Meredith Toebben is a sophomore music education/composition major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. I met her through our sorority and a cappella group, and I spend most of my time with her planning trips we'll never go on.
By the end of this summer, Meredith will have traveled to 22 countries in her life. I'd list them all, but who has time for that? Long story short, her parents love to travel, and when Meredith was 6 years old, they decided it was time to start exposing her to the rest of the world.
Of all the places she's seen so far, she thinks Ireland is her favorite country because of its history.
"In America, you see an 'ancient church' that's maybe 200 years old," she said. "In Ireland, there are 2,000-year-old structures still standing that are still considered relatively new. The history is so vast, and it seems impossible to learn everything. Also Irish music is the best."
The history is Meredith's favorite part of nearly every country she visits, as everywhere seems to have such a broader history than America. The culture and scenery, of course, also play a huge role in how much she enjoys a new location.
Those two factors contributed hugely to her decision to spend a month studying in Salzburg, Austria. She has visited the town before, but wanted to spend an extended amount of time there now that she's old enough to better appreciate the history and beautiful sights of the town. As a music major, it's an incredible opportunity to explore the birthplace of Mozart, where Haydn and Beethoven studied, and it doesn't hurt that "The Sound of Music" took place and was filmed there.
After her month in Salzburg, Meredith is spending a week in Dublin before traveling around Europe with a friend. She and Cat will visit Edinburgh, Amsterdam, a few towns through Germany, and Budapest.
They chose destinations firstly based on places Meredith hasn't already been that they both wanted to see, then they looked at transportation routes to see which locations they could plausibly get to.
"I also make sure to see if there are enough things to do in a city to occupy our time," Meredith said. "I'm only half-embarrassed to admit I have a spreadsheet full of potential activities for each location on our trip."
Embracing new cultures has been so important to Meredith as she grew up, and she said she loves that she continues to have opportunities to grow through travel.
"Experiencing cultures beyond our own plays a pivotal role in how we understand other people," Meredith said. "But more than that, these experiences can help you understand yourself. I know, that's cheesy. Everyone says that. But seriously, putting yourself a little bit outside of your comfort zone is sometimes exactly what you need. Independence becomes a little less frightening and new people are slightly less daunting to approach with each day you spend away from the comfort of home."