My goodness! It took a couple years for this piece to make its debut in Verge Magazine. I began pitching within the year I returned from my trip abroad and of course covid slowed the process even further. This article stands to be a timeless piece anyways for anyone looking to venture on their own extraordinary journey to find themselves to study culture, to live a different life.

I slept amongst baaing sheep in a quiet town in the heel, I biked to markets, blogged often, and interned at an Italian pastry shop on the opposite end of the boot where I would become friends with the loveliest owners, Dario and Roberto. I miss them and will return to visit! I walked under the Brescian train station threshold every morning and every afternoon listening to Justin Timberlake excited for the day ahead. The morning making brioche or decorating pastry, the afternoon eating a piadina with prosciutto and mozzarella, and then dining out with Dario and Roberto in the evening where we ate and laughed and ate so much more.

I felt nestled at home in my galley way shaped hotel room 15 minutes away from the bakery. The place where Katie stayed for a night on a deflated air mattress after sneaking in. We ventured to Trentino Alto Adige to eat german style dumplings, a staple of Italian cuisine in that region. I love the diverse food culture of Italy, it’s just amazing to me. A blip in time gave me so much perspective and love and friendship.