During our Spring Break, my friend group and I headed to a place I have been dreaming of for a long time: Sorrento, Italy. During our stay, we actually lived in a villa located in Termini—a small town 30 minutes away from the city. Because it was out of season, there were not many tourists. We were really able to get to know all the locals in the area, especially a waiter named Alessio from a restaurant called Salvatore and Mafalda. Long story short, Alessio taught us how to make gnocchi using his grandmother's recipe. The girls and I rolled up our sleeves and got to work. As a result, that night we ate some of the best gnocchi (and the most gnocchi) we had ever had.
The level of kindness and hospitality we experienced from our trip to Italy has been unmatched. People were more than happy to help and never hesitated to give you reccomendations of things they like to do that stray beyond the conventional tourist itinerary. Experiences such as this one really make you appreciate where you are. If you can, while you're abroad, I highly suggest you go to Italy. See the Amalfi Coast. Meet locals. Get to know their stories. It's all a part of making your world larger.
Also, if you want to check out Salvatore and Mafalda (some of the best risotto and fried ricotta balls I've ever had), their address is:
Villa delle Torre 2, 80061, Massa Lubrense, Italy
Ceryna Baens
<p>My name is Ceryna Baens and I am a Communication major with an emphasis in TV and Film at California Lutheran University. When I was 12 years old, I made a Twitter account to meet popstar Justin Bieber. Three years of hard work later, I was serenaded by him onstage in front of 17,000 people. This is the unconventional story of a fan girl turned college woman in pursuit of her wildest of dreams.</p>
