By Melissa Derr

Contributor 

This winter break I had the opportunity to explore Europe, a trip which included London, Paris and Rome, three of the most influential and iconic cities in the European Union.

Traveling has always been a dream of mine. As a history student I have always wanted to see the many places I have studied as well as experience new languages, cultures and scenery.

This trip proved to be the adventure of a lifetime. I ended up seeing Big Ben, Abbey Road, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, the Roman Forum and the Coliseum, as well as soaking up the local culture through the cuisine, music and quirks of each city.

The first city that I encountered was London, which was similar to New York City in its vibrant nightlife and beautiful structures. Although the food was disappointing (big shock, right?!), the people were extremely polite and charming.

The second city which I arrived at via the English Chunnel, also known as the Channel Tunnel (an experience in itself), was Paris. Our group ended up arriving here 20 minutes after the tragic terrorist attacks at the Charlie Hebdo office. This prevented our group from going into the heart of the city because of strict security measures, but two other girls and I snuck out via taxi and got our much anticipated Eiffel Tower “selfie.”

Our last destination, which captured my heart, was Rome. Rome was more than I expected. It was a mixture of antiquated buildings from centuries ago but amongst the ruins were also apartment buildings in which young, hip, modern people dwelled. Among my favorite parts of Rome were obviously the red wine, the cappuccinos, as well as discovering my affinity for opera. I felt that of all the cities Rome was the friendliest. With a Mediterranean climate much like that of San Diego, people are out and about all the time and are always willing to help if  you get lost. The culture there was captivating in that it was so different from America.

I recommend travel to students in college because it not only gives you confidence but opens your eyes to how others live and view the world. Through this experience, I was able to also solidify my plans after graduation. Because of the experience, I realized that I want to teach English in Italy. Although I will have to brush up on my Italian, without traveling I never would have realized how much I was missing and I would have never fell in love with a country and a people.