Arriving in Italy

EB: Traveling by myself across the world was a very interesting experience but one that I hope to not repeat any time soon. It took two flights, a layover, and another two trains rides for me to reach my destinations but it was well worth it.  My first views of the beautiful Italian scenery occurred while I was on a train from Rome to Castiglion Fiorentino.  I met a kind woman named Elena, who happened to be a tour guide for the Tuscany region. As we passed by all of the small towns she would point out certain details that I would have otherwise overlooked and regaled me with interesting facts about the landscape. Parting ways with her, I got off at the Castiglion Fiorentino stop and was thankfully given a ride up to the center. After a long day of traveling from Cancun, Mexico to Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy arriving at Santa Chiara was such a relief.  Seeing the hills surrounding us was absolutely breathtaking. Being raised in Texas, I have not been able to see many hills much less be surrounded by them. This place is one of the most beautiful places I have been to and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to travel here.
               

Since I missed the first couple of days of class due to a family event, I was given an impromptu tour by some of my close friends. I was not able to hear all of the technical names of the plants that we saw but I was able to look and appreciate the beauty of my surroundings. As we explored the city I noticed that there were places where the flowers had grown into the rocks and steps of many of the buildings. Seeing this made me realize how flexible plants can be and marveled at how they were able to survive.  After seeing this first glimpse, I am eager to see what the rest of Italy has to offer.