We’ve only been in Europe for about a week, and it already feels like we’ve been through an entire semester’s worth of experiences. I’ve lost track of how many cities we’ve hit at this point, and all of the memories are blending together. Switzerland was exactly what you would expect: everyone’s filthy rich, and dinner is SO EXPENSIVE. Austria felt like I was in some old village mixed with a larger city.. Slovenia and Croatia were surprise stops that we didn’t expect to be as beautiful as they were.. Lastly, Italy was loud, chaotic, and at the same time was my favorite out of all of them. Every country has been completely different, which has made it impossible to settle into any kind of routine. Not in a bad way, though, just in a way that forces you to stay present whether you want to or not. I think that this trip has helped me focus on being more present in my day-to-day life, “living in the moment.”
Something I noticed right away is that the stereotype of European life being more relaxed and chill is totally true. People actually take their time to enjoy their meals, no one’s rushing around, and somehow everything still gets done. I will complain that the service is annoyingly slow sometimes. We waited 90 minutes for our food to come out at a lunch spot. Back at home, unpopular opinion, but I think that the tipping culture incentivizes better services.
The group dynamic has also been way better than I expected. I figured we’d all be cool with each other, but it’s already gotten to the point where everyone’s breaking down their walls. I’ve said no to going out every single night since we got here, but somehow they convince me every time to explore and see everything there is to offer! I genuinely believe that I’ve made some lifelong friends on this trip, while strengthening the friendships I already had coming into the trip.
I came into this program thinking it would be good for my resume, which it is. I like to call it “resume maxxing”, but this trip was so much more than just that. I’m so excited that I’ve met people on this trip who will make saying goodbye so hard.
