In approximately 12 hours I will be boarding a plane to the other side of the world. I am filled with anticipation and excitement and a whole lot of anxiety and doubt! This is not going to be one of those holidays where I will be sitting around by a pool reading a book and drinking a cocktail. Instead it will be a an adventure of both planned and unplanned experiences, a journey of longing and learning and quite possibly a series of life changing moments!

In the first instance I will go to the warm embrace of dear friends in London and Vienna. We will probably talk non stop for hours trying to fill in the stories of the last 5 years since I saw them. Next, I imagine, I might need to sleep some of the last 6 months worth of emotional exhaustion away… and then?

And then I will head to Italy, birth land of my grandparents. The country where my heart feels a familiar tug; where every word I hear is the musical memory of my childhood and every older face is reminiscent of one of my grandparents or extended family.

First I will live like a student for two weeks in Florence. I will go to school every day and study the language of my ancestors, intensively. I am anticipating that my brain will hurt from such concentrated effort, since it has been such a long time since I wore a scholars hat. My reward for such diligence will be the drawing and painting classes I attend every afternoon. Hopefully I might learn some of the Renaissance master’s skills or at the very least, look as if I have! I look forward to visiting the great artworks and monuments that abound in this city and absorbing it’s great history.

Next I will don my teachers cap once more as I participate in a volunteer Teach English Home stay program. Some lovely (and unsuspecting!) family will hopefully choose me to live with them for two months. In exchange for my board, I will tutor them in the inconsistencies of the English language! At this stage, I have no idea in which part of Italy I will land or who my family will be!

I really am quite nervous to be stepping into so much unknown territory but I know I am armed with the love and encouragement of my wonderful family and so many dear friends. I feel truly grateful and blessed to be having this next adventure and as my artwork says, I have my trust and faith in God to light my way.

I look forward to sharing some of my journey with you on this blog in exchange for all your well wishes for me. Watch this space! 🙂