Boarding the plane to Roma was a big “first” for me. As I said goodbye to my family, it was nerve-wracking to not know what would lie ahead. I have never been on a plane for more than 4 hours, so I knew an 8-hour flight was going to be rough. However, I was so excited for all of the “firsts” that were to come.

As I drug my body off of the 8-hour flight, I began to fill with excitement. I have always dreamed of going to Italy, but was dumbfounded when I knew it was actually happening. My first instincts were to look around me – and of course analyze all of the advertisements in the Roma airport.

Once I boarded the bus to begin my very first tour of Italy, we met our tour guide, Matteo, who will be with us for our entire trip around Italy. Loving his sense of humor already, I knew he was going to make our adventure around Roma very interesting.

During our bus tour around the city, we got to take in so many beautiful views. As I walked around in complete mesmerization, that’s when it had finally sank in – I was in Italy. I had only seen photos of Italy on the internet, on social media, or in magazines. Walking to the Trevi Fountain and many other historical sites had solidified my love for not only this ancient city, but this beautiful country in which I am lucky enough to spend two weeks in.

Plane ride to Charlotte, NC.
About to start my Italian adventure!
Trevi Fountain, Rome
A Roma aesthetic