For BYU-Idaho student Aliza Saunders, three weeks in Europe offered more than business visits and sightseeing. It became an opportunity to build friendships, explore faith and discover lessons that stretched beyond the classroom.
Saunders participated in Experience Europe, a trip developed by the university’s College of Business and Communication. The program combines professional visits with cultural experiences, giving students opportunities to learn about international businesses while exploring historic cities.
“I think the most important thing is that if you ever have a chance to do something like this, take it,” Saunders said.
The group traveled through five countries, visiting Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna and Salzburg, Austria; several German cities; Amsterdam, Netherlands; and London, England. Mornings typically included business visits, while afternoons and evenings allowed time for exploring and scheduled cultural activities.
Stops included the World Bank in Vienna and a glass studio in Amsterdam. Students also visited the Anne Frank House, attended a concert in a historic basilica and explored churches and cathedrals.
London held personal significance for Saunders because her father served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there. Seeing places he had described throughout her childhood made the visit especially meaningful. Attending three plays also became a highlight.
Prague, however, became her favorite city. Its historical sites and ease of navigation made exploring feel manageable during her first trip overseas.
Other moments prompted deeper reflection. In Salzburg, Saunders recalled discovering a church carved into a cliff. In Prague, the group attended what she described as the first meeting of an English-speaking branch in the Czech Republic.
A visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial in Germany inspired a conversation about how people find hope amid suffering. Exhibits describing prisoners writing songs and poetry made that question especially powerful.
“Those are things that I could not have learned in a classroom quite as well compared to just experiencing it and talking about it,” Saunders said.
The trip also brought challenges. Students walked eight to 12 miles a day, navigated unfamiliar public transportation and adjusted to spending three weeks with a large group. Saunders said delayed trains and missed stops became opportunities to practice patience and rely on others.
For students considering the program, Saunders recommended preparing financially, researching destinations and packing comfortable shoes and rainwear. Planning ahead helped make limited time in each city more meaningful.
Looking back, Saunders said the experience justified the effort required to get there.
“I would tell myself that it was worth the summer of work to get there, and make sure to keep enjoying it,” Saunders said.