Halfway to Each Other

Awhile back I posted about my not-so-secret desire to experience Italy, and how my blogging blast-from-the-past friend Teri, who had a similar longing several years ago to see Paris, has inspired me to stop putting it off and start bringing my daydreams a little closer to reality. Teri's blog of all things Parisian (and, okay, "other random thoughts") and the tidbits from her many vacations in France has made it seem not only doable, but downright MUST doable. (I know that word looks funny, but it really is a word...I looked it up.) Around the time that I found Teri's blog, I happened upon a book in Barnes and Noble while I was picking up a birthday gift and really didn't have time to look it over carefully. The beautiful cover and the title, along with the subtitle, was enough to completely pique my interest.



Since the past couple of months have been the busiest of the year, I only managed to read snippets here and there, but it worked for me because of the way it's written. The author wrote it in the form of a journal, telling bits and pieces, painting a picture of her family's experience in Italy during the year they unplugged from the hustle and bustle of American life and dove into Italian culture headfirst. Though it's the author's first book, I loved her writing style; every time I read an entry, I felt as though I had taken a little mental vacation of my own to a faraway, beautiful place. The journey of the author's marriage and the transformation of her family really drew me in. It wasn't always a pretty picture, either, but no true story is without its moments of brutal honesty. I finished the book wishing for more, and to me, that is the mark of a good read.

Who hasn't wished at one time or another to live a different life in a faraway place? Losing yourself in a someone else's experience is the next best thing...and it certainly opens up a world of possibility in the realm of dream vacations!