Since my last post, my class and I had the wonderful experience of getting to know a few of Germany’s most notable cities—Cologne, Weimar, Dresden and Berlin. I was surprised by the realization that each of the cities had their own very distinct atmosphere although they were just a few hours bus ride apart from one another. Something I found very significant as well was the interesting balance of natural beauty and structural beauty throughout all of the cities. In a lot of the cases, I felt like every step I took and every corner I turned yielded a new snapshot-worthy view of these fantastic cities. I can truly say I was humbled by my surroundings; I found myself feeling both very significant as a human being, yet paradoxically insignificant at the same time. Allow me to explain. There is no other feeling comparable to standing in an incredibly cavernous cathedral or amongst thousands of other travelers in the middle of incredibly historical plazas and realizing in a more expansive scheme of things, you are nearly nothing; a speck of dust in the universe. I say this not in a despairing manner, quite the contrary. In my opinion, it instills a sense of international community; we are all drawn to the same sights and sounds. Rather, on the opposite pole of feeling insignificant is feeling more significant as a human being than I ever have before. The idea beings ultimately similar to myself are capable of fathoming such beauty and magnificence is fantastically empowering.

As the trip draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past two weeks and being nothing less than in awe. I have seen so much, met so many people, tried so many foods, and had so many memorable experiences that will truly last me a lifetime. Perhaps even more significant than the things I saw are the things I felt—as a first time traveler, I didn’t know what to expect. Although I must admit I did have a fair amount of expectations, I can whole-heartedly say that this experience has met and exceeded them.