This post features student writing.

We started out the day in our town by sleeping in a bit and getting some much need rest. After a lunch of homemade Italian pasta with fresh tomatoes, Sky and I went to the beach for an afternoon of swimming and lounging in the shade. That night we ventured to the waterfront town of Portonovo and had delicious meal on the shore of the Adriatic Sea, surrounded by the mountains. We walked around the beach and onto the pier to take in the scenic view our homestay families.

The next day Sky, Isaac, and I drove early to Crystal Beach for another relaxing day by the water. Many other people in our group arrived at the same beach that day and we all swam, ate, and relaxed together. After a long day, everyone went back to their homes to prepare for the evening activity, a tour of the homestay coordinator’s (Arianna) family sausage factory. All of the families joined together for dinner and a tour of the facilities where we learned the processes of preparing, packaging, and distributing meat throughout Italy, but especially the region of Marche.

After the tour and dinner, many of us went into the city center of Osimo for a festival. The festival included food trucks, live music, a magic performance, and gorgeous views of the Italian countryside. After a long and fun day we all went home and prepared for our last day with our homestay families. The next morning Sky and I once again went to crystal beach and spent the day with many others; tanning, relaxing, and swimming in the clear blue water. That night Isaac, Sky, and I, went into Camerano for a music and food festival that was also raising money for a blood drive. We had pasta and other Italian dishes. We walked to Camerano square and got gelato with our host siblings one last time and then went home to prepare for the next day: traveling to the Dolomites!

Lizzie I.