pre-packing daydreams

I have less than one week. Six days to be exact. Have I started packing yet? Not quite. I consider myself to be a speedy and efficient packer, though, so I'm not panicking yet. I'm still hovering between eagerness and nervousness. This gray area, so to speak, makes for a perfect daydreaming mindset. So many have shared their personal excitement for me with advice and suggestions on places I must visit during my 10 months away. Like a chipmunk, I've been storing them away for a time I felt was much later; however, said time has come. Devon (my brother) asked me recently if I've created a list of things I wanted to do and places I wanted to see. I felt that to be a silly exercise; I'll have so much time overseas, why confine myself to a list of expectations? Yet, the closer I come to my departure, I'm beginning to realize that perhaps a list of goals, so to speak, might be worth manifesting. I've always benefitted substantially from to-do lists, and creating a year long "to-do list" might be, if for anything else, worth referencing throughout my trip to see how my impressions and research compare to the reality. What I have so far is...

1. Visit Grasse, France (per the earnest request of Sharon). Said to be the birthplace of perfume, this small town houses several of the pioneering perfume companies. In addition, I was surprised to discover that it was also the birthplace of a favorite Rococo painter of mine, Fragonard. Seeing as I'm in the market for a new fragrance, this has definitely made it to the top of my itinerary when I visit France.
2. Emilia-Romagna is the food capital region of Italy. And Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna. So this makes Bologna the food capital city of Italy. Local produce fills the alleyways at daily markets. Dishes like tortellini and pasta al ragù (known as pasta bolognese to outsiders of Italy) are regional specialties. Anyone who goes to Italy expects to eat well. Being the cooking enthusiast that I am, I want to be able to share my good-eating with those who could not traverse the Atlantic for a visit; hence, a cooking class is most definitely in my future.
3. Although I'm not yet 21, my dad's passion for wine has inspired my own affinity. Although I prefer vino to most other beverages, a tentative invitation to Oktoberfest means I might need to switch of teams for a weekend. We'll see if I leave with a new favorite drink...
4. The first and only opera I've ever seen was on a seventh grade trip to NYC. Half the class fell asleep, including my 65 year old English teacher. I admit, it was quite a challenge not to succumb to slumber (but in all fairness, we were winding down from a long day that included walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and back). I feel that a second experience will fair much differently. And what better place to watch an opera than in Verona?
5. Italy has an obviously strong reputation for food and dessert; but for pastry, one cannot deny that the finesse of the French gets it done the best (especially when it comes to macaroons!). The debate is between Pierre Hermé and Ladurée for premier creation. Guess I'll just have to judge for myself...
6. Italy varies greatly between regions. Seeing as I'll be living in the north, I simply must take a trip down to the south to experience the uniquely different atmosphere. Italians from outside the region use Southern Italy as an escape from their normal lives, and the Amalfi Coast seems to be the place to go for such retreat. A place of particular interest to me is the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto) just off the island of Capri. I've also been told that the Amalfi Coast is the place for handmade, custom sandals, so everyone now knows what I'll be wearing daily next summer!

My list is relatively short, but I'm interested in more suggestions. My options are open and the possibilities are endless. For now, I just need to start worrying about how I'll manage to fit 10 months of clothes into two suitcases...

Baci,
Morgan