Carlson Global Institute Student Blog

Being a Tourist 101

2012-06-13T20:21:24Z

Sono Americano e non capisco

Learn a little bit of the language of the country you're traveling to. You can find the basic phrases online or in a travel guide. Even if you're terrible at the language, it will win you brownie points with the locals you're communicating with and even might help you get out of a sticky situation. Locals will know you're a tourist, but they'll appreciate you trying to speak their language. Ja, natürlich!

]]> Tall Big Old Pretty Things

Wondering what to take pictures of when you're sightseeing? All you need to know is four words: tall, big, old and pretty. If it is any one or combination of these four, take a picture of it. You know you want to.

(tall, big, old and pretty)

Get Good at Dodging Camera Shots!

You're walking, looking at the huge statue to your right and all of a sudden you find yourself in front of a group of frustrated tourists trying to get their picture taken without you in it. This happens all the time in touristy areas. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but just make sure to be aware of where you're walking (or who you're walking in front of) as you're looking at the sights around you. Don't be "that dumb tourist."

(those people to the left had no clue that they just walked in front of a photo)

That Weird Statue Guy

Watch out for the street performers EVERYWHERE in Europe. Some are amazing, some are really interesting, and some are just downright weird. If you enjoyed their short show, I'd suggest giving them a few coins from the mountains of change in your pockets.

(that weird statue guy...)

Barter Like its 1499

In all the big European cities, it seems like there's a souvenir shop on every street corner. They all have pretty much the exact same stuff at the same prices. Some of them, however, barter with you to get you to buy. Take them up on it! But beware that they probably offered the "one time only-for-you 30% discount" to the person who passed you on the way out of the store. Barter your way down to what you think is a fair price. If the sales person isn't budging, just tell him you'll go to the store next door. That usually makes them suddenly offer deeper discounts...imagine that.

Churches, Churches, and More Churches...

Be prepared to see millions and millions of old churches. Okay, that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but seriously, Europe seems like it was obsessed with building churches at one point. Most of them are very old, some of them are small and some of them are huge. A lot of times, they're the center point of a city. Make sure to check the famous ones out, but I have to say, they almost all eventually blend together and stop becoming all that interesting.

(and another church)

One of the Few Times You'll Ever Want to Turn Down Something Free

Some friendly guy comes up to you as you're in line outside a museum, and he kindly offers you a rose to give to your female travel companion. Seems nice, right? NOPE. If you take it (or sometimes they'll even shove it at you), they expect to receive money in return...taking advantage of the rule of reciprocity. It's a shame, but they'll make a scene if you don't give them something in return. This happened to Ryan and me in Florence when a guy came up to us and handed us each a small wooden carved turtle. Taken off guard, we both accepted it before we even realized the true motives of the guy. Let's just say the guy wasn't so friendly after we refused to pay for something we didn't ask for.

Be FLEXIBLE!!

Our trip to go see Bayern Munich play in Munich...enough said.

(driving to Munich...just a little change in plans)

More than Just a Cheap Place to Stay

Get used to sleeping in hostels with complete strangers. At first this was really weird, but eventually I got used to it. Thankfully I didn't have any bad experiences with my "roommates" at any of the hostels I stayed at, but I have heard of bad stories from others. Lock up your stuff and be considerate of others and you should be fine. Make new friends too! I met people from all over the world, including other Americans, in the hostels I stayed at. This is one of the best parts about hostels. Oh, and try not to snore if you can help it.

You Might Have to Dodge Some Bikes Too

This one is especially for Cologne. If you hear a bike bell behind you, get out of the f***ing way! You're probably in a bike path and about to get run over. It's the law to have a bell on your bike in Germany and Germans sure aren't afraid to use it. I can't even count how many close calls I had with bikes in the city. After a while, it made me jump every time I heard a little RING RING.

(heck, nuns might even run you over if you're not careful)

Vut vus dat u zed?

Get good at detecting accents. The longer you stay abroad, the better you'll become at identifying the many different accents you'll hear on the street. Once you're good at this, you'll know who to ask for directions in what language.

Sono Americano e non capisco

I Lived the Dream in Deutschland!

2012-05-30T21:15:36Z

Well, that's it! Studying abroad will always be one of the best experiences of my life. I was so blessed to be able to go abroad, experience everything I did and meet so many great people. I learned a ton about myself and about the world. I have so many amazing memories from this trip and I hope to keep them alive with the help of this blog.

