Influx of Wisdom

Now that we had flown the coop of chaperonal supervision, it was time to really prove how competent we all were. We were ready to go out into the world and prove how adept we were at navigating our way through the maze of Europe.  All I can say now is that we know better. All of a sudden there were no given tour guides to point out the important stuff around us and no Tatiana or Sarah to go to with any question that cropped up. There was only us. Before this trip I considered myself pretty much grown up. I work, pay my own bills, and can budget the hell out of my paychecks. I was smart. Now, after making a few mistakes and being at the mercy of locals who don't even speak the same language as I do but are willing to help regardless, I am wiser. Not to mention cultured. You can read about these things from a book, but until you hear the sound of an orchestra in a church or feel the ancient stone of a monument, you can't really experience it in a real sense.  That being said, this was THE most spectacular trip of my life, and I'm so thankful for all those who helped me achieve it. It was worth every drop of sweat and ounce of effort. After all, how else was I supposed to acquire any wisdom?