Category: Traveling

Traveling Europe by Train: Tips, Tricks, and Advice

Written by: Alex Stallworth

One thing about GTE is that you will become really familiar with the European train system, really fast. In just 56 days, I’ve been abroad 65 of them, and at this point, I think I can finally claim to know a thing or two, to say the very least. Here’s what I’ve learned through trial (and a lot of error). 

During your time at GTE, you can opt to purchase a Eurail pass. This pass will allow you to book trains throughout Europe. However, this comes with a few caveats that you need to be aware of.

1. Seat Reservations: 

To start, not every train is free. Some trains require a seat reservation to board, usually high-speed trains, night trains, and trains that run routes that are in high demand. Seat reservations range in price, from the Normandy Railroad, which costs around 2 euros, to the TGVs in France, which cost an average of 20 euros. 

1a. Buying and Using Seat Reservations:

The Eurail app will usually let you view the price of a seat reservation, but you can’t actually buy them there, and often, the list price is inaccurate. While you can buy the seat reservations on your phone’s browser or at kiosks in train stations, it’s a lot easier to do it on a laptop and send the tickets to your email. Finally, you will also need to load your ticket in the Eurail app, alongside the seat reservation, to pass the on-train ticket inspection. I place emphasis on this because, in my experience, the train agents get a little cross with you if you mess up some part of this process, so it is best to have everything prepared before you board.

1b. The UK:

The Chunnel, the longest underwater tunnel in the world that connects the UK and France, has always fascinated me as an engineering marvel. However, getting to the UK via the Chunnel is a bit tricky. To start, seat reservations on Eurostar, the company that operates routes to and from the UK, run around 32 euros, which are the most expensive single-seat reservations that we have encountered with the Eurail pass. Then when you account for the fact that most Eurostar trips will require you to go to Paris first, this results in an over 100 euro round trip. A bit pricey, sure, but the real problem comes in booking the seats. 

Sometimes, Eurostars will sell out, and fairly far in advance, too. For a future trip to London, which I tried to book some 20 days in advance, I was unable to find a single train to take me back to Paris. This is more of a symptom of most of the UK and Europe taking holiday at the end of July and early August and not some broader issue, but it was still pretty frustrating to deal with at the time. Luckily, there are other options to get to and from the UK, from flights to ferries, which are also often cheaper than taking the train. 

2. Seat Reservation Optional Trains: 

There are also seat reservation optional trains, which are usually found in Germany and some of the surrounding countries. These trains can be reserved like the ones listed above, but they will also have a number of open seats. The number of seats that are reserved depends on the route’s popularity and its length, with longer trains having more seats reserved as more people hop on throughout the journey. 

Not reserving a seat is a bit of a risk; sometimes, the train is relatively empty, and you can easily get a seat with your friends. Other times, you aren’t so lucky, and you might wind up separated, or worse, without a seat entirely. The gamble is often worth it; I’ve been on 15 or so seat reservation optional trains, and I’ve only had a seating issue, and a mild one at that, once or twice. However, it’s best to evaluate each train situation based on the factors that I listed above, as well as your personal comfort. 

3. Be Ready For Anything:

Traveling by train is a bit of a different dynamic than traveling by plane. I would say that maybe 90% of the trains I’ve been on have been exactly on time when leaving or arriving at a station, and when they are delayed, it’s usually by ~10 minutes. However, things can still happen. Natural disruptions to the actual train tracks aren’t uncommon, whether it be via landslide or some other force. These will shut down a track for an extended period of time, requiring a diversion. It’s far more common to see strikes, although they are usually resolved in less time, and they’re often scheduled, so travelers can plan around them. 

Regardless of the cause, the biggest issue with these types of disruptions is making your connections. Longer train trips will often involve 3, 4, or 5 different trains, leaving more of a possibility that something may go wrong and derail your trip. While your train’s punctuality is out of your control, you can control the length of your connections. I advise you to only pick journeys that come with a 15-minute or longer transfer time. As stated above, most delays are relatively short, so that extra cushion should serve you well. It has worked wonders for me: as of writing, knock on wood, I haven’t missed a single train in Europe yet. 

