It’s our last night in Genoa – bittersweet. Our final day was relaxing for most of us, while John and Caroline went on a scuba diving excursion in Santa Margherita. We spent the day gathering our things, packing, and getting ready for our next adventures.
This evening we all had dinner together at a local pizzeria at the top of the mountain which overlooked all of Genoa. It was a good time to catch up and reflect on the past two weeks. Over dinner, we talked about our shared and separate experiences in and around Genoa. We agreed that we learned numerous things about Italian culture including the value placed on meal time and conversations. Taking your time became an important theme, such as learning to adopt a slower pace walking up the mountain, which we see as a metaphor for a slower [and more appreciative] pace of life. We now understand the importance of exploring a new place and stepping out of your comfort zone.
Some of our favorite experiences included spending time in Santa Margherita, Cinque Terra, and Portofino. We all enjoyed our visit to the cemetery in Genoa, the hikes to fortresses that tower over the city, and finding the perfect Gelateria. Some of the simpler experiences, such as navigating the public transportation system, or figuring out the most scenic route home, were eye-opening as well. We adjusted to living together at the villa and spending time with our hosts during lunch time. We have acquired an appreciation for Italian culture in a way we could not have, had we not had the opportunity to live like locals in the heart of a neighborhood in Genoa.
This trip has been a month we will not forget! We have gotten closer as a team of classmates and learned to thrive in a foreign city and culture, taking in all of the big and little things that the city has to offer us. We have had the chance to revisit history that is preserved in this very historic city, and learn the value of older architecture within a modern city. We look forward to taking these experiences and fresh perspectives and applying them to our work habits as a group and to our general understanding of our sense of place as we all move into our next endeavors within the field of historic preservation.
