Each year, William Peace University takes a group of students overseas as part of the study abroad program. During this trip, a member of the Peace traveling party documented the experience with a diary from their perspective.
By: Nicky Taylor
Day Four: Prague
The morning skies were a pale light blue as we took a photo in front of the St. Vitus Cathedral. We passed underneath towering arches as we walked through the castle’s many courtyards, each one reflecting a different era. In the distance, above the rushing water of the Vltava River, stood the mighty Charles Bridge. Our group walked across the bridge as a curious mass, breaking apart to take photos with the mossy statues and browse gifts from the local vendor stands. Passing underneath Charles Bridge was a large ferry, full of tourists and locals alike, chugging down the river. After a quick stop to eat, a portion of our group walked down to the boats, eager for a ride.
Nearly 700 ft away, on the opposite side of the river, another ferry slunk down the Vltava. Standing on the upper deck of that ferry was a huddled group of students from our same tour, from William Peace. We stood up and waved, cheering across the water in excitement. My roommates and I headed to a museum dedicated to Franz Kafka while our other group members began their trip to a second-hand book store. After lots of walking and many hours spent in the city, we all grouped up at our hotel one last time before hopping on the bus for Kraków, Poland.
Day Six: Kraków
Our tour kicked off in the courtyard of Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest universities in Europe. We begin walking towards St. Mary’s Basilica. Wawel Castle sat on a large hill before us; half of the group started their Wawel tour, while the rest of us headed into the city center for a late lunch. Surrounded by hundreds of tourists and easily triple the number of pigeons, my roommates and I went from stand to stand looking at magnets, pins, shirts, and whatever else we could find. One of my roommates nabbed a bouquet of dried flowers for a loved one back home, and I picked up a hand-crafted rolling pin for some sugar cookies. A band of street performers danced in a lively group to Michael Jackson as we made our way to the hotel, bags in hand.
Day Nine: Vienna
Our final full day was spent in the capital city of Austria, Vienna, known as the city of music. On the ride there, we went through a list of famous composers all linked to Vienna. The bus speakers sang out Strauss and Mozart as we made our way to Schönbrunn Palace. Inside the summer home of the Habsburgs stood the most beautiful architecture one could see in this era. Our guide explained that the Schönbrunn Palace, as we saw it, was remodeled in the mid-18th century by the decree of Maria Theresa, a powerful empress. Walking from room to room, we saw the halls where countless banquets were hosted, and the very bed she slept in at night. The walls were adorned with antique canvases, each one telling a unique story about Austria’s history. Behind the Palace sprawled an enchanting garden, with trellises full of ivy and blooms. The sun was warm as we walked through the foliage, towards our final destination of the Palace—the Neptune Fountain. The marble mass resembled the countless sculptures scattered around the yard, except this one was far larger, with a fountain feature splashing out of the center. We happily took a photo in front of it, enamored by the artistry and history around us.
For lunch, my small group decided to check out something we had been anticipating since our first night in Germany, but ran out of time for: a beer hall. We rushed through a bustling market, surrounded by fresh fish, pastries, and a variety of spices. People shouted from behind their stands, urging us to try whatever free sample they could muster up. But, at the far end of the market strip, we saw it: Bierhalle Naschmarkt (beer hall in the snack market). The food was, as expected, delicious. Afterward, we headed out onto the streets for any final shopping before dinner and spotted a local stationery store.
A few group members picked up brand-new fountain pens, while others headed to a bookstore nearby. Then, after a short walk, we saw the Vienna National Library. My friends told me the inside was magical, with books as far as you can see and artwork bursting across every surface. When the bus arrived to pick us up for dinner, we’d already worked up an appetite. In the basement of our final destination, we expressed our gratitude to our wonderful tour director, Csenge, and presented her with a matching t-shirt, along with the rest of the group. The walk back was full of laughs, punctuated by the sun setting over the buildings we had become familiar with around our hotel. We spent the night packing, ready for our flight the next morning, and happily remembering this trip as a one-of-a-kind experience.
