Submitted by Caitlin Rulli on the 2019 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…
When I studied abroad in Madrid, I was completely on my own for four months. Sure, I had my friends, but my family was unable to visit me for the semester. We have never traveled abroad as a family, and the priority at that time was to get me to Spain. For the fall of 2016, I was periodically “adopted” by many of my friends’ families that came to visit, particularly kind parents who welcomed us into their AirBNBs for an evening of home-cooked food. I was okay with my family not coming to see me. I was aware of the financial limitations, and am fairly independent. However, when my Mom started talking about the possibility of coming to visit me while in Rome, I was elated.
I’ve been planning to come to Rome since I was still in Madrid – that’s two years of checking course listings, researching restaurants, and putting in extra hours at work to save up money. My Mom had been doing the same, and as soon as I was accepted to come to Rome and knew what my spring break was, my family took the time off work so they could come see me. I had planned for the first half of the week to be in Madrid, and the second half to be spent in Rome. This way, my family could see both where I was, and where I am now.
I had trepidations about my family coming to visit. Of course I was excited, but we had never done anything like this as a family before. We had gone camping (in an RV with queen-sized beds, a microwave, and campground-wide WIFI), but Rulli Euro Vacay 2019 was a whole other ball game. There’s a time zone change, a language barrier, a ton of walking, late dinners, and unfamiliar surroundings. Sure, I know some Spanish and Italian and I know the cities, but how would we navigate a slew of new experiences, many of them uncomfortable?
I was blown away. My whole family absolutely adored each and everyday I had planned for them. Museums, castles, parks, restaurants and cafes galore. My father loved how pretty and clean Madrid is, my mother loved the history in the Roman Forum and the photography opportunities, and my sister delighted in the art that abounds in Europe. We splurged on skip-the-line tickets and guided tours, and ate at some of my favorite restaurants.
Travel brought my family closer together, and I had anticipated the opposite. I already knew the power that traveling can have on relationships, both positive and negative. I have experienced firsthand how it can either wither or strengthen the ties between people. I hadn’t imagined how much stronger my family would become over this trip. After the passing of my grandmother earlier this year, it was extra important to all of us to have this time together, and being able to spend that time in Spain and Italy in a once-in-a-lifetime vacation is beyond description. My mother, father, and sister are now tucked back home in New Jersey, and I am left a little homesick, and very excited for the next time we can all hop on a plane together and explore the world as a family.