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5 Ways I Know I’m Back in Europe

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Amherst chapter.

As soon as I got off the plane in Florence, everywhere I looked I thought to myself, “Wow, #that’ssoEurope”.  Here’s why:

1.     You have to pay to use the bathroom.  1 euro.  And it’s not just a suggestion either.  You literally can’t open the door without paying.  If this were the case in New York, I think people would riot.

2.     The vending machines are stocked with Fanta and Kinder chocolate bars.  Even the snack food in Europe seems somehow classier.

3.     Everyone walks really slowly.  They’re all taking their time, checking out the sights, meandering.  No one is in a rush.  Who cares about work?  The only people who walk this slowly in New York are tourists, and New Yorkers all want to slap them #sorrynotsorry.      

4.     As far as I can tell, there are no traffic rules at all.  People cross the street when the mood strikes them.  Bikes and vespas go down streets I thought were reserved for pedestrians.  Buses drive on roads the size of bike lanes.  I haven’t seen anyone get mortally wounded yet though, so I guess this system is working out pretty well.

5.     The coffee at every café tastes like it came from a tree in the backyard, surrounded by dancing cherubs and singing fairies.  What I’m trying to say is, it’s good.   

Evelyn is the Editor-in-Chief of the Amherst branch of Her Campus. She was a features intern at Seventeen Magazine during the summer of 2011 and a features intern at Glamour Magazine during the summer of 2013. She is a French and English major in the class of 2014 at Amherst College. She is also on Amherst's varsity squash team. She is an aspiring travel writer/novelist, and loves running, ice cream, and Jane Austen.