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Welcome to Cheryl's Travel Blueprint! I’m a former Spanish teacher turned travel advisor, passionate about curating unforgettable experiences. My expertise lies in European adventures (with a special love for Spain), cruising, and all-inclusive Caribbean getaways. I specialize in creating tailored trips for families, multi-generational groups, and teachers—whether they’re traveling solo, with colleagues, or leading student groups.
In this podcast, we celebrate the joy of travel, uncover hidden gems, share practical tips and tricks, and embrace the spirit of adventure. Each episode features inspiring conversations with fascinating guests from all walks of life as they share their unique travel stories, lessons, and favorite destinations. Whether you're planning your next getaway or simply love to dream about the possibilities, this is your place to explore the world from wherever you are.
Let’s embark on this journey together! 🌍✈️
What if your next trip could be the story you tell for the rest of your life? Well, today I have with me my son, Alexander Johnson, and he happened to have been fortunate enough when he was a college sophomore to go on a study abroad trip to Rome, Italy for a semester. And I thought it would be great to have him here to talk to us a little bit about some of those experiences and a little bit about culture and all of those great things, all the lessons that he has learned. So Alex, welcome. I'm glad you were able to join me again. Hello, hello, hello. Hello. So I got a couple of questions for you. Please. I think what's the first thing I want to ask is what kind of preparation went into going on this trip? Did you do any research on culture language? Did you speak Italian before you went? No, I did not. Funny, you talk about preparation. So I don't know how much of this you actually remember. But so. I went to St. John's University, and I went to the business school there. And their big thing was, was, hey, if you're going to do study abroad, you need to do it in your junior year. Just seemed to work better for the scheduling, keeping folks on track for graduation, that whole thing. Well, we, I happened to go to, I think it was like some informational or something like that, right? At the school. And they were like, yeah, so the program really pushes for folks to go on their sophomore year. And I was like, hold on, wait a minute. I said, excuse me. I was like, I go to Tobin. I was like, and they're telling us junior year is the optimal time for us to go because of X, Y, and Z. And they said, well, yes. She's like, yes, oh, you're a business student. Yes, that tends to be true. But if you can do it sophomore year, year, that will open you up to go again if you wanted to do something again in your junior year. If you wanted to, you could have the opportunity to go back. And a lot of folks, they've been getting feedback from students like, oh, you know, I really enjoy doing it. I want to go back for another semester or I want to go back and graduate, you know, finish out my coursework wherever. And so I said, well, you know, Why not you know if I you know can swing it would love to be able to go back another time So that's when I reached out to you I was like hey mom and this was you know this was in sophomore season like when I said this like this wasn't like a You know freshman looking ahead. This was the semester before quite literally like a couple of months and so I I say all that to say preparation was kind of a scramble like it was a scramble last minute I don't know remember how much of that you actually remember. I remember it, but not to that extent. Oh, yeah, it was crazy. It was crazy, so Didn't really have time to do like any you know cultural language preparation, but because you know obviously because of you You know Cynthia Brittany and myself we were already bilingual. So I was not worried about language. I was like, I'll pick the language up I was like, I wasn't worried about that I was more worried about am I gonna have enough money to make it and I'm sure we'll get into that. Oh, we will We will cuz yeah, I know Just the Spanish is very helpful going to Italy if you do if you have any kind of Yeah, language under your belt other than your you know in English. Yeah, it's definitely helpful to have have something Yeah, so so that's good. So as far as culture shock. Did you have any? culture shock moments not really again you want to talk about being being fortunate right like again the We had you so before what the age of 15 we'd already been to two other well Yeah, two other continents, so it wasn't like a really big Adjustment for for me right like right. I think the biggest thing was Hey, am I gonna have enough money to do some traveling around and make it through this time period that was the only thing on my mind and You know ahead of going to Going to Rome I remember