Tauernhof!!

I have finally arrived at my new home for the next 7 1/2 weeks! Schladming is an extremely charming town and I already know that it is going to be difficult to leave it come June. School has started off with a bang and the location is perfect. We had our first 'mandatory' workout day yesterday and I chose the Boxing session...what a workout. We were instructed by a member of staff...an Austrian BEAST! He is pretty hardcore, but knew how to have a good time as well!

I am enjoying the time already so far, and love living in a lodge style building and having family style meals! It's such a blessing to be in a town and have the freedom to wander around and see what else is out and about in the world of Austria.

will send update again soon...as long as the internet is still my friend, but am sick and too tired now to go into tons of detail :-)

*Hallo* from Austria!

I arrived about an hour ago (9:45p.m) in Salzburg, Austria and hopped a quick taxi to my latest and last hostel of these travels! Today consisted of a very long and uneventful train ride from Venice to Innsbruck, Austria then a transfer onto a train to Salzburg. The long train took me through some absolutely beautiful country side...I can´t even put into words what it looks like here in person. So much of what you might think the mountains and hills to look like and yet so much more! It was raining when I left Venice today, unfortunately, and rained on and off all the way through Italy. It even snowed for quite a while in the very north of Italy and in Austria...the mountain tops are still covered in fluffy whiteness!!
I´m so excited to meet up with my friends tomorrow night...i am in some desperate need of sane conversation!! I am also really looking forward to moving into and starting school again on Saturday...to not have to live out of a suitcase for the next 2 months is just a lovely feeling!!
Well it´s now around 11 p.m. and i am completely knackered...wish me luck with figuring out the showers here and then i´m off for a good nights sleep!

Love you all and can´t wait...just 2 short months until i am home again and hugging everyone around me!!

Venizia!

I arrived yesterday in Venice and immediately set out after arriving at my hostel. I was able to do a tour of the Doge's Palace and prisons before it closed and did alot of walking...including getting lost for a bit before accidentaly finding my way back to the hostel! Today also included, again, lots of walking and lots of sightseeing. I took a quick elevator ride up the bell tower in St. Marks square and then took the vaparetto over to the island of Murano..famous for it's glass. I spent a good 4 hours wandering the streets and alleyways of Murano underneath the beautiful venetian sun. After making it back to the mainland of Venice, i did more walking and got into the Accademia gallery for free and got to incorporate some art into the day! Gelato at the Florence inport Grom was a wonderful delight...was introduced to Grom by Kristin and her roommates back in Firenze. I just finished a heavy dinner here at the hostel and am about to wander around to see Venice and night and listen to the dueling orchestras in St. Marks Square!!

CIAO CIAO

GELATO!!

Today was another full day of fun and adventures! Kristin took me up to her favorite spot in Florence, the Piazzale Michelangelo, which has the best overlook view atop the whole city of Florence! It was an absolutely incredible spot and could instantly see why she loves it so much! I would definitely recommend it to anybody planning a visit in the future to Florence...it is well worth the hike!
Later this evening we had our daily gelato at our 3rd spot. Friday was a cone of Hazelnut Chocolate and Stracciatella from Vestri's. Saturday was a cup of Chocolate Caffe and Crema from the delicious Vivoli's. Today was a trip to Grom and a cone of Caffe and Crema di Grom(a creamy base with chunks of chocolate and Grom's homemade biscotti!) Three different delicacies that are completely uncomparable...trust me, these Florentines KNOW how to do gelato!
After some tasty soup made by one of Kristin's roomies...we decided to head out for an evening stroll and of course ended up getting gelato...her rommates fave spot is Grom so we headed back there. I'll admit I had my second cone of the day :-) Couldn't pass up a combination of Caffe and a delicious concoction of dark chocolate!!!

Let's just say....I am going to miss gelato!!!

Day Two in the Firenze life...

