Four months later…and it’s back to life in the USA. To say I had the time of my life studying,
exploring, and experiencing Europe would be an understatement. It’s hard to believe that I traveled to 11
countries while in Europe (especially considering the fact that I’ve hardly
been to 11 US states). Some of these
places have left extremely memorable impressions on me, while others have left
me with impressions for a different reason.
Nonetheless, in order to wrap up my travels, I thought it would be best
to share my adventures as I best remember them.
Belgium
Brussels- After two days in Brussels, I felt
knowledgeable enough to navigate the entire city. As part of the academic aspect of the program,
we visited the European Commission, the Council of the EU, and numerous EU
lobbying groups (Finance Watch, a financial reform NGO, CEPS- The Centre for
European Policy Studies, and lastly the Flemish representation to the EU). In our free time, we took a visit to the
Belgian Beer Museum that came highly recommended by IES and numerous travel
guides. Unfortunately, it was hardly a
museum at all, and the 5-Euro entry fee simply got you a glass of beer. The famous Belgian waffles, on the contrary,
actually were just as good as claimed.
They were hot, delicious, and filled with strawberries, bananas,
Nutella, and whipped cream. Belgium’s
modern-feel, as well as its traditional beauty were also extremely
comforting. We made sure to see notable
landmarks such as the Manneken Pis, and the famous square, known as the Grand
Place.
Croatia
Zadar- This was the last trip I went on in Europe,
and without a doubt one of the best. We
booked a villa in the city, and experienced everything that the little known
location had to offer. One day, we took
a full-day cruise around the multitude of islands that exist between Italy and
Croatia (in the Adriatic Sea). On one
island, we went cliff-diving in crystal clear water, and laid out on the beach
to dry off. It was extremely warm and
sunny while we were there so it made for a tremendous vacation. At first, I was skeptical as to what it would
be like to venture to Croatia, seeing as how it is not yet a member of the
European Union, and how many Eastern-European countries struggle with fighting
poverty and crime, but I was completely overwhelmed by the safe atmosphere. The most shocking part of the entire trip,
however, had to be seeing the vast number of houses that were leveled by the
war that plagued the country in the 1990’s.
A mere block from our villa, there was a house that was split in half
and was still crumbling. It was
certainly an amazing series of events to learn about. In addition, there were also incredible
historic sights, including Roman ruins from the 1st century. Up until last week I still had a piece of
Croatia in me, by way of a sea urchin that I stepped on after cliff jumping. While it would have been nice to have had the
experience remain apart of me forever, I am glad that the ½ inch spikes are no
longer in my foot. Here’s a NY Times
piece on the hidden gem of Zadar: http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/travel/06next.html?pagewanted=all
Oh, and the wild dolphins swimming and jumping alongside our
cruise ship were a nice touch as well.
Czech Republic
Prague- While we were only in Prague for two days, we
saw nearly everything the city had to offer.
Our one important academic session here was a lecture at the University
of Economics, where we learned about Czechia’s transition to a market
economy. It’s incredible to consider
that up until 20 years ago, the area was under Soviet control. Prague was a massive city, and I actually got
lost while trying to navigate my way home during the day once. During the evening, we got to experience
Prague’s famed 5-story club, which was incredible. Unlike Croatia, Prague had a very eery
feeling about it at times, and we were strongly cautioned to watch out for
pick-pocketers. At night, the city was
probably the most beautiful out of any city I visited. The main square was vibrantly lit up, and the
hourly church presentations were incredible.
Also, the food (kebabs, potatoes, fresh vegetables, dumplings and more)
was great as well.
France
Paris- The Eiffel Tower was more than I anticipated
it to be, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to see it in-person. While in Paris, we visited the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), attended a University lecture on the Eurozone crisis, and
had a large amount of free time to visit the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame
Cathedral and the famed Eiffel Tower. I
never expected before the trip to visit the Eiffel Tower light show two nights
in a row, but it was a certainly an amazing experience. It was difficult at times to find affordable
and good restaurants, but beyond that I felt as if Parisians were a lot more
open-minded and kind than their French counterparts in Strasbourg.
Strasbourg- The rudest city in Europe. I wasn’t necessarily as open-minded as I
should have been before traveling to France for the first time, but the
hospitality, or lack thereof, provided by thIS French city was extremely
lacking. We were required to visit
Strasbourg on an academic trip in order to attend a lecture at the European
Parliament, which was very interesting, but beyond that I can’t say I would
ever want to return to this city. At one
point, a group of five of us walked into a restaurant and were berated in
English by the owner after we saw that the prices were way too expensive and
decided to leave. Won’t be returning
here anytime soon.
