On the Upswing! New Travels In the Works

So, after a period of getting settled back in North Texas, we're living life on the farm. It's a little oasis only 15 minutes outside of a busy town filled with students from two universities. In the time we've been settling in, we've set our travel sights on Hawaii and California... Planning is in progress!

Doing the "chip toast" in honor of Michael,
whose birthday would have been in September.
((E. Galo)

But, the fall has arrived and this is one of our most favorite times of year, leading right into Christmas. So, here we are with Halloween upon us. So far, I have two ready for the kiddo nightlife and a Corpse Bride to create tomorrow for the homeschool Halloween Dance (not yet pictured).

(L. Galo)

(L. Galo)

Dance food ready? Check
Costumes sorted and ready? Check
Brand new walking shoes for me purchased? Check

I'm ready!

- Li Galo



(My husband passed away recently and we will not be blogging regularly for that reason. But we do plan to continue the blog in the future.)

Homeschooling IS Easy!

by Li Galo (aka Mom)

I don't very much care for the articles that pretend homeschooling is hard. It's really not. However, and let's be honest here, some people shouldn't homeschool. There, I've said it. I know a lot of homeschoolers do not want to hear that but a fact is a fact is a fact. Not everyone is cut out to homeschool and, therefore, not everyone should be homeschooling their kid.

I love it and there are rarely days I'm challenged. I run homeschooling groups. I find those parents are also rarely challenged. Once in a blue moon, you find the over-the-top, stressed mom who just can't get every single thing done on her list for every single day and that is why she is the exception - not the norm - in thinking homesschooling is hard.

Let's examine how easy it is:

Curriculum Styles

• Buy it: Maybe you'd like someone to do all the planning. Then buy a prepackaged curriculum. Ta-da! 
• Make it: Some moms/dads like creating their own curriculum. This involves research and a couple of weeks of your life a year. That works, too.
• Wing it: Buy used textbooks and workbooks at garage sales that covers an area of each subject for that school year. Anything you don't find in books, you can learn online. Go!
• None: This one is really for the unschoolers. Let the child dictate what they want to learn and go with the flow. They want to study mechanics? Get a book on it. Watch a video on it. Build something! You get the idea.

The library - a great resource of free learning material
(L. Galo)

Homeschool Locations

• Home: Most people like this option and it's a very natural place to learn. Some people take it too far and try to make an actual classroom in one of their rooms. That's kind of the opposite of homeschooling, in my opinion. Most people I know teach their kids on the sofa or at the dining room table. The whole point of homeschooling is so the kids aren't in a classroom!
• The Road: Many parents have road trips for own work or for their kids activities that take them on the road (for baseball, modeling, etc). So, the majority of schoolwork is done in the car with workbooks, audio books, etc. 
• The World: This is for the professional traveler (such as ourselves). In this case, you can visit the actual Coliseum instead of reading about it, see the Eiffel Tower instead of looking a picture of it, climb to the top of Bunker Hill and view the area where our forefathers fought for our freedoms.
• Combination: Some families like to combine home, road, and the world as homeschool locations. This can include local spots like coffee houses and the library.

With the cutting of recess time in public schools,
I am so glad we have the freedom to enjoy the
the outdoors through homeschooling.
A playground in Texas
(L. Galo)

Homeschool Teachers

• Tutor/teacher that one hires - a professional who travels with you or comes to your home. You can hire these lovely people for specific subjects or for the whole kit and caboodle. I have hired science and art tutors to come to our home to teach in those specific areas.
• Mom/Dad: The traditional choice is for a parent or both parents to teach their children. This wasn't always the traditional choice but it is now. 
• YouTube/Videos: Did you know you don't need to know anything for your kid to learn? I personally know people who are dyslexic or have little education themselves who teach their kids through videos recorded by professors, either found online or at the library. It's a very effective way to teach for those who lack the education-level needed or who have challenges with reading.
• Supplemental Classes: Though not widely available in all parts of the United States, in some regions with large homeschool populations, churches and private schools offer classes ala cart to homeschoolers. My girls studied Spanish, Texas history, creative writing, photography, acting and geography through supplemental classes when we weren't traveling as much as we usually do. These classes were taught by professionals in those fields. 

Do we like homeschooling?
Thumbs up!
Crossing the Adriatic Sea by ship
(L. Galo)

Now, just remember, even though there's a lot of information to consider, it doesn't make homeschooling hard. It just means you have more options. We love homeschooling because it's fun! I wouldn't have it any other way.

- Li Galo

(My husband passed away recently and we will not be blogging regularly for that reason. But we do plan to continue the blog in the future.)

Back In the USA - But Not Welcome By Boston's "Finest" Immigration Officers

(My husband passed away recently and we will not be blogging regularly for that reason. But we do plan to continue the blog in the future.)

Passport control. Immigration. Typically, it's a routine experience - in most countries. But, this won't necessarily be your experience in the US. I don't know where they hire these agitated people but it's one of the worst checkpoints to go through on the planet - and I happen to be a US citizen. (Sigh... )

So, we did return to the United States by flying from London to Boston. In order to even get to London, there was a train ride from Milan to Ancona, Italy and a ferry ride to Croatia, a flight to Barcelona with yet another flight to London. Then came the long layover. At this point, we had been traveling for a total of three days, with a few days off between Croatia and Barcelona. Our destination this day: Boston.

