After Prague, we took a train to Germany and arrived in Munich. We stayed there for only one night but had so much fun. We went to the BMW Driving Experience and it was amazing! We learned how to drive safely in cases of emergency. For example, we did exercises like driving fast and then hitting the brakes really hard, avoiding obstacles, and precise steering. We also did this exercise which looked super fun but scary. The sprinklers were on, so the ground was wet. We would drive in a circle and then we would turn the steering wheel all the way to the left while hitting the brakes and then to the right to turn it back to the original position. It was so scary at first because the cars looked like it was making donuts. I was so scared to try it but after doing it one time it was actually really entertaining and I just wanted to keep doing it. At the end of all the exercises, we did a race. They would time how long it took us to drive along a zig zag line, then do a U-turn, then go through the zig zag again and finish with a sharp stop. It was so much fun, we had 5 tries and I improved every time but I didn’t win. It was amazing, everyone had a blast there. After spending the whole day at the BMW Driving Experience, we took another train and headed to another city in Germany called Biberach.
In Biberach, we learned how to build a playhouse. We stayed at a university where people go to study carpentry and worked with a master carpenter who taught us all about using tools and working with wood. We stayed there for 5 days but we didn’t start building the house until the third day. First, we learned how to cut wood with a saw and make different types of joints. It was hard to use the saw at first but after a little bit of practice, it got easier. Then we learned how to assemble the playhouse. The wood pieces where cut with a machine, so we just had to put the pieces together with the help of the plan. We used tools like screws, drills, clamps, jackhammers, routers and bits. At the end we built two playhouses exactly the same. I really enjoyed putting it together, it was very fun and rewarding. The last day, when we finished building the house, they had a BBQ all together to celebrate what we had accomplished. The food was so good and the celebration wasn’t what we expected. They moved one of the houses outside and the master carpenter got on the ceiling of the house and said some words and traditions that they do when completing a project. At the end, he made a toast and threw the wine glass to the floor. Then they gave us all certificates of completion. It was very cute and I really liked our time there. The next day we said goodbye and we headed to Frankfurt.
We stayed one night in Frankfurt and headed the next morning to our ISP’s! (Independent Study Project). For my ISP I decided to go to Montpellier, France and study French language. At first when I got to Montpellier I was really lonely, I didn’t know anyone so I didn’t really like it. I wanted to go back to Frankfurt and reunite with the group. But then after going to the French classes and meeting people my age, I started to like it. I stayed with a homestay lady in her apartment and had a roommate from Switzerland. They were both very nice. The apartment was really close to the city central so I could just walk almost everywhere. I took the public transport to go to further places like the beach and an aquarium. I also improved my French since my homestay lady didn’t speak any English and everyone in the town was always speaking in French.
That week I felt so independent since I was traveling in Europe by myself and I planned everything. It also felt very rewarding because I realized I can trust myself and believe in me to travel independently. I don’t think I’ll ever travel alone again because honestly being alone is one of my biggest fears and I like being with people. I had fun by myself in France but I know I would enjoy it better if I had gone with friends. At the end, I’m so glad I did it. And I’m so thankful for Winterline to teach me the tools to travel by myself in Europe. I felt confident in myself while taking the trains and using the public transport. I also felt proud of myself for going out and doing stuff by myself, for exploring the city instead of staying home.
Next Stop: Boston, USA
