Feb.14, 2015 at 4:10 p.m Lufthansa flight 423 departed from Boston on its way to Frankfurt, with a plane full of families, businessmen, travelers and me. I boarded this flight with some of my closest friends, expecting to see some cool landmarks and learn some history. What I actually got was just so much more.

From the moment the flight took off, the laughs began. Have you ever flown for over seven hours, seated in between an arguing Italian couple, who are also mad at your friend because she keeps reclining her seat too far? No? Well, you should try it and give them fake names and lives to keep yourself sane. (Shoutout Mario and Lucia).

As soon as we hit the ground running, well more like sleep-deprived, jet-lagged zombies, it was obvious we were not in America anymore. Was it the fact everything was written in German or that you had to pay to use a public toilet? Perhaps either, but it also could have been the incredible Medieval architecture of our first destination, Rothenburg, and possibly the fact one their most popular menu items was pig knuckle. Can’t find that at the Texas Roadhouse can you?

Get it Maddie!

As the trip continued, so did the memories, both light and heavy. On our way to Munich the following day we made a very important pit stop: Dachau Concentration Camp. As a history buff and also just a conscious human being, this experience was nothing short of life changing. To be standing in the original bunks and gas chambers of this historic death camp was horrific, educational and incredible, i.e: nothing you can learn in a classroom. Don’t worry though, because the best way to brighten your spirits after such an emotional journey is to go to Munich during their Mardi Gras festival “Karnival,” in which the whole city, especially downtown, is in 24 hour party mode, with drink stands lining the city square, music, crazy costumes and, of course, confetti. And what better way to immerse yourself in German culture than by going the Hofbrau beer hall, a favorite of both Mozart and Lenin, with your history teacher! The crowd was lively, the waiters wore lederhosen and we made Turkish friends who bought us drinks. Success.

Entrance sign to Dachau

Me and my (American and Turkish) pals at Hoffbrau

Day three was more Karnival, more landmarks (Glockenspiel, Hitler’s headquarters, BMW headquarters), more beer halls. Thank you, Munich!

Krazy Karnival

Day four was an Instagrammer’s dream. Our morning was spent with a scenic drive to the picture perfect Neuschwanstein Castle, aka the model for Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Touring the breathtaking castle fulfilled my childhood dream of being a Disney princess. Now. whenever the castle pops up on a “travel must see” list, I feel like the man. Another beautiful church, and scenic drive into another enchanting town, Innsbruck, Austria and I was in heaven. And since Austria isn’t famous for its beer halls, we had to make do with what we had, and so a “bier cellar” it was.

Town in the mountains: Innsbruck, Austria

The next two days were without of a doubt some of the best moments of my life. From my best friend infamously leaving her phone in the Austrian hotel room to bar hopping in Switzerland, the excitement continued. We embarked through Liechtenstein to the beautiful lakeside city of Lucerne, Switzerland. Here, I fell in love, for the first time, with a city that wasn’t Boston. The lively bustle, crystal clear lake and stunning mountain views, plus some angelic Swiss boys and I knew this place was special. The day was spent exploring chocolate shops and high-end stores, but the night was an adventure of a lifetime. Was it wise for eight American teenagers to be roaming the nightlife of a foreign country? No, probably not, but did I have some crazy laughs, risk my life and make my favorite memories? Yes, I did. And, of course, I was stoked to check “Ski on the Swiss Alps” off my cliche travel bucket list, complete with many falls and one kid in our group taking a trip in the “sled of shame.” I left my heart at BAR and hope to return for it sometime in the future.

Strike Out ALS on the Swiss Alps!

Lucerne just being beautiful Lucerne.

My final days of my first European adventure ended with just as many amazing pictures and people as the first few, including stops at the Rhine Falls and Heidelberg Castle.

Falling in love with the Rhine Falls

Feb. 22, 2015, at 1:20 p.m, Lufthansa flight 422 landed in Boston after an eight-hour flight from Frankfurt. As I departed that flight, back on my home ground, I realized that I came back to the United States with a lot more than I left with, and I’m not just talking about cool European chocolates.

You see, when I left the U.S a week earlier, I hadn’t any idea what adventure and life-lessons awaited me; looking back a year later, I’m still laughing, still learning, still loving my experience.

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