✈️ I’m Going to Europe for Two Weeks! 🌍

Countdown: 16 Days Until Takeoff! ⏳📅

It’s official—your girl is headed to Europe from June 4 to June 16 for two unforgettable weeks thanks to my scholarship 🎓✨. It still doesn’t feel real!

My love for Europe got me seriously debating which country to move to… because let’s be honest—America is ghetto and the dream is unattainable 😩. I’m excited for another stamp in my passport 😏📘

We’ll be traveling to Germany 🇩🇪, Poland 🇵🇱, and the Czech Republic 🇨🇿 as part of a class on the Holocaust. This isn’t just some cute vacation—this is an actual course. The trip includes learning, growth, and deep emotional experiences.

Before we even step foot on the plane, we had a talk with a Holocaust survivor who escaped with her family and now lives by the Jersey Shore. She shared her story—including how some relatives who stayed behind were taken. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that 😢 That’s not just history you read about. That’s history you feel.

🎒 Packing Update

Let me tell you—packing for two weeks with no suitcase? That’s wild 😅 We’re only allowed duffel bags or carry-ons because we’ll be moving around a lot and sometimes even sleeping on trains 🛌🚉. That suitcase is not dragging through cobblestone.

So, here’s what’s already packed:

• ✅ Passport ✔️
• ✅ Paid $21 for UK entry (even though it’s just a layover 🤦🏾‍♀️)
• ✅ iPad for homework 📚
• ✅ Diabetes supplies + wireless insulin pump charger 💉🔋
• ✅ My Greece hoodie + windbreaker 🧥
• ✅ Rolled everything small & packed light
• ❌ No water bottle—it’s more of a hassle than helpful tbh
• ✅ Left room for souvenirs 👀

I thought I was going to take everything out and start again—but I only removed like 4 things 😂 Maybe that’s a sign I won’t be spending as much money as I thought 💸🙏🏾

And yes—I’ll probably pick up a few pieces of clothing in each country, so I strategically left space in my bag. But for real, they said it again today: pack light or pay up if your bag is overweight

🧠 Homework Before Takeoff

Yeah… this is class, remember? I just got my assignments and let me tell you—I really thought the movies were free 🫠 Plot twist: they’re rentals, and I’m not paying for that so yes, me and ChatGPT are doing this together lol.

Here’s what we’re working on:

📚 Required Readings:

• Christopher R. Browning, Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland – Preface + Chapters 1–3, 7
• Andrea Pitzer, One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps – Chapter 5, The Architecture of Auschwitz

🎬 Required Films:

• A Real Pain (2024) – Cousins on a Holocaust heritage tour in Poland. Think grief, trauma, and healing.
• Conspiracy (2001) – Based on real transcripts from the Nazi Wannsee Conference where the Final Solution was planned.
• Simon Schama: The Holocaust, 80 Years On (2025) – A look back at the Holocaust through the eyes of an 80-year-old Jewish historian.

We’ve been told to reflect and journal about the emotional impact of the content, not just take notes. I’ll be writing things like:

• How the films explore generational trauma
• What role grief plays in historical remembrance
• How settings like Auschwitz shape the story being told

😳 Group Meeting Realness 

We had our big group meeting today and y’all… I think I’m the only Black person going 😳😂 Like WHAT?? Still, I’m used to that by now.

Anyway, we got hit with a few important reminders:

• We must be respectful when visiting any concentration camp or memorial. Phones away unless told otherwise.
• No exploring solo—we’re sticking together the whole time. This is a class, not a free-for-all.
• And listen… wear comfortable clothes! European countries still have cobblestone sidewalks and I learned the hard way in Greece—my feet were screaming from walking all day in sandals and flip-flops 😩😂 Never again. I’ll be ready this time.

Also, download WhatsApp now! I learned another tough lesson from Greece: international phone calls = ridiculously high bill. I thought my eyeballs were gonna pop out when I saw it 💀💸. This time, it’s Wi-Fi only and WhatsApp all day!

🚫 No Politics Allowed

They also made it clear—no political shirts, hats, stickers, buttons, etc.

Because with the way things are going, especially with Trump running his mouth and messing with tariffs, we don’t want to cause any problems while traveling. We’re guests, and we need to move respectfully.

🌟 What’s Next? Maybe Wroxton!

I’m also thinking about doing a semester abroad at Wroxton College in England 🇬🇧! I just got the email this weekend, and I’m seriously tempted.

Only thing is… I already registered for my Fall 2025 classes, so I’ll need to work that out.

But good news—I already got in contact with the director for Study Abroad and it looks like Spring 2026 is when I’ll (hopefully 🤞🏾) be at Wroxton! If this Europe trip goes well, I definitely want to keep the journey going 🌍💫

Applications are due June 27, so I’ve got my eye on it 👀📅

🧳 Final Thoughts

Everything’s just about ready. The bag is packed, my iPad is charged, and the countdown is on. This is about more than just checking off countries—it’s about growing, feeling, and learning.

Let the countdown begin… 16 days to go!

Let’s go Europe 💃🏾✨✈️