home

as my trip draws nearer, one thing that becomes increasingly difficult is the concept of 'goodbye.' for many people, this may not seem like a long time, and for some, a year off would be a great relief; for me, its complicated. ive lived my entire life in one city, in one house, with one set of neighbors and the same ride home everyday. even when i moved out of my parents' house, i loved the liberal, outdoorsy neighborhood so much, that i didnt go far. i'm not weirdly attached to home, but there are sentimentalities that i have about my parents' house, my city, and even the parks and roads that connect everything. when you spend all of your mature life in a place, you learn the nooks and crannies of it, and its quirks, and you love them partly because of their humble mystery and partly because you're one of the few that really understands what that place is about.

in my city, there's a road i take on the drive home right in the middle of town - it branches off of a main street and suddenly the world changes around it: enveloping you is a canopy of trees and their huge leaves making a sort of royal archway. in autumn, when their leaves have fallen on the road, the car's speed swirls them up and, as you look in the rear view mirror, what you see is like a ripple you've left in a puddle. there's a famous snow cone stand where, in the summer, people will wait up to just over an hour for a small cup of icy relief. there's a highway that loops the entire city but you would never know it for the trees that surround you. the skyline is a distant dream and at night, since there are no street lights on this road, you can drive in complete darkness with only the little white lines and your headlights to steer your car and your thoughts. there are countless festivals in the nearby park where, panting in the heat, inhabitants of my city will come to see everything from kites to coldplay. there is something magical about where i live and, no matter what mysteries Italy may unveil - and what beauties she may offer - there is something simple and calm and comforting about home.