Venice

Ciao friends!!  I am currently on the train back from an amazing, beautiful, inspiring, busy, and expensive weekend in Venice.  I had the absolute best time there and I met some awesome people I now have the privilege of calling my friends.  I started the weekend leaving by train in Macerata Friday morning and arriving in Venice at about 2 pm.  The train ride was long and boring because there isn’t even wifi but I got a lot of reading and sleeping in which I can never complain about.  When Ariana and I finally got there we were met by another program participant, Breanne, and later by Whitney.  Friday night was spent checking into our Airbnb, eating, and finally checking out some of the sights.  St.Mark’s Basilica and San Marco Square are incredibly beautiful, especially in the evening when there is a light shining on them just right.  We decided we would go back to our Airbnb and get up really early on Saturday to accomplish most of our sightseeing and adventures.  Saturday we spent the morning taking the ferry to Burano Island which is famous for their colorful houses and their lace-making.  The sights did not disappoint!  The ferry ride was scenic and the lace was the most beautiful I had ever seen.  I ended up getting a lace scarf which I am in love with!  When we arrived back in Venice we decided to take a gondola ride which turned out to be a lot of fun and we climbed to the top of St. Mark’s Basilica.  My favorite dish I tried in Venice is definitely their gelato and their pizza, although I think pizza is really hard to mess up. Ha!  We got back to our Airbnb pretty early but we had been on our feet all day so it felt good to go to bed a little earlier.  That brings us to today, Sunday.  We woke up late, had some pizza for lunch and just window shopped all day.  Venice is definitely a place I want to share with Brent because it is not like anything else in the world.  The entire city is on water.  The canals, the greenery, and the streets are truly one of a kind even for Italy.  I was so busy all weekend I barely had time to process how I am experiencing a truly once in a lifetime trip.  It wasn’t until I left my friends, got on my train, turned on my music and started to listen to my music that it all kind of started to sink in.  The first song that came on shuffle was “Home” by Phillip Phillips.  The lyrics so perfectly describe what I have been trying to put into words in this experience. “Settle down, it’ll all be clear.  Don’t pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear.  The trouble it might drag you down, if you are lost you can always be found.   Just know you’re not alone, cause I’m going to make this place your home.”  It’s like he’s saying no matter who you are, or where you are in the world you will be able to find people who are there to lift you up, to help you, to make you feel at home.  Until now have never had proof of that.  Brent also said something to me the other day that has stuck with me and rung true to me.  He said that he is happy I’m doing this because “it’s more good for me than bad for him.”  He also said that I’ve sort of internally made a bucket list of what I want to accomplish in this last year and this was the last one on the list.  To not accomplish this would be to rob myself of my potential, and of my dream.  I seriously had an ah-hah movement when he said that because it’s so true.  This has been something I’ve wanted to do for a few years and it’s taken other’s beliefs combined with belief in myself to get myself here.  I could never repay the people in my life in all they’ve given me in that regard.  Every accomplishment I have ever made I attribute at least 90% to my parents because of their unwavering support and beliefs in my abilities and what I am capable of.  All I can say is that foundation has allowed me to distance myself from anyone who tries to make me believe any differently about myself.  I can never thank them enough for a lot of things in life but that in particular I am so so grateful for.  This week I am focusing on being a light of positivity and energy for my students.  I know that’s what I always enjoyed about my teachers at their age.  Smiling more and scowling less, even when they are loud J

“But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all more meaningful and precious.  And for that I am grateful.” –Elizabeth Edwards

Amore,

Linsey