Posted by chase on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 in 2017 Blog post.

Today, one of my long-time goals came true (in a way): I was “invited” to have dinner at someone’s home in Italy. Of course, I went with my entire group of around 24 kids and my teachers, but it only helped me to realize the beauty of how things always work out.

If you know me on a personal level, you are likely to know that I really only care about a few things—family (including friends), food, and the enjoyment of being in the present. My trip today to an artistic house in the mountains near Cefalù involved all three of these aspects. As our group walked up to the beautiful house, which was basically surrounded by a huge garden, a man in his early 30’s named Alessandro greeted us cheerfully. I soon met the Italian cooking course instructor and Alessandro’s uncle, Nino, when he arrived late to the party as Italians normally do. While the food was simple and delicious, it wasn’t the main aspect that fulfilled my Italian dream; it was the immediate and warm feeling of being in the presence of a family, seeing the beautiful views of the mountainside, and taking our sweet, sweet time. The whole meal—including fried meat-stuffed risotto balls, grilled sausage wrapped with leaves from surrounding trees, ring-shaped pasta with a sauce of lentils and wild celery, and crepes stuffed with ricotta cheese and dusted with cinnamon—lasted around 6 hours (but whose keeping time).

Having fun in Sicily! Buonasera a tutti! pic.twitter.com/27uouIzDbN

— MikeyP (@michaelbpelleg1) May 17, 2017

As I write now, I find it hard to express all the things I’m feeling in Cefalù. Not necessarily because they’re profound and beautiful, but because I’ve never fancied myself as a talker and I sort of feel at home. The experiences I’ve been living each day here seem familiar. Being surrounded by a community that suits me so well has been very peaceful and I’m treasuring every moment.