18 countries and 11 months later

18 countries and 11 months later what have I learned? What will I take away from this experience? Try new things. Take time to contemplate. Be prepared when traveling, but okay with diverting away from the plan. Never sit in the middle seat of an airplane. Immerse yourself in new cultures. Don't hold back. Less is more. Learning a language in a classroom is excruciatingly different then using it in the real world. Train schedules are constantly in flux. Always charge your ipod. Don't forget to view the world through your own eyes instead of constantly worrying about capturing it through the camera lens. Find people to travel with who are okay with an hour of silence. Never travel without a deck of cards. Go with the flow, unless that means missing out on something you know is worth it, in that case speak up. Pack snacks no matter how short the excursion is supposed to be. Always have an emergency 50 cents to use a bathroom. The store brand jelly tastes just as good as Smuckers. If you get lost, try turning the map the other way. People are and always will be different. Everyone will know you're an american, embrace it but don't define yourself by solely that. Share your experiences people are genuinely interested. Never hesitate to ask for help. Live in the moment. Foreign people are still people. Scarves are in style all year round. Things will go wrong. There are no language barriers when it comes to laughter.

About a year ago as I franticly packed my life into two 50 pound bags and a camping backpack researching different lavish excursions I was going to embark on over the coming months I couldn't have even begun to understand how this experience would change my life. It is something hard to truly personify. I think what affected me most this year was how much I challenged myself. That is where the true growing process lies. I learned a new language which I can pretty definitively say I will never use in the United States, but that's not the point. I lived in Belgium for an entire year of my life and to not completely immerse myself in the culture, language being part of that, would have not given me the full experience. I participated in every cultural event, went on every trip imaginable, tasted every dish, rode each public transportation line, and made it a point to have a conversation with a local in every single country I visited. Had I not done these things and more I would of just been on a year long vacation, which some of you may still claim I have been. But to me, it was a year of growth, reflection, and understanding. Something I cannot put a price on, something I am so grateful I have had time to do, and something that has forever changed me.

When I think about it I literally removed myself from the life I knew and loved to come and see the world for an entire year. I was comfortable, happy, and very settled. I left my friends, my family, my school, my home, and the love of my life back in America, or so I thought. In reality, I carried them with me the whole time. The excitement I got when I saw something in a foreign country that reminded me of someone at home was heartwarming; I couldn't wait to tell them. When my dad, mom, uncle, and boyfriend came to visit me I couldn't have been more thrilled because they were able to see me in my surroundings here, something I could of never described in words had they not seen for themselves.

Some people get adrenaline rushes and natural highs from scary movies, roller coasters, or sports games, I get that feeling when I look at something so beautiful that had I not been in that place at that time I would of never known existed. Photography, art, wine tasting and beer pouring are now something I am well versed in, things that barely got my interest a year ago. I have always enjoyed challenging myself, but this year allowed me to step out of the box, for an extended period of time. That box of normalcy. I was able to challenge myself more here, then I ever could of at home and now I am ready to bring back everything I have learned and incorporate it into my daily life. My promise to myself is to do something that challenges me everyday, let myself divert away from the everyday rhythm to do something worthwhile but also intriguing and enjoyable. Whether that be sit down and read the New York Times before class, taking a weekend trip to a random city in Pennsylvania, or taking a walk in the woods to take pictures of the foliage I want to continue this feeling of everyday excitement. No two days were the same for me this entire year, maybe thats what I loved about it. Don't get me wrong, I love the thought of coming home and cooking dinner and snuggling up on the couch after a long day of work, a pattern is good, it's necessary, but just a small little something each day to spice it up is what I am going to focus on...

This seems a bit of an abrupt place to stop but this reflection has perhaps led me to the beginning of my next blog site "life after the adventure, back to normalcy." But, to be fair life in itself is an adventure and this was just a chapter of it. Thanks for following me on this European Adventure.