New People

Lately I've been craving the mountains. Perhaps it has to do with the freedom I associate with the outdoors, or maybe it is because I want to smell the fresh breeze that only a wild place can provide. Here in Caserta, I can see the peaks and dips of the mountains that tumble and dance in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, but its hard to find public transportation to 'the nearest hiking trail.'

I've also been craving friends. I love my family here--they are wonderful, and we get along very well. But they have been my only contact, and without knowing the language I haven't felt comfortable wandering the streets in search of new friends. Faking Italian with Spanish words can only get you so far!

So I posted on a website called couchsurfer.com that I wanted to hike this weekend, and to contact me if anyone was interested in meeting up. I was surprised at how many people responded, but for various reasons it was difficult to organize a group outing, and I ended up just meeting up with one Italian guy, Gianluca.

Sometimes you meet people at the exact moment when they are most needed. Gianluca was that person for me. After spending time with him this weekend, I feel like we have been friends for years. We have common interests-- the outdoors, photography, and indie music. I met some of his friends who are artists (http://www.siximlab.com/collezioni/) and we chatted in Spanish, English, and Italian. We savored nutella ice cream and ate pizza in Naples at midnight. Sunday morning, Gianluca and I hiked through hazelnut and citrus orchards to the ruins of the ancient Castle Cicala and sat on the wall eating the sweetest oranges from a nearby tree, with a panoramic view of Mt. Vesuvius and the Naples valley. I can easily say that this has been the highlight of my time so far in Italy. Beautiful memories, and the even better, the satisfaction of knowing there are many more adventures to come!

'Pick the day. Enjoy it - to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come... The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present - and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.' -Audrey Hepburn

P.S. I have some photos to share, but I haven't been able to upload them yet. I will post them soon!