Things I’ve Learned in my First 2 Days in Italy

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  1. The Pantheon is breathtaking. It pulls your soul back in time.
  2. Italian people are warm, gracious, beautiful, and fearless.
  3. Nutella flavored gelato is… I have no words to explain to you. I licked the cup clean.
  4. Michelangelo was a genius. The Sistine Chapel was a divine creation.
  5. People from all over the world seek a better life in Italy.
  6. It’s weird to share public bathroom sinks with the opposite sex, especially when you want to check your face and reapply lipstick.
  7. Italian people have an incredible sense of style. High heels abound despite the rocky cobblestone walkways.
  8. One word can mean many things. Prego. Ciao.
  9. My kids are really good kids. They can be polite and appreciative for an 8 hour guided tour in oppressive heat on almost no sleep for 3 days.
  10. Cities are built upon cities which are built upon cities. If you keep digging deep, you’ll find ancient ruins and treasures that will fill in the gaps of your history. Quite the metaphor for our lives, no?
  11. The Vatican is awe inspiring. Power. Priceless art. A line of popes all the way back to the time of Jesus. Charity. Violence. Contradiction.
  12. I’m not sure if I’m angry with or proud of my 16 year old son who was so moved by the Sistine Chapel that he took this forbidden photo despite the guards who we watched berate anyone who tried to use a camera inside the sacred space.
  13. Italy is nothing like what I thought it would be.
  14. This spectacular place, Roma, will stay in my heart forever. I eagerly await the lessons in store for me in Florence and Venice in the days to come.