Germany
Berlin- Berlin had a tremendous historical impact,
and visiting everywhere from Hitler’s suicide location to a Stasi prison, was
an extremely enlightening experience. My
favorite place in Berlin had to be the Topography of Terror Museum, which
detailed, from a NAZI perspective, the war and the hidden secrets of
genocide. I think it would be an
incredible idea to bring all American students to Berlin to learn about WWII
through a first-hand encounter, rather than to just read about it in a
textbook. We also visited the Reichstag,
Germany’s Parliament building, and saw many remnants of the Berlin Wall. It is certainly tough to put Berlin into
words, especially since it struggles with a major identity crisis after most of
it was destroyed in WWII, but I am glad I had the opportunity to learn about
its history from a first-hand perspective.
Also, out of all the places we visited, Berlin had the best food. We went out to dinner all three nights and
experienced 1) The Best Cuban food I have ever had 2) Delicious, authentic
Italian cuisine and 3) Tremendous sushi.
Even though it certainly wasn’t the most beautiful city in the world,
its cosmopolitan feel certainly made up for it.
Frankfurt- I was only in Frankfurt for one day when
we visited the European Central Bank, but I wish I could have stayed
longer. The skyline was full of modern
glass skyscrapers, and was one of the cleanest cities I visited. Touring the European Central Bank was incredible
as well, even if it doesn’t serve much of a purpose in EU governance.
Freiburg- My European home, and favorite city. Freiburg is an amazing city that is extremely
diverse in its appeal. First, it’s the
most environmentally conscious place I’ve ever lived. It also has a beautiful location, right in
the heart of the Black Forest. And even
though it is considered a city (with a population of around 225,000), it feels
like a small German village with old architecture, amazing churches, and plenty
of bakeries, gelaterias, beer gardens, and great stores. As months, and eventually years pass by, I
will always think most highly of this German paradise.
Latvia
Riga- The city that I will always fondly remember as
the place I turned 21. In fact, on the
night of my 21st birthday, our entire group ascended on a small karaoke
bar (Ampir Club) directly across the street from the restaurant where our IES
Farewell Dinner was hosted. Little did
we know, that this location was actually on the US Embassy’s list of places to
avoid in Riga. To quote the US Embassy website,
“Under no circumstances should anyone visit these places” with Ampir Club
listed as the first location. Riga is
constantly compared to Prague, since both are Eastern European and were once under
Soviet control, but those are about all the commonalities that they share. Riga has a much more Eastern European feel and
was much more frightening to walk around then Prague. Currently, only 2 million people live in the
entire county, with more and more leaving every day due to “brain drain”, which
leaves seemingly little hope at a prosperous future for this strongly Russian
influenced nation. On a side note, while
on a guided tour of the city we ascended on an odd statue with a bunch of farm
animals stacked on top of each other (Musicians of Bremen Statue). As I was about to touch it, I heard the tour
guide say “A common folktale says that anybody who touches the statue will be
granted good fortunes and will return to Riga again in the future.” As soon as I heard that I pulled my hand
away, most likely because I am not all that interested in going back to a city
that feels like it is still apart of Soviet-Russia.
Netherlands
Amsterdam- When contemplating the question of where I
would have wanted to study abroad, had I not chosen Freiburg, I would
absolutely decided on Amsterdam. The
city was extremely friendly to outsiders, with the entire population speaking
flawless English, and there were a ton of different things going on. While I was there, we visited the Heineken
Experience (the best “museum” I have ever been to), as well as the incredible
Botanical Gardens. We were also lucky
enough to receive a free tour of the city on a boat that traveled through
Amsterdam’s many canals. It was also one
of the most affordable European cities I visited.
Spain
Palma de Mallorca- Having never been to the Caribbean
before, I could only look at pictures to see what crystal-clear beaches
actually looked like. Thankfully, Spain
showed me first-hand what pristine beaches look and feel like as well. I was extremely impressed by the old
architecture present in Palma, an island city located to the east of mainland
Spain. We traveled there during our
Spring Break, and while it was only 65 degrees each day, we spent virtually
every single hour lying on the beach.
Other than being turned off by Spanish hospitality after being served a
free appetizer that smelt like road-kill (razor clams), every experience in
this city was absolutely incredible.
