Hello again everyone! Last time I checked in, I updated you all on my time in the cities of Konstanz and Strasbourg during my summer abroad in Germany. Well, I’m finally back home in Alabama, and I’d thought I’d use this last blog post to talk about my last couple of weeks in Europe and how the transition process has been in getting used to being back in the United States.
My friend and I took a week and a half after the end of our program to do some extra traveling before our return home, and so we first took a train to Zürich, Switzerland. It was my third time in the city, and I was kind of feeling at that point like I was used to it. Zürich is a massive city with a wealth of history, and a very popular destination for vacationers and tourists who enjoy shopping in some of the city’s finest luxury stores and dining in some terrific cafes and restaurants. My favorite part of Zürich, aside from the lovely bridges connecting the sides of the city together (see below!), is getting to buy some quality Swiss chocolate. I made sure to stock up for my upcoming trip back home!
After a few days in Zürich, we boarded a few trains (narrowly making our last one—a very common theme when traveling city to city in Europe) and made it to the city of Dijon, France. We didn’t spend much time in the city proper, but from there we were able to take a train for a day trip to Paris. Even with a full day set aside for exploration, we didn’t get to see everything, so if you’re ever thinking of visiting, make sure you’ve got several days to experience everything the city has to offer! Of course, we got to see the Eiffel Tower, and even went up to the second floor to get a remarkable view of the city from all directions. Paris was packed with tourists, but the heat was so intense that day that everybody was looking for some shade and relaxation. Still, my friend and I braved the sun to be able to say we saw the Eiffel Tower.
With our travels completed, we would leave Paris and begin the grueling 10 hour trip back to Stuttgart, Germany, which really ended up being a 15 hour affair with missed trains and delays and the usual complications one can find themself running into in Europe. Nevertheless, we made it back with one day afforded to recover before our flight back to Atlanta. In Stuttgart, we mostly took the time to relax after all our running around, but we did enjoy one last dinner at the beer garden in the Schloßgarten. After that, we had to make our preparations for our transport to the airport, and finally our flights.
Our flights were from Stuttgart to Amsterdam, and then Amsterdam to Atlanta. Once we were finally back in the United States, we were absolutely worn out. But fortunately, we’d have plenty of time to recuperate. I was beyond excited to be back home and have access to free ice water in restaurants, free restrooms, and of course, air conditioning. While I loved Germany deeply, there’s some things that they just can’t beat the U.S. in. It’s been a week and a half since I got back, and the process of transitioning back has been pretty easy. I imagine it would probably be harder if I’d been gone longer. But being back did make me realize a lot of things: for instance, you almost see nobody on the streets or sidewalks in cities. I was very much used to the hustle and bustle of even small European cities, where walking is one of the most reliable methods of transportation. Also absent here are (somewhat) reliable trams and trains!
Even despite all the stark differences that I’d grown accustomed to abroad, I am very happy to be back home. Going abroad is one of the best experiences I could recommend to any student, as it truly opens your eyes and provides you with invaluable opportunities to learn and appreciate different cultures and ways of life. Just as I valued my time abroad last year, I know without a doubt I’ll treasure this time I was blessed with this year as well. And with that, I’ll close out my blog posts for the 2025 summer, wishing you all a happy summer and an auf Wiedersehen!