Image from greydogsoftware.com

Flying into Boston Logan Airport is never the preferred choice for one reason alone: immigration officers. In most places, immigration agents are busy folks who move you along but still show you respect and courtesy. Not so in Boston and this fact does not improve with time, in our experience. If I can get an amazing flight cost savings, I'm willing to put up with the attitude problem, disrespectful behavior and feigned or real ignorance level of those agents. But, only the thought of saving hundreds of dollars will do it for me because I've never seen a one of them smile. Sad.

Once again, flying into Boston, we were relieved and happy to be home. A snappy, angry officer greeted us and proceeded to "act stupid" when we said we were residents of Texas. As was obvious by the passports in his hands, we were American citizens. He started going off about green cards. I ignored this and reaffirmed the only place we permanently resided was the US of A. After all, he did ask where our permanent residence was and I answered him truthfully. I'm not going to start talking about green cards. I don't know anything about green cards. Anyhow, two can play the stupid game. So, I did what any patient mother does with a five year who doesn't know how to listen well: I just repeated myself like a broken record...

After he was done with his green card rant, he then went on to ask us to list all the countries we traveled through and why. Knowing this would take way too long and not obliging (because I don't even remember all the places I've been in the last six months as we were traveling non stop), I just listed the ones I knew were stamped in my passport because the kids and I were just recently admiring our stamps in there. That took two minutes - as opposed to the twenty minutes it would have taken otherwise, standing there scratching my head and asking the kids... uh, where did we go after that? I'm sure that would have made that agent's day... a spaced out mom trying to remember where she went on vacation over a period of months.

I know other people don't travel like we do. They go to one place for two weeks. We go to several cities within several countries for a number of months. So what? It doesn't matter. They should treat us the same way they treat everyone else. I'm a mom with three kids traveling non stop for days. Not only do I not remember everywhere I was or when, I don't even care if I don't remember. What these people don't get is that their 8 pm is my 1 or 2 am. By the time I see their ugly mug, the only thing I'm capable of doing is walking far enough to get into the arrival lounge to go to sleep.That's right, we take an immediate nap in the arrivals lounge (street-side, of course) before collecting our travel bags to head to departures for the next flight we have booked. That's exactly what we did this time, too. Why bother with the exhaustion of a getting in and out of a hotel room when you're about to fly out again? Just catch a few winks on their dime. After all, they just treated you like crap instead of giving you a smile and saying "Welcome back to America," like they should have done.

Anyway, all our travels boil down to two words: education and tourism. What's so hard to understand about that? I guess it is hard for someone with less than a high school level education to wrap their minds around these two words. For that reason, it will take extra time to explain what those two words even mean to the agent. So, prepare yourself, fellow traveler. The US checkpoint just isn't as efficient or well run as those in other parts of the world. For example, you go to a nifty, computerized, self serve kiosk to get a little receipt that you think might save you a few minutes of time - only to go right back in the immense line to see the agents anyway. So, those little receipts save absolutely no time at all. I can only imagine how horrible it is for those poor folks coming from other countries to be greeted by this type of twat when their English skills are less than stellar. My sympathies to you because the agent who greets you will not be patient. In fact, they might even get angry or exasperated if you don't understand English well enough to follow their mind games.


In other countries, the immigration officers are even sometimes nice and pleasant - especially in the UK. (Brits, long known for their sense of decorum and polite manner always outdo us Americans in this department.) But, not so, for those coming to the US via the East Coast. Next time, I'll try flying into Florida. Maybe a lack of sunshine and beach going affects the mind of the East Coast agent. Perhaps this theory applies to the Northern agents, too... for the ones near Canada are equally grouchy. I've noticed the ones in the South are generally nicer with at modicum of respect and the standard "yes, ma'am" and "no, ma'am"... perhaps, it's their proximity to the lovely shores of the Gulf of Mexico and sunshine? A little sunshine never hurt a soul. In any case, I'd rather be greeted home by a nice agent versus a rude one, thank you. If only they had more southern locations to fly into from Europe.

What a disappointment and a downer the immigration officers are in Boston Logan for citizens returning home through Bean Town. Let's just skip that airport next time, if we can, shall we?

- Li Galo

The People of Croatia

The people of Croatia were nice when I would come upon them when I was walking. Croats are mostly Roman Catholics, too. Most people do speak a little English so I can communicate. It's easy to make friends, and the place it was a bit more difficult to communicate was the local grocery store.

Selfies on the beach, S. Galo

I talk to people sometimes when I take my daily walk. I found that most people are out and about around 6:00pm, or 18:00. A lot of kids hang out around then. A large amount of kids use roller blades, bicycles, skateboards, and scooters as transportation.

Going for a walk, S. Galo

Having fun on the beach means paying a visit to those who sit in the cafes. There are of course the people on the beach. However, it isn't that warm yet so there isn't a particularity large amount of people on the beach yet. 

