Souvenir: Memories are the Most Valuable Souvenir

I was given this chunk of volcanic rock from Mount Etna on a quad tour in 2016. The quad tour was a couple of tour guides taking my family on a four wheeler ride around the active volcano. This rock means the world to me because it is unique. I didn't buy it in a store. I am truly amazed that I have managed to keep it around, considering the amount of trinkets that get lost in my cluttered mess of a room. A key to this might have been that in 2016 I had a very dark aesthetic, and I thought this rock went well with that. It has been on my dresser ever since, and when I look at it I remember the adventures I had in Italy and exploring Mount Etna. I have always become very attached to objects based on the story behind them or the memory it represents.

Throughout my life small trinkets and souvenirs have filled my room that I can't seem to let go of. I have ticket stubs from almost every movie I've seen and my bookshelves have barely any space left. The collection of stories in that article were very interesting to me because a lot of them were about places I've never been. Each new place I visit I want to bring a part of that experience home with me so that I can reflect on the memories and revisit my travels. This volcanic rock represents an experience that I will always think of fondly because of the adventures I had on my trip to Italy and the inside jokes I made with my family along the way.

Physically, this little rock that lives in my bedroom is a portion of an active stratovolcano outside of Sicily, Italy. Etna covers about 600 square miles and is still active to this day. Metaphorically, this souvenir represents fond memories of my family and our tour around the volcano. I have always loved adventure over going to a museum, so when my parents told me we were riding quads around an active volcano, I was ecstatic. We were also with my grandparents on this trip, and I was surprised to find that my Papa was up to the adventure as well. This is such an important memory to me because the tour was just my family and a tour guide. We got to learn so much about the culture of the town and the history of the volcano from our local guide, while also spending time with my family. He told us about the eruption in 1169, and the way volcanic rocks have formed the land ever since. I felt like I was experiencing the history of the town through the people. Pictured below is me enjoying raspberry gelato from the town our tour guide was from, near the volcano. I could almost say this gelato was just as great of a souvenir as the volcanic rock.

The thrill of driving the quad with the wind in my face was magical. I remember being in awe of the views from the top, and the sea of black rocks seemed endless. We even got to go into a lava cave and see that there are plants that grow in this volcanic rock. I was surprised to see that the area of destruction had such life. Once the tour was coming to an end our guide reached down and picked up a handful of rocks and passed them out to my family. The rock is rough but fragile, so I wrapped it in a paper towel and carried it cautiously in my carry on bag through the airport.

This piece of Mount Etna is important to me because it is a piece of natural history, but also a unique piece of that quad riding experience that I got to take home. It also makes me feel like I have Italy with me in my room; like Italy came back with me. This is an important object in my life because it holds the memories of family, food, and travels. I will bring this rock with me every time I move because I want to keep this piece of Italy with me along with those fond memories of times with my family.