Travels with family through southern Europe

Traveling around southern Europe with my best friend and brother keeps me on my toes. I left Florence, Italy July 3 and have experienced Chianti, Cinque Terre, Nice (France), and finally Barcelona (Spain). I was ill for the first four days of our journey together, and the train definitely did not help with the nausea. However, my best friend is a supportive person with positive energy that rubs off on everyone, so we have been optimistic through the surprises.

The country side of Tuscany was stunning. We enjoyed a hike through the hills of Chianti and tasted home-made wine and food.  The family that served us was very hospitable and their house was charming.


Cinque Terre was an adventure.  Hiking through the villages was definitely a challenge that made me sweat and feel refreshed from being sick.  The views of the Mediterranean Sea were phenomenal and the walkways were romantic.  My favorite hike was the most challenging, from Corniglia to Vernazza.  Experiencing it with my best friend made it even better.


The next day, Monday, we traveled by train to Nice, France.  We only had a chance to stay one night, but I loved the city.  The nightlife was fun and the people were very friendly.  Lugging an 80 pound suitcase around has not been the highlight of the trip though.  That is why I am glad we finally made it to Barcelona!


Today we experienced a free walking tour with an animated Aussie and danced around with strangers; it was the most exciting walking tour I have ever been on.  Now we are about to take a Spanish cooking class to make Tapas, Sangria, and Paella.  I am stoked and will write soon.


Natalie

Big lessons in Italy

Living thousands of miles across the ocean from loved ones has definitely been the challenge of this journey. However, it is a challenge that is bittersweet. The distance has allowed me to find something I would have never seen before. I have learned many things, mostly about myself. Relying on myself to get through daily challenges was an important life lesson. Someone close to me once said, “It’s because I love you that I say that nobody wants to hear everything you have to say all the time.” It hit me like a brick wall. No one ever put it to me like that before. But I was determined to change. I started to understand that I am the only one who can make my life better and with God’s help.

This sounds like a simple lesson, but for me, this was not simple to understand. Now that I do, I look at myself and people differently. I am happier. Even with the negatives of working with a group of people here in Italy; I have learned to be happy through struggles, without constantly receiving comfort from people I love. Thank you to those who really love me enough to point out a weakness of mine that I was blinded of. It takes a true friend to do this.

Venice pictures