In July 2016, I had just graduated high school and I was eager to explore the world. At the time, my Aunt lived in Berlin, Germany. I flew to Berlin and then we traveled around Europe exploring different countries and cultures. I am part European on my dad's side so it was interesting to learn more about this continent.

 

   Besides Berlin, I also visited Barcelona, Rome, and London. In Berlin, I visited the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Victory Column. I took a photo in front of Berlin's Wall East Side Gallery and I saw some famous murals like Fraternal Kiss. I visited Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and the Memorial to Murdered Jews of Europe. I also biked around Sanssouci Park in Potsdam, Germany and I saw The New Palace, the Chinese Tea House, Sancoussi Palace and it’s beautiful gardens. I tried some schnitzel as well. This experience was very eye opening for me because I learned a lot about the history and the culture of Germany. My dad and aunt are partially German and I think it was important for me to learn more about the German culture. I learned more about myself and my ancestors throughout this trip. 

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   After we spent time in Berlin, we traveled to some nearby countries. In Barcelona, I visited Parc Guell. At Parc Guell, there were some musicians who were playing and singing Catalonian music. I’ve never heard this type of music before and the performers were playing some instruments that were unknown to me. It was very beautiful and I really enjoyed the music. I bought one of their CDs and I still listen to their music today. I also visited the architectural masterpiece and church Sagrada Familia. I’ve learned about this church in my architectural history class and I think I had a unique opportunity to be able to see that church in person. I also tried some Paella in Barcelona and it was absolutely delicious. Then, I went to Lloret de Mar, Spain and I went boating in the Mediterranean Sea. I was able to swim and snorkel while enjoying the beautiful view of the cliffs of Lloret de Mar. 
 

   Next, I visited Rome, Italy. I like the architecture, the history and the landscape of Rome. I visited the giant and spectacular Colosseum. I have always wanted to visit the Colosseum. I loved seeing all the ruins, statues, and artifacts. Afterwards, we ate at a restaurant nearby. I ate pasta and gelato. It was one of my favorite memories. I enjoyed eating Italian food and seeing the Colosseum and the Italian cypress trees. Then we went to the Trevi Fountain where I threw a coin and made a wish. I had delicious traditional italian pizza. I visited the Spanish Steps and Fontana della Barcaccia di Spagna. I saw a lot of Roman ruins which was fascinating. Then, I went to Vatican City and I saw the Gallery of Maps at the Vatican Museum along with other famous statues like Laocoön and His Sons. I learned about the Swiss Guard and I saw them standing in St. Peter’s Square. I also visited St. Peter’s Basilica which was absolutely breathtaking. I have never seen such beautiful architecture. I also learned about the aqueducts in Rome and I drank from the fountains that the aqueducts brought water too. 

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   Finally, we visited London. I saw Big Ben and I walked on the London Bridge. I rode on a double decker bus and I had some tea and crumpets in an exquisite tea shop. I saw the Wicked musical in one of the many theatres there. I also ate some delicious food at a street food market. I went to Buckingham Palace where I saw the Changing of the Guard. This is a formal ceremony where soldiers guarding the palace switch with another group of soldiers. This was a stunning ceremony to watch. 

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   In December 2017, I flew to France and reunited with some of my friends who were French exchange students at my community college the year before. We met at a restaurant and had dinner. It was nice to see them and spend time with them again. The year before, they attended my community college in Niceville, FL and we became very close friends. My friends actually introduced me to the idea of learning French. I have always wanted to learn multiple languages including French and Japanese. I thought French was such a beautiful language and I wanted to be able to communicate more effectively with my friends. So I decided to major in French and start a second language learning experience. I plan to use the skills I’ve developed from learning French and apply them to learning Japanese and other languages. Since I was taking French classes during the time, I was able to practice my language skills while I was in France. For example, I successfully ordered a sandwich at the airport in Paris. I also went to a Christmas Market in Nantes, France and I visited Château de Chambord in Chambord, France. This was my first time inside of a castle and it was such an amazing experience. Château de Chambord is a famous and distinct castle with it’s French Renaissance architecture. Domenico da Cortona and Leonardo da Vinci contributed to the design of this castle. There is an open double spiral staircase in the middle of the castle. The two staircases never meet and when I first used the stairs it was difficult for me to understand the architecture at first. I took one staircase and my friend took the other and we never saw each other and arrived on the same floor. The first time I used those stairs it seemed magical.