Thus far I have really enjoyed my study abroad experience. I have been fortunate enough to visit Krakow Poland, Vienna Austria and Amsterdam Netherlands. I have loved exploring and learning about each of these countries for very different reasons. Poland was one of the toughest experiences of my life but I would not have changed a thing.

During my time in Poland, I loved exploring Krakow, learning about its deep history and eating some of its traditional Jewish food. Although sad, the history surrounding Krakow’s immense Jewish background and the events that occurred during World War II was a very important piece of history to learn about. Learning about the dark events that took place to the large Jewish population that resided in Poland was an extremely hard pill to swallow. After walking around the beautiful city, visiting memorials, touring synagogues and finally visiting Auschwitz, this experience really changed my entire outlook on life. Once I learned about the gruesome details of the war and seeing what these innocent people endured, I looked at my life in a completely different light. Although it was a very tough trip, I realized how much I take for granted every single day and decided to live every day to the fullest. I would suggest for everyone to have this experience at least once in their lifetime. I am very grateful for the experience Poland gave me and the life lessons I learned in return.