The beach during the day,  S. Galo

-S. Galo -

Ova web-lokacija upotrebljava Googleove kolačiće radi pružanja usluga, prilagođavanja oglasa i analiziranja prometa. Upotrebom ove web-lokacije pristajete na njezinu upotrebu kolačića.

Split: Making Friends

When I got to Croatia, I found it was fairly easy to make friends. Kids played in the basketball court, and walked around a lot. It was easy to just come across somebody and say hi.

In fact, I went down on a Saturday afternoon to the beach. I then learned that there was a really cool setup down there. If you payed a bit of money, you could go jumping on trampolines.

Walking around. S. Galo

I jumped around for almost an hour, and for such a small cost, it was really fun. I met a friend there, and talked a bit. Even when I wasn't down by the trampolines, I 'm able to say hi to kids, and talk with them.

Overall, in my experience, making friends in Split is a calm, simple process.  I hope to be able to meet many more people,and have a lot more fun.

Beaches We Have Visited & Explored

I have seen and visited many beaches all over the United States and Croatia, and I wish to share a few of them with you.

Doran Beach, Bodega Bay, CA

Pensacola Beach, FL

Florida is home to Pensacola Beach, which is a thriving little beach town along the Gulf of Mexico. When I visited Pensacola beach, I swam in the enclosed area, which has banks on each side and an entrance to the ocean on one end. I fully enjoyed the swimming. The sandy shores of the Gulf are the kind of beaches that I prefer, over beaches with rocks for the surface or the cold waters of the Pacific or Atlantic.

For those who want to go to Pensacola Beach, it is located south of Interstate 10, just over the Pensacola Bay, on highways 98 and 399. There are a wide variety of restaurants and surf shops to fit your needs, and a few beach resorts are there as well. The town also has multiple beaches, both located on Pensacola Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico. This town is quiet and relaxing, and it is great for those who want a beautiful view, while not being disturbed - well, at least when it's not Spring Break!

Bodega Bay is home to Doran Regional Park, which has a beach, a campground, a Coast Guard station, and the duck club restaurant. There are tons of beaches on the coast line heading north from Bodega Bay, and Highway 1. This highway twists and turns through the towns along the California coast, eventually merging back into highway 101 at Legget. There are a ton of little shops with all kinds of things to see and to buy.  They are all conveniently located along Highway 1, so you can shop for whatever it is that fits your taste. One thing that I remember about Bodega Bay is the sailboat that was left in the mud for years, and it was just a normal sight to see. Sadly, when I returned to Bodega Bay a few years later, it was gone - erased from history. The Tides Wharf Restaurant & Bar, which is located in Bodega Bay, is one of my favorite restaurants. The food there is absolutely great, the employees are friendly, and the views from the restaurant's windows are awesome. I would rate this place an 8 out of 10 on my dining chart, I really enjoy seeing the crabs and lobsters moving around in the fish tank right where you walk in the door, and the souvenir shop right outside it as well.

Split is home to multiple beaches strewn along the coastline, having the Mediterranean look to them, beaches here are rocky, unlike beaches back in the United States. Znjan Beach is nearby, having the rocky surface, and a trampoline center for the kids, and a skate park for the older kids who just want to have a little bit of fun. I don't mind rocky beaches here in Split, but I prefer the sandy beaches back home in America, where I can walk without worrying if my feet will ache after I walk on rocks!

                                                  -Emilio Galo

Riding The Bus In Croatia

My family had a hard time finding the bus station when we were going to the apartment.  My mother asked person after person, and it seemed we wouldn't make it to the apartment that day.  But, we did find the bus station, and waited for the number eight to arrive.  It felt like forever, but the number eight finally came.  My mother had bought tickets at the station, and we got on the decent sized bus.

We did arrive at the apartment that day, with new found knowledge on how to ride the bus.  And we are still using that information to get around.  It will not be long before we master the direction of where the bus is going.  All of us know plenty know how to get down to the beach and the to the bus.

When I got on the bus, it was very bumpy,  and I almost fell down when I got into my seat.  There was a place where you could buy tickets, and it was ten kuna a person.  The seats were pretty comfortable, and they were a faded dark blue, lowered from the floor.  There was a long rail, as the bus could get full easily.  Overall, it was a interesting experience that made my day

We kids at the bus station.
Via Skype (Li Galo)

Solina and I on the bus

Via Skype(Li Galo)

By Cristiana  Galo

Ova web-lokacija upotrebljava Googleove kolačiće radi pružanja usluga, prilagođavanja oglasa i analiziranja prometa. Upotrebom ove web-lokacije pristajete na njezinu upotrebu kolačića.

Croatia: Riding The Ferry

When I heard I was taking a ferry to Croatia, I was really excited.  I was even more excited when I saw that the "ferry" looked more like a cruise ship.  I boarded to find out there was a restaurant, a bar, and in the bottom of the boat, even a section for vehicles!  I later came to know the vessel could could hold 3,600 vehicles, and 27,540 people!

