Travel For Teens: Sicily

This past summer I went on the Sicily Community Service trip. This was my first TFT travel experience and I was so excited. I had been hearing about TFT from my sister who had gone on trips with TFT for the past 2 summers. I didn't really know what to expect being in another country and living on a farm. It was such an extraordinary experience and I fell in love with the host family comprised of a mother, a father, and the 13 kids they were caring for. This family takes in children in need of temporary shelter. It was really rewarding on so many levels. I got to help take care of the children and play with them. I got very close to them. I miss them so much and want to go back and visit. I literally dream about them all the time. On the farm, we also helped to build a pathway to a sanctuary on the top of the hill. It wasn't just all work. Every other day or so, we would travel around exploring beautiful Sicily with our TFT group. I came on the trip with one friend, and left with a dozen new life long friends who I am still in touch with. We bonded while working along side each other as well as when we went on our excursions. My favorite ones were Vendicari Beach and Taormina. On the last day, and one of the biggest highlights of the trip was climbing Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. At the top was the most extraordinary view. I had such an incredible experience so I'm already signed up for my next adventure this summer. But, I know I will be back to Sicily!

TFT Sicily was an absolutely an incredible journey! This was my second TFT trip, and each one gets better. Overall, it was just an amazing experience. I had traveled internationally before, but I never had done a service trip like this. I am so glad I did it! From the moment we got there, we were met with open arms and smiles. The whole time we were there, I felt like I was visiting family. They were so welcoming and kind. The work was extremely rewarding, too. Each day we came closer and closer to providing a walkway up to (hopefully, in the future) a chapel. It was extremely heartwarming to see how much it meant to the family. My heart truly did ache when I had to leave the family. I felt I had made a small impact in their life by doing as much as I could, but they had made a huge one in mine. I will forever remember and cherish the family and experiences I made in Sicily this past summer. Thank you TFT!!

The sun, radiating down on an elderly woman and glistening off of her pale blue eyes, showed a glimpse of her appreciation for volunteers. She was a local, watching the Travel for Teens Sicily participants work for the Biancavilla community. Our hard work was rewarded with soft smiles from elders and laughs from children. The locals spoke limited English; however, their facial expressions transcended language barriers and were more meaningful than words.

As a member of the TFT team during the summer of 2015, I spent two weeks living with a Sicilian family. I assisted with many aspects of running the families facility, from farming and household projects, to a cultural exchange of ideas and knowledge.

After cleaning out an abandoned tool shed to use as a donkey barn, or picking pappleechaes off 300 plus trees, the true result of service was not the work itself; instead, it was how the work affected the feelings of others.

Travel for Teens Sicily allowed my desire to help others prosper through the service work, my drive to explore soar through the excursions to Taormina, Catania, and Syracuse, and my personal connection to the world to click through my hike up Mt. Etna.

When you first step away from your parents at the airport, it's hard to expect what this trip will do to you. In that moment all you can think about is who much you'll miss your family and friends. By the end if this trip, you feel the same way about the beautiful people who've met in Sicily. A trip to a foreign country can be scary without your family and with people you've never met before. Staying in a completely different atmosphere than you're used to the first is the most terrifying thing you can do, although admittedly the first night everyone is so sleepy they just collapse on to the bed and sleep. For a little while, you're still nervous and protective about letting people in. Eventually, you let all these amazing people in because in some kind of way they're much like yourself. 13 days was all it took for me to become attached to the people I met on this trip. The memories we created still play back in my head;late night talks, playing games at the beach, clearing the nature path, and the discussions at the amazing homemade dinner every night. I still miss my two favorite little boys who would tell me they loved me and try to teach me italian so that I could talk to them. I tell many people about the experiences I got to endure such as climbing Mt. Etna or going into the ancient theaters. However, the effects this trip has on people's minds and soul is impossible to explain and can only be experienced. On the last night there we all said goodbye to each with not a dry eye. In some way everyone had an everlasting impact on each person and even as most of us were saying goodbye for a long time, we all knew that we would have an unmistakable bond for with each other for the rest of our lives. From someone who continues to talk to the friends she made on this trip daily, I know that I, and anyone else who's ever had the pleasure of going on this trip, will always miss our Sicilian friends and our American ones as well. We know in our minds that Sicily is always in out hearts.

It was when I had the opportunity to bundle wood for the winter, paint a beautiful mural, play soccer with the little kids, dine on home cooked Sicilian meals with 30 others all gathered around the table, tour ancient cities, and watch the sunset sink back into the mountains that I learned the most about life and what it means to take chances. Sicily Community Service was the trip of a lifetime and an experience I will never forget. This trip changed me in so many positive ways. I met amazing people, saw incredible places, and got to take part in service that has forever impacted me. This trip gave me the opportunity to be a part of a new culture, it taught me to be flexible and patient, and it showed me how wonderful it is to open up your door to others in need. I am so grateful for the experiences I gained, the friendships I made, and that I was able to make an impact during my time in Sicily.

This trip is a must do. This trip offers a view into how other people make a difference in their community and in other people's lives. You yourself with be part of their journey of helping out in the community and helping other people's lives. One of the best parts of the trip is climbing Mt. Etna. This is a thrilling experience like no other. Also on this trip you will see how beautiful Sicily really is. You will embark on your own journey of a Sicilian culture, Sicilian food, towns, and most of all a journey of meeting new people and making friendships that will last you your whole life. This trip is truly a life changing experience. When you get back from this trip you will want to help and do more in your community just like you did in Sicily. Sign up now for this trip if you want to make a difference and explore a Sicilian life style.

I had the best time on the Sicily community service trip! My counselors were AMAZING and all of the friends I made on this trip and I talk everyday! To me, the best part of the trip was living with the family because they were so welcoming and loving. My favorite day trip was Mt. Etna, it was the most amazing feeling running down the mountain and seeing the whole island from the top!