For fall break, four of us girls spent a wild ten days traveling Italy. This experience was my first time traveling to a country without contact with anyone in the country. Despite a heavy amount of research, there were countless moments of uncertainty regarding how to navigate trains, public transportation, airbnbs, tourist attractions, etc. Italy is the tenth country I have visited, but I experienced more culture shock than Africa or India because we were on our own. The favorite of my days was spent in Venice because the Lord had an unexpected, roundabout way of blessing us. I often carried the role of navigating the group, purchasing train tickets, and researching logistics. I loved having this role, but I realized I often respond to situations in stress rather than in trust. After purchasing a tour at 1:30 across the city, we got on a train that I quickly realized was going the wrong direction. It hurt to watch the blur of trees and buildings out the window knowing that we were losing precious time. I was more disappointed to discover that the right train would not arrive for another forty minutes. Waiting at the wrong station with the potential of losing our money was a weight that I felt responsible for. My dear friends, however, were uplifting even as I was stressed. Long story short, we endured the wait for the train and a boat bus. We ran across the island of Venice, weaving through tourists. The boat tour allowed us to participate in the 2:30 tour even though we missed our originally booked time. It appears we were the last four seats on the tour. The next four and a half hours were gloriously spent cruising the Adriatic Sea between islands. Burano island was the most beautiful place I have ever witnessed. Each building was dressed in its own bright color, and a golden sunset filtered through canals, sparkling on the water. On the cruise back to the main island, the sun set on the ocean, silhouetting every boat and the entire island of Venice. We reflected on the goodness of God together as seaspray sprinkled on our faces. If we had not boarded on the wrong train, we wouldn’t have seen this sunset. After dark, we found a table at a restaurant only a foot from the water. Spaghetti, hot chocolate, and wonderful friendship ended the night in perfection.

In addition to Venice, we visited Florence, Rome, and Monterosso beach. The week was filled with beauty, history, and a few very challenging moments. I spent two full days sick at the Airbnb, and this is when I experienced the most homesickness I have felt since being abroad. I craved everything in the US and felt anxious to be sick without understanding labels on medicine or how the medical system works in the country. Another girl also felt sick, and we ended up in the Emergency Room at the hospital on Tuesday night. Her throat was swollen, making it very difficult to fully breathe. Concerned it was an allergic reaction, we took her in to get a shot. Three hours later, they gave her ibuprofen for a sore throat. We are unsure what happened, but thanking God that she is okay. We encountered various other setbacks, such as being fined $70 for boarding the wrong train. All in all, we are so thankful for what we were able to see: Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s David, St. Peter’s Basilica, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Ponte Vecchio, the Florence Cathedral, and the Bridge of Sighs. We ended our break with a relaxing trip to a west coast beach. I was so thankful to arrive back in France.