Life in the Posh Lane: Home Again, Home Again

I have been meaning to definitively pen a conclusion to my study abroad experience for some time now. However, re-acclimating to the FSU campus and business as usual has been keeping me busy.

I am happy to report that I made it home from Europe on December 23, 2014 – the day before Christmas Eve. While the immediate families of Ms. Wilson and I were informed of our early return, friends and extended family were given quite the surprise.

Before my return, in something of a departure “extravaganza,” Ms. Wilson and I embarked on a two-week winter trip throughout western and central Europe, spending the bulk of the Holiday season perusing the famed Christmas Markets.

Our trip began with a journey down the English coast to London – a train ride we had done many times before. After spending the day and night in London, we embarked on the Eurostar from St. Pancras station, going underneath the English Channel and arriving in mainland Europe in Lille, France, on the Belgian border. Featuring a distinct Flemish influence and a very large, seasonal Ferris wheel, Lille paled somewhat in comparison to Paris and our final French destination: Strasbourg.

Strasbourg, France, sits on the French side of the famed Black Forest and is straight out of Beauty and the Beast. The town features “Petit France,” a picturesque island with timber frame houses along the river. Upon arriving by train, one is inundated with the delectable smell of beer and cheese mingling in the air. Containing Europe’s oldest Christmas Market, full of handmade crafts and mulled cider, Strasbourg was a wonderful destination for us holiday travellers.

From Strasbourg, we crossed the German border and headed to the heart of Bavaria: Munich, Germany. Passing cattle farms and automobile plants, we found ourselves in one of our favorite destinations. Munich is a fabulous city, with centuries-old architecture next to the latest shops. Marienplatz is bustling at Christmas, and everywhere one turns are bratwurst stands ready to serve. With bountiful beer halls and lovely city squares, Munich proved to be a magical and memorable city.

On a day trip from Munich, we ventured to Dachau – the infamous Nazi concentration camp outside Munich. A harrow, sobering experience, our tour of Dachau nonetheless proved to be very moving and informational. Dachau, in particular, was liberated by American troops and features many of the original constructions from the war.

After departing Munich, we headed deeper into Bavaria, to the Allgäu region of southern Germany, bordering Austria. We went to Fussen, Germany, a tiny village nestled in Alpine foothills, surrounded by a turquoise mountain river fed from snowmelt. Fussen is a stones throw from King Ludwig’s old stomping ground and is the main destination for visiting Schloss Neuschwanstein, arguably the most famous German castle. Perched on top of a mountain and rising above the Alpsee lake, Neuschwanstein was the model for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland. Used as storage for stolen artwork by the Nazis in WWII, Neuschwanstein is a magical destination with plenty of trails for hiking and climbing.

We continued from Fussen to Austria, beginning in Salzburg, the home of Mozart and The Sound of Music. An ancient settlement with a towering fortress, Hohensalzburg, Salzburg features tight streets with hanging signs crowded above the doors. A charming, musical city, Salzburg lived up to its expectations, which, I might add, were quite high, seeing as Ms. Wilson and I are rather large fans of The Sound of Music. In fact, we actually took a licensed Sound of Music tour, venturing into the Austrian countryside to visit crystal-clear lakes and soaring Alpine peaks. Complete with unnaturally-pleasant winter weather and apple strudel, the hills did, indeed, fill our hearts with the sound of music.

An ORR train took us from Salzburg to Vienna, the glittering capital of Austria and former Austro-Hungarian Empire. A sprawling metropolis, Vienna is similar to Paris in the sense that it has incomparable art and architecture. After visiting not one, not two, but three Viennese palaces (Hofburg, Schonnbrunn, and Belvedere), complete with solid gold table settings and lavishly-decorated royal apartments, we found ourselves in the Schonnbrunn Zoo, the oldest zoo in the world. We even managed to fit in time for some of Vienna’s famous coffeehouse culture.

Our final destination took us north, to Prague. The capitol of the Czech Republic, Prague has undergone an astonishing revitalization since escaping from behind the Iron Curtain. Soviet influences are not to be found anywhere, and Prague contains enough history and culture to rival even the best of Europe. Ms. Wilson and I were fortunate enough to stay in a charming little hostel directly beside the bridge tower of the Charles Bridge, one of the principle attractions in Prague. Rising out of the morning fog like something only Poe could dream of, the gothic towers of Prague contribute to the eastern vibe of Bohemia. The city center, where the world-famous astronomical clock can be found, was bursting with Christmas stalls with traditional Czech crafts and gluhwine – hot red wine, which was also found in abundance in Germany and Austria.

After flying back to Newcastle from Prague, our fifteen days of train travel caught up to us. We had one day of rest before flying from Newcastle to London and then home again to BWI, just in time for Christmas.

A true whirlwind, our winter trip was a triumphant conclusion to a fabulous semester overseas. Through scrupulous planning and budgeting, Ms. Wilson and I were able to travel to England, Scotland, France, Austria, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic within our semester.

Interestingly enough, I would say that my re-entry transition in America was far more challenging than my initial transition to Europe. I have been struck by what I deem to be discriminative age restrictions in the US, particularly concerning travel and lodging. In fact, I would argue that it is unequivocally clear that young adults under the age of twenty-five would be better suited to travel Europe than the United States. With age restrictions on car rentals, hotel accommodations, alcohol, and cruse tickets, the United States has created a hostile commercial environment for young adults. The simple freedom of travelling Europe is undeniably easier, especially when one considers the extensive train networks and public transportation.

I’ll step off of my soapbox now, to avoid bursting a blood vessel. Besides the aforementioned difficulties, it is good to be home. I was very happy to return in time for Christmas and am pleased to be back on the FSU campus. However, I’m actually already considering an additional study abroad – I may be internationally-bound in the near future.

In a final note of encouragement, I would like to urge students capable of studying abroad to do so. My semester abroad changed the way I see the world and has provided me with memories that I will never forget. While the good ‘ol U.S.A. has many treasures I have yet to see, studying abroad is a fantastic way for individuals to see foreign countries without breaking the bank, in safe and controlled academic environments. It wasn’t long after I got back that I wanted to begin planning future trips. For now, I’m guess I’ll keep my feet on the ground.