Travel

December 10, 2014- 525,600 minutes ago I was flying home from Santiago, Chile carrying exhaustion, sadness and excitement in my bags, but more importantly memories and friendships that I knew would stick with me forever.  There hasn't been a single day during the past year that I haven't thought about my time in Chile because it really did change my life.  It solidified my love for adventure and my confidence to embrace seemingly scary situations.  Today I am flying home from San Jose, CA.  Maybe December 10 will just have to be an annual travel day!

Brandan Valdivia, Chile

    This past year has been so incredibly fun especially with the addition of new adventurers who have joined me in some way.  I am continuously inspired by my friends taking on new adventures.  Brandan is currently backpacking through Asia, Jake spontaneously books plane tickets and figures out how to make it work, Mario started tour company in Madrid.  The theme connecting these people is a love for travel and a passion to try new things and meet new people.  (Check out Mario's company if you're ever in Madrid because he's an awesome guy and would give a rad tour  http://www.showmemadrid.es/  both in English and Spanish).  Each of these friends has found something they love and I hope to travel with each of them someday.

Budapest

       I've learned to sleep on planes, trains, boats, futons, floors and everywhere else.  I've learned to go a full day without eating or eating 3 different cakes when your host mom makes you food. I've learned that it is possible to get from point A to point B even if you wind up making stops at C,D and E before getting back to B.   I still laugh at the times in Europe wondering which country we'd choose to sleep in that night and how we would get there.  I've learned that it doesn't hurt to ask for something, because the worst that can happen is the response is "no" (dad you've always told me this!).  But most importantly I've learned that there is so much hope and love in this world if you take the time to see it. If you take the time to sit next to someone on an airplane and form a connection and really, truly honestly listen to them.  If you take the time to sit down with someone and ask them about them self.  People love talking about who they are, what they do, what they like.  I am an extremely curious person who loves to ask questions (if you know me well you're laughing at this point).   That curiosity has led to conversations with Danny the taxi driver in San Francisco supporting his family in the Philippines,  the French teenagers on the metro at midnight in Paris with Angie, Maria the Australian wandering through Italy alone, Sally the ex CIA agent turned flight attendant and so many more.  All these people have contributed to my baggage that I carry with me. Everyone has a story so take the time to listen to it because you never know what you may learn about yourself or the world.

Angie, Almalfi Coast, Italy

          I hope I never lose the kid in me that still loves watching airplanes fly. I hope when I'm 90 years old I'm still traveling and meeting new friends, finding things that scare me. Angie has tried to live the motto "do something that scares you everyday" and I really like that. Go somewhere different each day, try a new food, meet a new friend and you'll be amazed at how diverse and exciting this gift of life is!

Jake, Santa Clara, California

"If man is to survive, he will have learned to take a delight in the essential differences between men and between cultures. He will learn that differences between ideas and attitudes are a delight, part of life's exciting variety, not something to fear." -Gene Roddenberry

Erin the intern

The summer before senior year is often a time for people to have an internship. This is the norm and the thought is to have a leg up on your counterparts when applying for jobs (not sure how I feel about it). We'll see how this goes in the next year but I followed right along like most of my friends this summer. I wasn't doing it for credit, since I would've had to pay for that, I wasn't paid, and I wasn't required to have one because of my major.  As I deemed myself a "glorified volunteer" here is my experience from the 3 months I spent as the Competition Programs&Events intern at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah.

The National Ability Center is a non-profit located in Park City that is committed to providing recreational opportunities to people of all abilities. They have a campus which allows for horse back riding, archery, ropes course rock climbing, and cycling. Off campus there's the ability to take people paddle boarding, kayaking, water skiing, wakeboarding and in the winter alpine skiing and other winter sports. The largest population we serve are veterans and those on the autism spectrum.  The organization is 25 years old, but still up and coming. They've expanded to programs overseas as well and people from around the world come to Park City for these opportunities.  Check out www.discovernac.org for ways to get involved!

I got involved when I was 16 and helped out some participants water ski. Helping a paralyzed participant water ski and watching his huge smile with the wind blowing in his face made me want to be involved more. This summer, after I decided to come home I applied and then started my summer!

I've always said that sports have the power to change people's lives. I've seen this throughout my life. After freshman year I was an intern at Cooperstown Dreams Park in NY in the baseball operations department, sophomore year I worked with a team and helped the Colorado Adaptive Sports Foundation share their story and spread adaptive awareness, while in Italy I did a cross cultural comparison on sports between Italians and Americans, so this summer it seemed fitting to do something related to sports.

The beginning of June brought about special olympics where I helped coach a participant in the cycling program. The next three months were spent planning and preparing for the annual Summit Challenge benefit ride for the National Ability Center. My role was to recruit adaptive athletes from around the country and make sure they were supported along the ride.  I also helped out with all the little details from finding sponsors, making raffle baskets, planning a short ride to showcase adaptive cycles, securing vendors and rest stops sponsors, preparing the swag bags, and a million other little tasks that come up when planning an event for 600+ people.   I've always loved organizing and planning events, but this was the biggest event I've been instrumental with.

