So much has changed since the first day and my first blog. Everyone in our group is close friends, but I have become super close to two girls that I have been hanging out with every day. We have done our schoolwork together, walked around each city together, went out for lunch and dinner, and I know they would be there for me if I needed them, which is a good feeling being in a foreign country with no other friends or family. I have found that I love watching families in other countries interact and communicate. It is also interesting to me how similar but so different all the languages sound; I have heard Italian, German, Slovenian, and French. I only wish I understood what they were saying every once in a while. The language barrier has been the biggest difficulty I’ve faced while being here. Most people in Italy and France know English, but not so much in Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. When I tried to ask directions or help in Germany and Slovenia, a lot of natives seemed annoyed that I was American. They just said no that they don’t speak English, then walked away. This was a bit frustrating, but at the same time, I understood because I was in their country and don’t expect everyone to want to help a tourist. The people in Austria were really nice, though, and tried to help as much as they could. I also got to go visit one of my friends in France on our break, and it was also so fun to experience being there with my best friend. We went to Santa Monica, and I got to dip my feet in the ocean. It was so beautiful, and the water felt so cold and amazing. We went to a famous road where they have an F1 race, and even though I don’t watch racing, it was super cool to be there and see so many expensive cars speeding down the road. There were also many large boats and yachts in the bay area that me and my friends stood and marveled at. Traveling by train has been a bit frustrating, but once I got the hang of it, it’s actually really fun, and I wish we had a system like this in the United States. Austria has been my favorite place that I’ve visited by far. Visiting the Alps has always been a huge dream for me, and we got to go to the top of a mountain and see the Alps from up above. It was honestly the best experience of my life. It was cold up there, but it was so peaceful and awe-inspiring, I barely even noticed. This trip has made such a significant impact on me, and I will definitely remember my time here forever.
