After graduation, my brother and I spent two weeks in Italy. We started in Rome, then worked our way north to Florence, Bologna, and Venice. It was one of the best trips I've ever been on. But then I came home, and found myself longing for some of the things I had in Italy that we just don't do right here in America.

1. The pasta

It's just better in Italy. I can't really describe how, but it is. I ate carbonara almost every day, and had absolutely no regrets.

2. The wine

Wine is their thing in Italy. You have it at every meal, and you can stop in little wine bars on the street to get a refreshing glass. To be completely honest, I missed having wine with dinner when I came home.

3. The espresso

You can get an espresso anywhere in Italy. I'm not kidding, almost every shop has an espresso machine. We had one in a balsamic vinegar shop, in a hardware store, everywhere. It's a great pick-me-up after a long day of sight-seeing.

4. The markets

In Florence, there's a market called the Mercato Centrale. My brother and I decided to go in, and just bought a little bit of everything we saw for lunch. It was one of the best meals of the entire trip. There was such a variety, and it was all so delicious.

5. The sandwiches

Italian sandwich shops are like no other. The ingredients are fresh, not like most Subways and Togo's in America. The sandwich makers are careful about how they make their food, and it is absolutely incredible.

6. The public transit

We took the train to get from city to city, which was a fast and easy to get around the country. In Venice, they have water buses. They're like buses back home, with different lines and all of that, but on the water. It's my new favorite form of transportation.

7. The churches

I'm not a very religious person, but I still went into almost every church I could while in Italy. My brother and I narrowed down our feelings on the churches to two questions: How do you feel about marble? How do you feel about gilding? If you love them both, then Italian churches are the ones for you!

8. The cheeses

Burrata: a gooey, creamy ball of wonderfulness. All of the best restaurants in Italy will have burrata available as an appetizer. It may not be the healthiest option, but it sure is good. Don't worry, we ate other cheeses, too. We just ate a lot of burrata.

9. The fountains

These fountains in Italy are incredible. There is so much detail and careful thinking in each of these pieces of art. There are gorgeous fountains in every city, making each of them unique.

10. The pizza

Pizza in Italy is not like it is here in America. They use a thinner crust, less sauce, and a lot of cheese. Toppings are usually minimal, so they can really focus on their flavors. Every pizza place we went to was amazing.

11. The architecture

I feel that here in America, we are so focused on keeping everything modern. We are constantly remodeling and renovating things to keep up with the latest trends. Not in Italy. Every city had a unique style, but was still very classical and beautiful. I loved just walking down tiny streets and looking at all of the buildings.

12. The gelato

I can't tell you how many scoops of gelato I had over our two week trip, but I know it was a lot. It was the best gelato I've ever had, and probably will ever have until I go back.