ahhh, the holidays. snow, hot cocoa, free time (that is such a rarity nowadays) and plenty of food. going back to california for the third christmas in a row is becoming a habit, even though this really hasn't turned out to be the best time of the year for us. on the 21st, we celebrate my ava's (translated to grandma in portuguese) first deathday. and yes, that was a harry potter reference. also during our visit, my madrinha (again, it means godmother in portuguese) goes through her second batch of chemotherapy. i told you it wasn't our time of the year.
haha, but thinking back to this time last year, i was in the middle of planning to study abroad in dalian, china and live with a family friend there. god, how much has changed. now i am leaving for italy in five weeks, i have an amazing host family, and i have been talking to some new friends over facebook that go to my italian high school. i have paid what i needed to, gotten a scholarship, and spent a lot of time planning. i just cannot believe how lucky i am, or how much i have accomplished in such a short period of time. it is truly unreal. through all the trials and tribulations, this opportunity has gotten me through so much, and it has been the shining beacon of hope at the end of a long winding tunnel of work.
so, looking back at the year, reflecting to all the ups, the downs, and the in-betweens, i don't regret a single thing. not one bad grade, not one missed opportunity. i don't believe in spending time wrapped up in regret and what-ifs, because all of those experiences have molded me into the person i am today. and guess what? i like that person. that person is moving in a month to an amazing town in an amazing country. boo yeahhhh.
so safe travels and merry christmas, happy hanukkah, and merry kwanzaa to everyone out there reading this.
with something to think about, make it a great holiday. or not. the choice is always yours(;
p.s. oh yeah, btdub, i will be attending a liceo scientifico, which is basically an italian high school based around math and science. which, if you know me at all, you know that those two subjects are not my forte. we'll see how it goes(:
