Reflections

While I have enjoyed traveling since I was very young (my grandmother took me to upstate New York with her every summer in the early 1980s) the study abroad program in Europe this summer was my first experience traveling alone. I felt nervous flying and taking trains across the country by myself, and perhaps rightfully so. Between experiencing rerouted flights, lost luggage, and trains with technical difficulties all in a country where I didn't speak the language, I pretty much feel like a travel mishap expert now.

But the pinnacle of my solo travel adventures definitely took place on the island of Norderney. Because I am no cyclist, I was left to wander the island on my own while the rest of the group took a bicycle tour. Although I felt a little nervous about being lost and alone in a place I'd never been before, those few hours by myself on the island left me feeling more independent and secure than I have ever felt before.

Although finding my way across a tiny island with a map and a shoreline to follow was not so difficult a task, it prepared me for navigating the streets of Amsterdam all on my own. And independently exploring Amsterdam left me feeling ready to find my way around Basel when I arrived three hours before the rest of the group.

Overall, this trip was so good for me. Not only do I feel like a more seasoned traveler, but I got to experience many cities, culture, and history in a way I could not have on a normal vacation. Add on top of the educational experiences my free time at WGT and visiting Oktober in Amsterdam, and the study abroad program was one hell of a trip. I would sign up to go again next year in a heart beat, if the school would let me. :)