'Tis the Season: Part Two

Christmastime in Europe can be so magical! Lugano may not be a big city, but its tree is the largest one I have seen yet, so props to you Lugano! It dominates the city's main piazza, towering above the nearby buildings! Curious about how it arrived in this little town square? Well by helicopter of course! Scroll to 1:00min and check the video out HERE as captured by a local news crew!  Oh Switzerland! 

For eighteen years of my life I was missing out on the warm and yummy goodness that is a roasted chestnut. Sure, during the holidays I would sing THIS carol with the phrase "chestnuts roasting on an open fire", yet I never realized that people still ate chestnuts.. I don't know what my deal was, but I thought that chestnuts were something that people only ate back in the 1890s.. Yeah, don't ask me where I got that idea from! I am happy to report though that they are in fact far from "extinct"! In fact, during the winter season, chestnut stands can be found all throughout the city of Lugano. If you ever pass by one, do yourself a favor and spend a few francs on a small package of warm and yummy goodness. But don't even bother buying them from a stand that cooks the chestnuts in anything but a big black cauldron, it's the only way to go! 

^^ The Christmas tree in all its beauty (see how small the people are in comparison!) + pretty Christmas lights

I can hardly believe it, I will be back stateside in ONE WEEK for the winter holidays!  So, now that I am all stocked up on groceries and christmas cheer, I think this may have been my last trip downtown for the year :( catch ya on the flipside Lugano! Buon Natale to all my Lugano friends, see you in January! 

2 Weeks of Year 2

And then before I knew it the summer was over, I said my goodbyes and I was on another plane to JFK..

But it wasn't all tears + goodbyes. The stars aligned to give me the best American send off yet! I didn't have to pay for baggage that was five pounds too heavy becuase the Delta employee sympathized with my plight as a student + in JFK there was a Shake Shack (best NYC burger!) right next to my gate + I got a rootbeer float (my favorite American treat). Living the dream! 

also by coincidence you can see "AMERICA" in the bottom right...

And then a mere 8 hours later ⇢ sunrise over Milan, Italy 

day one in Lugano = conquering jet lag while lounging at the beach with friends

adventure #1: Monte Tamero, home to the friendliest cows around! 

Also at Monte Tamero ⇡ an alpine coaster (so fast!) + a funicular + ziplines

✥ Lugano & Lago Lugano ✥ 

Cathedral Saint Lorenzo ⇅

Another Lugano favorite of mine: The newspaper tunnel under the train station. Fortunately I get to pass through whenever I am headed downtown for groceries, and every few months a new character is added to these walls, so it keeps things interesting! ⇅

The cutest little floral shop downtown

But really.. I will always stand by my statement that Lugnao is a summer kind of city. Warm weather suits it best. Check out those piazzas, that fountain, the lake. And don't forget to seize the opportunity for paddle boating/ swimming in the cold water on a hot summer afternoon. 

These first two weeks have absolutely flown by! I am so happy to be back in my home away from home. Moreover, I am grateful for the job I have working at orientation for Franklin. It has been a perfect way to transition back from Salt Lake to Lugano. Of course I am also grateful for all my family+friends back home whom made this summer an incredible one (more on that in an upcoming post!) One year ago I arrived uncertain, insecure, and confused. Now I confidently walk the streets of Lugano. I am at ease with my surrounding, and overwhelmingly appreciative of the beauty I get to experience on a daily basis. So that being said, I am committed to maintaining a positive attitude through the ups + downs of living in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home, I am committed to making this year the best one yet! So here it goes, the beginning of a new chapter of adventures.. Thanks for following along with me!