August 23 came in with a thunderstorm drenching much of Salt Lake and Park City. As 3:45am came and I drove up to Park City I was nervous the weather would put a damper on the whole event. After a couple of hours setting up in the rain it cleared! The mountains were snowcapped and it was beautiful! The sun came out and didn't impact the event as much as we anticipated.  The day was busy trying to make everyone happy. Of course when you're behind the scenes you think of everything that should be happening or was supposed to be happening and it's easy to get caught up in and forget that the majority of the participants are having a great time and don't know all the things going wrong.  One smile from a blind participant or hug from a child with autism changes everything. Watching a veteran who has fought for our freedom ride 52 miles on a hand cycle at over 6000ft is impressive, but seeing them come in and thank you for empowering them and giving this opportunity is something that will stick with me forever.  We had 100 adaptive riders who all rode for free based on the 500+ able bodied riders who participated.  Watching people who never thought they could ride 18 miles because they don't have the use of their right side come across the finish line with a smile and a Tiger Woods fist pump is phenomenal. What sticks out the most to me is hearing from participants "I never thought I'd ride a bike again till I came across this organization and event." That day I knew I had helped make the lives of many people better, but what I didn't realize is how much better my day was because of them.  Thank you to my family and friends who helped out with the event in some way or another. Cole, Jake, Carol, Tom, mom&dad, Allison, and Mary you help make the world even better :)


   


















 Yes, during my internship I did make coffee and copies once in awhile, but every employee was there to help out one another and sometimes that means making a fresh pot of coffee. I did sit at a desk with a computer, but I also got to have meetings while walking around outside. Yes sometimes I was bored or unsure of myself, but I gained confidence. I knew I was capable of planning and running organizations and events, but I didn't know how much of difference I could make within an organization. I learned how to be "forcefully remindful" and how to remind people they are here to help you. I saw a variety of leadership styles and was trusted to perform tasks.  I wore my "Erin intern" nametag proudly, but laughed when people came to me with questions and I'd say "I'm just an intern." They'd respond with "never say you're JUST an intern." I loved working with committed people and that really makes a difference in an organization or business. I never heard anyone complain about taking a Wounded Warriors group to the airport at 5am or working 16 hour days. Every staff, intern and volunteer was really committed to helping others. So my advise to every student is if you're going to have an internship find one that supports your passion. The late nights at the office and lack of pay float to the back of your mind when you have your passion and goal in mind. Find your passion, find your goal and find an organization that supports you!

21st birthday

Birthdays come once a year and it's a day to feel loved by all those exciting people in your life.  Facebook has turned birthdays into casual "HBD" posts on your wall.  It allows people to remember your birthday though.  Thanks to all my friends and family for the phone calls, texts, emails and cards. You made my day!

My present from my parents was a trip to Denver to celebrate my 21st.  The trip to my other home was incredible.  I spent 3.5 days wandering around DU and seeing friends. I have never had a homecoming quite like this. One of my favorite things in the entire world is hugs.  I LOVE hugs and some of the best hugs of my life occurred this week.

I haven't seen most of these friends in a year. We reminisced how a year ago at this time we were saying goodbyes, a little weary and nervous about all going abroad, but excited for our adventures. It does not seem like that long ago.

I got to celebrate my birthday with so many people and even though it was 40 degrees with some snow on the ground we had fun.  I got to roller blade, ride bikes, get waffle fries at Chick-Fil-A and truffle fries at Park Burger, watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs, eat red velvet cake, make chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, go to Trader Joes and Sprouts, eat lunch at Illegal Pete's and several meals with different friends, walk around the park and spend nights out way past my usual bed time!

Friends would call or text me and I would walk around catching up with people here and there.
Catching up with friends whom I've literally traveled the country and world with was so fun.  Each one makes me proud. Proud when people from home ask what my friends are doing this summer and I say they're "interning with Merrill Lynch, hiking Switzerland, researching environmental impacts of diving in Caribbean" They're inspirational, but still 20/21 year old kids always ready to have fun.

I'm so excited to go back to DU in the fall for senior year.  Three years ago I was debating between attending Loyola Marymount University, Gonzaga University, and the University of Denver. I was so undecided and after this year I can surely so I'm incredibly happy with my decision to attend DU. The people are adventurous, kind, compassionate, intelligent and happy to be alive!

So thank you to all who made my trip fantastic. To old friends and some new ones thanks for celebrating my return to the US and my 21st birthday. Thanks for caring about me and being genuinely interested in my life. Thank you for the hugs, dancing, singing, sleepovers, rides to/from the airport and the cakes. It was definitely a birthday to remember (yes I remember my entire 21st!)

coming home

The journey home back to the US of A. The country that  I truly love the most. These past four months have been an experience and adventure that's for sure. The journey really began June 5, 2013 when good friend Mur and I set out from Denver with Boston on our minds and 6 days to get there.  That's when I really learned the importance of friendships and calling people up to stay with them. That's the trip I learned to say "yes" to new experiences. I think my favorite word this past year has been "adventure". Approaching each day as an adventure means that you're always sure to have a different experience. You approach a task with a new mindset; you embrace the good, the bad, and the ugly. When you say the word "adventure" it sounds like you're a little kid in search of gold at the end of the rainbow.  It just has a positive ring to it.  I'm home now and hope to keep saying "adventure" on a daily basis.

No one will ever truly know what you have experienced unless they are there with you. I've already had people ask "you slept in hostels? were they dirty and gross?" and "you spent nights at an airport?" and "you traveled alone?". Well yes I did and I loved my adventures.  One day when I'm older maybe I won't be sleeping on trains or in airports or staying in hostels, but for now I'm content with my sleeping accommodations.

