So much of my travel over the years has been focused on people and projects that are working to transform disadvantaged communities. I purposely took my kids with me over the years to have them see that they can make a very real difference in the world. I also wanted them to see that the world is larger than just the United States of America.

When my youngest daughter Nicole was 13, I decided to take her with me to Europe. I had some development partnerships that I was visiting, and I felt like it was a great trip for her to see more of what dad actually did for work. We would be traveling throughout Poland for 12 days and we were ready for an adventure.

If I am really honest…any time I travel to Europe I will go out of my way to travel through Berlin. There are just these cities around the world that have captured my heart and Berlin is one of the top cities on that list. There is something about the history, culture, art, music and vibe that make Berlin such an amazing city. So it was a no brainer that we would make Berlin the base of our time in Europe.

If I am going to be really, really honest, it is possible that I planned our travel dates to coincide with when the FIFA World Cup was happening. Here is the full disclosure: I love soccer (known globally as football because you actually play the game with…wait for it…your feet!). I am not a hater of North American sports, it’s just easier for me to get excited about sports that actually has billions of fans all over the world. This amazing sport has been the relational pathway to build relationships all over the world. Bring up soccer in so many countries and you have potentially hours of conversations available to you.

During the FIFA World Cup, Berlin sets up a Fan Zone in the Tiergarten, right by Brandenburg Gate. This 520 acre park is massive, and has a central corridor that extends the length of the park. It is in this central area that the magic happens. Food vendors, Jumbotron screens, and a million fans make watching the game an experience of a lifetime.

I am partial to the German National Team, and so watching a game in this fan park was something that I knew my daughter would love. So we dropped our bags at our hotel and headed over. The game had already begun, and we knew that it was going to be an extremely full venue. Germany was playing Algeria in the Round of 16 in the 2014 World Cup, and the stakes are always high. Unlike the Group Stage, there are no second chances when you hit the Round of 16. Every game has a winner that moves on to the Quarter Finals, and a loser that is eliminated.

As my daughter an I cleared the security checkpoint, you could hear the fans. They were singing, cheering and the energy was contagious. We slowly made our way further and further into the Fan Zone. The entrance is quite a ways away from the Brandenburg Gate, however the front of the park has the Gate as the backdrop. We wanted to make our way to that part of the venue. We wanted the full experience.

Like any match of this nature, all emotions are tucked nicely on everyone’s sleeves. The anticipation of Germany advancing placed a Biden on the crowd with every minute. At the half, the score was 0-0 even though Germany had a majority of the possession. As the second half continued, the anticipation keep rising as the clock moved closer to Full Time at 90 minutes. Nicole and I were caught up into this amazing atmosphere. We were completely focused on seeing Germany win. It was not going to move into extra time.

Two minutes into Extra Time, Germany connected with a goal. The entire million plus fans exploded! The ground felt like it was shaking as fans jumped into the air. And then again in the 119th minute as Germany scored a second time, a collective sigh of relief came over the crowd. The Algeria goal scored in stoppage time gave them some honor, but in the end, Germany took the win and advanced to the Quarter Finals.

Nicole and I walked back to our hotel room exhausted and content. We had been able to experience something that we would never forget. But more importantly, we connected with people and culture. The most amazing part of that experience in that Fan Zone in the Berlin Tiergarten was that we were cheering and giving high-fives to complete strangers. We didn’t speak the same language, but the common experience caused that to not matter.

People are people the world over. Finding a moment to connect with people wherever you travel is what makes travel such an amazing adventure. Seeing the sights can be fun, but can lack soul. People are the heart of any destination. Make connecting with people the priority when you travel, and you may be surprised at how your global family expands.

Like I said in the beginning, I’m partial to Berlin. Wow…even as I typed that, my mind wandered. I always encourage people when they go through Berlin to jump on a free walking tour. And my personal favorite is the Sademan’s New Europe Walking Tour of Berlin. You simply go online and make a free reservation and show up for your tour outside the Starbucks at Brandenburg Gate. I always arrive early to grab a Starbucks and use their restroom. Two tips: First, wear comfortable shoes. This is a…walking tour. You’ll log more than a few miles. You’ll get an amazing overview of Berlin and the history. Second, please rip your guide. Even if it’s a little. They make their money on this tour through your generosity. If they do an amazing job, tip generously!