A Whole New World

By: Kristen Edmonds, Honors College Junior

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

I constantly kept reminding myself of this as I said a shaky goodbye to my parents at RDU and I made my way through security.  I had not been on a plane since I was three years old.  I had never been out of the country.  Yet there I was, waiting to board my flight to Charlotte where I would then fly to Rome, Italy.  I was traveling to the land of art, pasta, history, and a language that I did not speak. When it was finally my turn to board, I gathered my courage, carry on bag, and personal item, and I began my trip.

I was very fortunate that my trip incorporated as much of Italy as possible within our short stay.  While abroad, I visited Rome, Florence, Venice, Sienna, Pisa, Cinque Terre, and various small villages in Tuscany.  Our home, Certaldo, was a medieval village full of some of the most welcoming people I have ever met.  Even though many of the locals there spoke a very small amount of English, they were all very patient with our attempts to speak Italian and were very willing to help us learn new words.  Several restaurants even gave us discounts on our meals because we were students.

Speaking of food…I tend to be a picky eater when it comes to food in America, so I was worried that I would starve while overseas.  I promised myself that I would try new things in Italy, and I was never disappointed in my choices.  Some of the best things I ate included fried bread, pizza with French fries on top, chocolate muffins filled with Nutella, gnocchi pasta, and of course, gelato.  It’s safe to say that I will never be able to look at Olive Garden pasta the same.

When I wasn’t busy eating my way through Italy, I found myself in some of the most breathtaking places I have ever been.  It is hard to put into words the feeling of being inside of the Coliseum, staring at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, or making eye contact with the Statue of David.  And while I may not be able to describe it, I can encourage you to experience it for yourself.  I am eternally grateful for East Carolina University and the opportunity I was given to see the world differently.  Italy will always hold a special place in my heart, but I don’t intend on ending my journey as a world traveler just yet.  I have no clue where I’ll travel to next, but I have a lot of empty space left in my passport.

For more information on ECU’s Italy Intensives, click here.