Traveling the world is an ambition many students hope to accomplish in their lifetime.  For junior Alessandra Vento and eight other Abington High students, that dream became reality when they travelled to Italy during February vacation.  The trip was organized by Frolio Junior High English teacher, Mr. Mark Regalbuto with the assistance of Abington High librarian, Mrs. Susan Crowley. A lot of planning and preparation took place prior to the trip. But, it was all worth it.

Students flew to Italy for school vacation and stayed with host families that served as their guides and friends on the trip. The students attended school with their hosts in the mornings and explored Milan, Florence, Verona, and Venice once class was over.

Vento was excited prior to the trip. “I have been to southern part where I was born, but I was curious to see what the north was like,” said Vento. She was born in Messina, Sicily and moved to the U.S when she was one.  Vento is fluent in Italian and goes to Italy as much as she can to visit her friends and family. “I love Italy, so I take advantage of any opportunity to visit.”

In the north, they visited the Duomo in Milan and the Duomo in Florence, which are large churches that many cities in Italy have. “We climbed the Duomo in Florence and saw a view like no other. It was surreal. I love going to all the cities and just exploring new things,” said Vento.  They also visited many art museums and monuments, and explored the cities and their cultures.

As fascinating as it may seem to learn about others’ experiences, students at AHS might have the opportunity to have these experiences for themselves in the near future. Next year, the school is looking into allowing students to travel to several countries in Europe, including France, Switzerland, Germany and England.  Some of the teachers trying to make this happen are Ms. Daisy and Ms. Louko.

If this is something that seems appealing to you, Vento offered a few tips to make your travels worthwhile.  “Learn everything about the countries you are going to,” she said, “You need to travel with an open mind. Always remember if this is the only opportunity you have to travel out of the country, (you should) take it because you get to see a completely different part of the world. It shows you a new way of life and opens up your mind.  It’s amazing how similar people half way across the world can be. And always remember, a smile goes a long way.”

It is a great opportunity to learn about the world, but it’s also a great way to bond with different people. “One of my favorite parts was meeting all new friends that I will now have for a lifetime,” expressed Vento. “Everyone that went to Italy is now so close, and I’m happy I got to be a part of that.” So, if you’re questioning whether to go on the trip next year or not, ask any of your peers that went to Italy. The other students that attended the trip are Amandha Antonio, Christopher Burgess, Brian Curran, Amanda Doherty, Christina Howe, Cameron Reynolds, Jeremy Sullivan and Jenna Warsheski; they are sure to tell you that traveling the world with friends isn’t something you should miss out on.