Mur and I at the CNN tower in Toronto, CAN

Another common comment-"you must've met a lot of really cool people". Oh if only I could successfully convey all the amazing people I've met and give glimpses of their lives. We all learn not to talk to strangers, but I tend to make some exceptions to that rule while still following my instinct. If I wouldn't have talked to strangers then I wouldn't have left my room.

Another common question-"so did you actually go to school or what'd you did the past 9 months?"  Yes. I really promise, but pictures from school just aren't as cool as pictures from the Eiffel tower or on top of a volcano. I earned 49.5 credits to be transferred back to DU. I did have homework (maybe 80 hours in total including studying for finals). I earned A's and B+'s.  I learned some in the classroom and actually enjoyed studying philosophy and the Italian language, but I learned a whole lot more in my larger classroom....the world.

One major thing I've learned is our dependence on one another. We depend on the bagger at the grocery store and the mail man to bring us our mail. We depend on our friends to listen and laugh with us. We depend on our family to love us. We depend on the taxi driver, pilot, conductor to take us to our destination safely.  And because we depend on one another we should help each other out. Someone once asked me how I try and live my life and I said that I try to treat others how I wish to be treated. If I needed help with directions I'd hope I could ask someone and they'd try to help because I would do the same for someone else. Let me get this point across-YOU ARE NEVER TOO BUSY TO HELP SOMEONE IN NEED.  If the 15 people in Munich hadn't helped us we wouldn't have Angie's phone, if people on the bus and in the streets in Salerno wouldn't have directed us to the train station we would've been out $70 and missed our train. If the workers at the Patagonia store in Prague hadn't taken out a map to help me to get my hostel I would've continued walking in the opposite direction.  I've really realized how much we need one another and I'm not afraid to ask for help-for someone to give directions, let me borrow their phone, or take a picture for me.

Chile core 

I hope this is not the end of my time abroad. I hope that I have to opportunity to work or study abroad again because talking to strangers and becoming friends is one of my favorite things.  After reading my blog you might never want to travel with me, but if you're up for an adventure and flying by the seat or your pants then I invite you to come along!

Things I learned: 

-I like eggplant, avocado, chorizo, schoopwaffle and zucchini 

-it is possible to fall asleep with headphones in your ears and country music playing

-most strangers don't want to hurt you 

-it's possible to run through large crowds, dog pooped streets and taxi jams

-if you miss a train/bus, there's always a next one

-16 hour bus rides aren't as bad as they sound

-sometimes people don't love Americans, but most of the time they do and it's okay to be proud to be an American (plus owning being American is better than trying to conceal it)

-most dogs don't want to attack you

Julie and I in Prague

Things I'll remember from my travels:

-love, happiness, and kindness are universal

-everyone laughs in the same language

-NOTHING will go exactly as planned

-facebook can be the best address book ever (or provide one time waiters a way to ask you on a date)

-maps are not as popular as they once were, but there are lots of free map apps on smartphones

-your friends and family will be there when you get home, you don't need to spend all day snapchatting, facebooking, texting, instagraming or twittering to stay up date date

-but technology can make you feel so connected and happy and that is perfectly OKAY

-breathe right strips are key to a good night sleep if you're stuffy

-I'm pretty good at interpreting handsignals  

-sometimes non-Americans have really insightful opinions about America

-when a group of you are trying to figure out what a native is saying, you can't all pretend to understand

-we might have to pay a lot for health care in America, but it is pretty nice

-people love having their picture taken and sharing their stories

My little brother has always loved the motto "whether you think you can or you think you can't you're right" and there have been many instances where it was crucial to think that I could.  Like the time I tried escargot, or sprinted to catch a train in Switzerland.  Your mind really wants to help your body succeed to what you've set out to do.

My Favorites/the best In Europe:

-big city: Amsterdam

-small city: Bruges, Belgium or Bled, Slovenia

-airport: Schipol, Amsterdam and Vaclav Havel, Prague

-train station: Antwerp Central

-pizza: Gusta Pizza in Florence

-pasta: prosciutto and cheese tortillini with truffles at ZaZas in Florence

-train ride: from Zermatt to Lucerne Switzerland

-car ride-from Lake Garda to Cinque Terre Italy

-stranger turned friend: Mario, met in Budapest

-hostel: 5 Terre Backpacks in Corvara, Italy and Castle Hostel Bled, Slovenia

-church: Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, Italy

-gelato: caramelized pear flavor at Garden Tea Room in Florence

-nicest people: the French

-best food: Hungary, Amsterdam and Krakow

-best metro system: Paris

-most walkable city: Prague

-oldest city: Agrigento, Sicily 

-best brownie: Coffe Heaven Krakow 

-non-European food: Nam Nam Thai in Munich

-ski resort: Mont Blonc Chamonix, France

-museum: Anne Frank Amsterdam, Netherlands

-coastal town: Portofino, Italy

Kelly, Jen, Meghan and me at the dunes

embrace life

Brittney wrote me a letter last year before I left and said "You have more faith than anyone I know-not just in God but in life. This experience is going to reinforce your faith in life." It's safe to say the past year has definitely reinforced my faith in life and I'm forever happy and grateful.

So thank you from my whole heart. To Emily, Constantine, Max, Sascha, Leah, Alex, Sam, Clayton, and Matt for housing me at some point this past year.  To the countless new friends I have for experiencing life and adventures with me. To my friends from the states who provided stability, support and love from abroad. And to my family for supporting this journey and never getting too mad even if I traveled alone.

