I don’t think this saying has ever applied to me more in my life than this summer. It is crazy that almost half of this summer is already over and we are approaching midterm break. If you had told me five weeks ago that I would’ve already travelled to four countries, gone paragliding, eaten octopus, liked red wine, booked a flight two days before going somewhere, or considered Ariccia my second home, I would have never believed it. In five short weeks, I have formed relationships that I will cherish for the rest of my life, made memories I will tell my children, and laughed more than I could ever remember.
This past week, our group of 20 took a field trip to the beautiful region of Umbria. Coming off of the eventful Positano weekend, we got home Sunday afternoon, had to unpack and pack again, and then wake up at 6:00 AM Monday to leave. We dragged our exhausted selves as we got onto the bus Monday morning not knowing what to expect. Our first stop: Perugia. Here we visited a hand weaving studio that has been passed down through generations. Then we moved on to Assisi, a quant town that has now become my favorite little town we have been to so far. The brick walls, breathtaking views, cute restaurants, and the Basilica of St. Francis made this town one to remember. After returning to Perugia for the night, I wandered around with a group of girls and it became one of my favorite memories from the trip. Eating Perugian chocolate, spending too much money in a boutique we stumbled upon, finding an incredible burger and fries (a task that can be very hard in Italy), and walking through an alleyway full of art made the visit to Perugia wonderful. Starting bright and early the next morning, we moved on to our next adventure: cooking class. Cooking with fresh ingredients and making homemade pasta made for one yummy meal. I loved getting to hear the story of our cooking instructors, Gerri and Jack, and learn new techniques for cooking I can bring home with me to Auburn. Ending in Orvieto, we toured the city seeing the huge Duomo, a woodworking studio, and lastly climbed an old well. Umbria was definitely a trip to remember. I am excited to see what other adventures this summer will bring me.
Ciao, Bellas!
Taylor Wolf

Cooking the sauce for the pasta with some help from Jack