Last Words

Now that I am back home I can truly appreciate everything I discovered while abroad. After the VT trip I went to Paris with my friend Michelle then I went to Rome and Venice with my mom. Although there are many things I like and dislike about all the different countries here is my break down of my  favourite countries:

1. Spain

Great food, friendly people amazing sites-If you never picked up the paper you would have no clue that they have 25% unemployment! They are so happy!

2. Switzerland 

 Friendly people-great food- extreme sports... need I say more?

3.  Tie! Between Germany and London

Germany had really friendly people, were really efficient and  loved to have a good time!

London obviously speaks English, the city is very cosmopolitan  and historical. The people are friendly!

4.  Amsterdam

  Cool canals, interesting architecture and the Heineken factory. The people know how to have fun but the Red Light District is a little sketchy in my opinion. 

5. Italy

Great history, beautiful sites but many didn't seem to like Americans... catered more towards men.

6. France

I feel like a traitor since I spent half of my summer here! - But the reason why I gave France the last slot was because of their extreme hostility towards Americans. I know there are unfriendly people in every country- but with the exception of maybe two Frenchmen every one was snobby, rude and hostile. They are under the delusion that Napoleon still rules the world and they are untouchable- Wake up call! He's long gone so you can drop the 'tude.  On the bright side, they have good food and many great historical attractions! Especially in Paris. 

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Old Amsterdam architecture

    When we first arrived in Amsterdam I knew that  it would be a unique city.  Me and three of my friends had a private room in a hostel called Melvana. It was really nice to  have everyone stay nearby to enjoy the last weekend together. Once we got settled in we explored around town and ate at a pizza place.  We then went to the edge of the red light district and went to hostel bars where we saw some women in windows. I didnt know until then but the prostitution is a career in the Netherlands. they get a salary and government benefits as well. I also noticed that Amsterdam was extremely liberal in terms of sex and drugs because of the prostitution, nudity and legal marijuana.  For example you can go into a cafe and order a joint of a gram of weed for 7-10 euros and smoke wherever- very different from the US.  The next day we  had breakfast at a small Holland joint where they pride themselves on pancakes. I was feeling a little adventurous so I ordered one of the savoury pancakes with ham and pineapple. To my surprise it was really good! After we all went on the boat tours. There are three lines that go through different parts of Amsterdam. Since canals run through virtually every important part of Amsterdam, you can buy a one day pass and see all of Amsterdam  boatside. On the boat ride we saw the Ann Frank house,  The West Indian Trade Company boat, the famous Windmill,  Old traditional Holland architecture and various other historical sites. After the boat ride we went back to the hostel took a nap and started to get ready for our night out. That night it was my friends Kathryn and Becca's birthdays so we all went to a small Italian restaurant and then to a disco club outside the red light district. It was a lot of fun because they played all American rapp music.

Heineken Factory

Girls on boat ride

West Indian Trading Company boat

Famous Windmill

      The next day we slept in a little bit  and went to the Heineken factory. The  Heineken factory was probably my favourite part about Amsterdam. In the factory they showed you the ingredients they use to make the beer, the process to make it and even how to  properly pour and taste a beer.  That took up most of out day so after my friend Michelle and I  went to The Hard Rock Cafe... much needed American food. After dinner we all got changed and then went back to the bars outside the red light district and said our goodbyes. We retired kind of early because of our long travels ahead.

Munich, Germany

Regulars at the Hofbrauhaus

    Munich was by far my favourite German city. It was probably a mix of the Bavarian culture and the large amount of good food and spirits that made it take the number one seat.  Munich was a longer train ride considering it is in the southwest side of Germany opposite of Munster. Upon arrival my friends and I checked in to EuroYouth Hostel. The staff were incredibly friendly, the rooms were clean and there was a bar downstairs- score. After we checked in we all went to the English gardens to watch the outside viewing of Germany Versus Spain  soccer game where Germany lost. But on the Bright side there were outdoor bars where they served German beer called Radler (which is  mixed with lemonade) in traditional large one liter beer mugs along with large pretzels and bratwurst.  After a night of pretzels and beer we all went back to the hostel.

