Well, I have officially moved in! The hip and upcoming neighborhood of Pigneto is now my home for the next year. My room in the convent came with 2 twin beds and a glow-in-the-dark crucifix. I do need to get some cozier lights soon because it feels slightly sterile! While I still settle in, I wanted to do a quick overview of my past 2 weeks here in Italy!

Orta

Very shortly after Christmas, my parents and I departed from the States and flew to Milan. We met with my great aunt in the quiet and secluded town of Orta. It was such a sweet time of reconnection and immersion. We were able to travel to Monte Rosa, just shy of the Swiss border. The German-ification of Italian architecture and culture was a fun parallel to see after being in the very Italian town of Orta.

The town of Orta rests on the beautiful Lago d’Orta. Standing frimly within the lake is a beautiful Silent Island home to a convent of Nuns who took a vow of silence in dedication to the Lord. I’m not totally sure how they get things done over there with complete silence, but I’m sure they manage!

Milan

After saying our goodbyes to my aunt, we traveled back to Milan for a quick pitstop. Here we toured the very famous Duomo. Its architecture was stunning, each detail different from the rest. Because of the long construction time, periods of builders and designers can be seen throughout the details, buttresses, and statues. The celebrity of the building, however, does slightly take away from its awe. So many people crowd the building from the nave to the roof. Queues formed so long that you *almost* got tired of the section you were looking at. The sacredness of the building was muffled by the voices of tourists ringing in the tall ceilings. Despite the crowds, it was still worth it.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is usually a spot for a summer vacation, but we landed there for our next stop. Despite it being 55 degrees, Cinque Terre really lived up to the hype. The sea air mixed with the colorful buildings and green hills made for a picturesque stay. As the name implies, there are 5 towns that make up Cinque Terre: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. While aesthetically similar, each town had a vastly different feel. All 5 towns are connected by a hiking trail, but unfortunately for us many of them were closed. We were able to hike from Coriglia to Vernazza. It was a beautiful hike, albeit very muddy.

Orvieto

Orvieto was our second to last stop on this whirlwind tour of Italy. This naturally fortified medieval city was probably my favorite stop. The hotel provided us a beautiful apartment in the middle of the city. The classic Italian feel mixed with the Christmas music and lights made the town cozy and welcoming.

Rome

The final stop was Rome. It being my new home, my parents made sure we did the absolute most! We walked the entire city to get my bearings! We hit all the classic tourist destinations such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Campo Dei Fiore, Saint Peter’s Basilica, and more. I’m telling you; it was a whirlwind.

I’m so grateful that they were able to make this trip with me, though. Moving thousands of miles away from your family is hard, then add the stress of not really knowing the language! But I am seriously so excited for the next couple months! I’m excited to see what God does to and through the students, and what he does through me. I’m excited to be stretched and challenged but ultimately grow. I might miss the comforts of home every now and again, but I’m just a short facetime call away from my family to alleviate any sadness!

I’m excited to see what happens this week as the students arrive and my new job begins!

Also! I hope you enjoy my photos! Now that I’m not in school and I’m actually somewhere fun, I can actually be a “photographer” again haha!