The 3 Month Itch

I have totally realized that I get this 3 month itch every time I come back from vacationing in L.A. It's always around three months where I start missing things back in L.A. like the food and shopping and just everything. I mean I always do in the back of my mind, but it's heightened at this time and I just have this slight sorrow and start nit-picking the things I don't like in Italy. It never seems to fail. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury to hop on a plane every time I get this nostalgia but it doesn't make it any easier either.

It's pretty ironic though because when we do go to L.A., we go for long periods of time at once which is great but then I get the feeling where we have to get back to Italy to our lives and work and all. That we can't always be on vacation and need to get back to the "real world". Never satisfied right?

The weirdest part of it all is when I am watching television. When there's an American show on, I sooo get nostalgic and wish I was at those places. But then, when I see Italian shows, I get all loving of Italy and appreciate it more than the actual view I see in person. What is wrong with me? I seriously need to stop and smell the roses and realize the grass isn't only greener on the other side. Oy... help me.

Fast Forwarding

From the time I made the big decision to move to Italy, I always reminded myself to take it one day at a time. The hardest thing about making such a big move and leaving my life in LA was not knowing what my future would hold. Keeping this very effective mantra in mind, one day at a time... one day at a time..., really did help me make a smooth transition and allowed me to maintain happiness in my personal life and find success in Italy.

However, with my precious little baby on its way, I cannot help but think more about the future. Not necessarily mine and my husband's future together, but our baby's future. For this reason, my mantra has gone straight out the window these days. I can't help but think about all the wonders of life I want to show our baby, and most of all, to provide our baby with the best of EVERYTHING. This brings me to the topic of education. I really don't want to be a cynic and criticize the education system here in Italy but from what I have witnessed, it is not up to par. Also, being a student in the LAUSD, I think I have had my fair share of good and bad educational experiences to be impartial. However, the thing that worries me the most is how going to college here isn't just a given. Many students end their education after high school, if even. Some even "purchase" their high school diplomas... yeh, don't get me started on that. Hence, they are left to find any available job they can without any standards set for themselves.

So, it's no wonder that I am fast forwarding into the future and worrying about my child's education and future. Moreover, the job market here is nothing like the big cities in the U.S. Sure the U.S. is having their own share of unemployment and crisis but there are still so many more opportunities for people to explore. It's not so much that I doubt the K-12 education here but it's the mentality set in each child's head of what possibilities they have after that. That they should know that the sky is the limit and that you can run after that dream of yours. I'm not sure many of them have that mentality.

Life isn't easy and I believe if that someone is challenged, whether it be in education or other talents, they will be much more prepared and stronger to face all of life's unexpected roadblocks. Although the simple life definitely has its many perks, I don't think this is one of them. I really don't know where our family's future will be. All I know is that we do have options and will remain open to all of them and hopefully will find the best choice for the entire family. In the meantime, I have to have faith and at least give the education a chance just like I did with the healthcare. Sigh... one day at a time... one step at a time....