My Friends Find Out the TruthMy friends have been the biggest support system. I still remember coming out to my best friend Karina. I invited her to come to my car to have a quick chat. As soon as she stepped in I felt a huge knot in my throat that prevented me from saying a single word. My eyes began to fill with tears and I laid my head against the car window as if I would miraculously have the courage to tell her. “What is going on?” she said. My partner was sitting in the back seat and he was brave enough to say it for me. “We’re dating” he said. Her face quickly turned to me and said “You’re gay? So?” She chuckled as she leaned in to give me a hug. This was one of the hardest moments in my life and I could not be happier by the result. Karina has been a huge part in my coming out. She was the first person to show me that it was okay to be different. That people chose to love who they love and that everyone deserves to be happy. She constantly defended me from others comments even when they wouldn’t affect me. I couldn’t choose a better friend to stick by my side than her. Her outlook on life is definitely one that shines rays of light on the darkest of days. Although she may never admit this herself, I know it’s true, because she has been the light at the end of tunnel that has guided me to where I am today. Thank you for being my best friend and always being there when I need you. From the days we would make Mrs. Krier mad for walking the mile in high school, to the start of our journey at OSU, to being full blown adults right after college. You will always be part of my life, and I am so lucky to have met you. I would also like to give thanks to my past relationship for showing me what it’s like to be myself. For allowing me to be comfortable in my own skin and allowing me to uncover my mask in front of all my friends. One of the big things about being gay is finding someone who you can truly be yourself with. It’s hard. I mean it may be just be me, but a lot of people I meet are consumed by insecurities or have fallen down the rabbit hole of believing they will never find true love. I was fortunate enough to be in love through the majority of my time in college. Although things may not have turned out as expected I am glad to say I was able to experience something so special with someone who meant the world to me. He showed me what it was like to truly love someone. It’s a feeling I can’t describe. I could see it, feel it, hear it but I can’t put it into words. He saw the best and worst in me but still managed to be my side and showed me it was okay to put your trust in someone and be your true vulnerable self. Being in this relationship made it so easy for me to come out to my friends and those around me. People would see us and automatically associate us together. I remember throwing a small get together at his place and inviting all my friends. This was the first time they had seen me with him and I remember hearing everyone ask Karina “Are they together?” Luckily she waited until I was ready to make the big announcement. Soon after all my friends found out I was gay and couldn’t be happier that I was able to share something so intimate with them. I was blessed to be surrounded by people who were so open minded and accepted every aspect of my life. I give thanks to each and every one of you for giving me the confidence to showcase my true colors, and paving the way to tell everyone…I’m gay.
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Five months ago I decided to embark on the best journey of my life. I clearly remember the nerves I had about being away from home and everyone I loved. Before I knew it I was on a 10-hour flight to London and would begin the adventure of a lifetime. I never would have guessed I would be able to visit so many places. The fact that I was able to visit 11 countries in this short amount of time still amazes me to this day. The circumstances that pushed me to study abroad overthrew the fear of being alone. As soon as I stepped foot in Europe I knew there was no turning back and my mom’s worst nightmare finally came true. Here I am five months later, reminiscing on everything that happened on this journey Where do I begin? This experience was absolutely magnificent. Through the process I managed to meet so many people from around the world. I learned how to say squirrel in about 5 different languages and managed to make lifelong friendships. Before I knew it, the people who I thought I couldn’t live without began to fade in the distance. This isn’t this say that I didn’t miss them, but I learned how it was to live on my own and led me to interact with people who I would never have hung out with before. From this I started to see myself doing things I wouldn’t do in the past and I began to change my everyday habits. The distance really took a toll on some of my relationships but the ones that managed to stay really proved that nothing could tear us apart. Traveling soon became part of my life, every weekend I looked forward to visiting a new city. Through my journey I managed to visit a whopping 24 cities and 11 countries through Europe. Everyday became an adventure with limited time. The fear of sleeping in and missing out on one of the major landmarks due to time constraint always came to mind. Through the act of traveling I managed to learn the art of hostels, and the satisfaction of booking a 50-euro flight, something that seems impossible to get in the U.S. I remember being nostalgic every single time I went somewhere new. I never would have thought I’d be able to witness places I read about in textbooks or saw in major films. Who would have guessed that this would become my newest addiction, one in which I learn about others and myself. Being back in the U.S I noticed drastic changes in myself. People refer to me as Ricardo 2.0, a person who managed to break out of his shell and be who he truly is. As uplifting as this sounds, it really isn’t all that true. I agree I changed, but ultimately it wasn’t 100% due to my own personality. Through this experience I went through the hardest challenges of my life. I went through betrayal and loss, two of the things I never really experienced in the past. I was also left