With a spotless reputation and neighborhoods to match, Irvine isn't exactly the most exciting place to be. I mean, most everything around here closes by 10 p.m. In this sheltered little suburb, there's nothing to do but get wasted at the nearest dorm or open pad, right? Wrong.
Stepping off the airplane into another continent, I felt like I was in "Alice in Wonderland." One of the reasons I wanted to study in England was because I did not want a total culture shock. The fact that everyone spoke English in the United Kingdom was a monumental comfort to me. However, when I walked into Heathrow Airport from LAX, I felt immediately misplaced.
It is no wonder that Amsterdam's red lights, rich history, canals, festivals and architecture draw in 4.2 million tourists each year.
There is something...