My abroad experience has been such an adventure the past month! I have really started to travel all over Italy and appreciate all of the different cultures that make it up.
Jumping off a rock in Giglio Island
With SAI, I went to Maremma, Giglio Island, Volterra, a secluded island, and biked through Lucca. The three day trip SAI took us on was so unbelievably amazing. Our hotel was on the beach side and we took a ferry over to an island on one of the days. We made the hike over to the secluded area and spent the day soaking in the sun and jumping off huge rocks into the ocean. I came back with some small injuries from my clumsiness but the memories are well worth them.
Biking in Lucca
Volterra was a really neat town way up high in the mountains that had a beautiful view of an ancient roman theater which I deeply appreciated as a Theater major.
Biking through Lucca made me remember how much I love biking through different scenery! I was able to bike along the city’s walls and enjoy the statues that were randomly placed throughout the town.
Hiking in Cinque Terre
In September I was also able to go to Cinque Terre and to the Almafi Coast! Cinque Terre was a destination I have always wanted to go to in Italy so being there was one of the many dreams that have come true while being abroad. The little towns were so charming and the view of the Mediterranean from the highest points were breathtaking. We took different trains from town to town except between the third and fourth which we hiked along a very strenuous but beautiful trail. I love hiking at home so this hike really touched my heart. It may be one of the hardest hikes I’ve done just because of how many ascents and descents there were but it was also the most worthwhile. It ended along the beach where I jumped in and had a blast in the warm salty water!
Before it started raining in Capri
Almafi Coast was such a magnificent experience that it’s hard to describe. Sorrento was so picturesque with its houses on cliffs and restaurants along the ocean. We stayed there in a hostel then took a ferry to Capri. I was disappointed that we happened to take a boat around the island during the worst part of a rain and thunder storm, but it was still pretty amazing. Seeing the ruins of Pompei really reminded me how new my country is and how old human civilization is. It was truly enriching to see such ancient architecture and how society may have worked during this time.
Adventuring through Pompeii
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Jasmine is a student at Gustavus Adolphus College studying at Florence University of the Arts during the Fall 2013 term.
