“Genoa. Or, Genova to some. The city of stairs. The port city. The city of small alley ways and cobblestone roads. The city of walking. And of piazzas and close community and a slow life. The buildings made of concrete. Small windows with colorful shutters.  Some painted on top and some real. The painted ones continue to reveal more character and history that lies in the city. The lighthouse piers over it all. A medieval core, the city holds years of memories and yet continuously evolves into what we each make it to be. The stairs are not only stairs. They make us travelers and learners. They bring us down and back up. With repetition comes a process. A rhythm. A journey. Down into the city and back up. We spend time observing and thinking and working. The city has an impact on us only by existing. We collect moments and ideas, then bring them back. Though to us it holds so much meaning, the city is somewhat invisible to outsiders. For those who have never been, it might be a question of, “what is it like?” But the question for us is, how can we really reveal the true depth of a place without the other actually experiencing it for themselves? That’s the beauty of it all. To experience it is to truly know it and the task becomes to share it in a meaningful way. Like a traveler to a patron.”

— Excerpt from my reflection on my Genoa experience, inspired by the style of Italo Calvino