recogiendo los pedacitos/picking up the pieces

Hello all!

Happy New Year.. sorry a bit delayed but I've been picking up the pieces and starting from scratch. I've decided this HAS TO BE AN AMAZING YEAR...

Remember when you were younger (out of high school) and people said to you: hey, this is a very important year, there are many decisions to be made and those choices will change the course of your entire future...

Well... it only keeps on happening. This is a BIG year, one full of choices, and CHANGES. I am on my senior year in College and about to take up my senior internship, working on a very important personal art project and of course there is always work...

I feel the ants running up and down my stomach- no, they are not butterflies- they are ants because they bite!

I had a really rough semester this past fall: it was all all part of coming back to NYC after being two years abroad -IN ITALIA- and trying to adjust...

[After that year in FIRENZE my life changed completely- I used to be one of those people that thought she had everything planned out and felt guilty for being in a "vacation" year abroad- but as it was over I knew I wasn't ready to come back to NYC. I wanted more of that amazing experience!

I learned a new language, immersed myself completely in their culture, improved my art incredibly, and met some amazing people and decided to stay for 1 more year and did the Milan program/Knitwear specialization.

My time abroad was incredibly insightful and I was satisfied both personally and professionally, but also thought It was time to come back to the city and GET THAT DEGREE!

so- I came back- but now I can't wait to leave. I think all the time about how AMAZING life was in Italy! We worked really hard, but also had time to cook and eat dinner together every night, to read, and do so MUCH RESEARCH (which is KEY to a meaningful work of art)]

I was so so excited to do my senior year here in NYC, where we have so many resources, things work around the clock and problems get solved FAST- but coming back has made me understand that I have changed so much, that my goals have changed TOO much, and that I don't want to be here anymore because the life that people live here is not the one I want. I cant wait to graduate so that I have nothing holding me back here! Its hard to explain!

NEW YORK had always been good to me, it welcomed me with warm widespread arms when I was 17 and helped me grow FAST but GOOD, it gave me opportunities that allowed me to discover all that I am capable of, and to understand that anything you are willing to fight for IS POSSIBLE... but EUROPE- was just- A WHOLE ANOTHER STORY and I am starting to look into any possibility that will allow me to go abroad again.

These are some of the things I'm looking into:

• working as social artists and the change we can make in society
• what is my statement as an ARTIST
• sustainability- not just a trendy being "green" thing- BUT A HOLISTIC APPROACH
• how can challenge "the common methods of the fashion industry" and utilize my "art/gift" to create change/make a difference in the areas that concern me the most?
• the laundromat project
• Jeoffrey B. Small and Michael Seine
• going back to PR to re-connect with my roots + learning about preserving -various country's-cultural heritage
• collaborating with women's collectives
• volunteering opportunies-for my scholarship-
• leaving right away, or staying for a couple of years?
• learning french
• perfecting my written italian
• working on my portfolio (my livingroom right now looks like someone tore apart a crazy person's sketchbook)
• going back to ETSY.com
• more...

any suggestions/comments/help?