Eat

This past week in Katima-life we were billeting. Which roughly translates into 'Go and live with a bunch of strangers (AGAIN) for 10 days and hopefull you don't die - I mean, have a nice time'. I'm not going to linger on this, because it's not what I started this blog for, but I will say I had an amazing week. I went to Canmore, Banff, and Kanaskis, cross-country skiied, sat in a hot spring and got to hang out with a 3 year old for 10 days. All and all, fantastical.

But the reason I brought this up is that the room where I slept when I away was their office/library. So, of course, first thing I did after unpacking my toothbrush was creep the books. And on the bookshelf (other than four Harry Potter books, first sign we were going to get on swimmingly) was Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

I have been meaning to read this book, but ever since the movie came out, you have to know someone who know's someone to get your hands on a library copy. So I was content to wait until the hype blew over, but fate stepped in and presented me with a lovingly worn copy.

So I started reading this book with few reservations: I saw the movie, I wasn't expecting anyting mind blowing or stunning. So I was incredibly suprised to find myself devouring this book with a ferocity that hasn't beatened me over the head in a while.

But, you know, I'm not even writing this to review the book for you. For the purpose of this blog, I'm going to push aside the wonders of Liz Gilbert and simply focus on one aspect of it: Italy.

Italy is Liz's first stop on her journey of sel-discovery and it would not be an exaggeration to say that is was basically just a food orgy. She went there to find pleasure and found it in the form of gelato.

This book was (other than a delicious overload of food) a explosion of intention that beat me over the back of the head. I realized what I'm going to do when I leave Katimavik.

This might come as a shock to some people, or it might just seem like the natural progression of my aimless youth, but this is actually really a wonderful step towards a plan for me. A couple weeks ago, if you asked me what I'm doing in the fall, I would have said something noncommittal like 'I'm still looking at a few options' (there were no options) or 'I'll probably travel a bit' (which is true, but incredibly vague). Now I know, with the conviction of a teenager who thinks they're invincible, that I'm going to Europe in the fall.

Looking back on this post, it seems like a lot of preamble to what I actually want to talk about. Must work on summarizing!

Long ago, in a farway place, my sister and I hatched this grandiose plan of travelling the globe, working on organic farms, eating pasta under the Leaning Tower, speaking French horrendously in Paris. We picked all the places we were going to go and I made a map to better orient myself with that goal. But then I was accepted on this crazy adventure called Katimavik and it slipped to the back of my mind. But now it is back in the fore front and I'm so incredibly excited that I can barely contain myself.

October is going to see Alex and I in Europe, with back packs and languages books, arguing at the train station about whether the go to Madrid or Barcelona - which one we will go to first, of course, because we are young and crazy and we are going to put our own individual stamp on the map.

Does any one know where we can find a good stamp?