The D.P.T. curriculum is three full years of non-stop excitement and fun. Unlike other programs on campus (ahem… D.O.s… ahem… D.P.M.s… ahem), we have classes scheduled straight through the summer. We do, however, get a two-week break at the beginning of June for some well deserved rest and relaxation.
Not being a fan of rest nor relaxation, I prepared a little something special for my mini-vaca. I hopped on a plane and headed to Italy, Slovenia and Croatia for exploration, adventure and family time.
My journey began in Rome, which I have dubbed “The Land of No Speed Limits and Five o’Clock Shadows by 10 a.m.” Going fast and manly scruff being two things I have great appreciation for, I L-O-V-E-D Rome. I saw it all: the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument (aka the “Wedding Cake”), Piazza Navone, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Castel Sant Angelo, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, the Forum, Circus Maximus, and lots of Europeans wearing all-denim ensembles (jacket, vest, pants, bag… definitely a sight to behold).
After Roma, I ventured north to see a leaning building and drink (a good amount of) Tuscan wine. I stopped in Florence to visit David, the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio and to drink more wine.
After sobering up from my first week in Europe, I met the rest of my family in Venice. Together we marveled at San Marco Square, the coordination of gondoliers, and how amazingly good-looking we all are (seriously, my family is stellar in the looks department, as is evident by my photos).
We caught a cruise and headed to Slovenia and Croatia where we visited family (I’m Croatian!), and saw all that we could in Rovinj, Split and Dubrovnik. We danced, we laughed, we attempted water sports, we tried to limit our inappropriateness, we took lots of pictures and we enjoyed being “us.”
I did a lot during my two weeks. I explored many new places, had many ridiculous adventures, but most importantly, I got family time.
My family is dispersed all across the country and we rarely get the chance to reunite. Previous to this trip, it had been more than a year since we had all been together.
I have to admit that family-togetherness was not what I was looking forward to most in anticipation of the trip, but it’s what I miss the most now that I’m back. Well, that, and the jean-on-jean look. So I highly recommend you spend your next vaca with the fam, be it in Italy, Croatia or Iowa.