Jadrolinjia Ferry, Emilio Galo

I went to eat in  the restaurant, low and behold, it was fine dining! The food was way better than I thought it would be.  I ate "pancakes" which were a bit different than the ones back in the US, but still tasted good.  I didn't visit the bar, but there was an outside seating area for that.

Selfie outside, Emilio Galo

After I had settled into my cabin, I went outside to see the shore slowly fading away.  It was fun to see it, but after a while it got cold, since it was night.  It also got windy, but luckily I was wearing a pretty good so it didn't bother me too much.  When the ferry got fully onto the Adriatic, and there was no shore in sight, it was eerie.  It was so dark I couldn't even see the sky from the ocean.

The Shore, Emilio Galo

I was delighted to experience the free breakfast in the restaurant that came with your purchase of a cabin.  Eggs, muffins, butter, all of that good food.  Granted, it wasn't a huge meal, but it was filling and just perfect.



-S. Galo

Where is Croatia?

According to mapsoftheworld, Croatia is a country located in Southeastern Europe.  It also shares its boarders with Hungary, Serbia and Bosnia.  It is one of the 18th most visited places in Europe, with rich culture and diversity.  It is also the 127th largest country in the world, according to mapsoftheworld.  It is easily accessible from other countries of Europe, due to its respectively decent size.  It also has the largest coastal line in Southeastern Europe on the Adriatic Sea.  Here's a map.

Simple Map
Via Flickr (Dennis Jarvis)

Ova web-lokacija upotrebljava Googleove kolačiće radi pružanja usluga, prilagođavanja oglasa i analiziranja prometa. Upotrebom ove web-lokacije pristajete na njezinu upotrebu kolačića.

By Cristiana Galo

Happy Easter - From Croatia!

I met a friendly Croatian lady who speaks fluent English. She now lives in Zagreb, a major city here, but she was raised in Split - where we are renting a short term apartment in Croatia over the Easter break and late spring time. She told me of the Croatian traditional Easter game, where each person cracks a hard boiled egg for Easter. This is known as egg tapping, egg knocking or egg boxing, among other names. The person with the least cracks is the winner. I told her of our American tradition of how one person hides the eggs and the rest look for it. She thought that was a lovely idea.

Although this video is of Greek Americans, the game is the 

same one as in Croatia. Red is the traditional color, to symbolize
 the blood of Christ. However, other colors are also used. It can be
played in the air (as in this video) or on a table top.

Croatians are Catholics so Easter is a major holiday here. The stores and shops are closed on Easter. You'd be hard pressed to find a taxi. That is because everyone is with family - at church, visiting homes, cooking, playing games or eating. Though I considered visiting a Croatian Catholic church, in the end, due to our limited knowledge of Croatian, we decided to stream the Easter service instead. We had our normal Easter foods we easily found in the local market: ham, potatoes, carrots, and corn. Delicious!

My kids normally cook for me - but not during the holidays. During the holidays, I cook for
 them! I love to cook for my family during the holidays. Sometimes, they want to cook, too! (S. Galo)

The children in this area of Croatia play in the afternoons before being called inside to do chores. But, they also come out when it's dark. This seems odd, doesn't it? So, after the sun sets they start emerging from their small apartments to play in the local courtyard. It's fairly cold by then and there are zero parents present. Some of the children are no more than three years old but the older children watch out for them. They will play out there until about 8 pm, when they slowly start freezing (it's still cold at night here) and head home. The older kids will sit around on a low wall talking while the younger ones play. My kids don't want to go out after dark to join them, though - not because they're afraid but because it's so cold then.

We've only been here two weeks but we've met a neighborhood girl about age eleven, who is shy but friendly and always says hello to us. She has a cute puppy dog she carries around but she, like most of the children, are called inside in the afternoons to do chores so after a short period outside, she is inside the rest of the afternoon. We've also met some middle school girls who love to go to the grocery store for ice cream and pass us on our afternoon walk. They speak excellent English and told us they learned it in school but none of their parents speak English. An interesting thing is that young people are considered adults early here - marriage-ready by age eighteen, if they choose, but most do not. They are legally allowed to leave school at age fourteen to work to support the family, though many do stay in school at least to finish their secondary education (their version of high school). Duty to the family is considered highly important here.

What a relaxing Easter weekend it has been. We did our annual family Easter egg hunt at the beach and had a lot of laughs. We only had one egg casualty that we had to leave behind (someone stepped on it). We laughed about that, too.

First, we painted the eggs. (L. Galo)

Then, we hunted for the eggs... an egg hunt along the beach - how novel! (L. Galo)

- Li Galo (mom to three fabulous and fantastic homeschoolers)



Ova web-lokacija upotrebljava Googleove kolačiće radi pružanja usluga, prilagođavanja oglasa i analiziranja prometa. Upotrebom ove web-lokacije pristajete na njezinu upotrebu kolačića.

Split, Croatia... You're More My Style

We arrived in Split, Croatia a few weeks ago. I'm also currently on break from school for a couple of weeks. The university school schedule (in Italy), being different in Europe than from that in the US, is such that midterms happen at the end of the semester, almost on top of finals. It's like your warm up for finals. You get two weeks off after midterms, where they assign you a mass amount of homework (so, that's not really a break, is it?). Then you return to school for three weeks and have finals. Boom, you're done. I am done already. I can't wait to finish the semester. I'll split my time between Milan and Split for the rest of the semester, which is only a few weeks from ending.

