Final reflections

Ciao a tutti!
Well, we've made it home and hopefully are all now enjoying some autumnal sunshine. Here's a snapshot of what people thought about our three weeks in Italy:
Jade's favourite places were Venice for the gondola ride and Perugia for the visit to the Baci factory. Her favourite food was the pistachio crostata from the lunch restaurant in Rome while she will no doubt remember her very 'angry' penne all'arrabbiata in Florence for a long time, along with the two baskets of bread that she needed to eat to counteract the chilli. Still, as she also observed, bottles of water are very cheap in Italy, so that's a good thing.
On the subject of food, Montana is in no hurry to eat a caprese salad again after 'enjoying' it as her vegetarian option for most of the included dinners. Luckily, there was an array of different gelati available and Montana was happy to sample many of them. Her favourite places were Castelfiorentino because it was such a relaxing break, and Venice because of the lack of cars, meaning that she felt much safer. She was also surprised by how many people smoke in Italy, as well as the number of tourists which made for many interesting languages to be heard on the streets. Montana also won the prize for the lightest suitcase for our return journey.
Natasha, the chatterbox, enjoyed Castelfiorentino the most as it was a chance to laze in the sun, listen to music, and read. While no Pandora shop could be passed without a visit, she didn't like the gypsies in Florence or the low-flying pigeons which she was convinced were trying to dive-bomb her. She also tried to claim that the many steps, cobblestones and gutters continued to leap up and trip her over - not the other way around.
Ricardo just loved everywhere we went, although Sorrento was like home. He really liked Venice and Castelfiorentino for the views, but like Natasha, he didn't enjoy the gypsies. He also really liked the Baci factory visit, Maranello, and the Villa Borghese in Rome. Ricardo's favourite food was 'nonna's' cooking in Rome, as well as all of the gelati and pizza that he was happy to check out.
Elyssa, aka the 'stealth shopper', soaked up everything. Her favourite places included the Villa Borghese and the Bay of Naples, as well as all of the history in Rome. She also won't forget the crazy driving anytime soon. It was also no coincidence that she had the biggest suitcase (almost as big as she is) since she was known to go into shops saying she 'just wanted to have a look', emerging quite a while later with sacks full of clothes and no idea how much anything actually cost. Surprisingly, she did not win the honour of the heaviest suitcase.
Ben couldn't believe how good the food was everywhere we went (with the exception of Sorrento's second night), and made it a mission to try as much gelato as possible. He enjoyed all of the lessons in Rome, as well as the gondola ride in Venice and meeting up with his family in Sorrento. Now safely home, I'm sure his sister Jasmyn is very impressed with her thoughtful gift of a selection of complimentary soaps and shower caps collected from hotels along the way. No small dog was safe from Ben's attention, and while dachshunds were a firm favourite, he really needs to keep away from corgis.
Carmelina also did her bit for the Italian economy by buying up for her extended family.  Luckily, her suitcase just kept expanding, although she also did not win the heaviest luggage competition. Her favourite places were the Colosseum in Rome and the Forum, packed with so much history, and Venice for the gondola ride (once she had recovered from having to get her luggage to the hotel and up to the fourth floor). She was surprised by the mix of people in Italy and how they live so compactly in the big cities. Along with Elyssa, Michelle and I, Carmelina also got to experience Venetian canal water closer than expected when we got swamped by the wash of a passing traghetto. Still, that's all part of the adventure.
Maria, like Ricardo, just loved everything and now has a bank of memories to draw upon when Year 12 gets too stressful. She loved the cooking class at the Baci factory and everything about Venice. Unable to narrow it down, Maria simply loved the art, culture, history, and architecture of Italy.
Giselle was surprised by the number of tourists and how many people spoke English. Like Maria, she had trouble narrowing down her favourite places, finally settling on the scenery in Perugia and the visit to the chocolate factory, the gondola ride  and the history of Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice, the lessons in Rome, and Sorrento. Giselle also enjoyed checking out the locals, beginning with 'Daniele' in Rome, and trying out her busking skills. However, she needs to include more than the repetition of 'Ave Maria' and 'Forse si, forse no' if she is raise enough money to return soon. Despite all of this, it could be said that 'to a certain extent', she was 'definitely good value' on the trip.
Tahlia and Giselle's adopted baby Lizette are continuing their journey with their parents but I'm sure they are enjoying doing less walking.
It was also Jim's first trip to Italy. While he didn't really enjoy Rome, he did like the markets and seeing the more down-to-earth parts of the city in the area near the hotel. He enjoyed the history and architecture that abounds everywhere you look, but particularly liked Sorrento, the city walls of Perugia, and the Jewish Quarter in Rome. Hopefully after this taste of the country, he will return with his family.
Having been to Italy a couple of times before, Michelle enjoyed seeing new things, like the Accademia in Florence and the Doges' Palace in Venice. She also got to catch up with a cousin in Rome, as well as confusing the Italians about her Italian heritage despite the blond hair and blue eyes. One of her favourite places was relaxing on the sun loungers in Castelfiorentino.  Michelle also proudly takes out the heaviest suitcase award for the second time, showing good consistency since it was her second school trip.
As for me, this trip was very different from the previous ones. I really liked the farmhouse in Castelfiorentino and seeing 'The Last Supper' in Milan, as well as the area of Rome where we stayed. Perugia feels like home though, and I still love the views of the hills from the many vantage points.
Finally, grazie mille to all of the students who make every trip unique. We also couldn't do it without the support of teachers, so many thanks to Michelle and Jim for helping to make everything go so smoothly. Thanks also go to the staff at TMC for supporting the trip, and to the family and friends who help it all to happen.
Arrivederci!