While all this information may seem daunting, in reality, it really isn’t that bad. I came into GTE with very limited knowledge of how the trains work, and within 2-3 weeks, I had a pretty stable grasp of it. To be honest, learning along the way was just part of the adventure, and it’s something I don’t regret in the slightest. 

Art Beyond the Frames

Written by: Ashlyn Willis

One of the most rewarding parts of studying abroad through Georgia Tech Europe has definitely been how the weekends offer a constantly changing backdrop for adventure, learning, exploration, and more. Each place has its own charm and tempo. I have experienced countless breathtaking moments from cathedrals in Bratislava to grand parliament buildings in Brussels. But two in particular in my experiences so far have made a definite impact in my memory. Vienna, Austria, and Florence, Italy struck me for the thing that felt as if it was ingrained in their very stones–art. In these two cities, art does not just exist inside museums;  it flows throughout the structure and culture of the palace itself. On every wall, around every corner, it is embedded in the very way life seemed to be designed there.

Both cities felt like walking through a living museum. In Vienna, I was not just taken aback by the quantity of beautiful architecture, but how detailed it all was on seemingly every other building. St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the City Hall, for example, are absolutely awe-inspiring in both size and detail. They are definitely Gothic masterpieces, with towering spires reaching straight up to the sky. Even beyond its landmarks, Vienna’s everyday cityscape felt like a celebration of some sort of grand ornamentation. Whether it was the embellishments carved into public buildings, golden adornment and filigree in shopfronts, or the way the street gates curved gracefully, everything had a certain elegance that felt like the city was designed by artists, for artists. It made perfect sense that this was the home of Gustav Klimt, a workplace of Mozart, the subject for Billy Joel’s classic song, and so many more.

Images of Vienna City Hall and St. Stephen’s Cathedral

With Florence, the city felt like an art piece itself. Walking through its streets could have very well been like travelling back in time to a visual scene of the Renaissance. The Duomo looks like a bold painting come to life, with its intricate green and pink marble pattern and a dome too impressive to be real. I was constantly swiveling my head around just to take in the buildings and their terracotta-looking rooftops all around me, all decorated with some kind of flourish, whether subtle or bold, be it a statue, a fresco, or some ornate doorway. Florence definitely does not let people forget it was once the heart of an artistic revolution. I think what I loved most was how naturally the art felt embedded into the city. It wasn’t just limited to its impressive galleries like the Uffizi; rather, walking out of this museum felt like I was just stepping into a larger exhibition. It was the way the simple alleyways opened up into the sunlit piazzas, where artists were in markets selling drawn sketches, and the way at sunset golden rays complemented the sandy tones of the city’s skyline from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

Images of the Uffizi Gallery, a view of the Florence rooftops, and the sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo

What struck me in both cities was that art was not treated as something separated from regular life to be only admired in the isolated pockets of museums and showcase attractions. Rather, it seemed to be a part of life, with people walking past sculptures and ornate buildings all around. I realized in reflecting on my time in these two cities, as they have stuck with me so heavily, how much I love that blend of old and new, of beauty and function, of history and casual life. My classes this summer have definitely helped me to appreciate these layers with connections in what I have been learning about and what I have experienced in each city. In many ways, Vienna and Florence have helped me deeply appreciate the importance of the arts and how important they are to history as a whole. However, this is not limited to just these two cities, as everywhere I have been so far has had its own form of incomparable beauty. There is so much to appreciate in how each city, each town, each place, something I am greatly thankful to be able to experience in such a way.

Old Friends

Written by: Katherine Sanders

We walked to brunch in Alicante at 10 am. The streets were starting to fill with people again, awakening late after a night of dinner and dancing. Turning down a side street with garage doors and trash cans, I saw someone who sort of looked like me. It was the girl whose name some people accidentally called me in middle school. It was my chem lab partner from high school. 

I stopped and said her name. “Katherine,” I said.

“From high school?” she replied.

She’s studying abroad in Alicante this semester. She was walking back to her apartment, where her mom waited for her. 