My view as I zip across the Adriatic by plane. You won't find many direct flights from Milan to Split so you have to catch commuter flights, with multiple stops between Milan and further destinations. Typically, the first stop the plane makes is Split, a 45 minute to one hour jaunt across the sea. But if you don't know which flights to book, or who to ask to get on a commuter flight, you'll be forking over hefty fees to luxury airlines like Lufthansa to "fly direct." Alternately, you can book a flight out of another major city outside Milan because they'll have direct flights to Split on the cheap. (L. Galo)

So, how did I do in a university system totally unlike my own from back home? I supposed I did okay. I have three B's and one C right now. I still have a chance to pull out of the semester with a couple of A's. The thing is, getting an A is a tall order here... and I'm typically an A student. I walked out of two midterms where I thought I'd aced the exams. But, nope! Not so fast, American. I received B's on those exams. So, while the cultural richness of Europe was fantastic, my GPA suffered for it. It's off to summer school for me back home in the States, where I'll have to make up for those spring grades with a couple of A's this summer.

But, I digress. I was talking about Split, Croatia!

The excitement of seeing Split for the first time - from the ferry! (L. Galo)

I'm in the "old" part of Split, a sleepy little beach area where everything is walking distance. The grocery store is five minutes away, as is the basketball area, the barber shop, and the cafe. If I want to go to the beach, it's roughly a ten to fifteen minute walk away. If I want to go to the tourist area, it's a 45 minute bus ride from my present location. But I didn't come here to hang out in tourists spots or visit museums. I came here to decompress from three months of hanging out in tourists spots and visiting museums... I came here to do nothing and what better place to do nothing I cannot imagine.

There is nightlife in Split but I'm not looking for that. My idea of nightlife is watching Netflix with a glass of wine or baking some cookies. Sure, that's boring but after months of go-go-go, it's a welcome relief. I want nothing else but to write away all morning, take a walk on the beach in the afternoon, and watch some Netflix before I nod off to sleep.

There's nothing more relaxing than walking alongside nature. (L. Galo)

We came to Split as a family with the purpose of writing books, as well. So far, my daughters are half way through their books. My youngest, age eleven, is writing a picture book. She story boarded it first and then began creating her digital art for the book on the computer. My eldest daughter is writing a novel, a whopping 200 pager and she's just about half way done with the first draft. Good on her! My son has elected to hand write his book. He is on chapter four at the time of my writing this blog. So far, so good. That's why the sleepy little beach village is the perfect place to write a book. There are no distractions, no major attractions, no money suction locations... just a beautiful (if not slightly rocky) beach and a fantastic view of a fairly mild sea. The weather here is warming up daily. Most of the time it's what I call sweater weather but the young children in the neighborhood run around in short sleeves. Of course, they're not cold. They're not from Texas!

While I had hoped to write my own novel here in Split, alas I see I'll be spending more time than I expected on school assignments. That's okay. When our respite ends in Split, we are off to enjoy the sands of Barcelona. I hope to write the rest of the story there.

- Li Galo (mom to three fabulous and fantastic homeschoolers)


Ova web-lokacija upotrebljava Googleove kolačiće radi pružanja usluga, prilagođavanja oglasa i analiziranja prometa. Upotrebom ove web-lokacije pristajete na njezinu upotrebu kolačića.

Flying in the Time of Terrorists

I love Europe for the ease of hopping between countries, between cultures, between languages and that means flying but flying also brings with it a concern about terrorists, terrorism, and security measures. So, when I fly, I don't linger outside the airport or inside the entrance. It's straight to the gate for me, which means through security screening as quickly as possible. Past the guards and security, I feel a sense of security but is it a false sense of security? I wonder if it is.

Keep it moving in the airport.
At the Boston Airport (L. Galo)

I fly light. The last thing I want to do is hang out in arrivals when I get off the plane. That means I have no check in luggage. I have one small carry-on backpack with a few outfits, deodorant, and perfume. My laptop is in there and that's about it. It comes in at about 15 lbs, under the maximum for most airlines, who don't weigh my small purse hanging on me when I hand them the backpack for tagging (though technically they are supposed to). The deceiving size of my small purse holds heavier items: phone and charger, make up and documents, toothbrush and toothpaste. Most of the weight in my purse is from liquids, which most overseas airlines don't require I bag up... but some do. So, take care to check which airline you fly. You may need to contain liquids to a clear bag, if required.

Over Paris (S. Galo)

My last flight was on Alitalia Airlines. I forgot to check if I needed to bag liquids (see, even seasoned travelers forget these things). So, when I arrived at security, I had liquids in my purse and liquids in my backpack. So, I was a bit in a pinch... claim my liquids, stop the immense line behind me and try to ask someone for a proper sized bag or just proceed? I decided to proceed but, trust me friends, that is not how you want to be traveling through the security checkpoint! I very easily could have had a much bigger problem on my hands. My guess is, through their high tech imaging, they saw that it was just make-up and just waved me on as a foolish American. Lucky me!

