Europe has a lot to offer. With its rich culture and authentic food, Europe presents itself as an ideal travel destination for many. In the upcoming summer, junior Shaylyn Smith will get the chance to visit Europe and get to explore new environments.
Smith is going to Germany for one month this summer to visit her father and step-mother in Ramstein, Germany where they are stationed. Smith shares what she is looking forward to on her one-month trip.
“My dad promised to take my sister and I to a lot of different countries. I am not really sure which countries I will be visiting but every weekend that I am there, we will be going to a new country. Also, during the time my dad and step-mom take off [of work], we will also be going on mini-vacations,” Smith said. “I know that we are going to Paris so I am just excited to see all the beautiful cathedrals and to also try out my French while I am there.”
In addition to visiting her family and traveling to other countries in Europe, Smith is also eager to see her best friend, who was a German exchange student at PHS last year.
“I am staying at [my friend’s] house and I am enthusiastic for that too. I am looking forward to seeing my best friend and meet her family. Going to new places is always scary, so I am kind of scared but I am really to see my dad and travel to Europe,” Smith said.
History teacher Jamie Smith, who has traveled to eight European countries, thinks that so much more can be learned from traveling and experiencing other cultures, rather than learning about the places from a textbook.
“What I love most about traveling is the fact that you can learn so much about the different cultures. You can sit in a classroom all day and learn a whole bunch [about those cultures] but actually going to those places and experiencing it, you just learn so much more just by being there,” Jamie Smith said. “To actually be able to see the things that you have learned about or heard about, experiencing the cultures and eating the food is just amazing.”
Jamie Smith reflects on her travel experiences and what she has learned after being exposed to different cultures.
“There is so much outside of the United States. We in the United States like to think of ourselves as the best in our little bubbles but if you have not had the chance to visit other cultures, then you realize that each culture has so many amazing things to it,” Jamie Smith said.
Jamie Smith compares the younger United States to other nations in the world.
“Each country has so much great food, places and history. The United States is really only a couple hundred years old,” Jamie Smith said. “But when you can go to a church or cathedral that is 2,000, 3,000, or even 4,000 years old in Europe, you realize that we are just babies compared to the rest of the world.”