Wander-ling: Venice Day 1-3

Hello, friends! We're winding down to our final days in Italy. The story begins in Castiglion Fiorentino and ends at the airport in Venice. Thank you so much for being a part of this European journey with me. I have so enjoyed sharing my travels with you. Now I am back home in my own bed with air conditioning, no longer traveling. I have had a blast on this trip. I've made so many new friends, shared amazing experiences with my family, and gotten to travel the world. Thanks again for joining my Wander-ling adventure. 

Venice Day 1: July 31
The Land on the Water

  This morning, we woke up super duper early. It was our last and final day in the center. It was very sad leaving the place that we love so much, but we had a new destination ahead of us: Venice. We got all the luggage of ours and the students, loaded them on a truck, and went down to the train station. The train ride with 27 students and a million suitcases was not easy. It was very stressful, but we managed. Once we arrived in Venice, we took a water taxi to the hotel on the Lido (island by Venice). We got settled in the hotel, then went on a tour of Venice led by my dad. He showed all the students around Venice, just to give them some exposure, then let them run free. They were on their own. 
  By that time, we were starving, so my dad, Don, my sister, and I got dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. I forgot the name of it, but I got spaghetti amatriciana, and loved every bit. It was basically spaghetti with red sauce, peppers, bacon, and onions. In the evening, we took the Vaporetto (water bus) back to the hotel. Yes, in Venice there are no cars. One must travel by public boats, which are kind of awesome.


Venice Day 2: August 1
Gugenheim

  This morning, we went to the Gugenheim modern art museum. We do this every year, and I enjoy it to a certain extent. Don't get me wrong, I love art. I just don't love modern art that much, so I didn't have much interest in the museum. I had a good time, though. After we got lunch at "The Working Man Restaurant". We love it for its delicious food and local atmosphere. However! We found out that it totally sold out to tourism! It's hardly local at all! How disappointing! 
  Afterwards, we walked around Venice a bit. We did some shopping and looked among the markets along the Rialto bridge. Venice is known for its glass work, and we got a few things to get as gifts. It was a good time, but we were so tired afterwards!
  Once back at the hotel, my sister and I hung out in some of the students' room. We did hair, makeup, and nails. It was a blast! At dinner time, we walked over to another one of our favorite restaurants in Venice. It's called "Beer Bante", and we love it for its steaks and the fact that the waiter tells you what the menu is. This time, there was a menu and it lost its locality! What happened to our favorite restaurants?! The dinner was delicious, but we totally got eaten up by mosquitos. It was terrible! This basically concluded our night!

Venice Day 3: August 2
Last Day in Italy

  This morning, we went into the main part of Venice and walked around. We shopped, went into glass shops, and got even more souvenirs. Don is obsessed with fish and penguins, so he got some glass little trinkets for himself and his wife. For lunch, we went to "Ai Cugnai", which we've gone to before. They have amazing lasagna, so me and Don each got our own lasagna. It was so good! Afterwards, we went back to the hotel. I slept a bit, then my dad decided we should go swimming. There's a beach on the Lido, so it was perfect! The beach was packed, but we had a lot of fun swimming in the Adriatic Sea and getting our beach on! I love swimming so much.
  In the evening, we went to a new restaurant for our last meal. I forget what it was called, but it was located in the local region of "Rialto". It was really nice and quite, just overlooking the canal. I shared the seafood risotto with my dad. It was ridiculously delicious and fresh. I was satisfied with my last meal in Italy. After dinner, we got gelato and packed for our departure from Europe.

I just got back yesterday from Italy, and I'm so happy to be back! We boarded a plane for a nine hour flight to Phillidelphia, where I watched a ton of movies and made a friend on the plane. Then, we took a short flight back home. I had such a great time in Europe! With all the people I met and the places I went, it will be an experience that I will remember forever!

-Love Ling

Wander-ling: Castiglion Fiorentino Day 16-17

Hello, friends! If you're ever wondering about what went on in my last days at Castiglion Fiorentino, then I'm going to tell you! Here we go!


