New Year, New.... ?

I've never been one to set new year's resolutions... and this year is no different... some look at a new year as a new beginning when really, each day can be a new beginning- why do we need the turn of new year to make a big change? Why not challenge ourselves to change and be the best we can each and every day?

I am always going to watch cheesy tv, laugh at random things, make it to the gym when I can (and not beat myself up when I cannot), travel whenever/wherever I can, try new recipes, have goals for my personal and professional life, strive to be the best me I can be...no matter the time of year.

Happy New Year y'all :)

Power of 3.

The number 3 has been very prominent in my life these days...


Third trip to Italy...

Third trip to Atlanta...

 
(ump-teenth time seeing Sugarland...)

 
And the final 3rd? Well, let's just say it's a good one. :)

I guess the third time really is a charm.

Today.

Today is exactly how I want to remember Denmark: 65F, sunny, minimal clouds, and happy Danes drinking Carlsberg and Tuborg on the canal of Nyhavn, Kongens Nytorv, and Strøget in Copenhagen and now "barbecuing" and eating outside on the deck overlooking the rolling hills of bright green crops and yellow flowers in Farum with my host family.

Absolutely perfect way to end this adventure.

Tomorrow is the day that, as the Avett Brother's sing in a song, "Carolina one day, someday, I'll come home"

PS- This past month has been a blur. More updates on travels to come... as I can get around to it!

Volcano... What!?

In case you haven't heard... A volcano erupted in Iceland and basically, all flights in and out of Europe were canceled  over the weekend (since last Thursday) but on Sunday, some airlines made test runs and a few more flights were completed without harm (from the volcano ash) on Monday. I just read that now, a new cloud of ash that has spewed from the volcano, heading towards the UK, and possibly posing a renewed threat to air travel... but some countries are still moving forward with plans to fly a little more in the coming week. This is crazy! The situation is changing so often which makes it very difficult to keep track of what's going to happen next!
Tons and tons of people have been displaced and even stuck in Europe and I am really hoping that it will be safe to fly by Friday because I am supposed to be going to Germany to visit a friend and attend the Stuttgarter Fruehlingsfest (which is a spring bier festival that includes 2 liters of beer and half a chicken, haha.) and then to Paris next Thursday. Obviously I don't want to fly if it isn't safe but it is just so frustrating because I have been looking forward to these trips all semester!

Volcanic ash from the eruption that is being blown over Europe and keeping planes out of the sky.

Copenhagen and London with Heath!

For the second week of my spring break, Heath came to visit me and we split our time between Copenhagen and London. We had such a wonderful time and saw so many great places! I was soooo happy to see him and get to spend the whole week together! I am glad that he came later in semester because now it isn't that long until I come home... Don't get me wrong, I am having a blast abroad, and I still have a handful of fun trips planned... but North Carolina is home and I finally feel ready to start this next phase of my life in Charlotte, no regrets and no "I wish I got to.... while I was still in college." Having Heath see what my life has been like here meant so much to me and I am so happy that I have such a great boyfriend that will travel across an ocean to visit me! :)

 Velkommen til Danmark!

 First Danish meal? Danish hotdogs!

 We tried to make it to the Carlsberg Brewery for a tour but were too late! But that's okay, because their slogan is only "Probably the best beer in town" haha

 Nyhavn!

 

First pub in London!

Yummy Sticky toffee pudding!

Classic English telephone pose

Heath wanted one too :)

London Eye!

(with Big Ben in between our heads!)

Tea Time at the National Gallery

Outside of Buckingham Palace before the changing of the guards ceremony

Royal Guard band that played "Sweet Caroline!"

Heath and I were amused since James Taylor is a NC native!

BEAUTIFUL Daffodils in a park beside Buckingham palace.

So happy that it is finally Spring!

Heath on the Tower of London Bridge

Heath at Heathrow, ready to get back to CPH!

Can you spot Heath?

Oh, you know... just biking around the royal palace in CPH!

ICEBAR! Brrrr

Heath & I in the Icebar!

My Roman Holiday

I had the pleasure of spending the first week of my Spring Break in Rome, Italy. In preparation of my very own Roman holiday, I watched William Wyler's Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn. I love Audrey Hepburn movies so watching this one before my trip just seemed like the perfect idea! I got to see many of the sites where the movie was filmed and absolutely loved Rome!

I could outline every detail of my trip but that would take forever and I think pictures are more fun... so here they are!

PS- If you get my blog by e-mail, the pictures probably won't show up in the email so you will have to click on the link in the e-mail, which will send you directly to my blog website.

Outside the Vatican wall, entrance to the Vatican Museum

St. Peter's Basilica

This looks like a sculpture in uptown Charlotte called "Disco Grande"

View of St. Peter's Square from the top of St. Peter's Basilica

Me in St. Peter's Basilica

Colosseum!

Me inside the Colosseum

Inside Forum Romanum

Pantheon

Ruins of Ostia

Angel of Grief in Campo Cestio

Baths of Caracalla

Mouth of Truth

Gelato on the Spanish Steps

Castle of Angels

And don't worry... I threw my coin into the Trevi Fountain so one day, I'll definitely be going back to Rome!