Over the course of my spring break, I felt I was able to truly experience Italy without the worries of deadlines or responsibilities fogging my brain. One may ask why I chose to stay in Italy during my week-long break when I could have gone to another country since it is easily accessible and affordable to do so. With that, I would answer with the fact that Italy has the beauty of not being repetitive. It consistently has something to offer, whether it be a three-hour train ride away or right out your front door. Not only is Italy a country that never gets old, but it is also a place that I had immense joy sharing with someone.
I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend, Jack, visit me the whole week of spring break. We traveled by train to Florence and basked in the unique and impressive architecture of the Duomo. We tooled around the Uffizi, as our eyes danced gazing at the impeccable paintings of some of the greats such as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Botticelli, and Raphael.
The next train led us to the special city of Venice, which was a much-needed escape from all cars. At 8:30 in the evening, a table at the Venice Jazz Club was ready for us with a name card displaying “Cetti” in thick black letters written on it. Jack and I sat and felt the music move our feet to the beat of the drums, and closed our eyes to listen to the instruments converse with each other harmoniously. This was one of the most enriching experiences I have had not only on spring break but in my whole time abroad as well.
After our jam-packed days in Florence and Venice, we arrived back home, in
Rome. I indulged in the tourist activities that I usually scoff at, which is ironic considering I am a tourist as well. I began to let go of this slight embarrassment of participating in these activities as we got ready for our tour of the Vatican Museum. Our tour guide asked the large group of us, wearing headphones in our ears, where we are from. The answers to this question were truly shocking for people wherefrom Greece, London, Peru, Jamaica, Morocco, Germany, and so on. From that point on, I realized the gravity that is held within the history of Rome, for it has unified people from all over the world with curiosity.
When the days began to become closer to when Jack departed to go back to the States, we spent most of our time having long dinners discussing an array of different topics some causing us to laugh, cry, and ponder. These extensive dinners were my favorite moments of spring break, for the time passing was not daunting, I had nowhere to be other than there. My spring break overall led me to discover the abundance of beauty that I am so fortunate to call my home and the pleasure it is to share it with someone you love.
