Home, Sweet Home

Extensive traveling does two things: (1) allows you to see and appreciate other cultures and (2) allows you to yearn for and appreciate your own. I have such an intense fascination for learning that I was {almost} overwhelmed with going abroad. The history is unparalleled, and the nuances in lifestyle genuinely piqued my interest. In Prague, I fell in love with the wall graffiti. In Germany, it was the endless bike paths. Paris amazed me with the Arc de Triomph. As for London, I am still boggled why they chose to drive on the left side of the road, but their public transportation system more than makes up for it {plus, I have a small obsession with their style}. One of the other things that I loved about Europe was their abundance of fresh fruit stands. It's no wonder they are all so thin. They eat fruit like Americans eat Snickers bars and gas station hot dogs. 

While traveling, I quickly learned the priorities of my regular life's guilty pleasures. Aside from the standard yearning for my family and friends, my body craved some American specialties {most of which are comparable to Snickers and gas station hot dogs when it comes to caloric intake}:

1. Powerade Zero {orange}
2. Skyline Chili {4-way with beans}
3. Qdoba {naked vegetarian burrito with queso & guacamole}
4. Brookside Chocolate-Covered Pomegranate
5. Pizza {from one of the many locally owned shops in Louisville}
6. The Bachelorette {shhh, I know, I've been watching it since college}
7. My bed {for obvious reasons}
8. My closet {I made it 18 days on 4 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 skirts, 7 tops, and ONE purse}
9. My cell phone {wifi is awesome, but life without 4G gets a little ridiculous}
10. MY PUPS {oh. em. gee.}

Now that I've been able to get my grubby little hands on these goodies, I can {more deeply} sit back and appreciate the arduous adventure that has now come to a close. It is so easy to look at other countries and imagine an alternate universe, but the learning happens when one can recognize how similar we really are {as human beings}. Ultimately, we are all connected, and we grow when we see how other people of our same age, job or social status interact with their geography. Traveling only made me realize that Ponyboy knew his stuff oh-so-long ago: “It seemed funny that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset" (The Outsiders).

Prague's Graffiti // "Before I die I want to ________."

Germany's Bike Paths // view from one of my morning runs

France's Arc de Triomph // Paris

London's Hipster-Prep Style // Gap skimmer jeans {sold out, but loving these} + black tee {similar here}, Polo Ralph Lauren cardigan {similar here}, Inga Creations tusk necklace + leather wrap bracelet, Michael Kors jet set watch & Jessica Simpson captoe flats.

The Pups // they have staked claim on my side of the bed

Style Stats: Prague

I had this grandiose idea that when I went to a foreign country, everyone would dress like me {or at least have the opportunity to dress like me given the shopping resources}. Not true. Plus, Prague is a huge melting pot for copious other foreigners, which means the streets are flooded with a plethora of styles {some of which I know nothing about}. Jordan and I play this game with each other {usually while eating dinner} where we attempt to guess the nationality of every person that passes by. If we were checking for accuracy, we would most definitely be failures {but we're not, so if you ask me, I'm winning, but if you ask Jordan, he's winning}. Despite the obvious physical features, clothes are a HUGE part of this guessing game {goody, goody}. We evaluate every jean style, dress type, and shoe choice until we have talked ourselves into a full circle of nonsense; however, a few interesting style points have emerged while playing this game:

1. Every other girl that walks by is wearing a sheer top with full bra exposure. I do think there is some sexiness to this look, especially on the right figure with the right color {ahh-hem, white is very see through!), but I literally feel bombarded with boob. 
2. Chambray is SO in {and so my favorite}, no matter your nationality, sex, age, number of appendages, etc.
3. Ankle strap sandals are hot {flats or heels, no prejudice here}.
4. Pattern-appreciation knows no boundaries {thank you, polka dots & pinstripes}.
5. I am convinced that ladies don't own blue jeans anymore because we are far too busy rocking all the lovely colored and patterned denims.
6. Black tights have taken over the world {they key word here is tights, which women often mistake for being full-fledged pants}.
7. Neon is second to black tights in taking over the world.
8. Color-blocking is flattering on everyone.
9. Handbags rule {Jordan might wish he could have such a stunning additional accessory}.
10. All Prague women are ridiculously beautiful {oh, jealousy}.

In honor of the aforementioned guessing game, I have decided to include some "stylish" Prague ladies on this post {don't ask me what nationality they are}. Disclaimer: they have no idea they are on my blog, but since I am offering only edifying commentary, I figured their permission was unnecessary. Jordan and I spent today viewing the Prague Castle (Hradcany), St. Vitus Cathedral & Charles Bridge. One of the most phenomenal sites, however, was the 10 weddings we saw taking place as we strolled through the city. One of the couples was shooting photos in front of the "love locks" along the canal near the bridge in Mala Strana, a designated area where couples write their initials on a lock, attach it to the bridge and throw the key into the water below, symbolizing their eternal love {awww}. Another couple shot photos in front of Prague's Astronomical Clock, and I slyly snuck up on the wedding party to capture the cuteness of her three bridesmaids donned in yellow. Their dresses, shoes & clutches worked in perfect harmony, and I could not miss an opportunity to capture their ensembles.