asking the university like hey am I gonna have an opportunity to work because as you know I was already working at the university I had a couple jobs and I had always kept them through my time in school And I was told that I would be able to work while I was there Obviously things did not turn out that way and so Obviously things got tight, but that was really, I mean, I was really not concerned about much of anything. And obviously being, having lived on Staten Island, I mean, you're talking about a city, or a borough rather, that is I mean, it's obviously heavy Italian influence. So in terms of my exposure to the culture, the people, I mean, obviously you're going to have arguments about Italian American versus Italian Italian, of course, but in terms of having the exposure to the language of people in the culture, I was incredibly fortunate. Shout out to the Anderson family. Shout out, Johnny. Can't wait to go to your wedding. they they expose us to a lot. And so going there, it was more like, OK, let's do some. compare and contrast like what let's figure out what's different like what's the same like so. Okay and I feel like that I don't know if that must have been the catalyst for all of your other travel would you say? Because you've gone to so many places since then. Yeah, no doubt. I mean, I think it's one of them. I still, I still, I'm sorry, go ahead. Oh, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you, but I think while you were in Italy, you definitely got to do a lot of, a lot of travel there too. I jumped around a little bit and I tried to make a concerted effort to stay within the country, right? Like. Right, because you're there for, you know, you want to. You want to see it. Get to know as much of it as you can. You want to see it, right? You know, went, I had a funny, I had a roommate, Giuseppe that was from Calabria so got a chance to go to got went went to go check out his home in Calabria went to Milan in the north went to You know places like, you know places that were close from like Ostia train right away. Mm -hmm, right? going to the Amalfi Coast I mean lots of good experience. Yeah, right. Toscano, Firenze, all those places like awesome Like it was so much fun. Like then there were places I didn't even get to see. Right. Because there's not enough time. I mean, yeah. And yeah, for sure. OK, well, I know you're planning on going back at some point for sure to catch up on some of those things. Can you think of a moment that perfectly captured Italian culture for you? Like, was there something any were there any times when you were, you know, I don't know, doing something and you were like, this is definitely this wouldn't happen anywhere else? Yeah, so, um, went to a Roma. right? So that's their soccer team there, football team there. Sorry, excuse me. And I remember walking into the stadium. By the way, Roma is one of Gallo's favorite teams. And tell us who Gallo is, for those of us, the listeners that don't know who he is. Yeah, for sure, for sure. So Anthony Gallo is one of my, he's like a brother, honestly, and also one of the voices of New York City sports radio. If you have not, if you don't know, tune into WFAN. Pico de Gallo is his handle on Twitter. Check him out. He's an incredible dude. There's so many people I can name. We went to a game and for those who don't know, like soccer, like football here is religion, right? Like, so we walk into the stadium and I'm sitting down next to this older gentleman and sitting there kind of talking to him a little bit. He's asking where I'm from because he's like, you are certainly not from Italy. He didn't really speak much English either, but, but it was so, so he was hilarious. And so he, The game starts getting rowdy and all of a sudden I see him reach down, right? He's just down next to him puts on his on his lap a mace like a medieval mace Really? Yeah, like something you'd see in the in the movie and I thought it was a prop Right cuz so I'm like, I'm like, is that real? He's like, hey, sometimes the crowds just get a little out of hand Italian accent in Italian uh -huh and like I'm just like I was like oh, this is they were this is real. I was like this is even crazier than going to an NFL game. Like worse than an Eagles game? Oh my God. Oh my God. It was crazy. Oh, wow. One of the funniest moments for sure. Well, at least he was on your side, right? Yeah, for sure. So at least you had protection if it went down. Yeah, because I for sure wouldn't have wanted to see him in the hallway afterward if I was rooting for the other team, for sure not. Absolutely not. Okay. So that definitely, obviously that's something that stuck with you for a while. Did any of their customs or daily routines stand out from what you expected or, you know, did they differ from anything that you expected going into it? That's a good question. You know, I did, I tried not to go in with any like super