Five weeks down, four countries knocked off my bucket list, and countless international incidents, we have made it to the halfway mark in one piece! While yes, it has flown by, I look back on these past five weeks and am amazed at how many new relationships I have formed, how much I have learned about myself as a person, how much knowledge I have absorbed, and how much more of this world I have been able to see in such a short amount of time.
Every week while we are here abroad, we are required to submit our “peak” and our “pit,” or standout high and low moments. Searching for inspiration for this blog post, I decided to take a look back at what my “peak” moments have been. After reading over them, I noticed a reoccurring theme. Each of my highest peaks of happiness were each centered around the company I had surrounding me, with exotic destinations acting simply as a beautiful backdrop for fellowship. Here are some of my favorite moments so far, pulled directly from my weekly peak and pit reflections:
Week 1: “The welcome dinner was such a great introduction to what I can already tell will most likely be the best summer of my life. What I feel will make this summer so amazing is these people. I can already tell what a fun loving, genuine, curious group of students we have, in addition to such a developed, encouraging group of administrators.”
Week 2: “Upon arriving in Paris we immediately made our way to the Eiffel Tower, where we popped bottles of champagne and all sat in a circle and went around and told our highs and lows of the trip so far, laughed and drank our champagne. This was the best moment yet; the company out shined all else. I will probably say this 25 times throughout my journal, but I am living the dream.”
Week 3: “After getting lunch in Tivoli, a group of us went to the meet up spot a little early to wait for the next tour. I obviously had my deck of playing cards in my bag (because I don’t leave the house without them) and we decided to play a game of BS while we waited. Sounds simple, but realizing how fun loving and easy going these friends I have made here are, makes every single, could – be – boring moment that much better. Plus I just LOVE a good card game.”
Week 4: “Honestly, all of Positano was a “peak,” because that place is simply amazing, but there was a particular moment on Friday when we spent our day on the boat, where I felt a moment of honest to God pure bliss. All of the crew was laid out soaking up the sun, my favorite playlist was blaring, our boat was cruising at high speeds towards Capri, I had a glass of Prosecco in my hand, and I can honestly say that may be the peak of my entire life so far. Not going to lie – I may have shed a tear because I recognized how purely happy I was in that moment. Gosh I am so lucky to be me.”

Week 5: “Our weekend in Malta could not have been more of a relaxing getaway, but one moment really stuck out to me, when we went to get dinner on Friday night. Kit, Topher, Sarah and I just sat and talked for hours about everything under the sun from funny stories of the trip, to past heartbreak, religion and spirituality, excitement for the future, as well as fear of the future. It is just so refreshing to have meaningful conversations with great friends in a beautiful place.”
Each one of these highlights revolves so much around the company I have surrounding me, and I think that this is the most wonderfully unique thing about the Joseph S Bruno Abroad Program. While sometimes it seems a bit like summer camp, that is the beauty of it. We are not here simply to learn and see more of the world; we are building relationships, self-reflecting, and improving who we are as individuals within a diverse group of young people. I am so grateful for these past five weeks, and can’t even imagine how many more moments of pure bliss & enlightening fellowship I will encounter by the end of the second half of the trip; but that’s the best part. Our trip may be halfway done, but it has half left, and for that I feel nothing other than great joy and anticipation for what is to come!
Ciao Bellas!
Caroline Walker