When in Rome

It’s hard to believe that in just over a month I will be journeying back to the United States. Although I feel like I have been in Austria for a long time it also feels like just yesterday I was getting on the plane to Austria. My time here has been eye opening and everyday I feel myself being challenged by cultural differences. I think part of me thought I was already pretty accepting of differences. I had always talked that way but while in Europe I find myself constantly wishing for the United States and rejecting some of the culture in Europe. Although I feel like I’m doing a better job of adapting then when I first got here I of course have plenty of room to grow.

Over this past week I did not have class so I took a trip to Italy with my friend from Turkey. We went to 4 cities in 5 days. Although it was doable I am completely exhausted after my travels. I started off my journey by taking my first ever night train from Linz to Venice. I didn’t get much sleep on the train but the time did seem to go by pretty fast. We arrived in Venice at 8:30 in the morning and all I wanted to do was eat some food and find a bet. Due to the limited time and the cities we wanted to see we were only in Venice for the day. Luckily, with the right plan and motivation seeing a lot of Venice in one day is completely double. 

enjoying the canals

The canals are absolutely beautiful and getting lost in the small streets is very peaceful. If you go to Venice I do suggest doing the water taxi especially if you don’t like walking. Navigating the streets of Venice can be very confusing even with a map. There are many small ones that dead end and finding your way around can be difficult. My friend and I didn’t use the water taxies. For one, they were not running because of a rowboat event, and secondly we were trying to save money any way we could! Needless to say we took the wrong turn often but, honestly it was okay because it would lead us a way from the really touristy areas and into peaceful streets. The day in Venice was great; we had great weather, great pizza, and great gelato. The sights were beautiful, and we left more tired than we came with sore backs from carrying our bags and worn shoes from all the walking.

In order to have the most efficient trip ever we took a night bus from Venice to Rome. I know crazy right two days with no bed, shower, or privacy! The night bus was not bad but I arrived in Rome at 6 am and if any of you have seen me sleep deprived you know I turn into a 5 year old when I have not had enough sleep. Luckily the friend I was traveling with was patient with me and we found food and Wi-Fi before embarking into Rome.

hope my wish comes true

 Our first stop in Rome was the Vatican. After figuring out the Roman metro system we reached our destination and got into line. Now if I had had a little more sleep and done a little more research on getting into the Vatican I would of just stayed in the line I was in and gotten into the Vatican without problem. The key is to get there early before the lines. This was not the case; my friend and I were persuaded into taking a guided tour through the Vatican and the Basilica. We probably paid double the amount we normally would but my brain was not fully functioning so you live and you learn. The Vatican museum was very impressive; I especially loved the hall of maps. Knowing my dads love for maps I wanted nothing more than him to be there with me boring me with his knowledge of them. I would of enjoyed to have been “bored” with map knowledge. After the Vatican Museum we ventured into the Sistine Chapel. The chapel was beautiful but in my honest opinion it was anti climatic. Yes the portraits were beautifully painted but I have seen much more impressive churches and chapels in my time in Europe. In fact right after the chapel we entered into St Peters Basilica which I found much more impressive with the enormously high ceilings and extravagant architecture. After the time in the Vatican we made our way to my favorite meal of the trip. 

At Piazza Venezia 

We went to a restaurant not far from the Vatican so yes it was a tourist spot but I had the best pizza there. After the Vatican we made our way to our first hostel, Mr. Rome. The hostel was nice set up an old historical apartment about a 15-minute walk from the coliseum. Although we only had two days in Rome we thought it both necessary to take a short nap before journeying back into the city. 

It's even better on the inside

The next day and a half in Rome was spent walking between all the landmarks and sights. Our feet were tired but our hearts full. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you are standing face to face with buildings and historical places you have spent your whole life learning about and seeing in films. It’s a feeling that I will absolutely never get over. Walking the streets of Rome and visiting places like the Coliseum and Trevi Fountain is such an unreal feeling. The old buildings in Rome are huge the Romans built building as if they were gods. Which they kind of thought they were. Overall Rome was beautiful and the weather while we were there was fantastic. 

In Florence

On the fourth morning we journeyed from Rome to Florence. My only knowledge of Florence before going was what my cousin Jenny has told me. In fact she gave me an entire itinerary for my day in Florence. If you ever need to know what to do in a city ask my cousin if she has been because she gives great recommendations on attractions and restaurants! In Florence we went to the leather market where I indulged myself and bought a purse, I couldn’t resist. We saw the Duomo, which unlike most churches I have visited; outside architecture was more impressive than the inside. 

Watching the sunset over Florence

By far though my favorite part was watching the sunset over the city of Florence from Michelangelo Plaza. We were probably there for two hours. We wanted to see the view in the daytime so we got there just before sunset, watched the sunset and then waited for the night to come to life. Watching the sunset over the city was very peaceful and I couldn’t help feeling super content with not only my time in Italy but also my time in Europe. I feel more than ready to face the so-called “real” world now after my time here. I feel more mature, less nervous about others thoughts about me, and ready to make a difference in the world no matter how small. I would have been completely happy to watch the sunset over Florence for the rest of my life. Unfortunately our time in Florence came to an end and our time in Italy soon followed. Our last day in Italy mirrored the way I felt. 

