What can I expect out of my backpacking trip through europe?

I will be backpacking for 2 months and visiting almost every country in europe, once city in each country and using a eurorail pass and staying in hostels, sleeping on trains at night to save money, eating in grocery stores, etc. I will be going alone and am a college graduate who is somewhat of a shy person. I am hoping to change that and become more social and outgoing......Is this a logical conclusion? What should i expect coming out of this trip????What can I expect out of my backpacking trip through europe?
if you are shy i think it's extremely brave of you to try and overcome your shyness this way. youth hostels are a great way to meet other people your age from all over the world.



you'll notice that most europeans are more reserved than americans, less extroverted, so you may not look shy to them and they may be less intimidating to you. on the other hand it means you have to make an effort to speak to people but don't worry, most travelers in hostels choose this type of accommodation to meet other people too, not just to save money, so they will respond very positively.



learn basic expressions in each language and don't assume everyone speaks english, especially older people. younger people tend to learn english at school but very few will be fluent. so make it easy for them by speaking slowly and articulating your words. language barriers can be a lot of fun when you have to resort to sign language and start scribbling figures on pieces of paper. instead of being an issue i always found it to be one of the joys of traveling in europe so try to look at it the same way.



it will be a great experience. you will definitely come back a different person, experiencing europe changes your life forever. i guess you'll feel more confident because you'll have learned to adapt to so many different cultures and languages and you'll make so many friends. europeans really open their doors to people so don't hesitate to speak to them, not only will you make great friends but you will have opportunities to save on food and lodging this way while seeing how people live at home. go for it and have fun!
Dont rely on everyone to know English,Espically the older folks.Try to learn the "Native Tongue" of the country or at least a few words to get you by.What can I expect out of my backpacking trip through europe?
If you come to Slovenia, there shouldn't be any problem language-wise ... However in Italy, be prepared to speak some Italian.

If you're going on this trip to overcome your shyness ... It's a great way. Just ask people for the road any everything. I've been to Ireland. The people there are so nice it's hard to believe.
blisters