Long, Long Way from Home

Last month my brother and I went to Europe for the first time. I've always been fascinated by other countries and cultures, so it was a long-overdue trip across the Atlantic. It wasn't technically my first international experience since I first visited Canada in 2005, but it was certainly the most culturally diverse and eye-opening.

The trip was put together by my brother's former Jersey roommate who now lives in Switzerland. So we flew into Zürich and made our way through southern Italy (Lake Como, Cinque Terre) and France (Nice, Monaco, Antibes, Cannes) over the course of a week.

Cool things we did: partying all day with the Swiss for the inaugural game of Euro Cup 2008, drinking wine on the beach of Monterroso, kayaking on the Mediterranean, hiking along the Cinque Terre coast from Manaro to Vernazza, hitting up the Monte-Carlo Casino, and partying with random Canadian and Australian hostel-goers.

What follows are various takeaways from the trip...

• Language is everything. Never before have I felt so stupid, illiterate, and verbally handicapped when trying to communicate with people. This was especially true in Zürich, where the primary language was Swiss German. Over the course of the trip, though, I was amazed at how well most everyone not only spoke and understood English well, but how they were all at least tri-lingual. And it was a marvel to watch the flight attendants on Swiss Air switch between English, French, and German so seamlessly and effortlessly while attending to different passengers.
  
  I decided that the most beautiful-sounding language is definitely Italian when spoken by an Italian woman. German still sounds harsh, ugly, and barbaric to me, though.
  
  
• Europe is cooler. There's just a more laid-back, carefree vibe everywhere you go. From being more open about drugs or sexuality, it makes you wonder how censored America came to be, and why we continue to uphold those restrictions. In Europe, no one seems to care, and everything is fine.
  
  
• Soccer is still overrated. I still don't understand why Europe is so obsessed with this sport. While I appreciate its strategy and skill, I just don't see the draw. With such few scoring opportunities or genuine moments of excitement, it's a game that serves up long rounds of extended foreplay without the climax. Still, I'm amazed at how ingrained it is in the cultural fabric.

Before going on this trip, I felt like finally visiting foreign countries and lands would be a life-changing experience. I can tell you that being halfway across the world really puts things in perspective. When you're looking out over the Mediterranean during sunset, you can't help but look at your life and think about where you want to be. As much as I love the United States, I kept wondering over the course of the week if Europe was ever a place I could live (the shorter work week and minimum 25 vacation days are hard to ignore). Then I wondered what my life would be like if I simply grew up in a country like Italy or France. What would I be doing then? All big what-ifs.

While the trip allowed me to escape the bubble of city life, I found it more surreal than life-changing. Even with the seven-hour flight and six-hour jet lag, the voyage itself seemed "easy"; just spend some time in a plane and there you are, plopped in another country in another part of the world. Especially in this global Internet age, I came to realize that the world is more connected and accessible than my 28-year delay would suggest. We may be separated by different time zones, but we all live under the same sun.

While I enjoyed my vacation, I was happy to come home. Between the larger-portion meals and just the general feeling of being back in the loop, it was exciting to return to New York City, and brought back feelings of first arriving here. Even with a little jet-lag the day after we got back, I headed into the subway on my way to work, energized by the fact that I was back to a city—and a life—that I love.

Facebook pictures from the trip:
• Europe, Part 1
• Europe, Part 2
• Europe, Part 3