The World Awaits!

(Marseille, France)

I randomly found an old map that I received from a charity organization.  I really am in awe at how much is out there beyond our borders.  I love the United States and am proud to call it my country of birth. However I would love to visit and experience the world!  A trip to the UK is in the works for next year but also on my shortlist is:

• LONDON (I am just so in love with England! My reasons for that require a seperate blog post!)
• Paris/South of France (Marseille, etc)
• Greece (the Mediterranean is gorgeous and there's so much history)
• Madrid/Sevilla/Lisbon
• Brazil (World Cup 2014 perhaps?)
• Italy (Rome, Milan, southern provinces)
• Carribean (Virgin Islands, Antigua, etc)/Central America (Costa Rica!)
• West and South Africa (Cape Verde/South Africa)
• Australia

....and many more!

I have always been an international culture buff.  I am a MAJOR football (soccer) fan and I like watching the Premier League and La Liga.  I listen to music from the UK and Latin America/Spain.  I have family in West Africa/London, that I've never met. Plus I love accents!  While that would obviously mean I would have to break out of my Franglish (French/Spanish/English fusion), I'm up for the challenge!  I think my goal for now is get back to studying Spanish and French towards fluency. I foresee Greek being really hard to learn so I'll start slow. Even if other countries DO speak English, shouldn't you at least try to respect the culture and attempt the language with English as a backup?  I think so.  Hence why the UK will be first :-)

Another reason that I want to visit is to just see what it's like being a person of color elsewhere. I have a hunch (and I've heard firsthand from people) that color/race is not as big a deal as it is here in the States.  I look forward to that because quite honestly, I am so over the overemphasis.  Now, I'm not naive enough to think there aren't racism/classism/sexism issues but it would be nice to see just how it is.  Either way, the world awaits and I'm eager to go. 

Wish me bonne chance!  Gracias :) Mais perto do ceu.