By bbarfiel
Wow, the time has truly flew by! However, I want to take the time to appreciate this experience for all the lessons that it has taught me. Reflecting back on my semester, there have been numerous adventures, challenges and obstacles that I have conquered. I’ve written about some of those in my previous post..but this one is different.
The moment when things started to click for me abroad is during my midterm exam week was during the 13 day “vacation”. Me and three other friends decided to spend our break traveling through Prague, Berlin, and Budapest. Our choice to travel through Central/Eastern Europe is one that I will forever cherish. When we first arrived in Prague, I was shocked on how beautiful the architecture was throughout the city. We stayed near Old Town Square, but we got a chance to see the amazing Astronomical Clock, Charles Bridge, and the Prague Castle. We made the most out of time learning about the Czech Republic by trying local foods, speaking with our hosts, and going to the historic sites.
After leaving Prague, our next stop was Berlin. We took a 5-hour bus ride through the German countryside until we arrived at the main bus station. I was amazed that a city with a strong history of communism was multicultural. Berlin is the closest thing Europe has to a New York, by far. Despite the freezing cold temperature, Berlin has a number of amazing places to visit such as the Berlin Wall, Berlin Cathedral, and Alexanderplatz. I will never forget the amazing food that I had at Hühnerhaus 36, Curry 36, and Mustafa’s Kebab. The last stop was probably my favorite for two reasons. Budapest is famous for how inexpensive it is, and the Turkish Baths. Even though we only stayed for two nights, we spent our day at two different baths, visiting the Parliament, and walking the Lions Bridge.
Finally, the true reason why this trip was special is because I got to challenge my way of thinking. I realized how small I was, relative to the world. I also realized that it’s not only important, but also necessary to know the history of other countries, people, and cultures. I now feel that I’m a global citizen. Despite the problems that remain in my home country, I have been inspired to be more aware of the issues that impact us globally.