expectations, right? I wanted to, the culture and the people that just kind of hit me for what it was. So obviously, you know, like I said, living in Staten Island, you know, one of the five boroughs, heavy, heavy Italian influence. And I think you you have that in the back of your mind, sort of things that you're kind of sort of looking for. But I really just try to take everything in as it as it came, like no, no expectations, no nothing. Just let's just figure out, you know, how this place what's the dynamic of the city, right? What are the dynamic of the people? You know, are they, you know, how, you know, how receptive are they to Americans coming in and really wanting to learn, you know, their culture and what they're about. And so I don't know if there was anything super surprising. I think it was more just like a, it was like going through like a discovery. Like you just every day, it's just something different. And it could be something very, very small, right? Like going to an authentic gelato shop for the very first time, right? That is a real experience. And it seems like such a small thing, but it is really important and amazing, all of those things. And people would be like, so what? What's the big deal about that? But it's just, when you're in the moment, it does mean a lot. It means it's everything. It's hard to explain, but yeah, I know exactly what you mean. And the experience is, I think, important for them too, right? I mean, especially because You know obviously they're interacting with their with their people all the time But I think I'm trying to imagine what it's like for them to have like you know a sea of foreigners Coming to their shop, and it's just like oh like that's an adjustment for them, too Yeah, the way that it's an adjustment for us so and sometimes is it met with resist? Resentment never felt that way I never felt that way, but also I don't think I really ever give anybody the opportunity to To be that way, right? Like you really have to work hard with me, right? Because I don't go in with any guards up. I'm like, hey, like, I'm trying to learn here the same way that you're trying to learn. So let's learn together. Absolutely. OK. Very cool. Are there any things that you've taken with you and any kind of traditions or customs that you've brought back with you and you still practice? or even foods that you maybe learned about there and that you make currently. Anything like that? No, no, that there's anything that I brought back necessarily. I think it that's a very good question. I don't know that there was anything necessary that I brought back that I've incorporated per se. I think it's more for me. Italy just left an impression on me that is just like if I I've mentioned this to you like if I could go back there to live I was like it would be a place I would do. I would go to. Yeah. You mentioned wanting to spend like a couple of years. Yeah for sure. In Italy. Like it's just it is a truly magical place. It really is. It's it's it's it's It's just interesting, like, even right on down to, like, if you look at the immigration patterns of a place like Rome, there are so many different people. It's kind of like, you know, if you had, on a smaller scale, but like a New York City with how diverse it is, at least now, at least then it was, I know that there have been changes, obviously, with, you know, changes in, you know, the government and some policies in terms of how they, how they and do immigration there, but I know some things have changed, but it was incredibly culturally rich, and I just tried to take it all in. I'm trying to think of anything to bring back, I don't think so, I don't think so. But I tell you what, the food, you could just, I can't recreate that. Unless you are somebody of the culture, I don't think you can recreate, not like that. I agree. You know, the thing, like I've been to Italy a few times, I got to shout out my friend, Michael. Yes. Shout out to Michael Ray. Oh my God. We, I kind of think of him kind of like the way I think of you. You were the mayor of New York when we, when you were at St. John's. I think Michael was the mayor of Rome. No, Michael, for sure. That guy is special. And I, we, I went, uh, it was a few years ago, right after COVID when they, they, when the, when the pandemic hit. kind of went down, you still had to do a lot of things to go on a trip. But I remember going to Italy, I went to Rome and Madrid that April. And the food, well, I mean, let me just go back. When I was in high school, I told you about my high school experience going to all those countries in Europe right after I graduated. And I remember even back then, words cannot describe the food. Like you think you've, There is, and the thing is, it's like you're chasing a high. Yeah. Because I remember, what did I have the last time I was there? We went to a restaurant, Michael and Antonio took us, took me to a restaurant