And a HUGE thank you to my parents for giving me the opportunity to study abroad...I would've never been able to do any of this if it wasn't for them!

I can definitely say, I lived the dream in Deutschland!!

]]> Random words I will remember the most from my time abroad:

Erasmus = what Europeans call study abroad students since this is the program that Europeans take part in when they study abroad

Queue = the British word for line...since most Europeans learn British English, they use this word all the time which is kinda funny to hear

Flanagans = the club in Cologne where we spent every Tuesday night, student night

Zülpicherplatz = where a ton of bars and clubs are located in Cologne, very close to the university campus

Mensa = the European word for the cafeteria on a college campus...food is very cheap and very good

Kölsch = the official beer of Cologne that is only popular in the region...it is a more bitter beer and is usually served in 0.2 liter glasses

Football = what everyone says instead of soccer

Currywurst = one of the most delicious street foods around...basically a bratwurst smothered in curry ketchup and topped with curry powder

Bankruptcy = we made fun of Thanos all the time for Greece's financial problems...he was a good sport about it though haha

Little things I was looking forward to in the US before leaving Europe:

free water at restaurants and drinking fountains everywhere

ice cubes in drinks

driving (it was so nice to be able to drive on the Autobahn)

chicken tenders...can't really find any there

Mexican food!

stores being open on Sundays

American football

speaking the same language as everyone else

not having a huge load of change in my pocket at all times

not having to rely on public transportation

eating dinner at 6pm rather than 8 or later

The most important things I learned:

One of the most important things I learned while abroad is that the world is truly flat due to globalization. The influences on one country to the next are so apparent, such as seeing restaurants like McDonald's, Subway, KFC, Pizza Hut and Dunkin' Donuts all over Europe. What one country does, greatly affects another such as Greece's bankruptcy. And to cement this conclusion, when my plane from Europe was landing at O'Hare in Chicago, I looked out my window and saw that we were flying over a large T-Mobile (headquartered in Bonn) office building and there were a pair of huge DHL (also headquartered in Bonn) shipment planes stationed across from the airport. The amount of business and cultural influences on one country to the next was very interesting to see while abroad.

Another fact I learned is that no matter what country you're from or what cultural background you have, you have almost the same interests, hopes, aspirations and anxieties as people the same age around the world. We are all people trying to enjoy life and make the most out of it. I was surprised by how many similarities us Americans had to all the others on the exchange, which helped us all become very close.

What I will miss the most:
The people...by far. It won't be too difficult to visit cities/landmarks again, but I doubt I'll be able to see every single one of my friends I met abroad again. Since I've been back, I've kept in touch with many of them and some I'm sure I'll see again either when I go back to Europe some day or if they come to the US. Visiting different cities throughout Europe and seeing all the famous landmarks is awesome, but it's the daily life stuff that makes the study abroad experience what it is. It's the inside jokes, the stories and sharing the foreign experience with other people in the same situation that makes study abroad so great. The best memories from my time abroad are the memories I had with my friends from all over the world and my host family.

(my friends from the exchange)

(my host family and Patrick's grandparents at Christmas)

And a HUGE thank you to my parents for giving me the opportunity to study abroad...I would've never been able to do any of this if it wasn't for them!

I can definitely say, I lived the dream in Deutschland!!

Singapore: Impossible to Define

2012-04-21T18:45:39Z

As I think about going back to the United States in one week, I am overjoyed to see everyone I have missed immensely over the last 4 months and experience cold weather (or, at least, less hot and humid) again!

However, reflecting back on this semester is hard to do.

]]>
As I think about going back to the United States in one week, I am overjoyed to see everyone I have missed immensely over the last 4 months and experience cold weather (or, at least, less hot and humid) again!

