In just 85.5 hours, I will be home and back on US soil. Will I be happy to be back with my family, friends, and Chipotle? Yes, Yes, and YES. But, will I also be sad and missing Berlin and Europe, the place I’ve made my home for the past 11 weeks? Absolutely. This has honestly been a once in a lifetime opportunity and a trip that I will never forget. This trip has changed me, I believe for the better. I got to see so much of a continent that I would not ever think I would get to see at such a young age, and got to experience more culture than I ever imagined. I visited 6 different countries (is it cheating if I’m including the Vatican?) and I loved every single one of them. All of the trips had so much to offer, and they all were completely different from one another. First I saw Prague, which I had actually been to before, but it was great to go back with a big group and experience the different and quite old style of the city. And I can’t forget about the nightlife there too. Next, I saw Rome and the Vatican. I am from Italian ancestry, so I had always dreamt of going to Italy. This trip was everything I had hoped it would be, and more. The history of that city is remarkable, and the food was unbelievable. I dont think I had one  bad morsel of food that whole weekend. The culture was amazing and Italy is the one place I want to revisit the most. We saw the Vatican that trip too, which alone was just as awesome as anything else we saw that weekend.

A few weeks later I took a trip to Paris with my family who had come out to visit, and that was amazing because I was so happy to see my parents and brother again. The city itself was outstanding, and just so outstanding and magnanimous. As well, my mother who is a huge foodie added an extra dimension to the trip. We ate at some of the best restaurants and cafes that I have ever eaten at, and the cuisine was insanely good in Paris. That was probably the most “culture” trip I took. The last trip was the most recent Amsterdam trip, which was much more relaxing and laid back, as is the nature of the city. We did not book any tours or any big sightseeing trips, but rather we just roamed around the city and allowed ourselves to see Amsterdam at our own pace and see what we wanted to see. It was so different from the others, but it was certainly a memorable trip.

As far as my work goes, I will miss this just as much as anything else. The office is full of inspiringly dedicated and passionate workers and supervisors that have taught me so much about work and what its like to run a company as a startup. I feel like I got so much more out of this work experience that I first thought possible. I hope to stay in touch with my bosses and co-workers as I grow and finally settle into a career. As I leave these great people, I hope nothing but the best for them in their future here in Berlin, or wherever it may be.

In the end, I am beyond excited to go home, but I feel like a part of me will always be here in Europe and in Berlin.