and I don't remember the name of it or anything, but they had artichokes. Oh, they were so good. And then I had carbonara. It was a religious experience. Yeah. I cannot, words cannot describe how good that was. It was just so amazing. I mean, you want to get, you almost get sick because the food is so good and you don't want to stop eating it. And after that, I came back home, you know, and you know, Vegas, every, every restaurant is Italian, but what does that mean? Because I have been, I've tried carbonara at all these different places and I don't even know why I do that to myself because I'm going to be disappointed every time. 100%. I don't know about you. I, when I, for the time I was there, I lost 20 pounds and I was eating. Wait, how? I was eating A ton of food. Oh, it's probably because the food is fresher. Oh, and it's just better for you. Sure. And that's what I love. I love about it. It's like you can just you don't have to worry about stuff when you eat. Like you have to think so hard. Yeah. When you're trying to you're trying to be healthy. But I feel like that Mediterranean diet is just everything. I mean, you can eat gelato every day and you will lose weight. And people are like, how? Well, how can that be? I'm like, I don't know. it's something I can't explain. You just have to experience, right? Like, it's incredible. It's just, for me, definitely, I'm definitely changed because of it. Always happy to go back. Yeah, for sure. I would love to go back with you. Oh, that was I would love for us to go together. That'd be incredible. Yeah, yeah, for sure. So yeah, I think I was going to ask you the best way to experience authentic Italian cuisine beyond the tourist restaurants. Because why don't you talk about that a little bit? Yeah. So, um, Across from where we were staying our campus, so we never actually a really nice campus there st. John's Across the street there was this family -owned restaurant, and I don't know What we were thinking how we didn't go there beforehand Before like the last you know handful of months we were there, but it was just I mean don't get me wrong The the food even at the chain places were incredible, but the sit -down white cloth, family owned places there are just, it's interesting because from that point forward, after we ate there, we basically, it's like a word of mouth kind of a thing. Like you ask the owners like, hey, where else would you recommend going? We can get an experience like this. And your food world just completely opens up. Cause they're going to tell you about their best friends, cousins, great grandmothers, husband's ex -wife's niece who's got this restaurant in you know Ostia that you have to try and it's like this little old thing looks like it looks like a house Mm -hmm, but you go in there and it'd be the best food you have on the planet And what I started doing was literally just going family on restaurant to family on restaurant I'd be like hey before I leave out of here I want to know where you recommend I go next to eat. I want it to be an experience just like this. Mm -hmm, and it's People's eyes completely lit up because they're like, oh you want real stuff. Mm -hmm. We're gonna take you to the real stuff So it's honestly just not being afraid to ask questions. You have to ask questions and you can't let Your fear of the unknown right get in the way of that and you definitely want to avoid the restaurants They're right next to the tourist attraction first. You're just gonna get food like you would get at home. Oh, yes Wasting your time. Complete. Although I will say the McDonald's there was way better than the McDonald's here. Oh yeah, that's the thing. You're right. I do avoid McDonald's and places like that. Places that I can go when I'm at home, I try to avoid. But there's sometimes when you just really, you just need something quick and you don't have time. And like you said about losing weight, you can go to McDonald's and at least it's healthier than it is here. For sure. So at least there's that much. For sure. So I want to shift gears just a little bit and ask you about historical sites. Is there a lesson or historical site that you learned about that had a profound impact on you at all? For sure. And I'm actually going to step outside of Italy for this one, even though there were a ton in Italy. Actually, I did an art and architecture class, which was my favorite course that I took when I was there. But I ended up going to Turkey for a week and going and learning about the Blue Mosque. is life changing. -hmm like if you've never had a chance to see the Blue Mosque in person that is Definitely something you must go see it is any picture you've seen of it any story You've heard about it doesn't do it justice you have got to go and see it I would say that that experience had probably the most profound well that certainly to most profound impacts. Like I said, I did an art and