FANO WAS CHOSEN as the trip for the day. Though the weather was cold in Cagli, it was beautiful in Fano and turned out to be the perfect day for the beach. The sun was out, water beautiful, and wind gentle.
One thing I can say about our trip to Fano is that I saw more butts that day than I can ever remember seeing at a beach before - big, little, flat, cellulite. Women here are so comfortable with their bodies. In America we are so obsessed with appearances to the point where it dictates how we feel about ourselves and how we see the world around us. This preoccupation with looks often runs our lives. But what I have noticed about Italian culture is that they do not waste time worrying about body shape, being to fat or too thin. There weren’t just skinny women wearing two pieces today.
I also haven’t seen any obese people in Italy and that is a rising issue in America. There culture is built on freshness and they are very careful about what they put into their bodies which I think helps then to be able to be carefree. The lifestyle here is so relaxed and stress free. I could definitely see myself living here. I realized that I very rarely live in the present, and I think that is part of what makes me an American. I am constantly thinking and preparing for the future that often inhibits me from appreciating the present moments. I wonder if Italians have a longer lifespan being that they don’t place the amount of stress and pressure on themselves as we do in America. While life is precious there, I feel like it is just a huge race towards a financial finish line.

--Jasmin Conner
(Loyola)