What did traveling to Europe give us, and what experiences and lessons did we take away from our 22-day journey?

Traveling through Europe, we experienced new cultures and history, faced unexpected challenges, and gained valuable experiences that helped us grow and strengthen our friendships. This journey was not just a tourist trip, it was a time to learn important life lessons that will have a great impact on our future lives.

 

Traveling to Europe has been my dream and hope since I was a kid. With countless historical monuments, beautiful landscapes, new languages, and new people, Europe is a place I want to visit before I grow old. Especially during my dark and difficult high school years, I studied hard with the hope that I would be able to go backpacking with my friends in just one year. Imagining the trip got me through the tough times, and I would count down the days until vacation. Hanging out with friends, planning trips, and envisioning a future of freedom and excitement was a great comfort to me.
When I became a college student and cautiously asked my parents for permission to go backpacking, I was overjoyed. At that moment, I felt like I had the whole world at my fingertips, so I assembled a close-knit group of traveling companions around me to spend 22 days in Europe. I flew to the other side of the world with four friends and spent three fantastic weeks.
But the trip didn’t get off to the best start. Two months before our departure date, we had a disagreement about which Korea we would travel to. Some of our friends had already traveled to some of the countries in Western Europe, and we had different ideas of where we wanted to go. But through this process, we managed to reconcile our differences and gradually build a stronger team. Despite our disagreements, we decided on a five-country route: England, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany. During final exams, we put our studies aside and were busy planning our trip. Of course, we didn’t have a detailed plan until right before we left, but that’s part of the fun of traveling.
The first country we visited was England, the country of gentlemen. Being our first trip to Europe, the UK was a huge shock to us. From Trafalgar Square to the magnificent buildings stretching in all directions, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, and more, we were in awe. I almost burst into tears with excitement to see these buildings in person after only seeing them in photos. What made it even more amazing was that England is so far north on the globe that the sun never sets. The sun didn’t creep below the western horizon until 10pm, which allowed us to spend the day frantically exploring every inch of London. Some of our favorite memories include the champagne we popped at sunset on the Thames on our first day in London, and the time we tried to catch a train to Cambridge, thinking we were out of the city, only to find the doors closed in the middle of the ride. On the morning of our departure to Paris, two friends overslept and almost missed our Eurostar train, all of which have become happy memories in our minds.
Our next destination, France, threw us for a loop from day one. First of all, we didn’t speak the language, which made traveling very difficult for us. I had to rely on a semester’s worth of beginner French and the combined hand gestures of the four of us to survive. After four days, we were exhausted from the overall cynicism of Paris compared to the hospitality of England, but we were encouraged by the stunning nightlife of Paris, the grandeur of Notre Dame Cathedral, the glamor of the Champs-Elysees, and the beauty of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. And on the last day, when we went to the Palace of Versailles, it was so nice to be with eight other Korean travelers who were all booked with the same travel agency. They were all about the same age as us and had good personalities, so we got along very quickly, and from that day on, we traveled with them for the rest of the trip. Every day in Paris felt like a scene from a movie.
Switzerland was the most unforgettable country of our trip. We spent three days in Switzerland, and only one of those days was truly outdoors. First, the hotel we were booked into by the travel agency was located in a very secluded and quiet rural village with nothing to see, so we were stuck for three days. In this silence, we were suddenly able to truly unplug from the hectic pace of Korean life. Being cooped up in a hotel for two nights allowed us to get to know the four of us and the eight other travelers incredibly well. We played card games, gambled, went for walks, and even had a barbecue and drinking party on the last night, which was a fun way to spend our Swiss nights. On the third day, we took a gondola ride to the top of a nearby mountain called Mt Titlis. On the ice cap at the top of the mountain, we rode a snow sled in an endless loop, and on the way back down, we rode a scooter to recreate a kartrider.
Italy was the death of us. We spent six days in Italy, and unlike in any other country, we were used to cooler climates, and for the first time we experienced the incredible heat of 42 degrees Celsius, especially since Vatican City is a very sacred area where the Pope lives, and only long pants are allowed, so we were able to spend a day in the sauna for free. In six days, we traveled to Milan, Florence, Rome, and Vatican City, but to be honest, we don’t remember much of it. All we can remember is the blazing sun, the incredible humidity, and the cool air conditioning in the buildings. Nevertheless, even in the heat, we had an invaluable opportunity to experience Italy’s history and see its art and architecture with our own eyes. The Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Michelangelo’s Hill, Duomo, etc. were all places I enjoyed wandering around and hanging out with my friends. On our last day, we said goodbye to Rome with a group glow-in-the-dark at the Castle of the Angels, but we missed our car. In the end, we barely made it back to our hostel on the night bus.
Germany, our last country, was heaven for us. Not to mention the cool weather, the meat and alcohol were cheap and delicious compared to other countries. We probably never ate so much meat in our 22-day trip. In addition, we were all impressed by the beer, which was so different from what we usually drink in Seoul. One of the things that struck us as we traveled around Germany was the ubiquity of beer in Germany. Bars are restaurants, restaurants are bars, and it was shocking to see Germans eating lunch with a 1L glass of beer by their side. Thanks to this, we were able to enjoy three days of authentic German culture. Germany gave us the most relaxing and enjoyable time. The little things in everyday life made the trip even more special, and we were able to cherish every moment.
Finally, on the plane back from Germany, we were talking to each other and feeling how much this 22-day trip meant to our lives. We were all encouraging each other because of the hardships we had endured, and we could feel our friendships growing stronger through this experience. This trip wasn’t just about visiting new places and seeing beautiful landscapes. We pushed ourselves beyond our limits, gained trust in each other, and grew together, and we vowed to use this valuable experience to support each other in our future lives.