Thank you, Cimba

How crazy is it that you can be lounging in the Venice Airport in the morning and be flying over the humble midwest come nightfall? Traveling brings you to the realization that the world is small and easily accessible. Traveling is no longer intimidating, but thrilling and enchanting. It ignites a need for more wandering, exploring, and “out of your comfort zone-moments”. 

Four weeks did go by fairly fast but I was able to squeeze in a wonderful variety of adventures during that time. The days were full and the travel weekends long. After my trip abroad, my eyes have opened, my mind has been filled with more knowledge, and my heart has been touched by new people. Traveling doesn’t change who you are. You don’t go back home a new person. What does change is your confidence and your drive to do more, be more, and learn more. Whenever you’re exposed to new experiences you realize that there is so much more potential and opportunity in the world and in yourself. Learning about new cultures, new skills, and exposing yourself to new things is what it’s all about.

Traveling allows you to grow into a more interesting individual. It gives you stories and knowledge to share with others. It makes you more worldly and allows for sophisticated and unique conversations. It forces you to throw your selfish and narrow-minded world out the window. Traveling fills you up with memories and gives you an up close and personal look when reading news articles, watching tv, or reading a book about places you have travelled. Now when reading about Italy these places won’t seem fictitious and distant. Whatever is written on that page will come alive and bring back fond memories. If you’re unable to travel abroad my recommendation for you is to invest in experience. That may mean eating out at a new restaurant, taking a gnocchi making class in your hometown, or road tripping to a nearby city. But, if you have the chance to travel, nothing compares to physically being there, tasting the food, talking to the locals, and taking in the awe-inspiring views with your own eyes. CIMBA allowed for all of this. Thank you, CIMBA, for providing us with a temporary home and giving us amazing professors, a constant supply of pasta, and lessons that will benefit us not only in school but in life. You will be missed!