with two decisions, lay in my room and pity myself, or live up to my fullest potential. As you can probably guess by my social media, the answer was pretty clear. I was living life, exploring, learning, and taking risks. Through this I managed to build a person far stronger than anything I had seen before. The pieces that crumbled began to build up again, and constructed who I am today. There is one thing that many people warn you about, but many don’t think much of it. Yes, it’s true that you grow as person, but the fact is that the person who got on that plane, is not the same one who comes back 5 months later. As I try to describe myself, I often times find myself describing someone who doesn’t sound like me at all. Looking back and seeing who I was before makes me realize I wasn’t living life how I wanted. I love the person who isn’t scared of taking risks, a person with a strong sense of adventure, and ultimately, a person who loves every bit of himself and his life. This experience was more than anything I could have ever asked for. Murcia my time may have come to an end, but I will hold on to you with memories, love, and the desire to come back. Para mi querido España, gracias por darme el mejor tiempo de mi vida y no hay ninguna duda de que un día volveré. Te amo con todo mi corazón, y no hay palabras para describir el honor que fue vivir en este hermoso país. Hasta luego.
Ricardo Perez Today marks 12 weeks since I have been in Europe, and all I can think about is how fast time is flying by. My time in Spain has been incredible and I absolutely love this country. The food, culture and the people are absolutely amazing! One of my main goals coming into Spain was to learn and spot the differences between the Spanish spoken in Europe and the Spanish I am use to speaking back home in the U.S. Upon my arrival I quickly noticed the “lisp” many natives have when they pronounce their “Z’s” and “C’s” which at first made it a bit difficult for me to understand. As time went on many people knew my Spanish was different. Before arriving I was scared that many would judge my Spanish or mocked the language I am use to speaking. On the contrary, many have praised my Spanish and find it endearing to listen to. Many words that come out of my mouth quickly give clues as to where I am from. Words like ahorrita, mande, and ustedes make it clear my Spanish originates from another country and generates the question “De donde eres?” Which means “Where are you from?” Later comes an even more complicated answer, “Vengo de los Estados Unidos, pero soy Mexicano”. As soon as this slips out of my mouth I always hear five words “No mames pinche pendejo guey!” Which I will not translate just because you can probably guess the meaning lol. All jokes aside everyone I have met has been very curious to learn more and find the differences so interesting. Vosotros was definitely one of the words I had trouble with the most, because it sounds so much like “Nosotros” but while one means “you” the other means “us”. Also the change in some verbs such as “vieron” would be translated to “visteis” which added another level of confusion. I was so interested in learning and spotting even more differences that I found myself trying to catch them in every conversation I had. Examples would be how they say “movil” when I would say “cellular” or “autobus” when I would say “camion”. Others include “guay” for “que padre”, “coger” for “recoger” and “piso” instead of “departamento”. My favorite would definitely be “vale” which means “okay” or “tio” which means “dude” or “guey”. Some of which have even been added into my everyday vocabulary. I can’t wait to get home and hear my friends say “oh my gosh, stop” as I speak to them with my new Spanish vocab. I remember introducing myself during orientation week and having to say I was from the U.S. Some would be like “Oh, cool!” and others would be like “Really?” I always had to explain my ethnicity just because I was different from the other students from the U.S. It was difficult at first because I didn’t want to say I was American, but I also couldn’t say I was Mexican because I wasn’t like the other students who come from Mexico. I found myself telling my story time and time again. At first I found it a bit annoying but I later learned to enjoy it because I was different and many people in Europe, including my professors had never met someone like myself. It is interesting, and I am not scared to admit that I don’t feel Mexican or from the U.S. Many people with my similar background pretend they know so much about Mexican culture and preach something that they simply aren’t. I am proud of where I come from and I know about traditional celebrations and am well informed about Mexican culture but I also know that not everything pertains to me. Many people back at home often refer to me as “white washed” because I don’t advocate the same traditions they do but my parents who both grew up in Mexico don’t even practice all the traditions these people preach. To me at times it often feels as if thoughts are being shoved into people minds making them feel guilty for not appreciating their “culture”. But anyway, back to the subject, I am glad to be able to showcase people a different side of a "typical" american. As far as school here in Spain I still have the same thoughts as before. Today we had our very first exam and for a solid 30 minutes my and another professor were arguing over who reserved the classroom. It made it so difficult to concentrate and was very frustrating that they could not come to an agreement. While the other professor tried to make us move in the middle of the exam, you could hear my professor insisting to let us focus. As you can see this school is a mess and although my peers and I say “It can’t get any worse than this” the school seems to prove us otherwise. At this point it’s funny that things can get this bad, but as my advisor says “This is Spain”. In the end I am glad I decided to take this opportunity in Spain and have had the best time of my life! I will say Universidad de Murcia did a great job at bringing all international students together because in the end we all learned to support each other through this mess we call Uni.