The next morning we woke up early to see the nearby concentration camp Dachau. This was a really sad experience but it was something everyone should see at one point in their life.  You never realize how bad the Holocaust was until you see the concentration camp for yourself.  

Huge Pretzel!

After the concentration camp we set out to see the Hofbrauhaus. At the Hofbrauhaus there were servers  dressed in traditional Bulvarian garments serving beer and traditional Bavarian food. I got a liter of Radler and cheese spetzel with fried onion on top.. Yumm. Aside from the good food and beer it was interesting to see staff play traditional beer garden music and watch locals come in for their daily beer.  We learned that if you are a regular and a Hofbrauhaus member they keep your personal stein in the back and allow you to fill up your beer in the back kegs.  It was really funny because we saw old men dressed up in traditional garments  all come to the Hofbrauhaus fill up their personal steins and chat – quite hilarious. After  we finished eating we all brought  beer glasses and steins at the giftshop then headed over to the Oktoberfest museum across the street where we learned a little more about the history of the Oktoberfest and then got beer in their downstairs bar.  The beer and heavy food really got to us so we all took naps and then headed out to bars near our hostel.

Neuschwanstein

The next day me and a few of my other friends really wanted to go see the German Castle Neuschwanstein, which is the elaborate castle which Walt Disney used as his model for the infamous Disney World Castle and logo.  However, It was a pretty miserable ride there. We were in an overpacked  unairconditioned train for two hours in 95 degree weather… so basically we were all sweating like pigs.

Friends outside Neuschwanstein

  When we got to this small Bavarian town we had a great traditional lunch. I got pork in a savoury gravy with potatoes, fried onion and bacon on top…. Great breakfast after you had a few beers the night before.  We  then took a carriage ride to the top of the hill  where Neuschwanstein was. We got a few great pictures then returned down to catch  the train back to Munich. When we returned to Munich we showered and then went to dinner at a local pizza place.  After we went to the Hard Rock Café and got drinks and then went to a local bar/ disco called Salsadios which had a latin vibe to it.  After a fun day we retired at our hostel.

 Before we left out train for home my friends and I checked out the English gardens which is a central hangout location for locals. There are people swimming  tanning and having picnics riverside- so the atmosphere was very quaint. Overall I really enjoyed Munich ...I feel I got the most German culture from this weekend.

Berlin, Germany

Brandenburg Gate 

After a long week of classes and work in Munster I was definitely looking forward to seeing the city of Berlin.  Our train ride was about four hours and as soon as we got in we went to a local bar called White Trash.  My friends and I all enjoyed this bar in particular because they played all American old school music like Greece, and  The Beatles.  We returned back to our hostel, which was Wombats, which was my favourite hostel of all Europe. The hostel was extremely clean and the environment was very friendly and welcoming. Our first day there we went to The main city centre to see the main government buildings and surrounding areas such as the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building. Later that night we watched the German soccer game at White Trash and had American food(much needed). I was extremely tired so I went back to Wombats fairly early and crashed.

Berlin Wall: East Side

Friends and I in front of the Reichstag Building 

The next morning we went and got lunch at a small cafe and  then went to the East side of the Berlin Wall which was a really moving experience.  I decided to head back to Munster after the Berlin Wall because I was tired  and had a ton of BIT and accounting homework to do.  Although Berlin was short lived I really enjoyed learning about the history of the city and experiencing different aspects of Germany there!

London, England

London Tower & Bridge

London England was by far one of my favorite locations.  I traveled to London alone because I was meeting my dad and brother on their way home from Ireland. One of the things I like about London was its rich history.  After I arrived to our hotel, the London Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel  I relaxed before my  dad and brother arrived. We walked around town and took it easy. We went to get a beer at a nearby pub then ate dinner at the steakhouse attached to our hotel which was really nice.