The rest of the day, I repeated to myself, “I saw someone from high school.” 

My high school held about 1,800 students with almost 400 in my grade all four years. I cannot fathom the chance of seeing someone from high school in a somewhat obscure Spanish city, let alone someone I was friends with and felt comfortable talking to.

Maddie’s best friend from high school, Maeve, studies in Dublin. We visited her during St. Patrick’s Day where she was kind enough to let us stay in her flat. Our visit was spent hanging out with her and her friends rather than site-seeing–a greatly needed break. 

Maddie always told me that Maeve to her was like me to Maddie. Maeve to Maddie was like Maddie to me. I could see it that weekend. We all sat at their dinner table, talking about Maeve’s friends in the flat. “Maya is my Katherine,” Maeve said as she described her relationship to one of her flatmates. That made it easier to understand their relationship. Maeve to Maya is Maddie to me… Maya to Maeve is me to Maddie… 

“My friend Meredith is in Boston right now… I’ll probably visit her in the fall this year…” 

“Meredith is your Maeve.” Everyone nodded in understanding.

My friend from high school studied abroad in Barcelona the entire school year and will return to Montana in two days. He helped me pick out my first-day-of-high-school outfit and sat next to me in AP World History. We took French 1 together, but he majors in Spanish and I saw him in Barcelona this past weekend. 

Saturday night, I directed Maddie and I toward the location he sent me. I looked up and on the balcony, he waved while looking down. “Come in the door with all the colorful paint on it.” 

For two and a half hours, we sat and talked about our college lives. Although he has spent so much time away from home, he still carries conversations effortlessly. He tells stories with great impressions and large gestures, making me laugh since we were fourteen. 

During the fall semester, I woke up every morning forgetting that I was in Georgia. The white light from the sun looked like the light reflecting off of snow. Nostalgia took over my life as every scene looked like something I had seen before when I was 17. My brain didn’t let me be 19. This spring, I was reminded of my past with a completely new backdrop, and my case of nostalgia is cured.

What’s in My Bag?

Written by: Katherine Sanders

With over 100 hours spent on trains and 10 hours on budget airlines, I’ve almost mastered the art of packing light. I never was a light packer–I arrived in Metz with two near-fifty pound suitcases even after sacrificing clothes I “needed to bring.” Fortunately, I have learned from these past 12 weeks: here are my best packing trips for weekends abroad.  

At the beginning of the semester, you’ll use your Eurail pass for every trip. Trains don’t check bags, which leaves it up to you to decide how much to bring. 

Traveling by Train

Backpack 

Your usual school backpack or special travel backpack is perfect for the trains. Mine usually comfortably fits all of my clothes, makeup, and electronics. I can fit a two-day trip into just my backpack. 

Tote Bag

If you ever end up at the Metz mall, go to Primark and ask for a big bag. Primark sells VERY large, cloth tote bags that are perfect for traveling. The bottom of the bag isn’t square like a usual reusable grocery bag, making it easier to fit under the train seats. For three or four-day trips, the addition of a tote bag makes lugging everything around slightly less painful. My backpack holds my clothes and (maybe) my computer. I usually put it on the shelf above the seats to save space while I keep my tote at my feet. In my tote, I put an extra pair of shoes, my makeup bags, headphones, my hair brush, and toiletries. This way, if I need to do my makeup, brush my hair, or listen to music, I can grab them easily. 

Clothes to Bring 

In the Spring semester, all European travel destinations will experience low temperatures and moderate winds. Packing light is sacrificed for staying warm. 

For bottoms, jeans are the best choice. Jeans are meant to be worn multiple times without washing. Denim is very durable and doesn’t produce odor quickly. Jeans are quite bulky, so I suggest bringing only one or two pairs for less back pain. 

Maddie and I come from Montana and Vermont, two states that experience startling low temperatures. We often made fun of our friends for bundling up when Atlanta hit 50°F. However, the cold of humid cities along with the length of time spent walking outside forced me to start layering. I wear leggings or fleece-lined tights under jeans or pants to stay warm. 

