A Sisterhood Across the World and Generations

Over the past few months I have had the privilege of spending a semester studying in Prague and traveling throughout Europe. Leaving behind my friends, boyfriend, family, and sisters, saying goodbye to the Thursday Rho nights, the formals, the philanthropy events, I boarded my plane and took off for this next adventure. Without knowing anyone in my abroad program, or Prague in general for that matter, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would my flatmates turn out to be semi-normal? (They’re definitely not normal but are some of my best friends). Would I like Prague? (I’ve fallen head over heels in love with this city). Would traveling in Europe be everything I’ve hoped it would be? (It’s even better).

My friends in Prague and I took a routine of attending classes (most of the time) during the week, and then traveling around every other weekend or so. My Expedia “Up Coming Trips!” list soon grew longer and longer as my bank account grew smaller and smaller. With the promise of Croatia one weekend and then Paris the next, I felt in a constant state of excitement and anticipation for my next exploration. During the weekend of Thanksgiving, Rome was the destination. Beautiful, elegant, pizza-filled, Lizzie McGuire quoting, Rome. The plane was booked, the AirBnB paid for, and the tours researched. Things were all set until last minute personal reasons made my travel companions have to back out. Either I could experience Rome alone or lose the money I booked for this trip. The answer was easy: time to pack for Rome!

Spending my first few days alone in Rome turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. I made friends with a group of students studying in Spain for the semester and we explored the city, the Colosseum and the Pantheon, the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. That’s one thing about traveling alone; you always make more friends than you do when traveling with a group. Unfortunately my new friends were leaving the following day and I was going to be alone during Thanksgiving- a holiday meant for being surrounded by loved ones, celebrating all you have to be thankful for this year. And yes, I certainly had a lot to be thankful for; I mean my biggest concern was that I was alone IN ROME. Not exactly an end of the world crisis. However, I was longing for my grandparents’ house in Ohio where we spent every Thanksgiving with my siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles.

Then I happened across the Sigma Kappa European Sisterhood Programme. Essentially this was a Facebook group for any Sigma Kappa sister that is traveling in Europe or living there, where sisters can arrange meet-ups, offer their houses for people to stay in, and organize trips together. In the group, a sister posted that she was having a Thanksgiving dinner at her house on Saturday… IN ITALY. Of all the places for this to be held, it was the country I was currently in? This was too good to be true. I quickly messaged this sister, Gina, and she soon responded inviting me to spend the weekend at her home with her whole family. This women, who I’ve never met, who went to a different chapter than I did, and was a generation older than me, warmly welcomed me to stay at her house, simply because I was her sister.

I quickly booked my bus ticket from Rome to her bus station and set out to meet her on that Saturday morning. When I arrived in her town, Pedaso, I was greeted by her son and a family friend and shuttled back to their home that rested on the top of a hill with an outdoor patio that gave you a full view of Italy’s mountainside. Inside their home was a bustle of people cooking, setting the table, and preparing for the upcoming feast. Young children ran around the long dinner table that was several tables lined up next to each other, with at least 30 place settings. A smell of turkey and mashed potatoes greeted me as soon as I stepped inside and a woman enveloped me in a hug. She introduced herself as Gina, my sister, and soon I was thrown into the madness helping set the table as if I was already a part of the family. The entire day was spent chatting among her family friends and relatives and when dinner was served I could not be happier to have a home cooked meal after so many weeks living off of canned coup and rice. When asked, “How do you know Gina?” I had to explain that, “Well we just met this morning. But she’s my sister. But not really. In a sorority sense. But we didn’t go to the same college. Or even live in the same state. But yeah, we’re sisters.” And then when the Italian and Europe natives asked me this question, I had to explain what a sorority was in the first place since this is an American idea.

When the guests heard this story they complimented me. They said I was brave for coming out here and not knowing anyone. I was bold and confident and courageous. But it was hard for me not to laugh at these thoughts. Traveling in Europe itself takes confidence, yes, but coming here to meet a fellow Sigma Kappa sister took no courage at all. I never felt scared or nervous about this idea. I never felt intimidated or worrisome. As soon as I arrived at this home, I felt welcomed. I felt as if I was with sisters and cared for. And that is the beauty of Sigma Kappa. People can have their own opinions about Greek life and laugh at how we all “love our sisters sooo much because they are LITERALLY perfect,” but this experience I had shows how true that is. I’ve never met Gina before this weekend, and I hope one day our paths will cross again soon, but she didn’t owe me anything. She was not my big or my chapter president. She was not in my new member class nor was she my advisor. She was just in my sorority. My wonderful, amazing, loving, and welcoming sorority. We shared the same morals and values. We shared the same sense of right and wrong and the same idea that your sister is your sister and this love we have for one another goes beyond your chapter or your new member class, it’s timeless.

This weekend was one I will never forget and one I am eternally grateful for. I cannot thank Gina enough for her hospitality towards me. And this shows how we should always pay it forward. Support each other, be there for one another, and lend a helping hand. Even if we’re not in the same chapter, or even the same sorority or even in Greek life at all. I’m thankful to be a part if an organization that not only shows such warmth to its members, but has taught me to treat others in the same regard whether or not they are my own sorority. But overall, it shows that we always have so much to be thankful for, not just on Thanksgiving.