After sleeping in this morning...desperately needed...Kristin and I headed to a local cafe for a quick cappuchino and pastry then walked several blocks to visit an injured friend (after we had stopped in a local grocery store!) We headed back out into the sunny streets and walked to the Bargello Musesum...which houses the David done by Donatello and the original casts of the competition for the doors of the Baptistry by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti (guess who won out??) And once again, we were able to walk right in and enter the museum for free, do to the Florence Week of Culture!! After the museum, we walked to a local place for a kebab...tortilla, meat, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, cheese, sauce...amazing!! After downing our tasty lunch, we walked to the Pitti Palace and (also entered for free) spent a good amount of time wandering through the never-ending amounts of rooms full of art, furniture, and even some costume/fashion art!
We then headed out into the Boboli Gardens under some gloomy skies but we were still able to enjoy an hour of wandering through the gardens, chatting, taking photos, and meandering through the beautiful gardens!
Since it was about 5p.m. we decided that it was time for our daily gelato...we walked back over the Arno River and headed into the streets and found Vivoli's Gelato shop (thanks to Mommy!!) I had an amazing combination of Chocolate Coffee and Crema....absolutely delicious!! After munching down, we walked back to Kristins apartment and got to make a skype video call home with some wonderful friends from SSU!!! We are now getting ready to head back out for dinner...yum yum yum, another tasty Italian night awaits!!!

Italian Dinner!

It's almost 11:15 p.m. and Kristin and I just arrived back from our dinner that we left her apartment at 8pm for! I love the lifestyle in Italy. We walked to one of her favorite restaurants a few blocks from her apt., Il Teatro ristorante. We walked in and were very warmly greeted by the hostess, waiters, and chefs...true locals we are ;-) With a 'buona sera' and a kiss on each cheek I instantly felt like one of their own! We hadn't even ordered when we were pleasantly surprised by a plate of this delicious thin, crunchy, almost like a flat type of breadstick that was covered in olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil...on the house!! After ordering, i primi of tuscan bean soup for me and tortellini w/ham for kristin, i secondi of chicken and grilled veggies and turkey in a cherry tomato sauce for Kristin, we enjoyed our toscana rosso vino and the delicious bread and crunchy starter!!
The soup was incredible, almost a stew, chock full of vegetable, chunks of bread and tasty beans. I couldn't even finish it all...when one of the waiters (an older Italian gentleman) came to clear it away, he jokingly fed me one more bite while asking 'basta?' (enough?) He cooly gave me a kiss on the forehead and cleared away our plates.
Time passed quickly while Kristin and I had discussions on everything under the sun, from growth to our faith...so refreshing to talk with her again! Our main dishes arrived and we were fully satisfied...trust me, the Italians know how to feed you :-) We were able to enjoy every last bite, enjoy our last sips of wine and chat some more without being rushed out of the ristorante.
We decided to take a little longer walk (to walk off all the salt intake :-)!) After walking past il Duomo and around San Lorenzo, we passed a building that we had seen from the dome this morning that Kristin still wasn't sure of it's use...for some reason I had a strange recollection of Jen purchasing bread in an indoor permanent stall type market...turns out, this was where that was!! My memory is such a weird thing!
I love the italian lifestyle and could adapt so very easily...anybody down for walking everywhere with me when I return to the states this summer?!?!

Firenze...

I arrived yesterday, after a few very long train rides, in Florence. I hadn't thought that I would be returning to this city but am so happy to be here! I got to my hostel, Ostello Monaca, and got into my room then headed out for some walking and exploring. After walking across the Arno I wandered my way to see the Duomo, walked through some other streets, passed the Uffizi and many other famous landmarks. I eventually crossed over the Ponte Vecchio and ate dinner at a Rick Steves recommended restaurant overlooking the Arno river. An amazing first night in Italy dinner of pizza, wine, tiramisu, and a cappuchino!!
This morning I woke up and got all my things back ready to move...after standing outside of the hostel for a few minutes I saw my dear friend Kristin walking towards me! After an emotional reuniting and several excited hugs we headed to her place to drop off my luggage then head out for the start of our adventure!! We started our morning with a cappuchino and pastry at her favorite local tabacchi then walked to the Uffizi gallery. The line was really long but with Kristin's handy museum pass (given to students in her program) we were able to hop the line and all the museums were free admission today...so I was able to walk right in :-) It was so incredible to see all of the art I had spent the last few years studying. The first time I set foot in this museum I had no idea that I would have been an art history major!! Kristin's love for Art History meant we were able to enjoy our slow saunter through the exhibits.
After the Uffizi, we made our way to the Duomo and stood in the quick line to climb to the top of the Dome. We began our ascent of the 463 steps to the very tip top of Brunelleschi's masterpiece! It actually began to downpour while we were walking up, but fortunately, it stopped for the time that we were on top and we spent a good amount of time enjoying the views and chatting in the open air above Florence! We were both pretty hungry after the climb and Kristin took us to one of her favorite sandwhich shops around the corner from her apt. An amazing little hole in the wall (literally) where I had a mozzerella, ham, and rucola(arugala) sandwhich...so so so good!!! After munching, we headed to the Galleria dell'Accademia and just walked straight into the museum..no lines and no cost!! Michelangelo's David is just such an amazing work of art. We stood and sat in awe of the sculpture for probably 30-45 minutes before finally wandering back out into the streets of Firenze. Even though there was a light sprinkle we decided on gelato being the next stop. On recommendation from a professor's wife, she took me to a place called Vestri....and even Kristin claims it was the BEST gelato she has had since she has been over here!!! I had an amazing combination of Stracciatella and Chocolate Hazelnut...so incredible, it was soft and perfect and we got a HUGE portion for only 1euro70.
We are now taking a slight break in her apartment before deciding what to do next :-)

