This is the topic everybody wants to talk about. And because
there’s so much to talk about, I’ll only be writing the first part of my series
right now. Stay tuned for later installments.
So traveling, right? It’s why you came to study abroad in
the first place, so you could spend every weekend flying around Europe----- I
mean, you came to study. Right. To study. But, of course, if you happen to find
sometime between studying intently for your classes, and reading all of those
textbooks you thumb through for fun (and who doesn’t?), you might just happen
to have time to travel around Europe and see the sights. What could be better?
For many,
study abroad is the first time in your life when you are sitting on the most
culturally, historically, and politically important continent the world has
ever known. Architecture, cuisine, fashion, history, art, and that ephemeral
concept of “culture”; Europe has been the center of all of these for hundreds
of years. It’s here that you can walk the streets of cities that are centuries,
sometimes millennia old, see sights that define the term “breathtaking”, and
appreciate the source of Western culture.
So where do
you begin? For many Americans (myself included), before study abroad, every
trip you’ve taken has been painstakingly planned by someone else. Parents,
maybe tour agencies, relatives, school administrations. Study abroad is an
opportunity to test the waters and begin to learn the art of traveling. There
are many opportunities for incredible adventures, as well as embarrassing
mistakes. You will not, and I mean you positively will not be as comfortable
with traveling as you think you are. You will forget at least one important
article of clothing or important supply during your semester. You might even
need to bargain with a man to let you on the last bus home because you forgot
your ticket in the city. In my time here, I’ve seen a few things traveling, and
I’ve come up with a few key points to keep in mind to help you make the most of
your weekend getaways:
1. Be
realistic about your time:
Like I just made mention to, most
of your study abroad traveling will be done on weekends (if you don’t consider
every day spent in Germany traveling, which you probably should). Between
classes, friends, and other activities you might not want to miss out on during
the week, you’re trips will realistically last at most five days (Thursday
through Monday, if you can set up such a nice schedule). Because your trips are
lasting less than a week, you will not
see everything. You’re not going to feel like a local in Paris because you
took a photo of the Eiffel tower. Take some pressure off of yourself by
remembering that anything you get to do is a bonus. Appreciate the little
things and don’t be a perfectionist about getting to all of those sights. It’ll
only stress you out.
2. Pack
light:
Just like in the last tip, you
should always keep in mind that your trip isn’t for that long. You should be
able to survive without some of your heavier amenities for a few days. We’re
all traveling, and no one minds if you re-wear some of your clothing. A
three-day bus tour of Bratislava is not exactly a situation that lends itself
to showing off your fashion sense. Plus, you’ll thank yourself for a lighter
bag when you’re lugging it out of your hostel at six in the morning to catch
the bus home.
3. Get
ready for some weird hours:
Everyone tells you that weekend
trains and flights are pretty cheap during study abroad, but no one ever tells
you why: the best deals are for departures and arrivals at times no one in
their right mind would ever go! The travel companies like GoEuro and others
know that students are willing to travel at literally any time if it means they
save a couple Euro, and they exploit that tactic endlessly. I can personally
say that I found a full trip to Zurich, Switzerland, one of the most expensive
cities in the world, for 30€, round trip. How did I find such a deal? We left
my city at 1:30am on a Saturday morning and arrived at 6, before anything in
the city was open. We left at 11:30, arriving home at 4am. Was it worth it? Of
course, Zurich was great. Did I sleep on the bus? Not a wink.
4. Find
a traveling group:
Seeing all the great cities of
Europe firsthand is an experience to itself. But it’s not the architecture, or
the restaurants, or the landscapes that makes traveling worthwhile – it’s the
fun you have with your friends there. Having stories to share for years is
something you need others for. They’ll challenge you, help you, and if nothing
else, split the bill with you. Usually the group will be other internationals,
just as eager as you are to see what Europe has to offer. Having international
friends gives you new perspective on the world, and by combining your
individual skillsets, you can each contribute to the trip in your own way,
making it a much better experience overall. Plus, later on, who knows, maybe
they can invite you to come traveling in their home country?
5. Go
with the flow:
In much the same vein as my first
tip, it’s incredibly important to go into these weekend excursions with an open
mind. You don’t know what these new cities might offer you, or what they won’t.
But if you let your idealized image of what your trip “should” be interfere
with how it’s actually going, you’ll miss out on the actual adventure. So when
your friend insists you go to that extra museum, or to small city in some
country you never thought you’d care about, don’t shut them down. Take a risk
and see how it goes. You might just stumble into an adventure. And those are
EXACTLY why you came on study abroad.
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