Departure day came with a bit of an extra wrinkle for me. Unlike the rest of the group, who were leaving straight from Pittsburgh, I actually had to fly from Newark down to Pittsburgh the night before just to turn around and fly back through Newark on the way to Munich. Slightly ridiculous in hindsight, but that is just how the logistics worked out, and at this point in my travel career, I have learned to just roll with it.

By the time we all met up outside Towers in Oakland, loaded the bus, and made our way to Pittsburgh International, the energy in the group was high. There is something about the start of a trip that never gets old, no matter how many times you have done it. For me personally, travel is one of my favorite things in the world. I thrive in airports. The routine of checking bags, clearing security, finding a good spot at the gate, and people watching is genuinely something I enjoy rather than stress about.

The first leg from Pittsburgh to Newark was short, just enough time to settle in before the real journey began. After a few hours at Newark, we boarded our overnight flight to Munich. I got lucky and had no one sitting next to me, which on a transatlantic flight is essentially winning the lottery. I spread out, got comfortable, and genuinely enjoyed the flight. The food was better than expected for an airplane, and I managed to get a decent amount of sleep, which I knew would matter once we landed.

Having studied abroad in London last spring and traveled through eleven countries during that time, I feel very at home in the middle of a long journey. What I am most looking forward to on this trip is something a little different from my London experience, though. This time, it is the combination of classroom collaboration with real German students, the company visits, and honestly, the personal significance of visiting the region my family is originally from. That last part is something I have been thinking about for a long time.