I remember walking through the streets of Paris as if I was on Taylor’s Swifts music video for “Begin Again”. Sadly, I wasn’t lucky enough to find the love of my life on a Wednesday, in a café but that’s okay I guess. My entire time in Paris was surreal! I could not believe I was seeing such iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre! Upon my arrival I was determined to make my way to the Eiffel tower to see if it lived up to my expectations. At my first glance I was a little undertaken, but as soon as I got close I could not believe I was standing next to this 19th-century tower. I waited until the nighttime to get on and I quickly realized how scared I was of heights. As I stood at the top of the tower I was filled with fear and asked myself “why did you do this?” but my fear slowly diminished as I saw the city of Paris light up the starry night. Paris was the only place I have been to so far that really made me hate having to go eat. The stereotype that the French are very rude if you did not speak their language was very imbedded in my head. It was not until I actually tried to order that I found this stereotype to only be semi true. I give thanks to my friends Marine and Taima for showing me these lifesaving phrases, Je voudrai, and S'il vous plait which mean “I would like” and “please”. I would say these words every single time I ordered as I pointed to some item on the menu. I noticed the waiters did not give me such a hard time as I imagined. Although I did see them being rude to others who did not even attempt to speak French whatsoever. I also had the hardest time trying to say “thank you”. Every time I attempted to say “Merci!” I couldn’t help but roll my R’s which along with many other things, made me look like a total tourist. As for the rest of my time in Paris I paid a visit to the Arc de Triomphe, the Mona Lisa (which I was very disappointed due to the size), Tuileries Garden, Notre-Dame, Jardin du Luxembourg, Latin Quarter, Catacombs, and the Louis Vuitton Foundation, just to name a few. There was SO many things Paris had to offer and I can truly say I did not spend enough time in Paris to see all its attractions. Everything was amazing, the food, the museums, the shops, the people and the fashion. The only downside I saw in Paris would be the high prices and the high amounts of pickpocketing that I saw. So if you ever decide to come to the city of love, be alert, and be ready to drop some cash. My arrival to Brussels was a bit stressful as I did not load a map prior to my arrival and had no idea how to make it to my hostel. After sitting back and enjoying the best waffle of my life I managed to find Wi-Fi and make my way. Brussels was absolutely beautiful! As soon as I arrived to the Grand Place I was in awe. Everywhere I turned I was hit with the aesthetic color of wealth and detailed architecture. Following the Grand Place, I found myself wondering the small but enchanting city. The Royal Palace, Atomium, and Mont des Arts were some of my favorites but all in all I loved everything about Brussels. The streets were full of different food options and chocolate shops (which always gave out free samples). For me, Brussels was the perfect place to visit after a city such as Paris because everything was so much smaller, making it easier to get around. Towards the end of my trip I was filled with emotions. Every time I leave a city I cannot help but think of when or if I will back. It’s a bittersweet feeling, but at the end of the day I am happy to have experienced it with my own eyes. Paris, you are absolutely lovely and no matter if others told me you were not the best, I consider you one of my top places I have been to so far in Europe. Brussels, although small you definitely gave me the wow factor with all your gold accents and breath taking architecture. I cannot wait to get back and relive everything all over again! Au Revoir!