However, reflecting back on this semester is hard to do. It has been a fantastic experience. My classes have challenged me beyond the classroom and have made me really question what I believe in or how I define things. Whether it is about stereotypes of Asians, my future career trajectory, or what justice and truth really mean, I have been able to grow as an individual with the help of fellow exchange students, helpful professors, random encounters on the street, my hospitable Singaporean friends, and everyone back home supporting me.
One thing that I become uncomfortably aware of was the way people, myself included, treat Asians back in the United States. There is an increasing population throughout the United States, and people really overgeneralize who Asians are. Before I decided to attend SMU, when I thought of Asia, I only thought of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese people. When I realized that I only thought of Asians as looking and acting a certain way, I felt horrible. I completely forgot about India, Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, etc., and how different people are. Surprisingly, some Asians really do not like the "Asian level, super smart, etc." stereotype. I had thought it was a compliment, but it actually creates a level of expertise and intelligence that they feel they have to live up to. If they do not see themselves in this light, or are in a creative major, not math, a science, or business, they especially do not like people holding this stereotype. It is difficult for people to expand their definitions and generalization of other people, places, and viewpoints. Throughout the semester, I have found my generalizations being expanded and realizing that everyone is different. Once you wrap your head around about how different everyone is, it makes it a lot easier to accept everyone.
Another thing that I became acutely aware of was how people will form immediate assumptions about others based solely on appearance. Being a blonde in Singapore, I stick out like a sore thumb. People constantly stare at me on the train, want a picture with me like I am an alien species, or assume that I am here sightseeing and do not really care about the country and its culture. Everyone will have their first assumptions about others, including their nationality ("where are you really from?"...I have come to really dislike this question), and you cannot help that. However, I feel like I have had a responsibility to represent the US, exchange students, and foreigners in a positive manner. People are not exactly the biggest fans of any of these categories, so it has been a 'project' to alter people's views, even just a little bit.

Something to remember for anyone traveling, whether it is international or to another city within your respective state, is that you represent where you come from - the school, the city, the country - and if you want to help dispel negative stereotypes, act in a positive manner or, at the very least, act like someone your parents would be proud of. People will never like everything you do, but I have found that as long as you listen (many times more than talk), respect their opinion (not necessarily argue it), and be genuinely interested in what they do and what they think (even if you do not agree with any of it) and ask them questions, you will represent wherever you are from very well.

To wrap up a fantastic semester, I will be spending it eating the best food in the world (seriously, I will really miss the food), saying bittersweet goodbyes, and enjoying the Little Red Dot as much as possible. Maybe I will post one last time...maybe not.

Back to study for my finals. So close...yet so far.

Water-Light Show @ Marina Bay

2012-04-14T18:54:23Z

The of the many things I will miss about Singapore is a person's ability to sit a block away from downtown in several places and see the entire city skyline. There is something about sitting right next to a city; you feel completely insignificant and a part of something bigger than yourself at the same time.

]]> I took a break from studying for finals and went to this Water-Light Show at Marina Bay which is shown 3 times a day. I do not have any pictures...because I taped the whole thing! So, if I see you when I get back, I will have to show you!

Here are some more pictures of Marina Bay at night (I was discovering new functions while I was waiting for the show to start):

I guess I have one picture...this is the very beginning of the show (that is a fan of water with lasers projected onto it. Crazy cool, right?)

Haw Par Villa (aka Tiger Balm Park)

2012-03-24T19:06:39Z

The first thing I looked at were the 10 Courts of Hell. Warning: If you do not like gore or do not want to read a history lesson, you may want to stop reading now. No, seriously. Stop reading now.

]]> Haw Par Villa is a unique garden that is full of educational value. It has over 1,000 sculptures which artistically portray stories and events based on famous Chinese historical personalities, mythology, and legends.
1n 1934, Boon Haw had a vision of a grand mansion and gardens for his brother. His aim was to immortalize and share the moral values behind the various meaningful Chinese legends by decorating the grounds.
In 1937, Haw Par Villa opened. The mansion (which is no longer in existence), along with the 3-dimensional sculptures that were colorful, life-like, and intriguing, cost over a million dollars to build.

Hu Fa Shi Ze is the green-faced fellow. He upholds the laws of the 10 Courts of Hell.

Descent: this is Hell's Gate and the 2 guardians are 'ox-head' and 'horse-face', assigned to usher new arrivals to the courts for punishment.

In the 1st court, King Qinguang conducts preliminary trials and each prisoner is judged according to his deeds.

Those with virtuous conduct in their past life will be led over the 'Golden Bridge' to reach paradise. Those whose past good deeds outweigh crimes committed will be sent to the 'Silver Bridge' to reach paradise.

Those who were evil doers in their past life will be sent to repent and then taken to a subsequent Court of Hall (depending on their crimes) to be punished.

