Our Italian Dream

By Jenna

Senior Troop 258

On a gondola in Venice

The adventure began nearly a year before. Nine months of fundraising thousands of dollars. After countless hours of effort, our spirits soared as the plane took off, making our dream a reality. Taryn, Crystal, Nicole, Tara, Jenna, and Laura, along with Pat & Karen, our leaders, were finally on our way to Italy!!

For thirteen days, with the guidance of our tour guide, Tamara Stojanovic, we experienced over 2,000 miles of beautiful Italy. Along with our new friends from North Carolina, New York, and Utah, we had a shocking experience. We felt the cool breeze as we took a water taxi to Venice and rode in a gondola. The wild boar in Florence promised us, that if we rubbed his nose, we will return to Florence.

View of Florence Karen with the boar in Florence

The leaning tower of Pisa stood in the distance and took our breaths away. We learned that the tower is not leaning alone, but the church is also leaning (they are leaning because they were built on soft soil).

One of the craters of Mt Etna
The people of Assisi welcomed us into St. Francis' Basilica and moved us with their peaceful ways. Sorrento shocked us with their roads being on the edge of cliffs, but amazed us with its beauty. Capri's blue grotto engulfed us, and their gardens calmed us.

A street in Pompeii
We visited Mount Etna in Sicily and saw the horrible destruction its eruption caused. Pompeii's ruins stood tall and superior with Vesuvius in its background. We visited the Vatican City and went into the Vatican museum, and finally stood inside the Colosseum in Rome. Each day we enjoyed pasta, pizza and gelatos with our new friends.

Our whole group
We cried when it came time to say goodbye. Thirteen days in Italy was our dream come true, and will live on in each of us always. Our opportunity was great, and absolutely worth the time, money and effort! L'Italia e molto bello ma molto difficile (Italy is beautiful but difficult!!)

At the end of our trip we all wrote down what were our most and least favorite things about the country we had just visited. Here is a top ten compilation of all our lists:

Things we will miss about Italy Things we won't miss about Italy
10. Long scenic bus rides through the countryside Mystery meat
9. Long bus rides where you could catch up on your sleep Drinks at room temperature
8. The boys from Utah who carried our luggage Crazy drivers
7. Laughing so hard at dinner Buses in Rome
6. Flavio, our waiter in Sicily Getting ripped off
5. Frozen water bottles The same dinner night after night
4. The delicious pizza in Naples Showers with no shower curtains
3. The breathtaking monuments, artwork and cathedrals Trying to figure out how to flush the toilets
2. Gelato! Not being able to find a touch tone phone so you can use your calling card
1. Our new friends from the other tour groups, as well as our bus driver, Carmine and Tamara, our guide The heat!!

	Things we will miss about Italy	Things we won't miss about Italy
10.	Long scenic bus rides through the countryside	Mystery meat
9.	Long bus rides where you could catch up on your sleep	Drinks at room temperature
8.	The boys from Utah who carried our luggage	Crazy drivers
7.	Laughing so hard at dinner	Buses in Rome
6.	Flavio, our waiter in Sicily	Getting ripped off
5.	Frozen water bottles	The same dinner night after night
4.	The delicious pizza in Naples	Showers with no shower curtains
3.	The breathtaking monuments, artwork and cathedrals	Trying to figure out how to flush the toilets
2.	Gelato!	Not being able to find a touch tone phone so you can use your calling card
1.	Our new friends from the other tour groups, as well as our bus driver, Carmine and Tamara, our guide	The heat!!