CIAO CIAO

just thinking...and this is what happens...

Sometimes I forget how incredibly blessed I am. I am only 22 years old and have already been to numerous places I didn't think I would see until much later in life. My family supports my decisions and are my backbone in life; my friends are there for me...whether they know it or not; and my ultimate Savior is constantly showing Himself to me in new and glorious ways....especially when I least expect it. As these past few weeks have flown by since I left my English home, my life has been transformed. I know that it's easy to imagine a transformation taking place while hoofing it around Europe, but even I didn't know the changes that could occur. I have seen more of what the world holds, its treasures and its struggles. A morning walk could lead into a realization of something more I want out of my life.
Having this week in Cannes to rest and rejuvenate has been such a blessing, especially when I wasn't even sure it was something I wanted to do. I know that my transition to Austria is going to be a little bit easier having been going going going for the past month, and knowing a few people there already will be such a help. The transition that I am beginning to wonder about is that of my return to the States. I've tried not to think about it too much, simply because I don't want to wish and worry my next few months away, but with the world and economy at the place it is, I can't help but think about the future.
I'm looking forward to the little things i've taken for granted; driving a car, late night restaurants where you can go in your sweats, downtown San Carlos...I never realized how close it really is to my parents house, a grocery store where everything you need is at your fingertips, going to the movies, coffee with friends(where I don't have to double the price to see what i'm really paying), familiar brand names, trips to San Francisco, cooking my own meals, bicycle riding, renting a movie, the US Dollar...
Strange to think that my life will revolve around such different things in a few months. I like that I have had this year to ponder what the future might hold and I love that I have gained a little bit of insight into what I would like to see myself doing. Now, let's just hope and pray that the economy will pick up and the job market will like me!

Cannes

Just as the pictures may show it, Cannes is a very well to do place. Lots of money has obviously settled here; fancy cars, ritzy hotels, very snazzy boutique style shops of all the head designers. Two of my buddies and I traveled from the cruise in Barcelona to Avignon, France yesterday and then continued on from Avignon to our connection in Marseilles to Cannes.
Our two bedroom apartment is incredible, so much more than we were expecting. A front and back deck, large living room, great kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and showers, and even a washing machine!!!
We have started to settle in and had a great starting dinner of pasta and sauce, salad, and even a fresh baguette from the corner shop. After a delicious glass of french red wine, a few of us headed out on a walk to see a bit of the sea. It's a little cooler here that I expected, but we still plan to have a good time :-)

-bonsoir-

CRUISE TIME!

After a fun filled two weeks in London, Paris, and Barcelona I boarded the Norweigan Jade cruise ship with 11 of my fellow school mates and headed off an another adventure. We are docked in Egypt right now after sailing to; Rome, Greece, and Turkey. The amount of history and culture that I have seen over the past week has been absolutely incredible. I've seen things that I only thought I would ever read about in a text book and see in photos. I cannot wait to share my experiences in more detail with all of you when I return to the states!
Our safety has been a big concern for me and I have been so thankful to God for nothing happening to us. We drove past a fellow tour bus in a major wreck yesterday on the way to Cairo, so we know how luck we are.
We are seriously enjoying the cruise lifestyle and are thankful that the weather has been somewhat pleasant. We leave Egypt today and have another day at sea before arriving in Malta, our last port city, then one more day at sea then a return to Barcelona.
Once I arrive back to the mainland, I will be sure to do a more indeapth update! Hope life on the other side of the world has been keeping everyone entertained and in good spirits!
love and joy

Endings....

