Calling all travelers! Spring break is upon us – for some of us it’s even this week! It’s time to gather your “Travel Jar” filled with money saved for your next adventure and head towards the airport. But don’t forget your passport. This time, you should travel outside the country. Yes, leave the 50 nifty United States and experience a new culture. I’ll admit, maybe spring break isn’t the best time to travel all of continental Europe, but Canada or Mexico are perfect destinations for a week! If you choose to travel overseas, try one country for spring break, and go to others during the summer. You’ll definitely want to start packing your bags ASAP!

The Landscape

Even in America, the landscapes are phenomenal. But when you go to different countries, you’ll start to appreciate the rural areas of the US. Green contrasts amazingly against the blue sky, white clouds misting through the air. It makes you stop and think about how simple life can be without any distractions – just you, the sky, and clouds.

The Architecture

Most buildings I’ve seen in America are very modern, and if there are older buildings, there are usually two ways they appear: (1) poorly taken care of to the point of collapsing, or (2) being renovated into more contemporary buildings. In other countries, especially Germany and Austria (from firsthand experience), they take pride in their historical buildings. They’re well-kept, up-to-date for technological and federal standards, and you generally want to explore them.

The Food

Each culture has different food, different ways they eat, and different types of meals. For example, in France they have café au lait – coffee with milk – and a croissant. I know I’m used to eating eggs, toast, sausage, etc. for breakfast, and traveling to different countries and staying in hotels that offer breakfast really opens up your eyes to cultural differences.

The History

Everywhere you turn there’s history, whether it be in America or a different country. When I visited Germany, I was able to visit Dachau Concentration Camp – one of the most humbling experiences. Not all history is distressing, though. There are also beautiful basilicas with gorgeous stained glass windows, grand pipe organs, and pure marble statues. It doesn’t matter which country you visit; you will always bring back a piece of history with you.

If this hasn’t made you want to apply for your passport, then actually leaving the country will definitely change your mind. It’s one thing to see photos and another to physically see what photographs depict. You may not have the time – or the money – but traveling abroad is a fantastic adventure to add to your bucket list. Hopefully, you’ll be able to cross it off your list.