European Adventures

Bonjour! Ciao!

I finally made it to Europe!! After months of planning I'm finally here with my backpack and Kenzie. Where in the world is Erica Bailey you may ask? Well after a 9 hour layover in MN, and a couple of good friends later, I stumbled into Paris, France where i had a must anticipated, emotional reunion with Kenzie. We then headed off to the train station where we were informed that the train had decided to leave an hour early- so there we were stuck in the city for a night. We got a hostel, a crab and asparagus soup bowl, and passed out for the night. After a 7 hour train ride the next morning we arrived in Torino, Italy. We then walked around, with our 100 pound backpacks looking for out hotel for the night. We got great pizza that night and experienced the wonders of Italian Gellato-I got pistachio.

The next day Gary and Sandy came and met us and then took us to Europes largest outdoor market. Kenzie went crazy and i bought the most awesome pair of pants- best 12 euros i ever spent. We had fabulous cafe (hot chocolate for me which tasted like melted fudge) and then 3 amazing meals which i have no idea what they are called, but they all involved seafood.

A couple of things to note about this city/country

• NO ONE speaks English
• Best food i ever put between my tongue and palate
• People are EXTREMELY nice
• Italians tell where you are from by the shoes you wear
• Chocolate was invented in Torino
• Black people are not liked here at all, and even the dogs bark at them when they walk by (which i think is really sad)
  
• Italians buy shirts that have english sayings on them but they dont know what they mean "Make Love Not Babies"
• I never want to leave
  

a much needed break...

lets just take a second to talk about Pumpkin Pie....Possibly the greatest thing about Thanksgiving. This year is even greater because i drove up to Boise last night and ill be spending turkey day with family. I havent been around folks like that in too long...and while everyone is at work im gaining a new obsession with the show LOST. i know I was in love with the dysphagia guy before...but this is different. Jack...oh Jack...how you complete me.

oh and one more thing...

I miss my baby brother LuKe! lets take a moment to ponder his adorableness!

Thats all folks...

Bangs

Dear Prudence

Im calling this post bangs...because thats about the most exciting thing going on in my life right now. School stresses me out and Im just counting down the days until turkey day and christmas!!! Boise for Thanksgiving, to see Loren and his new wife and then Bun in the Oven. Im going to be a better blogger...for my dietetic friends =) who have now become my only friends because school is all i do! That and listen to the "Across the Universe" soundtrack. New favorite movie of all time, and I'm obsessed with the soundtrack! Official countdown is 28 days till the end of school and 44 days till Christmas. Next on the to-do list is learning French! i need a hottie to teach me the language...and whatever else the french have to offer =)

xoxo

Summer is slowly coming to a hault...as school begins again on Monday. Finished getting all my books and did shopping with what little money i had left from Jerusalem and North Carolina! Things around Provo are slow with everyone slowly moving in again so hopefully they will pick back up again once school starts. We have alll new girls moving in with us in the house, so hopefully they are easy to get along and live with! i feel like alot of my friends have ended up in Utah as well from back home! Odd how everyone ends up back here at one point or another in their life. Half-Marathon training began this week, as i am having to work extra hard to keep up with the girls since they had started before i got back. Its not picnic as ive never been a fan of running, but hopefully ill be ready by Halloween! Semester is def looking tough but if i can stay in the library and get good grades this semester it will hopefully set me up for success for next semester, and for after the mish! I included some pics from my skydiving adventure down in raeford, NC. Lauras dad did a tandem with me and totally hooked me up with the price and it was just one of the greatest experiences ever. Being back in Utah is a little bittersweet as it does feel like home, but im returning to the saga of couples and engagements and marriages. Lucky to have Taizsa here with me to fight off such a neg force!! Not to sound pessimistic, just not something im currently interested in. 

First Day of my LIfe...

Day 1 of my blog. we'll see how far this goes but its worth a shot. Im a BYU student and i have 2 years left in the Dietetics program.  I love to travel and do things outdoors. Im a southern girl at heart and couldn't imagine myself ending up anywhere else. I'm an army brat and grew up near Fort Bragg. I have love for a certain boy who is going to be serving a mission in Brazil here soon...all prayers appreciated =). For those interested in my summer thus far...its been filled with nonstop movement. I took two classes spring semester and then headed off to Jerusalem for 3 weeks. Those pictures will be posted soon so you can see what an amazing time i had. I have lots of opinions on the political situation there and am pro-palestinian if anyone is up to date on the Israeli occupation and would be interested in discussing =). Im now currently in North Carolina visiting home before i head back to Utah to begin my junior year out at BYU. I look forward to sharing my good time on here... summer has treated me well and i cant wait for more adventures =)=)