My Educational Tour Around Italy
In the summer of 2016 I took a 10 day long trip to Italy with a small group from my high school and some teacher chaperones. Little did I know going into the trip that I would come back to the states with an abundance of gained knowledge, incredible friends, and new a perspective on life.
Our tour began in Assisi, Italy, a really small, yet beautiful town right in the center of Italy. While we were there, I got to admire the magnificent churches, wander through specialty shops, and eat some amazing dishes (the rosemary infused olive oil roasted potatoes were to die for!). While in Assisi, I also learned to make pasta by hand, and I started to pick up on some of the cultural differences such as paying for public restrooms and greeting people with “Buongiorno ” .
Two days later we traveled to Florence, stopping in a small town called Orvieto for lunch. Florence was full of music and art and life; it was by far my favorite place I’ve ever visited. Florence was beautiful and there was so much to take in at all times. We walked the 400+ steps to the top of the Duomo (definitely worth the hike), ate some gelato, and went to the Accademia museum to see wonderful, historical art.
Our last pit stop was in Rome: a city that was just full of history. I honestly believe I learned much more on a few days of touring than I could have in a year long class back home.
My trip to Italy truly gave me a new perspective of culture, an appreciation of food and friendships, and above all a passion for travel. I think this trip not only made me more independent by being in a new place essentially alone but it also made me a more well-rounded person and student by teaching me to be curious and eager to learn . I cannot wait to study abroad in college to widen my horizons even more!