There have not been many challenging activities that I have had to overcome while studying abroad in Germany; I was only really expecting some home sickness and difficulties with relations, but this past week I have pushed my comfort zone to the limit… and then broke right through it. In Budapest, Hungary, we all had the opportunity to go spelunking in one of the caves outside of town. Although I knew this would freak out my senses and challenge my abilities, both mental and physical, I knew I had to take this task on.

Sixteen of us decided to go through these caves with a tour guide. We were split up into two equal groups, and I got to follow Lazlo the cave guide. Right away he told us we were a sporty and “thin” looking group, so we would be going through some of the harder parts of the cave that tourists are allowed in. Consistently he would take us the harder, tighter, and longer ways so we could get the most out of our experience. After 1300 meters of physical work, we all agreed we couldn’t have asked for more.

There were these sections in the cave that you literally had to lie down and army crawl your way through. I have the bruises and scratches on my elbows and knees to prove it. These were all fairly difficult, but my biggest fear was to be wedged in from all sides by the cave. To feel it on each side and then on your stomach and back was not a pleasant image nor a calming one. And just when I thought I was through the worst, there came the Worm.

Me and Matt squeezing through the cave.

The Worm, as they call it, is only a few meters long, but it requires maneuvering one’s body in an angle and contorting limbs to avoid rocks. So much physical energy is needed to make it through in a timely manner ( even though Lazlo slid right through like it was nothing). After making it out, I was so pleased with myself and thankful to be succeeding in something I never deemed possible. The Worm was one of the hardest sections in the cave, and I knew know I could overcome any territory Lazlo would make me enter.

And so he challenged us more. There was a vertical climb we had to make on our sides that was as tightly squished as an overbearing aunt’s embrace. You had to keep your left arm underneath you and push with your right foot. Apparently that is where all your power comes from, but my power, along with others, was also apparently lacking. Almost every single one of us got stuck in this section, but upon escaping this tormenting squeeze, I felt so accomplished. I was laughing when I could hear Jimmy getting his shoulders stuck behind me.

No matter what you think your physical limitations are, there really aren’t any at all. We all are capable of doing the most challenging things if we really try and put our mind to the task. By the end of our 2 and 1/2 hour caving tour, we were all sweating but smiling so broadly. It sounds completely cliche, but this experience proved to myself that I can be unstoppable, but only if I want to be. So I challenge anyone reading to find something that they would not normally do, just to see if it’s possible. With a positive attitude and the support of loving friends, I have no doubt that it will be.

The group of us at the end

An excerpt in the book, “Eat, Pray, Love” spoke to me as it perfectly articulated the feelings one experiences while traveling abroad:

“The great Sufi poet and philosopher, Rumi, once advised his students to write down the three things they wanted most in life.  If any item on the list clashes with any other item, Rumi warned, you are destined for unhappiness.  Better to live a life of single-pointed focus, he taught.  But what about the benefits of living harmoniously amid extremes?  What if you could somehow create an expansive enough life that you could synchronize seemingly incongruous opposites into a worldview that excludes nothing?  […] I wanted to experience both.  I wanted worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence–the dual glories of a human life.”

I couldn’t agree with Elizabeth Gilbert more.  Her ability to articulate such a harmonious desire was something I have been trying to articulate all along.  It seems as though I have experienced everything from Paris’ indulgences, to Rome’s spirituality, to Budapest’s musicality.  All of these extremely diverse countries have offered me something so unique.  Reflecting on that very passage, I have been blessed with that very gift over the course of the past few months: worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence.

As for Hungary, my skepticism about traveling on an eleven-hour night train to an eastern European country for five days was present on my mind for several days leading up to the trip.  As Hungary greeted me with a cold and rainy day, my perception of the country was at its best, different.  It wasn’t until the following days that I approached Budapest with a more open and forgiving mind.  Learning about their communist past and there ever improving future reminded me of a similar lesson I had learned in Berlin: one can never forget a past, whether pleasant or not, that ultimately led to a successful future.

Hungary’s Most Famous Opera House

After warming up to the diverse Hungary, I was eager to appreciate more that was unique to their culture.  So, last night we went to a Hungarian Opera.  This Opera house was the most beautiful venue I have ever seen–its elegance begged me to imagine myself attending this place in the early years, adorned in a beautiful gown and tight curls.  Although the latter description wasn’t true, we had an absolutely lovely evening.  The Italian opera, Rigoletto, portrays the flirtatious, seductive nature of love and the curses between men because of such love.  Despite our inability to understand the opera (as it was sung in Italian and the subtitles were in Hungarian), it was a phenomenal night I will never forget.

Hungary’s Most Famous Opera House

Go on a trip alone? Doesn’t that seem kind of boring? Well, sometimes traveling by yourself allows for opportunities and flexibility that you normally would not have while traveling with friends.

This past weekend, I had no concrete plans, and many of my friends decided to go to Austria. To be quite honest, at times I can be introverted, and I like time to myself. On a whim, I decided that I wanted to visit Berchtesgaden, which is on the extreme southern tip of Germany, in the Alps! I don’t know how familiar you are with history, but it’s a really small mountain town, and it is where Hitler had his “Eagle’s Nest”, which was basically a beautiful summer home on top of a mountain with an amazing view of the Alps. The guy knew a good getaway.

My plan was to visit the Eagle’s Nest, but I found that it was closed for the winter. However, I am not easily deterred and decided not to let that stop me! I love hiking and mountain climbing, especially alone and with my family, so I decided to hike up to the top. I was told that the only way to get up is by driving to a certain point, then taking a gold-plated elevator. Right.

I did a lot of scouting out the area on Saturday, and found that there really are no trails to the top. Most of it is private property, but I snuck around anyways. The view was incredible! Couple that with a sun and temperatures in the mid 60s, and you have a perfect weekend.

Even though I love to write, sometimes I just cannot come up with enough adjectives to describe what I’ve seen.  Take a look at these photos, and you can see what I mean!

Because I was alone and could really dive into my passion for hiking, I dedicated the weekend to it and hiked 12 or 13 miles. Although, traveling alone opens up opportunites that I never would have imagined!

Since I was traveling alone, on Saturday night I decided to find a restaurant for a quick bite, then off to bed early for another day of hiking. I found this place that seemed cozy, so I went in. It was kind of crowded, so the waitress pointed me to this large table, with a couple at one end of it. It is not uncommon for strangers to sit at the same big tables in old-style restaurants in Bavaria, but often the two parties would simply exchange formalities and not converse. This time it was much different.

I ordered some food and a beer, and the couple started talking with me. Soon, we were talking about economics, soccer, and the hotel that they own in Austria. Soon enough, a whole bunch of their friends came by the table and sat down, all in their late 50s or early 60s. They were extremely friendly and we talked, half in German and English about anything and everything.

It turns out that I was at a special table, called “Stammtisch”. Basically, it’s reserved every night for a certain group of people, and it is quite an honor to sit at that table. Essentially, only the respected people of Berchtesgaden sit there. But here I was, and they were kind of having the “good old boys” routine going, and it was super fun! Then, the waiter slid a shot over to me, and one of them nodded his head to me. They taught me that it was a tradition in the town to drink a shot of this particular vodka after every meal. They ended up buying me more food and drinks. And I found out that Hitler would sometimes come to the place years ago. What a night!

So if you have thought about traveling alone, give it a try. It is not nearly as scary as you may think, and it gives you the flexibility and opportunity that you never could have imagined!