Thoughts From A Train In Italy

For nearly the past two weeks, I have been traveling throughout Italy visiting one of my closest friends, Gabby Pappalardo , who is studying in Florence this semester. I've taken a brief hiatus from posting, but I've tried to use the spare moments I've had throughout to write.

We began our travels with a few days in Rome, then headed to the smaller beach town of Cinque Terre. We are now wrapping up our travels with a few more days in Florence, getting to know Gabby's new home. I am writing this on a train heading from Florence to Lucca, a smaller town in the Italian countryside. We figured it was time for a rejuvenating day trip; an escape from the speed of the city.

This trip has been incredibly mentally restful for me. It has also opened my eyes to many new experiences: people, cultures, languages, other natural parts of the world. The people here are patient, kind and welcoming. They work hard, but embrace leisure and rest. They celebrate art and unique passions. They preserve history and build cities around its significance. It’s incredible.

This trip has also been highly introspective. I have discovered lots of things about myself, one being that I’m not a huge fan of cities. Don’t get me wrong—Rome and Florence are fascinating, filled with undeniable beauty and architecture that makes my head spin with amazement. New York is a bustling city full of ambitious people and endless sights. Even Raleigh—which always felt like a big city to me as a kid from small-town NC—carries a fast-paced sparkle I've always loved enjoying from time to time.

But when we reached Cinque Terre, hearing less bustle and more breeze, breathing in the fresh, clean air—nothing compared. Being away from the noise, having a moment to see the mountains without buildings blocking them, suddenly made everything feel lighter. We hiked from one town to another with a view unlike one I'd ever seen. Moments like hitting that peak, with Manarola to my right and Riomaggiore to my left, really recenter you in the best possible way.

I've also seen first-hand the value of travel. Growing up, traveling was something I’d always dreamed of doing because my family never did it frequently. Our culture romanticizes it, but I desire to pursue travel primarily because I believe in its importance.?

Over the years, I’ve always had this innate fascination with the size of the world. The fact that in 194 other countries, right now, billions of people are living completely individual lives. It's like that feeling when you're passing people on the highway and think, where could all these people possibly be going? Except that instead of a highway, it's the other side of the world—and you can't even see it all. Just knowing that different things are happening, that more extraordinary things exist somewhere, far, far away, has always made me long to be near them, to experience them—even just once.

I never want to get so stuck in my comfortable life, in one stagnant place, that I rob myself of the ability to see more. We cannot understand how much we are each not the center of the universe until we step out of our own, into someone else’s, and admire it—allowing ourselves to be amazed by something new.??

This is easier said than done. You will have to stretch yourself, grow some flexibility, and pull a few muscles. It involves growing pains.

But doesn’t everything else that’s good??

This trip has been a taste of that for me. I'll never forget the owner of a winery we visited in Tuscany, who spoke of making wine like a father bursting with pride over his child; or the kindness of the man at Caffé Ricasoli each morning as he made us the best cappuccinos. Each of them have a story, a whole life they have lived in a completely different place than me. I am so glad I got to see a small portion of it, even if to them, I was merely another tourist passing through.

As I reach my stop in Lucca, I look forward to a momentary escape to a slower scene. We plan to rent bikes and ride around the wall of the town today, and probably grab some gelato. I can't wait to breathe in the fresh air.

I know I'll return to North Carolina in a few days thankful for each moment. I'll be excited to eat Chick-fil-A with ranch and drink free iced water, but I'll have a widened view of the world that I could have never gained by staying in my bubble.

I encourage you to get out of your own sometime. Don't be afraid of the growing pains.