I keep forgetting it's summer vacation.
After our classes let out at Missouri Baptist University two weeks ago, there wasn't much downtime between moving out of the dorms, unpacking and re-packing for a trip to Italy four days later.
Every four years, the Fine Arts division arranges an international trip to perform at landmarks and churches with willing members of the Chorale and Choral Society. This year, my first time on such a trip, we didn't have enough to perform any pieces so we just took a cultural trip.
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As if that was a bad thing.
The week-long excursion put our first stop at Assisi for a few days and then on to Rome. We were given a tour of Vatican City and other sites in the Rome area. Everything was absolutely amazing.
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Well, except for the tiny European hotel bathroom.
Although we were kept busy more than the majority of the time there, being in a different country taught me to be even more aware of culture and perceptions. I'm the type of person who cares about what people think (sometimes too much) and encountering people who spoke a different language, used different currency, and lived different lives added to the pressure. I was on the short-end.
But good company made that easier. I had never been out of the country and now I was given the opportunity to do so with good friends and have the experience of a lifetime.
And it was. So now, sitting at home, I'm watching Angels and Demons to spot all the different sights. My sister is annoyed that I keep saying, "I've been there!"
Every now and then, we all have to force ourselves to sit, eat some gelato and enjoy what we have. Worrying really isn't worth it - and I need to learn that more!
Check out my personal blog post on the trip.