Hannah and I in Patagonia, Chile

casual selfies with Rob at Machu Picchu 

Mom's road trip around Italy

Dad had given mom a trip to Italy for Christmas and we thought coming at the end of my semester made the most sense.  So she and cousin Maggie came on Good Friday.  I met them in Rome at the Hilton hotel by the airport. I found them getting ready to take naps. No people you can’t take a tap; we’ve got places to go, things to see, and pizza to eat! So we rallied and headed to the city center and wandered around. Now most people have never been to Rome in their lives or have gone once, but this was my fourth time in 3 months. Rome is a cool city don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t quite have the curiosity or excitement that I had during my first visit.  The pope held Stations of the Cross at dark at the Colosseum and that was just awe inspiring.  We only stayed for a little bit because we were exhausted.  Saturday I had eggs for breakfast paired with a nutella croissant of course, but people I got scrambled eggs after several months. Yippy! We toured Rome some more and went to the Vatican.  What a pretty place it is.  There are two simple requests when in the Sistine Chapel-no photos and no talking. People just love to find ways to do both. You know those people who try and sneak their phones up their sleeves to get a picture. It’s so much more beautiful in there when it’s silent and people can follow two simple requests.  We had to get gelato before we got on the bus back to the hotel and thought we’d indulge on the bus, but the bus driver had another idea for us-throw it away! No sir we can’t just throw good gelato away, we’ll scarf it down in two minutes instead.  Sunday, Easter, one of my favorite holidays. We were up before 5am to head to the Vatican. We dressed in our Easter dresses and headed through the parking lots, over barriers, dodging cars and made it to the bus.  We arrived outside the St. Peter’s Square gates at 7:15 and they opened at 8.  Imagine day after Thanksgiving shopping, but times 10 worse and people speaking just about every language imaginable. When the gates opened you are forced to push them, hug them, dance on them to survive.  My hands couldn’t even go down to my sides.  But we made it, and found seats. You are supposed to fax in a letter to the Vatican office 2-6 months before the service to get tickets to special masses. It’s not completely necessary though as lots of people who came early enough got seats. We were to the right of the stage only 15 rows back.  There were over 150,000 people in the square all the way back to the river.   It was a perfect day with not a cloud in the sky.  On my life list has been to attend Easter or Christmas mass at the Vatican and it did not disappoint my hopes. Papa Francesco is so loved all around the world and it was evident in the crowd with different nationalities represented and many young people in attendance. Ah it was just perfect. An experience of a lifetime.  Being there and actually understanding some of what Papa Francesco was saying and seeing him wave around in his convertible pope mobile was awesome. We wandered around Rome the rest of the afternoon as did about 2 million other people. It wasn’t quite like my first trip there in January where you didn’t have to wait in line for things.  

Easter mass at the Vatican

If you’re going to go to Rome, or Italy for that matter go November-February even though you won’t have great weather. It’s worth it! Monday we rented a little Fiat Punto and headed out to the hills.  I was impressed with mom’s driving; navigating through crazy aggressive drivers, bicyclists and whatever else may be on the road. We went to the city of Viterbo which looked like a little Italian ghost town. The day after Easter is a holiday in Italy and we probably didn’t see more than 100 people in town. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of lasagna with at least a pound of cheese and some sort of red vegetable.  And chocolate cake for dessert of course.  Maggie headed back to Rome to continue her trip to Greece and mom and I continued to Siena.  The drive was beautiful around a huge lake. We stopped in Siena and wandered for a while. I can see why my friends loved studying abroad there.  We then continued to Florence back to my pensione to pick up my luggage. 

mom's experience at Gusta Pizza 

We ended up spending the night there because our Air B&B place didn’t come through.  I’ll never forget that smell of cat pee as you walk in the building.  Tuesday was spent touring Florence-seeing David, my school, getting mom’s daily cappuccino, walking up Piazza Michealangelo, eating gelato twice, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, the leather market and one last trip to Gusta Pizza. I think that was at least my eighth trip there and it’s definitely a must eat in Florence.  Again Florence was crowded but it was nice to run through the city one last time.  We headed off toward Padova in our little Punto.  After a few missed turns (because who needs a real paper map when you have a couple of pictures and your own brain) we finally made it to our hotel in Padova just after 1am.  Wednesday we headed to Venice. Think of what you picture Venice to be. Maybe it’s only what you’ve seen at the Venetian in Vegas or maybe you’ve seen glorious photographs. After a day spent wandering around the canals a and islands of Venice I can say that looking at those glorious photographs is better than a visit.  Our experience was walking around graffitied streets with tons of people. Just when we thought we’d seen it all we turn around and there’s a massive cruise ship coming into port. We spent some time at the island of Murano, famous for glass blowing, to watch a demonstration and consequently buy some glass.  If you’re looking for that romantic gondola ride make sure you bring 80Euro and you don’t mind your 25 minutes being spent along side motorboats. 