Royal Family. Queen in Yellow,
Kate Middleton in Light Blue

The second day by far was my favourite. We first went to brunch in an additional restaurant attached to out hotel and it was delicious. After- we figured we should head to the main part of the city around Buckingham Palace. I hit a really great weekend because right as we arrived there was a formal ceremony honouring the Queen and her birthday. These events are only held a few times a year like  her birthday, the jubilee of the monarchy- so it was really lucky and exciting to catch this celebration. There was the royal guard, band, horse and carriage company, cannon salute, over head fly over and the Queen and the Royal Family made an appearance on the balcony. I was extremely excited because Kate Middleton is one of my favourite celebrities- So her, Prince Harry, Will & Charles were on the Balcony with the Queen. That was enough to make my trip because it was such an elaborate ceremony and I got to see  in person the whole royal family. After the celebration at  Buckingham Palace we went towards the London Eye, which is a famous ferracewheel that looks over London. The line was long, so we didn’t end up getting on the actual Eye, but since we were in the general area we walked past the London Tower, The London Bridge, and  then we took a tour of Westminster Abby. Westminster Abby was absolutely mind blowing. So many people I have read about in History is buried in that Abby, for example Queen Elizabeth I, Henry VII, in addition to famous poets.  It is also the place where all of the English Monarchs have been crowned and they have the original crowning chair preserved inside the chapel. Westminster is also the place where  many famous funerals and Weddings have taken place. For example Will and Kate’s Wedding last April,  in addition to Princess Diana’s funeral and Wedding. Westminster Abby also has many medieval  history so it was really cool that they have been able to preserve that from  hundreds of years ago.

Royal Parade

Royal Parade

Westminster Abby

After Westminster we went to Harrods which is a famous luxury store. Its six stories high- they have everything from designer women's clothes to its private wine cellar and everything in between.  At night we meet up with my dad’s old college friend Leo and his family,  who currently live in London. We ate at a fancy Italian restaurant that makes fresh pasta and it was phenomenal. It was a great place to people watch as well since this food attracts a very aristocratic crowd. We then went to a music concert where Leo’s wife sang in a choir that played old English folk and royal triumph songs.

Me at afternoon Tea!

The next morning we all went to try breakfast at the nearby four seasons hotel which was two thumbs up. After we walked around the city a little more. I got packed and then one of my FAVOURITE  parts was getting tea at 2pm at my hotel. The hotel is infamous for its daily tea time. I was served this orange tea and a variety of scones, pastries, sandwiches and fruit all on a huge tea tower like you’d see in the movies. Overall London was definitely one, if not the top of my favourite cities. I would love to move there and work one day! It was also a plus being able to speak English to everyone!

Munster Germany

Cathedral With Cages

When we arrived to Munster to begin the second month segment of our study abroad program I was extremely excited. The first day The University of  Munster had a welcome tour  where some of the host students   made us buy beer and conducted a scavenger hunt around town. After  the scavenger hunt they showed  us how to play drinking games on a field by the lake (classy). For dinner most of the students went to the local pubs to watch the  Germany versus Portugal game. This year Germany has a real good team and has won every game since Ive been here.  Obviously they won- and after the game everyone was running  around in the streets yelling “Duetchsland YAH!” and waving flags and honking horns… it was quite a site.  

Palace/ Main building of the University of Munster

On Sunday there was a guided tour that  explained to us the historical significance of the town and the buildings in it. Apparently Muster was a huge area of conflict during the Protestant/Catholic War movement. The main cathedral in Munster has three cages in the  top of the bell tower  which was used to display the  dead bodies of  those who went against the Church.  A lot of Munster has been rebuilt because of the damage from WWII – but it still  contains a historical charm and quaintness about it.  

The following Monday I began all my classes. I am currently taking BIT 2406 and Intermediate Accounting 3115. With those two classes I have a huge workload and am not able  to go out during the week days. In between I have German Language class which teaches us basic phrases and sentences.  In all, Im in class from 8 am to 4pm everyday with a 45 minute lunch break. School has been hard, but aside from that, Ive really enjoyed the city. The University of Munster is extremely welcoming and helpful to the Virginia Tech group. Most of the students are bi-lingual and can speak fluent English…. so its really easy to get around and communicate with people. The only trouble comes when your reading a menu! Haha. I hate to say it, but in my book Munster blows Dijon out of the water. Munster is by far my favourite and I am extremely excited for the next month to come!

