As we walked through the souvenir shop in downtown Dublin, on our last day before heading home, a familiar song came on. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is typically associated with the feelings for another person, yet I found myself connecting to this song in relation to our travels and the cities we had visited. With every step, every click of the camera, every train ride, every hostel, we collected nostalgia through it all. Each city has unique charms, hidden spots, attractions, and all around culture that makes the city so easy to fall in love with.
Kayla, Danielle, and I visited eight cities in Western Europe this trip, and describing each of these wonderful cities and their impact in detail would surely fill a book. What follows is simply a taste of what this trip encompassed, a few excerpts from my travel journal…
Dublin—the first stop in our grand adventure and the last stop before heading back to our anxiously awaiting families. Dublin—home to boisterous, drunken, beer-loving Irishmen and women with their joyous and hearty laughs. It’s city where we knew not to expect the sun to shine; yet the weather somehow fits perfectly with the otherwise joyful mood of the city. We discovered that this city contains the best coffee shop in the world, La Pausa Caffe, which offers divine Nutella lattes. Dublin—where an abundance of beautiful, unique, and colorful doors abound. Dublin—where the homeless wish you to be blessed and where Irish music litters the street with its merry tunes.
Richterswil, Switzerland—Everyone we have encountered here has proven to be kind, considerate, and accommodating. This was such a stark contrast from the disapproving glances we faced from the French in Paris. Switzerland was refreshing in that nature seemed untainted; breathing in the fresh crisp air was almost therapeutic. Switzerland’s beauty fosters appreciation and relaxation, and it is easy to gather why everyone here is so kind. I wish I could capture this natural beauty with every photograph, but looking down at my camera only brings disappointment that my friends back home will not be able to enjoy this scenery to the same extent.
Florence—Italy has felt like home since the minute I stepped foot here last year for my first experience traveling abroad. It is interesting to note how the layout of this city differs from those in the U.S and even most of the cities we visited. Italy is clearly a collectivist country rather than an individualistic one. This is obvious through the residential areas built so close together; some buildings even had ladders connecting one roof to another. This is a stark contrast to the “fences make good neighbors” mentality I grew up with.
Nice—The playgrounds here are infinitely cooler than any I have ever experienced in America. The one Danielle and I found was sea-themed, featuring a “SEA-saw” where children can sit in a dolphin or shark, a large wooden ship one can captain, and even a giant wooden whale skeleton one can explore! Coincidentally, a Euro 2016 game was occurring in Nice on the very day we were there, so we ran into several thousand fans, mostly entertaining drunken Irishmen coming to cheer on Northern Ireland.
Barcelona—there is magic here. La Fontana Magica de Montjuic translates to “The Magic Fountain.” It is without a doubt, absolutely magical. There is a road leading to the crowd circling the enormous foundation. Lining the lead up are dozens of small, miniature fountains, lit up with changing colors that match the beat of the music. For an hour and a half the changing colors and movements of the water beyond captivated us. Barcelona is home to artists in the form of flamenco dancers, whose fast feet and extravagant dresses draw and hold our attention. Before we could blink, an hour had past without our noticing and it took a minute to get out of the trance-like state we had been in for the duration of the show.
—End of excerpts—
Independence. Creative problem solving. Overcoming obstacles. Good judgment. Teamwork. These are the perfect ingredients to a successful trip across the world where we were offered an opportunity for intellectual and emotional growth. Observing different cultural perspectives, attitudes, and behaviors ultimately affected the way I viewed the coalescence of human perspective. My enhanced awareness of opposing and “unusual” life attitudes leads to an overall increase in my ability to work well with others–an indispensable skill by any standard.
I learned more about life, friendship, and being a respectful citizen of the world as we ventured from country to country. This trip led to a deeper understanding of self-reliance and increased confidence that has helped me get closer to my full potential. Thank you, Honors College, for the opportunity to have such an amazing opportunity. I was able to grow in ways that are not possible in a classroom and for that, I am infinitely grateful.
