One For The Books

When reflecting back on this summer I can say with zero hesitation that it was the best summer of my life. I got to experience not only independence like never before but also created great friendships. This was a unique experience that I will never forget.

When I first heard of this program I thought how it would look good on a resume and who wouldn’t want to travel to Europe. I forwarded the informational email to my mom and went to the first meeting. I was curious about the program but honestly did not think my parents would go for the idea. After that first meeting I was determined that I was going on this trip no matter what. Finally with the help of much information and bugging my parents every day, they said yes. 

Even though I wanted so badly to go, when the date got closer I get more nervous. I consider myself pretty outgoing but its nerve racking to go abroad with a group of people you don’t know for 6 weeks. I was scared of being homesick and not clicking with anyone. My fear were put to rest as soon as I met everyone. Rooming with Marissa for sure helped because we got along great and we always had each other to get lost with. We loved our host family and spent a lot of time with them! After spending all that time with the German little girls, you start to realize we aren’t so different even though we speak different languages.  

I really did not expect to fall in love with Germany. I was more looking forward to visiting other countries but everytime we went back to Germany it felt like home. I don’t think I could ever get use to all the different and amazing cultures. Something I was happily surprised about was how much they cook and the portions. It seemed like everything tasted fresher in Europe. We ate a lot of bread and fruit that came either from the bakery or from plants in their garden. It definitely made me think about what foods I’m putting in my body. 

I managed to actually lose weight with all the walking on this trip! At first I was not sure about the public transportation but I eventually figured it out and found it super useful. I wish we lived in a climate that we could walk everywhere. The weather was usually beautiful and the historic buildings made the walk pleasant. This is where I started to see how eco friendly they were with energy, gas and recycling. I wish the US would implicate some of their practices because it’s really not that hard! I now use a recycling bin at my house and always try to be efficient with my resources. 

I learned something new every week but a turning point in my trip was when I missed my flight to Switzerland. I had a situation that came up that made me miss my early flight so I had to figure out how to make it by myself. I had to find a train that went all the way to Switzerland, which is not close. I didn’t get much sleep the night before and I had an 8 hour adventure in front of me. Knowing I could be a victim of pick-pocketing, I had to stay awake for the whole train ride. To make matters worse my train missed its connection and I had to choose an alternated route. I didn’t want to use my phone battery so I had a lot of time to reflect from the trip and watch the amazing scenery. It was at sunset when we were passing this huge sparkling lake that I felt ultimate independence. Which has helped me go outside of my comfort zone and push harder for my dreams.

On top of my personal growth, I learned so much useful history! I am a firm believer in learning from our past. Dr. Wasser made learning come alive with everything he did. I am convince I will never have a professor as dedicated to their students as he is. Not only did he go the extra mile for our activities but we got to see some really cool and exclusive places! If I was traveling by myself I would have not known about half the places we visited. Near the end of the 6 weeks, my body started getting tired from all the traveling and moving around. I am glad a stuck it out and made the best of my 6 weeks abroad. So thankful for all the memories and friends I’ve gained, this summer was unforgettable. I would take the hero’s journey all over again if I could!!!