Hello, friends! Last week I hit my one year anniversary of jumping on a plane and starting this crazy journey. This post serves to collect my thoughts about some of the more important lessons I've learned on my trip, but first, an update:
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| Me and Mihaela in Timisoara |
After the farm in Bulgaria I hung out in Bucharest and Timisoara in Romania for 10 days. It was fun to see friends in Bucharest and have some downtime, and it was awesome to hang out with my adopted family in Timi for more than two nights! After Romania I flew to France for camp training, and now I find myself back at Saut du Loup in Miramont, working as the Head Language Counselor/Assistant Director for Adventure Camp. If you want a recap of my time at camp last year, you can read here and here. This time's a little different- new role, new responsibilities. Armed with a running plan and a pact to avoid processed sugars and baguette, I'm hoping to be a little healthier this time around! But regardless, it's been a ton of fun, and I'm really happy to be back.
Without further ado, here are 9 lessons I'd like to share:
Traveling solo is really freeing (obviously)
I’ve always been an independent person- I cherish my alone time, I like taking long walks or going to movies by myself. Since I moved 500 miles away from my parents in 2009, I’ve slowly built up my self-sufficiency. That part of traveling was not new to me.
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| in Paris two weeks ago |
However, with the absence of day-to-day serious responsibilities (homework, a job, any type of bureaucratic activity) traveling becomes exactly what you want it to be. No one is going to tell you when or where you should go, or how long you should spend at that museum, or what you’re going to eat that day.
It was only when I started traveling with other people that I realized how good I have it while solo. It’s an opportunity to do exactly what you want, without worrying about anyone else.
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| Drinking tea in the milking parlor in Turkey |
Kindness exists everywhere- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
It might sound scary to head to a foreign country where English isn’t primarily spoken- it was for me. What if I get lost? What if I can’t find where I’m supposed to stay? These were my biggest worries when starting off on this trip- what do I do when I arrive at the train station?
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| My CS host Lucia and I in Cluj-Napoca, RO |
I’ve learned that most people want to help you- you just need to ask. I had to get over my fear of (and loss of pride when) asking for help. It makes things sooo much easier. Even if someone doesn’t speak English, you should be able to point at the map on your phone, attempt to read the address, or communicate that you’re looking for a grocery store. (Google Translate helps momentously with this, especially if you download the offline dictionaries in advance).
Not everything needs to be planned
As a constant planner, this is something I struggled with early on. I’ve always liked to had things planned to the max- where I’m staying, how/when I’m getting there, what I’m going to eat. This may seem normal, but how about when you plan it a month in advance? I’ve learned that it’s just as easy to figure things out as you go along. Sure, it doesn’t hurt to do some research in advance- but it’s not entirely necessary. Sometimes it’s better to get the advice of the people at the hostel, or your Couchsurfing host, or the random woman you meet while riding the bus.
Friends and stories are found in the most unexpected places
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| Hanging out with new friends in Zadar, Croatia |
I find that traveling solo is the key to meeting people and making new friends. There’s no barrier keeping you from reaching out to others and striking up random conversations. Sometimes you get lost on the way to a mountain and end up meeting two retired Bulgarian journalist that you spend the rest of the day with. Sometimes you meet up with someone through Couchsurfing and end up walking through a deserted water park in the middle of the night. Cool stuff happens when you don’t have travel companions to fall back on.
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| The amazing couple who took me to the top of a mountain and treated me to lunch in Sofia, BG |
Of course, it’s definitely possible to meet people organically by wandering cities, but I’ve found the easiest way to meet locals is through social media like Couchsurfing or Tinder (it’s not just for sex!) Travelers are more easily found in hostels and on walking tours.
[Example of minor problem here] really isn’t that big of a deal
After a few minor mess ups, you learn not to sweat the small stuff, because there’s no use in wasting energy on something you can’t change, or regretting a choice you made, or wishing you had done something differently. It’s water under the bridge, You learn to move on and adjust future actions accordingly.
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| You can't even tell I missed my 5am bus this morning and had to wait 2 1/2 more hours to get here! |
At the beginning of my trip, I would stress out about the most minor travel hiccups. My train is late- freak out! I can’t find a cheap hotel to stay in- cry! Now, it takes so much more to phase me. I’ve heard that after traveling for a while and going back home, it takes a lot more to upset you. I can imagine this trip having the same effect on me.
It can be affordable to travel- if you are willing to eschew comfort and some luxuries
I started saving for my trip about a year before I left. My original plan was to spend 9 months away- including two months of paid work at American Village and at least 6 weeks volunteering on farms. After my first six months away, though, I realized that I was not spending nearly as much as I thought I was going to, so I was able to plan to extend my trip longer. Because I decided to work at American Village another two months this year, I’ll still have some “re-integration” money when I get back to the States.
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| Sometime you look poor enough that people give you free beer, like in Bucharest |
Yes, it’s hard to get away. Not everyone can do it. It takes a lot of moving things around. At the point in my life when I decided to do this, I wasn’t tied to anything but my student loan payment. I sublet my apartment for the last two months, I canceled every subscription and recurring donation I was signed up for. Fortunately, my parents were willing to take my car and cover the loan payments in exchange for using it.
I’ll be dedicating an entire blog post on how I’ve managed to travel this long and only spend an average of $28 a day ($21 a day if I don’t include my student loan). But it really comes down to this: location, accommodation, and how touristy you want to be.
It’s possible to be more with less
Living out of a backpack for a year has proven to me how little I actually need to live my life. I’ve been managing just fine with enough clothing to fit in a single drawer of my old dresser. It’s amazing how one feels as though they never have enough clothes, or they buy clothes for a specific occasion to wear once, or they buy clothes for no reason at all- maybe it’s on sale. When I re-integrate back into life in the United States, I’m going to work harder to take a minimalist approach to my clothing and accessories. Of course, things are a little different in the kitchen, where I’ve stockpiled my treasure trove of Craigslist finds and family cast iron to make any dish I want. Baby steps :)
Being away helps you realize what’s really important
It’s amazing who pops into your mind when you’re so far away from home. I’ve come to further appreciate the friendships and relationships I have in the states as I build new ones abroad. There’s nothing like hanging out with people who have known you for more than a few days, let alone a few years. I love the community I built in Minneapolis, and when I came back to visit in May I was more appreciative of it than ever.
Of course, one can always find new friends in new places, but it’s impossible to replicate family. Staying in touch with my parents and siblings has been helpful to remind me of my roots and that I always will have support at home.
Other non-people things I’ve continuously missed are easy access to vegetarian meals at restaurants, (free) public bathrooms, my own kitchen, craft beer on draft, constant access to yoga classes, and a schedule that allows for routine.
Life is too short to do everything
At some point, I made plans to visit the UK, to visit Egypt, to visit Israel, Southeast Asia, and other countries. These grand plans to turned into little more than a massive repeat spiral around Eastern Europe with stops in France and Italy. Not that I’m complaining; I love the community and connections I’ve created with so many friends and families in different cities around Europe. Obviously I can’t promise myself I’ll make it to all of these other places, but it sure is a good way to motivate yourself to travel more! I’ve come to accept the fact that I will never accomplish everything I set out to do.
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