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.

Amsterdam, Netherlands was like something I’ve never seen before. The whole time I was there it didn’t feel real. The city is flooded with canals, bikes, awesome museums, and delicious food. The city has over 100 kilometers of canals, 90 islands, and over 1500 bridges. These canals are lined with storybook houses. Some are tilting because they were built on stilts and the land is shifting, but they are all tall and slim with open windows and hooks at the tops of them so they could bring the furniture in through the window. These canals are also lined with bikes! Every where you go people are zooming past you in individual bikes or two person bikes. I had the opportunity to go to The National Amsterdam Museum, Van Gogh Museum and the Tulip Museum, Each were equally fascinating. The food was my favorite thing. They had every food you could imagine and they weren’t lacking on the sweets. The Stroopwaffels were life changing in the famous Pancake Factory blew me away. Amsterdam was different from all the other cities I’ve seen so far and that’s what made it so special. I will definitely be going back!

It is carnival season! Recently I took a weekend trip to Italy were I got to experience Venice Carnival. Venice carnival is the second largest carnival that takes place in the world. Thousands of tourist flock to the island city to experience the tradition that happens every year. I arrived for the kick off of the event and it succeeded its hype. Everyone wears mascaraed mask the whole time which is very cool to see the details of the mask. To put it into perspective their mask are like our derby hats. Then the carnival kicked off with a parade as most events do, but since Venice doesn’t have streets the parade flowed through the city canals. This years theme was blame the moon so all of the floats had that incorporated into them. I thought this parade was very interesting because while it was a parade it felt more like a performance. Most the parades I have seen just have giant beautiful floats but these floats had dancers and performers on them which was very cool. It was very cool to see this cultural event that has been taking place for centuries happen and I would recommend anyone studying abroad in the spring to check it out. 

One of my favorite places that I visited during my time in Germany was Strassbourg, which lies just within the borders of France. Strasbourg is a very interesting city because it has been passed back and forth between France and Germany many times over its lengthy history. Because of this unique history, there is a strange and wonderful cultural blend between German and French cultures. Although they are a part of France, and French is the official language, it isn’t hard at all to find someone speaking German in Strasbourg, or as the Germans spell it, ‘Straßburg’. This was definitely an advantage for me, as my French skills were virtually non-existent. Strasbourg is pretty touristy, so it wasn’t hard to find menus in English, but it’s always possible to run into a language barrier.

While visiting Strasbourg, I would definitely recommend climbing the tower of the cathedral. While entering and viewing the inside of the cathedral is free, climbing the cathedral is not. Luckily, most places in Strasbourg offer a significant student discount. While the view from the top of the cathedral is not necessarily the most amazing in Europe, it does offer a nice view over the tops of the low buildings that make up most of Strasbourg.

I would also recommend stopping for a glass of wine or a hot cup of coffee in ‘Petite France’. This part of the city is very old and historical. From here you can also take a boat tour along the picturesque canals of the city.

Overall, Strasbourg is an amazing city and deserves a visit, especially if you’re studying in Western Germany or Northern France.

One big difference I noticed abroad was celebrating different holidays and traditions. My first month abroad, Costa Rica had its Independence Day on September 15^th. My program had us celebrate by taking part in the Independence Day parade and making faroles, which are decorative lanterns children typically carry through the parade.  We got to walk in the parade and see all of the festivities that took place in the town center.

It was strange being abroad in the fall, because Costa Rica does not celebrate Halloween or Thanksgiving. Some people dress up in the bars on Halloween, so I went with other Americans and we all had some sort of costume, even if it wasn’t well put together. Although it is not as important of a holiday to me now that I am older, it was still strange not seeing decorations up. It did not even feel like Thanksgiving when the day rolled around. I had class in the morning as usual, and in the afternoon I went out with my professor to find a fabric I was looking for to use in a project for his class. I called my family and they all talked about how much they missed me and what they were doing, which felt strange to watch from the outside. Later, my study abroad program set up a dinner for us at a restaurant where we ate typical Thanksgiving food. It was not a bad day, it just felt very confusing.