-Ricardo One of the best things about being abroad in Europe is the ability to spontaneously book a trip to another country in as little as a few minutes. I remember laying in my bed thinking about how I should start doing my homework when my laptop suddenly started googling cheap airline tickets. Out of nowhere I suddenly came across a cheap one-way ticket to Budapest. My laptop then searched for cheap returning flights and found the beautiful city of Prague. I later thought to myself “Why not?” and continued my procrastination by making this purchase. What I didn’t expect was to amazed by these two gorgeous cities. Budapest is definitely a hidden gem! This city has SO much to offer and I definitely recommend it to anyone making their way through Europe! Upon my arrival I was faced with the Hungarian forint. As I stuck my card inside the ATM I see my options of cash withdrawals to be 1,000, 10,000, 20,000 and up to 100,000 forints. I was so confused as to how much money I should take out. I quickly googled the exchange rate and was impressed with how much 100 euros would get me. As I made my way to the city I managed to see the Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Mathias Church, and Heroes Square. I quickly realized I did not book enough time to see everything this city had to offer but I made my way, walking 25 miles each day I was there in order to get the most out of the city in my short stay. Through this journey I managed to meet Frederic, a guy from Germany who also decided to take a spontaneous trip through Budapest. From the beginning Frederic was everything I saw in a friend, he listened, laughed at my corny jokes and helped me in any way he could. Although a stranger, I felt as if I knew him for years. The first night we met we decided to go to bar near my hostel, and it was one of the coolest bars I have ever been to! It had Christmas lights that hung from wall to wall with about 8 different bars within a certain area. It was like nothing I have been to before! My last day in Budapest I decided to relax before I took a seven-hour bus ride to Prague. What better way to relax than spending the day at Budapest’s world known thermal baths. This was definitely the most relaxing thing I have done in my entire life, and is a MUST if you are ever in the area. I remember convincing Frederic to take an ice bath in order to make up a bet he had lost the night before. After seeing his face, I couldn’t help but feel guilty and decided to try it as well. As I went inside I felt myself tense up and the pain shoot through my body as if it were an electric current. As we both rushed out we went back to heated baths. I clearly remember turning around and seeing the look of satisfaction on Frederic’s face as soon as he took a dip in the 30 °C water. Soon after, we decided to head upstairs and hopped into the rooftop pool, where we managed to see the wonderful city of Budapest. As the time went by it was time for me to say goodbye to Frederic and catch my bus to Prague. It was sad to think that I may never see Fred again, but overall we still manage to keep in touch and I hope that one day we manage to cross paths again! I arrived to Prague at around 6:30 AM, just in time to see the most beautiful sunrise my eyes have ever had a glimpse of. Prague was a dream and made it at the top of my list as my favorite city in Europe. Everything was magical, the bridges, the river, the markets and the people. As you look in one direction you see the amazing architecture of the Prague Castle, and as soon as you turn around you see the wonderful city and all it has to offer. My hostel was near Old Town Square where one is surrounded by Prague’s famous gothic architecture. A short walk ahead, was the beautiful Charles bridge which was filled by couples showcasing their love, and tourists taking endless selfies. I also managed to see about three different wedding photoshoots which all happened to be in places I wanted to shoot at as well. I was about to let these images go but then I thought to myself “you are only here once, go get that shot!” I then sneaked my way behind the soon to be bride and got one of my favorite shots EVER! Sorry not sorry gurl, I am sure you can Photoshop me out of your picture anyway lol. Prague was the perfect place for me to sit back and reflect on everything that was going on in my life. I lost myself in the moment and managed to let go. I felt alive, and felt the butterflies in my stomach start to turn once again. I was happy, happy to travel, happy to explore, and happy to learn about myself. Everything just fell back into place and I felt the fear flow out of my body. I know this European tour hasn’t been easy but look at me now. I have been higher than I have ever been before and I won’t let anything bring me down. You never know what will happen or the experiences you may live if you never take a chance and believe in yourself. I’ve learned to be happy with the direction I am going and am thrilled to see where this road will take me. As I recap my trip to Budapest and Prague, I relive the wonderful memories I left behind. I will always cherish how impactful this trip was in my life, and the people I met along the way.
