As I begin to type I can't help but look around at the room I'm in. It literally looks as though it belongs on the Titanic as the card room. Marble tables with 2 leather studed chairs around each one. Old fashions light fixtures and paintings on the wall. It's almost as if Im being transported 100 years ago, and yet I am in my lulu jumper and yoga pants. Strange.

Anyway, 2 weeks of rehearsal down! We have a show on Thursday and I really need to learn my lines. Its been fun playing around with antics and getting back into the groove of working with the same 3 people, collecting ideas, casting and rehearsing on our own. The independence is intoxicating in the best possible way.

It's Saturday morning at 10:15. I've already had breakfast. Now Im going to blog, email, learn lines, workout and shower, all before lunch at 1pm. After lunch we have driving with Guispeppe. The cars are new this year and a bit bigger so I want to make sure Im comfortable with them. Then rehearsal until 6, hopefully zumba, dinner then out for the evening! Ours days really are full and there isn't much free time.

Well, nothing else to report as of now... hope everyone has a lovely Saturday <3

Once more with feeling

Back in the Remo!! In a way I can't believe I am back here. The warm salt air in January, sun shining and lack of snow make it hard to believe that Winter is in full force back home.

I am so happy to be back though. Tour is going to be so different but in such a good way. I really am excited. My tour mates are:

Dani- She's a British girl who is a dancer and has done loads of dance work as well as a zumba instructor and ran her own dance company.

Laura- is from BC and she has a degree in History as well as a BA in Drama.

Peter- another Brit whos done lot of TIE in England as well as other parts of Europe.

We're in our second week of rehearsal and I am excited to start sinking my teeth into the script and putting the shows on their feet.

Very lucky this time, we have a zumba instructor, yoga instructor and hip hop guy so we;ve been staying quite fit. Waking up almost every morning to work out and working out after rehearsal as well. So far so good! By the end of tour hopefully we'll have 6 pcks ahaha

That's about it or now... I will be sure to post often and keep everyone updated as my 2012 unfolds!

Peace and love xx

another weekend in Bella Italia

This morning I woke up to the sounds of church bells outside my window in Bergamo. It was a great way to wake up, warm and snug under my comforter! This is by far the best place we’ve stayed. Our room has high beam wood ceiling, it’s large, extremely clean, and there’s a living room and kitchenette downstairs in the modern flat. We’re all very happy here.

So, I’ve been doing Theatrino for 5 weeks, exhausted and overworked- and I’m still loving my job!!! I am still so happy to be performing for all the kids. They’re wonderful audiences (for the most part) and I love helping them at the same time. It really is an extremely rewarding job.

We have a show “The Three Little Pigs” which is for 4-6 year olds… well they always scream and get really into the Wolf, sometimes Kyle gets his tail pulled off, and it seems all innocent. Well- another group down South- the kids rugby tackled him and damaged his knee!!! He was in Hospital for the night and apparently has to be off work for 20 days! Dave is now on a flight as I type to fill in for a week or two there. So basically- Little Pigs is dangerous and now Kyle fears for his life every time we’ll do it! Ahahaha

Next week I am leaving Bergamo (and my group) to work a camp in Tortona Italy in the PIemonte region. It’s very pretty there so I am excited but I am a bit nervous about doing a camp. I am not in that frame of mind at all, so I really need to get there and focus on my week at hand. I’m also a bit sad to be leaving my team for a week, we’ve all grown so close, it’s going to be strange working with other groups. I am however, very excited to be doing half days all week! We work from 8:30-12:30, so that really isn’t so shabby at all!

Yesterday, we had a day off in Bergamo and went to the lovely Citta Alta. We walked from our flat to the funiculore, and that was nice! On our way we rode a carousel like children, walked around a market and saw a band singing Johnny Cash/June Carter music! We had a wonderful day!

I am still loving it here, everyday. I truly feel I am in the right place right now and where I need to be. Jah is on my side and I love everything about my life right now! Touring with amazing people, being submerged in Italian culture, making money, eating wonderful food! It really doesn’t get much better than this J

Quarter Century Crisis....