architecture class in Italy, where we were required to, like, the professor would have one week in class, one week, and he'd basically send you on a treasure hunt. Oh, wow. And you had to go out. What kind of places did you go? We would go, one of the first places we went to was Trastevere, which was right over the bridge from Rome. Like, for those who've gone, it's literally a From you know where we were near the Vatican. It's probably like a 15 -minute walk to Trastevere Mm -hmm, and we went to a site there, and then you had to like Draw like the the actual building and then you had to go and read Like the manuscripts if they had it and report because you were basically having to do a small report and then during the week He would basically go around and he would just pick on random people and you did not know if you were getting called Okay, give us a five -minute overview on your time at this thing and everyone had done it or you were supposed to do it So if you if you didn't do it, he knew cuz yeah everything about the city I mean this was this was just a super fly guy. That is like the best such a good way to learn It is it is it's the best way for me to learn to so yeah fabulous. Yeah I didn't get a chance to go to Trastevere, and I'll tell you why. I went there with, it was a girl's trip and my mom was part of the trip. Just several, several, several people. And I remember we arrived in Rome. That was the first place we went. And I don't know if it happened, it started in Rome. I think it started in Florence. We went to Florence. It was really hot and the air conditioning wasn't working in the apartment we were staying in. So we had the window cracked and I was attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes. Oh, no. All in my face, all in my face. And it wasn't just regular mosquito bites. It was welts, huge welts on my face. At the time, my hair was a little longer. So I just had to put my hair in my face because I was just so embarrassed to go out in public. Seriously? Yes. And I remember. So Michael helped us with the trip. He kind of hooked us up with a few things because we went over the 4th of July. And the 4th of July happened while we were on our trip. So we got to meet some some of his co -workers and friends and things like that. And we had a little Italian American exchange. Nice. And it was so much fun. And so I was OK then. But then. So we went to Rome, Florence and I think Venice. Nice. And then we came back to Rome at the end of the trip. And I was going to hang out with him. A couple of things happened. One, my phone battery was so low that because he was like, yeah, why don't we get together and do such and such? I remember he mentioned trustivity. And my mom was just like, you're not going. And I'm an adult. I am grown. Your phone battery is dead. You can't just get in a cab and go by yourself. And I'm just like, OK, mom. Not only that but I was I was so hideous. I didn't want him to see me No, they were big these were the biggest welts you would you've ever seen and so I was just like So I felt really bad sometimes though mom. You just got to do it. Yeah, so I mean I wasn't gonna I hear you. Well, no Yeah, I was just gonna say I get it I get it. Even at this big age. Listen, what do you always tell me? Your parents will never stop being your parents. That's true. That's very true. Well, let me ask you, I'm going to switch gears just a little bit. So thinking about Italy, what's for every traveler, what's a must -see destination? Like if somebody is going there, doesn't have to be in Rome, just anywhere in Italy, what is a must -see destination for them that they might overlook? Overlooked, that's tough. You know, so one of the cities, and I mean, obviously, I think maybe this is, maybe this will be a little cliche, but I don't think it is. Like, so obviously people, you know, people know about the city of Milan, right? One of my mentors and really good friends, she's from Milan. Known primarily as, you know, fashion and finance and economics capital of the country for the most part, right? I think that is a city everybody should go see. Like I know most, you know, you know, it's, it's, it's like, it's, I feel like New York like in that way, like, again, the fashion, the finance and economics, but I also think like there is there are you know there are Surrounding areas that can that are just incredibly beautiful like you know going to You know see just like the mountains like the terrain like it's I think it's just really super unique One thing I didn't get to do that one of the reasons I really want to go back is to spend more time in the countryside because I I feel like I got to see a lot of You know, the cities that people kind of talk about. But one thing I didn't really get to do so much was just be in the countryside where, you know, you're, you know, you might be in a town where there's like, I don't know, a thousand