In life, we have many different experiences. Some of them are good, others are bad. Regardless, we must always remember the good experiences because good experiences cancel out all of the bad events that happen in your life. For me, the greatest experience that's happened so far in my life was my trip to Italy with my friends during Easter vacation. For the start of my trip, we had to take a plane to Amsterdam in order for us to arrive in Rome. I'm not a fan of plane rides due to me getting easily sick, but the view of the snowcapped mountains and the villages situated into the mountains was amazing to see.
Although the plane ride was nine hours in total between stops, my excitement was growing in me as we came closer to our destination. Once we landed, we met our tour guide who would in fact be with us the entire week we were there. We got on a shuttle that took us across the countryside of Naples and to the beautiful island of Sorrento. Sorrento was one of the most beautiful sights I would ever see: seeing the lemon trees growing in the distance (what Sorrento is famously known for) and the sea stretched out before us. Also, to get to our hotel, we had to cross 700-year-old highways that were carved on the outside of the mountains. That, and the small cars going back and forth, made me realize how amazing that people can actually live here.
Another sight that I was grateful enough to see was the inner city of Rome such as the Vatican and the churches. The churches were some of the most artistic churches that capture the heart and magnify the eyes. Walking in the churches gave a sense of clarity with the sounds of mellow church hymns and the quiet atmosphere. Another church that we saw was called the Basilica of Saint Paul, which is where Saint Paul is supposedly buried with the chains that he wore when in prison. It was such an experience because I felt it was history staring me right in the face and the basilica was huge in size. After that, we went inside the Vatican with the famous sculptures of the Apostles watching all who enter the doors of the Vatican entrance. Inside, we saw Michelangelo's La Pietra and the Sistine Chapel. It was absolutely breathtaking.
After the Vatican, we saw the archeological sights of the ruined city of Pompeii and went into the Catacombs where the earliest of Christians were buried. While exploring Pompeii, we saw the ruins of statues that miraculously survived the cataclysmic explosion of mount Vesuvius. But the strangest part of Pompeii was the display of a woman, child and a dog solidified in the ash and with a look of horror and suffering on their faces. It was sad but also interesting to watch.
As a New Yorker who's been in the city one too many times, it was different to see the city of Rome at its fullest during the night. It was like a whole other world walking the streets (with our teachers of course) and seeing Saint Peters and the Trevi Fountain during the night. We got to the fountain and we did the tradition of dropping a coin in the fountain and making a wish. Legend has it that if you drop a coin in the fountain, you have a higher chance of returning to Italy in the future.
I could go on all day about my trip to Italy. The sights and the wonders that we saw and did are too much to put in one article. The weather was great the entire week and the funny thing about the trip was that it brought our group together. People that never really talked in school became good friends afterward and to this day we still talk about missing the trip and wishing we could go back in time and relive it again. The day we left was a sad one: saying goodbye to our tour guide and at the beautiful city that we embarked on this great adventure. To anyone that is thinking about traveling or studying abroad and has the chance to, my advice to you is to take that chance because you get to immerse yourself in different cultures and knowledge. It can open your mind to different opportunities and change your opinions about the world. I hope it changes you the way it did for me.
