One of the best parts about being in Romania is how easy it is to travel within Europe. Most weekends we’re traveling somewhere in Romania—from Retezat (beautiful mountains that were a serious challenge to climb) to gorgeous cities like Cluj—we are always busy and on the move. I’ve loved almost every minute of travel. Every place we go has a unique feel and something new to experience. In a recent trip we got to go to the village of Breb. The food was all fresh because most people grew their own fruits and vegetables and had their own livestock. Life seemed so simple in the village, something that seems to contrast the busy lives we have back in the States.

            If I had to pick a favorite trip I’ve experienced here in Romania, I would have to choose our Fall Break trip. Whereas it wasn’t exactly a trip around Romania, I got to go to both Ireland and Austria—two countries I’ve been wanting to go to for a long time but haven’t really had much of a chance. Lucky for me, flights between countries here in Europe are usually less than one-hundred dollars if you buy them in advance! Can’t complain about that one. Needless to say, I was one happy camper…or traveler.

           Dublin, Ireland is a beautiful city filled with friendly people and more than one Starbucks. When I was there, I almost felt like I was back in America (besides the Irish accents and people driving on the opposite side of the rode). It might have helped that people spoke English and I didn’t have to worry about trying to translate everything. There were so many things to see, and the live music on every street corner was something I’d been missing. We were only in Ireland for a few days so it was hard to hit every sight we wanted to see, but the places we did see were wonderful. I also got to go to Starbucks every morning. I know, it sounds silly, but in Lupeni I am very limited on my coffee intake so I had to load up on as many sugary beverages as possible before coming back. This semester has been eye-opening in more than one way, and I am grateful for the opportunities I have to explore and travel around the area. Going back to America will be a little bit sad because of this…not to mention I’ll have to start paying for all my trips again!