Now that I have finally adjusted back to life here in America, I have been thinking a lot about my study abroad to Romania. First I would like to mention the things I wish I would have brought:

A pillow rest thing for the car and bus rides, breakfast bars (I wasn’t always the biggest fan of a typical Romania breakfast), Emergen C, allergy medicine (adjusting to a new climate was doing crazy things to my sinus system), dirty laundry bag, ziplock bag for wet bath items (we moved locations quite often), rain jacket, a deck of cards/games.

I was most excited about landing in America so I could finally turn my phone off airplane mode. I wouldn’t have classified myself as addicted to my phone, but this trip to Romania showed me otherwise. I didn’t want to read any tweets or check Facebook. I didn’t even want to post photos yet. I just wanted to talk to a few people back home. Looking back, I wish I could have cared a little less about that. Because I am thankful that I did not have service all the time so I didn’t end up missing out on the experiences. I gained more knowledge, new friends and had a blast.

Upon my arrival, I was frequently asked “So, how was Romania?” I found this a difficult question to answer. I wasn’t sure how to fully explain my experience. It was incredible. I learned so much about their history and developed a deep appreciation for their culture and lifestyle. It even led to a deeper appreciation for my country because I was constantly thinking of how we do things versus how Romanians do. This was partly due to the fact that we had four Romanian students with us who asked questions about our life in America.

I am glad to be home, but I am also very glad I experienced it. This trip opened my eyes to a lot of things. While I didn’t experience THAT much of the world, I experienced a small slice of Europe, and that has made all the difference.