I was invited on a trip to Italy with My Homies. For 10 days, we based out of an apartment just off the Arno River and took excursions to Rome, Assisi, Siena, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni & Chianti. In addition to a full itinerary of daily visits to museums & churches & shops (with a personal tour guide), we were also greeted each morning with coffee & fresh pastries, while evenings started with antipasto & Chianti Classico before authentic Italian meals. Some take aways: 🇮🇹 The more I walk throughout the day, the less guilty I feel about eating pasta every night. 🇮🇹 I can appreciate art, but am set on seeing museums for a long time. 🇮🇹 A selfie stick in Europe looks less awkward than it does in the US. 🇮🇹 Italian dogs probably only understand Italian, so you must greet them properly: Ciao, puppy. 🇮🇹 A brain break & soul refresh is mandatory at least once a year. 🇮🇹 Things keep moving along, even if I don’t check email for 10 days. (However, my inbox will become an official sinkhole upon return.) 🇮🇹 Traveling with others can be super fun. And exhausting. It’s good idea to set expectations & solo breaks early on. 🇮🇹 People who are not with us anymore physically can still be with us when we call them to mind. 🇮🇹 Hearing news of horrible world events and being surrounded by complete beauty is something heavy & sacred to hold at the same time. 🇮🇹 Thoughts & prayers are simply not the only response, but when feeling helpless millions of miles away, somehow offering both in old churches across the world brings a sense of connectedness through universal grief.