This summer, my family and I had the amazing opportunity to explore Europe. While my parents had already explored some incredible places on this continent, for my sisters and I, this was our first time ever exploring Europe and the nervous excitement we had was nothing like I have had before. Our trip took us to Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, with our final stop in Italy. Those six weeks this summer will go down as one of the best experiences I have had so far in my life.
Not only did I have an amazing time with my family, but I came back to America with a different attitude about my culture and my world. Here is just a small list of my new views and if you have done any traveling of your own, I am sure you will agree!
1) The food is amazing and healthy!
The best parts of traveling is, of course, the food. In Spain, it was the tapas (or appetizers). In Germany, it was the endless choices of potatoes. In Italy, it was obviously the pizza and gelato!
Never once did we eat a meal high in sugar or grease. I felt continuously surprised at how healthy the menus were…even the desserts would sometimes only consist of fruits and creams. If we did see a cheeseburger or a large serving of food, the menu made it clear that it was an American dish. The dish would be called “The American” or “America’s Cheeseburger”!
One day, in a coastal Italian town called Salerno, we sat down in a café where my sisters and I ordered a coffee shake. Foolishly, we expected to be served a Dunkin Donuts sized glass filled with the creamy shake, when our server each handed us a teacup size serving of our drink.
We immediately realized how silly we were and laughed at ourselves, but it was really a moment to stop and realize just how spoiled we are in the US.
We also lost some weight, which doesn’t hurt at all!
2) Not Everyone Speaks English
I can’t really defend myself when it comes to this point. While I know Spanish and some Italian, I was taking a huge leap with myself when I thought that I actually wouldn’t have to use that much Spanish or Italian.
It is true that many people, once finding out we were American, would immediately chat with in English. We did, however, have many instances where I would ask in Spanish…
“Do you speak English?”
“No, I only know Spanish.”
Then I would have to throw my brain all the way back to high school and collect all the Spanish I know, hoping I could have a decent conversation in my second language.
When it came to these situations, I loved how patient and kind everyone was with us as we struggled to form simple sentences. In a grocery store in Naples, I butchered the Italian word for “bag”, sacchetto, and the lady kindly taught me how to pronounce it correctly while scanning our items.
Speaking the country’s language is also another way of conveying your respect to the country and the people. People in Italy will automatically like you more as you attempt to say, “I would like five apples” in horrible Italian.
Learn a country’s language, even if it’s as simple as a few phrases. It goes a long way, and you never know if you will be in a situation when the only way to convey what you need is through their language.
3) Each country is unique to Europe.
I would always say to people, “I want to travel to Europe,” and never have an answer for them when they would reply, “Where in Europe do you want to go to?”
To me, Europe was Europe. In my mind, it all was the same to me. Yes, maybe each country had a different language. England, of course, would be colder than Italy. Once I actually went, I could understand why this idea was totally wrong.
First of all, I did not realize how having a different language in each country would make each one stand out. In Spain, we easily got used to the sounds of the quick language and even had to use Spanish once we got to the Northern coast.
Once our flight landed in Geneva, Switzerland, we were not ready for the new sounds of French surrounding us. Perhaps we were too used to the idea that when you travel for three hours in the US, people are still speaking English.
Another example of the countries’ differences was the landscapes. Spain completely reminded me of the American west. Much of the open space was desert and the weather felt like the Californian hot summers. Once we arrived in Switzerland and Austria, the beautiful Alps blew us away with their height and snowcapped peaks.
It was hard to believe that just a few hours before we were in hot and dry climates.
4) Europeans Love Life
This is not to say that Americans don’t love life. Quite the contrary, one of our greatest reputations is that we are incredibly loud and social beings.
What I mean by this is that Europeans take extra time to really enjoy nature and their families than we do.
Each time we were at a restaurant, everyone really took their time to enjoy their meals and talk with their friends. At one point, even we decided to sit in a restaurant for two hours while waiting for our apartment host to meet us and not once were we asked to leave.
We also saw so much effort put into their nature and wildlife. We hardly saw any litter and everyone showed a profound respect for the parks and animals that resided in their cities in towns.
It made me really realize how intense we are in the US. We are constantly on the move and have places to go. Our motto about life seems to be “work hard, so you can make money and score big,” and while this is a powerful motto to uphold, it does not help us stop to look around at what really makes life worth living.
5) Europe is Amazing and I Have to Go Back
Europe is a rich continent, full of history that surpasses any type of history we would see in the US. Our trip opened our minds to so many cultures and made us fall in love with amazing countries.
With all the time we had, we still could not see all of it. If my trip taught me anything, it taught me that traveling takes effort and flexibility, but it is so worth all the hassle that is put into it.
I am looking forward to going back. Hopefully, to a new country I have not had the pleasure to visit, so I can learn all I can about what makes this place home to so many people.