Quarter Century Wiser-

Today I began a new chapter in my life- embarking on a new journey. I celebrated my 25^th birthday and with that came mixed feelings of emotion, stress, happiness, joy, sadness etc… I went into the day thinking being 25 I was getting old and not in the place I should be. I don’t have a “safe” full time job, I don’t have a boyfriend, I don’t have a place of my own…. So I was stressed about that. But as the day progressed I began to change my thought process. I have lived 25 successful years on this earth and gained a lot of knowledge, friends, and love! I love the lifestyle I lead and am so blessed to be in Europe right now as a professional actor! Its truly an amazing experience! One of the other people involved in Theatrino reads Angel Cards so I called her and asked to pull a card for my birthday. The card was “fresh air” basically saying I needed to take a moment to take in a deep breath in nature, as well my soul was being rejuvenated and to continue on that path … etc etc. All good things about taking in fresh breath’s and just enjoying life and taking time to smell the flowers and I’m on the right path. I found it interesting about the rejuvenation thing because I just did an IET session with Kyle and I said I felt rejuvenated afterwards and like my soul was cleansed. He said he did a general cleansing on me and I released a lot of blocks and was ready to move forward. So I am thinking it is all coming together and I am moving forward free from the past ready to move forward with a clean soul, heart, mind and body. I am looking forward to the life ahead of me in the next little while and see how my story will unfold.

Today started by my tourmates putting balloons, a cake and gifts on my bed while I was in the shower! They are wonderful people. I had gifts from them, a card from Group 4, gifts from Group 1 and Group 8 as well as a card from my mom and a gift from her as well. I felt so loved from everyone around me I almost started crying because it was so lovely to feel so loved and cared about when I’m so far away from my family and closest friends. We made real coffee and that in itself was a great start to the day! In the afternoon, we went to a small town called Varese and we walked around the old town browsing an antique market down cobblestone streets. We had coffee and Valentine shaped treats at a café and then went to the Lake and enjoy the scenery. When we were by the lake, I took time to enjoy my surroundings, took my breath and thanked God for allowing me to be here with such wonderful people. We stayed a few hours and came back to the flat where we all ate a wonderful stirfry dinner with group 4 and just relaxed the rest of the evening.

Here’s to another 25 years! And Dancing in the Rain <3

week one- theatrino!

Well, the saying for this week seemed to be “come on Jah, give us a break” ! ahahah We have had an extremely FULL week. 3 show/3 workshop days, losing the car keys, being locked in the apartment, someone taking our car keys making us drive 25km at 10pm to get them and all of us getting sick on Thursday! Let’s just say it was an extremely eventful week where there wasn’t ever a dull moment.

The shows all went pretty well. We really did hit the ground running, blocking and running things for the first time while on stage during performance! Ahahah It was intense! Learning lines the night before and ho[ping for the best the next day. It has been madness! We get up at 6:30am and go to bed late because when we get home we have to learn lines, blocking, eat and shower! In a way I am glad there wasn’t internet in the Milan flat because it would be a distraction, and we never really had time to go online.

The kids are great though and it’s been really fun performing again and being on stage. When the kids join in singing or cheer or even get excited, it’s such a thrill and just makes me so happy inside! I am loving every minute of it even though I am actually exhausted- physically and mentally. It’s so much to learn and my body seems to be in shock but it’s all really fun and been one heck of an adventure thus far!

I haven’t seen too much of Italy to really report back, it’s mostly been Milan and the surrounding areas so it’s been pretty boring and industrial to be honest. Right now I’m living in the Milan flat with 7 other people and it’s a small space with only one bathroom! Oh the joys! Ahahaha So it’s been fun coordinating showers and washing and teeth brushing times! Ahahaha

Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves but also a bit frustrated as well because of the lack of rehearsal and line learning time. I’m sure once we’re all off book we can relax a bit more and begin to enjoy our time here in bella Italia!

airport - going back for another adventure

me at the Charlotte North Carolina Airport. Listening to tunes, sipping my last Starbucks and bout to surf the web :)

I am sitting at Metro in Detroit waiting for my flight, 3.5 hours early because of the terrorist act last week. Security is supposedly heightened, however, when I dragged my teary eyes through security it seemed the same as it always is… so I’m not sure how I feel about that. Regardless, the supposed “hardest part” is behind me. I said goodbye to everyone I love dearly and it felt as though I was ripping my heart from my chest. I am sitting here with my heart in my stomach. I feel incredibly sick and am wondering why I signed myself up for this 9 month voyage on my own.

