I went to three different major cities in Italy for two consecutive weeks but here’s the catch- I missed two weeks’ worth of classes for it.

I had spent a lot of time thinking about the decision to leave on this trip and even nearly gave up the opportunity to go on it. As a senior student in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Smoky, it seemed near impossible and irresponsible to find balance in doing school virtually on another continent while exploring beautiful views from the Grand Canal to the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. Nonetheless, I sought the “possible” in the impossible and now realize the regret I would have faced if not gone.

The first few days of the trip were spent in Venice. I was in awe of the body of water that surrounded the colorful and carefully preserved buildings of the city. While in a normal area of living, many take public transport like buses and cars. But in Venice, it was solely by boat and water taxi. I quickly realized that like many other European places, walking was a big component of transportation, and spent 5-7 miles each day dedicated to it for the duration of the trip. However, I had no complaints because I saw beautiful views from the bridge at Accademia or a short boat ride from Venice to Murano.

After several days flew by in Venice, my family and I headed over to Venice Termini for a train ride to Florence.

Out of all the places I visited on the trip, Florence grew to be one of my favorites for many reasons. Witnessing the Duomo in person was eye-catching and shopping at the street leather markets while interacting with vendors is hard to forget. I had the best pizza in the Mercato Centrale and an authentic plate of spaghetti carbonara at Trattoria Za Za, but personally thought the Aperol Spritz was overrated. Nights concluded with sunset walks by the Vecchio bridge and listening to streets filled with buskers playing melodies on the guitar or saxophone. If considering where to go when visiting Italy, I would say Florence is a must.

As the phrase states, “When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do.”

The last moments of Florence embarked on a new journey and train ride to Rome. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the abundance of crowds who saw the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican in person, or the underground Coliseum where the gladiators once trained. The best bite of gelato I had in Italy was located at Fassi Gelateria and the flakiest croissants with a true Italian cappuccino could be found at Caffe Tazza D’oro. Rome ended with a scenic overlook at the Castle Sant’Angelo and leaving in wonder after seeing The Rape of Persephone at the Borghese Gallery.

All in all, it is an understatement to say Italy is a must “to go” place in the world. But while I spent a period of time indulging in the rich environment and culture of all the places I went to, school was also an inevitability.

Would I recommend skipping out on school for a few weeks to explore a new setting? Ultimately, no. But despite the consequences of missing in-person lessons and a quiz or two, I personally think it is a possibility for the purpose of seeking opportunity.

As an IB senior, putting school and my academic success on the backburner goes against my personal ethics and morals. This is why I took advantage of the free time I had at Airbnbs and extensive plane rides while also dedicating evenings to schoolwork and checking school emails or updates to hold myself accountable. I found that communication with teachers was key before and during the trip to clear up any confusion on questions I couldn’t ask in person or general information I needed to know.

Now reflecting on the past two weeks, I can conclude that Schoology and Canvas were lifesavers and Venice, Florence, and Rome were once-in-a-lifetime accounts.

Although I don’t count on another travel leave anytime soon, this recent account I was privileged enough to experience was truly eventful and noteworthy for future times to come.