Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

6. Always Question Yourself

"Don't let anyone change your dreams." Well, unless your dreams are uh... outdated . There's something magical and inspiring about individuals who follow through with every word they say. It takes a lot of willpower to stay driven and focused on something for an extended period of time. This is a skill we all rightfully strive for in certain aspects of life. However, some aspects of life deserve a little more flexibility. I was always ashamed to admit that I changed my life goals and ambitions quite frequently. I was dead set on becoming a research doctor for a majority of high school, but I suddenly reoriented myself for a future void of any lab science at all. Evidently, that’s okay- no one expects you to know what you want to do at such a young age. However, people do often tell us to “never let go of your dreams”. What no one really mentions is that it’s okay for your dreams to change. It’s always inspiring and warming when someone fulfills their c...
2 comments
Read more

9. Sometimes Friendships Need a Little Activation Energy

It's easy to feel hurt when people don't reach out to us. Why waste time on someone who isn't putting in an equal amount of effort? Nine out of ten times, this logic is acceptable. However, sometimes the best friendships take a little extra effort to unearth. I recall a time meeting one of my best friends in school. The first time we met, we barely spoke. She didn't seem too interested in talking or hanging out. I wanted to get to know her better, but I felt vibes that she didn't care too much. At this point, perhaps I should have stopped- she evidently didn't   want to be my friend. I convinced myself that we probably didn't have anything in common or that she was too cool for me. Despite this feeling, I still made light talk with her in class. Then, when I invited her to hangout, I again got vibes that she didn't care about my time. Again, perhaps I should have stopped there, but something told me to give her another chance. And I'm glad I did. ...
2 comments
Read more

13. If Your Friends Jumped Off A Cliff, You Should Too

Cinque Terre, literally translating to Five Lands , is a cute array of Italian coastal towns. Some of these towns are notorious for being a good location to go cliff jumping. This summer really was one for the books- I expanded my comfort zone a lot. But, I didn’t jump off a cliff in Italy. If you look closely, you can see people sun-bathing on sharp rocks and those getting ready to throw themselves off them (all for fun of course).  The opportunity was perfect. It was good weather and tons of grade school kids were doing it too. Yet, I already hated water (I don’t as much anymore). The cliffs had rugged edges. Everyone was watching as people one by one plunged down into a murky abyss. No supervision. But some confidantes were jumping off the cliff over and over again. I felt self conscious. I didn’t want to freak out mid fall and create a scene of havoc. I didn’t want to land incorrectly or slip as I tried to climb up the cliff. But why ? This corner of cliffs was filled wi...
1 comment
Read more