Traveling by Plane

RyanAir Constraints

RyanAir is the airline GTE students use most when traveling long distances. RyanAir has a strict bag policy: you are only allowed one small personal item for free. That personal item must fit into their size limit (40 x 20 x 25cm). The usual travel backpack is larger than this, especially when filled. 

I asked Baran for her small tote bag for my first RyanAir flight. I didn’t want to risk paying for a checked bag. After getting past security, I wanted to see if my small bag was too big. RyanAir has these metal containers that demonstrate how small a personal item should be (it’s too small). The small tote was just right, but due to my backpack’s bulky pockets, putting the tote inside of it made it too big. I wore my backpack under my jacket in fear that the ticketers would stop me. However, passing through and boarding the plane, I realized that they didn’t seem to care. When boarding budget airlines now, I make sure my backpack LOOKS small enough. They have never stopped me, my friends, or anyone I’ve noticed with a much-too-large bag. 

Clothes can add up quickly, so stay conservative when packing for plane rides. I always wear a pair of jeans for the weekend on the plane to free up space in my bag. If you are planning on bringing a bulky top or sweater, wear it on the plane. 

Frequently Forgotten/Surprisingly Useful Items to Bring 

  • Travel sized toothpaste
    • It’s easy to forget about liquid limits on planes. If you have to throw away your large toothpaste at the airport, expect a busy day running to Carrefour on Monday. 
  • Chapstick 
  • Passport
    • Even when you’re traveling inside the EU by train, police may enter trains and check every passenger’s passport. This is very common in Germany! 
  • Physical Euros (maybe even CZK) 
    • Some stores don’t accept card payments under €5. 
    • If you ever travel to the Czech Republic, it is common to see stores only accept cash. 
  • Portable Charger

A Delayed Arrival in Metz: Friendship and French Trains

Written by Katherine Sanders

My flight from Billings to Dallas was filled with the Navy and Gold of the Montana State Bobcat fans. It was the FCS championship for the beloved Montana football team. They played North Dakota State in Frisco, Texas the next day. Thus, I was met with some familiar faces from high school while walking down the aisle. Flying out of Montana, the cabin was filled with white light. The snow was the best gift I could have received from the holiday season: I hadn’t seen it since the last. My small flight didn’t let me miss my home.

I landed in Dallas at 11:00am. Zach, GTE summer program alumni and one of my closest friends, texted me that his flight from Dallas to Frankfurt was delayed eight hours when he came to GTE. I jokingly replied that I would find a way to spend the time. However, my six-hour layover was already too long.

When my flight was delayed the first time, I was excited to have similar landing times to my friends Maddie and Baran. When it was delayed the second and third time, I could still make the last shuttle provided by GTE. When it was delayed the fourth, fifth, and sixth time, I desperately needed a friend. I scanned the area, convincing myself that I had seen all the nineteen- and twenty-year-olds somewhere around campus. Before I started approaching everyone with “Do you go to Georgia Tech?” I texted the GroupMe to see if anyone would reveal themselves first. Aarush let me know that he was with two others on the same flight. I found Aarush, Manish, and Jacob at our new gate.

I swore a more familiar face walked by. I was determined to find everyone that I could, so I broke away to test my theory – am I delirious, or is that someone I recognize? “Do you go to Georgia Tech?” was met with a yes when I saw Juan just past the gate. He introduced me to Ray who had been waiting in Dallas even longer than I had. The three of us sat at a charging station for an hour finding ways to get to Metz from Paris. I hoped I could figure out European transportation with Maddie and Baran when we planned our first trip in France. Instead, I had to learn in a heavy haze of stress.  

I was concerned about my bags. I had two large, 50lb suitcases waiting for me at baggage claim. I wore a long-sleeved top, sweater, and jacket on the plane to save space, but the copious layers created uncomfortable warmth, so I always ended up carrying one or the other. I also had my backpack, filled to the zipper with makeup bags, electronics, and other random items. It was so full it could barely fit under the seat in front of me on my first flight. And for my personal item, a neck pillow from my dad. I was constantly carrying two or more items along with twenty pounds on my back. 

