Marisola's VirtualTourist Home Page

As a teenager, I saved up enough money to travel alone as an exchange student to France. I lived with a family in the Pyrenees and spoke only French. What an experience!!! I loved it so much!!! Traveling has been a priority for me ever since. It changed my life, and still continues to!

I love learning, and traveling is such a good teacher! You meet so many people and learn so much with every place you visit! I want to travel as much as I can in my life, especially now while I can! The more places I go, the more places I want to go!

Being a teacher, I get a lot of vacation time, so I am lucky that I can travel pretty often. Unfortunately the times that I'm off are peak times, but I am constantly checking out different packages and rates so that I can find the best deals for trips. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything that you want!

Make your life! Don't waste it! When opportunity knocks, make sure you answer!

"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable.
Be honest and transparent anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People who really want help may attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt.
Give the world your best anyway."

-- Mother Teresa

THE PLACES I'VE BEEN...

1981 Orlando, Florida
1988 Lourdes, France (lived there as an exchange student!)
1988 Irun, Spain
1992 Orlando, Florida
1993 Detroit, Michigan; Windsor, Canada
1994 Lourdes, Annecy, Reims, Chartres, Paris, France
1994 Geneva, Switzerland
1998 Nagano, Chiba, Niigata, Matsumoto, Yokohama,
Nakano, Japan (lived there teaching English)
1998 Seoul, Korea
1999 London, England; Versailles, Paris,
St. Jean de Luz, Biarritz, France;

1999 Pamplona, Burgos, Madrid, Toledo, Spain
1999-2000 Nagano, Karuizawa, Mt. Fuji, Matsumoto,
Yokohama, Chiba, Nikko, Nakano, Japan (lived there teaching English)

2000 Dallas, Texas
2001 Arromanches, St. Malo, Mt. St. Michel, Versailles, Paris, Tours, Chenonceaux, Chambord, Nice, France

2001 Monaco, Italy
2001 Long Beach, Catalina Island, CA
2001 Mexico City, Acapulco, Teotihuacan, Mexico
2002 London, Windsor, England;
2002 Amsterdam, Netherlands
2002 Xiamen,China (lived there teaching English),
2002 Hong Kong, Macau
2002 New York City
2003 Montreal, Quebec
2003 New Orleans, LA
2003 Toronto, Niagara Falls
2003 Ottawa, Ontario; Hull, Quebec
2003 Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium
2003 Bermuda,
2004 Orlando, Florida
2004 Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
2004 New York City, West Point, NY
2004 Marseilles, Aix, Avignon, France; Frankfurt, Germany
2005 Montreal, Canada
2005 Milwaukee, WI
2005 Miami, Everglades, FL
2005 Champaign, IL
2005 St. Louis, St. Charles, MO
2005 Lahaina, Hana, Maui, HI
2006 Oahu, HI
2006 Washington DC; Arlington, VA; Bethesda, MD
2006 Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Hollywood, CA
2007 Dubai,UAE (lived in International City)
2007 Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, UAE
2007 Oman
2007 London, England
2008 Detroit Area (My sister lives there)
2008 Another 5 weeks in Japan: Nagano, Tokyo, Yokohama, Karuizawa
2008 Washington DC; Virginia Beach, Alexandria, Springfield, VA
2009 Indianapolis, IN
2009 Summer in Montreal, St. Laurent, Mt. Tremblant, Quebec
2009 St. Bernadin, Ottawa, Ontario
2009 One Big Bad Caribbean Island
2009 South Bend Indiana Notre Dame!

(Besides travel, of course!)
Music is another passion of mine. I listen to all types of music, according to my mood. Here is some of the music I listen to:

This is my rock collection. Some of my favorites included here are Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Auf Der Maur, The Beatles, Beck, Bel Canto, Mariah Carey, The Carpenters, Cocteau Twins, Celine Dion, The Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Frou Frou, Juliana Hatfield, The Killers, Avril LaVigne, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Alanis Moorisette, Nickelback, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Carly Simon, Smashing Pumpkins, Gwen Stefani, U2, etc.

Here's a picture of some of my foreign collections. These are my French and Spanish CDs.

Some of my favorites here are Keren Ann, Mylene Farmer, Edith Piaf, Serge Gainsbourg, Etienne Daho, Georges Brassens, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Celine Dion, Gregoire, Coralie Clement, Patricia Kaas, K Maro, MC Solaar, Natasha St. Pier, Vanessa Paradis, Carla Bruni (First Lady of France!), BB Brune, Paris Combo, Gypsy Kings, Enrique Iglesias, Luis Miguel, Eliades Ochoa, Selena and Shakira.

I also have other foreign music collections. My favorite Italian singer is Laura Pausini. My favorite Japanese band is Brilliant Green. Who are your favorites from your country?

I also have collections of classical, jazz, new age, and opera.

Some of my favorites here are: Adiemus, Beethoven, Sarah Brightman, Donizetti, Ekova, Enya, Julia Fordham, Emer Kenny, Lorenna McKennitt, Robert Miles, Mozart, Madeleine Peyroux, Emma Shaplin, and Verdi.

I've just started a heavy metal collection, too!
Tell me what you listen to!

I encountered VT by accident or fate, as well. I was looking for a map.

I have always loved maps. I could study them for hours. I think about the places I've been and wonder about the places I'll be going...

When I was looking for a map online where I could chart all of the places I've been, I found VT's map and became a member.

VT Meetings

I met my first VT member, Bill "estatubatuar" at The Hungry Brain Jazz Club.

Thanks to Martin, "MJB123," who organized a VT meeting in Chicago, I have also met: Dee "Deecat," Steve "Spgood301," Kristi "Dabs," Charles "Swhit21" and of course Martin.

In June, 2009, at Lou Manati's Pizza, I met Jo "jo104," Lisa "Shekaago," Ken "Braveheart.southafrr," Dave "dlandt," "riorich55," "wc60616," and Jane "ljbs." Nice to meet everyone!

Looking forward to meeting many more! Let me know if you're coming to town!

Enchantee!

Piacere!

Sehr erfreut!

Mucho gusto!

Tasharrafna!

Dozo yoroshiku!

Senang bertemu dengan anda!