One picture cannot summarize my study abroad experience this summer. When I signed up to be apart of the SA program, I did not imagine the impact it would have on me. When I first signed up, I figured what better way to end my college career taking a course abroad. I love to travel, and Europe had been one of the locations on my list. Leading up to the trip I didn’t feel any anxiety or excitement partially because I was more concern with flight delays. Once I was on the plane it all became real and the anticipation of all we were going to see, do and experience set it. We arrived in London and welcomed by our amazing tour guide and now friend Laura. Laura made sure she was transparent and gave us loads of information and educated us on how to navigate in the city on your own time.  I must admit traveling in London on my own was easy many of us tried it and loved that aspect. Paris, France was an architect lover’s dream, like London a lot of the city maintains is old buildings structures.

It was nice having nuggets of the old world amid new or modern times architecture. Laura arranged for a night boat ride thru the canal the day before we left, so we could see the amazing famous structures lit up.  If you think they are amazing during the day at night they are breathless, a must do when in Paris. Our train ride into our last destination Holland/ Amsterdam was beautiful we were able to see all the picturesque   countryside that we often see on TV or social platforms.  Once there it was like taking a small trip back in time, seeing the ageless and preserved structures. It was amazing seeing people boat living along on canal, riding bikes everywhere by everyone of all ages. Visiting the Anne Frank house was a speechless experience, visiting the cheese farm was super cool, and not to mention the cheese is delicious. What I enjoyed the most where the many places we visited that have so much history but that ate not spotlighted in the media, those fewer common places. I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to partake in this study abroad program and would recommend to anyone of any age to do it.

– Salome, SPC Western Europe Study Abroad Program, July 2022