I was very excited to begin my study abroad. I did not feel very nervous, because I had no idea what to expect since it was my first time traveling internationally. It was a little intimidating when I first arrived in Italy to order food since I knew only about two words in Italian. It ended up being very easy to communicate with everyone I encountered, even if they did not speak much English. After ordering at a couple of different locations, I became much more confident. One of our first stops on the trip were the Greek temples at Paestum. These temples ended up being one of my favorite stops of the entire trip. It was funny that some of the most well preserved ancient Greek temples are actually located in Italy and not Greece. The three different temples were amazing to walk through with the bright sunlight streaming through and hitting the stone. There were also beautiful mountains surrounding you on all sides, making the whole area very picturesque. The lecture was great, and the history of the land was interesting. It was first inhabited by Greeks, and it was later conquered by the Lucians and then the Romans. The land was eventually abandoned due to a rise in malaria in the region, allowing the temples to be as well preserved as they are. After the lecture we were given plenty of free time to explore and grab a quick lunch. Seeing these amazing ruins made all of the anxieties and uncomfortable moments of travel well worth it. It makes you stop and appreciate the opportunity you have to see and experience these historical spots of the world with others. This stop was a great way to start off the trip, and it just increased my excitement for the rest of the study abroad!
