Oh, The Places You'll Go

One of the most fun things about being in Central Europe is the ease of travel between cities and countries. Being in Berlin has given me plenty of opportunities to travel to other German cities and other European Counties.

26,092 Steps

That’s an average day’s step count on a day trip from Berlin. I’ve been fortunate enough to have many excursions outside of Berlin to see different subcultures of Germany, some of these were even mandated by the school. Transportation is made easy in all of Germany with the I.C.E and Regional trains. These are quick and efficient ways to travel around the country and even to others! When I get to a new city, I really enjoy just walking around and taking it all in. I often grab a brochure, pick a few key points, and head on my way. Most other German cities are much smaller than Berlin so it’s easy to walk from one place to another and back to the train station. Some of my day trips have included Leipzig, Lübeck, Schwerin, Bremen, and Dresden.

It creates a much more relaxed and authentic experience to spend more time in a city and I really do get to know it better.

Some places I have been fortunate enough to stay for more than a day. Having even just a weekend gives me so much more time to experience the city and see more things. I can book a ticket at a museum and try a nice restaurant for dinner while still getting to wonder around and take in each city’s beautification. It creates a much more relaxed and authentic experience to spend more time in a city and I really do get to know it better. The cities I was fortunate enough to stay more than on day are Hamburg, Munich, Prague, and Vienna.

Fly’n Solo

When I came into Germany one might consider that solo travel. However, I know I would have a host family to greet me and make friends a long the way. But while abroad I gave myself the opportunity to truly travel alone, with no one I knew and no one I was planning to meet, to a city I had never been to before. I got to spend five nights In Vienna on my own and it was an incredible experience. It was a little scary at first, there was no one to assure me I was doing the right thing or going the right way, but I really grew to enjoy the feeling. It really forced me to trust myself and my instincts and to really just take a chance and seize the opportunities. As the days went by, I felt so much more confident not only in this situation but as a person. It was really an opportunity of growth and reflection.

But while abroad I gave myself the opportunity to truly travel alone, with no one I knew and no one I was planning to meet, to a city I had never been to before.

One of my favorite things about traveling by myself was the lack of compromise. I could set my schedule how I wanted it to be: go to the places I wanted to go, eat where and when I wanted. It was wonderful to have so much control over my decisions and day. I could pick out each museum and time my own tours. It was a great experience to have.