Sweden
Stockholm- I still contemplate whether I would ever
want to return to Stockholm. While it is
without a doubt a beautiful city, it also earns the distinction of being the
most expensive in the world. When a
small to normal sized meal at McDonalds and Subway cost you $13 and $11
respectively, there is not much room to spend on other experiences. Obviously, I would have preferred to dine at
customary Swedish restaurants each night, but unless you’re Bill Gates it’s not
possible. The one traditional Swedish
meal I did have was delicious though: diced sautéed potatoes, cabbage, and
veal, served over a giant poached egg.
The city itself is gorgeous as well, but it was well below freezing for
the entire time of our stay. I was also
lucky enough to witness a man beaten senselessly by police outside a club,
after I was returning to our hotel from dinner the first night. An experience that I will always remember
about Stockholm though was going to an Ice Bar with our entire group. Drinks were served in glasses made entirely
out of ice, and we were required to wear gloves and insulated coats the entire
time we were there. And of course, all
drinks were extremely expensive ($11), which made us to decide to leave early
anyway.
Switzerland
Geneva- The purpose of our trip to Geneva was to
visit one of the main headquarters of the United Nations (UN), as well as the
World Trade Organization (WTO). We were
also fortunate enough to visit the UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency. Out of all the places we visited over four
months, this visit was the most interesting and enlightening to me. Since we were in various meetings for most of
the day, we did not have ample opportunities to tour the beautiful downtown
area. With one hour to spare before
departing back to Germany, we were lucky enough, however, to enjoy a calm and
relaxing dinner watching the sunset on Lake Geneva. I was awed by the sheer beauty of this Swiss
city, and would love the opportunity to return and see more.
Grindenwald (The
Alps)- I would consider this the most beautiful place I have ever been in my
life. Pictures do the landscape little
justice, considering how every direction I turned, it felt like I was staring
at a postcard. The Alps trump any
mountain range I have ever seen in my life, and the pristine forests that
surround them create a 360-degree collection of incredible views. Beyond staring at the amazing landscape, we
had the opportunity to sled down the Alps for a once-in-a-lifetime
experience. And let me be clear, when I
say sledding, I more clearly mean racing (and crashing) 40 MPH down one of the
largest mountain ranges in the world.
The bus ride up the hill took an hour, with an additional hour of
climbing, before we commenced our 45-minute race to the bottom. My face froze. I flipped off my sled 3 times after crashing
into snow banks. And I screamed out in
enjoyment for every second of the ride.
It was the most incredible thing I have ever done in my life, and it is
my utmost hope to make this experience at least a twice-in-a-lifetime one.
United Kingdom
London- After 2.5 months of living in a country with
a native language was foreign to me, I knew it would be highly enjoyable to
visit the UK. However, even without the
language benefit, London surpassed my expectations immensely, and is a place I
now consider one of my favorite in the world.
All of the major London sights were more amazing than advertised. From the Tower of London, to a private tour
of the House of Parliament, it was amazing to see so many renowned monuments
first-hand. We almost decided to take a
Harry Potter London tour, but instead chose to simply visit Platform 9 ¾ at
King’s Cross Station instead. Other
major attractions included Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Bridge (or
correctly known as the Tower Bridge), and Leicester Square/Piccadilly
Circus. The funniest phrase of the trip
had to be when we were told we needed to “Take the Piccadilly Line towards
Cockfosters,” regarding utilizing the London tube system. I also had the best lunch of my European adventures
at an outdoor large-scale fresh BBQ, right near Shakespeare’s Globe (which is
probably the least impressive attraction in London). Overall, London was an amazing city to spend
three days in, and I’m sure I’ll be back there soon to experience it again.
As my study abroad period has come to a sad end, I will now
be turning my focus to work and school.
I’m extremely excited to be interning at Goodrich ISR Systems in Danbury
this summer. I will be working in the
Finance Department, and will certainly have a great deal to learn and
contribute as I aid the company in its transition to becoming apart of United
Technologies. In terms of schooling, in
the fall, I will be taking classes in Investments, Intermediate Accounting,
Strategic Management, and Environmental Technology. This will be my second-to-last semester at
Babson (as I am graduating next May), and I am looking forward to making the
most of it. For now, my blogging
adventures may dwindle as my study abroad experience has come to an end. Nonetheless, I absolutely plan on utilizing
this tool as a continued method of communication. I am beyond grateful that I had the
opportunity to study in Freiburg, and I look forward to seeing how the many
lessons I learned affect my new life back in the states.
