Seeing all of the beauty that Europe has to offer in nature has been something that I will always remember about my time abroad. I have loved experiencing the culture and what cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice have to offer, but I am a person who thrives in the outdoors. Many people come to Italy not knowing about the beauty that is found outside of the main cities, as I myself came in without full knowledge of what I would find.

In America, I have always been one to choose to go to the beach or the mountains over a big city, and I was hesitant to leave the nature that I am so easily able to surround myself with in America when I chose to come abroad. I thought that I would only be able to spend time in the cities on the weekend, which is something that I looked forward to coming into the program, but I was nervous that I would get burnt out of it quickly. 

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to check off a bucket list item that I have had for quite a long time, which is going to the Dolomites. I did not think that I would be able to go see the Dolomites, since it is not as easily accessible as many places in Italy are, and I was unsure if anybody else would want to go with me; however, after talking to different people about their experiences in the Dolomites and putting lots of time into planning, we pulled it off and were able to go! 

I have never experienced beauty quite like the Dolomites. Everywhere that I turned my head, I was able to see the snowy landscape and beautiful mountains surrounding me. It is a place that I will never forget and will always be working towards being able to go back. 

One of the nights in the Dolomites, we went to a local bar to get hot chocolate to warm us up. It was in a very small town that only comes alive during ski season. We were approached by a local, wondering what it was that four 21 year old girls were doing in such a small, dead town. We explained that we were going from place to place in the surrounding areas, and he was surprised that we knew what the Dolomites were. He told us that there was not much to do in that specific town and told us that we should rather go to Milan or Bologna instead of being there, since that is where the young people go.

This opened up my eyes to really see how some of the most beautiful places in Italy are not commonly known about, because they are not advertised or commonly traveled to. Even the locals who are able to experience the beauty surrounding them in the Dolomites everyday were confused on why we would want to visit there.

From this experience, I have learned that the most beautiful places are not the ones that I see in the most liked Instagram posts or “top ten” lists in the magazines, but that I have to look further to find these places that will be the most unforgettable for me.

Kate Johnson