Jayde Hansen is a student at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Thessaloniki, Greece.
What better opportunity to country hop than fall break?
10 days – 4 countries – loads of fun + relaxation!
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is easily one of my favorite European cities so far.
My favorite part of Amsterdam was the popularity of bikes! I honestly saw more bikes than I did cars. It made the commuting super scenic and healthy at the same time.
While in Amsterdam, I got the chance to attend a church that I’ve always wanted to attend named Hillsong, which originated in Australia. It is one of the worldwide churches that is similar to my church in Charlotte, NC.
Brussels, Belgium
Home of the Belgian Waffles! I learned so much about Belgian history by taking the Red Umbrella tour. We saw cathedrals, historic buildings, amazing sculptures, and ate Belgian waffles as our heart desired.
Berlin, Germany
By the time our third country arrived, I wanted to just enjoy the moment of being in a new place. I took the time to walk a lot and do a ton of sightseeing.
You can’t go to Berlin without visiting the Berlin Wall.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague was one of the most beautiful countries I had ever been to. Despite the cold weather, it was a great day to be outside. Somehow I always tend to find myself near water. I get so mesmerized when I get around bodies of water and it allows me to center myself and get in touch with my innermost being. It reminds me that I’m only a small piece of the world.
I also decided to check out the Prague Castle, which was on the list of one of the touristy things to do. It was certainly a great site to see. Prague has some of the best architecture, and the pastel colors of the buildings are extremely pleasing.
Traveling to these four countries has been one of the most exciting and tiring things I have ever done. I wanted to make sure that while I enjoyed every bit of every country, I also got the chance to relax and soak it all in.
What I have discovered about myself is that I am such an experiential traveler. It doesn’t take much for me to enjoy an area, I just enjoy being in the environment. The most memorable times I have had during this fall break were the times I was outside enjoying nature or watching people go throughout their day-to-day life. It’s amazing to think that someone’s vacation spot is someone else’s everyday home.
xo,
Jayde Ashante’
The world awaits…discover it.