Today was unlike any other day on this trip. We visited Dachau, one of the first concentration camps established by the Nazis, and from the start, I knew it was going to be a heavy experience.

I was nervous going in. I had a general idea of what we’d be seeing, but I didn’t know how I would react when actually faced with the reality of it. It’s hard to prepare yourself for something like this. As we walked through the camp, I felt a kind of emptiness — not sadness in the usual sense, but a quiet weight that followed me through every part of the tour.

There were a few rooms I chose not to enter. I could feel how intense the space was even from outside, and I knew it would be too much for me in that moment. But I still took everything in. I tried to listen, to observe, and to understand as much as I could. I made sure to stop by the Jewish memorial after the tour. Standing there, I felt a kind of stillness — a way to honor everything we had just witnessed.

This was a hard day, no question. But I’m grateful I was able to go. Seeing Dachau firsthand gave me a deeper understanding of the horrors that took place there and the scale of suffering so many endured. It’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.