As I reflect on my trip to Europe with some of my fellow accounting classmates, I am immensely thankful. The trip was an amazing experience as a first-timer in Europe. Dr. Lopez and Dr. Pollard planned a wonderful trip, with amazing day trips such as many ruins, beaches, a catamaran trip, segway tours of Bruges, time in London, a trip to Normandy, and countless lunches and dinners that I will remember for a lifetime.
Above all else, I loved getting to experience new cities with new people, and make lots of new friends along the way. There is nothing better to bond over than being immersed in a new culture and city among other students. While I learned a lot about International Financial Reporting Standards, I learned so much more about the world through just 17 days. Not only did I learn about accounting, and the world, but I found that I learned a lot more about myself. I learned that I can just go with the flow, after all (as a type A person this was rather challenging, but possible after all). I learned how much I love traveling, and how much more of the world I want to see.
When having to pick a favorite memory, it is hard to pick just one. Whether it was wandering Versailles, zooming down the streets of Bruges on a segway, or getting to see the Magna Carta in Westminster Abbey, I had the best time of my life. I got to try a whole new array of foods, see new things, and learn a great deal. As I return to normal US life, I am already eager to get back out into the world and experience another new country or city.