Travel Experience and Advice

View 2013 UW-Eau Claire Central European Travel Seminar in a larger map
Map courtesy of our professor, Ezra! These are all of the wonderful places we embarked on the trip!

Traveling to Europe was a new experience for me. The longest flight I had been on before was to California. I first flew from MSP to Newark, New Jersey. This flight left MSP at 10:40AM and I was on the plane for about 2½ hours. My next flight left Newark at about 5:40PM and I was on the plane for close to 8 hours. I traveled with a few other people from our group, so it made the travel experience more comforting. Everything at the airport worked out fine. My second flight was delayed a little, but it didn’t make much difference.

I had a window seat on my flight to Berlin and ended up sitting next to a high school girl and her dad. They were actually heading going on vacation in Berlin! They looked through my syllabus to get ideas of what to do in Berlin.



On the plane to Berlin, complete with a pretty sunrise

I was planning on sleeping on the plane, but that did not end up happening. I felt tired, but I just couldn’t fall asleep. So, the 8 hour flight was long and I got a little antsy, but it all worked out! I was very glad we arrived safely!

 Elizabeth from our group, who was sitting towards the back of the plane, got sick on our 2^nd flight to Berlin. I didn’t know about this until after we landed, since I was sitting quite a few rows in front of them. They ended up taking her in an ambulance to the hospital in Berlin, just to be safe. She had to stay in the hospital for a few days, but she ended up being okay. We were all worried about her, so I can’t even imagine how worried her parents might have been! We were happy she was okay and back traveling with the group!

Here is some pre-trip advice for future students:

·         Pack light (you don’t want to be hauling a heavy suitcase around when you are traveling constantly). Bring less than what you think you need!

·         Bring a carry-on size suitcase (you can either check it on the plane or carry it on with you)

·         Bring a backpack

·         Girls-bring a bigger size purse that has a strap across your body

·         Bring a variety of clothes. Be ready for HOT weather, be ready for cool weather, be ready for wet weather.

·         Bring a rain jacket and 1 sweatshirt

·         1 or 2 pairs of jeans is plenty

·         For the formal events, bring just 1 formal outfit

·         Layers are good!

·         Arrive to airport early

·         Try to get on the same flight as at least 1 other person from the group

·         Be prepared to do a lot of waiting for trains, trams, etc. Bring a book or catch up on your journals during this time

·         Keep up with journaling!

·         Don’t worry about forgetting something. You are traveling to large, civilized cities that have stores. You will be fine.

·         Bring medications such as ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol, allergy medication, etc. Your body might not agree will at first in a new country. Better safe than sorry! 

·         Make copies of debit card, passport, etc.

·         Bring an open mind and you will be good! Try new things, get to know new people, live it up!



My flight from Newark to Berlin (I flew from Minneapolis to Newark)