I just got back from a 10-day holiday and, wow, I’m tired! Living out of a tiny suitcase is not as easy as it looks!  My study abroad program, IES, took 40 of its students on a trip through Poland and Germany.  I was really excited for this break because it was the first time I left Vienna since coming here in August. 

Our first stop was Wroclaw, Poland.  I didn’t know what to expect from Poland and I was very surprised as to what I discovered.  Wroclaw is an up-and-coming city and a growing arts center in Europe.  The old town was cute and had tons of places to eat and people watch (my favorite activity, haha), and the rest of the city offered great opportunities to hear music and visit contemporary art museums.  There are also several new festivals coming to Wroclaw soon, so it is becoming a more tourist-focused place.

Our next destination was Germany.  We spent our first 2 days in Dresden, a beautiful city with rich history.  There was so much to do and see there I wish I could have spent more than a couple days.  After Dresden, we travelled to Berlin and had four days there.  Thankfully, IES gave the students a lot of free time in these cities, so my friends and I got to do what we really wanted to do.  In Berlin, I got to visit a communications museum, a modern art museum, and the Ramones museum (yes, there is really a Ramones museum!). We also visited numerous historical sites like the Berlin Wall, palaces, and old cathedrals.

Overall, it was an amazing trip.  I made a ton of new friends and saw parts of Europe I would have never travelled to on my own.  In my opinion, Berlin was the best city of the three.  There was so much offered to students and I was able to meet other people my age very easily.  I also felt more comfortable in Germany than Poland because of my newly acquired German speaking skills.  Some people in Poland gave off a cold vibe to the American students.  I think it was mostly miscommunications that made me like Poland the least.  However, it was still a wonderful city and I would like to see more of Poland in the future.

Location: Austria, Poland, Germany, Europe