Authenticity of Italy:  5 Cities in 8 Days

Ever since the trip to Greece, also planned by Mr. Yenshaw, ended last year, the Italy trip has been the main topic of almost everyone’s conversations. The excitement and desire to embark on the week-long trip that goes from the northern, popular areas of Italy down to the rural south has been palpable amongst those going since the end of last year. The Greece trip last year was almost exemplary, leaving everyone to doubt what the Italy one would be like. Even though we all had high expectations, many people thought it would be tedious and over-packed. Now, two days after the trip I can honestly say that the people were right; it was tiring, and also crammed. Over only eight days, we were able to start in Florence, walk freely around the sights there, make our way to Rome, marvel at the capital of Italy, drive to Pompeii, see the beauty that lies in Sorrento, experience the mafia-like qualities of Naples, and end the trip flawlessly on the majestic island of Capri. The condensed itinerary enabled us to encounter all the key historical sites, which was an incredible and unforgettable learning experience. I can confidently say that the memories accumulated during this trip will stay with me for a lifetime.

I left Egypt on May 1^st, having studied extensively about the ancient Romans and their vast civilization. Modern day Italy was a mystery to me though, and I had no idea what to expect. The curious tourist inside of me Googled images of Italy, especially the places we were going to. The pictures I found whetted my appetite, but they ended up in no way preparing me for the stunning scenery and sites we visited. We saw the prominent Tower of Pisa, which I discovered was just as leaning as everyone says it is. I luxuriated in being able to explore the ancient Coliseum, home of many savage gladiator games.

Everything we saw, whether it was as simple as a small statue or as illustrious as the St Peter’s Basilica, had an intricate history and a story to be told. We were thankful enough to have been blessed with guides, who, at times, were hard to hear, but taught us about the elaborate features of what we were seeing. If I really had to choose, I would say my favorite area in Italy is the gorgeous island of Capri. I was truly awed by the vibrant colors – the rich blues and the majestic greens. Riding the chairlift to Ana Capri, the highest point of the Island, was a once in a lifetime experience that I will be able to recall vividly for the rest of my life.

When thinking about Italy, the first thing that comes to mind is pizza and pasta. After returning from the trip, I never, ever, in my entire life want to see pasta again. I have no idea how the Italians can eat so much pasta every single day and not get sick of it; their digestive systems must have adapted over time or something. Anyway, every dish of pasta served to us was really nice and tasted lovely, however, the problem was that it was simply too repetitive. Towards the last few days, I couldn’t even bring myself to eat it. I guess pasta is just part of the Italian culture. My absolute favorite meal was in Naples when we went to walk around on our own. It was then that I bought a small, authentic Italian pizza, which was unlike anything I had ever had before, from a small pizzeria hidden between two large stores.

The best parts of the trip for me were when we were allowed to roam around freely and explore the authentic streets and piazzas. I loved being unconfined and free to experience the Italian culture and way of life. I learnt many things about Italy and its native habitants whilst on the trip, including how laid-back and relaxed most Italians are. Throughout the entire eight days, I highly doubt that there was even one person who did not smile welcomingly at us. All the shop clerks we encountered, and believe me, we encountered many, were all very gratifying and pleasant, not causing any problems or becoming angry at anything. This made the trip more enjoyable, and kept everyone in a good and pleasant mood.

One thing that we did a lot in Italy was walk. Since the streets in many of the places to which we went are extremely narrow, the bus wasn’t able to drive on them, thus mandating that we walk to many of the sights. I honestly thought that all of the walking would be tiring and cause difficulties, but I was wrong. It was refreshing walking through the streets, and it gave us the opportunity to personally and closely become acquainted with the beautiful styles of architecture and Italian society in general.

This was an outstanding trip that I will recommend highly to all the 8^th graders next year. I am truly thankful to all of the chaperones and the traveling agency for providing us with the opportunity to travel to a country so celebrated and stunning; It was a marvelous experience with hardly any faults that will lucidly remain in my heart for a long time.