Being able to travel through Europe is one of the most incredible things anyone can do. There's so many things to see, so many things to do and such little time that naturally you don't stay in one sport for a long time. Sadly, not all of us are Blair Waldorf where we can jet off to any city at almost any time. Being able to travel as much as I did while I studies abroad taught me so many things. If you have the chance to travel through Europe, it's a chance you should take. I learned an incredible amount while traveling during my spring break.
One thing I learned was to be really easy going and to just go with what happens. Not every plan can unfold as brilliantly as you imagined. I planned to go to five countries, six cities, see a million things and try thousands of pounds worth of food. Sadly, because of the attacks on Brussels, I only made it to three countries which basically cut my entire plan in half. But if I hadn't found a way to still go to the other places I wanted to go to, I wouldn't have had such an incredible time. I learned that not everything goes as planned, but just because it doesn't go as planned doesn't mean I can't have a great time.
I also learned that as long as you have the necessities to get by, you don't really need anything other than that. I realized that there are so many things that I have that I can live without. All I carried on my back was clothes which consisted of three pairs of pants, a couple t-shirts, four flannels and my trainers. I didn't need to pack a different outfit for everyday I was gone, I didn't need my laptop, most of the things I thought I needed for traveling I didn't need. I realized that having memories are better than having materialistic things.
Probably the most important thing I learned is that I should take in every moment of my life like I did while I was traveling. I was in such incredible cities, I met an incredible family, I saw different cultures, experienced how different places can be and I wanted to be a part of every second of it. Its hard to not take in every moment of your life, to not stand in one spot and say "wow this is happening, I'm doing this right not" but when I did, when I just stopped and looked at wear I was, I felt complete bliss. When I walked out of the metro stop in Milan and saw the Cathedral I've been dreaming of seeing since I was in middle school, I stopped right in the middle of the Plaza and said to myself, "I finally made it here, I'm actually here" I almost cried I was so happy.
There were so many things I learned while I was traveling and I wouldn't have changed it in any way possible. Even though things didn't go as planned, I still had such an amazing time and I got to go to incredible cities. I wouldn't have learned everything I did if I didn't take the chance to travel. If you are ever fortunate enough to travel through Europe, take the chance because you won't regret it.
