Reflections

Antibes, France

My semester in Florence is not over yet, but these next 10 days are packed full and I am not sure if I will later have the time to write.  My roommates and I have made our final dinner reservations and our final shopping lists. We’re working to fit in those mandatory visits to the Uffizi and the Accademia before we head home to the United States next week. I cannot believe it. This has officially been the shortest four months of my life.

It’s hard to believe that I was ever apprehensive about coming to Florence. Before I left home I was concerned that my homesickness while abroad would be too much to handle. I wondered how I would leave my family, my dogs, my house and my cozy bed to go live in a foreign country. I almost backed out and I am so incredibly happy that I chose not to take the easy way out.

Eze, France

My semester in Florence has been full of positives and negatives. There have been times when I’ve imagined myself living in Italy for the rest of my life, and there have been times when I’ve closed my eyes and wished I was back in New Jersey, standing on my balcony with the salty sea air blowing in my face. It was not always easy, but I can confidently say that my decision to study abroad has been the best that I have ever made.

Prague, Czech Republic

I toured countless museums and churches, ate pounds of spaghetti, spoke in Italian, shopped through the leather markets and every other store in Florence, completed four academic classes, learned the bus system, found the best cappuccino in the world and made three lasting friendships. I traveled to Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, France, Croatia and England, all in four months, and 100 days later I can confidently say that I have done all that I had hoped.

St. Moritz, Switzerland

Leaving next Friday is going to be difficult. I’m going to miss my routine here, which formed much more quickly than I had expected. I’m going to miss living with my roommates, as we had the greatest apartment and setup in the city. I’m also going to miss my breathtaking campus, and the close-knit community that formed within it. What scares me the most is that I do not know when I will be back to Florence, but I do know that I will take a piece of this city with me when I go back to New Jersey. It’s impossible not to, as this place truly feels like a second home now.

I have changed since having arrived in January. I’ve become independent and much stronger. I am more tolerant, and I try to look for similarities before I search for differences. I’ve become more appreciative. I realize now how lucky I am to have my friends and family and a beautiful house to call home. Most importantly, these past four months have deepened my appreciation and my love for the United States, a place full of patriotism and endless possibilities.

Last week I was wondering how I was going to leave Italy behind, but now that my departure is so close home is all that I can think about. Thank you to everyone who made this semester possible, and thank you to all who came over to visit. Most importantly, thank you Mom and Dad for giving me Florence and the experience of a lifetime.

Capri, Italy

Ciao a tutti and ciao Firenze, this has most definitely been a dream come true. 

Taormina, Sicily

Krka National Park, Croatia

Florence, Italy

London, England

Nice, France

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Cinque Terre, Italy

Monaco

Brac, Croatia

Five Reasons Why You Should Use a Virtuoso Travel Agent

To put it simply, when it comes to everything, my generation thinks that they know everything and the travel industry is no exception. With the resources that are available online, many of my friends scoff at the idea of using a travel agent to book vacations. "Why would we pay someone to book our trips when we can just do it ourselves?" they ask.

Well, I have to admit that I used to ask myself the same thing. Websites like Travel & Leisure and TripAdvisor make it easy to research the best properties and restaurants in a given location. In addition, hotel companies have revamped their websites, making booking a room as simple as clicking a button. Four Seasons launched its new website this year and Ritz-Carlton released a mobile app providing guests with reviews, photos and the capability to make a reservation on a smartphone.

So with all of these outlets available why would we pay someone to book our trips when we can just do it ourselves? Here's why:

1. First of all, you're not actually paying the travel agent to book your vacation. The agent is making his or her money off of commission from the hotel or airline, so the belief that using a using a travel agent will cost extra is completely false. In fact, you're getting more for your money, especially if you use a Virtuoso travel agent.

2. Virtuoso is a by-invitation-only collection of over 300 standout travel agencies around the world. In addition to having an incredible amount of experience, Virtuoso travel advisors also have personal relationships with hotels and resorts, cruise lines and airlines. These relationships allow agents to provide their clients with special perks, which often include free daily breakfast, a spa or hotel credit and a complementary upgrade upon availability, all at no extra cost.

3. Let's be honest. Choosing where to stay is not always easy, especially when you're making a choice between say a Viceroy property and a Rosewood Hotel. Both will most likely be beautiful, but the food at one may be significantly better than the food at the other, or one may be better suited to families. How do you decide between two five star resorts when they both seem to fit the bill? A Virtuoso agent knows the ins and outs of the best hotels, so you can be sure that you're getting the best option for you.

4. Traveling is great, but often times trips do not go according to plan. Flights are delayed or cancelled, baggage is lost, severe weather makes an unwelcome visit. These are stresses that no vacationer wants to deal with, so let your agent take care of the unexpected for you. It's her job, and it will save you the trouble of having to scream at the United Airlines employees.

5. The personal relationships that your agent has with hoteliers and restaurateurs can score you special privileges, such as reservations at a fully-booked restaurant or the removal of a minimum length-of-stay policy. Need a last minute reservation at The French Laundry? No problem. Your agent has a personal contact at the restaurant and she just scored you a table for two.

Move. Eat. Learn.

I just got back from a week spent on Virgin Gorda and I am already dreaming of traveling again. What an amazing place to spend this year's Spring Break. I'll be writing a detailed post of the island within the next couple of days so check back soon for updates. In the meantime, I wanted to share these three videos that I recently came across online. These short clips were created by artists Rick Mereki, Tim White and Andrew Lees. Each movie depicts the diversity of our world and the incredible experiences that are accessible via travel. 


I know that it can be intimidating to leave home and visit someplace new but life is all about stepping outside of our comfort zones, and the reward is always greater than the struggle. Let these videos serve as a reminder of how big our world is and how small our problems are in comparison. Take a break from work and stressing. Be inspired to move, eat and learn. Be inspired to discover. And start planning your next trip!