Dang. Italy is something else. I know it's only been a week, but it has been such. A good. Week. Last week, I finished the post talking about home and what it means to me. I spent my month in Iceland never really feeling at home, but this week in Italy, I've felt so so welcome. almost like family. I've seen some of the most beautiful mountains of my entire life, and I have eaten copious amounts of pasta. But hey, that's what Italy is all about, right?
The short version:
This week, I spent my time with a family in the town of Orzes, a suburb of Belluno. I went on several amazing hikes, attempted Via Ferrata with none of the appropriate gear, helped set up a birthday party, enjoyed downtown Belluno, and ate tons of good food. This family made me feel very at home, and I greatly enjoyed my stay with them. We had some very good conversations together.
I had some struggles with missing home and friends, and the weight of constant transition into the unknown became hard to take. But I remembered that my true foundation is in Christ, and that is the only foundation that truly matters.
If you want more detail, or to look at pictures, read on! If nothing else, I encourage you to read the "Conclusion" section at the end.
Wednesday: Relaxation, some history, and a drink overlooking Belluno
The first day, I spent most of the hours relaxing. After three days of flights, bus and train rides, and tons of walking, I was beat. Thank God for Netflix, right? Anyway, later that night, my host, Sara, took me into the center of Belluno to explore a bit. The town is so rich with history. We went into the cathedral, and she showed me an original painting of St. Martin, the patron saint of Belluno, who was giving a piece of his cape to a beggar. The original artist is unknown, but it's still so cool to see a piece of history like that.
To finish off the evening, we went to a local bar overlooking the river and enjoyed a drink as the sun set behind the mountains. Being 18 and travelling in Europe has it's perks ;)
Then we headed home and enjoyed a meal together. I also met Mattia, Sara's husband and the dad of their three wonderful kids. We had great conversation, and began planning my adventure for the next day...
Thursday: An unbelievable hike into the Schiara
It was the day of said adventure. Mattia would drop me off at the trail head, and I would hike to the Refugio at the base of the Schiara, at least 2.5 hours ahead. I have an interesting relationship with solo hiking. Usually, I love being with other people, but sometimes, the solitude allows for a special connection to the nature, and it's creator. This hike was one of those where I felt fully connected to myself, my surroundings, and to God.
The terrain is much different than the Colorado Rockies I'm used to. There are a vast variety of trees, not just pine. There are lots of loose stones, almost all of them white, dolomitic rock. And the forest is incredibly dense, with a huge variety of plants growing and intertwining.
I hiked for hours. Switchbacks were few and far between, so it was a lot of straight uphill climbing. Finally, the Refugio came into view. It was crazy to see such a beautiful building so high up in the mountains.
The climb continued past the refugio, but turned into Via Ferrata, climbing routes established by soldiers during World War I. They involve series of ladders, cables, and bridges that take you high up the rock walls of the Dolomites. Now, they're used for recreation rather than warfare. You're supposed to have special gear for it, like a harness and helmet. I did not have this gear, but being the type of person I am, I decided to go for it anyway to see how far I could safely make it. I have a fair amount of experience with rock climbing, so with the assistance of ladders, I actually felt very secure for the most part. Eventually though I made it to a section that was just too risky to attempt without gear, so I sat down on the rocks and enjoyed my lunch with an unreal view before taking my time to get back down. Unfortunately I didn't shoot any photos because I was very focused on keeping myself alive.
It was definitely dangerous, and I sometimes wonder if going as far as I did was a good decision. But for the whole time I was on those rocks, I felt completely in tune with my mind and body. Every step was calculated. Every time I moved a muscle it was with purpose. I felt so full and so alive, and for that reason, I think it was worth the risk.
Oh, I also found a leather hat from Australia that someone had left behind. I tried it on for fun, and it perfectly. I think it was meant to be...
Friday: Music, Birthdays, and Gashed Fingers
The next day started off with a roller coaster of events. I woke up to new music by two of my favorite artists, Dermot Kennedy and Danny Olson, and laid in bed listening to it for like an hour. Then, I rolled out of bed, sore from 8.5 hour hike the previous day, went to the kitchen and opened the cupboard to get a glass for some water, and a glass bowl that was leaning against the door fell out. I tried to catch it, but it was already breaking, and it left a nasty gash on the back of my hand. Long story short, it's been bandaged for five days now and shouldn't need stitches.
Anyways, that day was the birthday of their youngest son! So I spent the rest of the day helping prepare for the party, and then spending time playing with the kids and eating lots of snacks.
That night, I had one of the most interesting experiences I've had yet on this trip. Mattia, the father asked if I wanted to come with him and his son to the choir! I said yes of course, thinking that we were going to watch a performance. But on arrival, we walked into the room and walked immediately to the men's section, where I was handed a sheet of paper with song lyrics. Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, in Italian, and With or Without You by U2, in English. Then I sang with them for an hour! It was such a unique experience that I doubt few Americans have ever had, and I'm so thankful for it!
Saturday: A View that Put the Glory of God on Display
My hand felt much better. It was a good thing too, because we were all planning to go on a hike together. Sara, Mattia, the three kids, and myself headed to the mountains late in the morning, and prepared to climb. The hike was only supposed to take an hour, but we soon realized it was more substantial. It was straight uphill for a long ways, and doing a trail like that with three young kids takes time. I ended up getting a little ways ahead, and I was listening to my "Feelin Inspired" playlist on Spotify.