Day 16: July 29
Civita and Orvietto

  Day 16 was our last trip day. The students, Don, my dad, my sister, and I all boarded a bus to go first to Orvietto. In Orvietto, we didn't do much. We only had a few hours. We basically walked around town and explored. Orvietto sits above an extensive array of caves, and we actually got to explore one. However, it was terrifying, because the lights went off in the cave, leaving us in a pit of darkness. Luckily, we had a flashlight, but it was still really scary! Yikes!
  After leaving Orvietto, we took a bus up to Civita da Bagnoreggio (I think that's how you spell it). This is a town located on a secluded mountain, essentially. One must hike up the hill to get to the town, which is pretty cool. The view is gorgeous, as well. Once in Civita, we gathered the students together for a scheduled lunch at our favorite restaurant, "Osteria Antico". We're friends with the people there and they always dish out amazing food. We got bruschetta, thick spaghetti noodles (pici) with truffle sauce, penne pasta in red sauce, a platter of meat, potatoes, grilled veggies, and tiramisu. It was amazing!
  After lunch, we walked back to the bus. On the way, I made friends with a donkey. There was a donkey chilling out on the way back.
  Once back at the center, I read and went on YouTube. I also got to FaceTime my best friend and packed a bit!





Day 17: July 30 
Last Day in Castiglion Fiorentino

  I got breakfast this morning with my dad. I got a donut and a coffee. It's really just the simple things like getting breakfast with my dad that make me so happy. While sitting in the cafe, this Nigerian guy selling stuff came up and talked to us. We talked a bit, and he asked my dad if he would buy something from him. My dad said no, but he'd give him money to buy a donut. The Nigerian guy said he was really happy, because we were nice to him and greeted him when most people are rude or ignore him. I was really proud of my dad. Afterwards, we walked into town and my dad got a haircut.
  Once back at the center, I read my book and continued to pack. Towards the middle of the day, I got gelato with one of the students. Speed forward to the end of the day when some kids visited the center at dinner time. My sister and I played with them, then we all went out for gelato. It was a good day!


Hope you enjoyed!

-Love Ling

Tips For High Schoolers: Life

  Hello, friends! Now that school is coming around the corner, it's time to get back into the swing of academia. For those of you coming into high school for the first time or those of you who feel like they are struggling in school, I have comprised a collection of blog posts that will hopefully get you through the year. Now, I'm no expert on high school, but I do feel as if I learned quite a few things throughout my experiences.

1. First day: The first day of school is nerve-wracking for everyone. The best advice I can give you is just to go with the flow. Relax. I will warn you that the first day back to school is going to be hectic. People are not only going to be sleep deprived, but also anxious and struggling to get to their new classes. Don't be overwhelmed by all of this. In a couple days, you will know the flow of this school like the back of your hand.
2. Remember to always be nice. Always. When someone drops something, pick it up for them. 
3. Go to football games! They're so fun and part of the high school experience!
4. Join clubs! I met so many amazing people by joining clubs. Don't worry about what other people will think of you if you join a certain club. Just try it out, see what it's like. I'm sure there will be at least one person you will connect with and BOOM! new friend.
5. If you are an incoming freshman, I suggest packing a lunch the first day. Lunch time is one of the scariest moments of coming back to school, as there's this anxiety about who you're going to sit with. Having to worry about buying lunch and sitting somewhere is too much to handle in one day. Pack it, young grasshopper.
6. Turn in all of your assignments and do all of your work. If you don't, it will get counted as a zero. Don't delay the homework your teacher gives you the night before. Do it. Teachers can be unpredictable and you never know when they will decide to take something for a grade.
7. Don't be afraid to speak up, especially in class. It's easy to be a recluse who just wants to make it through the day, but you'll find your experience so much more enjoyable if you participate. Don't be afraid to ask/answer questions in class. Not only will you grow in a relationship with your teacher, but you will also become noticed in a positive way in the class.
8. Be yourself. I can't say this enough. High schoolers are so insecure about what they look like, what people think of them, etc. Don't worry about what other people think of you and just do what you want. Truth be told, they're probably more concerned about themselves than they are about what you do. 
9. Challenge yourself. Don't be afraid to try new things.
10. Always have a book on handy. If you're caught in that awkward moment when you find yourself alone, mask your insecurity with a book.
11. Always do the extra credit! Always! 

I hope these tips helped! Now go to school and rock it! If you have any questions that you want answered, don't be afraid to leave them in the comments section below or by emailing me.

-Love Ling