2nd Court
Crime: inflicting personal injury, robbing
Punishment: thrown into a volcanic pit

2nd Court
Crime: corruption, stealing, and gambling
Punishment: frozen into block of ice

After they have drunk the magic tea, the sinners leave the 10 Courts of Hell via one of the 6 paths of the Wheel of Reincarnation or Samsara.

This guy fell for a woman's charms in a cypress grove. He tried on a magical waistcoat which turned into ropes that bound him tightly to a tree in the grove.

By the monks' place (Day 1)

2012-03-16T19:54:14Z

My procrastination has kept me from updating blogs recently, even though there is a lot going on to write about. It is the Spring Break week back at the U so I guess many of you have been enjoying spending time on watching/reading random stuff on the Internet. To enrich your break, I would like to contribute my blog updates and some pictures. :)

For this first update, I will write about my most recent trip to Munich over the past weekend. The city's native name München originally meant "by the monks' place", which I don't know why but I'm sure you can figure it out on wikipedia, if you are really interested. I'm just really glad that there weren't any monks in Munich.

]]> My procrastination has kept me from updating blogs recently, even though there is a lot going on to write about. It is the Spring Break week back at the U so I guess many of you have been enjoying spending time on watching/reading random stuff on the Internet. To enrich your break, I would like to contribute my blog updates and some pictures. :)

You would think getting around in Europe should be pretty easy since everything is so close to each other, compared to the U.S. and China. However, getting to Munich was painful. Waking up at 3:30 am on Friday, taking the taxi to the train station with my fellow Brazilians, hopping on the bus from the train station in Maastricht to Aachen in Germany at 5:18, taking the train from Aachen to Koln Bonn Airport in Cologne at 6:30, flying to Munich at 9:55, taking the train from the airport to Munich central station for another 45 minutes, we finally arrived in our hostel, which was 5 minute walk from the train station, at 1pm.

Munich Central Station

Starving. We took the recommendation from the girl at the hostel's reception desk and headed to a beer garden close by. Munich, or Germany in general, is famous for the beer garden, a type of restaurants where people drink beer, play traditional music, dress up, socialize, and of course, eat. Even though there weren't many people on the street, the beer garden was packed.

Inside the beer garden. Packed during lunch time on a Friday.

Not knowing what's good on the menu or what the differences are among the dishes (they all look similar: all kinds of sausages, meat, and potatoes), most of us ordered the daily special-the original Schnitzel (known as a traditional German, or Bavarian, or Austrian dish), a slice of meat (I got pork) deep fried with breading, served with cranberry sauce. I loved it, especially the cranberry sauce. It added an unique sweet flavor to the meat. I also had my first beer in Munich (barely finished the 0.5l, still too much for me at 2 o'clock in the afternoon). I got the regular beer while one of our friends got the dark one. I tried a sip and I hated it. It's bitter and not sparkling.

After the lunch, we headed to one of the most touristy spot: the Olympic area, where the 1972 Olympic Games was held. We visited the BMW Museum and Headquarter. Being a girl knowing nothing about cars except driving an automatic car, I still found it interesting. The design of the giant "four-cylinder" tower from inside out is impressive. The interior design of the museum reminds me of Apple stores.

The "four-cylinder" BMW tower

Although I don't know much about cars, I still like many of the cars on display a lot, especially the mini colorful ones haha.

Across the museum is the Olympic site. This district is famous not only for the BMW museum, or the Olympic stadium, but also for the 1972 Summer Olympics, where the world-known Munich massacre took place. We went on the Olympic Tower that's over 200 meters high and had a great view of the complete city before sunset.

View of the city from the top of the Olympic Tower

Munich at sunset

Olympic Park

Olympic Tower

Bali - Sickness and a Sunset

2012-03-01T20:21:24Z

Alright, so after a rough couple weeks with midterm prep and completion, I went to Bali for recess week! Sounds awesome right?

]]> So, I have not updated in awhile and a decent number of things have happened. I was swamped with midterm papers, presentations, group meetings, etc. for the couple weeks prior to recess week. Luckily, I just have 3 more papers to do, and then, I can "relax" until finals.

First off, I saw the play Wicked. I have wanted to see this play since I read the book a few years ago. While it was not my favorite play (Les Miserables will always be my favorite, I think), I really enjoyed the music. The props were unbelievable and the actresses voices were incredible. I would definitely recommend it especially if you have not read the book. In my opinion, if you could read the book with the musical soundtrack interjecting at the appropriate times, it would be perfect.