Flying in the time of terrorists makes one a bit on edge. But everyone has the conviction of carrying on, not letting the terrorists stop you from maintaining the life you've created for yourself. That would allow them to win. They want to create fear. They want to hurt us economically. They would win by creating fear and hurt us economically if people stopped flying, if people stopped going out to the the places in the world they are meant to be visiting. So, nerves aside, one goes to the airport and gets on the plane. Along the way, the nerves go away, the edge disappears, a calmness takes over.

Keep it simple and don't let fear be your friend. 
Me on the way to Split, Croatia. (L. Galo)

How can we, as travelers, be more vigilant? People say we are in this together but they don't give us any instructions on how to work as a team against possible threats to our safety. So, here are a few ideas. Look for suspicious activity and report it to authorities. What do criminals do? Do they spend time looking at passports or paperwork or managing wayward children, sleep on the seats, or read the newspaper? Or do they watch authorities instead? Wouldn't that seem just a little strange to you if you saw someone watching the authorities? We can notice if someone leaves a bag, walks away and doesn't come back and report it to authorities. (Why would anyone in their right mind do that anyway? Clearly, the person who does this is not in their right mind! We have been told at every turn to never, ever leave our bags alone in the airport - ever!)

I say, do travel - but be safe and watchful. There will always be dangers in the world but we cannot allow dangers to paralyze us with fear - to stop us from having a full and rewarding life - and we certainly can never allow the terrorists to win by allow them to induce fear that pervades our lives and the choices we make in living it.


- Li Galo (mom to three fabulous and fantastic homeschoolers)


Ova web-lokacija upotrebljava Googleove kolačiće radi pružanja usluga, prilagođavanja oglasa i analiziranja prometa. Upotrebom ove web-lokacije pristajete na njezinu upotrebu kolačića.

Ex-Pat Life in Italy Ends for This Study Abroad Student

I came to this country, Italy, as a study abroad student. As an ex-pat living abroad, I knew that I would need to make friends fast. So, even before I landed, I joined like-minded groups on meetup and considered joining the gym or volunteering to make friends. Cultural assimilation anywhere can be fast or slow. It just comes down to your attitude towards the process. I quickly made three friends with other English ex-pats, like myself. I started classes at my university immediately. So, I made another three new American friends that I enjoyed spending time with.  My children, two of whom are young adults and one who is an eleven-year old, all home schooled - which is legal in Italy.

Making friends in Italy wasn't hard. It just wasn't with Italians.
(L. Galo)

I didn't come with preconceived ideas or very high hopes. I came with a mission: to study business in Milan and make business contacts. I did accomplish that. I met people in the industries I'm interested in: marketing and finance. I even made a few friends in businesses I don't know that I that I need connections in but I enjoyed the company of those people. They were from Bulgaria, Sweden and one was from Italy... only one Italian friend. This Italian friend was different from the others - mainly because he had previously lived in the US and could respect American boundaries. That means we could have a friendship based on mutual respect, despite cultural differences. He was still pushy mind you, but he knew that he should back off on his pushiness with me, out of respect for my culture.

Let me expand on the concept of having an Italian friend - from the American perspective. From the American viewpoint, Italians are nosey, pushy and invasive in both their mannerisms and their questions. This is cultural - not personal. They all do it... I have not seen or met one Italian who was the exception. Complete strangers will put their hands all over you. No one is trying to attack you personally but they act this way, because (as it has been explained to me by them) they want to get to know you better and this is how they go about getting to know you better. Ahem...

People pushing to get on trains is normal here.

(Photo credit link)

...Personally, I hate this. I don't mind being friendly and I am... but to a point. I don't need to explain to you why, after the age of 25, I am back in school as an older student. I don't need to explain to you why, after raising two children to adulthood, I trust them with my youngest child while I am in class and no, I don't feel guilty that I am going to school while my 11 year old is at home. No, it's not unfair that her older siblings care for her while I study. I don't need to justify why I home school... for them to get a better education that they otherwise would not have... duh?!

I don't have to explain myself in America when it comes to these things and I damn-well am not going to do it in Italy either. So, when Italians start crossing the line that way with me, I just say I have an appointment and I have to go. That's the end of that. That Italians find what we do in the US strange is normal. We are culturally different. So, of course, we will find strange some of the things they do (like constantly touching you and pushing you - yes, actual pushing without apology or questioning you on what you consider normal lifestyle choices). So, of course, I find it normal that they would think some of our ways strange, too (as they think it's very odd if an American is to eat and walk at the same time). BUT! That they question me on it and ask me to defend my position is not normal. That's just rude. I've travelled in enough countries to know that most people know when to keep their trap shut, even if they don't totally agree with your ways. I certainly am not stopping to question them on why the heck they are physically pushing everyone around.

