Going into my global experience, I was expecting to be awed by the beautiful architecture, delicious food, and wonderful people. I have never been too much of an outdoorsy person, and aside from a gorgeous beach or two I didn’t think the land would have much of an impact on my experience. I have to be honest, I would have never individually chosen to hike Mt. Etna. However, the realizations I reached at the top were priceless.

We were initially told that it would be a “gentle walk”. Three hours of near vertical trekking later, I stood at the peak of a crater on the western side of the volcano. Looking out we could see agriculture for miles, cascading down the rolling hills. I was in awe, both of myself for actually making it to the top and also of the fact that this landscape could even exist. It hit me there that this was the heart of what Sicily is. Not beach clubs or touristy souvenirs, but land that has existed long before me and will continue long after. Etna was formed 600,000 years ago through the collision of tectonic plates and has gifted the Sicilian people with their way of life since. A way of life that I came to realize was entirely different from my own.

Being at the top of a volcano certainly puts things into perspective. What had started as my own personal adventure quickly turned into a reminder that the world is so vast. We are all our own tiny pieces of a puzzle that makes up the grand scheme of things, and while that can be terrifying it can also be freeing. It has opened me up to new curiosities and hope that there is always more out there to be seen and learned. I hope to take this new found sense of intrigue with me wherever I go next.