The song Sol, by Danny Olson came on, and right as it got to the epic climax of the song, I rounded the last bend. Before me was a 20 foot tall cross, and beyond it, some of the most unbelievable mountain views I have ever witnessed. It genuinely took my breath away. The rest of the family joined me after a few minutes, and we ate lunch by the cross, and watched the gliders soar through the valley below.
Throughout this day, I really started to feel that I was truly accepted by this family. It had taken some time, especially for the children, but for the first time on this entire trip, I really felt like I was at home.
Sunday: Pine Cone battles, Gelato, and Some Much Needed Rest
We all went to the park for most of the day to let the children play. We met another family there as well! I got the chance to teach the kids some parkour, and engage in a pine cone battle that became quite competitive! It was actually so much fun. Then we went to get some ice cream, and came home for the day. I took a nap, watched a movie, and spent the evening eating and talking with everyone.
Monday: Sausage Rolls and Mud
I woke up fairly late, ate breakfast, and then we went grocery shopping! Even the little things like that are so fun for me. It seems so mundane, but doing it in a foreign country makes it new and interesting. I had offered to make one of my favorite dishes from home for lunch that day, so we got all the ingredients.
When we got home, I realized that I had no measuring cups at my disposal, so I had to bake these sausage rolls with all the amounts being complete guesstimates. I had no idea what was going to happen. Thankfully, they turned out amazing! Even better than they usually do at home, honestly. Using genuine Italian ingredients makes everything better.
Then we spent the afternoon at a beautiful lake. The kids got absolutely filthy but had a blast doing it. I would've taken photos but in classic Zwiegs fashion I left my memory card at home *facepalm.* Then we headed home and got some delicious pizzas for dinner.
Tuesday: Mushrooms and Moving On
Today I finished my stay with this wonderful family. We ate breakfast,picked some mushrooms, I spent some time playing with the young one, and then I packed my things and we left for Agordo, the location of my next host family.
Conclusion:
Last week, I told you about a conversation I had that made me realize how important it is that I start putting my love for other people first on this trip. This week, I felt like I was able to embrace that. Usually, my tolerance for screaming, rowdy, and sometimes clingy children is pretty low. But this week, I felt like the Lord gave me some extra patience, and I was able to have a lot of fun with them. The young girl especially! By the end of the week, we were buddies!
In general, I felt way more relaxed this week. As soon as I left Iceland, it's like a weight was lifted. I felt like I was able to settle in and be more true to my character. It's been so refreshing.
The week was not without it's struggles though. The constant changing of locations, jumping into the unknown time and time again, is really draining, physically and emotionally. I know it will be good for me in the end, but there are days when I start to get very burnt out.
I really started to miss my friends this week too. Part of the reason I love adventures so much is because of the people I share them with. So when it's just me all the time, or people I barely know, it saddens me that the people I know would be most stoked to see these things don't have the opportunity right now.
I messaged a good friend of mine about this, and her advice stuck with me. She said that right now it's my job to bring the beauty to everyone back home. To be a "way maker," of sorts. I really like that way of thinking. By sharing my experiences, maybe I can keep people inspired and remind them of everything that they have the potential to experience in their lifetime.
The truth is, travel is so accessible, and way less expensive than people think. All of these experiences that I'm having are experiences that almost everyone could! It requires sacrificing luxury and comfort, but with that sacrifice comes the chance to see the world in a brand new light, and get perspectives that few people ever do.
I'll be honest though, I can't always maintain this positive perspective. There are times when I start questioning everything. Being on the other side of the world completely by myself is terrifying. Every day, there are tons of unknowns, and in the coming weeks, there will be many more. I don't know for sure where I'm going next. I have ideas, but nothing is set in stone. That flexibility can be good, but it's also incredibly stressful.
Sometimes, I find myself counting down the days until I can go back home. When that happens, I start to feel guilty. I'm in Italy! I should be stoked every single day! How can I be complaining? I messaged that friend again (Eleni is seriously a hero), and she reminded me that this is the first time I've done anything even remotely like this. I know in my heart that this isn't a mission to complete, but something to enjoy and experience to the fullest. But I am human. Missing home is natural. I crave stability and security. I crave a foundation. When I don't have it, I get stressed, angry, and sad. I think that's true of most people. But suppressing these feelings will not make them go away. I need to let them come, I need to let the emotions flow, but counter them with the truth that the only foundation I need is Jesus, and so long as I cling to him, on the days home seems unreachable, I can be confident that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.
I'm with a new host family, and that means new friends, new mountains, and new opportunities to explore and learn. The coming weeks should be amazing. This will be the longest I've stayed in one place since I left Denver, so hopefully the feeling of home is right around the corner.
For you this week:
Think about where your foundation is. Is it something real? A place? A person maybe? If it disappeared, what would you cling to? I know this is a hard question, but I think it's a valuable one to consider. It's important to have a foundation in something you can take with you, something that won't disappear and leave you stranded. For me, it's Jesus. What is it for you?
Songs for the Week:
This is Home - Cameron Ernst (This was supposed to be last week's but I forgot)
Sol- Danny Olson (The song I listened to on top of the mountain with the cross)
Love is Gone - Slander (Danny Olson Remix) (He dropped this song last Friday and it's just unbelievably good. Makes me so inspired.)
The album Without Fear - Dermot Kennedy (He's one of my favorite musicians, and this new album he released is just pure art. No direct correlation to anything that happened this week, it's just amazing and you should listen to it.)
As always, chase your passions, stay stoked, love first and remember that fulfillment lies on the far side of discomfort.
I'll talk to you guys next week!
- Zwiegs
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