I felt the most amazing sense of accomplishment. I've never in my life felt anything like that. It was what I felt during my Beauty and the Beast curtain call times one hundred. I shed a single tear last night. I felt more building up, but it never came.
It was nice seeing everyone come together for me. Shaun and Hina made it, Uncle Brett was there, Justin, Jeremy and Jason, Tara and her girls, and of course my parents. All of my friends who came to wish me luck and say their goodbyes. It was amazing seeing how many people came to see me.
There were some people I would have liked to see there that couldn't make it though. I know they would have come if they could have. I just wish I could have seen them.
After I got home from the ceremony everyone was waiting for me. I got my pictures with Uncle B, Shaun, Hina, and my parents. Then Nick and I jumped into the pool with our robes on. It was an amazing moment that will definitely stick into my mind forever.
I leave for Europe in two months. I have senior week coming up, my grad party in July, and a family vacation in August. This summer is going to be amazing. I can't wait to come back and share my stories with everyone. It's going to be an amazing year.

My Last Remark

I took my last final today; it ended at 8:45.
I ended up staying in school the rest of the day though.
I went to chorus, then to Shrines' room, then headed back to the chorus room.
I ended up helping Shrine start moving her stuff from A1 to E1.
For the work we did she bought us Taco bell for lunch. We sat in the back and had a family lunch. I love that we referred to it as a family lunch. I love being a part of that group, the A1 crew. It's amazing walking into a room and knowing that you are loved.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself in the next week. I have three graduation rehearsals and then graduation on the third. I'm done with high school; I'm finally entering the real world, and I couldn't be more excited.
I'm just waiting for my real life to begin.
I'm READY for my real life to begin.

My Backpacking Trek

At the end of summer and into the fall of 2009 I will be backpacking across Europe. I will be departing from Philadelphia on August 26th and arriving in Dublin. I will then travel across eight countries and take in the air. I will experience life the way it should be experienced, first hand.



The Trip starts off in Dublin, from there I'm taking the ferry to Holyhead. I'm estimating to be in Dublin for about three days. I hope to see all I can and drink real Irish Beer and whiskey.

From There I will travel throughout Great Britain and into Scotland. I want to see whatever sights I can. The major cities I plan to visit are Liverpool, Manchester, London, Cambridge, Bath, and Canterbury. There is so much history throughout Great Britain and I want to soak in what I can. I want to drink good English Beer in a real pub. I want to eat real fish and chips and walk across Abbey Road like the Beetles. I want to experience everything I've always wanted. I want to look back 50 years from now and smile thinking about what I have done.

I will then depart south either via chunnel or ferry to France. I hope to take a tour of a champagne vineyard. I will spend two days in the city of Paris. There are so many sites I want to see; The Eiffel Tower of course and the gravesite of Jim Morrison, a personal hero of mine.

From Paris I will travel Southeast into Italy where I will meet up with my mother and take her on a tour of Italy similar to that of my choir trip. The Italy section of my trip will take about a week. I hope to reconnect with my tour guide Adrien here and get a beer with him.

From Italy I will head north into Germany, the land of my ancestors. I will be arriving in time for Oktoberfest, which was the basis of my trip. I will hopefully meet up with my friends from Krefeld so I can see how real German life is. I plan on staying in Germany the longest out of any country. I will travel throughout Munich, Krefeld, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Cologne. I plan on being in Germany for a little more than three weeks, but that is subject to change.




From Germany I'm heading to Bruges, a castle town in Belgium, for about 3 days. The town just looks like something out of a story book, which is just amazing for me.

I will then make the final stop of my trip in the great city of Amsterdam. Where I will remain for about a week. After that I will fly out of Amsterdamn and arrive back in Philly.



I was supposed to be joined by TylerDean on this endevour, but he will no longer be able to join me.

So if that sounds exciting to you...let me know and I'll work with you to come along.

I've spent less than 1000$ on plane tickets and I plan on bringing close to 2000$ with me.

My Closing Statements

My Closing Statements

I'm an arrogant, arrogant man but in this last year I can honestly say that if it wasn't for those around me, I would be nothing.

If not for my close guy: James, Michael, Nickolas, Kyle, TylerDean, Kyle, Brooks, and Joel I wouldn't have enjoyed some of the events as much. If it had been for James, Nick and Joel the play and musical would not have been as fun. If not for Joel, James, Nick and Kyle then lunch would have been quite boring. If not for Brooks and Kyle my study halls would have been more productive and less fun. If Kyle and Nick weren't with me in Italy, I wouldn't have as many great memories.

I don't know what I'd do without my girls either. Becky, Grace, Hannah, Rileigh, Tanesha, Essie, Karrie, Christine, Tare Bear. Becky and Karrie's sage senior year wisdom and encouragement. All of the memories I have with Hannah from lunch, the play, the musical and Italy. My great times with Grace and Rileigh during the play and musical. Prom with Tanesha and then the beach this past weekend were amazing times that I will surely not forget. I will truly miss all of them.