Portofino

Thursday was a pleasant drive to Lake Garda spending time lounging by the lake with fresh OJ and a croissant.  The lake is a beautiful mix a beautiful Mediterranean hue and snow capped peaks in the background.  We then continued on to Portofino on the coast for dinner.  Such a beautiful town and definitely worth the visit.  After taking a dirt, one-way road we made it to our hostel.  Yes, mom stayed in her third hostel in a year at the age of 52. Pretty cool right?  It was an awesome place that looked like a home from Lord of the Rings.  The stars were brilliant and we enjoyed catching up with world travelers.  Friday we set out to hike the five villages of Cinque Terre.  The coastal trail was closed and probably will be for another year. Mom was a little anxious that we hadn’t planned much but quickly learned, yet again, that most times when you try to plan something in Italy it just doesn’t go the way you thought it would.  We took the ferry to Riomaggiore and began our trek up stone stairs, along the highway and down through forests.  We stopped in Corniglia, my favorite of the towns, for a pesto lasagna lunch.  The popular town of Vernazza was definitely popular that day. We were amazed at the crowds.  The last leg to Monterosso was along the coastal trail that was another but a walk in the park.  Overall the hike was beautiful. I’d suggest going during the week in the off season, sometime after the trail opens next year.  Find out which town is your favorite.  Gelato was our reward in Monterosso before we began the three hour drive to Turino.  Upon arrival in Turino we didn’t have a hotel so we drove around for a while before finding one. Saturday we explored the 2006 Olympic city of Turino nestled at the base of the alps. Beautiful city as was the little town of Susa.  Ahhh Susa I could live there.  After fueling up on cheese bread, apples and chocolate we headed to George Clooney’s home. Okay not actually his home, but Lake Como where he does have a house.  Lake Como is stunning right along the Switzerland boarder. Nice and peaceful watching float planes take off and couples enjoy strolls along the shore.

Riomaggiore

Turino

  This is the second time I’ve gotten to take a trip with just one of my parents. When I was 16 dad and I went to Ireland for 9 days and drove around the Emerald Isle. Pretty cool to be able to travel like that; to live on the road in a foreign country and to be with your mom or dad. My warning to anyone driving in Italy-be ready to pay lots of tolls and practice your aggressive and defensive driving. Go to Italy in the off season if you can or find little towns away from all the crowds, unless you’re into that sort of thing. Rent a car and let your mind and body wander. Stay in hostel, talk to a stranger and try a new food!

thanks for coming momma

the land of chocolate and tulips

Bruges

    All semester I had wanted to see the tulip festival in Holland. I had gotten several laughs at this, but I was stoked to make this little dream a reality.  I left for Brussels (yeah that's not in Holland, but I might as well make this into an extended trip) on Wednesday night and arrived at the Hello hostel. The taxi driver told me to watch out for prostitutes at night so that was a nice little welcome.  Thursday I left early to catch a couple of trains to go to Bruges. There were a few girls speaking English before we got on the train so I asked where they were going and they invited me to join since I was alone. Bruges was a fairytale. It was absolutely stunning. I felt like I was walking around scenes only dreamed about but not actually real places. I had a Belgian waffle and fries for lunch, classic.  The day was spent walking around the canals with Medha, a new friend from Clemson. Bruges is famous for beer, lace and the singer Gotye.  It is the most charming European city I've visited. Check out the movie "In Bruges" and you'll see why I loved the city so much.  Look for the dog who is claimed to be "the most photographed dog in the world" because he perches out a window along a canal all day long.

Bruges, Belgium

 









 

Meredith and I at the Autonium

 I met up with Meredith and her friends in Brussels Thursday night. I haven't seen Meredith in almost 5 years since we met at HOBY WLC in Washington DC after sophomore year of high school. We go to schools on the opposite side of the country, but she is studying in Spain

Julie and I at the Keukenhof Gardens

for the semester so we worked out a trip together.  She's one of those people who you don't have to talk to more than a couple times a year, but you know you'll be friends for life.     We spent Friday touring a chocolate factory, taking pictures at the Atomium (CNN named it Europe's most bizarre building), and walking around the city center.  Brussels is a nice city. I think it'd be a very livable, international city as it the houses the European Commission and pretty much everyone speaks English.  No trip to Brussels is complete without going to the Manneken Pis, better known as peeing baby statue, which has been a landmark since the early 1600s. For 25Euro I took a series of trains for 3 hours to Amsterdam! The train ride was beautiful through the Dutch country side.  Julie and I met up at the train station and headed to Leah Smith's apartment.  Leah was gracious enough to let us stay with her for the weekend and she made an excellent tour guide.  We indulged in Stroop Waffles, Bitterballen, and french fries. Of course we had to see the Red Light District. it's an interesting experience to see women selling themselves and to watch men walk out after a session.  I don't really know how I feel about it, but when in Amsterdam.

land of all things Dutch

    Saturday was tulip day!!! We took a trip outside of town to the Keukenhof Gardens. We joked this was like an adult Disneyland, because besides kids with their parents we were the youngest ones there. The gardens were immaculate. I was soooo happy to see the hundreds of different types of tulips and other flowers. We found an open field of tulips that we ran through only after we successfully jumped across a canal.  There are tulip festivals around the world, but the source of many of those bulbs comes from Holland.  If you ever get a chance, go check out the tulips in the Netherlands.  Of course we took pictures at the seemingly random but famous "Amsterdam" sign and then had Dutch pancakes at Leah's favorite restaurant, The Pancake Bakery. I opted for one with cheese and chorizo thinking back to the endless amounts of chorizo we ate in South America. It certainly was tasty.  Julie and I toured the Anne Frank house that night. Another place I've always dreamt and read about. I think I've read Anne's dairy at least 3 times and she continues to be a source of inspiration to me.  The museum was simplistic and well done really taking you back and imagining what her life was like.  Definitely a must see in Amsterdam.

