Final Thoughts on my Plane Home

Well, the end of my journey has finally come (but Heather still has one more day!). Once I step off of this plane, my sophomore spring of college will have come to a close and I will only be able to relive my European adventures through memories and story telling. As cliché as it sounds, I have learned so much about myself on this trip and I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to share some of that with you by writing this blog. So for my last blog post, I want to take you through a list of my closing thoughts and a summary of all that I have done this term. Enjoy!

-I was gone for 80 days. March 17^th 2010- June 5^th 2010.

-I have been to 9 countries in that time period. Here they are listed in order- Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Turkey, Germany, Slovakia, and Spain.

-In those 9 countries, I have been to 13 major European cities (excluding everywhere we went in the Czech Republic). Again listed in order- Rome, Florence, Venice, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Krakow/Auschwitz, Istanbul, Berlin, Bratislava, Barcelona, Eivissa (Ibiza), and Madrid.

-I have used 5 currencies (the euro messes up my awesome stats for this one)- the Euro, the Czech crown, the Hungarian Forint, the Polish Zlotych, and the Turkish lira. I have some extra coins and bills as souvenirs.

-I had the chance to live in my first city, Prague, which I will someday come back to.

-Our class went on 12 field trips throughout the Czech Republic. From brown coal mines to chandelier factories, breweries to an endless number of Czech castles, drinking thermal water in spa towns, and even touring communist panel housing (!) - we have seen it all.

-Let’s Go Europe 2010 was my bible.

-I had the pleasure of my parents coming to visit me in Prague and had so much fun showing them around.

-I learned how to surf the web in many different languages.

-I learned so much about 20^th century Europe to build off the history course I took in the winter. I saw 3 Nazi concentration camps (Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Terezin). Saw numerous museums and memorials of the communist era. And learned so much about changes in the post-communist world for the former Soviet block countries through the Czech Republic lens.

-I’m no longer a teenager.

-I have tasted so many different brands of beer and collected paper coasters from all the restaurants of the beer brands. Not sure yet what I’m going to do with all of them.

-I met, or got to know better, 14 incredible Dartmouth students that come from all different backgrounds and do a variety of things at Dartmouth. While it wasn’t perfect all the time since we were living together, working together, traveling together, anything you name- it was together; I’m so excited to keep in touch and hang out with them on campus.

-I sent postcards from (almost) every city I was in to my amazing boyfriend who is always there for me.

-I completed another 3 classes in college. And I loved my geography professor, Frank, who led the trip. I’m even already signed up to take another class with him in the fall!

-I ran the longest I have ever run in Barcelona’s El Curso- an incredible experience.

-I have had the chance to read for pleasure, watch TV shows that I never usually have time for, and figure out that writing is well, kind of fun. I know I’m going to regret making that statement.

-I saw three sporting games- an AS Roma Italian futbol match, a Slavia Czech hockey game, and Sparta Czech futbol match.

-Traveling in Italy at the beginning with Emily, Laura, and Heather was unforgettable. Seeing Laura in Barcelona too. I’m so excited to get home and hang out with my best friends at Dartmouth this summer!

-We saw the BLACK EYED PEAS in concert at the O2 arena. (I like them girls in Praguee, I like them girls in Pragueee..Czech Republic girls are the prettiest, Czech Republic girls are the prettiest- sing that to Ring-a-Ling).

Hmm there is so much more I did. But that is what I can think of off the top of my head and what has been the most memorable for me. There were some causalities of the trip though- my camera, Heather’s kindle, Heather’s iPod, and my iPod headphones. Oh boy

I know I will go back to Europe someday to visit all the places I have yet to go. In fact I already have a list- Amsterdam, Zurich, some where in Switzerland for an outdoor adventure, pub and beer garden towns of Germany, the south of Spain, Greece to see its beauty…the list goes on. But all of that is a long time away because I’m not ready to leave Greenwich or Dartmouth anytime soon. Maybe a future job will take me there. Or a vacation. My honeymoon. Maybe when I have a family of my own someday- but yeah, I’m getting a little ahead of myself right now. For now, I’m burnt out and tired from all my travels, experiences in new cultures, and everything I have learned (which is more than I can even wrap my head around). I want to relax in what is familiar to me and get back into my usual routine.

It is scary to be on my way back and know that I have missed so much with all of you at home. I will admit, I have been so occupied with everything new and exciting going on in Europe that I haven’t been able to talk to you all as much as I would have liked. The distance, lack of a phone, and our unreliable apartment Internet contributed as well. I just don’t know how everyone used to do it in the old days with no Internet and Skype! So I’m excited to get full updates on everyone’s lives and re-immerse myself with all the people I love!

I want to thank you all for taking the time to read Heather and my blog. I had so much fun writing it, and I know Heather did too. In addition to all of your emails and positive feedback inspiring us to write, I wouldn’t have been able to write all that I did without Heather. So Heather, I have to thank you for that! And from the both of us, our experiences in Europe wouldn’t have been the same if we couldn’t share them all with you. It was a great way to pause in our days and reflect on the chaos around us. And this book (once we print it out) will be something that always makes me happy when I look back on it in 30, 40, 50 years to come.

Thanks again for reading and all of your support! I hope this inspires you to travel around Europe if you haven’t already. Can’t wait to see you all! I’m ready to be home again.