people and the dialect is just so off, you know, so different than, you know, your traditional Italian language, like getting able to be able to explore those places. I didn't get to do those things. And I would say that those are probably the things that people need to go do and see. And you know what I think is nice about that, about not getting to do that? is that you're saving up for the next time. So you have something to look forward to the next time you go, right? That's the way I look at it when I don't get to do all of the things that I had planned on my list. Like, okay, I got to come back. Yeah, no, 100%. I would say doing anything outside and around the major cities. And like I said, I say, I say Milan, because most people tend to go when, when it's something around some like fashion or finance, but like, Take some time, go explore the city, and then go to the little countryside towns outside of there, because I think it's incredibly rich. I only got to see maybe one, but there are so many, from the north of Italy all the way down to the south. That's the thing I'm looking forward to the most, is getting to explore those. And I want to mention one other thing that I think maybe we can talk about on another episode. a little bit further. I know we talked about that a little bit. Yeah, absolutely. So that's something we can maybe talk about next time. Yeah, for sure. Because now it is time for our rapid -fire round. So I have some questions for you. Gelato or pizza? Oh, that's tough, mom. I have no idea what you're going to say, because, man, that is a tough one. That is tough. I'm going to go pizza. Really? OK, what's your favorite kind of Italian pizza? Well, what's your favorite pizza in Italy? Oh, that's also very tough. I'm gonna say the traditional, the margherita pizza. Oh, okay. I'm gonna say that because it's done the best there in the world for sure. Okay. Absolutely. Yes. I fell in love with pizza again when I went to Italy the very first time. Oh my God. Yeah. One Italian phrase that every traveler needs to know. You know what's funny? I think this is less of a phrase and just more of a word, but andiamo, right? Don't tell me. Let's go. Yes. Okay. Like, just go. And the only reason I know that is because there's a restaurant here named Andiamo's. Oh, that's hilarious. Yeah, no, Andiamo. And I know when we first got to Italy, I had a counselor. Well, he was really the counselor for everybody. His name was Domenico. And he would just be like, guys, he'd be like, he's like, you guys are just going to sit around there? He's like, no, Andiamo, let's go. He's like, no, you guys are just going to sit around there. like, go. Like, go out and explore. You better tell me that. Yeah, that's good advice. Just, you know, just go. Like, get out there, explore. Yeah, for sure. You know, because you're only gonna be here for a semester. You got to take advantage of every minute. Or whatever. Even if you're there for a week with your family, just get out and go. Like, you can get anywhere. Jump on the train. Jump in a cab. Yeah. Jump on a plane. Get lost somewhere. Yeah, go. Yeah, for sure. Find your way back. Yeah. Biggest travel mistake you made. Travel mistake. Oh, trusting that I was going to have a job once I got to, once I got to Rome. Oh my gosh. Yeah, that was. I remember bleeding money that semester. And it was at the end. Everything was so expensive. And I was just like, oh, my God. Yeah. No, definitely. Definitely make sure that you have, especially if you're a student. Right. Like, make sure that you have a way. Either you have enough money or if you're a working student, like, make sure that you are guaranteed to have. And this goes for any place, not just Italy. Absolutely. Make sure you have a way to make some money, for sure. Okay, last question. Rome, Florence, or Venice, if you could only revisit one? Venice, only because it was the place I spent the least amount of time. Okay, fair enough. Yeah. Well, I thank you. You did a great, I enjoyed all of the things you had to say about Italy. It makes me want to just jump on a plane right now. Yes, yes, yes. It's honestly, like I said, it's a magical place. Yeah. And we have more conversations to come. Yes. So, If Alex's Italian adventure has sparked your wanderlust, or you're considering your own study abroad, journey, don't let another semester pass you by. Start researching programs today, whether it's Florence for Renaissance art lovers, Rome for history buffs, or smaller cities for authentic cultural immersion. The experiences and connections you'll make will transform not just your academic journey, but your entire perspective on life. Visit your university study abroad office this week because the best time to plant the seed for your Italian adventure is right now. And please join us next week for another special episode. You can find all of our socials on my show notes. Thanks for watching.