by Wendy
Follow me on twitter@wendylooksleaps
Traveling overseas for two months right after my graduation from college was one of the most influential experiences of my life. My sister April and I visited 5 countries and had an amazing time. It definitely broadened my perspective, increased my appreciation for other cultures, and made me feel more independent and capable of dealing with various situations. l fell more in love with travel and the happiness I felt visiting new places on this beautiful planet. As a rule, I don’t have regrets – but if I was suddenly undergrad Wendy again, I would try and find ways to go abroad more often*. Students have unique opportunities and access to a range of programs and resources to work, volunteer or study in another country. For any students considering or preparing for a trip, here are a few tips I learned from traveling to Europe as a college student.
1. Budget like crazy – I worked retail in college and used savings and graduation gift money to fund my trip. I remember one of my coworkers preparing for a post-high school jaunt and remarking that while some of her friends chose shopping sprees, she chose to save for travel (she figured it out earlier than me). Save, plan and budget. Do a little research on your destination and try to assign an average amount per day that will cover meals, lodging, transportation, incidentals and sightseeing. It varies depending on country, student program and personal preferences, but shoot for an estimate and try hard to stick to it. We were always on the lookout for inexpensive places to stay and eat. Pizza from street vendors in Italy was cheaper than restaurants (and delicious). Sometimes a sparse hotel room was not much pricier than a hostel (and worth the extra $ for a little space). We tried to take advantage of free sights, museums and concerts. We learned how to make a coffee or drink in a cafe last at least an hour. Always ask about student discounts – we got a great rate on Eurostar tickets from London to Paris. And decide when it’s worth splurging. I went shoe shopping in France but countered it buying groceries from Monoprix instead of going out to dinner for several nights. But when you need to buy a ticket, buy a ticket. It might be tempting to ride public transit for free but you don’t want to get fined if someone happens to be checking that day. It’s all about balance.
2. Pack smart – Luckily my Mom is a packing genius and helped April and I get organized for the trip. Since we were going for two months, we didn’t pack carry-on only, but made sure we could each handle our luggage (one large suitcase, one school backpack, and one shoulder bag). It was tough navigating trains and stairs, but doable. We had plenty of supplies for our dorm room in Montpellier, France for one month, and it was nice not to have to worry about tracking down essentials like contact solution. Mom found detergent sheets that turned into fabric softener that we used to do laundry about every other week (and also packed a bottle of Woolite so we could wash some things in our dorm sink). When we traveled on weekends, we just took the shoulder bag and backpack. After April’s program was over in Monpellier, new local friends stored the big suitcases for us while we took the light luggage to Italy, Austria and Switzerland – then we stopped by to pick up the other bags before ending the whole trip in Paris.
3. Try a mix of quick and slow travel – We were fortunate to have a permanent place to stay in Montpellier for one month, due to April’s work study program. It was a small, simple bedroom and adjoining bathroom with shower. Montpellier was a gorgeous, easygoing Mediterranean town with beautiful buildings and a university. We walked every day to the center of town – a giant square lined with cafes, shops, businesses and a movie theatre. April would go to her job in the Mayor’s office and I would camp out for a few hours at a cafe table outside, people-watching, writing and reading. I would wander around looking for interesting places and things. April usually got a 1-2 hour lunch so we would choose new places to try and even had a couple of “regular” spots. Typical evenings were spent having a light dinner in our room and then sitting on the dormitory steps with other students from various countries, or sometimes strolling into town with friends. We had a routine of sorts, and it was really special to feel a part of the town’s rhythm. We noticed the small things you might rush past when you’re only focused on major landmarks – the older gentlemen playing bocce ball in the park, the candy flavored popcorn at the movies, the vendors selling hot coffee on the beach in July (when we couldn’t fathom drinking anything but ice water), the local Bastille Day celebration. Our French improved a lot, and we enjoyed spending a couple of Sundays with a charming local host family. We also included shorter trips, such as weekends in Nice and Avignon. We dedicated about one week to London and another 5 days to Paris, at the beginning and end of the trip respectively. And we spent a whirlwind 10 days of backpacking through 3 countries, which had its own appeal – traveling extremely light, taking overnight trains, and getting a drastic change of scenery practically every day.
