5 places I’d love to visit:

1. Italy– Sicily particularly. I once heard my uncle say that this is where my great grandfather Carlo Gaetano was from. I remember visiting Cuba for the first time and feeling a sort of nostalgia. Like not only was this place a part of my past but it was a part of me. I long for that feeling. Something tells me Italy will deliver. Now I just need my pockets to get on the same page.

2. The Canary Islands– I don’t know which small island, but my mother’s father, Tomas Rosa, was a Spaniard from “Las Islas Canarias”. If I could tear my mom away from her hermit crab shell, I’d love to be able to bring her on this traveling adventure with me.

3. Nicaragua– Miami is a melting pot of people, so growing up, many of my friends in school were from all over the world, including Nicaragua. I grew up eating comfort food from La Fritanga on W Flagler Street. Gallo Pinto con Carne Asada y Queso Frito con un Fresco de Cacao being my favorite. That’s red beans and rice with grilled meat, fried cheese and a drink that could be said to be the Nicaraguan version of chocolate milk.

4. Hawaii– I hear the flight can be quite long but Hawaii is like the cookie cutter honey moon destination and even though I don’t necessarily see marriage or a honeymoon in my near or not so near future, I want to check out this popular paradise.