The Troublesome Alcoholic Miniatures

I am in the boat on my way to Capri Island, Italy. Super excited, I admire everything; the view, the boat rides and that sunny day. Nevertheless, I am admiring the island’s view. Now, Capri Island is considered one of the most popular islands in Italy for the rich. Besides the fact that everything is new to me and I get impressed pretty much by anything, you should see the look on my face when I see for the first time in my life the massive American rappers, dressed in white and wearing big chains around their necks with dollar signs. It looks like they are ready to party, getting out of a private boat.

Full of excitement, I am getting out of the boat and I feel a bit overwhelmed by the island and by the people. It is very easy to distinguish the locals; they are very simple with a kind face and trying to make a living after all the tourists. The tourists instead are dressed up in the most expensive designer clothes, very noisy and excited at the same time.

A ride in the Peugeot decked out in Pigeons’ poop!

I can hear a voice calling me, “Annamariaaa” with a very lovely Italian accent. I wake up and all I hear is “Annamariaaa, sei pronta?” “Are you ready?” I am not sure where I am as I am still exhausted from last night’s restaurant work. I almost forgot that today is Sunday and I promised him that we will go in the park for a poetry video shooting. I shout that I will be ready in 10 minutes. I can sense the impatience downstairs and hear the grumbling.

When the Chickens Flew Inside my Mercedes ML 250

We wake up early, around 5 a.m., so we can reach home by noon to see my parents. I think it is - 20 degrees centigrade and the entire country is covered in snow. It is so cold that you won’t even want to think of going out of the house. We take the bags, stuff it in the car and here we are ready for the long road trip.

I am driving, somehow excited and annoyed at the same time. I don’t know why there has to be a fight each time I drive. The music is loud, he is unhappy and there is bright snow everywhere, perhaps two meters high on each side of the road. There are too many

The Man of My Dreams

After a month of treaties with my dad, he has finally agreed to let me go for a New Year’s holiday with my neighbor’s son and daughter up in the mountain. Now, you have to know that my dad never allows me to go out anywhere and this is a huge deal. I am so excited that I couldn’t even sleep that night.

The big day has arrived and we are all in the train on our way to the mountains. Here, we meet with some university colleagues of my neighbor’s son, around nine of them, all of whom are couples. The only singles are my neighbor’s daughter and I. I don’t know why but for some reason I feel left out. I feel nobody wants me there.

Kung Fu massage in Jakarta, Indonesia

I decide to go in the city by myself to do some shopping and get a massage. Before I leave the hotel, I ask for a place where I can go for a pleasant massage in town. I have been recommended to go to the best massage center, and I am very enthusiastic about it. I can feel the stiffness in my shoulder and the tiredness in my legs.

  

The roads are jammed on the way to the city and I am in the taxi admiring the view and the people. While looking out of the window, I am thinking how fatigued I am, but yet I don’t want to stay all day in the room rolling in bed. This is my third time here and every time I come, this city fascinates me even more. It seems very pure and the people live very modestly, and they have the kindness that you don’t see in every part of the world.

I just arrived at the massage center and I like what I see. It looks good from the outside, and I can’t wait to get in and finally get pampered. At the reception, a lady greets me and asks me in broken English what kind of massage I would like to do and gives me a few options.

The crazy taxi driver in Jakarta, Indonesia

I decide with my two other friends to go to an amusement park in Jakarta, Indonesia. Everything is new to us, the nature, the people, and the language. It is a hot humid day, the kind that makes you tired and sleepy, but I want to explore more about this new part of the world I am in. So, I find my inner motivation and start exploring. We are all so excited to be there that we take a picture with every bush.

It is getting dark and we want to go to the mall as well. So we decide to take a taxi. We wait on the road waiving at taxies but none was stopping. Finally one stops and wow what taxi is it!? The car looks so used and old that I thought by sitting in it, it will decompose. There are no windows and the side view mirrors were tied to the car door with a wire. It actually has a hole through the door to tie the mirror. Well not many options we think; either we go with this guy or stay an additional hour for another taxi.