My girlfriend in college freshman year said – how about studying in Vienna and then traveling through Europe by Eurail? Sounded as good as it turned out to be. We took an art history class which basically meant we went to the famous Art History Museum every day with an art expert and then the final test was looking at pictures from the city and museum and describing them.

I stayed with a Hausfrau I knew was a widow. My German was very broken but I tried to focus on her children. So I asked “Are they married?” Happens that in German that question can also mean “Are you married?” She said very coldly “No, my husband is dead.” Not the best way to kick off a long drive to her house.