One interesting aspect of traveling abroad is the language barrier and learning to speak a new language. I took Spanish all throughout high school, although our classes were not very advanced, and in my first 2 years of college. I was excited to spend four months in a Spanish speaking country. I did not think about my growth in the language much during my time abroad, but it is interesting to reflect and see how far I have come.

When I first arrived, I was nervous to meet my host family. My 26-year-old host brother spoke English, but his mother, aunt, cousin, and grandparents who all lived with us did not. I came to their house late at night, so we had a quick conversation before bed. I was able to communicate with them just fine and they kept telling me my Spanish was advanced, but I know it needed lots of work. I started the semester with a month-long class in Intermediate 2 Spanish. I could hear myself improve in grammar as well as my speaking skills throughout the month, and I continued to practice outside of the classroom. When I was with my friends we typically spoke in English, so I made sure to go some places alone. I continued to better my speaking skills in stores, with my host family, and in taxis. I even went to a Spanish conversation group to talk to local college students. Even though I’m not a fluent speaker, I now feel comfortable speaking Spanish.

Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main is the fifth largest city in Germany, and the largest city in Hesse. Frankfurt has a historic center, neighbored by skyscrapers in the Central Banking District. Frankfurt is also home to the European Central Bank. Frankfurt has several malls including MyZeil, a large shopping district with restaurants and businesses. Transportation is easy in Frankfurt. Frankfurt public transport includes the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and the Straßenbahn (Tram). Frankfurt is also home to two long and beautiful riverbanks lined with riverboat tours and bridges that offer excellent panoramic views of the city and the Main River. Frankfurt also has a zoo and botanical gardens.

Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden sits about half an hour west of Frankfurt, and offers a small city feel. Wiesbaden features a nice inner district that hosts many festivals and markets. The architecture of the buildings along Bahnhofstrasse is beautiful. The center of Wiesbaden also offers a casino and a large park with a pond that’s great for warm weather get togethers.

Mainz

Mainz is a decently sized university town with an active nightlife and a well connected train station. If you find yourself in Mainz, I’d definitely recommend a stop at Eisgrub-Brau to share a five liter tower of beer with some friends. Mainz is also home to a massive cathedral and the Gutenberg museum.

Oestrich-Winkel

Oestrich-Winkel is a small wine growing town on the northern shore of the Rhein. It is also home to one of the schools that UofL has an exchange with, EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht. Oestrich is a quaint city with many wineries and wine stands. The specialty of this region is Riesling.

Rüdesheim

About ten minutes by train from Oestrich-Winkel, Rudesheim is a touristy town with many restaurants and shops where you can buy souvenirs and trinkets. Rudesheim also has very steep vineyards and a cable car that takes you up above the vineyards to the Niederwalddenkmal, a massive statue monument that memorializes the foundation of the German Empire in 1871. From the Niederwalddenkmal you can see across the Rhein to the city of Bingen am Rhein and the endless rows of vines. I recommend following one of the trails behind the memorial to one of many structures along the high hills that line the bank of the Rhein.

Bingen am Rhein

Bingen lies across the Rhein from Rudesheim. The easiest way to get between these two towns is the ferry that runs several times an hour. Nestled on a hill in the middle of Bingen sits a castle. The tower that protrudes from the top of the Bingen Castle is free to climb, and offers an excellent view of the surrounding city and the river. Bingen also has a lively main-street type area for shopping, ice cream, or wine tasting.

Bacharach

Between Bacharach and Bingen am Rhein are at least four ancient castles that sit high up on the steep hills that line the Rhein. Bacharach itself is a very interesting city, and is featured on many travel guides that claim that it is one of the most ‘well-preserved medieval cities in Germany’. I recommend the castle that perches on a high hill behind the city and the main street. There is even a tiny and cheap ice cream shop that will let you try Riesling-flavored ice cream.

