Post Travel Depression Sigh. I am back. Now there is a part of me that is of course thrilled to be back. I was tired of feeling like a retarded child, grunting and pointing my way through Italy and uttering monosyllabic butchered French. My ego definately took a major dip. Here I am reasonably intelligent and articulate individual. There, well, it was just embarrassing. Lots of blank stares and incessant nodding. Also, it's nice to wear different clothes that are not stained, smelly, and wrinkled. I missed vegetables sorely and when I go to restaurants, I actually know what I am ordering (unlike the awful mystery meat experience in Florence). On the other hand, I don't get to move on to a new room when mine gets messy. No one is washing towels anymore and I am not seeing some of the greatest art in the world everyday (unless I look at my pictures). Cancer is back yet again. My sister's mother-in-law was just diagnosed with brain cancer. I feel like it's zeroing in on me slowly and steadily. I am just hoping it doesn't get any closer. Classes start next week which is exciting and terrifying. Several weeks ago, it was more exciting but now I am just afraid of a relapse of the doubt and insecurity that plagued me last quarter. My sister did give me a fabulous quote: Teaching is 1/4 preparation and 3/4 Theatre. I would add on for me that it's 3/4 Improvisational Theatre, but I know that this quarter I need to up the preparation because it's just me up there this time and I have two hours to fill twice a week. Luckily it's acting which is an andrenaline rush like no other. To ease the withdrawl, here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip: