Conclusion: What I Learned
One of the things I love about traveling is that it not only teaches me about other places, but also about my own land. I came back to Tulsa missing Europe, but I saw my home in a new light. Tall men in cowboys hats, fried pickles with ranch dressing, "y'all"s scattered throughout conversation; every place has its own charm, I realized. Until our next trip, I can be satisfied by being a tourist of Oklahoma.
Our trip to Europe gave me the courage to travel to places where I don't speak the language. Before, I'd mostly stuck in my comfort zone of English and Spanish. Now I feel I can go anywhere! After all, as I learned in nursing school, only a small percentage of communication is verbal; much exchange of information can be achieved with a positive attitude and body language.
The kindness of strangers will astound you. Being from Tulsa, I don't have much contact with tourists, and I'm always stunned by the patience exhibited by people who come into contact with them on a daily basis.
Europe also taught me to enjoy a relaxing meal at the table and walks after dinner; to take pleasure in chocolate and good wine; and that it is indeed possible for me to survive two weeks without peanut butter!
Roland and I hope you enjoyed reading about our European travels with Rick Steves. Until next time, we wish you a safe and happy journey wherever life takes you!
Our trip to Europe gave me the courage to travel to places where I don't speak the language. Before, I'd mostly stuck in my comfort zone of English and Spanish. Now I feel I can go anywhere! After all, as I learned in nursing school, only a small percentage of communication is verbal; much exchange of information can be achieved with a positive attitude and body language.
The kindness of strangers will astound you. Being from Tulsa, I don't have much contact with tourists, and I'm always stunned by the patience exhibited by people who come into contact with them on a daily basis.
Europe also taught me to enjoy a relaxing meal at the table and walks after dinner; to take pleasure in chocolate and good wine; and that it is indeed possible for me to survive two weeks without peanut butter!
Roland and I hope you enjoyed reading about our European travels with Rick Steves. Until next time, we wish you a safe and happy journey wherever life takes you!