This is the Grand Theater at Marina Bay Sands where I saw Wicked. Loved it.

Alright, so after a rough couple weeks with midterm prep and completion, I went to Bali for recess week! Sounds awesome right? I was so excited. I had planned to do an all day cycling tour of a volcano, rice patties, a coffee plantation, and have a meal at a native's house. I also planned snorkeling and a sunrise volcano trek and tour around the crater afterward. We also planned on going to Tanah Lot (more on that later). Of course, going to the beautiful Kuta beach was also a part of this plan. Want to know how much of that I actually did? I went to the beach for 4 hours total...over the course of 7 days. You may ask why. Well, I became really sick after finishing a crazy midterm week. I was feeling under the weather the day before we left, but I thought that I had dealt with worse, so I was still going to go. I mean, it is Bali. I was fine for the first day and a half, then all hell broke loose. I will spare you the details, but to put it in perspective, I did not leave my hotel room/lobby for 4 days.

That's right, I find fantastic, cheap hotel rooms. I was also really lucky to be comfortable when I was sick. Otherwise, it could have been an even worse experience.

Fish in the lobby!

Luckily, I was well enough to make it to an art market on the second to last day, and Tanah Lot on our final day. The art market was really interesting, and I am glad I went to it. I bought some pretty cool modern art paintings by the locals and a wooden fisherman sculpture.

Main means of transportation. Side-note: traffic in Bali is insanity. We went through a grand total of 2 spotlights in a 1.5 hour drive to Tanah Lot, and the streets are incredibly narrow. So, when you get mo-peds darting in and out of cars while speeding towards oncoming traffic...it gets a little nerve-racking, even if you are not driving. Crossing the street is a whole other can of worms.

Street Market. The sales men and women are very persistent and some of them cut off your path and corral you into their shop. I give them props for persistence, but as for the nagging...

Last day at the beach...sigh.

So, for our final day, I was able to go to the beach for a few hours, which was fantastic. I did not think a place could be hotter than Singapore. HA. Bali is like a blow torch close to your skin. I was sufficiently tan within those few hours with sunscreen. However, one of the highlights was Tanah Lot. It is a temple on the ocean where the Balinese worship their sea gods. Due to erosion, 1/3 of the rock temple is artificial rock. Another cool fact is that you can only get to the temple at low tide. You have to walk across a rock face (to get to the back of the temple) that can become submerged in high tide; it, then, becomes highly dangerous to cross. Although you cannot see the temple itself (which faces the ocean) because you can only see the temple if you plan on praying, it was cool to see.

Another rock formation (not Tanah Lot). There was a couple taking their wedding pictures there. Talk about a view!

Not your average wedding picture.

Tanah Lot at semi-high tide

Tanah Lot still at semi-high tide. Where you can cross over is at the far left of the picture where the people are standing.

Back to schoolwork, I guess. : /

Although I did not get to do the grand majority of the things I wanted to do, I can say that I was able to relax and not have to worry about school for the first time in a very long time.

Chinese New Year (CNY) & Chingay

2012-02-09T20:36:58Z

If you eat the spicy steamboat, rice is definitely needed to give your mouth a break (that was my case...my mouth was on fire and somewhat numb for a bit after having a good portion of the spicy soup). I also had a century-old egg; it was SO GOOD!

]]> Since my last post, I have experienced the 15-day Chinese New Year celebration (and other things)! It all began at my friend's estate! Again, it will be easier to explain through pictures...

So, we began the dinner with this Chinese salad. There are various vegetables, raw fish, and various sauces. After everything is put into this bowl, everyone proceeds to 'toss' the salad with their chopsticks while saying good wishes for the new year! After the tossing is complete, we all take a portion and eat. Delicious!

This is the traditional Singaporean cuisine for the new year (I am not positive that it is the same in other Asian countries). It is called Steamboat. There are 2 pots of soup on top of burners; one is spicy and the other one is mild (can you guess which is which?).You put in fish balls, fish stomach, meatballs, and some vegetables to create some flavor. Then, you proceed to cook slices of various vegetables, raw fish and meat, fish balls, prawns, scallops, clams, crab, etc...and eat it with your soup!

Some of the ingredients we cooked. This table was filled end to end at the beginning of the meal!