Alex, who was arriving in Paris around the same time we were, sent us the information for a train she booked. This led us to ditch the car rental idea and the $500 taxi idea for tickets for the same train. On the SNCF website, we could search for trips from the Charles de Gaulle airport to Metz Ville. The options that came up provided us tickets to trains and connecting buses, so we didn’t have to figure out the connection on our own.

Ray, Juan and I sat on the ground at our oddly small gate when Aarush, Manish and Jacob found us. We all bought a €70 ticket for a 5:30 train and 6:40 bus when priority boarding started. The process was simple–we entered our payment information, and it gave us QR codes that acted as our tickets. 

The most exciting part of the plane was the plane meals (sorry Juan). I had never been on a long enough flight to have eaten a meal, and the meals meant we were finally getting closer to Metz, and I was finally out of that airport. Eating the plastic-packaged bread almost brought me to tears.

Immigration only took ten minutes, and getting our bags was calm and simple. The five of us tried to learn French from those around us while Aarush asked why his bag wasn’t at the carousel. It took an hour for support to tell him his bag somehow never made it on the plane (the one we waited more than five hours for). It’s nightmare after nightmare. 

Getting our bags onto the train was also nightmarish. We were the last ones entering the car, meaning there was not much room for our belongings. Manish and I attempted to rearrange the bags of French passengers while they stared. Jacob ended up going to the cabin above to find more space. After we got to our seats, I stared blankly ahead without my headphones on to stay aware of the people around me. I was already so embarrassed from before; I wanted to collapse into my seat for the hour long ride. The least I could do was focus on staying silent and still.

We arrived at Lorraine on our toes as we had less than 10 minutes to make the bus to Metz Ville. Rushing out of the car, we were met with a long, cement staircase leading up to the bus stop. I only carried one of my bags up the stairs (thank you Aarush), more than enough to leave me more exhausted than before. Straight through the station was our bus to Metz. Getting our bags into the bus was similar to the train, especially for me. We rearranged existing bags and shuffled around to make sure everything fit (thank you Ray). My legs are still purple with bruises from kneeling on the ground. 

The bus ride was the most calming transport of the evening. It was only a quarter full, and it lasted around 40 minutes. The seats were comfortable, and the inside was warm. Getting off the bus, we were placed too far from our dorm to walk but too far out of the city to get distracted by a pleasing view. 

The easiest way to get to campus was an Uber. We knew that our bags might cause issues, so Aarush called the first Uber while we decided who would go where. The first Uber came, a Tesla, and the driver arranged the bags inefficiently in the trunk. This left Manish with his small suitcase at his feet in the front seat while Aarush and I sat in the back with our backpacks in our laps and two carry-ons in between us. One of my suitcases was in the car, but the other was left behind with the others. We awed at the purple streetlights and the French architecture of the street side buildings during our ride. 

In front of the Lafayette dorms, I was slightly more grateful for the journey than annoyed. I learned a lot about European transportation before crossing the ocean, and I made great friends along the way.

No Shame in a Staycation! 

Written by Cate McCoy

Traveling this summer has been an incredible experience, and it’s been so fun to look back on all the new places I’ve visited. Since my travel group’s first weekend in Paris, we’ve cruised on the canals in Amsterdam, cliff-jumped in Cinque Terre, hiked in the Swiss Alps, visited the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy, and ate pig knuckle in Munich. What I didn’t realize is that I’d become super burnt-out from traveling, and despite trying to push through, my body reached its limit last weekend. 

I was looking forward to our trip to Lake Como, and I set my alarm for 5 AM the night before so I could catch the first train of the day. But when I finally woke up, it was bright outside and much later than 5 AM. My phone was spammed with missed calls and texts from my travel group trying to wake me up. I was able to catch an afternoon train, which—thanks to my bad luck—broke down on the way. After lots of timetable searching and calculating my odds of getting stranded in a station alone overnight, I accepted that I would not be going to Lake Como. I switched trains in Strasbourg and headed straight back to Metz in tears. 

