Trail Blazing

This weekend I had my first official weekend excursion and it was to the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy. It definitely lived up to the hype...

The first day was spent on a beach in Positano. The views were incredible, colorful houses on the hills, giant mountains and cliffs, it truly was an amazing sight. The one down side was the beach was essentially all rocks - not sand. It made it hard to maneuver with just my sandals, especially after being in the water. I paid a few extra euro to kayak out into the ocean, which was magically peaceful and beautiful, aside from getting a little nauseous from the waves. I paddled out a ways and turned around to see the coast with the sun shining off of it - an image I am lucky to have experienced and captured in my memory.

The next day we went to the island of Capri - known as the celebrity get away apparently. Way back in the day it was essentially owned by Roman Emperor Tiberius, and even today you can still see the fortresses he put up around the island. After exploring, I realized it was very selfish of him to keep it all for himself. I visited to Blue Grotto and snuck in a quick swim in exchange for a few extra Euro, but it was totally worth it. Not many people can say they've jumped into this beautiful place, and the experience was surreal.  One side of the island is basically tourism, the other is filled with celebrity houses. Very exclusive...we only caught a glimpse by boat. I also took the chairlift up to the top of Mount Solaro and the views up there were like nothing I've ever witnessed before. It was breathtaking to realize just how big our world is, and how small we are in it.

The last day we spent at Pompeii before heading back to Florence. It is absolutely mind-blowing to me that a place like this exists. The history there gave me ghoosebumps, and the ancient ruins were astounding. So much was preserved after the volcano erupted and I couldn't help but think about what it would have been like to discover this lost city years and years ago.

Overall, it was an amazing weekend of learning (both about new places and about myself), adventure, and making memories.

It's easy for me to reflect and report back my itinerary and relive the wonderful moments I was fortunate enough to experience. But one of the goals I have for myself throughout this adventure is doing things I normally wouldn't do - pushing myself outside my comfort zone.

A very wise person once shared this quote with me: "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead, where there is no path and leave a trail."

I've tried to live by this saying in the past- actually, I still do. In college, I was the crazy girl that was on the basketball team and in a sorority and in involved in too many things to count on one hand. Now I'm finishing my undergrad experience by studying abroad as a super senior- not many people do that. Especially after being an athlete for four years.

For me though, it has not been about following a path or doing what is expected. For me, it's always been about creating the life I want to live. This is no exception.

This journey is unique to me - this adventure is mine. It's easy to get caught up in the people around you, it's easy to be a shadow. It's easy to do what everyone else is doing.

But being comfortable with being uncomfortable is my goal these next few months, and I'm going to continue blazing a new trail. I know I'll not only learn some things about the world, but also about myself along the way.

And maybe, just maybe, my adventure will inspire someone else, and give them the courage to chase after their own.