The Continental Life

I began travelling on my own when I was 17. I didn't think much of it as I wanted to get out of my parents' home and have some adventures without supervision. So I helped two elderly people drive their car from New York City to San Diego over a period of ten days.
Later that year I also lived with a family in Austria. That was a six week program. It shaped a lot of my life as I had later declared German as my major in college. I also spent a year back there (in Graz, Arnold Schwarzenegger's hometown) and met some curious characters.
I never think of mentioning the places that I have been to because I always imagine there would be a "ho-hum" response. When Eastern Europe was covered with the iron curtain I had visas for Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Poland and Bulgaria.
I travelled via rail, saw some magnificent countryside, lived on coldcut sandwiches and mineral water. I went to places where lead crystal and porcelain dishes were made. I saw ancient churches, the Bertolt Brecht theatre, synagogues, art galleries and rivers.
I met school teachers and talked to children (with parents present) as they are generally easier to communicate with. Children under five tend to speak in the present tense and use the pronoun "I" a lot
The passports are tucked away on the bottom of some safety deposit box along with a whole host of other long-expired ID. Who knows, maybe one day there will be a museum dedicated to the history of ID in America. I'd like to be prepared with a contribution.