2 . In July, I took my kids on vacation to Los Angeles. A month after our trip, I found myself under a lot of stress; I just wanted to get away and _________ for a while.

While I was sitting by the pool, an idea suddenly _________ me.

I'd always wanted to see the Greek island of Santorini. Therefore, the idea of a two-week European vacation alone was _________. It was _________ I never thought I'd be planning this soon in my life. I had always thought, if it did ever _________, it would be when I was _________ and old.

I would lie if I said I wasn't _________. I'd driven alone across the US before, from California to New Jersey, but traveling to other _________ whose languages weren't the same as mine terrified me. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to _________ with anyone, especially if I got __________ somewhere. But I soon realized that if I wanted to __________ my dreams, I had to step out of my comfort zone. And it __________ on me that I was scared, and if I let fear take __________ of me, I'd never get anywhere.

As I searched for other __________ to visit on my trip, I found Mykonos, Greece, which I realized I liked just as much as I liked Santorini. When I arrived in Europe, it was like I was __________ a dream. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and what I was __________.

The best part was the bus ride to Venice. As I rode on the bus and __________ at every new thing I saw, I was having the time of my life. It was nice to see people, young and old, __________ their bikes to wherever they needed to go. I thought the __________ of the houses and the buildings was so charming, but seeing people doing their routine was the __________ part for me.