I am finally going on my first ever international trip to Europe and to say I am overjoyed is an understatement. I am a young Black traveler excited to see the world, one little corner at a time. I planned a winter excursion to Italy, knowing the difficulty of travel restrictions. 

Fully equipped with a negative COVID-19 antigen test within a day of my Sunday flight and my vaccination proof (booster included). When I arrived in Italy on Monday afternoon, after a long series of delayed flights, I was cleared to exit the airport and made my way to a popular islet in Italy where locals call their cherished home Venezia.