Runkel an der Lahn

Runkel is the most remote town on this list, but also one of the most untouched and beautiful. Like many of the other cities and towns on this list, Runkel sits on a river with high, towering hills that line both banks. Runkel sits and the Lahn river, which also runs through nearby Limburg. The river in Runkel is picturesque and going down to a small part on the river bank allows you to have a magnificent view of the castle that stands high above the opposite bank. Exploring the castle isn’t free, but it is one of the most untouched and authentic castles that I have ever visited, and there are several vantage points that offer excellent views.

Overall, I found the Rhein-Main region to be one of the most beautiful and peaceful regions in Germany. The Rhine Valley is excellent for a drive, if you’re able to travel through it by car or by train.

*Note: Rhein is the German spelling of ‘Rhine’

My trip to Berlin was the first time that I traveled away from my host university. Getting a break from the small village I live in was a relief. A few of us decided to make a quick weekend trip to Berlin. FlixBus is a cheap option for traveling across Europe, but the ride was about 6 hours (when it wasn’t delayed). Overall, I think Berlin is a must-see for anyone in Central Europe.

Here are a few of my recommendations for things to see (Sehenswürdigkeiten):

1. Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral):

Located in the “Mitte” district of Berlin, this Cathedral is beautiful. If you have a student ID you can get a discount for entry and go up to the top of the cathedral. ~€5

2. Museum Island:

In the middle of the Spree River there’s an island with many museums.

3. Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie is very tourist-y but worth a visit. The actual checkpoint is just a shack but still worth the walk.

4. Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate)

This famous Berlin sight is on the doors of the U-Bahn (Subway), on the Euro, everywhere. Must see.

5. East Side Gallery

The East Side Gallery is a long stretch of the Berlin Wall that is covered in urban-art pieces and is the entrance to the old East-Berlin. While you’re there, I recommend crossing the river to visit the popular burger joint “Burgermeister”.

Overall, Berlin remains one of my favorite spots to visit if you get the chance.

Coming back from study abroad was definitely the hardest part of my summer. After spending almost three months in beautiful cities built centuries ago and meeting a new abroad family, it was not easy to return to the U.S. Simple things like walking to class seem so different when I’m not hopping on the metro with hundreds of other people speaking a language I don’t understand. I think  people underestimate how quickly a new situation can become your norm. I truly felt like a local during my time in Prague and it has driven me to look into possible careers in Europe. Having a difficult time coming home made me realize how much of an impact study abroad had on my life. If you ever have the chance to study abroad I would urge you to take it. The experience was something I could never have expected and I am so grateful I had the opportunity.

As my time in Prague draws nearer to a close, I thought it would be an ideal time to share some of the insight I have acquired during the past 8 weeks I have spent in Europe. One of the things I fantasized about the most about my time abroad was taking speedy weekend trips to the countries surrounding the Czech Republic. Now, the number one thing I have learned in regards to this topic is that it is important to make sure you spend plenty of time in your host country. There are so many hidden gems in Prague, 9 weeks would never be enough to make time for all of them, but I found myself having to rush to make time for all of the things on my must-do list. As for the weekend trips, keep it to one city. If there is no city in europe you can “do in a day”, at least not if you want the full experience. The most exciting part of my weekend trips was finding the underappreciated, scarcely known tidbits of culture that you won’t be exposed to if you don’t get passed the famous landmarks. During my time in Paris, I spent my first two days going to a festival and seeing the major sights such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel tower and the Louvre, and as fun as it was to see the sights I had dreamt of for so long, it was the third day that I will remember the most. I spend my final day walking around the tiny streets visiting formaggeria and bakeries that the locals shopped at, watching the locals at a small city park, and perusing tiny hidden art galleries. Needless to say, sometimes less can be more when it comes to traveling. There is so much to see in the world, but traveling is much more than checking countries off a list, it is about full cultural immersion and connecting to a place vastly different than what you may know.