My first trip to Europe was when I was 20 years old. Looking back on this, I consider myself very lucky. My friend’s family invited her to visit them in Northern Italy for a couple of weeks and she asked me to join her. Little did either of us know at the time that this invitation would evolve into a 6 week European adventure.
London and Paris were added to our itinerary as well as additional stops in Italy. Besides visiting Milan and Como where her family lived, we visited Pisa, Florence, Venice and Rome as well as the French Riviera. After all, we figured if we were flying that far, we might as well see some more of Europe! Believe me — We worked and saved for this trip in the months leading up to our departure and it was worth every penny!
Saying that this trip was a learning experience is truly an understatement. I gained confidence in my own abilities, learned to navigate language barriers, plan, problem solve and budget. I didn’t know at that time that this travel adventure would make an indelible imprint on my life and shape who I am as a person today.
But probably the biggest takeaway from my first European journey is that I learned that I never want to be a “tourist” again. Yes , I know that you’re probably asking what am I talking about. After all, we are all tourists when we travel outside our culture. But for me, leaving your comfort zone, getting away from all the touristy stuff will enhance your experience exponentially. I learned that to truly immerse yourself in any culture you need to eat with locals and stay with locals.
This European adventure was the catalyst to my future trips to Europe. It gave me a glimpse into all that this continent has to offer — and I wanted to see more! The food, the locals, the myriad of sites , history and natural beauty are all reasons to visit.
So join me and my family on our European adventures!
Paris, France
Venice, Italy
Lisbon, Portugal
Milan, Italy
Barcelona, Spain
Costa Del Sol, Spain
Budapest, Hungary