Until next time… -Ricardo Spain has brought me some of the best and some of the worst moments in my life. Looking back, it is crazy to see how much has happened over the last few weeks. My whole journey through Europe has been a roller coaster ride and I have finally made it to my end destination. My arrival to Spain seemed to be accompanied by an avalanche of problems. I was left stranded with no apartment for my first four days in Murcia. I was forced to call the cops and flee a scene where my friend and I did not seem safe. I lost close to 600 euros due to a scammer who’s flat was nothing like they promised and the school here is very unorganized where not even the staff seem to know what they are doing. Back at home, I felt the agony from my family who is coping with my grandmother who is suffering from cancer. I also managed to lose one of my best friends. I felt lost, confused, and was starting to have second thoughts about coming to study abroad. Universidad de Murcia wins my vote for being the most unprepared school on the planet. First off, the staff has no communication which each other whatsoever. The professors are late to class and rooms are changed from one day to another with no announcement. The whole process to even register for classes is confusing. The official “First day of class” comes after a whole two weeks after classes have officially begun and you can’t even access an online portal to look at the course syllabus or homework assignments without being enrolled in the class. In order to enroll you have to set up a meeting with your assigned tutor who does not even remember they set up a meeting time with you, followed by an appointment with the secretary’s office who doesn’t even enroll you for all the classes you selected. Murcia on the other hand has brought me so many wonderful memories. The amount of support I have received from my friends here is crazy. I have also met so many people from around the globe, who are all interesting individuals who took the same challenge of studying abroad like I did. I also managed to build incredible relationships. Beor, you and I have gone through some pretty chaotic things and I am glad we both decided to take this journey on together. You have helped me so much, and push me to smile through all these rough moments. I cannot thank you enough for always looking after me and pushing me to live life to the fullest. Your humor and bubbly personality continues to make me laugh day after day. Taryn, you are the sweetest girl I have ever met in my life. Thank you for always being there and being the base that holds everything together. I am also very proud as to how far your Spanish has come in such little time! I have no doubt you will learn the language in the next coming months! Despite the hard times, I can honestly say this has been the best experience of my life. The friends and people I have met along the way have left a mark on this incredible journey. I cannot describe how lucky and blessed I am to have received this opportunity. Through traveling and through living in a different country I have started to learn things about myself I did not even know existed. I developed a love for photography and I gained the confidence to get out of my comfort zone. I have managed to solve problems and learn from experiences that would not have happened otherwise. I am glad to say I am morphing into someone I am so proud to be. As I write this I can’t help but get emotional as to how far I have come in my overall life. I have managed to attend a university, a lifelong goal that no one in my family has ever seen, and now I am studying in Spain. This is all surreal and seems like a dream and I never want to wake up from. Reflecting and being able to sit here and type something so personal sets an example as to how much I have changed throughout these past two months. I am finally developing the courage to be myself and it feels pretty damn good. There are secrets of my life that I am waiting to address to the people closets to my heart. I am finally starting to believe I am ready to let these secrets free. I never would have thought that this moment would come, I never thought I would be ready and here I am. What awaits is scary, but I know I have the strength to push forward. Thank you to everyone who actually takes the time to read and follow me on this quest. There is one last thing I wish to say. Ricardo, I am so incredibly proud of you.
-Ricardo
The walkways in Venice were full of shops and restaurants making it nearly impossible to know in what direction to go next. I found myself going in circles and making it to dead ends trying to make my way across the island. After two days I managed to make my way through the city and took a train to Florence, a city known for its Renaissance art and architecture.
I ended up taking a day trip to Pisa where I managed to taking basic tourist photos and witness more of Italy’s beautiful architecture. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was definitely the highlight of this trip as well as watching the tourist desperately try and capture a great photo. I did not get to spend as much time as I would have hoped as the majority of the shops were closed on Sunday. From Pisa I was very excited to take a train ride and act like Lizzie McGuire in the beautiful city of Rome. Rome was truly magical and exceeded my expectations! It was as if I was walking in a museum where everywhere I looked I managed to get a glimpse of an important piece of history. I started my first day with a visit to the Colosseum and was impressed with its size and structure! As I walked inside, I could not stop but wonder how many performances and battles were held in this very location. It was remarkable that I was seeing all this in person whereas before I only imagined seeing it in photographs. Rome was VERY hot and waiting in lines with no shade made things tough! I waited about 45 minutes to enter the Vatican but it was totally worth it. The Vatican was beautiful and I was extremely honored to go inside. Rome was full of so many scenic areas such as the Spanish Steps, Fontana di Trevi, and the Roman Forum and I do not believe I spent enough time to grasp all this city had to offer! To end my time in Italy I decided to head south! I ended up in the breathtaking Sorrento, and managed to see the clearest beaches of my life. Sorrento was a small town full of amazing food and shops. It was full of colorful buildings and friendly people looking to relax. On my second day I managed to take a visit to Capri and I HIGHLEY recommend you visit this at least once in your life. Capri was absolutely gorgeous! The water was so clear and the caves were breathtaking! I took a boat tour around the island and could barely take pictures due to being caught up in the moment. I also managed to visit the wonder town of Positano and the Amalfi Coast. Southern Italy was extremely different to the other places I had gone to but they were so amazing. Positano laid right on the coast line where many could be found swimming in the clear waters or tanning on the beach. I am so happy I took two weeks to travel through this amazing country. I knew I would fall in love but I cannot wait to get back! The people, food, and history made me feel as if I was on a different planet. I am so grateful to have experienced this opportunity. Ciao Italy, you will always be in my heart.
