European Dreamin'

Katie D.

December 25, 2011 - 8:59 PM

This holiday season has been all about preparing for next year. All my relatives and friends are talking about Ireland, and a lot of my time has been spent compiling dream itineraries, lists of things to learn or prepare, and seeking out recommendations from friends.

All things point toward Europe.

My Mitchell Scholarship will be taking me to Ireland for a full year, starting next September. But increasingly it looks like I'll be spending the summer traveling in Europe, seeking out the best and most obscure of as much of the continent as I can see. I can't believe my luck, and can't stop dreaming and planning.

My Christmas was full of travel-oriented gifts. I got a great new suitcase, a map and travel book for Europe, a new travel alarm clock, clothes, and a (nerdy, I know) Irish flute to practice up on. I've got gear and reading materials coming my way, plus threats of visits from eight or nine family members. Could be a big old family celebration next year, touring pubs and castles and (perhaps) whatever direction my research takes. I've already planned to hang that map of Europe on my wall in Eugene and start sticking pins in the top priority locations for my next year of life.

It's hard to imagine exactly what the year will look like. One reason I'm so excited about all the hullaballoo developing currently is that it will give me space later to pick and choose and create a more reasonable life for myself when over in Europe. As many of you know, I identify strongly as a traveler, and as someone with a powerful case of the wanderlust. I cannot imagine a better prelude to further studies than a couple of months vagabonding in Europe, seeing an entirely new slice of the world and the (I imagine) foreign/familiar cultures and histories of that continent.

I've started collecting recommendations from guidebooks a friends, and here are some preliminary priorities:

- Spain (any and all of it, although I'm particularly excited about Bilbao and Barcelona)
- Venice (and as much of the rest of Italy as I can)
- Prague (more on this later)
- England
- Scotland
- Norway (Bergen and the fjords)
- Turkey (particularly Istanbul)
- Greece
- Crete (because why not throw in a little Conflict Resolution/ Divided Cities theory into your travels?)
- Morocco (Rick Steves' guidebooks highly recommend this step outside Europe as a quick trip that will blow your mind)

This all, of course, leaves out my intention to travel to every possible corner of the island of Ireland. I hope to visit every county, and to find the quirky and non-touristy, as well as visiting some of the big-name castles, landscapes, and cultural opportunities.

I mentioned Prague because there is a curious frequency of my friends studying there. I've heard many times that the Czech Republic is a fabulous place to travel and witness a very different culture, and that Prague is a great city. Add to those recommendations that a best friend from high school will be finishing study abroad there in June, and a childhood friend will be doing archeology work with medieval Czech skeletons for June and July, and Prague is a high priority entry into my European wish list. That's what I'm looking for this summer: the funky (medieval skeletons) with the mind-opening and inspiring sites of a new culture and community.

So bring it on! Europe, here I come.

PS Readers, if you have suggestions for me, I would love to hear them. Please send me your favorite city, or a favorite European study abroad location. Or, if you are particularly well-connected in Europe, let me know! I'm an excellent house guest and would love to meet up with interesting folks while abroad. Bring on the suggestions!