Thoughts from our Riverstone students in Europe…..

Here’s a fun follow up to the list of highlights I sent earlier. It’s a

pretty good cross-section of the things you learn when you’re out of

your element…

Sarah S – It would be great to have a more efficient public

transportation system in Boise; Europe’s system is great.

Elena – Don’t let the little things distract you from the big

picture…if you’re hungry, remember that you’re hungry in SWITZERLAND!!

Maddi – Mountains here are STEEP.

Alex – When travelling in a large group, it’s very important to be alert

all the time.

Tatjana – By making junk food more expensive and harder to find, people

will eat a lot less of it.

Lydia – Just living here is exercise…there don’t seem to be a need

for gyms because people walk everywhere.

Sarah C – People eat A LOT of bread and can actually live on baguettes.

Chris – Soccer really is everywhere.

Stearne – Public transportation is everywhere – buses, subway, trains,

trams, cog trains, bikes…all make it easier to get around.

Asher – Trains are a very cool way to travel.

Reagan – Can’t imagine a Europe without the Euro. Changing money

everywhere would have been very difficult.

Lucas – Sleep when you have the chance.

Jon – Security at border crossings is a lot looser but security at

museums is a lot more strict.

Dylan – Weather can change on a daily/hourly basis.

Coleman – Fanny packs are still in style?!?

Paul – In Paris you can find a 3-course meal for 10 euro right across

the street from a shop with a 10 euro milk shake.

Ryan – If you want to understand a culture you have to understand

their public transportation.

Sam – Expect for your expectations about people/places to be wrong.

Remy – Seeing the Mona Lisa, priceless. Climbing the Eiffel tower,

priceless. Hiking in the Swiss Alps, priceless. Shopping in any store

in Switzerland, definitely not priceless.

Ryan – European nations are very culturally diverse despite their

small size – Geneva, Switzerland seems French, but a short train ride

away, Wengen seems very German.

Austin – 1. Tiny cars really are practical. 2. Always have a couple

francs/euros in your pocket in case you need to pay to use a bathroom.

Christine – 1. Finally understands caffeine and chocolate addictions

2. Europe on $5 a day doesn’t exist anymore but Europe on 2 hours of

sleep a day does.

Tarrah – Public transportation with large groups is easier than

expected and, reservations are the way to go.

Matt – European culture is much more different than American culture

than I expected. Traveling to South America the difference was

expected, but the differences here were suprising.

Ben – 1. People in Europe use small spaces very effectively – kitchen

gardens are everywhere, a kitchen/office/dining/living/bed room really

does exist.

AND

2. Riverstone students travel well ANYWHERE!