Alka and I had been eager to travel together after a coffee date when we noticed that we both had (those super touristy) eiffel tower key chains after our individual trips to Paris. It was a no brainer when I asked her if she would want to go on this adventure with me! Although I only spent a short week in Italy, it was definitely worth seeing friends that I had not seen in over two years.
Highlights from our trip include: roaming Roma, getting lost, exploring villa d'este in Tivoli, shopping & museums in Firenze, eating more gelato than ever imagined, night outings with my favorite italian ladies + gents, relaxing, meeting kind strangers and drinking cappucini + vino in Castiglion Fiorentino, exploring my favorite small town (Cortona), and swimming at the beach in Castiglion della Pescaia.
Roma
The kitchen in our airbnb
Tivoli
Highlights: During our train ride from Roma to Tivoli, the train conductor caught an American couple without "proper ticket validation." I had never seen those kind of tickets before (they were multiple use tickets for only Rome vs. the one-use regional tickets I usually buy). I hadn't used my Italian in that degree in a long time either but luckily I was able to understand after a scary speech on validating tickets and fines that all they needed to do was write their names on the ticket as validation. After helping this California couple out, we made friends and spent the day at the Villa d'este with them (meaning: someone to take our photos).
Firenze:
Cortona:
Highlights: Seeing the beautiful sunflowers everywhere, exploring my favorite small town, going into my favorite leather shop (and not buying anything) and experiencing a little of the night life.
Castiglion della Pescaia
Highlights: Honestly I have never experienced the beach before (I won't count the one time I was seven in Vietnam because I don't remember any of it, although there are pictures to prove), and so I was a little "eh" about going to the beach. It honestly was so beautiful and the water felt amazing in the scorching Italian sun. It was the best way to end our stay in Italy and my time with our amiche.
Castiglion Fiorentino
Highlights: Meeting Cucco at the Castig train station and greeting him with the biggest hug after being three hours late, not being able to contact Giulia or the others, and thinking that we would be stranded in Castig for the night, seeing my beautiful friends again, being overwhelmed by our friend's and their families generosity towards us (but I should have known this!) seeing the town (very nostalgically), taking in the breathtaking scenery, sitting at the cafe for hours on end, sharing drinks with a couple from the Netherlands who had the cutest baby (the husband happened to study abroad at UT and recognized the A&M flag that proudly hangs in Bar La Posta), seeing one of my darling former students, line dancing and salsa dancing with Giulia+Fede's family and Bar La Posta patrons... I think this list can go on. Obviously my fondest memories are here in Castig.
Learnings:
Since I only came into Europe with a small backpack and a purse, I was very limited in my tourist spending. This proved to be enriching because I was able to spend more of my energy and time exploring, eating, and meeting people. I made mistakes in my packing but next time, I think I'll be better at "backpacking through Europe."
I met many wonderful european strangers during my stay who all were "on holiday" for over a month. I just couldn't believe how they could leave their job for that long... or that they were allowed to. Also I was incredibly jealous, but that's a whole different beast. Europeans were also amazed at the American travel lifestyle; we just hop from country to country in a short period of time while they were more prone to spend a long period of time in one place. That is preferably how I like to travel, but sometimes we just cant help but to country-hop!
As much as I felt very introspective in Belgium and Switzerland, there is something about the Italian lifestyle that continuously makes me appreciate the simple things and to understand something more about myself that I did not before. I'm not sure I can really explain these thoughts (because I haven't been able to materialize them just yet). The slow paced lifestyle in Italy, from siesta, to the slower (but by no means lazier) work ethic, to spending hours of the day drinking and eating with friends and family (apperitivo needs to be a thing, EVERYWHERE), made me feel mentally and spiritually healthier. As much as I am surrounded by fast-paced culture in school, work, and my everyday musings, perhaps it's not (always) for me. Of course I have tried to incorporate "fun, relaxing time" in my busy schedule, but I really think I have taken those in vain (although at the time, I'm sure I felt fine and relaxed). Because it's not just the traveling that makes me feel healthier or more relaxed, it's the mindset that you go into when you decide to stow away all your worries and responsibilities away for a moment. You let go and just let life. Somehow, we all need to take that mindset and incorporate it into our everyday lives.
This trip was a much needed gift to myself and I cannot stress enough the importance of traveling and experiencing something brand new to invigorate your sense of purpose. Every time I travel back home to Italy (because I consider it my second home now), I learn something valuable about myself. It's hard to dig deep inside and be introspective and I think this was why it took me so long to blog about it.
I swear, the other blogs won't be this long! Thanks for reading, friends!
“I wandered everywhere, through cities and countries wide. And everywhere I went, the world was on my side.”
― Roman Payne, Rooftop Soliloquy
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