Akrap spends about every four summers in Munich, staying at her aunt’s apartment along with her uncle, two cousins and sister. There was never a dull day.

“My favorite thing to do in Germany would be to go to this place called the Eisbach,” Akrap said. “It’s like a little river. You jump in and the current is so strong it pushes you down the whole river. A lot of kids can’t stop or get out. You get to this bridge and you hang onto it, climb out, and then get on the Metrolink to take you back up the river. You just do it over and over again.”

One thing Akrap values about Germany is the relaxed relationship between teenagers and parents, she said.

“It’s a lot different over there,” Akrap said. “You just have so much freedom. The parents over there seem more relaxed because they don’t have to worry about how their kids are going to get home. The crime rate is also not that high over there.”

Akrap said traveling is easier for teens as well. There is plenty of public transportation so people without licenses have no trouble getting around, said Akrap.

“There’s taxis you can take anywhere,” Akrap said. “Here, you have to call taxis but in Germany you can find them everywhere. There’s also the Metrolink, which here is just down in the city. There’s also the subway, which is really nice to have because no one has to ask for rides.”

Despite the differences between the two countries, Akrap values the time she enjoys in her second home.

“I just really love the European lifestyle,” Akrap said. “It’s like being in a different world almost rather than a new country.”