After almost 20+ hours of buses, planes, and Walking Very Fast, I am home.
The worst part about traveling is definitely the travel part. Who wants to spend an entire day en route? But it is always worth it. Plus planes are pretty cool when you think about it.
I’ve traveled internationally once before, to the UK with my family, but this trip really helped make me more confident in my travel ability. I feel as if I could travel confidently with a smaller group now, maybe even on my own. No longer am I worried about traveling to non-English speaking countries or countries with wildly different cultures, that’s a huge step for me.
The world is wide and our class was lucky enough to see a small corner of it during the last two weeks. Let us be inspired to seek more of it out.
But first, let’s sleep, drink all the ice water we can get our hands on, and eat a burger and fries.
Now for some reflections and final thoughts.
Quick questions:
- Favorite city? Florence.
- Favorite media visit? Hearst Italia.
- Most beautiful views? Assisi.
- Best food? The Florentine steak.
- Best place for gelato? Della Palma in Rome.
- Favorite cultural site? Galleria dell’Accademia where the Statue of David is showcased.
Takeaways:
- Italians should offer free ice water at restaurants.
- American pasta is wildly overcooked.
- Italians eat just as much as Americans if not more, and are still in much better health (processed food will be the death of us.)
- Trying to speak Italian will not spare you from being mocked as a tourist.
- Men are aggressive all over the world, not just in the states.
- Wine really does taste different after you eat.
- Hostels can be hostile environments.
- Rare meat can actually taste incredible and is totally safe to eat if sourced well.
- Gelato literally translates to ‘ice cream’ but they are not the same.
- Airlines feed you way too often on international flights.
- Traveling with your friends is an amazing, unforgettable experience.
So that’s that. I had a wonderful time crossing Italy off my bucket list. I hope someday to return and visit the southern portion of the country. Until then, thank you for reading and ciao!