24 Tips for Visiting an Italian Family
everywhereist.comIf you say you are not hungry, know that the comment will be perceived in any of these ways: - “You are a terrible cook.” - “You have failed as a mother/grandmother/aunt/provider.” - “I don’t love you.” - (This goes ditto for not consuming seconds.)
Estimated reading time: 6 min
70 Things I Learned from Having a Brain Tumor
everywhereist.comIn my experience, most neurosurgeons do not get sarcasm. If you openly ask them what are the odds that your tumor is a rogue Lego that you shoved up your nose at the age of 3, they will likely explain to you in detail the high improbability of that. Warning: Do NOT insert in nose. - They do, however, get a kick out of hearing you say, “Just take a little off the top,” when you are about to go in for surgery.
Estimated reading time: 15 min
The Infinity Pools at Bushman’s Kloof Resort, South Africa
everywhereist.comWhen Rand first told me that Bushman’s Kloof had not one, but several infinity pools, I promptly freaked out. “How is that even possible?” I squealed. “It’s a luxury resort,” Rand explained. “That still doesn’t make sense. They are messing with THE VERY FABRIC OF SPACE TIME.” With that statement, my husband paused, and took a long look at me. “Sweetie,” he said, gently patting my hand, “you realize that infinity pools aren’t actually infinite, right?” And that’s how one of the bigger disappointments of my life came to pass:
Estimated reading time: 3 min
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Aaaaand we’re back. Sort of.
everywhereist.comThe last time I saw my surgeon before the operation, I looked at him, winked and said, “Hey doc – just take a little off the top, okay?” And, bless him, he laughed. He laughed at my stupid joke before he cut open my skull and scraped off my tumor, which turned out to be not cancerous after all.
Estimated reading time: 4 min
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Tea Time at Bushman’s Kloof, South Africa
everywhereist.comWhen I first saw this picture, I didn’t really like it. I noticed only my jaw, and saw only the changes in my face (ones that I am not fond of) that have become apparent since my surgery and the cocktail of medications I took during that time. They are silly and subtle and unimportant changes, but they preoccupy more of my thoughts that they ever should. But then I look at my eyes and the expression on my face, and I realize that I look happier here than I can remember. And I realize how damn lucky I am, how absurdly blissful my life is.
Estimated reading time: 3 min
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Hummingbird Bakery, and Screaming Strangers
everywhereist.comLater, the absurdity of our exchange hit me full force. The woman in the fur coat had come running out of her shop, into crowds of people milling about, and stopped to yell at me, and no one else, for pausing a moment in front of her establishment. She yelled that I couldn’t eat in the middle of the street (an absurd request) and I wasn’t even eating.
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