That evening, I went grocery shopping, cleaned my room, and did laundry—all the things that I was putting off for when I got back from Italy. The next day, I slept in and took a late train to Luxembourg, where I spent the evening exploring the city. Before heading back to Metz, I grabbed some food from a kiosk and sat at a lookout while I ate. The next day, I trained to Nancy, where I visited the gold-embellished central square, sat in a café to do my fluid mechanics homework, and laid in the park and read. Then, once again, I headed back to Metz, refreshed from my restful weekend. 

Though I was initially upset about missing out on Lake Como, I ended the weekend feeling that maybe my bad luck was good luck after all. I had gotten to catch up on sleep and try out solo traveling, and I only spent about 30 Euros for the entire weekend! 

When studying abroad, it’s easy to get caught up in the grand plans of all the places you want to go and forget to make one plan that’s super important: a time to rest! While skipping a trip can be a hard decision to make, staying behind to catch up on sleep or schoolwork can make your future trips more enjoyable and less stressful. Rest doesn’t have to mean staying in bed all day, though there’s no shame in that. Instead, you can sleep in and spend the day exploring Metz or go on a day trip to another nearby city. GTE is in a convenient part of Europe and is close to lots of beautiful places that are only an hour train ride away. There’s so much nearby that often gets overlooked; go explore it, and you might find that a calm weekend is exactly what you need. 

YOLO… Let’s Go Solo!

Written by Andre Grossberg

While GTE fosters amazing friendships and wonderful group trips, I’m writing this blog to you from the Vienna Airport, solo. I’m just back from a trip I planned the night before I left. This loosely put-together journey impacted me much more than I expected. So, let’s talk about solo travel for those thinking about hitting the road alone.

First off, solo travel wasn’t my original plan. My weekend plans got canceled due to poor weather, making the hiking trails dangerous. Not wanting to waste a weekend, I decided to seize the moment and travel to places I hadn’t planned before. Wednesday night, I pulled out my laptop and found an extremely cheap one-way flight back from Vienna. The new plan was to figure out how to get to Vienna and fly back Sunday night.

Now, having arrived at the airport, I’ve spent a night in Colmar, France, an afternoon in Zurich, Switzerland, and two days visiting Salzburg, Melk, and Vienna, Austria. I climbed a mountain, attended the largest free open-air music festival in Europe, and listened to Mozart while overlooking his grave. While these experiences were incredible, what really struck me was how different it was to do it alone.

To be completely honest, there were many moments on this trip when I would have loved to have a companion or two. I even felt lonely at times. However, this solo journey allowed me to learn so much about myself. Without anyone to share meals with or discuss views or art, I experienced everything in silence. Solo travel reveals what YOU truly find amazing. You have the freedom to do anything you want, at any pace and time. I danced alone at a concert, sat alone at the top of Mount Untersberg, and wandered the streets of many cities solo. It gives you the chance to reflect on your enjoyments, dislikes, thoughts, and limits.

Andre chilling on Mount Untersberg, on the border between Germany and Austria

I’m not saying solo travel is a must. It’s important to exercise strong caution while abroad, and growing close to others through travel is one of the most valuable experiences you can have. However, if solo travel is something you’re considering, for whatever reason, it’s worth it. You can create lifelong memories and have wonderful experiences by yourself. Some even say it’s hard to go back to group travel after experiencing solo adventures!

To wrap things up I wanted to give some tips for the solo traveler! Hostels are amazing. Many nights were only $30, and making friends with your roommates is fun! Bring a lock. Most hostels have places where you can lock your things for the day so you don’t have to lug them around. Ask around. It’s okay to ask locals for help or for things to do, usually they are more than excited to share. Finally, plan… but no need to stay on schedule. This is your trip and you can do whatever you want so explore! 

Happy Travels,

Andre Grossberg

Andre looking confused at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna, Austria
Andre listening to classical music with Mozart, Beethoven, and Franz Schubert
Andre fighting the urge to jump in the river in Colmar, France

Travel Tips

Written by Andre Grossberg

While a lot has happened over the past month, this week I’d like to focus on the nitty-gritty of traveling in hopes of sharing a little more understanding of how to travel in Europe. 

