My feelings towards Italy can be summed up in one song title: “That’s Amore.”

It’s always interesting navigating a country with a different language from your own. I spent this last week on my own in Italy without knowing Italian, and I discovered just how much transcends a language barrier.

 I was in Rome for three days and Cinque Terre for four. Cinque Terre has been my favorite place so far, hands down. The incredible natural beauty there is just unbeatable. So is the pesto.

 Even after climbing up 312 uneven stone steps, I maintain I’ve never loved a hike as much as the trail connecting the five towns. Everyone in Cinque Terre was a lover of the outdoors, so by and large I found myself fitting in really well, except for not speaking the language.

 When you take language out of the picture, you can really see how much more there is to communication. I got through the week with my favorite words (“scuzi,” “ciao,” “prego,” “grazie,”) and a good deal of smiling, gesturing, and impromptu charades.

 I never spoke English without at least trying Italian first, using a phrase book and probably butchering pronunciations. Then normally the person to whom I was speaking would look at me pityingly and answer in English.

 But I think I got points for trying. Plus, it’s amazing how much can be communicated with miming if you aren’t afraid of looking like a fool, and smiling goes a long way.

 The culture in the Cinque Terre was very focused on the environment and preservation. Cars in Cinque Terre are mostly banned. If you want to go somewhere, there are three ways to get there – by ferry, by train, and by foot.

 I love the outdoors and found this culture very agreeable. Being passionate about something transcends all language barriers, and making friends was easy when we all had a common love for natural beauty. It’s not difficult to connect with someone when you’re all picking up trash to keep the trails clean, even if there is a language barrier. Smiles and simple words in each other’s languages go a very long way.

 I found it similar in Rome. I was raised Roman Catholic and as such I was really looking forward to seeing the Vatican, the seat of the church. I met and connected with people who were there for the same reason I was from all over the world.

 One of my favorite things about the Catholic Mass is that it is standardized. You can hear it in any language and know exactly what’s going on.

 So when around 20,000 people gathered in the square outside St. Peter’s Basilica to hear Pope Francis speak, I could hear dozens of different languages. Religion is one of those things people share, and no matter where you’re from or what language you speak, it ties people round the world together.

When I started this trip I was quite nervous about going somewhere where I didn’t speak the language. I rely a lot on vocal communication, and it scared me to remove that. I’ve had several countries of practice now, and loved every minute of it.

People are much more similar than we are different.

I’ve never wanted to leave any my destinations, but Italy was the place I most wanted to stay.