Inspired by the book written by Rebecca Searle, One Italian Summer, a group of 12 women headed to Tuscany for a week of wonderful experiences. Wine tasting, book club, cooking classes, shopping, and so much more. Let’s just call this adventure ‘One Italian Summer – The Hypewit Experience’.
This amazing week took place in Lucca, Italy, from August 19th to the 26th, 2023.
It was one of the best weeks of my life, where I got to meet these 11 amazing women in real life for the first time. We shared a few tears along with some great food, not to mention some Italian wine. We lounged by the pool, indulged in some shopping, as well as a few cultural visits. And of course, we discussed the book the whole adventure is based upon.
Heres my mini review of the book:
With 12 of us coming from different age groups and life experiences, we bonded over things most women have in common. The fear that we don’t measure up, that we are being judged. We set all of that aside for the entirety of the trip, and we created some pretty amazing, unforgettable memories.
The Backstory
How did this whole experience get started for me? I’ve been following Adriana, or @Hypewit, on Instagram for a few years. Her authenticity and personal style always appealed to me, even though we are not from the same generation. I personally don’t care about age, and I think we can always learn things from one another. She’s inspirational, that is the main reason I follow her.
Earlier this year, she announced something very interesting on her Instagram stories. The Tuscan Hypewit Experience. Of course, I was intrigued.
But at the time, I wasn’t considering the possibility of a week-long vacation in Tuscany with 12 women I didn’t know in real life.
So what’s changed my mind? As I was watching one of her latest youtube videos, everything she was saying resonated so deeply with me. I had to reach out to her in private and, as they say, the rest is history. We immediately felt a connection, we chatted over video to introduce ourselves, and my mind was made up. I was in. Not only because I needed and wanted a real vacation, but also because I craved some female company.
Meeting the Ladies
A few weeks after our first meeting, she organized an online group for all the participants and her assistant to meet over video chat. We each introduced ourselves, and the more we chatted, the more we felt a bond forming. Even though a few of the participants already knew each other, we all felt like we belonged. We wanted this trip for similar reasons, and there was absolutely no judgment felt from any of us at any given point.
The Actual Experience
I will venture out and say this for all of us: we all felt the same emotions during this experience, regardless of our personal baggage.
We are all women who suffered at some point in our lives, and that is something we bonded over. We all have insecurities, some stronger than others. All of us came together with the intention of putting ourselves first. At least for the duration of this trip.
But hopefully this was a small step that opened the door to bigger transformations and long term lifestyle changes.
With each passing day, we realized that we all tend to put others first in our private lives. We value others’ opinions too much, especially of those closest to us. By talking and sharing personal anecdotes, we saw that we have more in common than we expected.
Created by Women, with Women, for Women
That is the beauty of a trip like this, that is created by women, with women, for women. No matter how old we are, where we grew up, where we live now, we are more similar than first meets the eye.
Talking to Adriana beforehand, I know that this was the main intention of the experience: to get together with a group of women, travel, enjoy some great food and wine, go shopping, and share some good times.
And I say she succeeded with brio. The attention to detail, the well thought-out activities and outfits, everything was as close to perfection as it could get. Not to mention the gorgeous 17th century Italian Villa we stayed at! I mean, the location with the humongous gardens and pool, breathtaking views, that alone was reason enough to join the group.
What I Received from this Adventure
As women we were conditioned to please others, to put other people’s needs first, while we get lost in the shuffle. But after years of feeling unsatisfied and unhappy, something has to give. There’s nothing wrong with saying “No” because we are tired and we need to focus on ourselves.
Here, I speak for myself, as many of the other participants were quite a bit younger than me. I’ve given and sacrificed myself at the expense of others for decades. But I realize that my needs have to come first from now on. I’ve neglected myself for many years, but it’s time I find myself again. It may be middle age talking, or the fear of getting old, but since I turned fifty something clicked. I feel that I still have lots of things I want to accomplish in this life, so I don’t want to keep putting things off. If I feel like taking a trip, I’ll do it. If I see something I like, I’ll buy it. Whatever makes my heart happy, I won’t ‘save it for later’.
Later is now. Life is too short, I need to enjoy it to the fullest. And this experience was a first of many to follow, I’m sure.
Things I will Cherish
I came home feeling accepted and cared for by a group of women whom I adore. In such a short time, I felt as if we’ve always known each other. One of the girls mentioned that while we were hanging out one time, and I couldn’t agree more. We were virtually strangers a few weeks ago, and now we forged friendships that can grow with time.
Even though I’m the one who lives further away, I feel like I finally found my tribe that I always craved. These 11 amazing women are all wonderful in their own individual ways, and they all have a heart of gold. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a week’s vacation!
I hope Adriana will continue to organize these types of experiences in the future.
Concluding Words
Since I had such an amazing vacation, I felt like sharing my experience with you.
I came back energized, with a new zest for life, with a desire to put myself first once again.
You cannot begin to imagine my emotions and feelings I had while I was there. I hope that I at least encouraged you to aim for what you want in life. Whether it’s something small or a bigger goal, just go for it. Make it happen, and you’ll have no regrets.
Like Mark Twain said, in similar words: the only thing you’ll regret is not doing anything.
I hope you enjoyed my One Italian Summer: The Hypewit Experience post. I’ll be back with a bookish post next, but I wanted to let you know why I was a little absent during the month of August. Until next time, fellow bookworms!
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