As the rain fell increasingly hard, I stood on the side of the road with my thumb in the air.
A car finally stopped and, after a short conversation, I hopped in the passenger seat and we were on our way.
The driver was a large, burly man with dark, long curly hair, beard, and mustache; in other words, I was hitchhiking with a man who looked exactly like Hagrid.
While driving to a small town, Terni, about 60 miles north of Rome, Hagrid and I had a conversation in which we rotated between Italian and English.
While inquiring as to what could possibly bring an American tourist to a town so backcountry and devoid of the quintessential Italian attractions, he found I had no substantial answer to give.
Well, Hagrid, my friend, the answer was to meet you.
I, of course, do not mean this in specific terms. I didn’t walk in to Rome’s train station and pick Terni with the purpose of meeting this man.
Instead, I walked in to that train station with the intention of getting on the first train, going wherever it took me, and inviting whatever experience that awaited.
The appeal in this often gets overlooked as many wrestle with constraints and devise a whirlwind tour to see as much as possible in as little time as possible.
I can appreciate this natural approach; however, one of the great benefits of allotting yourself ample time to adequately experience a culture, in which you are a guest, is just that – ample time.
Time can be hard to come by. I was, at that period in my life, living in Great Britain and managed to secure a four-week break but this is not the only way to approach this situation. Take for instance the University’s ASA Italy program.
This program runs for six weeks during the summer months and, in addition to offering a valuable opportunity to fulfill graduation requirements, gives you a unique way to live, travel and, most important of all, have fun.
Living in Rome for six weeks is not a vacation because you are, instead, a resident. As much fun as it is to see the great tourist sites and to eat at the touristy restaurants; being a local, you will become privy to the most refined and best kept secrets of the city.
While you have a fixed residence you can use this to your benefit. Do not overlook having a permanent residence to leave your belongings behind and go to other cities or countries.
This program offers at least one extended trip beyond Rome when you can stay overnight in Naples – the city which boasts Pompei and, much more importantly, is the birthplace of pizza; so don’t miss it!
The trip to Naples assures a great experience but you can just as easily plan your own trip.
Anyone looking this direction would be pleased to find Florence and Pisa an easy destination and a short trip from Rome. In addition, given how long you will be in Italy, why not take the opportunity to break from the beaten path a bit.
Spello’s winding streets and sharp inclines lay just beyond Terni and offer any would-be voyager a view of real Italia. The people live beyond the hustle and bustle of big city tourism and openly welcome any would-be passerby to their humble and secluded lives.
Best of all, there are countless places like Spello and an unlimited number of unique experiences that await you.
Having ample time allows you to get away from the tourist traps and take the road less traveled. Breaking from the norms of travel allows you to learn who Italians really are, a group of warm-hearted and humble people. This experience will be driven home by firsthand experience that others aren’t aware to dream of.
You are both the reader and author of a choose-your-own adventure novel, starring you. Go and find your own Hagrid.
Respond to Greg at
