Travel Challenge: Day 1--Favorite Place(s) You've Been To

I saw this travel challenge on my new favorite website Try Anything Once and I'm up for the challenge!

So lets get started shall we?

Italy and Morocco are my absolute favorite places I've been so far. Done. No contest.

Firenze, Italia!

It was hard to choose between the two, so I didn't!

No words can even begin to describe the love that I have for Italia. I love the locals, the history, the culture and of course the gelato. We only spent 5 days in Italy but it was enough for me to fall completely, head over heels in love! Also, we passed through Piedmont region where Nutella was born and anyone who knows me knows my obsession with Nutella. Sure, I gained some weight in Italy, but between gelato, nutella, great food and great company it seemed inevitable and I had no problem with that.

Then there's Morocco, a complete contrast to Italy, but I think that's why it's one of my favorite places. I visited with my language school for the weekend and it was such a humbling experience. We visited the medinas of Tetouan, Tangir and Chefchaouen just to see how locals lived and I enjoyed every second of it, but I could've done without seeing chickens killed.

In Morocco with my tour guide Abdul and Debra

The colors of Morocco are a major reason as to why it's one of my favorite places. The reds and blues and yellows and greens of the different spices, vegetables, shoes were so vibrant and bright that it was almost blinding. The loud noises of chickens squawking and merchants bartering assaulted my ears but I thought it was beautiful.

 If I roll Morocco and Italy together as country then we have a loud colorful Nutella gelato country and I have no problem with that.

What? You've Never Seen a Black Person Before?

I'm Black.

Whether it's been negative or positive, my skin tone has always caused quite the commotion when I travel. It's almost like I'm a celebrity.

People either look at me like I have three heads or worship the ground I walk on. Sometimes I want to scream at them and say, "HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN A BLACK PERSON BEFORE?"

Then I realize that maybe countries like Australia and Spain don't have many Black people and even if they do, maybe they don't know how to interact with them..Who knows.

"For you, 50 percent off because I just love Black people."

All I know is that whenever I travel I am either, stared at, whistled at or am the victim of a flash run (take a picture without me knowing until the flash goes off and all I see are butt cheeks and elbows running down the street), and I'd like to happily do without any of that.

I'm happy to take a picture with a local if they ask. I love having my picture taken!  It actually brightens my day when someone says, "Excusa...photo...you?" Just ask for my photo.

My Controversial Underwear

A few weeks ago, my friend Ashley and I were walking our usual route home. We passed by a store we frequented, Intimissimmi, and were about to pass by the mannequin display when something caught my eye.

Tongues wagging, eyes bulging, hands outstretched....these men were after something. They looked like ravenous BEASTS.

"Hmm...I wonder what all those guys are chasing on those underwear," I asked.

"I don't know, let's wait and see," Ashley said.

The mannequin turned ever so slowly before finally revealing the most true to life depiction of my time here in Spain.


Ashley was off to the side of me dying from laughter while I just stood their with my mouth agape.

My first thought was 'Of all the different races in the world they have a BLACK woman!?'

It perfectly describes my life in Spain. I receive catcalls, kissing noises and of course the ever so popular "morena guapa."

"Naomi, you have to get it," Ashley said between breaths of laughter.

We went inside Intimissimmi and I bought the underwear originally intended for men.

However, I was confused with what was on the front of the underwear.

"What's a 'bunga bunga dance'," I asked.

"Who knows," Ashley replied.

I already had the feeling that it was a sexual innuendo of some sort, I mean, they're on the front of boxer briefs, so I went home and researched it anyway.

The term "bunga bunga" originated in 1910 with an unknown meaning. However, by 2010, it received a new definition.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has caused quite the political scandal with his "bunga bunga parties." These parties are reported to have been erotic sex parties with a number of women, one including a minor.

In an article by NowPublic, the women of Italy are tired of Berlusconi and his antics and decide to protest. So what did they decide to do?

They throw underwear in his front yard.

That's where Intimissimmi comes in. Upon hearing this, the Italian lingerie store decides to make the "Bunga Bunga Dance" underwear.

That's how those underwear trickled down to me. While I bought them for a COMPLETELY different reason, it's quite comical knowing that I have underwear with such a controversial background.

Apparently I Have a Signature Pose.....

Every now and then I go through my pictures on my computer. Last week, while deliciously on Spring Break at my Mom's I decided to relive my glory days abroad.

Instantly I was flooded with memories of good friends and I in London or at Il Duomo in Florence. Then I realized...in a good portion of those pictures....I do a specific pose.

At first I thought to myself, "wow, Naomi you have that same pose in two different pictures in two different cities in different years!" Then, as I continued to go through my pictures, the pose became more apparent.

My signature pose, is this:

London 2005 in front of the Buckingham Palace Gardens at age 15, aaaah so young!

Now usually I don't have an awkward looking face, but this is generally my signature pose and I ONLY do it when I'm abroad! In all of my other pictures from high school or college I don't have a pose like this. But when I go abroad it's a completely different story!

I do have a variation of this pose:

Florence 2009 on top of the Duomo

Here are just a few more of pictures from my trips that include one of the two poses!

Paris 2009 inside the ballroom in Musée d’Orsay

I love elephants! Paris 2009 before going in to the Musée d’Orsay

Just behind me ladies and gentlemen is our seating area! Rome 2009--The Coliseum

On the Thames River tour showing off Big Ben. London 2010

Here I am AGAIN showing off Big Ben like I own it. London 2010

Oh yeah, I think I'll just chill here in Bath, England. 2010

At the top of St. Paul's Cathedral. London 2010

Same pose different country. No biggie. County Clare, Ireland 2010

Ireland 2010 again. One arm on a rail showcasing the scenery behind me...you know like all the other pictures I have on here.....

After visiting Muckross Abbey in Ireland 2010. There just happened to be a deer in the area. See how I show it off?

I thought I'd show off this sign in Gaelic while was on Inis Orr in Ireland in 2010. I don't know what it says but I'm doing my signature pose so who cares!?

I wonder why I never do it while I'm in the states. Hmmm.....

I Have a Small Obsession With....

N U T E L L A.

Yes. Nutella. The hazelnut chocolaty spread goodness that should be ILLEGAL for how amazing it tastes!

Nutella is NOT, and I repeat, NOT for the faint of heart. One taste and you will fall in love. Guaranteed.

I first tasted this bit of heaven when I was in London in 2005 for a writing program. We were nearing the end of our trip and our group leader had us "reflect" on the trip with Nutella and french bread. Needless to say, I couldn't reflect because I was in a haze of whatever this chocolate seduction was. From there my love affair with Nutella began.


When I arrived home, my best friend and I would gossip, cry and watch movies with our never failing companion Nutella. Sometimes we'd add pretzels or grape soda to the mix, but our Nutella never left our side.

At the end of my freshman year in college I actually went into a Nutella coma. The last few weeks of classes before we let out for the summer, all I ate was Nutella, bread, and water because I was too poor to buy any groceries. The end result was not pleasant.