the soundtrack of my life.

You know those songs that always help you get through a bad day. Even if you are not having a bad day and you hear them your day just gets better no matter what and you get a reminder of the things that really matter. I was sitting on the train today, from Florence back to Rome, and I was just staring out of the window with my headphones on, just watching the scenery. Now I wouldn't say I had a really bad day, but certain things about this trip to Florence were not what expected. I wouldn't say that I hate Florence, I would say that it is beautiful but under the circumstances that were the past two days it wasn't a great trip. I won't go into details about what exactly happened but it included things like fighting with a resturant for overcharging us, having a tour guide that would just not stop talking when all we wanted to do was wander, and being called a party pooper because I wanted to go to bed early because we had to get up at 7am and have to get up that early again the next day.

These were the things I thought about during my hour and a half train ride. I thought about, as awful as it may sound, the fact that these people I am with will only be in life for four weeks, and although it is great to have a connection with someone, it just doesn't always happen. I have to try and ignore the things that are going on around me and enjoy the fact that I am a resident of Italy right now. Enjoy the fact that I translated something into English for someone this morning, enjoy that I have to walk through Vatican City every morning to go to school, enjoy the fact that the things I am learning in class I get to go see, like in my Art and Culture class, and get to speak the language, using the review in my Italian class. I need to enjoy the fact that I am watching an American TV show in Italian right now and I understand what is going on, without having ever really watched the show back home.

I come to certain songs on my ipod and I am just reminded of all of the things that I need to enjoy right now. I remember all of the people that I am so lucky to have in my life back home and all of the things I have to look forward to in the next year (besides the whole life changing moment that will come in and having to make a decision about said life).

These are my top 10 songs that I decided to call the soundtrack of my life. They all have some significant meaning to me or the lyrics are just right to know that everything is worth it and that I am lucky to be riding on a train through the Italian countryside earlier.

1. "Unwritten" by Natasha Beddingfield

2. "This Life" by Mercy Me

3. "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

4. "Without Reason" by The Fray

5. "This Is My Now" by Jordin Sparks

6. "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

7. "Sooner or Later" by Michael Tolcher

8. "Dare You to Move" by Switchfoot

9. "Another Day" from RENT

10. "Little Wonders" by Rob Thomas