“I just got back from a backpacking trip to Europe by myself. I bought a Eurail Pass and was able to visit eleven countries in the three-and-a-half months I was there. Sometimes I stayed in hostels, but I also did a lot of couch-surfing, so I got to stay in people’s homes and experience the culture in a way I wouldn’t have otherwise. The thing that I will remember most about the experience is not the Louvre or any of the tourist sites. The thing that really stood out to me is the kindness of strangers. That’s what made the trip for me. There were a couple of times in Marseilles, France, when people really went out of their way to make sure I was safe and that I got where I needed to go. I will always remember how very, very kind they were.”