Do you Expect any less?
<3 Starbucks

On side note... or should I say food note... the german food that I have tried consists of zuchini cakes, Bratwurst with musturd, amazing pretzels,  spetzel casserole with various cheeses, Pork on a kaisar roll with spicy musturd, and french fries with Tzaziki sauce.  I also was pleased to find not one... but TWO Starbucks!  Dangerous!!!!! :)

Last Words on Dijon

Town Corner Where I was dropped off at the bus

Its really crazy how fast a month has gone. Since my last post Ive grown to appreciate  the  French culture  alot more.  We had a very nice farewell dinner that had a four course French meal. My favourite part about France has been our culture teacher Jessica. For a week she enlightened us about French culture.- it was also interesting to listen to her experiences since she grew up in America then stayed in France after studying abroad. The last day of culture class we had a cheese tasting which was really cool. Although France was fun and interesting I am really excited to experience Germany!

First Course: Salmon

                                                                                         

                      3rd Course: Chicken and/or Turkey leg with palenta.

 Weekend 3:

Nice, France

Beach in Antibes

Boats at Dock in Antibes

        Nice was a very low key weekend.  Travelling and school had tired many of us down so we were all looking forward to a low key beach weekend. The bus ride to Nice was around 8 hours. It went by fairly quickly with frequent naps and friends to talk to during the ride. When we arrived there it was pretty late and out hostel was very questionable. The room I stayed in fit 8 people  was outside in a corner and the door didn’t lock. Luckily I was in a room with 5 of my friends from the tech group.  Some of my friends went to a near by pub and got a drink. We then went to a club nearby called Godess… I wont go into detail – but lets just say it was a very interesting and  uncomfortable experience.

Buildings Beachside in Antibes

The next day my friends and I woke up early and got breakfast at a nearby outdoor café. I got a vegetable omelet which was really good. We then took the train and headed to Antibes which is a famous beautiful  beach next to Nice.  The weather was very overcast, but we decided to head to the beach anyways. We got to the beach swam for a bit and sat in the sand. I feel asleep on the beach for a good two hours… gotta love cat naps!  We then went on the shorside town and got lunch at an Irish pub which was great! I ordered a cheeseburger (which was delicious) and a snakebite which  is a typical lager/cider half and half beer they serve at all Irish pubs. After lunch we went back to Nice and our hostel.  After showering we all hung out in our hostel and then went out to a local club. The club was really cool and had a live band that sang all American / British Pop music. After the club me and a few of my friends went to the beach at night which was beautiful and quaint.  The beach was a perfect end to the weekend. The next morning we had a quick breakfast and then headed back on the bus for our return to Dijon. I wish we had more time in Nice, but with the long bus ride we had a very short, but sweet trip. The beach is definitely something I miss since being in Europe! 

View From Hostel

Group in Hostel

Weekend 2

Interlaken Switzerland

Balmers Hostel

Interlaken was one of the most thrilling trips I have ever taken. Aside from the breathe taking views, I was able to do extreme sports … something I would never normally do.   We were lucky to stay in the most famous hostel of all Europe called Balmers-  this hostel catered to young travellers like our tech group… amenities included an underground night club and bar, a beer garden, clean rooms and showers, a dinning facility, Internet lounges and central location to nearby attractions all for a  low price of 30 euros per night.  After settling into our rooms, Some of the students, one of our professors and I went to a nearby lake.  We played beach volleyball alongside the lake then jumped into the freezing cold lake afterwards. Call us crazy… but when would we ever be swimming in fresh  Alp mountain water again? It had to be done. After drying off  from the nearly freezing mountain water we went back to the bus stop where wed been dropped off. Come to find out that the bus stopped running after 5 pm and since it was 6 we needed to walk back. The walk wasn’t bad because we got to see beautiful mountain and river views. It was all pure nature- absolutely breathe taking. We finally made it back to town and stopped by an Italian restaurant.  The food was very impressive and I got a pizza with vegetables on it. Yummy!  :) We then walked back to Balmers and retired for the night.

