What NOT To Do While Packing and Some Pre-Departure Fun in Europe

Before I get into the real content of this blog, I just want to give my readers a brief introduction of who I am.  My name is John, I am from South Jersey, and I am a Sophomore from the University of Delaware: Go Blue Hens!  I am working towards a Bachelors of Science in Applied Economics with a Business Administration minor.  The classes offered at CIMBA were a perfect fit and I am excited to dive into the LIFE/LEAP program as well.  I love to travel and meet new people.  Aside from the basic facts, a fun fact to know about me is that I have a twin brother who also studies at the University of Delaware!   Studying abroad with CIMBA will be the longest we have ever been separated so it will be interesting to see how that plays out (other than him being extremely jealous!).  Okay so now into my not-so-normal pre-departure week…

I knew booking a flight New Years Day was not the best idea.  My family wanted to take advantage of me going to Italy and booked a 7 day tour of Central Europe this past week.  I had made a thorough checklist and laid out all the items I needed to pack.  Everyone should do this.  What everyone should NOT do is make a thorough checklist and check-off items BEFORE packing them.   And that is the reason why CIMBA is currently shipping my glasses to their Italian campus at Paderno Del Grappa.  See, I was not exactly full of energy the day after New Years Eve, so instead of putting my contacts on in the morning, I kept wearing my glasses instead.  When I saw “Glasses” on my checklist, I brushed it aside and said I would obviously pack them when I was done wearing them.  Unfortunately, I did not and that is why you should never cross-off an item on a checklist that you have not packed yet!

Another lesson I learned while packing is that, although it saves space, it is never a wise decision to pack all your socks and undergarments in with your shoes at the bottom of the bag.  Although it saves space, it is a mess when you arrive at your destination and have to dig through your nicely packed clothing.  It is not worth the extra space.  Just put them on top as many normal people do anyway.  For those of you who may think like me, take this as a warning.

Now into the more interesting week I had touring Central Europe!  We flew into the Munich, Germany airport on January 2 at 6:00am local time (12:00am New Jersey time) and I immediately noticed a difference in culture when I saw the airport had showers.  We pushed through our jet lag and took a bus from our hotel to see the city.  The one thing that stood out to me about the city was the abundance of museums.  It seemed everywhere I looked there was a different museum.  We chose to buy a ticket for Munich’s science museum which is said to arguably be the best in Europe.  My brother, studying to become a mechanical engineer, was fascinated.  Leaving there, we found that almost every food store served super-large pretzels and an assortment of bratwursts and sausages.  I would definitely recommend trying at least one of these food choices as the Germans do them well.  The next day, we visited Nuremberg which was where I discovered hot wine; my new favorite winter drink.

During the tour we also stopped in the cities of Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Salzburg: all of which were unique in their own way.  Personally, I enjoyed Budapest the most for its hot baths and spas, architecture, and culture.  In Hungary, they are very fond of their heroes which gives the city a mystical feel.  Prague appeared to have an incredible nightlife although I did not experience it personally (jet lag).  Vienna, in contrast, had so many things to do in the daytime and was exceptionally clean.  The city quiets down very early which could help your waistline as it forces you to take a break from eating the delicious pastries!  Salzburg is a hidden gem.  It is famous for being the beautiful setting of the Sound of Music, the birthplace of Mozart, and a fantastic castle.  Also, it hosts the Stiegl Brewery Museum which is the largest beer exhibition in Europe!  We did not have a chance to visit during our trip, but I hope to find my way there in the future.  We were fortunate to have an awesome bunch of fellow travelers in our tour group representing a total of 10 different countries!  This made it even more enjoyable.

After the trip we flew into Venice.  There I met up with two other CIMBA students who arrived early and we went out to celebrate one of the student’s birthdays!  We had a great time exploring the university section of Venice and mingling with the local students. A hostel owner offered a great tip for American travelers: Begin a conversation with “Ciao!” and then proceed to speak in English as the local students are intrigued by their American counterparts.

Earlier today I arrived in Bassano del Grappa, a small town next to Paderno del Grappa.   It is known for its beautiful wooden bridge and is considered the capital of grappa; an original Italian liquor.  It is a very quaint town with a charming shopping and dining section.  Only a 30 minute bus ride from campus, I plan to visit here often.

To those of you still reading, I appreciate your attentiveness.   Did not mean to write a novel, but tried my best to summarize the many adventures I experienced over the past 10 days.  I know this is just the beginning of many more memorable experiences I will encounter over this semester with CIMBA.      Arrivederci!