Sorrento Weeks 3 &4

My third and fourth week in Sorrento went by so fast. Most of my time was taken up by working, going to class, and exploring the Campania region. 

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Now that I have been in Italy for a while, I have had time to reflect on the various cultural differences between America and Italy. Since I am Italian-American and have travelled to Italy many times, I did not think that I would experience any culture shock. I was surprised when I ended up experiencing a little bit of culture shock. Working in Italy exposed me to a side of the culture that I was unfamiliar with, work culture. Growing up in the United States I was used to working at a fast pace. Yet in Italy, the work culture is more relaxed and laid back. For example, at a previous job I held in the US, I had a strict lunch break of 30 minutes; however in Italy there is not set lunch break time. I can spend as much or as little time I want to eat and return to work when I feel satisfied. Adjusting to a much more relaxed work culture was challenging at first but then I realized that Italians still manage to get everything done even while taking a more laid-back approach. 

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Besides working, I wanted to spend my time abroad expanding my comfort zone and exploring parts of Italy that one normally would not go to. One day I spontaneously decided to visit the island of Capri. Although Capri is a huge tourist zone, it was out of my comfort zone because I went all by myself. I do not normally travel alone so I was a little nervous to explore the island on my own. I planned my solo day trip at the last minute and jumped on the first early morning ferry to the beautiful island. Once I got there instead of taking the commonly used tourist cable car to reach the center of the island, I decided to hike to my destination. The hike was long and tiring but it really helped me see the island through the perspective of a local since the streets were empty except for the occasional local. When I reached the center of the island I explored the shops on the small streets and treated myself to an amazing lunch. After lunch I headed to the beach and decided to hike again so I would be able to see even more of the island. I loved traveling to Capri on my own because I explored the island at my own pace and challenged myself to step outside of my comfort zone. Although it was a short trip, traveling to Capri taught me so much about myself and my limits. 

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After my trip to Capri, I was so exhausted. My exhaustion from work, school, and traveling finally caught up to me. All I wanted to do was have a day that I could spend lounging around. Yet, I pushed myself to keep exploring because I knew my time in Italy was limited. Before I arrived in Italy, I promised myself that I would make the most out of my summer abroad. It was important to me to see and learn as much as possible while being abroad. So, instead of having a lazy-Sunday, I hiked to the top of Mount Faito! 

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Mount Faito is the tallest peak in the Naples area. I started my journey early in the morning by taking the Circumvesuviana to Casetllamare di Stabia. From there, I got on a cable-car to take me to the mountain. The views on the ride up were breath taking! I saw the entire Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. When I reached the top I felt instantly transported. Mount Faito did not look like any part of southern Italy, I felt as if I was in the North. The hike to the summit took about 3 hours. Along the trail I stopped to admire views, encountered some fountains with the most refreshing water, and even walked through a family of goats! Reaching the top of the mountain was an experience that I will never forget. From the top I could see the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Sorrento, Naples, Vesuivus, and even Salerno. I am so proud that I pushed myself to complete the hike because it ended up being one of my favorite excursions of my entire trip to Italy. I will never forget the feeling I had when I stood at the top of the mountain and looked down on to the beautiful Italian coastline. Working and living abroad along with challenging myself to absorb as much of Italy as possible, has truly expanded my comfort zone to a point I did not think I could ever reach. I would rate my willingness to explore and expand my comfort zone at a 10/10. Each week in Italy, I discover more and more about myself. I will be forever grateful for the experiences on this trip because they helped shape me and transform my identity.