Julie, Leah and I

   Sunday was spent walking around town and then catching our flight back.  Amsterdam is my favorite big European city. It's liberal, but has something for everyone. The canals make the city's design intricate and like a maze. The food is incredible both sweet and savory and the people are happy go lucky.  The also have peanut butter and cookie butter (which I learned is called Speculous)That was my experience there and in the future it is one place I think I could live.  I know you're all wondering if I smoked weed in a coffee shop and the answer is.......no. haha But if you are someone who is into that there are plenty of opportunities for you.
    What a great weekend it was especially right before finals.  Three of my worlds collided; Meredith from HOBY WLC, Leah from High School, and Julie from abroad.  How fortunate am I travel to beautiful places with beautiful people?    

"Some tourists think Amsterdam is a city of sin,

but in truth it is a city of freedom.

And in freedom, most people find sin."John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Friends

This past year has been one to remember and it's really the people who have made it so great. I've learned that friends are a necessity and without them in your life, well it might be boring. When I joke that strangers are friends we've never met, I'm not fully kidding. I think there's lots of truth in meeting new people and becoming friends. Friends more than just the craze of "becoming officially friends" once you're friends on facebook.  I haven't seen a lot of my friends in a year, but that doesn't mean that anything has changed. Between the snapchats, facebook posts, skype and viber calls, and letters I feel connected and not forgotten.  I do have friends around the world and I'm forever grateful for those connections. I'm fortunate to have friends from all parts of my life-from Coke Scholars I haven't seen in 3 years to roommates at DU I am happy you're all in my life.
   Since I have lots of time on train rides to write and think I'd thought I'd just mention some of the people who have contributed to this last year of experiences and introduce you to some awesome people who I call my friends.

Susie-training for her first marathon,hiking across Switzerland this summer,stellar lax player&coach
Annie-graduating early this summer,avid golf& Spartans fan,napper extraordinaire and karaoke singer
Allison B.-most likely to survive in the wilderness, runner and hiker of world's tallest peaks
Katrin-looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon, lover of popcorn,studied abroad in Beijing
Hannah E.-outdoor enthusiast, smile that lights up a room, never complains
Ali-has the biggest sweet tooth I know, smart and athletic and nice
Megan-great visitor anytime you want to procrastinate, coolest caddie, always willing to get treats
Brittney- life could be a movie, always has a new story to share, great listener, dependable friend
Sam- friend who knows how to make you feel like you're the coolest person in the room
Rachel-most photogenic and has the most pictures on facebook(4473), everyone wants to be around
Garret-will always be a child at heart, can count on you to always make people laugh
Mur- best road trip partner, never afraid to dance, little dynamite on the lacrosse field
Allyson- rock climber and biology major, better than most guys at sports video games
Ana-wildest red head but incredibly dependable, friend who knows how to take adventures
Kiki- All American girl who will be the nicest dentist you've ever met
Megan- leader and follower, always follows through, cares about everyone
 Brandan- always has something funny to share, will be a wealthy family man, loves the go pro
Laura-artist and business lady making stationary, runner of half marathons across the country
Cassie- a heart that's bigger than she is tall, loves rollerblading and driving Chester

Irene-engineer+backpacker+sorority girl=all around great person

Rylie- phenomenal cook, chocolate lover, zumba dancer, prettiest smile
Angie- coolest ski bum, never afraid to try something new, loves trivia nights
Tiffany- married but still always finds time to get ice cream, always doing something funny
Allison-graduating soon and already has a job lined up, drives a manual car, hard worker
Zoe-always tackling something new, volunteers with the cutest old people, headed to Africa
Christian-currently in Taiwan, will solve a world problem some day, master of all trades
Steph-one of the best college women's soccer players, studies hard and will one day be a lawyer
Stacey-will be the nicest and prettiest nurse you've ever met, always kind, runs a lot
Miranda-makes the funniest faces, college soccer player, wife, skier
Kenna-will save lots of lives as a doctor, good at every sport she tries
Jasmine- currently in Ukraine, dependable and caring and happy to be who she is
Sarah- beautiful ballerina, fun friend who remembers everything

Jen-smarty pants, heading to grad school in the fall, climbed a volcano with mono
Kelly-little bundle of energy, runner and moving west this summer to pursue her dreams
Meghan-loves Starbucks and bagels, wants to join the Peace Corp, always full of stories

Julie-loves gelato and chocolate, someone everyone can count on anytime anywhere
Jamee- incredibly kind, always up for an adventure, a smile and laugh to make you happy
Michelle- so funny at all times of the day,has a wide range of music on her itunes making her a great DJ
Connor- studies a ton but it pays off, knows how to make people feel important and always means well
Yesenia- dependable and friends with everyone, hard working and determined, happy forever
April- kind and helpful, cares way more about others than herself

 I wish everyone had the privilege of meeting each and every one of you!  The list could go on and on and in my mind it does. But in the end I'm so happy for the experiences I've gotten to share with so many different people all around the world. There's the saying that friends are family you can choose and how great is it when you find those friends that become family?

"Friends are hard to find. In a lifetime you get only a few. And when you find them

you always know them by sight and heart alone, you always

grow a little bit taller in your soul, and you know

you have been blessed just to know them."

