It's 2:25 AM and I'm writing on my blog at this insane hour because...JET LAG! I slept from 5 PM- 1:30 AM and now I'm feeling refreshed and wide awake! So now I've got about 6 hours to kill before my family wakes up.
I'm so happy to be back home. Europe was amazing but there's just something great about being back home. I think I almost always want things to end towards the end of their duration (trips, jobs, semesters at college) but I hardly ever want to leave San Diego when I'm here. San Diego is the best! And I love my family! Unfortunately I'm only here for 4 days before I'm headed back to Alaska where I'll work for 2 months. I worked there for 4 months this past summer, so 2 months will be easy peezy and it's not like I hate it or anything anyways! :)
After working in Alaska, I'm headed to Denver for Christmas to see my dad, Kate, and my little siblings Annie and Eli, then I'll come back to San Diego for a few days and then be off to college! It's been almost a full year since I've been up at college and I'm excited/nervous about it. But I'm feeling motivated to finish college and get into the REAL WORLD!
SO...about my trip to Europe...
I'm just going to do a sort of Q&A with myself about my trip!
Q: What were your favorite places in order from favorite to least favorite?
A: 1. Swiss Alps, Switzerland
2. Caste Neushwanstein, Austria
3. Venice, Italy
4. Amsterdam, Netherlands
5. Frankfurt, Germany
6. London, England
7. Zurich, Switzerland
8. Austria (countryside)
9. Paris, France
10. Verona, Italy/ Munich, Italy (I didn't spend enough time in either of these places to get a good feel of them though)
Q: Favorite memories of the trip?
A: Roaming around Amsterdam and Frankfurt, Germany, visiting the concentration camp in Germany, socializing at the hotels w/ new friends at night, hiking up the Swiss Alps (not all the way up, just a mile, haha), playing at the parks in the Swiss Alps and in Zurich, Switzerland, grocery shopping in Frankfurt, Germany, seeing the cows and countryside towns in the Swiss Alps, the bus rides (looking out the window), visiting Castle Neushwanstein, firesides in Paris and Salzburg, church in Switzerland, hearing Irene talk and motivate us while eating our soup in Switzerland, waking up and knowing we're going to a new city/country that day (exciting!), being on my own in Lake Como, Italy for a few hours (shopping and pasta!), talking about starting a business in a little cafe in Zurich with Taylor Howard, Forrest, Arely, Taylar Rodgers, and Lara while drinking hot chocolate, getting to a new hotel every few days, and our last group meeting (awards, the rap by Brie and Rachel, and Bart, our drivers speech about how much he loved being our bus tour guide)
Q: Would you recommend participating in a study abroad program to others who want to travel around Europe?
A: It really depends on who you are! I wouldn't do a study abroad program again because I'm half introvert and half extrovert (meaning I equally need to socialize and be alone but I really do need both) and I felt like this trip was geared more towards extroverts who are less independent (because after all, it is a group study abroad). There were a few other really independent people on the trip who also wanted to roam around alone at times, and we actually weren't allowed to do that often, so it was difficult for us. I felt like I wasn't able to really soak things in as well as I could have alone because I had to worry about socializing. This may not be a problem at all to most people, but if part of you is introverted, it's a real struggle to have to be in a group at all times. I felt like most of the people on the trip were actually more concerned with the socializing aspect of the trip than experiencing the different countries. The few times I did get to spend some time roaming around alone, I soaked everything all in (the culture, the people, the buildings) and I was able to THINK. I've always had a problem with being able to think while with people though. I've asked my parents many times, "Hey can I just get a few minutes to think?" when they're talking too much. So, it really just depends on what type of traveling you want to do. If you're wanting more of a social experience, then I say GO FOR IT! And maybe you can socialize and experience at the same time. I just can't multi task that well. But if you need that alone time, as well as the social aspects, I'd say you should either travel alone, go with your current or future significant other, or go with your family or some close friends instead of doing a huge group study abroad. I did really enjoy the trip though and did enjoy a lot of the social aspects. It was fun coming into it not knowing anyone and leaving feeling like I made some really cool friends that I'll stay in touch with.
Q: Aside from the basics (debit card, passport, backpack, chapstick, etc) what three items are must-bring things you'd recommend to people to bring on a lengthier (international) trip?
A: Comfortable shoes, water filter (if it really sterilizes the European water- b/c so much $$ was spent on buying water bottles), and a smaller bag to take when exploring when you don't want to take your full backpack
Also, MAJOR SUGGESTION. Pack way less clothes than you think you'll need. I thought I packed lightly on my clothes but I only ended up wearing about half of them and had to have a stuffed bag the entire trip. When you're traveling, you shouldn't be too concerned with how you look or how many times you wear the same thing in a row, so you don't need to pack a different outfit for every day of the week. Also, you'll want to shop there, so you need that extra room in your bag for new clothes! ALSO, if you don't regularly wear a shirt or pair of pants at home, don't pack it thinking you'll wear it there. I always do that when I pack to go somewhere, and I never end up wearing those clothes that I don't wear regularly at home. It's just the way it goes!
Q: Best food you had on the trip?
A: Pesto pasta, curry, beef stew, gelato (really is delicious, especially the tiramisu flavor)
Q: What you wish you'd known that you know now
A: 1. Don't buy burgers in Europe. They don't know how to make them!
2. If you want a decent meal in Europe, it's going to be expensive, but consider buying a loaf of bread or buying the cheaper foods a lot of the time and then only buying the expensive foods occasionally in order to save money. I spent most of my money on food and the food only lasted 10 minutes while I was eating it! I'm glad I had some of those meals, but I could have saved money on most of them by choosing a cheaper alternative.
3. A data plan might be worth your money. I wish I'd looked into getting one before I left! It's easier to meet up with people and feel more secure with a data plan instead of relying entirely on finding free WiFi. BUT at the same time, it was kind of nice not having data. So weigh the pro's and con's of getting a data plan.
4. The big attractions (Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, Gondola ride in Venice) are GREAT and important to see but just walking the streets and taking in the culture of each place is equally or maybe even more important! Talk to the people in each country, notice the architectural differences, try to learn the main phrases in the languages of the countries you visit, go to the countryside instead of just staying in the city, really EXPLORE and take everything in. Also, roam the cities at night, especially London and Paris. The night vibe is especially cool in London and not something I've come across anywhere else.
5. Take some time to rest. I think I was one of the only ones on my trip that took a hours here and there to rest. That's just something I personally need to do in order to stay refreshed and excited about traveling. You think you want to go NON-STOP but sometimes it's more of a benefit to you and to how you'll experience things, if you take some time to rest and relax.
6. Take a good book with you! There were so many times I wanted to just sit down in front of a beautiful view and read a book. If you're a reader, I suggest you bring a good book!
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