Yes, I Volunteered at a Chocolate Festival in Italy...

...And I ended up in the emergency room, but not because I injured myself "on the job."

It was about midnight when I realized I needed to go to the hospital, and woke our volunteer coordinator to let her know. (At best, I speak about 5 words of Italian. Clearly, I was going to need her help.) We ventured out into the main square of our tiny town in Umbria to find a cab but there were none. She asked a passerby where we might find one. He responded by putting us in his car and driving us himself.

My care at the hospital was excellent -- my volunteer coordinator translating every word, while the nurse practiced her little bits of English. Upon leaving, the hospital informed me I owed them a mere 25 Euros. And...could I come back and pay tomorrow? They couldn't accept my money at the time.

The next day, I gladly returned with another staff member, and 25 Euros. What could have been a frightening experience -- sick overseas -- turned into an unexpected exploration of a foreign health-care system, amazing treatment at a fraction of the cost I would expect to pay at home, and compassionate care by every Italian I encountered that night and early morning. Grazie.