Meanwhile, people walk around the streets with their leashless pups who never run away and listen attentively to their master's every word {like a country full of dog whisperers or something}. It makes me miss my little rugrats {and resent my dog-owning abilities}! Tomorrow, more adventures {and styles} abound as we are off to Germany. Until then, stylish friends!

Prague Castle & Cathedral // Joe's black legging skinny jeans, Gap striped tee, Tory Burch aviator sunglasses, Coach Madison Lindsay crossbody {sold out color, but available style here} & Nikon Coolpix camera

These shoes were made for walking {and lots of it}. // Nike lunar glide +4: Livestrong edition

Stained glass in St. Vitrus Cathedral

Cutest. Bridesmaids. Ever. // {Left} Zara woven platform sandals {sold out, but similar style here} & Nine West Kayla crossbody (tan) :: {Middle} Zara ankle strap flats {sold out, but similar style here} & Kate Spade cobble hill Ellen crossbody bag (green) :: {Right} Wyatt neon box clutch & Zara faux leather biker jacet (black)

Loving these ladies handbag styles. // {Left} Steve Madden Tailor flat (pink) & Frank Clegg tote :: {Middle} DV Dolce Vita Archer sandals (nude) & Celine mini luggage tote (black) :: {Right} snakeskin bow flats {similar here} and vintage yellow purse {check ebay - Coach has some discontinued yellow handbags}

Colorblocking + Beautiful Bride // {Left} blue colorblock silk dress {similar style here} & coral bow flats {similar style here} :: {Middle} lace wedding dress :: {Right} Jerome Dreyfuss Momo crossbody bag (black) & black suede t-strap sandals {similar here}

"Love Locks" // S + J = <3

A true Pups & Pumps Fan {even if she doesn't know it!} // white peplum tank {similar here}, brown crossbody {similar here} & gold flower flats {similar here & here}

I've Got Friends in {Foreign} Places

If you have never traveled internationally, I have one word for you: Go. I am not a world traveler by any means {and I mean ANY}, but the more I experience other cultures, the more I realize how very different and how very the same we really are. While I hate the vagueness of that previous statement {and I would tell all of my high school students the same}, it is beyond true. No matter the country, no matter the people, and no matter the language, we all yearn for community. I'm a firm believer in the fact that we were created this way; God lives in a community within Himself as the Trinity, and I believe we exist in that same community: connecting to ourselves, to Him and to those around us.

Prague is a beautiful city, but its beauty is reliant on our ability to connect to it. When Jordan and I set out on this expedition, we wanted a foreign experience within an informal set of guidelines, so we settled on a cruise through Europe, but we book ended the cruise with additional days in Prague, Paris & London to give us ample time {and freedom} to explore. On our four-hour layover in New York, we met an American who had married a Czech lady and lived in both New York and Prague. We gave him our hotel info and crossed our fingers that he would call and offer to show us around the countryside. Fortunately for us, it worked. After Jordan and I spent 30 minutes trying to figure out the Czech subway system, we bought two tickets to get us outside of the city. Our new friend, Peter, picked us up in his little blue VW Golf-like car, and we set off on our adventure. Peter took us to see castles, golf courses, and the best part, his home {as an added bonus, I proceeded to get car sick weaving through all the back roads, which have no lines and are extremely narrow}. We met his family {including his 2.5 year old daughter who was bilingual, and therefore, smarter than me} and we spent the second part of the afternoon walking around their small village and talking in the village's pubs. Then, we boarded the city train and made our way back to our hotel.

Just when we thought the day couldn't get any better, we started to stroll the city streets in search of pizza {yes, I know, but there are just some things this girl can't live without, and pizza is one of them}. We found an amazing spot on the second story of {yet another} amazing building, overlooking one of the squares. Ironically enough, we didn't end up getting pizza {to default of our waiter who spoke very broken English and misunderstood our order}, but yet again, we made great friends. Traveling to foreign countries where no one understands what you are saying is beyond frustrating, but it creates an immediate, intimate bond between you and other Americans {which can hardly be felt when going about our daily routines in the actual country}. From across the room, I heard a faint, "Can we get a box for this?", I glanced at her black canvas Keds, and I just knew we were in familiar territory. After much-needed English conversation, we stumbled into a pub with her and her boyfriend, sipped on cider and Czech beer, and for that moment, it was like we had known each other our whole lives {despite the fact that they lived 3,000 miles away from us in the United States}. We were, at that moment, four friends traveling together and fraternizing with our German, Irish and Swedish counterparts who were, in fact, doing the same. It's amazing how the simple act of meeting someone with whom you share a national pride, language and culture can create such a deeper appreciation within you for those very things. And, what's even more amazing is how connected you can feel to your country when you are so many thousands of miles away. Here's to making more {foreign} friends in the days to come. Cheers!

Beautiful Prague Architecure

One of the Town Squares

Gelato {yummy!}

Village Bridge

Our New Friends {minus photographer, Jordan} //
Nike Windrunner jacket & Tory Burch aviator sunglasses

Prague Train Station