This spring break I traveled to Europe where I found my future home. From walking around chic Parisian shops, to enjoying shots of espresso at cute outdoor cafes I got a taste of Europes true history. The old cobble stones, historic buildings, and secret gardens surrounding all of Europe looked as if it came from a movie set. Walking down every street I was in awe, having to keep reminding myself that this was real. The simplistic lifestyle here was so mesmerizing. In Europe, all the locals need in life is their coffee, cigarettes, and the daily newspaper. This was a life I have never seen before.

5 Things I Noticed In Europe:

1. Restrooms are called "toilets"

When you visit Europe, do not look for signs that say "bathrooms" or "restrooms" instead... look for "toilets." Even at restaurants, they refer to them as "the toilets."

2. "Is this for here or take away?"

As a tourist trying to visit every site-seeing attraction, I was always in a hurry. I was constantly ordering coffee drinks (as Americans would say) "to-go." However, in Europe, they refer to this "take away."

3. Wine/espresso over water.

Even though the menus in Paris were in french (and not knowing french) I at least knew what wine and espresso were. And at most of the places we went to, we found that espresso and wine were cheaper than water.

4. What are carbs?

Croissants, pastries, and baguettes were on the menu for every meal. In Europe, bread exists in a different category than carbs.

5. Hannah is not a common name.

In America, I am so used to running into at least 5 people with the same name as me. But in Europe, the name "Hannah" seemed foreign to them. It was interesting because at each Starbucks we visited in Europe, they spelled my name differently.