Standing with Juliet

For our last day we visited the city of Verona the setting for William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet. The weather, having been so wonderful the entire trip was the worst. It rained the entire day and was very cold. The city of Verona was very beautiful, peaceful and romantic and I’m sure I would have enjoyed it the most if I hadn’t been cold and wet all day.  We were able to go to Juliet’s balcony but unfortunately due to the rain I was not able to write my letter to Juliet. I’ll just have to come back, next time hopefully with my very own Romeo.  Italy was wonderful, with the best food I have eaten in Europe and more gelato than a girl could ever want. I don’t think I have ever been more exhausted than the time I spent in Italy and upon entering the night train back to Linz I was more than ready to be back in my dorm bed. Little did I know my Italian adventure was not yet over. 

We now enter into the tale of the great train robbery. A thrilling tale about a young mid-western girl who travels upon the night train from Venice to Linz with little thought in her mind besides her wonderful time spent in Italian cities. The night started like any other, the girl found her way to her seat. Met her very nice companions from the Philippines who were interested about her time so far in Europe. As the night continued on, the girl grew sleepier and sleepier until she could no longer keep her eyes open. At first knowing the dangers of the train she clutched onto her purse as she slept but, alas in the night she slowly took the strap off from around her body because it was chocking her. Farther into the night the bag fell to the floor. Seeing as she was at the back of the compartment and her new friends legs blocked the door she thought little of it and fell back asleep. When she awoke 30 minutes from home she was struck with panic as her purse had gone missing. As she freaked out about her lost passport, money, kindle, and id her new friends from the Philippines calmed her down and found the authorities. The authorities found the bag in the near by bathroom and to her utter relief the only thing missing was 25 euros and some American dollars. Lucky for the mid-western girl her newfound friends were generous beyond belief and offered her some money to use to buy breakfast when she reached Linz. After her tears had dried and she realized how lucky she was she accepted the gift and returned safely back to the city of Linz. The End. 

I think I was most embarrassed about my misfortune because I knew the dangers of thieves and pickpockets on the trains. I’m so grateful for my new friends from the Philippines who took pity on a mid-western girl. 

standing just outside the ice cave

After my journey through Italy, I am beyond ready to spend more time in nature because I am not a city person and for the last 4 months that is all I have seen. I did get a taste of nature this past Sunday when I journeyed to Werfen a small village near Salzburg where I visited the largest Ice cave in the world. We were able to eat lunch with a beautiful view of the Alps. That day I also walked the equivalent of 96 flights of stairs, and after walking five days straight in Italy my legs were shaking by the end of the day. I hope that my last month in Europe can be spent with more time enjoying the beautiful nature and scenery of Austria. I am excited to journey once again back home the United States but I will cherish every last moment that I have in Europe. In the words of Saint Augustine, 

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”

Love, Alex

"Little Me Back from Paris"

Eiffel Towers and Greek Signs

It's hard to believe that in less than two months I will be leaving Austria and heading back to the states. As my time continues in Europe, I continue to be enlightened by different cultures while learning more about my self. I apologize for not writing in a while I have been busy with traveling as well as my school work. Contrary to popular belief I do go to school! I know it's hard to believe. Since I last wrote, I have taken two trips one to Stuttgart Germany and the other to Paris. As many of my friends and family know I am part German on my mother's side. We have been fortunate enough to stay in touch with some relatives who still live in Germany. I had the opportunity to go visit them a couple of weekends ago. My journey to Stuttgart included a 5 hour train ride, lucky for me the ride was very scenic! Once arriving in Stuttgart, I attempted to only speak in German the entire time with my family. I now have so much more respect for all of my international friends who speak in only english to me. It is so hard to fully express what you mean when you are speaking in another language! My family assured me that my German was not that bad, I don't know if I believe them fully. My time in Stuttgart was super great and I am beyond grateful for the hospitality of my very distant family. Although it was rainy and a little cold, I enjoyed the city of Stuttgart as well as the Porsche museum I visited. 

City Center in Lille

Like life, studying abroad is made great through connections. One of the ways to make studying abroad great is to find friends who are studying abroad the same time as you but, in different countries! Over this past weekend I had the opportunity to visit my friend from Truman State who studied in France this past semester. After a train, plane, and bus ride I arrived in the town of Lille where she studies. It was great to talk to her about her experiences and talk about all our trips we have taken. It was also comforting to hear about all her struggles because I have dealt with and felt almost the same things as her. It is funny that we both studied in two pretty different countries yet experienced the same cultural differences with school and the all around culture. After spending a day in Lille we got up super early and took a 2 hour bus to Paris! 

