21 Things I Miss Most About Living In Europe

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It’s been a full year since returning to America after the biggest adventure of my life, spending a semester of college living in Prague. These are just some of the things I still miss:

  1. Inexpensive travel. Want to go somewhere for the weekend? $40 roundtrip ticket to Vienna coming your way.
  2. The history. Everywhere you go has a story and every place you visit has a story.
  3. English not being the primary language. Not speaking the same language as everyone around you was occasionally frustrating, but more refreshing than anything.  Just you and your own thoughts.
  4. The farmers markets. The freshest of the fresh produce, baked goods and coffee down the street from your apartment 3 days a week for the price of some coins floating in your bag.
  5. Beer being cheaper than water. We’re talking a tall boy for less than $1 here people.
  6. Beer being a casual beverage of choice. Once a friend and I brought said $1 beers to class after lunch and the only response from the professor was “na zdraví!” (Cheers! in Czech)
  7. Kabobs. A giant mound of shaved chicken or lamb with a bunch of mystery toppings and sauces served in a pita, wrapped up like a burrito in a tortilla shell, or on a delish chiabatta roll and  strangely called a kabob even though it’s not meat on a stick.
  8. Australians. They were everywhere you went spending a year or two just traveling after they graduated school, often alone. Some of the coolest people you’ll meet, well maybe that was the accent. Anyways, let’s make post grad travel a thing America.
  9. Late 90’s and early 2000’s music still being wildly popular. Nelly, Oasis, Smashmouth, Red Hot Chili Peppers all day errday.
  10. Candy. Milka bars for breakfast, Haribo gummy bears for lunch.
  11. Local friends. Making friends with the locals at school, bars, restaurants, the market. Truly the best travel advice you can get.
  12.  Not having an Iphone. This left you to not miss anything, have enaging conversations, and really reflect on this experience of a life time.
  13. Walking everywhere.  Nothing cures a hangover quite like a brisk morning walk.
  14. Pop. The Fanta and Coke just isn’t the same in America.
  15. Euro Fashion. Denim on denim, leather pants with floral knee patches, tights and shorts in December, anything goes.
  16. Festivals. Rally up the whole city to celebrate anything you can think of from apples to young wine.
  17. Tesco. Grocery store, Target and a department store all rolled into a one stop shop.
  18. The architecture. Ah-mazing.
  19.  Souvenir shopping. Good god do I love knick-knacks.
  20. Christmas markets. Never have I ever had more Christmas Spirit.
  21. European Children. The most adorable little nuggets I have ever seen.