Danielle Binkley

Being a student at CIMBA has many benefits from being in Italy for three months to the planned outings. Our second outing as a group was to the small town of Asolo. Asolo is an 11-minute drive south of campus. When you pull up on the bus to the city center you are greeted with a beautiful fountain. Off to the right of the fountain is a Bar (café) that has amazing gelato and if you go to the left just up the street there is a family-owned and operated pizzeria. We had the pleasure of coming in on a Monday when they are closed, and having a first-hand look at how pizza is made. He told us the ingredients they use and what makes a good dough. Then it was time to put us to work. Three at a time, we went down and spread open the dough, put on the sauce and toppings, and let the wood-fired oven do its magic. I will say it was the BEST pizza I have ever had!

My time in Italy has been rewarding. The people of this small town are so kind and warm to the funny American students, and some of the local shop owners will even ask what state you are from and then point it out on the map they have. I found this true at the little bar (we call them coffee shops) around the corner from the school, which I like to go to on the weekends. I particularly enjoyed it on Saturday before the start of the second week. I knew it would be a long week ahead with starting Genesis or Experiential Leadership Training on Wednesday morning and running until late Friday afternoon. I do not think the twenty-seven of us here were expecting what was going to happen in the coming days.

It is Friday night, of the first week at CIMBA, and as I sit at my desk, listening to everyone getting ready for their first weekend way, I cannot be happier to just be staying on campus and exploring the area. I know they will come back on Sunday with amazing stories to tell but for me, it is more important to make my physical and mental health a priority over travel