In my opinion, one of the best things about living in Europe is the food. Throughout my time abroad, I tried every single type of food and looking back I share no regrets. In Lille, the local cuisine was typically a blend of both French and Belgian cuisine since Lille was once a part of Flanders, the dutch-speaking part of Belgium. That meant that I had access to Belgian fries, waffles, and beer which were all equally delicious. Likewise, I had all the French wine and food that anyone could ever ask for. In fact, my daily routine revolved around a pain au chocolat avec un espresso in the morning followed by a homemade charcuterie board with a nice Bordeaux blend at night. My best experience with French food and wine definitely happened when I travelled to Bordeaux to work harvest at a small organic winery. In the morning before we began the picking of the grapes, David the owner would swing by the boulangerie and pick up fresh croissants and baguettes that were literal heaven. And, once we finished the day’s work, we would celebrate with some nice wine and some homemade dishes that the workers’ wives would bring for us to eat. Outside of France, I think my favorite meals were in Munich, Germany and in Budapest, Hungary. Since my parents are from Germany and Hungary, being back in those cities and eating the food I grew up eating was a really special experience. The picture to the right is of my favorite Hungarian dish and possibly my most favorite thing in the entire world: Lángos. It’s a fried dough that you can either have plain or you can top it with sour cream, cheese, and garlic. All in all, groceries in France were incredibly cheap so even though I spent my weekends eating out, for the most part I prepared my own food and ate at home.