4 countries in 10 days and I'm just getting started!

In five days I will be on a plane heading to Geneva, Switzerland!  My best friend has been assigned there for work for 3 months and I will be visiting her and seeing all Europe has to offer!  Last year, around this time, I started thinking about my life as a pivotal point was approaching – my 30th birthday.  I thought about everything I had accomplished up until that point and I was very satisfied with all I had done except on thing – I had not seen enough of the world.

My senior year in high school I was fortunate that my parents allowed me to go on a senior trip to Italy and for one week we visited Rome, Florence, Assisi and Venice. (picture on left: me with high school friends on a gondola ride in Venice, Italy)  It was so much fun and exciting to see in person the landmarks that I had only experience in the textbooks up until that point.  Other than that, the only two places “overseas” I have visited are Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

So I became determined to see the world and as soon as I declared it, the universe agreed. Last May, another close friend was traveling to Germany for work and casually stated “You should come with me.” To which I quickly replied, “Yes!”.  It was the most spontaneous big trip I had ever taken and one that I will never regret. We stayed in Frankfurt, traveled to Munich and the days she worked I explored the city alone and even taking a 2 hour train ride to visit Kassel and its national park with castles and waterfalls. (picture on right: solo trip to Kassel, Germany)  I had conquered Germany and couldn’t wait to see more of the world!

Now in less than one week, I will be exploring Europe and can not be more excited!  I will be walking the streets of four great cities - Geneva, London, Paris and Amsterdam. My bags are almost packed and heart filled with content.

Latinos, represente!

It's been awhile since a new TV show came on that I was not only excited about but had strong Latino characters that I respected and felt represented Latinos in a positive light.

How To Make It In America is a HBO series from the producers of Entourage and I must say it has the same flavor and realness that I've enjoyed as an Entourage fan. Not to mention that a lead character Cam (played by Victor Rasuk), is not only Latino but one pursuing his dream.  He and his best friend Ben - who growingly gets cuter with each episode - are out to make it big as entreprenuers but life has challenges waiting for them at each turn.  Their persistance and drive is catchy, so much so, I was sad when I realized last night's show was the season finale.

And although I was upset at first that the second Latino character on the show Cam's cousin Rene (played by Luis Guzman) was an ex-convict, as the show continues you begin to have a soft spot for the guy as you see that he is trying to do right by himself. And as the his character unfolds, I appreciate and love his honest and at times comical relationship with his Catholic priest. A unique friendship where you are allowed into hearing his confessions and understanding  his internal battle of doing right without doing any wrong. 

So kudos to HBO for another great series and I look forward to catching season two very soon!