For those who aren’t familiar, the program has recently added the Eurail Pass to the program expenses*. This pass allows you to travel on trains owned by Eurail that connect to 33 countries! It is an amazing resource, but there are a few things I’d like to touch on. We were provided with a second-class pass. You are also given the option to upgrade to first class for a fee. I am not too sure about the specifics, but definitely consider the option as in many cases it gives you priority for booking trains, Wi-Fi, and electrical outlets that may not be available in second class. With both options, many trains are free; however, please be warned that you still may have to pay and book in advance! For example, my friend and I are planning to go to the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, but since so many people are going, most of the trains were booked! We now are going to fly through Barcelona, which adds some more difficulty to our travels. 

That brings me to my next tip: consider flying to places. There is a great airline called Ryanair, where you can get very cheap flights to many destinations. Actually, as I’m writing this blog, I’m in Edinburgh, which by plane was just 44 euros! Be careful to check in at least 2 hours before your flight to avoid incurring a hefty fee like I did. Flights are great because you can spend a lot more time wherever you are than traveling. Overnight trains aren’t very common in Europe, which means you will mostly have to travel during the day by train. That can be difficult to do when balancing classes. There are overnight buses, but those can be expensive and take a lot longer. So please always consider the option of flying; it might even save you money!! 

Finally, don’t be afraid to be spontaneous! I think one of the best memories I’ve had so far was when some other GTE students invited my friends and me to go cliff jumping while in Cinque Terre, Italy. Not being in the plans, we were not sure but decided to go for it anyway at a famous spot near the beach. Climbing up the steep rocks and cheering each other on to overcome our fear of heights was a nerve-wracking yet extremely rewarding experience. The locals were there to count down your jump while many spectators watched and even took videos of you! I don’t think my time there would have been the same if we hadn’t gotten out of our comfort zone and tried something new. So, if you see an opportunity, go for it! 

That’s all for me this week, and I look forward to talking with y’all soon! 

Happy Travels,  

Andre Grossberg 

*Subject to change by semester. Please check GTE website for most up to date information. 

Curating a Sense of Self

Written by Swati

March 24th 2023

Much of our twenties culminate to a strong sense of self, or a person we come to recognize as we grow older. Some people are known as “too much,” having opinions on every little thing, whereas others are so easygoing and blend in so well they barely exist at all. The overarching light behind studying abroad is the ability to pick up stories and experiences from different corners of Europe. From chatting in pre-med to seat partners in chocolate making classes in Belgium to fumbling through a French conversation with women from Montreal along the Portuguese riviera, pretty soon we’ll all be friends of friends that cover the globe. 

In Florence I found a quote by Doris Lessing that has stayed with me over the past few weeks, “Pensa in modo sbagliato, se vuoi, ma pensa con la tua testa.” Think wrong if you will, but think for yourself. 

Doris Lessing was also a citizen of the world. Born to British-Zimbabwean parents in Tehran, Iran, she lived in Southern Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe) before moving to London, where she spent the rest of her life writing. It’s ironic that I found a British writer’s quote to be the most moving amongst a wall of quotes from international authors in an Italian bookstore, but the phrase is something I hope to keep by my side for a long time. When you make mistakes, they are yours. When you triumph, those victories are yours. Autonomy and developing a strong sense of self with opinions and desires is the most freeing part of becoming an adult. You are free to explore, free to examine, free to think, and free to observe as you please. Take advantage of that, especially in a place like Europe, where you are peering in through the looking glass. Soon enough, French and the French lifestyle will fit like a comfortable second skin and you will go in search of more adventure. 

Break off from your group for a few hours and do the things no one will join you for: museums that only you find interesting about cars or bratwurst, a hike through the hills, feeding birds in a park, reading religious text in a new language. Some things are just yours and you’ll grow more as a person by fostering that love instead of trading it in for that which others find more acceptable or traditionally fun. 

