Final Comments & Blog
July 2009-upon returning to New York
It is difficult to begin to describe my experience in Salerno as it touches me on many different levels. To me, Italy has always been more than just a physical place to visit, but a state of mind. Reading a text book cannot begin to explain the thousands upon thousands of years of history that dwell amidst the Italian people, the buildings, the faith, and most importantly, in their hearts. I hope to find a piece of myself in it all. Before beginning this program, I had many expectations about what I would feel, learn, and how I would interact with the other students. While some of these turned out exactly as I expected, others resulted in life-changing realizations that I will never forget.
With all that I was experiencing interacting with my peers, another revelation entered my mind regarding my faith and relationship to the Church. I had the intentions of using my time abroad to become closer to God, figuring that I would be less distracted and have more free time. It turns out that I was very wrong. While I did have a lot of time to think and reflect on this journey, my spiritual life took a backseat for most of the trip. It’s only now that I look back that I see that it wasn’t as distant as I thought. In the end, it affected me in a very real, but indirect way.
In the end, my project group and I concluded that although the geographical heart of Catholicism is located in Italy, the spirituality of the religion branches across the world. While some of these observations may sound harsh or biased, we acknowledged the fact that they were based on only a few experiences in one town, and may not truly represent Italy as a whole. At the same time, we were also comparing all of these observations against our traditions in America, possibly skewing our perception of truth.
In other words, while my goal on this trip was to become more connected to my faith through personal prayer, I was disappointed that this was not the major focus in the end. Instead I became connected indirectly through my academic studies, cultural observations, and interaction with both Italians and the other students.
I have to repeat a point I made awhile back in another post: The biggest thing I took away from Italy was the way Italians live their lives. The simplicity of happiness there baffles me. It makes me realize how much I over-complicate my life. I make myself believe that I want these things; power, success, wealth. But in reality, I really do know what’s important to me; I just don’t know how to obtain them. It seems like the tangible material things are easier to acquire, especially when the things you truly desire involve other people; family, friends, and lovers. If I learned anything there, I hope that I learned to appreciate the small things that I treasure; for wherever your treasure lies, there will you find your heart. Spending an afternoon with my nephew just giggling and playing, a meaningful conversation with my parents, or the embrace of the one you love; none of these can be measured in vanity, numbers, or by spectators.
(Photos: Jumping for freedom & Castellammare del Golfo, Sicilia)