Tomorrow is my last full day of high school; it may be the last chance I get to lie out on the Daniel Boone stage and soak in the air.

I've appreciated everyone this year so much. I hope they all know how much they mean to me.
And of course where would I be without my supportive faculty; Shrine, Mrs. Risell, Mrs. Benn, Jones, Mr. Hevalow, Mrs. Fulmer, and Mrs. Parker. All there to help me during my various events this year. It was truly amazing getting to spend time with them. I'm really going to miss them.

Where do I go from here? What does life have in store for me?

I guess to answer that I'm just going to have to keep moving foward because in the end everyone writes there own story. Whether they write it in pen, pencil, type it, or just continue on verbally they'll always live on and continue to impress because that's what life should be, a continous flow of events that impress you when looking back, and it's thoughs who really pay attention and get the most out of those events who find success in life...

My Senior Year

I've always imagined I'd be "the man" in high school. I guess I've always been very ambitious, and I've always had high expectations for myself. I know that I'm arrogant, and I've grown to accept it because I still always give credit where credit is due.

This year started off for the worse. After three days of high school I went into the hospital for two weeks due to my collapsed lung. That was by far the scariest moment of my life. I sat in my bed and watched my brothers, mom, dad, cousins, and friends feel sorry for me; they were unable to help me in anyway other than be there for me.

Because of my being in the hospital, I was unable to audition for my senior year play. I still managed to secure the lead role though, thanks to my amazing director. I have done shows for her in the past, and she knew I would be able to pull the role off better than most. I worked harder than I've ever worked before, and I stood on that stage not as Christian, but as Grandpa. Saturday night, after the show, I sat back stage for a few minutes and a tear rolled down my face. I loved the play, I loved the people, but most of all I loved the feeling of accomplishment I got when I took my final bow.

I was in the dark room ninth period the week before homecoming when they announced the court. I jumped up and down screaming when they called my name. I wanted to be a part of that in the worst way, and was happy to get on. It was a lot of fun, though I would have liked to have been crowned king, I was happy just being on the court. The dance was amazing, and I got to hang out with some cool people afterwards.

About a week after the play was over we began musical auditions. Beauty and the Beast is by far my favorite Disney show, and the Beast is my favorite musical character. It seemed only right that I receive this role. I worked twice as hard as I did for Grandpa. I had to learn four songs, including my solo piece If I Can't Love her and the Reprise, two of the most beautiful and meaningful songs ever written. Our show suffered from a lack of direction and the seniors took it upon ourselves to salvage the show, along with the help from my favorite choir director Mrs. Benn.

The show received three standing ovations and had the largest turnout of any musical performed at Boone. Saturday Night, after I sang If I Can't Love Her Mrs. Benn ran back stage to find me. I've never seen Mrs. Benn so happy in my life, and she embraced me like I was her own son. "You nailed it," she said to me. I took my final bow that Sunday afterward sat back stage with Mr. Hevalow after it was over; we talked about how much fun it's been and how much he'll miss all of us now. Really, I'm the one missing him.

After the musical rapped up I went straight into Mr. Boone rehearsals. That was an experience I will never forget. I’ve been on stage plenty of times, but never have I had as much as I did with those men. I’ve never thought myself a dancer until that show, and up until this year I would have never gone on stage and sang in front of a crowd that large before. It was amazing, and I was happy to be a part of it.

Midway through Mr. Boone I went with the chorus through Italy. That was by far the most amazing experience of my life. I had so much fun with my friends and loved every minute of the trip. If I could go back and do it again with the same group, I would go in a heartbeat. I miss the sites, the food, and the experience of being there. I have added Italy to my already planned backpacking trip this fall because of the fun I had there. I can’t wait to return and see more.

I was also privileged enough to be on the prom court this year. I was also happy to be part of such a great event. I didn’t care that I wasn’t crowned king, I was just happy to be a part of the court and leave yet another mark my senior year.

Last night was my final chorus concert. It’s pretty much the reason I’m writing this. I didn’t win any special awards, and I wasn’t really acknowledged by the audience like some, but after the concert I went into Mrs. Benn’s office with Kyle Ross and she said something to me I will never forget. “Christian Kriebel, I just cannot believe it. Did you see him in beauty and the Beast? Can you believe that this is the same kid who couldn’t hit a regular G his freshman year? He has come so far in these past four years, farther than I ever imagined. I am so proud of everything he has accomplished.” That was probably the nicest thing anyone has said about me.

It didn’t hit me until last night, but I really only have three weeks of school left. I’m graduating, moving on, leaving. I can’t believe this year went by so fast. I went from hating Nick Reck, to loving him like a brother. I’ve gained new underclassmen friends and gotten closer with a few too. I’ve managed to keep my big head down as much as I could, but I know I still had my arrogant moments. I had an amazing year, and with my ambition I know I can keep the trend going. I’m going to make it out there, some way.

