You have such a warm heart, Theresa, that will open itself to many people who will offer you hospitality in so many forms along the way. All the details will work themselves out, and you’ll be taken care of, by people and places you haven’t even thought of yet.

This is part of an email I recieved from my friend Vicki on July 12th, 2014 after telling her about my trip and, of course, my growing anxieties surrounding the details.  It felt so reassurring and heartwarming to read it at the time but it was difficult to trust these words of wisdom.  However, day by day I am realizing the truth in these words.

On the second day of the Camino I met two women from Italy.  We became the day’s walking group and quick friends.  When they asked me if I had ever been to Italy, I told them yes but never Sicily.  ‘Oh, Sicily is like no where else: the sea, the people, the food.  It is a hidden gem.’  As I walked with them we shared stories about ourselves and our lives.  Every minute on the Camino counts and there was much to be said.  They left the trail a few days before me.  As we were saying our goodbyes, they said to me “Theresa, please come visit us in Sicily if you have the chance. You will love it.” I agreed with them saying that I should visit but I took this invitation with a grain of salt.  I really connected to these new friends, but I also know how easy it is to throw around invitations.  I’ve invited many people to come to visit me in California.  Although I have loved every person who has come to see me, I know the logistics and planning of having vistors can be tricky.

Over the next few days I thought about visiting Sicily but thought about it in a “superficial” and not “serious” kind of way.    A day after I ended my walk I received an email from my new friends (we had exchanged earlier in the week to share pictures) telling me of their adventure home and how they were stuck in the Madrid airport for 6 hours.  The end of the email said “How are you? Where are you now? It was so nice walking together, all of us, exchanging opinions, talking, singing or just listening to each other.  It was lovely.  Another gift of the Camino.  Let us know your plans.  We would be glad to be included in them. All the best from your Italian Pilgrim friends.”

How could I refuse this?  A gift was being offered to me.  I had to reach out and grab it.  I emailed them back just for one last confirmation.  I like to give people numerous “outs” before finally taking them up on an offer.   My email was something along the lines of  What days are best if I were to potentially come visit and it is perfectly fine if things no longer work for you!  Their response was: It doesn’t matter to us!  We are here, so whenever is good for us.  Perfect.  How does Tuesday work?  I booked a flight that day.  The next week I was  looking for people who I had met 3 weeks early and knew for about 2 days.  This pretty sumed up my trip to this point.  TRUST.  I arrived at the airport and my new friends were waiting for me.

My friends were neighbors and best friends.  I spent the week going between their houses, spending time with their families and attempting to understand what it meant to be Sicilian.  I would always tell my friends they lived in paradise.  Their houses were right next to the sea.  I would lounge on the rocks sunbathing and then jump into the water and swim around to the little islands in the water.  They acknowleged that the island was serene and beautiful but they were quick to point out that Italy has many problems.  We talked for hours about how the government is corrupt and does not have enough money to upkeep all the public buildings, cathedrals and monuments.  While walking in the city my friend pointed out trash that was piling up on the street.  She noted that she pays so much money for trash collection.  I agreed with her and said that trash services are expensive in the states as well.  “Yes,” she said “but your trash actually gets picked up.”  This was a common theme throughout the week.  Italy is very disorganized and the econmy is bad.  The further south one goes, the more so it gets.    At one point my friend’s son stated, “In Sicily we say a lot and do little.  We are lost in words.”

Most nights we would sit outside under the canopy roof, eating, laughing and sharing stories.  Everyone was just as interested in Califonia and life in the United States as I was with learning more about their lives.  We talked about politics of both countries, traveling across europe, driving across the US, New York City, accents, learning a second language, and so much more. I tried to practice speaking Italian but it was a bit of a struggle.  At one point my friend said, “Do you know you speak Italian with a Spainish accent?”  Well yes, that’s because when I think of a second language my brain automatically goes into Spainish-mode!  I was caught between languages. Saying “muchas gracias” when I meant “grazie” and “de nada” when I meant “prego.” I was also able to observe the constant learning that takes place while acquring a second language.  My friends would always ask me for clarification on words and sayings.  We were walking around one night and one said “Keep attention to your purse.  Does that make sense? Would you say ‘keep attention.'” I told her I would most likely say ‘pay attention.’  “Pay attention?  ‘Pay’ like you pay for a ticket?  Why do you say that?”  My response was “I have no idea! It doesn’t make sense!”

Much of our conversations were very to the point.  I don’t speak Italian and sometimes my friends weren’t always able to think of the right way to say something in English.  This led to very charming and straight forward commentary.  One night after a long dinner with my friends and their families, a friend of the family who had just graduated from college said something to the table in Italian.  They all nodded and answered “si, si.”  The girl turned to me and said “I really enjoy talking to you.  You are fun and make us laugh.  Tomorrow my family is having lunch for my graduation and I would like you to come.  Will you come and join us?”  I told her I would love to be there to help celebrate her.  The next day we went to her family’s house on the 15th floor of a downtown apartment. At the dinner table were her parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and a few family friends.  I sat down at the table with the family and was treated to the most delicious five course Sicilian meal you could ever imagine.

In total I was in Sicily for a week.   It was magical.  When I first booked my trip I thought one week may be too long to stay with people I really didn’t know.  It was the only times the flights worked but I was having second thoughts.  And yet when I arrived my friends never asked me how long I was staying.  It was a topic of conversation that was never brought up.  The Sunday before I left, I made an offhanded comment about meeting my parents in Rome on Wednesday.  They responded with shock: “This Wednesday?! 3 days from today?!”  Well yes, I thought.  That will have been a week that I’ve been here.  “No!  You must stay longer next time.  Two or three weeks at least.”

Thoughout the entire week they made me feel completely at home.  After five weeks of traveling it was just what I needed.  We did little days trips around the town but mostly my time was spent exploring the area and being with others.  Traveling alone can be lonely.  It is awesome, exciting, exhilerating, and SO much fun.  But it can also be lonely and isolating.  In Sicily,  I was treated like family.  It made me so happy to be there and share simple expereinces with wonderful people.  I will go back and visit my friends again.  Before starting my worldwide adventure, I assumed many of my expereriences would be about crossing items off my bucket list.  Instead I am realizing these experiences are creating a domino affect of overflowing my bucket with more places to visit and people to see.  I am learning that my friend was right in her email all those months ago.  The details will work themselves out.  People and places I haven’t even thought of yet will present themselves.  All I have to do is say YES.