Italians, by and large, are not smilers. They find it strange that Americans smile so much. (Photo credit)

I've lived many places in the world, some abroad but most throughout the US. I can say, while Italy is beautiful and I absolutely love the art and quality of food (some of the other reasons I was attracted to being here), I never fell in love with her people. When I lived in the Philippines, I can honestly say I fell in love with the people of the countryside of the Philippines... Their cultural values really wrap you up in an armful of sincere care. But I don't get that interfering, nosey vibe in Italy. Sad, but true, I am looking forward to leaving.

I've seen the professors at my study abroad program question the American students on why they haven't made Italian friends. We are too polite culturally to say to the professors' faces that their people are just too rude to consider being good friends with - even if we are polite enough to be friendly to them. So, the American students spend time with other Americans or ex-pats from similar cultures to ours - like Great Britain. We spend at least half of our weekends and free time in other countries. I've seen enough of Italy. I'll be spending my spring break in Croatia. Everyone I asked is leaving, too.. some to Barcelona, some to Germany or even Morocco. But no one I know is interested in lying on the beaches of Italy.

Would I recommend study abroad for another non-traditional student? Absolutely! Would I recommend they study in Italy? That, my friend, is a big no. Do visit Italy. There is so much to offer historically, artistically, from a cuisine viewpoint. As a tourist, you will find many English speakers and be isolated from the truth that is discovered in residency here... But live here as an American ex-pat? Uh, not so much.

- Li Galo (mom to three fabulous and fantastic homeschoolers)

** European Union laws require me to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on this blog. In many cases, these laws also require me to obtain consent. Continued reading of this blog means you give your consent. Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies are mandatory by Italian law. **

Colosseum, Rome

Top Of Colosseum
Picture Taken By Cristiana Galo

Visiting the Colosseum was one of the best things I did in Rome. It was also a once in a lifetime experience for me. It is the largest amphitheater ever built. It sat at an average of 65,000 people during shows. The main attractions were the gladiator fights, animal hunts and dramas on Classical mythology.  It was the modern theater of that time and place of entertainment.

 

Ruins Outside Of Colosseum
Picture Taken By Cristiana Galo

It was built in 80 AD and was open for shows until it closed for other reasons such as housing. It was also used for Christian shrines and quarry until the fall of ancient Rome. Earthquakes and weathering over time damaged it, but it is still a symbol of Imperial Rome. Current restorations are being made with brick. It is amazing that it lasted for centuries and is still intact.

Ruins Of Arch Of Constantine

** European Union laws require me to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on this blog. In many cases, these laws also require me to obtain consent. Continued reading of this blog means you give your consent. Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies are mandatory by Italian law. **

St. Peter's Basilica

My visit to Papal Basilica of St. Peter, better known as St. Peter's Basilica, was truly amazing. It's one of the largest churches in the world, and was designed by Michelangelo, Donato Bramante, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Located in the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica is considered one of the most holy places by some, and many devoted priests and nuns will visit to pray. I would definitely recommend visiting.

Courtyard of St. Peter's Basilica, S. Galo

When I visited St. Peter's Basilica, I noticed that there was a bell tower, where you could take stairs and go up to the top. The total number of stairs overall was over 100! On the inside of the basilica, there are countless works of art, and prayer places. You can see where masses are put on, and even go below the church. Underneath the church it's almost like a holy graveyard, as there are coffins for past Popes. There is a special, more decorated coffin area for the first Pope, St. Peter. Of course, I wasn't allowed to take photos, as this was a sacred place. -S

Art from inside the Basilica, Li Galo

Walking around, S Galo

'

** European Union laws require me to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require me to obtain consent. Continued reading of this blog means you give your consent. Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies are mandatory by Italian law. **

Museo Scienza

I recently visited Museo Scienza in Milan Italy. It was a very interesting experience, and I learned a bunch of things on a bunch of different subjects. There was a space section, a food section, and a vehicle section, and a few others.

The space section had interactive games where you could dress an astronaut, do puzzles, etc. There were real spacesuits, and a recording of president Nixon talking to Neil Armstrong when Armstrong was on the moon, with video. I had a lot of fun there, and using an interactive game, built space shuttles that were futuristic, and worked.

The food section had information on nutrition, and what is best to eat. It had another interactive machine where you could take a picture of yourself, and put your thoughts on food in the future. When I was walking through this section, I saw real labs to the sides. This section had stuff about fruit, grains, dairy, protein, all sorts of things.

The vehicle section was different, as there were some old cars you could look at. They were quite nice, but what really sparked my interest was that when you walked outside there was a submarine. It was an Italian submarine that had survived WWII. I kept walking and went inside a building with planes, helicopters, and the hull of a ship. There was a place where you could get inside a helicopter cockpit, and see where your helicopter was going. That was cool. When I went inside the hull of the cruise ship, I was a little shaky because it felt like you were on the boat. There was a full ship with masts deeper down in the floor, but it wasn't open to the public.

This museum was pretty fun, and very educational. I would recommend.
-S.Galo


** European Union laws require me to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require me to obtain consent. Continued reading of this blog means you give your consent. Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies are mandatory by Italian law. **

American Traveler or American Tourist - Who Are You?