I recently read “Everything I Know about Love” by Dolly Aderton, a British journalist, whose quippy memoir warns about the lack of a sense of self. She writes about decades of her party lifestyle that culminate in years of therapy where she grapples with figuring out who she really is. Which anticipates the thought: why do we waste so much time waiting to figure out what it is we like and who we are? I can say with full confidence that I came to Metz to break out of the monotony of my life on the main campus, but also to be away from peering eyes. I didn’t want the noise of competition, drawl about internship compensation, and irritation of far too many assignments to reasonably complete to distract from the fact that I will never be in a position to drop everything and adventure ever again. 

Think deeply about who you are, and who you want to be. Run amuck, strike up a conversation with a stranger (during daylight hours and in the vicinity of others-please!), throw flower petals and skip rocks, wave at dogs on the street, and fall so incredibly in love with your life that it physically tears at your heart to have to change it. 

What a wild and wonderful thing it is to be you in a world with millions of possibilities and millions of universes in which if one thing changed, your whole life would look different. In the most cheesy, 2012 Tumblr way possible, be yourself because everyone else is taken. Thanks, Oscar Wilde!

Monthly Musings #2

Written by Swati

March 6th 2023

They say it takes 21 days to build a habit. How sweet it is to know that your body works with your mind to make sure you thrive anywhere you go. In just three weeks you could be good as new. From weighing my own produce and getting stickers to scan at grocery stores to walking up cobblestone streets and deciding that 30-minute walks to the corners of new cities are good for the soul, every place I’ve been to has been so kind to me. I’m constantly surprised at the patience, gentleness, and warmth I’ve received from strangers and the reminder that every problem has a solution.

As always, here are 5 more things I’ve learned over the last month:

  1. Make mealtimes fun with friends! This sounds like the tagline to an awful commercial you just can’t get out of your head, but sharing meals with friends in the dorms make for good memories and opportunities to learn new recipes! Whether it’s a risotto or a simple pasta, sometimes life can get hectic and trying to figure out what to buy for your weekly grocery haul feels a bit too overwhelming. Share the burden with your neighbors and bundle in some time to swap stories about your travels!
  1. Reconnect with old friends and see who you can find nearby. Recently I shared about how I was able to spend time with an old friend from high school, but you’ll surprise yourself with the number of family or childhood friends that are currently in Europe or spent some time here and have recommendations! Keep your community and support system strong by having people outside of the GTE bubble to reach out to and connect with. 
  1. Go grocery shopping in new countries and pick up snacks and easy to eat on-the-go items! If one thing’s for sure it’s that businesses in several countries operate on their own schedules. Some restaurants close in between lunch and dinner, some close after lunch, some open just for dinner. With long days of traveling and arriving in new places at odd hours, try to stop by a grocery store to stock up on snacks and local favorites without the hefty tourist prices. If you’d like a recommendation, I favor Lidl over all of the other ones for both price and quality. Whether it’s a pastel de nata in Portugal or gelato in Italy, grocery stores have their own spin and charm on local classics. 
  1. Take pictures of everything! (Or videos, draw sketches, keep momentos, whatever your thing is.) It’s easy to fall into the normalcy of seeing cobblestone streets and grandiose balconies on every street corner, but I try to keep a collection of photos and journal entries with momentos from each city I go to just to see the differences in architecture and energy between them. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and while I’m unwont to agree completely, each city is unique and having the opportunity to look back on a clear retelling of it is truly something special. 
  1. Try to say something, anything, in the local language wherever you go because the effort is always appreciated. Even if it’s a greeting, please and thank you, and asking if someone speaks English in the local language if you’re truly at a loss for words will get you far in terms of warmth and reception. There’s a reason tourists are often regarded with exasperation and weariness, but showing appreciation and respect towards new cultures and languages will expand and increase the value of your time spent in a new place!

They say it takes 21 days to build a habit, and it’s been a little over 55, I slowly realize I could get used to this life. A desire to live, a desire to survive, a desire to thrive. I realize I’ve talked your ear off about Italy, what can I say it was 10 out of 28 days of the month and few more of preparation. But the sweetness of life is an addicting flavor. Lazy wandering streets and squeezing through back alleyways make the world feel like a treasure box. I’m glad to never know what I’ll find.