Pretty Prague

I'd heard from many fellow European travelers that Prague was their favorite city they visited so from the beginning I wanted to check it out.  Julie left on Thursday and I was supposed to go that day too, but "summer schedule" had begun and I arrived at the airport to be told the flight had left 4 hours prior. No big deal, I got put on the next flight which was Saturday with no change fee. Things really do always turn out just fine and I was able to get school work done.  Upon my arrival Saturday Julie and I set out to see the city. We saw the Jubilee synagogue, astronomical clock, Prague Castle, the dancing house, a few churches and my personal favorite-the Charles Bridge.  Prague is known for its unique architecture and colorful buildings. We'd find ourselves just looking up at seemingly random buildings and staring at their intricate architecture. At one point there were some nicely dressed young men and who could they be??? LDS missionaries of course! A little reminder of home right there. There were so many happy people out just walking around.  There was an unusually high population of men.  The male to female ratio in the city had to be about 4:1.  We kept seeing these Thai message places with water tanks full of little fish and Julie has always wanted one of these fish pedicures. So she spent 25 minutes in a display case with her feet dangling in fish water while they ate her dead skin and I had a message by a 4 foot tall Thai grandma.  I had to hold back from laughing as she jumped across my back as I'm lying on a foam pad, in a bright orange cloth outfit, and thai music playing.  Quite the experience for $15.  The John Lennon Wall was also an experience. Since the 1980s it was been used to share quotes and artwork of Beatles lyrics and ideas of peace.  A group of 60 year old Asian women just loved us and wanted to take pictures with us and talk to us about America. They said "We from Korea. South Korea. You know Gangnam Style?"  Oh well of course we do and I proceeded to do a little dance for them.

And here are our new friends 

I stumbled upon the Patagonia store. It's now become a fun thing to see how many countries I can find a store in and even more relevant now that I've been to the actual Patagonia region. Walking around that night was fun too. Most of the bars allow smoking inside them which is a great way to keep Julie and I out.

pretty buildings 

    Eating bratwursts, langos, gelato, apple strudel, and trdelnik wasn't bad either.  Beer is cheaper than water which makes sense since legend has it that the god of hospitality invented it in the Czech Republic.  The city was clean and the streets were relatively large. Everyone spoke a good deal of English which was necessary when trying to navigate the confusing streets. It's a city of culture and proud people.  I saw more tongue piercings, dreadlocks (on an Asian too), and colorful hair than I have in any other city. I loved Prague especially the river! Definitely a place worth visiting.

astronomical clock

Julie and I at the Charles Bridge

Spring Breaking across 5 countries

    They say life is about the journey not the destination right?! Well that would be my spring break with best friend Angie. With nothing but a one way plane ticket to Paris and a train ticket from Munich to Florence this was definitely going to be about the 11 day journey.

Angie arrived Thursday afternoon on a train from Milan to Florence. We had an hour to get ready and then headed to the train station to catch our train to Pisa. When I say we had to sprint, I’m serious. So picture 2 girls, backpacks and duffels flying through the train station and just after we get on the train departs. Just in time! (this would be the first time we rain and there would be at least another 15 times that we did after) We took the usual tourist pictures holding up the leaning tower and then caught a taxi to the airport or else we would’ve missed our flight. After landing in Paris at BVA we took the bus to the city center and the metro where sprawled out across the seats.  After 10 minutes on the train we look out and what do you know it’s the Eiffel tower! A few minutes later a group of excited, drunk teenagers hoped on and welcomed us to Paris asking if we knew any French words and admiring Angie’s red hair. They insisted we come out to the clubs with them, but I’ve never really seen people carry their backpacks while they go out, so we passed. The comment of the night came from them as we took a picture before we exited the subway (after missing our stop) “you take selfies in America too?” well why yes we do. Haha “Selfie” is now part of the Oxford dictionary after originating in 2002 thanks to a drunk Australian and it’s a pretty universal thing.  We eventually made it to Emily’s(friend I was abroad in Chile with) hotel and Ang and I squoze into a twin bed for much needed sleep.

The Louvre

Notre Dame

Friday and Saturday were filled with miles of walking and plenty of sights. Notre Dame, Latin Quarter, Jewish Quarter, Love Lock Bridge, the Louvre, L’orangerie museum, Luxembourg Gardens, the Eiffel Tower were all seen. Holiday on Ice happened to be in Paris and so we were able to go see some skating friends (thanks Lauren Farr!)  We also tried pesto escargot. Better than I thought, but still digging a snail out and eating it is just an interesting concept. We ate the best quiche of our entire lives and indulged in a few éclairs. People often say that French people, especially Parisians, are stuck up or snobby but that wasn’t our experience at all. Cole Fox had reassured me that we would meet some of the nicest people in France and he was absolutely correct. Our happiest moment was siting on the steps of the Sacré Coeur at sunset enjoying a group of young guys play various instruments with hundreds of people drinking beer and clapping along. It’s inspiring to watch people doing what they love and sharing their passions with others.

skiing Brevent

We booked an overnight train from Paris to Chamonix 12 hours before it left. Going to sleep seeing the Eiffel Tower and waking up in the French Alps is a dream.  We enjoyed the ski towns surrounding Mont Blanc. We skied Brevent on a 60 degree, bluebird day.  I still think Utah has the greatest snow, but the views and terrain of the French Alps is hard to beat.