I know that it has been simply forever, but my life in the UK has officially ended with my arrival at Station Gare du Nord in Paris earlier this evening. I had to say goodbye to London, one of my favorite cities, and my Dad, one of my favorite people. It was an absolute blessing to get to spend the week with him, showing him around my stomping grounds of Capernwray and the Lake District and then getting to show him around London. It made it that much harder to leave London, because it meant having to say goodbye to my Daddy whom I hadn't seen since September. But the good news is that I'll be home in THREE months and then I can see everyone again :-) I'm about to head out into the crazy city of Paris, so wish me luck and I'll be sure to be back and give an update on the last month soon!!!

au revoir

Saying Goodbye...

I really want to be home and giving those I love big hugs and kisses. We lost someone very near to us and we are all reeling from it. Please keep us and his family in your thoughts and prayers. I love you all and hold you so close to my heart.

JUSTIN!

what a blessing....Justin flew through England en route to his deployment location and after some very last minute planning I was able to see him on Tuesday and Wednesday! I only found out on Sunday where he was going to be and showed up on Tuesday morning at the train station in Carnforth and purchased my ticket. After a long morning of traveling I made it to the RAF Lakenheath base and got to wrap my arms around my big brother! We were able to hang out and catch up...I listened to his hilarioius stories of puppy Rex and all sorts of other stories! :-) Being able to talk with him in person was amazing and I had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't a dream! Because we were on an American Air Force Base, it was just like having a quick visit back to the states; American made vehicles and American products in the exchange...Justin was such an awesome older brother and told me to grab whatever....I could have gone crazy, but had limited space to bring anything back to school, so had to be careful...but I was in a little bit of heaven! It was hard to say goodbye on Wednesday and found it really difficult to get on the train, but it was totally worth the sadness of leaving to be able to see Justin for a bit. It made me miss home and miss all of you, hope all is well and can't wait for July!

Carnforth

Today, Wednesday the 14th of Januray 2009, the 3x's a week mini-bus dropped us off in downtown Carnforth for a few hours of errand running. Katie, Hannah, and I made it through Tesco without too many distractions, then walked across the street to the Carnforth Library, this quaint littl building housing a one room library, but the amazing thing is, they have 6 computers, with FAST internet!! We decided that it would be worth it to sign up for a library card to utilize the internet :-) So, for the past 40 minutes, we have been sitting in the library, out of the cold and catching up with the rest of the world! I love the fact that today, when I have all the access I could need, I really didn't have anything TOO pressing that had to be taken care of on quicker internet...oh well, next trip! Love to you all.

TEMPE...

The Perkins Family's beloved labrador, Tempe, peacefully passed away on the 11th of January around 11 p.m. After his long battle with cancer, his tired body finally gave way. Mommy Perkins was with Tempe as he took his final breaths on his big fluffy bed in 'his' room downstairs. As emotional as I was to hear the news over the phone, I know that if he was in any pain, he is no longer suffering from it. His life blessed us with so many memories over the past decade and he will be missed very much. Our family was graced with his wonderful life from the puppy stage all the way through adulthood. For those of you who spent time with him, you know his silly ways and the craziness that would come out when he was around, and all the ways he could make us laugh. We loved him with all our hearts and I know I will have a hard time adjusting to him being gone when I return to the states. Tempe truly was joy and love :-)

Holiday House!

Arrival at Broadmea Barn was picturesque and was the perfect start to a perfect holiday break. Our home for the next few days is a converted barn that sleeps 12 people (we have 10) and has a ground floor with 4 bedrooms and 4 half levels, 3 of which look out over the amazing kitchen/dining room and one contains a 5th room. We have really been able to make ourselves quite at home here and I know that it is going to be extremely difficult to leave on Friday.
Today we took a long walk out in the countryside, picture scenes straight out of the film 'The Holiday' and that is exactly what it felt like. The fields are all covered in a very thin layer of snow and the snow continued to fall as we trudged along. Even though the moment you step outside you want to run back in, the walk warmed us up and made us feel as though we had accomplished alot more than we actually had!
I am so happy to be here, yet sad at the same time because I know that our Christmas holiday break has come to an end and we will have to settle back into a very strict routine on our return, which is always good, but always difficult to start up again. Hope everyone had a very happy new year!

