People To People
The summer I turned 16 was one of the best summers of my life and it's all thanks to People To People. They are an organization that curates specialty trips abroad for students like me. So back in 2015 I went on their European Discovery trip, which was a 3–week long journey through France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Vatican City, and Italy. I went with about 40 other students and 4 adults from Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona.
This trip was amazing because I made a bunch of new friends, saw iconic tourist sights, and ate some incredible food. Also, when traveling with People To People not only did we get to learn about different cultures firsthand, but we also got to participate in some exclusive opportunities that were specifically organized for our group. I can't wait to tell you more about what went on during my trip!
Making Friends
Before the trip started, I was pretty worried about talking with the other students and making friends because I was very shy. But all of that worrying was for nothing, because the second we landed in Paris it felt like I'd already known this group for years.
The Squad
I quickly found myself in the middle of a particularly close group of friends and we formed a little squad for the rest of the trip. It was great knowing that I had people to lean on (both figuratively and literally) if I got homesick or worried, and they could lean on me as well. Without People To People I wouldn't have met this great group of friends.
Visiting Iconic Places
Throughout the trip, I got to see so many iconic places in such a short amount of time. For instance, I saw the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, the Swiss Alps, the Vatican, the Guggenheim Museum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Colosseum. Our group leaders made sure that we got to spend enough time at each place to throughly learn about its importance and explore the area as well. An added bonus of traveling with People To People is that we got to skip the lines at museums and the Vatican. So the second we showed up to a new place we could immediately begin exploring it.
Exclusive Opportunities
Another thing I liked about traveling with People To People is that they plan a variety of exclusive opportunities that are only available through their programs.
Mauthausen
We visited the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria. It was one of the last camps to be liberated by the United Nations. Also, we got to speak to the interpreter of a Holocaust survivor to hear a firsthand account of what he went through. All in all, it was a very educational and emotional day.
Fun Activities
Throughout the trip there were a bunch of fun activities and challenges that we had to do in groups. We had scavenger hunts to help us work our way through museums in a timely manner, and we also had a farmer olympics where teams competed against each other for the gold. I noticed that these and other activities helped me and my friends fine-tune our leadership and communication skills.
Apple Strudel
We got to learn how to make an apple strudel at the Villa Blanka, which is a tourism school in Innsbruck, Germany.
Curated Cuisines
I didn't have to worry about finding food because all of our meals were planned and payed for in advance. This ensured that I got to try some popular dishes from each country without worrying about rationing my souvenir money. I got to try meals like snails, squid ink pasta, gelato, gelato and more gelato. Gelato was the biggest hit among our group when we were in Italy and we all ate it at least twice a day. Ever since then, normal ice cream just doesn't do it for me. Gelato is where the real flavor's at!
The Little Moments
These are just a couple of memories that still standout to me today.
4th of July
We stayed with a couple in their old ski lodge in the French countryside on the 4th of July. They wanted to make it special for us so they set up a bonfire and hung up a USA towel because they couldn't find an American flag in time. We had a fun night celebrating and playing a lot of card games.
The Pigeon
In Venice, a pigeon pooped on Savannah's head and it still makes me laugh to this day!
Explore The World
It was really sad saying goodbye to the people I travelled and experienced so much with over the course of 3 weeks. We became a little family! This travel experience will always hold a special place in my heart not only because of the amazing people I met, but also because I came back from the trip more confident and independent as well. When I went back to school after that summer I began talking to more people and engaging in more activities than I ever had before. Traveling with People To People was one of the best decisions I've ever made and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Do You Want To Travel?
People To People offer a bunch of different programs that visit places all over the world. It's also super easy to sign-up with them, and the best part is that they offer an all inclusive one time payment. This means that the price of food, hotels, flights, etc. are all included in the final price. So, if you are a student who wants to expand your horizons and make some truly unforgettable memories, try traveling with People To People!
Credits:
Created with images by Duy Pham - "untitled image" • Rob Potvin - "Sunny Paris skyline" • Matt Sclarandis - "Instagram = @matt.sclarandis" • iniesta44 - "text mauthausen concentration" • Felix Rostig - "This shot was taken during a roadtrip with a couple of friends in the Dolomites. This pretty much sums up the lovely adventures we had over there – just us (and some beers) in the mountains for one week. Although it is just a snapshot, it captures a true, precious moment of togetherness and friendship." • Ali Robins - "untitled image" • shaian ramesht - "untitled image" • Jackie Park - "Squid ink pasta" • Vanessa - "gelato in hand" • Andrew Neel - "Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures. 🚩" • Daniel Olah - "This is my favorite photo from the USA trip. I have taken this photo from the plane while I watched the Interstellar. This view was amazing."