Me Paragliding Mid-air

My Canyoning Group

The next day I was up bright and early for canyoning.  I didn’t know much about canyoning but I was in for a surprise. With the help of two guides, me and a few of my classmates hiked a huge mountain and came back down the mountain by jumping into waterfalls, swimming down white water rapids and  rock climbing down cliffs.  Although it was terrifying It was the most fun Ive had in a long time. At the end of our trip the instructors  brought us back to the gear shop, gave us free beers and showed us some of the photo and video footage from the excursion which was quite funny. After canyoning we shopped around Interlaken. I found a really nice chocolate shop and purchased chocolate for my family. We then went back to Balmers, ate at a nearby pizza shop and took a shower.  The beer garden attached to the hostel had a by one get one free happy hour on all beer. My friends and I were there and then continued happy hour at the “Metro’  which is Balmer’s underground bar and nightclub.   We ended the night dancing to techno and mostly American music, which was a fun reminder of back home.

View From Top of Hill with Free roaming Cows

My friend Kathryn at the Beer Garden

The next morning I was up early to go paragliding. Again my friends and I went as a group with different instructors up a really high hill  to set up and paraglide.  My instructor  was a guy named Drew and he showed me all the features of the parachute and how we would take off.  We got into the air by running off the edge of a hill until the wind picked up our parachute. Once in the air, I got to see the most amazing views of Switzerland.  Drew then started to do tricks, like spins and instant drops  which were really scary and fun. We finally landed safely and I have to say that was  easily one of the coolest things Ive ever done in my life. After paragliding the group went into town in search of some authentic Swiss food before we headed back to Dijon.  Luckily we found a small whole in the wall place that served this amazing dish called Rousti, which is similar to a harshbrown dish.  It is baked with cheese, egg and greasy goodness. Worth every bite :)  After our brunch  I picked up some Swiss army knives for my brothers,. We then had to pack and board the bus back to Dijon.  Interlaken was by far my favourite weekend trip. Its one I’ll never forget! 

   Weekend Trip One: Barcelona, Spain


Barcelona was quite an adventure.  Me and my friend Michelle went solo to this tourist city and found ourselves in many interesting situations. Unfortunately the weather was really crappy/ cold so we weren't able to experience the beaches-  however there was so much to see!  To start off Michelle (love you) booked  our hostel for June 17th instead of May 17th so we were homeless at one point  in time. Our flight got in late  on Thursday so we  decided to go to the only place we had directions to and hope for the best. Our hostel was  called Pension Segre and I have to say it was pretty ghetto! Me and Michelle  got a room with two twin beds the first night and to my dismay, I found what appeared to be bug shells and bodily fluid stains on my bed sheets.... Disgusted, I refused to sleep in my twin bed and Michelle was nice enough to let me squeeze into her bed for the night. The second night we got a room that was the size of Harry Potter's broom staircase closet (literally) and we had to share a bed again. The third night, the owner  (of questionable character might I add) convinced us because of the trouble, he would get us the best private room in the hostel for free- 60 euro later we got the room, obviously not free. It was alot nicer though,  we had a Queen bed, our own bathroom and balcony that looked into the streets so we were content with our room. It wasn't located in the safest area and at night we would hear foreign people screaming at eachother... like I said ... quite and adventure

                                                         Sketchy Hostel

On a brighter note, the city was absolutely beautiful. The first day me and Michelle went  to the famous Catedral  de Barcelona which is famous for its elaborate gothic architecture. We then got tapas at this cute outdoor cafe near the Cathedral. Tapas in Spain are small dishes that are meant to share. My favorite was called patats bravas which is basically roasted poatatoes with a creamy spicy sauce! so good!  On a food note people in Spain are  crazy i mean CRAZY about Ham. every block there are atleast 3 or 4 shops called  Museo del Jamon- They take pride in their ham and claim its the best anywhere.  After it was free admission day for meusams. Me and Michelle went to a mesueam attached to Catedral de Barcelona which displayed the the wardrobes and lifestyles of the royalty who influenced and erected the cathedral.  The area surrounding the Cathedral is really nice so we then  shopped around and went to dinner. We took it easy since we were exhausted from traveling and our gross bed deliemma the night before. So we went to a bar near the hostel had a drink and relaxed.

