The parent trap...

I'm convinced even Akeelah from the Bee doesn't have a sufficient vocabulary to recount one of the best weekends of my life. Yes, Mom and Dad. I'm talking about my very short but very filled 46 hours.

"If we were meant to stay in one place, we'd have roots instead of feet." After three months of incredible travel, life-changing experiences, and profound soul-searching (but don't forget the times of desperation, homesickness, and exhaustion) I found myself back in Florence, Italy...but this time, with MY PARENTS!!!

One of the beautiful things about travel is it teaches you to make a home wherever are. At the same time, it reminds you of where you come from. And if you're really lucky, your roots find YOU! Last Thursday I was reunited with two of my favorite people in the world in one of my favorite places in the world.

Our two days together were filled with smiles, coffee, wine, and adventure. You know...McGehee things. We did Florence's highlights; shopped at the subpar mall, admired the "Florence Y'all" water tower, and...oh my bad. Wrong Florence. 

We did, however, see David at Galleria dell Academia, shop in the central market, visit Pisa, enjoy a sunset at Piazzele Michelangelo, and try Florentine steak. We lost ourselves in both the streets and Ino's paninis. And took many shots together...of espresso that is. 

But a McGehee vacation would not be complete without some problem. Sometimes I feel like the world is saying, "things are going too well for you. Let's mix things up a bit." To begin, Mom, Dad, and I are traveling to the Amalfi Coast by train. 

Beautiful, isn't it?!? I wouldn't know...

Mom had read in her travel book that train workers are known to go on strike on Fridays if the weather is nice. So Mom, Dad, and son all travel three hours by train, make it to the stop just before their destination, and...anyone want to fill in the blank? The workers go on strike. Ouch, struck out looking. Which, ironically, can be shortened as SOL (a colloquial way of saying "sucks to suck" AND the name of the most amazing study abroad program on the planet). 

But not even this could damper our McGehee moral. I mean, just look at these faces. 

This was a weekend that I will truly remember and cherish for the rest of my life. Thanks Mom and Dad for letting me third-wheel on your 25th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY! I love you. 

A-frican loved this weekend...

~Dear Ms. Coffee,

The silence in our relationship is deafening. You have left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, which I can't seem to rid myself of. I wanted to stick behind the idea that it's not you. It's me, but it was only a matter of time before I realized that relationships are a two way street.

I am writing to you a second time, because I need you to take responsibility for your faults. But I can't expect honesty from you without first cleaning my own slate. I have cheated on you. Repeatedly. They say people start off justifying their wandering hands. I blamed mine on being away from you when I was sick, cold, and alone. But at some point, I started to enjoy our distance.

And I admit, I have a problem. It doesn't matter if I am safely in Granada, Spain or at a trashy bus stop in Tetouan, Morocco, I still succumb to the warmth that one euro can buy me. Please, Ms. Coffee, be understanding. Moroccan mint tea was a one time thing and didn't bring me the lasting warmth that our relationship once had. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I'll be waiting at 4:00 pm in our usual spot: 7 Gatos Cafe.

My sincerest apologies.~

That Moroccan tea was one of the only warm experiences from this weekend. Who would have thought that I would go to Africa in my winter coat and scarf and be dodging rain AND HAIL?!? Nonetheless, I'm still in shock that I traveled to Africa. I have now visited 4 continents (although, Spain teaches their students that there are only 5...I figured the whole world would be taught the same geographical information, but you know what they say about assuming.)!

This weekend I entered the (blue) Wizarding World of Harry Potter and lost myself in the streets of Chefchaouen, Morocco-The Blue Pearl. Everything that you see is blue: the walls, the doors, the signs, the stairs, and even the street itself sometimes. They say the blue repels bugs and insulates the city, but I think it was a calculated plan to attract American tourists with iPhones and an obsession with sharing on social media.

Regardless, I couldn't be happier with my decision to hop on a (very unstable) ferry and cross the Straight of Gibraltar. Being in Africa brought back memories from when I was very young. No, I haven't been to Africa before, but I the camel exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo is basically the same thing, right? I can remember a camel ride with my Dad which turned south very quickly after being stung by a bee. Traumatizing, I know. I am happy to announce that I successfully rode a camel in Tanger, Africa without being stung by a bee. One camel, however, did plant a wet kiss on my cheek.

Mom, I am also proud to say that no laws (to the best of my knowledge) were broken this weekend. It was just a regular, boring weekend of playing on beaches, befriending camels, and exploring foreign cities.

Though I loved being immersed in the beautiful Arabic culture, I am so happy to be back in Spain where I can actually understand the language.

~This could be a cuss word for all I know~

Until next time, be praying Ms. Coffee and I can repair our relationship.