My Italian Journey

I have never been on a plane before. I wasn’t nervous or scared; I was very excited. I held Grace’s hand during takeoff and watched as we rose higher and higher of the New York. The sun was setting as we flew north and the bright lights of the cities below lit our path beautifully. If you’ve never seen Boston from 20,000ft at night then you’ve never seen Boston.

That sunrise was the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. The Alps peaked over the clouds and the sun struck them in a way that cannot be described by words alone.

After an eight hour flight we arrived in Milan airport. It was morning in Italy and I didn’t sleep a wink the entire plane ride. We breezed through customs and met up with our tour guide Adrian. We then proceeded to the castle town of Sirmione where I experienced Espresso and Gelato for the first time. I was in awe when I first saw the beautiful clear lake. It was a small town with a few cafes, shops, and gelatoriums. The scenery was so beautiful. I managed to see the group members from the first flight and got my first picture with Nickolas and Kyle. We were ready for this trip to begin.

We returned to the hotel for the day. We had about three hours of free time so we didn’t bother to go to bed. Nick was visibly sick when we arrived, but our presence had a healing effect on him. We conversed with the other students then ate our first dinner of pork and potatoes.

The next morning it was off to Venice for a guided tour of the city and our performance at St. Mark’s. I have seen Venice in movies and TV shows, but I had never experienced it firsthand. It was one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, but also the smelliest. I thought New York City reeked, but Venice was a new type of torture. The beauty of St. Mark’s was nothing like I have ever seen before. I’m not a religious man, but I was overcome with emotion when we entered the basilica. We went to Risorante All’Angelo for our second dinner of Pork and Potatoes. The desert was a Flan-like caramel custard that was positively amazing.

The next day we headed for Verona. The city was beautiful and we had an excellent tour. We saw a functioning arena and were able to walk around inside of it. I was in awe by the acoustics of the structure. It was amazing how clear the sound bounced from the stage to the stands. I wish I was able to perform there. Verona is the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet; we were able to see Juliet’s balcony and even get our pictures taken by her statue. The tradition is to rub her right breast in order to find your true love. I got my picture taken rubbing her.

We stayed in Montecatini that night. It was a lovely hotel in a small town not far from Pisa.

The next day we traveled to see the famous leaning tower. I was impressed not by the tower, but by the dome and cathedral located in the same area. If the tower had not been built with its weak foundation, I’m sure the dome and cathedral would be more famous. There were dozens of tourists lined up to get their picture taken holding the tower up. I, of course, got my picture with the tower. Kyle decided to be different and got a picture of himself hadoukening the tower.

We then left Pisa and spent the rest of the day in Puccini’s birthplace of Lucca. It was the type of town you’d read about in a romance novel. I small Italian village surrounded by a ruined wall, with the Alps visible in the distance. It was exactly what I wanted to take in on this trip. I spent the day with Nickolas, Kyle, and Daniel. We walked around the walls and went through the residential area of the village, away from the other tourists. We had a concert that night in the building next to our hotel. It went well.

Florence was also a beautiful city. Most weren’t there to see the city; they went to go to the open air market. We had a guided tour of the basilica streets. It was a small area to cover, but it was all so gorgeous. Nickolas went off to shop with the girls, and Daniel, Kyle, and I went to see more of the city. It was gorgeous; the Vasari Corridor was incredible. As we waited for the group a Mime was performing in the square next to us. I managed to capture some snapshots of him. We performed in Chesa Santa Maria dei Ricci that night; it is a church run by a mad priest, Don Roberto. He told me that his dog married and lives in Pennsylvania.

We left for Rome the next day. We had a long bus ride full of mad libs; I have never been a fan of mad libs until this trip. We arrived in Rome about an hour late and were rushed through the Vatican Museum so we could get to the Sistine Chapel before it closed. I have seen pictures and heard stories of the Sistine Chapel before, but experiencing it first hand is a new feeling of awe. Visibly it is nothing exciting, but the story behind it is amazing.

We proceeded to see St. Peter’s Cathedral and were taken through all the tombs of the Popes. We were told of the architecture and history but I cannot write what I felt walking through that cathedral. That is something one must experience firsthand.

Easter Sunday we performed in St. Paul’s church in Rome. It was the first American style church built in Italy and contained a mosaic containing Abe Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. It was something that will stick in my mind forever.

We had a guided tour of ancient Rome that day. We say the Coliseum, the ruins, Trevi fountain, and the Pantheon. Rome was a great way to end this trip. The city was crawling with history and extravagance. That night we took one last drive around the city and got pictures in front of the Vatican and Coliseum. We went to bed that night with our trios and laid awake talking about how amazing the trip had been.

The next day Nick was on the first group to leave; he said his goodbyes and left. Kyle and I slept in a little then went to breakfast. We left for the airport around 10am Italy time, 4am PA time. We departed around 2pm and landed in Newark around 5:10pm. It was a smooth flight and a lot happened. We reflected on our trip, balled our eyes out watching Marley and Me, and made a pact to return to Italy together.

I’ve decided to add Italy to my backpacking trip. There was so much I wanted to see but couldn’t and so much I want to see again.