We found ourselves in Geneva, Switzerland touring the UN headquarters.  It brought a whole new light to the good old Model UN days back in High School.  I’d love to work for the UN one day, but don’t know if I’d like living in Geneva. Everything was incredibly expensive ($17USD cheese pizza) but they have Tolberone McFlurries so that’s quite amazing. We made it to Zermatt that night and headed to a bar. 20+USD for a drink there, but listening to a live band, being in a ski town and meeting a Brazilian and 2 British musician made the experience well worth it. I wouldn’t recommend staying in Youth Hostels unless they’re you’re only option, but it did the job. After a hike and plenty pictures of the REAL LIFE MATTERHORN we were on another train. The Matterhorn has been one of my favorite rides at Disneyland and seeing it in person just gives it a whole new meaning.  We made it to Luzern after another beautiful train through the rolling hills. Ang had cheese fondue and we went to Legend’s Bar to meet Billy the famous bartender we heard about the night before. We had long chats with older guys and learned what a “Jewish Dilemma” is. We took a lake cruise and realized how much we both love lakes. There’s something about being in the open with nothing but water surrounding you that just makes the heart happy!

The Matterhorn

Luzern, Swtizerland

We spent an afternoon in Zurich touring the Swiss National Museum and walking around doing any free activity we could like getting free snickers bars from some kids at the train station. We don’t speak French or German but we do understand “want some snickers?” We made it to the YMCA hostel in Basel where rooms are complete with Bibles and made a dinner complete with egg roles.

We left Basel in the morning and ended up in Freiburg Germany (in the Black Forest) for lunch. Right before the train departed Ang panics “we still have 40Francs to spend!” (that’s $45USD). So that must mean we should go back to Switzerland for the night.  We ate like queens after surviving on oranges, bread and chocolate in Switzerland because everything was so expensive ($28USD for a hamburger, $18USD for pasta)!!!!! We didn’t know where we wanted to go in Switzerland,but heard Saint Gallen was nice. I realized that Konstantin (friend I studied with in Chile) lived there. He graciously welcomed us to stay with him for a night and we made it there ready for a good night sleep with no snoring people. I loved Saint Gallen. It was beautiful and so incredibly peaceful. Ang loved the dogs, especially the two Newfoundlands that we saw.

The afternoon was spent in Bregenz Austria eating pizza with broccoli on it and walking around the lake that Ang was convinced was an ocean. Another train across the border to Lindau, Germany and a layover spent playing cards and we were on our way to Munich. We were all settled in our cabin enjoying the scenery when a worker fires something off in rapid German and follows in English with “putting your feet on the chairs is not lady like” and walks away. Well excuse us ma’am. We navigated the subway system and made it to Hotel Pension and then to Ned Kelly’s bar for some St. Pattys day festivities. We consumed an American platter complete with too much fried food, in Germany, at an Australian bar celebrating an Irish man. That’s globalization folks. 

St. Patty's Day lunch inMunich

Sunday we attended the parade and enjoyed the Irish music which I love!!! The parade was a giant hodgepodge that even included an American Democrats group marching. Everyone was in good spirits enjoying their Guinness.  We met up with Max (friend I met while in Costa Rica) and spent the night at his place. He took us to Nam Nam Thai which was delicious and a great change from pizza. 

            Monday we went to the Olympic Park site of the 1972 Summer games. We went to the top of the tour to see the whole city.  Next to the park is the BMW museum.  Ang and I found our dream cars (maybe souvenirs?)  The best part of the museum was its price….FREE! We left and went to a beer garden for lunch for some traditional Bavarian food (white sausage and a pretzel with sweet mustard) We were so content and headed to the Nymphenburg Palace. Once we got off the bus we saw a chocolate cake in the window of a café so we obviously stopped and that’s when Ang said “Erin for real I don’t have my phone this time.” So began the next 5 hours of chasing Angie’s phone. The story is much better told in person, but it constituted of asking over 20 people to either translate, make phone calls, give us directions, or for the wifi password. I’m delighted to say that after 5 hours of sprinting around the city we did indeed get the phone back thanks to help from dozens of people. We also made in time to catch our overnight train from Munich to Florence with a few minutes to spare.

In the end there aren’t many people who would travel like this; not knowing where your next meal(or what country it’ll be in) will be and not knowing where you’re going to sleep that night, but if you’re ever up for a challenge it’s a whole lot of fun.  I’m so fortunate I got to do it with my best friend. You meet a lot of really cool people along the way and like I’ve said before it’s amazing how much you rely on others to help you.

People often joke that I have friends in every country. Well that isn’t quite true, but I am so fortunate to have met and become friends with people from around the world. It’s a lot of fun when you stay with a local somewhere and they get to show off where they live. I can’t thank Emily, Konstantin, and Max enough for their gracious hospitality. 

Highlights of the trip:

-running to catch planes, trains, buses, ferries and taxis. We ran probably 75% of the time we had to catch some sort of transportation

-being twice as young as the majority of the people we met in Switzerland

-learning what a Jewish Dilemma is-bagel with cream cheese and bacon

-being so lost in translation that you just accept whatever is happening

-carrying around our bags everywhere including museums

-eating Swiss chocolate everyday

-getting to Germany and realizing we could eat again after food being too expensive in Switzerland

-conversations with people on trains including a man from Zurich who said, “when too many people are around the place loses soul.”

-getting roses from Kyler as he welcomed us to Paris

-skiing the alps on a perfect day and taking a nap in the sun

-having the Swiss Rail pass for $230USD for 4 days of unlimited transportation on boats, trains and buses and museum entrances

Zurich

 "I never get worried when I get lost...I just change where I want to go."