For my 22nd birthday, Mads and I took our first trip to London and saw the Phantom of the Opera and explored the city for the weekend. Our flight left at 6am, so we decided it was an awesome idea to not sleep the night before. We were going strong until after a full day of travel, exploring, and shopping. At around 5 that night, we were walking miles across London to find our theater and hadn't eaten since that morning. I was what one might call hangry, and at several points almost burst into tears and sat down on the sidewalk to cry about how hungry and tired I was. Like actually, I almost did that. We finally found a Pret a Manger (a popular cafe in London), changed in the world's tiniest bathroom, and did our hair and makeup in the theater's bathroom before the show started (super classy, we know:). The opera was AMAZING -it met all my hopes and expectations, excepting that Christine was a blonds and Meg was a brunette -I couldn't wrap my mind around it! We sat next to some wonderful Frenchmen and some super annoying high school boys who snickered every time a high note was sung. But hey, it was still a grand experience.
The rest of London was filled with interesting and hilarious experiences. On the way home from the theater I almost got hit by a car, so I lunged forward, stepped on a metal grate in my heels, and epically slid/fell to the ground and ripped my tights. Super fun. We found the way to our hotel, which was miles outside the city, but were sure we were going to get murdered as we defenselessly walked the dark streets at midnight on a Friday night. We finally reached our hotel, though, which happily was the sketchiest ever! During such times, we have decided that our motto should be, if one must die, it would be way cooler to die in Europe while adventuring than to die for no good reason in Wisconsin.
Exploring the rest of London was incredibly enjoyable despite the typical rainfall that smeared the sky with grey throughout our weekend. Seeing monuments such as Big Ben, parliament, London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, and the Tower of London was invigorating. I also enjoyed the culture of London, as the people were generally friendly, the layout of the city was aesthetically pleasing, and the buildings were constructed in classic European fashion. Most of all, it was fun to dream about living there and running through the gorgeous St. James Park or riding a bike along the river.
Our study abroad program takes us on the most wonderful trips -we traveled to Delphi (the ancient center of civilization) and saw the mountainous regions surrounding the Oracle and ancient ruins of the Temple of Apollo. Along with this, we wandered through the nearby village and eat a delectable traditional Greek meal.
Our first island experience was to Aegina during Valentine's Day weekend. Ageina is only a short ferry ride from the Athens port. Ten of us girls stayed at a local hotel where our host lady told us to call her mama and provided tea and cake for us upon our arrival. Each group of us had our own precious room that was decorated with charm and somewhat cheesy-tourist-Paris adornments. We rented four-wheelers and explored the contents of the island for the afternoon, finding a monastery and an abandoned beach surrounding crystal clear water.
That night our host mama insisted on taking us out for drinks at her son's bar, and little did we know, she is quite the business lady. She strategically brings her guests to her son's bar in order to attract other college kids to the bar and generate business for her son. She was adorable and we loved her.
Only a few weeks later, a group of us set off for Rome for our five-day-weekend. This city had its own very unique charm and beauty. The constant appearance of the loveliest fountains and richly constructed buildings added a particularly pleasant feel to the city. The group consisted of Maddie, myself, and our friends Maria, Luis, and Michel. Michel provided most of the entertainment for the trip with his constant comparisons to his home country of Egypt and comments on Italian culture.
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| Lacoon and His Sons |
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The Vatican |
Our favorite Michel quotes:
#1
Michel: I found Subee! (our Korean friend)
Maddie: Michel, no, that's an Asian girl!
#2
Michel: The angel is holding a selfie stick
#3
Michel: Habibi, I am Egyptian, I am never late!
*arrives 20 minutes late*
Michel: In Egypt we never take directions from the women!
Michel: In Egypt we don't have to check into our flights!
Michel: In Egypt you would live like queens!
Michel: Why are we always talking about Egypt??
#4
Michel: Look, twins!
Maddie: No, Michel, those are just two Asian girls.
Luis: Michel, stop being so racist!
#5
*Rain falling*
Michel: Don't cry, Rome, I will come back!
#6
*Looks at gelaterie worker*
Michel: CIAO!!!
Oh Michel. He is such a treat!
The Vatican left me breathless for the entirety of our time in the museums. I was in constant shock at I stared at the intricate, endless beauty of the artistic works created by infinitely famous men and women. There was so much to see in Rome with the endless squares, fountains, and cathedrals. It's in those moments, staring at the Sistine Chapel or standing in St. Peter's Square, that you aren't sure if it's really you living your life, or if you're really where you are in that moment. Seeing the world has that incredible effect on a person, I think, and it takes a while to sink it.
The commonly spoken quote of "travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer" is actually completely accurate. As my bank account drains over the course of the semester, I am gaining vast amounts of insight, knowledge, experience, and memories -those which could be gained only through adventure and travel. And I am continually grateful for that.
