This past summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to take a trip to Slovenia. I had never been to Europe before, so I was a little nervous. I almost didn't go. But when I finally decided I would, I was more excited than anything. I packed two weeks in advance and I didn't get a bit of sleep the night before my flight.

The lack of sleep ended up being useful in transitioning to a time zone six hours ahead, but when I woke up the next morning in a hostel in Ljubljana and opened our window at 5 AM, I couldn't believe my eyes. My travel group and I were surrounded on all sides by towering green mountains, and the sun was already bright and shining.

Not wanting to start my day so early, I closed the curtains and laid back on my bed. I couldn't sleep, though, after seeing what lay before me. I couldn't wait to explore this new world.

We spent our first day in traveling, mostly. After a few hours in Ljubljana, we set off towards our destination of Tolmin, also known as the prettiest place on earth.

Our days in Tolmin were spent coaching basketball at a camp held in one of their local high schools. The Slovenes were all so nice and friendly, and the camp was a great experience. I'll never forget the new friends I made.

One day, a few of us decided to go to the River Soča during our break. It was maybe a ten minute walk from the school, and is known for its beautiful waters. We waded in, and the fresh mountain water was absolutely freezing. It was so cold it actually hurt. But we couldn't be stopped. When else would we be able to experience this?

The turquoise waters were shallow and the stones were sharp on our feet. We could see fishermen in the distance, enjoying the fresh air and crystal clear water. Everything was perfect, even when we had to walk all the way through the town barefoot, dripping water, and smelling like fish.

One morning, we hiked all the way up a nearby mountain. It was about a 45 minute hike up, and when we got to the top it started pouring rain. The thunder rolled through the valley as we stood atop the mountain in awe. We got completely soaked and had to run all the way back down through the flooded trails, but it was so worth the view.

If I hadn't gone on this trip, I would have missed out on all these fun adventures and I never would have met the amazing people I did. I wouldn't have been able to eat stracciatella gelato twice every day, or help with the basketball camp, or fall in the river. I wouldn't trade these memories for anything in the world.

Take every opportunity you can. You never know what you might miss out on.