Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Soccer Germany Trip Blogs: Day Two
3/8/2026 5:47:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer
Calan Armitage: Travel days are usually long and uneventful, but this one felt a little different knowing we were heading to Germany for the week.
I finished packing around 2:00 PM and headed to the Stabler parking lot at 3:30. By 4:00 PM the team bus pulled out and we started the drive down I-78 toward Newark Airport. The bus ride felt pretty normal for a team trip. Guys were half talking, half on their phones, and just settling into the fact that we were actually about to leave the country together. For some of the guys, including me, it was our first time traveling to Europe, which made the whole thing feel a little bigger than just another team trip.
We got to Newark around 5:30 PM. One thing that immediately stood out was how quickly everything moved. Compared to domestic flights or some spring break trips I've taken, the international terminals for Germany, Switzerland, and Austria ran way faster than I expected. We checked in, got through everything, and were already sitting at the gate by about 6:15.
Around 6:30 a few of us grabbed dinner in the terminal. I didn't realize at the time that the flight would also serve a full meal, so that ended up being two dinners for me.
While we were waiting to board, I figured I should at least try to learn a little German before landing. I downloaded the Duolingo premium free trial and started going through the basics. I'm not sure how much of it will stick, but it felt like a good way to start getting into the trip.
We boarded around 8:30. The flight itself ended up being surprisingly good. Lufthansa had seat screens, metal utensils, and full service even in economy. Over the seven-hour flight they served dinner, dessert, snacks, and breakfast before landing. Considering I had already eaten at the terminal, the amount of food was unexpected.
The service stood out the most. The flight attendants were constantly moving and checking on people, and everything ran smoothly the whole way across.
At one point early in the flight, the captain came over the intercom and started speaking German before switching to English. That was the moment when the whole trip started to feel real. Hearing a language most of us didn't understand while sitting on a plane heading across the Atlantic made it hit us that we were actually on our way to Europe.
If I had to rate the flight:
Dinner – 8.5/10
Breakfast – 8/10
Service – 10/10
Check-in speed – 10/10
Overall – about a 9/10.
What stood out most wasn't really the flight though. It was just going through the whole process with the team. Sitting at the gate together, boarding together, and realizing that a group of college soccer players from Pennsylvania was about to land in Germany for the week.
Now we see what the rest of the trip looks like.
I finished packing around 2:00 PM and headed to the Stabler parking lot at 3:30. By 4:00 PM the team bus pulled out and we started the drive down I-78 toward Newark Airport. The bus ride felt pretty normal for a team trip. Guys were half talking, half on their phones, and just settling into the fact that we were actually about to leave the country together. For some of the guys, including me, it was our first time traveling to Europe, which made the whole thing feel a little bigger than just another team trip.
We got to Newark around 5:30 PM. One thing that immediately stood out was how quickly everything moved. Compared to domestic flights or some spring break trips I've taken, the international terminals for Germany, Switzerland, and Austria ran way faster than I expected. We checked in, got through everything, and were already sitting at the gate by about 6:15.
Around 6:30 a few of us grabbed dinner in the terminal. I didn't realize at the time that the flight would also serve a full meal, so that ended up being two dinners for me.
While we were waiting to board, I figured I should at least try to learn a little German before landing. I downloaded the Duolingo premium free trial and started going through the basics. I'm not sure how much of it will stick, but it felt like a good way to start getting into the trip.
We boarded around 8:30. The flight itself ended up being surprisingly good. Lufthansa had seat screens, metal utensils, and full service even in economy. Over the seven-hour flight they served dinner, dessert, snacks, and breakfast before landing. Considering I had already eaten at the terminal, the amount of food was unexpected.
The service stood out the most. The flight attendants were constantly moving and checking on people, and everything ran smoothly the whole way across.
At one point early in the flight, the captain came over the intercom and started speaking German before switching to English. That was the moment when the whole trip started to feel real. Hearing a language most of us didn't understand while sitting on a plane heading across the Atlantic made it hit us that we were actually on our way to Europe.
If I had to rate the flight:
Dinner – 8.5/10
Breakfast – 8/10
Service – 10/10
Check-in speed – 10/10
Overall – about a 9/10.
What stood out most wasn't really the flight though. It was just going through the whole process with the team. Sitting at the gate together, boarding together, and realizing that a group of college soccer players from Pennsylvania was about to land in Germany for the week.
Now we see what the rest of the trip looks like.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's SoccerLehigh Sports Central: Men's Soccer
Wednesday, October 29
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Soccer
Wednesday, September 17
2025 Lehigh Men's Soccer Season Preview
Tuesday, August 19
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Soccer
Tuesday, October 15