Rock Band break! We have (from left to right): groupie, dancer (little boy), singer, back-up dancer, 'petal-er' for the drummer, drummer, guitarist, and I am the audience. This was my first time playing Rock Band, and I found out that I am horrible at drums. So, I was content cheering on the band after I rocked out on the guitar. After this we proceeded to have dessert (various ice cream and rice-ball soup) and play Gin Rummy with the older men! I had to get used to the different rules but had a lot of fun (I love gin rummy)!

The college kids. The girl in the center is our host and friend, Jade!

With Jade's parents!

Only Jade's mother's side of the family! Everyone was really friendly!

Alright, now, let us move onto the Chingay Parade. This parade concludes the 15-day celebration of CNY! It is supposedly the greatest parade in all of Asia, and I would completely believe it! This year was the year of the dragon, so it was extra spectacular! The floats were way beyond any I have seen in the US, and all the cultures of Singapore were represented!

I did not purchase a ticket to see the main stage, so I missed everyone going through a huge pool of water (this year's theme was water). However, when everyone danced around, it was very evident that they swam through a pool (I received a mini-shower)

Yes, that is actual fire coming out of the float. Go big or go home.

This was downright impressive. These poles are huge and very heavy. When the center guy lost his balance, the others (8 of them) had to rush over, catch, and stabilize it before it severely hurt someone in the crowd. One of those lanterns grazed my head...I thought I was done for.

What is that in the middle of the circling dragon? I human pyramid (4 people high) with a small child rocking jazz hands to top it off!

So many dragons! The material was beautiful

The Devil's Dragon. It was made entirely out of wood, and the spikes on its back were a mixture of incense and smoking sticks. This was one of my favorite dragons!

I was thoroughly wet after this dance, but it was well worth it. These girls were fantastic, and their dresses were even prettier in person!

This float represented the Indian culture. The dance that came with it was noteworthy; there was a ton of positive energy and excitement on every dancer's face.

Yes, that is a Taiwanese band in the float. Brilliant.

The cultural attire was incredible! Side-note: I would love to twirl around in those guy's shirt dresses for awhile!

Those balls were constantly changing colors! Super cool!

When 300 Taekwondo black-belts march toward you, you do not question their abilities. Seriously, it was impressive especially when they proceeded to flip and jump around while chopping wooden boards in half.

STAR WARS! Wait, what?

Arguably the best musical part of the parade, they were producing insane music.

This was the closest I came to the grand finale. I had to leave early because I was already running very late for my skype date with my parents...Sorry, Mom and Dad!

City skyline. It is breathtaking in person. I could sit in awe for hours.

Again, beautiful.

All in all, Chinese New Year is a fantastic celebration of tradition and future wishes. Every Singaporean wants every person to have a fantastic year even if you are an ex-pat. People were always wishing you a Happy CNY in shops, on the street, in class, and social gatherings.It is definitely something you should experience if you ever get the opportunity!

As for school, things have ramped up quite a bit. Preparing for presentations, writing papers and outlines, meetings, and reading for every class is proving very difficult. I guess I can only blame myself for taking more difficult courses. Sustainable Operations and Asian Studies are 2 of the best classes I have ever taken in my college career. However, I have gradually been discovering that I do not want to pursue law at this time, so Law of International Trade is becoming a much longer class. And, after Legal Theory and Philosophy, I find myself staring at the wall of the train wondering what the heck just happened for the past 3.5 hours. It is very confusing (apparently, it is the hardest class in the law track here...too bad I found this out after the last day to drop the class).

On a more positive note, I just booked my recess week (only 14 more days!) trip to BALI! I am really excited and have quite a bit planned. Hopefully, the other people I am traveling with will be as adventurous as I am....

There is so much more to tell about life, everyday frustrations, the local culture, Westernization, and school. However, I only have a limited amount of time to write these posts. I wish I could afford to fly you to Singapore, so you could experience it.

Packing. Last day in Minneapolis

2012-02-09T16:22:11Z

The day has finally come. I will be flying to Amsterdam in 15 hours!

]]> The day has finally come. I will be flying to Amsterdam in 15 hours!

It took me the whole winter break to pack. I spent most of the time deciding what shoes, shirts, or dresses I should bring. For a moment I wish I were a boy. T-shirts and jeans. Easy.

These are all I am taking. One checked bag. One carry-on and one backpack. I had to start all over today because I heard rolling your clothes would save a lot of space and it worked!

Wish me a safe and fun trip tomorrow!