Traveling is filled with many decisions, especially when you’re in a group setting like when studying abroad. What to do in the time you have, what group to join for the day, what to eat, and how to manage your time wisely are just some of the factors that require constant use of discernment. One wrong choice could have detrimental effects on your trip. On the other hand, these decisions could be some of your best memories.
I met so many wonderful people on my study abroad from my home state of Florida, Kentucky and Georgia, not to mention the locals who questioned me about America and my current studies abroad. An important decision I had to make was to be social with them, or take time to reflect on my own and recharge for the next day. Ultimately, most of the time I chose to take full advantage of this social gathering. This trip gave me the ability to spend time with my peers outside of the study environment and get to know how this experience is relative to their studies. The only determining factor of my decision was if I would have enough energy the next day, or if I would pass out during the scenic mountain ranges we were traversing through to get to the next country. Decisions were easy to make over-seas because I had a friendly and pragmatic group. We got along well and prioritized each person’s desires and safety.
We went out after hours as a group to experience the German night-life culture. After hours when the 9:30PM sunset is far into its rest and the streets are almost empty from the near constant city transit. This is when we experienced one-on-one conversations with locals who elaborated on the techno music style and shuffle dancing we saw at the few local establishments that were open. This evening gave a different atmosphere to the trip. Where we usually were rushing through our itinerary trying to absorb as much information and history as possible, this night allowed us to observe the culture first-hand. It helped us understand what it is like to live in, rather than just visit Munich. As we laughed and danced with locals, we grew a bit ourselves.
We took the time to discuss the day’s events, how we perceived the people before and after meeting them, and our expectations of the next location- over region-specific dinners and hot chocolate breaks at the Lindt Chocolate Factory.