For those who don't travel much, there's a distinction between the American traveler and the American tourist. You can see the tourist from a mile away. They are the ones who clearly doesn't fit into the culture, the people, their surroundings... and they don't care to. Americans, well known across the world for being loud, our unmannerly ways and generally going without much style are especially obvious when dressed as the tourist: in their college sweatshirts, flowered prints, or wearing their American flag, sporting their ball cap or their sneakers with white socks (when they clearly are not planning to exercise) and the girls... American girls seem to wear a uniform: jeans or pants that are not pants (leggings), a long blouse and tall boots. You might see girls in Europe dressed similarly but, trust me, they are not dressed the same.

If you're dressed like these folks while you're overseas, you're doing it wrong.
(J-Nellie, cc by, via flickr)

Now, there's nothing wrong with school pride. There's nothing wrong with American pride. But do you have to be so prideful, you wear it like a walking billboard in other countries? Our lack of fashion sense is no surprise to non-Americans (though many will give a nod and a pass to those coming from New York, as they see the effort - and New York fashion sometimes even works well in other parts of the world). But for those of us from Texas or California, decked out in our t-shirts and jeans? We just look like we left grade school and never learned how to dress as an adult. Truth, my friends. Truth. You don't have to like it. That's just how the rest of the world thinks.

Anyone can take pictures. But, brightly colored hats
 and jackets will give you away as an American, too.
At best, they may take you for a Brit at first.
(Li Galo) 

Those in Europe are generally too respectful to tell any of this to your face. They will be kind to you and treat you well, while later shaking their heads at your super-positivism and fierce ability to clap and cheer all time. Or, they'll tell jokes (after you've left) about how you behaved at the dinner table or how loud you were, quietly chuckling over dinner about their quaint story of you. You'll become a funny antidote they pull our for their friends at meal time. Then, they'll wave it way,as they carry on to new topics... "Americans."

Black, grey, browns, dark blues... The standard winter colors of Europe.
I had someone come up to me in Switzerland shortly after this picture was
 taken and start speaking to me in Swiss German. Didn't they notice the pink?
(Li Galo)

Having now lived in Italy and visited nearby countries, I must have at some point made the cross over from tourist to traveler because now, whenever I travel, people stop me and think I'm one of them. They'll speak to me in French or Italian asking for directions or whatnot without skipping a beat, and then appear quite surprised when I respond (in their language, of course), "I'm sorry. I don't know. I'm an American." Apparently, I now do what travelers do... I fit in. I fit in with my clothes, my walk, my expressions and my presentation.

Generally, I am taken for a resident of Europe every couple of days. At this point, it doesn't even matter which country I'm in. Although every country in Europe has it's own culture, distinct flavor and slight difference in clothing style, there is commonality in behavior. So, if you're close to the style and you have the mannerisms down, they'll just think you're one of them. The skill of fitting in has its advantages, if Americans are traveling in regions where they are possible terrorist targets and want to stay low on the radar. I have generally gotten away as appearing as a Filipina in the Middle East and most people in Western Europe take me for an Italian... that is, until I speak. So, if you're trying to be inconspicuous, look the part, walk the walk and keep quiet until you're in a safer place.

Not including dangerous areas where Americans could be in danger, when you travel to some places outside the US, and folks find out you're an American, they are already so overrun with American tourists, on the E.S.P. level, you can hear their mind saying, "Go home, please." But, in areas that aren't overrun by our folks sporting loud shirts, smiling brightly at everyone and laughing just a little too loudly, the folks are fairly curious about Americans. Some are intrigued enough to ask many questions. Where should they visit in the US? What should they see? Where am I from? I wasn't actually raised where I live? How novel! Then, you (without puffing your chest out too much) get to boast on your country and they love it.

Granted, it did take some real effort to learn to eat slowly. Frankly, I'm sometimes still challenged to take the usual one hour to eat a meal I could inhale in ten minutes and, once in a while, I do slip up, eating like a champion American. I can represent with the best! Further, I don't think I'll ever quite be able to do what some of them do - take two hours to eat a meal. Also, please don't tip. The only people that encourage that in Europe are the ones trying to rip you off at restaurants near tourist traps. Europeans do not tip. In fact, it can be taken as an insult if you tip them. They are paid well (far better than our waiters) and they generally won't even get to keep the tip money. (The management does.) You're not in Kansas, anymore. As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Try not to stuff your face as an American.
(Li Galo)

If you decided to travel at length, as I have in the Middle East, the Far East and now in Europe, prepare yourself to miss burgers. I mean, they try... All over the world, other people really do try to make our American burgers the way we do. But, they fail. They just do. You just won't get a decent burger until you're back on US soil. It's the way we try to make pizza in the US and fail. Or the way we try to get Chinese food right and fail. It's just not the same as they make it. Well, guess what? Other people can't get our burgers right either. It just is what it is. But, I'll tell you this much. As soon as my feet hit the soil of America, I'm headed to the first burger joint I can find, going to laugh as loud as I want, and I'm going to switch out my blouse and slacks for some good ol' t-shirt and jeans... white socks optional.

- Li Galo



** European Union laws require me to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require me to obtain consent. Continued reading of this blog means you give your consent. Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies are mandatory by Italian law. **