-Ricardo These past two weeks have been AMAZING! Where do I even start? Throughout this time, I had the opportunity to visit so many wonderful cities! Each of which I have learned so much and have met people from around the globe. My journey has just begun and I can’t emphasize how excited I am for everything that awaits me! I started my journey in the famous city of London. As soon as I got off my flight I was terrified of getting lost and not making it to my hostel. The thought of using the metro (known as The Tube) was one of my biggest fears. As I planned my trip I remember looking at google maps and having a stern look on my face. I would ask friends “How do I do this?” and all they would say was “Oh, that is so easy! You’ll be fine.” As much as I kept my cool, I was freaking out inside. I couldn’t understand why this was so hard for me. Anyway, I ended up making it to the Tube station and asked for help as soon as I saw an employee. All I knew was that I had to make it to Tower Hill Station, where I would later walk about 5 minutes to my hostel. The worker was incredibly helpful and I eased my nerves. I ended up making it to my hostel without getting lost! What a champ right? LOL. My hostel was incredibly nice! It exceeded my expectations and made me feel very welcomed. I shared my room with 4 Aussies and 1 guy from California, all of which were lone travelers like myself. I began my day in London by walking alongside the River Thames, visiting the famous Big Ben tower and the London Eye. I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of tourist but I quickly managed to adjust (I mean I am a tourist too right?). As I walked I was amazed by the different architecture London carried, from the Tower of London, to the Shard and Tate Modern. Each of which was different and from different time periods. The mix of this architecture gave the city a very unique look! As I prepared to eat my first meal I soon realized how expensive London was. At first I thought I landed in a tourist trap where everything on the menu was overpriced but I later found prices stayed fairly consistent in different parts of the city. Either way I was thrilled to be in a different country and begin my journey through Europe. My second day I managed to visit Piccadilly Circus and the Buckingham Palace, the home of the Queen. I was fortunate enough to catch the Queen in her residence as the Royal Flag was hung on top of the palace! This was definitely one of the highlights of London and was worth getting lost to see the impressive residence! Piccadilly Circus was the ideal place to see all my fellow tourists. This road junction was filled with travelers taking pictures of the statue and provoking advertisements. As I stood in this area I have no doubt I was in hundreds of stranger’s photos, photobombing their precious Instagram pictures. This was something that I struggled with so much! I could not get my perfect shot without having a ton of people in my picture, but it was okay because I enjoyed living my life in the moment and not worrying about capturing something for others to see. My journey in London later came to an end and I could not wait to get to Italy. I know I mentioned I would talk about Italy this week but I feel as if Italy needed its own personal post. I will talk to you all next week!
- Ricardo My emotions lie between full on excitement and nervousness, as I patiently await my departure. The idea of leaving what I call home and living in a foreign country for four months has a gazillion questions popping up in my head. "What am I going to do as soon as I get there? How do I get to my hostel? And OMG what if I get lost!?" The fact of not having signal by far makes my journey a lot tougher, because let’s be real, I'm a millennial... I use my phone for EVERYTHING. Nevertheless, I am eager to begin my journey and grow as an individual by stepping out of my comfort zone. Pushing myself to try new things and striving for new challenges has always been a routine in my life. As of today, I can truly say I have never put myself in a situation that will be this challenging. Life is about learning, growing, and achieving and that is exactly what I plan to do. Saying goodbye to my loved ones was a lot harder than I anticipated, giving the last hug good-bye and seeing my final glimpse of my family definitely left me a little teary eyed. I cannot describe how proud and thankful I am to have such a great support system in my life. This isn't just my accomplishment, it's theirs as well. I will miss each and every one of you, and I’ll be back as soon as you know it. This following week I will be touring through Italy with stops in Venice, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Sorrento and Capri! I am ecstatic to dive right in and grasp onto Italia’s rich culture! Italy has definitely topped my list for countries I am most excited to visit. Their fascinating Roman and Neoclassical architecture is one who has inspired my destinations. From the Colosseum in Rome to the Cathedrals in Florence, Italy is full of what the eye can see!
See you soon Italia! -Ricardo |
AuthorRicardo Perez Archives
October 2018
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