4. Don’t go without sleep for more than one night – Once I was young too and could stay up until 2am, wake up at 7am and feel little effects. You’ll likely test your limit but if you’re not careful, it will catch up with you. Jet lag, rushing around to catch trains and planes, the nervousness of being somewhere unfamiliar, the inital bewilderment of trying to communicate in another language – all of this can sap your strength like kryptonite does for Superman. We pushed our luck a few times. We saved money on airfare staying overnight in two airports on our way to Europe – but I’ve never felt so exhausted once I finally got to London. We weren’t exactly on our A game and could barely think straight – not a great combo for 2 somewhat sheltered gals let loose on a European adventure. Another time during the trip we took back-to-back overnight trains to save money on hotels and keep moving – but unless you can sleep on trains, this just doesn’t do any favors for your physical or mental health. And then you’re nodding off uncomfortably on a boat tour in Lucerne instead of taking in the gorgeous surroundings. Please take time to rest properly (and remember to hydrate and eat some nutritious foods like your Mom says).
5. Keep sleeping in airports and trains to a minimum – see above. Being a student nomad can be fun, but you will start to miss having personal space to retreat to when, for example, a pigeon craps on your head in Venice and you have to wash your hair in the nasty train station bathroom because you’re only in town for the day and have nowhere to go.
6. Choose your travel companions wisely – April and I were totally on the same page regarding the places we wanted to see and how we wanted to travel. Sometimes other friends would join us for a leg of the journey, but April and I never depended on anyone else. We looked out for each other and worked as a team. She would never flake out on me, decide last minute to ditch me for another option, and forgave me when I was cranky (yes, she is awesome). Everyone is different and there are so many travel styles. Some people like to travel alone, others want a partying crowd, some are obsessed with art and intellectual debates, others are focused on sports activities. Be realistic and honest with yourself. If you’re into luxury hotels and your friend wants to camp everywhere, you’re probably going to have some issues.
7. Be flexible. Your guidebook may let you down – I’m showing my age here by admitting that yes, we used an old school paper guidebook during our travels, but this advice still applies to downloaded guidebooks, travel reviews online and whatever apps young whippersnappers are using these days. I love planning and reading recommendations but you’ve got to be ready to adapt. The quicker you do the less stressed out and disappointed you’ll be. Banks in the south of France may close unexpectedly in the middle of the day, right as you’ve arrived to exchange money. Just when you’ve pinpointed the perfect restaurant and walked 30 minutes out of your way in the scorching August heat of Rome, the construction workers tearing down a building in front of you will look at your guidebook (or phone) and laugh, pointing at the rubble. The charming bed and breakfast in Vienna that you read about may be so affordable because of its location next to a shop selling blue movies.
8. Learn at least a few words in the local language – this post is getting long so I’ll be brief. It’s not that hard to learn hello, goodbye, please, thank you and the nice way to ask if someone speaks English. You lucky ducks have phones – the info is at your fingertips. Locals will appreciate the effort. And then they’ll love you even more when they see how polite and respectful you are, in any language.
9. Be cautious, not afraid. There will be strange characters – You’re going to see all kinds of strangeness – but this reminder applies whether you’re traipsing across Europe, road tripping in America or biking through Asia – whenever you venture out from your comfort zone into the big wide world. Stay calm, cool and use your common sense to stay safe. A random French dude stops you as you’re walking and asks for a drink of your McDonald’s milkshake. A Parisienne is talking to a bottle of orange juice in the grocery, and an Italian woman slyly tries to triple the price of the religious medals you’re buying at a store across from The Vatican. A guy from Austria is going from female student to female student telling each she’s beautiful, in hopes someone takes the bait. You’ll see all kinds of imaginative street performers. You might see people peeing (or engaging in other personal behaviors best left to bathrooms) in the street in the middle of the day. Oh and don’t forget your fellow students – you’ll have a train seat in front of backpackers with the scent of not having bathed for weeks. You will be greeted by the hacking cough of a dude with bronchitis in your hostel. You’ll meet the surperior gal who wants to one-up everything on your itinerary. When you “forget” to give a bossy traveler you meet in London the address for your place in Montpellier, you will inevitiablely run into her again at a tourist spot in Italy. These characters range from amusing to annoying to the get-the-hell-away-from-me, but never let it deter you.
10. It’s worth the effort and expense. You’ll immediately want to go back and you should keep making travel a priority. What more can I say? Have fun!
*I would tell undergrad Wendy to look for options for semesters overseas or maybe programs for teaching English. I might be able to prevent her from mixing up the names of UK and Canada prime ministers during an interview for a summer program at Oxford. Because she defintiely wasn’t selected. I might also try to warn undergrad Wendy about ruining her hair dyeing it jet black for months – but I think she would have ignored me.