Paris (view of the Eiffel Tower from the Seine River; Megan, me – L to R)
It’s no secret that studying abroad changes a person. You will be told this over and over before you leave, but it won’t truly sink in until you get back to the States and find you view the world in a completely new and exciting way. This change affects different people in different aspects of their lives, but one thing I’ve found to be pretty consistent is that everyone says they’ve been changed for the better.
I absolutely loved my time abroad, and one of my favorite parts, of course, was the free travel opportunities. There’s something so liberating and thrilling about getting to plan a trip to another country with your friends. For the first free travel weekend, three of my friends and I went to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. In order to save money, we took an overnight bus and stayed in a very cramped, but cute little hostel. Despite being low on sleep, we had an absolute blast the two days we were there, doing not only the touristy things, such as the Anne Frank House and the Zaanse Schans windmills but some things off the beaten path as well, such as going to a comedy club. From this trip, I learned that having a general plan ahead of time can be crucial to getting everything on your to-do list done, but once you’ve reached your destination, be present and enjoy where you are! Don’t be too focused on perfectly executing your plan.
On the second free travel weekend, two of my friends and I went to London, England. This trip taught us that when traveling within a big city, anticipate things will take longer than you planned for them too. In other words, it’s important to be flexible, and if you’re not comfortable with simply going with the flow, plan a little wiggle room into your schedule for events that take longer than you expected and possible travel delays between locations.
For the last free travel opportunity, my friend, Megan, and I planned an eight-day trip through three cities in Italy and Paris, France. By this point, we knew each other well enough to know neither one of us is a big planner, so we simply took things as they came and planned each day the night before or the morning of, with the exception of big things such as flights and hostels; those things we booked before we left. From this trip, I learned the fewer people you have to plan for, the quicker and easier the planning goes. Also, make sure you double and triple-check the ratings on your hostels before you leave. Our hostels in Italy were pretty nice, but the hostel in Paris left much to be desired.
Having to plan my own out-of-country excursions taught me about my ability to be flexible and adapt, how to be a responsible traveler and to be present in each new and incredible city. Every person’s travel experience will be extraordinarily different, but I have no doubt that yours will leave you with unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime!
London (in the London Eye; Megan, me, Kelsea – L to R)
Amsterdam (Zaanse Schans windmills)
Amsterdam (Flower Market)
Milan (Milan Cathedral)