How to find your way back to the basics? Move to Italy.

Fresh bread and mozzarella.

Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication. 
- Leonardo Da Vinci

Back in Canada, when I was practicing pharmacy full-time, I felt like my life mainly consisted of working and buying things with the money made from the former. I thought I was pretty darn sophisticated actually. Blessed for sure, but also blissfully unaware of how ignorant we can become from living this kind of lifestyle as if it's the norm. I suppose it's not so much the norm, but rather a twisted expectation of young professionals. We studied hard and paid a good sum to a university, so we should get to reap all the benefits, it's only fair right? And it was so easy to get trapped in the dizzying cycle of consumerism and materialism. Admittedly, some of us are more cognisant than others in this respect, so I should be clear that this is more me judging versions of myself in two different countries than anything else. Italy helps me get back to the basics and I think I love her for that reason alone. In Canada, I had a personal trainer. In Italy, the hills and valleys dotted with vineyards is my gym. In many ways, that says it all. Here, you don't have to spend $50 minimum for an excellent bottle of wine (as often is the case on the other side of the pond), in fact €5 can get you a pretty darn good wine and you can even enjoy it whilst drinking in an equally impressive view (because drinking in public is allowed, yipee!). Most times, I am happiest with a view like the one above- a plate with warm bread and a milky ball of just-made mozzarella. So I think Leonardo had it right saying simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication, although for some of us, it takes changing countries to realize it.