Europe 2017

When I was growing up, my mom would tell me her stories of backpacking around Europe with her best friend in college. It sounded so adventurous, full of new foods, interesting people, and historic places. I quickly decided that I would do the same thing one day. This past summer, I followed through.

For about three weeks, two of my best friends from high school and I backpacked around eastern Europe. This trip was my baby, the result of many months of research, googling, and budgeting. I knew that my parents and my friends’ parents would not be too thrilled with the idea of three 19-year-olds trekking through Europe, so I felt compelled to create a thorough outline and budget before I even proposed to idea to anyone. It worked brilliantly—the adults were impressed with the plan and my friends were excited to have the opportunity to travel for so cheap. On New Year’s Eve of 2016, we pulled the trigger and bought the plane tickets.

Fast-forward to May 15th, 2017. My friends and I were sitting in Port Columbus, enthusiastic but also anxious that we may have just embarked on something too complex and mystifying for teenagers. The long plane ride was filled with “what-ifs” and endless thoughts of everything that could possibly go wrong. Sometimes I don’t even feel like I understand my peers, how could I understand people who spoke Hungarian or Czech? I have a hard time using public transportation in Columbus, how would I figure out the intricate train system in Berlin?

We landed in Stockholm, exhausted and ready to see the city. We were thrown back into the world of tourism and adventure, and I was pleasantly surprised that my research and planning had prepared us better than I could have hoped. Throughout the 5 countries, we really only ran into one problem—pick-pockets in Berlin. We learned our lesson, and the damage was by no means detrimental (15 euros), so we put it in the win column and moved on.

I learned much more than I expected to on this trip. Of course, I learned the typical, cliché things—different nationalities have a lot in common, people are kind if you get to know them, humans generally want to help you, etc., etc. I also gained a new perspective on global issues, such as German politics and the Austrian environment. Most importantly, however, I learned a lot about myself. I learned that I am more capable than I give myself credit for. I follow through on things that I set my mind to, and I am systematic when doing so. I also gained quite a bit of self-confidence. I survived on another continent for three whole weeks without any parental supervision or intervention. I managed to take care of myself and my friends. I was able to pay for everything on my own with money I had saved from working. This trip was the most independent and alone that I have ever been, and I loved every minute.