Growing up, I always dreamed of visiting Italy and connecting more with my Italian roots. In 2017, that dream finally came true when my parents allowed me to go on a school trip to Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome, and Capri. I was a 15-year-old girl visiting another country for the first time without my family. I learned so much about history, art, and culture, and along with that, I was able to fall in love with the feelings of exploration and true independence for the very first time.