Tag: university

Posted in daily prompt, Experience, Fun, life

Six weeks at 18

Posted on by Dede

What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken?

The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of university, I was 18 years old. A poster advertising six weeks in Europe for college students grabbed my attention.

I called, long before emails and internet, and asked for references. They sent me a couple names and phone numbers. After being assured they had a wonderful time, I was ready to go.

I saved my money, and signed up. I had an adventure, 13 countries in six weeks. I had a wonderful time and it began my love of international travel. We traveled to countries that no longer exist. Yugoslavia, East Berlin, Czechoslovakia which now are not on the map.

One young man had grown a beard. They wouldn’t allow our bus into Czechoslovakia. He didn’t match his passport photo. We waited a very long time while he shaved off his thick beard without any scissors to trim it down.

We went trip through Checkpoint Charlie, which is now a visitor site, but not so in 1978. We were instructed not to lose our passports because the GDR would see that as helping an East German escape. I distinctly remember walking out of a very colorful and vibrant city, West Berlin, into a depressing, gray, sad world, East Berlin.

I was gone somewhere between 6-7 weeks.

I have been on one longer trip. It was 3 months in France but I stayed in one city and went to school.

Posted in Blogging, fear, Fun, life, vacation

Followed my gut

Posted on by Dede

What’s a time you followed your gut and it turned out to be exactly right?

When I was in university I saw a poster for a group trip to Europe. I think it was 13 countries in six weeks. We would meet in London.

I worked and saved while everyone told me it was a fake poster and I’d regret my decision. I’d lose money. I did what little research was available because this was many years before the internet.

My parents took me to LAX and from there I flew to London. I had paid extra for some London excursions.

Being brave enough to go alone and join a group, knowing no one, was one of the best things I ever did. I went to countries that now no longer exist. I have lifetime memories that have the ability to look at the world from different perspectives.

So happy I didn’t listen to the naysayers and trusted my gut.

Posted in choices, daily prompt, Experience, Fun, life

Solo Travel

Posted on by Dede

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

I won $500 in 1977 in a speech contest. I put in it the bank. I started my freshman year of university, lived at home and worked almost full time.

Advertised on campus was a six week tour of Europe for students. It cost $1800 which was a huge sum of money for me but I took a leap of faith, signed up and paid the deposit.

For the entire school year I saved every possible penny. I even would pick up pennies on the ground and save them. By May I paid for the trip in full.

This entire time, my friends were telling me it was a ripoff and fake. I had faith.

My parents drove me to Los Angeles and I met up with the group. I was scared and nervous. Except for a quick trip to Canada years earlier, I had never left the country.

I spent the next six weeks on a bus, a ship and ferry with other university students, staying in hostels and basic hotels as we traveled to 13 countries.

Outstanding memories: going through Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin and being told not to lose our passports because the U.S. couldn’t help us and we’d be stuck.

Not being allowed into Yugoslavia until one of the male students cut off his beard to verify he was the same guy in his passport photo.

Going to our tour guide’s family home in Austria and having homemade strudel.

Some of the countries I visited no longer exist. It was a different time then. But this trip, instilled in me a love of traveling and being brave enough to go when I knew no one.

Posted in life

University learning

Posted on by Dede

What colleges have you attended?

I went to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I lived at home and worked the entire 5 years until I graduated.

Unlv.edu

When I went to UNLV it had about 5,500 students. It now has over 33,000 enrolled students. Its hospitality program is one of the best in the country.

I also went to the Institut de Touraine. It’s a language school located in Tours, France. There were students from all over the world enrolled.

Institut de Touraine

I was there 3 months. They offered separate tours and cooking classes. I lived in a small studio apartment.

I’ve also attended a couple of community colleges in the Dallas area and I attended Alliance Française in Dallas for a couple years.

I am someone who loves to learn and I believe I’ll be learning until the day I die.