When people see me, they often ask me where I was born or where my parents are from. They are always surprised to hear that I’m American. People think I’m more Latina that I am. The truth is, I’m actually quite a bit Scandinavian. My great-great-grandmother immigrated to the US when she was just 15 years old. My mom and grandma had contacts with our Swedish family, so I decided to take a trip to meet my family and learn about the past.
Our final stop on our Benelux tour was to the infamous city of Amsterdam. If I’m being upfront and honest, I have no desire to return to Amsterdam ever. Saying that, it is something that is interesting to visit at least once. Their culture is definitely different, but that is not necessarily a bad thing! So let’s see what makes up Amsterdam beyond what it is known for.
Antwerp was the last leg on our tour of Belgium before heading to Amsterdam. It’s a short train ride from Ghent, and it’s possible to see almost everything in a day. Antwerp is home to one of the biggest ports in the world, renown for its shipping; it’s the second largest in Europe. It’s also got quite an interesting backstory to its name.
Train travel is really cheap in Belgium; only €8 per trip. We decided to take a day trip to Bruge, or Brugge (Flemish name), which is a 30 minute train ride from Ghent. Bruges is like a city stuck in medieval times, with a lot of the same architectural vibes as Ghent, but with more of a small town feel.
Of the four Belgian cities we visited, Ghent was my favorite. It’s not too big that you don’t feel like you get a feel of the city. It’s not too small where you find yourself bored after a few hours. There is beautiful architecture everywhere and such rich history. Belgium is a hidden gem in Europe, and Ghent is a must-see.
I made my way to the train station to catch a train to the airport. Drunken young adults were coming back from their Thursday night out. Meanwhile, I was searching for McDonald’s for a quick breakfast and some caffeine. I met up with my travel partners at the airport and in less than an hour and a half, we landed in Lyon, France.
I’ve now been in Spain for five months, but I still have people that don’t know exactly what I do. Even some of my students don’t know exactly what I do and I see them every day. Officially, my title is “auxiliar de conversa“, but what does that exactly mean?
If you ever find yourself in western Germany, I highly recommend a trip to Cologne, or Köln, in German. Hometown of Heidi Klum and the Köln Dom, it’s a great day trip! From Dusseldorf it’s about a 30 to 45 minute drive. We parked on the outside of town and took a train into the city.
During my junior year of high school, we had a German exchange student in our school. I was lucky to have sat next to her on the first day of class. I always loved asking her about how things are different in Germany. Since I was over in Europe, I thought it would be cool to see if I could visit her for a few days. She agreed and so it was off to explore a new country!
After a short night’s sleep from New Year’s, I hopped on a train and a plane and headed for Dusseldorf, Germany.
Some people take their time off for Christmas to go home or travel around Europe. After my parents caught their plane back home to the US, I caught a train back to Cambrils. At first I was super upset. It was even harder when I walked into my host family’s house and they were having a huge family get together. It was also Spain’s version of April Fool’s Day, when I didn’t feel like smiling. Although I was upset to leave my parents, I ended up experiencing some unique traditions only seen in Spain.