Thawing out...

I have returned to my 2nd home in England after a wonderful few days in Ireland.  After leaving the internet cafe on Friday, I headed out and thought I would be adventurous and go on a long walk out along the water and out of Galway, I lasted about 5 minutes before the cold got to me, so I headed into the Galway city museum for a quick warm up and was pleasantly surprised with what the museum had to say about the city's history and everything it had been through, including a mini exhibit on JFK's visit there just about two months before he was assassinated I think.  After a mini break in the museum, I decided to try and venture out into the cold, and was actually successful in surviving for a bit before I had to turn back.  Once back in the safety of the city's buildings, I found myself wandering to St. Nicholas' Cathedral.  It was a really beautiful cathedral, with impressive stained glass window and a massive organ, which was being played while I was there!  

From the cathedral, I wandered over the University of Glasgow and tried to imagine myself studying there....not very likely!  I made it back into the city center and wandered down the main drag of Shop Street and did a bit of souvenir shopping and finally decided it was time to eat and warm up a bit.  I had a very late lunch and early dinner, at Galways famous fish&chippery, of cod, chips, and mushy peas!  It was absolutely delicious and exactly what I needed before the crazy cold could get to me again.  I did some more wandering and popped into shops here and there, and even wandered into their version of a, very small, shopping mall.  Actually made a purchase of a hat because of course I had left my plethora of hats behind when I really needed them.  

 Hung out in a coffee shop and wrote for a bit and listened to 'Galway Girl' on the radio!  At around 7 p.m. headed to a famous pub called Taaffe's and listened to traditional music for about an hour.  It was so cool to just sit and listen to a very informal group just playing and enjoying the friendly atmosphere!  With my last night in town almost over, I walked the drag once more and walked along the water to take it all in again.  Headed back to the B&B to pack and get an early night.

  Waking up early has never been a strong point, so I was quite proud of myself that I made it to my 7:15am train with plenty of time!!  Train back to Dublin, then 30 minutes in Dublin, DART to Dun Laoghaire and rushed across to board the ferry to Holyhead, Wales.  On my train ride back to Manchester was pleasantly accompanied by a young guy who chatted with me for our two hour ride to Chester where we parted ways to catch our connections, but had a blast creating that memory and was kept well entertained  :-)   

  It's hard to believe that I left 5 days ago and spent the week in another foreign country, but I had such an amazing time, that I'm not surprised that it flew by.  It's still cold here in England, but I just don't think AS cold as it was in Ireland!!   Love to you all

IRELAND!!!

So, just imagine snow fall weather, but with no snow...that is how freezing it is here in Ireland, but I have to admit, it's kind of what makes me love it even more. I feel completely out of my element and in a different world...kind of the whole point of travel! It's Friday and my last full day here, the week has just flown by. I started with a ferry ride from Holyhead, Wales over to Dublin, and spent two days in Dublin sightseeing and doing all sorts of fun touristy things!! I enjoyed my first pint of Guinness at the Gravity Bar on top of the factory tour and spent time in, i know i know, another art museum...but hey I love it! I was able to beat the cold by just wandering around and spending the majority of my time just walking and taking in as much of the city as I could! I took the DART train down to Dun Laoghaire and spent two glorious nights in a very posh hotel right on the waterfront, let me tell you, it's worth it to take a little break and enjoy yourself on holiday!! Spent most of my time wandering along the waterfront and through the little town.
Yesterday, thursday, hopped on a train here to Galway and zipped through some gorgeous country to the western coast of Ireland. I was able to get a room in a very cute and cozy B&B and then walked down the the main drag to grab some food. After a very delicious dinner in an Italian restaurant, walked around, phoned home, then had dessert of Creme Brulee in a french bistro!! Finally, I headed out to find some music in a pub. As apprehensive as I was, I was determined to enjoy myself. I found myself sitting alone in Monroe's Tavern/Pub drinking my half pint of Carlsberg, when a group of girls warmly invited me to join them! I was delighted to join their fun and was quickly one of the girls...chatting away, laughing, and enjoying the music in front of us!
I woke up this morning and had a delicious breakfast at the B&B then headed out into the cold, once again. I'll have to let you all know what today and tomorrow consist of later, but just wanted to give a quick update! I can't wait to come back to Ireland again someday...any travel buddies out there?!?!
p.s. i love you all...