The Travel Bug

To some, travel conjures up picturesque images of European cities and glamorous people sipping espresso alfresco. To others, rugged landscapes and the scent of fresh mountain air come to mind. There are some people out there, believe it or not, that despise travel. Whether it was one bad experience or the culmination of many, travel is not pleasant for everyone. Be it the constant stresses of business trips, the all-to-likely flight delay, a lost baggage nightmare or the fear of unfamiliar places--travel is not universally accepted by all. While I surmise this pessimistic population to be small, I also know a substantial amount of people who fall into the other extreme, they've caught the travel bug.

For some it's the classic "once you start you can't stop" (not to compare travel to potato chips...but they're both addicting!) For me, it has only escalated since I've returned from my study abroad experience. I like to think I was born with "the travel bug" and "the entrepreneurial bug," both of which have grown with me into adulthood. After getting more than a taste of Ireland...more than an appetizer...definitely an entree-sized portion, I can barely sit still thinking about how much I want to return. Not only to Ireland, but several other places on my ever-expanding wish list. When talking about travel with others, everyone has such passion for the places they've been and this passion only fuels my fire to travel more!

Unfortunately the only cure for this fever is not more cowbell. That we could handle rather economically. Instead, I am still a poor college student with a huge thirst for adventure and a very small wallet. Rather than complain about it, I will pinch my pennies, be frugal and crafty with my spending, explore options to make more money and research destinations for that fateful day when I am off again.

Check out previous posts for some money-saving travel tips (and more to come!)

Gain A Global Perspective

Many students must write an essay expressing why they are an excellent candidate for a study abroad program. Often they cite reasons such as, "I want to gain a global perspective," "broaden my horizons," "immerse myself in a new culture." This portion is almost always included, sort of an automatically-generated response across the board. I included an extensive paragraph citing all of these reasons and how they will help me grow both personally and professionally...

but I honestly did not put much thought into it at the time. It was more of a formula: I want X,Y and Z out of this experience...to make me a better person yadda yadda..

Now that I have returned and have had time to reflect on my study abroad experiences I cannot believe how true these statements really are. It is hard to explain how much my abroad experience has changed my worldview (both good and bad).

As for the good: My experiences abroad have broken down my biases, challenged me to step back and reassess previous assumptions, and become more accepting of other cultures and traditions. It has forced me to challenge things back home as well. For instance: Why do we have SO MANY stores, supermarkets, shopping malls, strip malls, etc. in America?! This manic consumerism and waste of space and land has come to annoy me. Why don't we recycle/compost/care? While the "green movement" is a big trend of late, other cultures actually live by the rules throwing away only a fraction of what goes into our landfills daily.

Just because people do things differently, does not mean their way is the wrong way. When thrown into a culture where you are the outsider: you dress, talk, act differently it is hard to justify that your way is right and the others are wrong...a wonderful lesson.

An appreciation for nature and natural beauty. I am in awe of the varied landscapes around the world. It is hard not to marvel at them, but often we are "too busy" to just stop, breathe and take it all in. I've learned that these moments of "doing nothing" are by far the most fulfilling.

As I've touched on before, the experience has also changed the way I see things back home. A simple trip to the grocery store is much different back home. Here, I walk down the cereal aisle and grow weary of the overwhelming number of options. I enjoyed the simplicity of shopping with limited options, a limited budget and limited space (one large tote + mile walk vs. cart full + car). Other nerves that strike back home: consumerism, materialism, workaholism, obesity and depression. While other countries have their own platefuls of problems, it was refreshing to see some of our biggest problems are really no problem at all in other places.

For those of you who have spent time abroad you likely have witnessed these changes. Perhaps you are a different person with a much different worldview because of it! The lessons learned outside of the classroom are too numerous to count, but their value is most certainly priceless.