                                                      Catedral de Barcelona

The second day was alot more jam packed. We first woke up and had breakfeast at a nearby cafe and then headed towards the the main plaza area. On our way we passed by a flee market where small vendors sold hand crafted jewlery, leather items, toys, t-shirts and other like items. Michelle got a Spanish leather purse and wallet and I got a really cool looking necklace and ring for only 10 euro.  After the Market Michelle and I went to the History Meuseam of Barcelona- in it, explains the orgins of the city and its relation to the Roman Empire, Iberians  and its progression through the centuries. The coolest part were the Roman ruins  that lie beneath the meseam. On the bottom floor are ruins of a Roman town- the meseam has these small bridges that walk over the ruins and explains piece by piece the relevance of what appears to be shambles of old stone and rock. It breaks down the the town from the wine making room, to the baths, to the fish shop. After that, we headed towards the famous Picasso Mesuem. In the mesuem is a large collection of Picasso's work and categorizies the work into time periods and explains his stage of life at the time that the drawings were produced. We then headed to dinner at a really cool place called Cuines de Santa Caterina. This place was a fresh market but has a resturant and outside seating. Michelle and I ordered Tapas again this time encorporating seafood. Barcelona is famous for its seafood so I had grilled calamari with a little lemon juice! Soo good!
After dinner we went to the peer. The peer was full of young and old alike and had small ice cream kiosks  along with a outside resturant right on the peer.  I liked the peer because I got to hardcore people watch and I noticed something; despite the insanely high unemployment rate, everyone seemed genuinely happy. Everyone was laughing and enjoying the sunset at the peer and as I  think more about it, everyone I talked to in spain was so nice! Although my Spanish is very elementry, they always helped with directions, tried to start conversation or just flashed a smile. Hey, its the simple things that add up! :)  I found this very interesting and very admirable.

                     
                                          The peer es Muy Bonita! :)

                                                     Me at the Peer!

 Our Tour Bus 

On the third day we had an early start. Like France most everything was closed Sunday, so we got breakfeast at a small bakery and headed towards the main plaza. At the Plaza we decided to take a bus tour which was 25 euros, but worth every penny!  On it, they took us by the olympic stadium,  historical Palaces, famous plazas & modern parts of town that is famous for its architechture! We then went to lunch at a really cool seafood place Michelle got this really cool mussel shrimp and rice dish that looked amazing- I stuck to tapas but I was regreting my order once I saw her fun looking dish! We shortly headed to the airport and returned to France.

Although BARCELONA WAS AWESOME! I have to say this next adventure was bar far the most unforgettable/ most spontaneous thing I have ever done. Upon arriving at the airport me and Michelle knew we needed to catch an 830 train or else we were stuck in Paris for a night and would miss Monday's classes. The taxi was apparently going to be atleast 40 minutes (without traffic) and we landed at 7:15... desperate for time we run to the arrrival/ taxi area in hopes of finding a taxi that would be convinced to crazily speed or have some magical way of getting us to the train station in time.  Now, Im not sure If you ever have seen the movie  "Taken",  when human trafficers  pick up American girls at the airport … But I was extremely skeptical when two men in leather jackets and chic jeans approached us offering us a motorcylce ride to the train station. Michelle (again I love you) was hastily naïve and agreed for us to both go on their motorcycle- hoping we would make it there in time. Scared out of my mind and put on the spot, I agreed. I rode of the back of this motorcycle while the man blared techno music and veered on the white line between lanes the whole time. ( we actually hit side view mirrors -twice). Finally, we arrived to the airport with time to spare. I felt really bad for being mean and passive aggressive to these two men- but come to find out they are actually a business and we paid them for the ride.  That was probably one of the craziest things I’ve done…Good thing I survived :)

All in all, Barcelona was a roller coaster. I got the opportunity to see a lot of great things, learn a ton of history and brush up on some Spanish! :) Id love to return there in the future because there is so much more to see!