Do you ever stop in a moment and realize, this is one of my peak moments in life? Something that we do throughout this program is talk about our peaks and pits every week. In simpler terms, this is just the best part of the week and the worst. Each week, I seek out my peaks. Thinking about the best parts of the summer allows me to realize how lucky I am to be on a trip with the people that I ended up with. I have had more peaks in the short months that I have been here, than I could ever imagine! From birthday dinners in Albano, cliff jumping in Scopello, boating in Croatia, to celebrating Fourth of July in Rome, this summer is full of memories that I will remember for the rest of my life.

The concept of recognizing peaks this summer has become a habit of mine. It has allowed me to focus on the present and give my full attention to the world around me. The past few months have gone by so unexpectedly fast and there have been moments that feel very rushed and hectic about traveling so much. This leads me to let things pass me by without even noticing. There’s never a guarantee that I could come back to any of these beautiful places again, so it’s become important for me to live in each and every moment and take it in, knowing I might not ever be back.

This is a summer that I never expected. I never expected to be away from home for so long with people that I had just met. But some of the unexpected and unimaginable decisions in life are the ones that are the greatest.

Caroline Lambert