I loved the tree line streets of Paris

Paris the city of love, lights, and romance, but also tons of history. I have never been prouder of myself than my trip to Paris. The entire time there my friend and I figured out the metro system without once getting lost or with a paper map. We even found our way to Versailles which involved getting on a city train. I feel like I can master any city now after figuring out the over 12 metro lines of Paris! After we found our hostel in Paris, Jordan and I headed towards Versailles. Note to all of my Missouri friends do not accidentally pronounce Versailles like the city in Missouri. I knew the difference but upon reading the name my mind automatically reads it like the town in Missouri. 

Although the day was rainy, windy and cold Versailles was absolutely wonderful. A note to anyone who is going to study abroad. If you visit Versailles and have a visa for your time abroad you get in for free, you just go straight to the entrance there is no need to wait in a line for a ticket. We waited in a semi long line to buy a ticket only to find out that we didn't have to! 

Once inside the Palace, I was overwhelmed by the beauty and extreme detail that was put into it. All the ceilings were painted with beautiful portraits and scenery. The molding around the doors and ceiling were also very intricate. By far the best room in the palace is the room of mirrors, the ceiling has beautiful chandeliers, on one side is a wall of mirrors and on the other is a wall of windows with a view of the breathtaking gardens.
 
After exiting the Palace, we embarked into the Gardens. The palace grounds are huge! It takes a few hours just to walk across all of them. Again, I was amazed by the shear beauty of if all. I was also amazed that the royal family of France took the time and effort to set aside all of the space and build so many gardens. 

While walking in the Gardens you are surrounded by the sounds of classical music, and once they turn the fountains on it is a feeling like no other. I felt like I had been transported back in time. If I had on a huge dress and was not surrounded by people on their cell phones I would believe I actually was! I was sad to leave Versailles, but happy to get out of the cold. If ever in Paris I 100% recommend heading to Versailles its fairly easy to get to and completely worth the time and money. 

When arriving back in Paris we headed towards the Eiffel tower. I always thought of the tower as a large piece of metal and never understood the hype but, upon seeing the tower for the first time I was pretty speechless. The tower is so much greater in person it also is so much larger than I expected! We ended our first day in Paris looking at a the best view you can get of the city at Sacre-Coeur which is at the highest point of paris and also happens to be near where our hostel was. 

eating my Galette

The next day we started off at a market at the Bastille stop. If you are ever in Paris on either a Thursday or Sunday I suggest checking out this market. It is filled with food, fresh fruits, fish, and various crafts. There is a lot to look at and, it is in the heart of a neighborhood. We both ate galetts here which is like a crepe but with meats and cheeses. It was perfect! After the food and market we made our way towards Notre-Dame. 

While at Notre-Dame there was a service going on so I can partially say I went to mass at Notre-Dame. It is amazing to me to think of the amount of work that had to go into building the amazing old churches and palaces of Europe. It is something that is incomparable to the United States. The United States may of gotten it's first European inhabitants in the late 1400's but they never built churches to the scale they did in Europe. I regret to say that I was not fortunate enough to meet the Hunchback of Notre Dame but, the church outshines all previous visited churches. 

 

Paris was never a city that was high on my priority list of places to visit. I usually thought of it as to touristy, to cliche, everyone wants to go to Paris. I was pleasantly surprised by Paris. It is almost just like the movies. When you walk down the tree lined streets and look at the very buildings you can not help but be thrown into your favorite movies set in Paris. Paris is exactly like you imagine it to be with the cafes, houses, breads, and of course tourists. I feel that paris is a city that everyone should experience at least once. I also suggest to go when the trees have leaves on them.

We spent our last night of Paris at Sacre-Coeur watching the sun set over the city and Eiffel Tower. It was like something out of the movie except of course for the many street vendors and my lack of a Knight in Shining Armor. As I watched the sun set on paris and my weekend trip, I had a feeling of complete content. I also had never felt more confident in myself. I had just spent the weekend navigating a different city in a language I knew nothing about. 
Somehow had not gotten lost or at anytime felt stressed. I couldn't help but compare it to the pre trip I took to Washington DC  with my mom a month before leaving for Europe. On this trip, when arriving in the city I felt lost, confused and wanted nothing more than to find our hotel and then not leave it again until our trip to the embassy. I even refused to eat Chinese food when we were walking through China town. I refused to ask for help and relied on my mom to navigate the underground of Washington. It is amazing how much has changed in the past 3 months. 

Ready for my next adventure

If you asked me now to go to a strange city, ask questions, figure out the metro, and eat Chinese food in china town I would do it without problems. The funny thing is I still have just under two months left before coming back to the states, imagine how much more confident I can become in myself in just that short amount of time. I hope the US is ready for the more confident Alex who is no longer afraid to ask strangers for help! I can't wait for all the adventures I have yet to experience and am beyond excited to continue to grow as a person.  "A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions." -Oliver Wendell Holmes No truer words have ever been said. 
As Always, Love Alex