I have 3 flights ahead of me and a train ride before I get to San Remo. I left my house at 10:15am Monday morning and will not arrive in San Remo until 7:15pm Tuesday :s . It’s going to be a LONG two days.

As I looked into everyone’s cloudy eyes as they said goodbye, I can’t help but feel guilty. If I had stayed in Windsor, gone back to school and found a job there, I would be stable and wouldn’t have to say goodbye to anyone, or make them feel sad because of me. I cant help the way I feel- but I almost feel selfish because I am hurting the people I love to fulfill my dream. I knew this time it would be much harder to say goodbye, but I never anticipated it to be as difficult as it was. Friends, family, my mom and Alyssa….each one hurt a little bit more and I cant help but wonder, is it worth it!?

“with a sad heart I say bye to you and wave”

I am now completely alone and independent for the duration of 9 months and 2 days. It is incredible, exhilarating, scary, complicated and liberating among many other things. I look forward to the adventure once I have settled in and am more confident in my decision to leave. I just need to get past the point I am at right now where I feel incredibly lonely and sad. Its just going to be one hell of an emotional ride.

Thank you to everyone for your love and support. I am eternally grateful to have you in my life. I know the next few months won’t be easy on any of us, but it is all a learning experience that will make us stronger in the end, and when we say “hello” again in person, it will make all the pain disappear….

living independently...

This week I am living in San Marcello in Toscana. It is an extremely SMALL town in the mountains where everyone knows everyone. Walking down the street everyone greets one another, and, being an outsider, I get a lot of stares because people do not know who I am!

Let me count the ways in which I love this town…

There are 3 tutors because it is a small town. Mark, Sara and myself. Our house families are all friends, and their children (our house brothers and sisters) are the same age and are friends. Everyday after camp we go to the gelatteria all together and get a gelato. Then, we usually go for a walk and head back to our homes which are all within a 2 minute walk of each other. We are forming such a strong bond with the house siblings and the tutors very quickly. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with them after camp.

The families are amazing! They’ve organized things for every night! Monday we all went to Marks house to hang out. Tuesday night Mark and Sara came to my place after dinner to watch a movie, tonight we’re all going to Pizza with the families and camp directors, tomorrow we’re going to a Medieval Festival in a nearby town, and Friday we’re going to Pistoia! It’s an action packed week. I basically only have time to shower, eat and hang out! There isn’t really any spare time which is kind of crappy because I haven’t been lesson planning as much, but at the stage I am so content that Im not too preoccupied about it.

The town is amazing. Everywhere you look there are mountains. The school is on a hill and the outside area overlooks the town and the mountains. It’s like a picture perfect town where you could snap a shot anywhere and it would look like a postcard. This is the first small town I’ve been to and I am so happy here. It’s quaint and cute, the main Piazza looks like something from a Disney Theme Park with the buildings, bar’s and little fountain in the middle. Very cute!

For the first time I am living on my own! I have the whole upstairs on a house to myself. The Nonno lives downstairs but he is quiet and keeps to himself. I only see him at dinnertime. Actually, he left today for a few days so I have the house to myself until Thursday evening! Not too shabby. I’m only ever alone at night before bed so it isn’t too bad. I do feel like an adult though, I cook myself breakfast, do my laundry and hang it to dry. Feels like I am living on my own hehehe

So far I love this town! I don’t leave until Sunday for Belluno so I am excited to see what the family has planned for me on Saturday! It is Ferragosto so it is a big holiday but I hope they do something with me. Take me to Lucca or Florence or something!? Stay tuned and I will keep you posted….