The first stop of my European trip is Spain where I spent 3 days in the bustling city of Barcelona. Entering the city for the first time, I was oblivious to their way of life despite taking Spanish classes in school. For instance, their primary language is Catalan and NOT Spanish, which at the time I didn't know, resulting in difficulties trying to talk with the locals. Furthermore, ordering food at a local restaurant requires the customer to ask for a waiter rather than having the waiter come to you. Sticking with the topic of food, the portion sizes are smaller than that in the U.S. which took some time for me to adjust to. Regardless, the food culture in Barcelona is exquisite as I indulged in their local tapas and famous paella.  In addition they're proud of their football (soccer in the U.S.) culture with their team (F.C. Barcelona) being one of the best in the world. Whether I was at Barceloneta or a local park, I noticed soccer balls being kicked around by kids and adults. It was as though football was connecting them together. Throughout my time in Barcelona I visited the famed Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that is still under construction for over 130 years! In addition, I visited the beach at Barceloneta, hiked up a mountain near Park Guell, and visited the street market at Mercado de La Boqueria.

The next stop on my European trip is to Italy, this time visiting the City of Rome, Venice, and Florence!

First stop on my Italy trip is Venice. Known for its canal culture, its many islands brought a unique perspective to what was once the most notorious trade ports in history. Throughout my time here, I got to visit St. Mark Square despite it being flooded due to rain. Also I got to experience riding on one of its numerous canoes as well as immersing into their markets.

Next stop is Florence. I visited the famous Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore created by Michelangelo, Ponte Vecchio, and Piazza del Duomo. Despite my short 1 day stay there, I was nevertheless immerse in their proud art and architecture.  

As for my last stop, I stayed in the Italy's capital: Rome. During my stay here, I experienced first-hand of Rome's expansive history by visiting the Colosseum, Pantheon, Roman Forum, and the Trevi Fountain.

Throughout my time in Italy, I noticed how their long history and culture played a crucial role in their overall identity. Not only did I indulge myself in their delicious pizza and pasta (changed my perception of pizza here in America forever), on every corner I noticed the unique architecture in full display whether it's the Roman aqueducts or their implication of the arch in their buildings. In addition, cathedrals, plaza, and other public areas were filled with paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance, further displaying their culture and history. However, while traveling between cities, one key observation I had was the huge divide in quality of life base on people's economic status. Those that are wealthy live in the center of the city where they incorporate modern technology and sanitation whereas those living outside the city live in cramped and dirty conditions that lacked the modern technology that the center part of the cities have. Though this divide exist in every part of the world, I noticed Italy had the strongest divide when compared to all of the places I've been to thus far.

The last country I visited during my family trip to Europe was to Paris France. For 3 days, I visited the city's famous Eiffel Tower, explored the Louvre Museum, and saw up close the Arc de Triomphe. Besides being inspired by the gorgeous monuments and historical artifacts, the food culture in Paris was by far my favorite compared to the other two countries I visited. I got to try their famous Escargot, classic baguette, and delicious Parisian macarons. With the little French that I know (less than 50 words), I tried to spur up a conversation with the locals. Despite my French being obviously lacking, I still manage to bring up a conversation about their livelihoods in which the locals were happy with their day to day life there. Though it's important to note that I wasn't able to venture outside of the city throughout my stay in France, during my stay in Paris I barely noticed the distinctions between neighborhoods despite their differences in economic status. The city was very clean throughout the city and public amenities such as public restrooms that automatically clean itself, made it possible for everyone to be healthy. This stood out to me as all of the other places I've been to, including the United States, didn't have such services for its residences. 

During February Break in 2023, what was suppose to be a gathering with other global scholars in a Peruvian restaurant (Sazon Peru in Lawrence) unexpectedly turned into a Mexican restaurant when our original restaurant was closed and boarded up. Regardless of this setback, we got to taste a little bit of Mexican cuisine with their tacos, enchiladas, mole, and more.