1. St. Petersburg, Russia: I've always found Russia fascinating. It has a bit of a rough history, but it encompasses such a vast amount of land and culture. St. Petersburg seems to be the cultural capital of Russia, and the influences of Peter the Great are still evident. It looks like a beautiful city, and historically, there is so much to learn and see in St. Petersburg! The song "Once Upon December" also plays through my head when I think about St. Petersburg...
St. Issac's Cathedral
2. Germany and Austria: For some reason, I always group Germany and Austria together in my mind. This may be a result of A.P. Euro... Anyway, Germany and Austria just seem like places you have to visit. Berlin sounds like an interesting city. I've heard that while it still has it's historical charm, Berlin is also modern and fun. Then there is Vienna in Austria. My mom studied abroad in Vienna for a year, and my sister has visited. My mom still talks about Vienna, so I want to go see what she is talking about! Plus I want to go hiking in the Alps! :)
The Alps!
3. Croatia: Perhaps ridiculous, but I've had an obsession with Croatia for the past couple of years now! I'm not sure why because I don't really know anything about it except that it is in Central Europe on the Adriatic Coast. I want to visit Croatia simply because it is a country that not a lot of people visit. You don't hear much about Croatia, so I don't think I would be caught up in the same tourist traps that may be a problem in other countries. Since it's on the Mediterranean, I think it would be fun to experience the mix of European and Mediterranean culture.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
(seriously, just look at that!)
4. The Netherlands: A good friend of mine from school is from the Netherlands, so now I have to go! She grew up in Delft, which is in south Holland. I don't know all that much about the Netherlands, except what I have heard from my friend. Amsterdam would be cool to visit. There's a whole lot of history and culture to experience. Apparently Amsterdam is a very bike friendly place, so I should go rent a bike and ride around. I also want to visit Delft! I'm betting it will be a little less crowded than Amsterdam, and I actually have a source that can help me out!
Delft!
5. Spain: So, I was supposed to go to Spain during Spring Break of my Sophomore year, but my school canceled the trip because not enough people signed up. I was so disappointed! But, on the upside, I went on the trip to Scotland and Ireland over Christmas Break. Had I not gone on that trip, I may not have ended up at St. Andrews. But, I want to make up for that trip! I've taken 4 years of Spanish, and I would really like to use that in a real setting (though I was never all that good at it). My sister spent six months in Salamanca one summer and loved it! Madrid, Barcelona, and Salamanca are all on my list.
Barcelona skyline
So these are just a few ideas. I'm open to any suggestions!
