Los Angeles! Arrivederci e Grazie!

As I leave Los Angeles for a new and exciting adventure, I reflect and give thanks for my 

3.5 years in this awesome city! 

Thank you!

For the Sun, Ocean, Mountains and never ending beauty...

For wonderful friends

 Thanks for four hours a day commuting to and from a job that was only 17 miles away 

from my home ~sarcasm intended~

In Los Angeles I had my first ever Stand-Up Comedy performance and I finally learned how to swim (without my floatie!!)

In Los Angeles I received sight! Without glasses...

Thanks to Assil Eye Institute.

Thanks for the food!

Ramen burgers, In N Out, Roscoe's, and the best Mexican food I have ever had in the 

United States (I see you Peacha's).

Although pizza is not quite the same as in NYC, I still had fun trying to find the 

perfect pie (thumbs up Settebello and Provo).

Thank you for allowing me to get in touch with ME. 

Your geography lends itself to isolation which seemed to be a curse but ended up a blessing. 

As a result, I figured out what is truly important in life and what I want for my future.

Thank you for proving how strong I am. 

NYC was tough but you are tougher. 

But through it all the sunshine made everything OK

Thank you for slowing me down and allowing me to enjoy life a little bit more.

Los Angeles

Thanks for the memories!

Ciao bella 

xoxo

Hasta la Vista Baby!

My first trip to Europe occurred in 1999.  As a flight attendant, I had the opportunity to fly to Paris for $50 round trip, in business class! What can I say; it was one of the major perks of the job since I barely made 18K that year.

Somehow it felt like I belonged there, it was a supernatural feeling. It felt like home. But then I traveled to London (half a dozen times), then Rome, and Berlin and Switzerland. They all felt the same, like home. I had the opportunity to travel to other parts of the world including Asia but no other place tugged on my heart like Europe.

The tug on my heart inspired me to put in a base transfer to Paris and London. I steadily advanced towards the top of the transfer list but I was laid off in 2001. All hope was lost. I was counting on a working visa with the airline. My plan; establish roots in the new country, learn the language if necessary then establish citizenship.

After years of moving around, from my hometown in Michigan to Philadelphia to New York City to South Carolina back to New York City and now Los Angeles, my heart continues to feel the tug. But why?

I found comfort in my conundrum while reading Tina Turner's life story . She experienced the same feeling when she visited Europe for the first time. Now she is a citizen of Switzerland. I also found camaraderie in a post on the Black Women in Europe blog. The author brings up the subject of the increasing hostility in the US towards people of color, despite our so-called Post Racial Society. At the same time, many African Americans throughout history, especially artists, moved to Europe to flee racial discrimination. Obviously, I am not alone...

Sixteen years since I landed in Paris for the first time, I find myself in the same boat, trying to figure out a way to move to Europe. I have a few ideas brewing in my mind. And I narrowed down my country of choice to Italy. But the HOW is still to be determined. I have to trust that if my heart is in it, the universe will make way! Here's to possible changes ahead!!