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10. Don't Travel Lightly

Metz, France

Studying abroad is a crazy cool experience. You get to knock off so many bucket list items and spend the summer away from everything that you’re used to. But despite what you may think, it’s not some crazy free-for-all (although it’s close) where college kids just test their limits and city hop each day. There’s something called “classes” that happen during the weekdays.

In groups of our choosing (or alone for that matter), we travel on weekends that range from two to four days in length. So of course, we don’t get to Eat-Pray-Love style each of our vacations and turn into locals in each city we visit; we find the major attractions, walk around, take basic pictures by monuments, eat the signature foods, and then dash back to class. In spite of the fast pace, you can still find pockets of time where you get to breathe, and understand your surroundings. Of course, it’s not required to, but I’m about to share with you what happens when you do take time to smell the roses (or the fresh pizza in Florence or the breezy water of Amsterdam’s canals).

What I mean to tell you through my next few posts is to not travel lightly. You can “visit” several places on a map by walking through them and even visiting each monument known to mankind. But there’s no point. The buildings will begin to look the same, the food you eat will become less local and more commercial, and you will leave that place being the same old you. I’m not asking you to be well-read or study the history of a place before visiting it (although that would be pretty insightful). Instead, I’m asking you to not keep your mind light as you travel. Be aware of your surroundings. Think about what you see and feel. Let your senses experience your travels alongside you and your camera.

Stay posted for more (ad)vice, International Style.

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