Submitted by Shams Ibrahim on the 2023 summer session program in Italy and Spain…
Volterra, Italy, is a charming and beautiful town. The first day was rough since I wasn’t able to sleep on the plane and was hopeful to sleep when I reached my room in Italy, however, we already had the day planned out with an excursion to the Volterra town. Even though I was exhausted, it was to help with our jet lag. After the first day, the next two days have been filled with new experiences. From the moment I arrived in Volterra, I was struck by its beauty. The cobblestone streets, adorned with vibrant flowers, led me through a maze of narrow alleyways, each unveiling hidden views. I’ve also visited the Roman Theatre, which we found locked so we climbed to the top so we could see the beautiful view. Already, the people of Volterra truly left a mark. We were given a group assignment to speak to two Italian people and ask them, ‘what is leadership.’ My group ran into a meat shop owner from Sicily, Christian, who invited us into his shop and gave us free drinks and a conversation. He was super friendly and even though he didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak Italian, we got through a long conversation. His answer to the question of what leadership was, “weapons, money, and power.” Another thing I want to note is the food! For the past couple of days we have been eating so many different kinds of Pasta. Today in the evening we had a baking class where we learned how to make a pizza and also got to try and make one. So far, the past three days have been extremely eventful and I am excited to continue traveling and exploring new places and getting out of my comfort zone. (Submitted on June 8, 2023)
