CETS Experience

Before the trip started I was a little nervous.  I didn't really know anyone from class that well, I had never traveled alone, and I had never traveled out of the country.  I hadn't even been away from home for more than a two-week period.  Besides being nervous, I was also very excited.  I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, and I was determined to get everything out of it that I could.  

The group in Vienna

I am usually a very shy person, which is definitely why I didn’t talk a ton in class or become close with some of the other people in class right away.  I was really proud of myself for opening up and not allowing myself to be shy toward the other students once the trip started and I arrived in Europe.  Another thing that this experience really helped me with was becoming more independent.  Like I said, before this trip I had never been away from home for more than two weeks, and even that was only one time.  I’m originally from Menomonie, Wisconsin, and so going to college I didn’t make it far from home either.  It was refreshing to realize how well I could handle being away from home, my family, and friends for an extended period of time (with limited contact at that). 

At dinner in Krakow

Prague Castle

After spending a month in different countries in Europe I learned a lot about the culture over there.  I realized that I really liked some of the parts of European culture, and other parts I didn’t like.  I didn’t realize until we were in Vienna talking with our tour guide for the wine valley tour that the food laws in Europe, and especially in Austria, are much stricter than in the United States.  I really appreciated that aspect of European culture, and I wish that the food laws would tighten up in the United States to mirror the laws in Europe.  It was refreshing to know that the things we were eating over there were not highly processed like so much of the food is here in America.  Another part of European culture that I enjoyed was the public transportation systems.  Even though they did get hot (especially the trams) in the later countries we visited, I actually really enjoyed not having a car to drive everywhere.  I loved the more active lifestyle we saw and took part in while we were over here.  It was kind of cool that we got all over the cities we visited by just walking and taking subways – it was something that I really was not used to, and I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did either.  One thing that I disliked about European culture was the extent of cigarette smoking.  Having such clean air and not having a constant stream of second hand smoke entering my system no matter where I was is something I previously took for granted in America.  

The baths in Budapest