Long Distance: Ryan and Lea Anne Turner

HERE: Engineer, International Mezzo Industries (Ryan); staff member, Campus Crusade for Christ (Lea Anne)

THERE: Missionaries, Campus Crusade for Christ

in Florence, Italy.

Why did you leave Baton Rouge?

We left Baton Rouge in August 2006 because we felt compelled by the void of spirituality in Western Europe, including Italy. Most people assume that everyone in Italy is devout to the Catholic Church due to the close proximity to the Vatican, but we found this is far from the truth among university students in Florence. Most would consider themselves agnostic or atheists, having rarely gone to Mass and knowing little about the Bible.

What do you miss about the city?

Running around the lakes, The Chimes, Perks’ Coffee shop, Superior Grill, Bergeron pecans, Zapp’s potato chips, Our Daily Bread carob chip granola bars, Calandro’s, front porches, charming houses with shutters and gas burning lamps and the beautiful trees that canopy many of the neighborhood streets.

What don’t you miss?

The traffic, the humidity and the roaches.

What does Florence have that Baton Rouge doesn’t?

Florence has very efficient public transportation. We love taking a train to another close-by city in Tuscany because you don’t have to worry about traffic, directions or speeding tickets. We also appreciate the rich history of Florence. Our everyday life there is full of constant reminders of the Renaissance, the Roman Empire, even the Etruscan civilization. Even our apartment is in a building from the 16th century.

What is essential when you come back?

LSU sporting events. However, the highlight for us was seeing the Baton Rouge people we are close to—our former co-workers, close friends and family. Florence has been a difficult environment to cultivate friendships because of the language barrier, so visiting in July was a breath of fresh air.