My Europe

So bare with me on this one.  I have mixed emotions on what option I will choose when I travel.   If the scanner has so much concern of health and safety, why is the government allowing it to be used on people? I have read multiple reports of scientists who completely disagree with the amount of radiation the TSA says travelers are receiving. I read that people with cancer and other serious illnesses and children are not allowed to go through the scanner.  This makes me think something is wrong with it, along with all the articles with scientists banning the scanners…  Whether that is true or not, the question alone concerns me.   After researching the unknown health issues, I guess I would rather endure the invasive pat down.  But the sound of that makes me very uneasy.  But some think the scanner is invasive…  I think I would much rather go through the scanner, if I knew 100% it was safe, than go through the touching and groping of unknown hands.

I know they are wanting us to be safe but the government is too involved with the normal citizens of America, who love our country and would never cause terror.  I agree with some other opinions and ways to make security better, the TSA should be trained to recognize a threat and then those people need to take the extreme measures of extra security.  Israel does this, they use profiling to eliminate threats.

I know this is not “politically correct” but are the following people really going to hijack an airline?  The elderly couple going to see their grown children for Thanksgiving. The suit & tie business man running late for an important meeting.  The nuns who are traveling on missions.  The husband & wife with their crying children.  Do you really think they have time and energy to kill millions?  Seriously. There has got to be an easier way to keep us safe without objecting us to radiation and inappropriate touching.  There has got to be a better way to keep our airways safe from terrorists.

I can’t even begin to think about my plans for Europe right now.  Believe me, I would rather pour all my energy on planning my trip. It’s a passion of mine to travel and I also love to plan.  The past two weeks have been the most stressful weeks ever. Okay, maybe I have said that before, but when it feels like it is, it is just the same.  I long to be far far away, in an exciting and exotic land.  (sigh)

I am not quite sure how I have made it through all these years of schooling (it took me four years to receive my associates degree at TCC and it has been three years at UTA) when I have been working full time, 40 plus hours, to pay the bills.  My husband, Tim and I are going through school and work together so that has helped.  At the same time, we are exhausted and need strength from one another, that neither of us can provide…

Good News!

We both have talked to our advisors and it is official. We are going to be graduating in May!  Mine is May 14th, I am so excited. I cannot wait for that moment in time where I will walk across the stage of relief, to be handed my diploma, to be given “the okay” and to pursue my life’s ambitions and dreams.  First on the list? My Europe.

My employee, Jennifer, got back from Italy in September.  Jennifer left for a week and half, spending time with her best friend, a military wife who lives on base in Italy.  Jennifer enjoyed every minute of it. Italy is beautiful, rich in history and culture.  I want to walk the streets of love in Verona, experience the great cathedrals in Rome, ride a gondola in Venice and tilt my head looking at the Leaning  Tower of Pisa.  Italy is on the top of my list of places in Europe to see.

Biscotti and tiramisu are both specialty desserts that are famous in Italy.  And the pasta and pizza is original, nothing like we eat here like Olive Garden or Pizza Hut.

I can’t forget the museums!  I would love to explore the Vatican Museum, the pure beauty of the famous architecture and sculptures!  Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” would be amazing.  His paintings on the Sistine Chapel ceiling would be breathtaking to see in person.

Jennifer saw a lot and gave me advice on what to do and pointers on what to see.  But what I am most excited about is the romance of Italy in itself.  It will be a wonderful experience as my husband and I love the time we have together.

As I sat at the edge of my parent’s bed, my father put on his black suit with white striped shoulders. He was packing his suitcase for his next trip. I watched in anticipation, excited about where he could be going this time.  While he continued to pack, I put on his pilot’s hat and jumped down from the bed to slip my tiny feet into his black dress shoes. I walked around like I was getting ready with him, the shoes scuffing across the carpet. My long blonde hair, nose, and grin were all that stuck out of the oversized, lopsided hat.

My mom later told me that when we were outside, I rode my red tricycle up and down the street. If I saw a plane in the sky, I would exclaim, “There goes Daddy!” When he returned, I wanted to know all about London or Berlin.

A couple years later when I was six, my dad bought me a stuffed koala bear puppet from Australia. I wanted to know all about the places he traveled. I was particularly interested in Europe: Vienna, Paris, Rome. When he was away, my mom would get out the world globe and point out where Dad was now and where he would be next.

The desire to travel has only gotten stronger as I have grown up, my father still a pilot for American Airlines. I have been blessed to travel as a child and into my adulthood. I married a wonderful man who loves to research great deals online and shares my ambition for travel. We make our vacations possible by budgeting and not buying the latest cell phone model or the designer hand bag. Our international travels together have included Jamaica, Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Canada. For our next stop? The plan is set for May 2011. My dream is around the corner. My Europe.