A lot of things have already happened in this half of 2015, all good and bad. Two weeks ago, I didn’t think I was ___ enough – capable, reliable, smart, quick, insert any adjective to describe the roles I have now. The first few days after I bought my ticket to Iceland, I was in absolute shock. I had this idea for weeks and as my wanderlust grew, I mulled it over for longer, did pros and cons, all the non-decision making I could do. And after a while, I didn’t think I was going anywhere. But in a moment of self-doubt and courage(/risk) on a bus from Boston, I made a commitment. Even during the days leading up to my trip, I was still questioning myself. (”What am I going to do?/What am I doing?!/What was I thinking?!?!?!!”)
But this was probably the best thing I could have done: to thrust myself into the unknown with just the bucket list leading my way and the incomparable Iceland to keep me company! This was the closure I needed from before and just the inkling of a belief that I might actually be ok in the future. And on my plane ride back, I wrote down some of the ways I slowly realized this. These were reminders to myself, but really, all the lessons I’ve learned.
Download maps and language packs. Taktak Google Maps and Translate! (For when there’s no wi-fi and you’re trying to ask about a beautiful wool sweater at a flea market.)
Learn the local language, at least some phrases like “Hi” and “Thank you.”
Make plans and an itinerary, but be like water if they don’t work out.
Except your flight home – don’t miss your flight! Unless intentional, definitely plan with plenty of lead time to get to the airport (especially if it’s winter weather) and stick to it!!!
It really didn’t hit home for me until midway through this trip, but when you’re kinder to yourself, you’ll be kinder to others too.
Keep your passport with you at all times or somewhere you know will be secure. (Ex, if you know you’re going out to party, leave it locked or stowed away at the hostel.)
Always have a photo copy of your passport though (I take a photo of it and keep it password-protected in my Dropbox), and even safer, an additional form of ID on you.
Keep money in different places on you, in your bag, in your sock, in your pockets, in case!
If you’re going somewhere that uses a different currency, exchange chunks of your money if you know your currency is strong/backed by a strong currency. You never know if the exchange rate will go up or down during your stay, and it also helps budgeting!
Budget!! If you know you’re being frugal, you can splurge at the end. Plus, trying out all the pylsas in Reykjavik became an adventure on its own!
Budgeting in the local currency helped me familiarize with the standard of living, and those on-the-spot purchases got a lot less stressful. I wasn’t converting, and yes, that 780 ISK apple was way too expensive!
Optional: duck under Canadian cover: Ontario or Vancouver are the least questionable “hometowns” for native English speakers, as recommended by Canadian roommates. (Thank you, Great North!)
Put your devices down for a while. Being disconnected from the Internet for a few days was the best thing that ever happened.
Follow traffic rules and signs, no matter where you’ve grown up. Even if it’s safe to cross, respect the local laws. You’re their guest, so follow their rules.
Explore the new! Because it’s not your home city, you don’t have a tried-and-true route yet. And there’s no way to get lost because of those offline maps – going to the same cafe every morning was an adventure!
Bottom bunk ALL THE WAY! Go to the bathroom at your will without fear of disturbing your bunk mate, no perilous climbs in the middle of the night, easily retrieve dropped items, more likely than not will have better access to outlets, and conducive to talking with your room mates! I had to top bunk it in every hostel, but at least the perpetual sunlight this time of year in Iceland helped light my way.
Be nice, be open, be friendly. Smile!
But stay aware of your surroundings, and practice your resting b!tch face.
Don’t be afraid to invite other travelers on your little adventures either – we’re all alone, but we don’t have to be! And don’t take it personally if they say no!
If you’re invited to join a group, don’t be afraid to say no if you don’t feel comfortable.
But say yes if you do, and there’s no such thing as being “too” eager! There probably won’t be another of this same opportunity to come up again!
Don’t be afraid to join a conversation, or start one if you think someone’s interesting. Worst case, they’re not and you don’t have to see them after this trip. Best case, they become your travel buddy and share your adventures!
Language doesn’t have to be a barrier. (The most fun conversations I had were with a Parisienne architect, and we would try phrases in French->English->either Cantonese(me)/Mandarin(her) until one of them made sense to the listener!)
Road trip > Flight. Take in the scenery at the human scale, and avoid long security lines!
Always have pen and paper – for the people you meet, for the recommendations they’ll offer, and for writing for yourself. (If you sketch, customize a book with the right paper for your chosen medium so you don’t have to buy a new one! I made a promise to myself I’d practice watercolor painting, so I cut up the last of my good paper to the size of my sketchbook, taped it in, and it worked out perfectly! (The resulting artwork, not so much.))
Always have a thank you card or two on hand. Write them!
Bring a good book, or a few – the best company when you’re on the road, or just want to be by yourself for a while.
Keep mints or chocolate on you – you never know when you’ll need a pick-me-up, and a mini sugar-rush might just be the pick-me-up that could fix everything!
Also, have a pick-me-up playlist at the ready. I have John Mayer on deck for good cries, JT and Kanye loaded up for some champion adventuring, and a smattering of oldies and jazzy tunes to always put me back in perspective.
Have addresses written down somewhere for sending postcards. (Or those thank you cards!)
Write someone you love back home to assure them you’re alive. Maybe they’re worrying, maybe they’re not, but it’ll help to be reminded there’s someone at home. If there isn’t anyone, write to your last address. When(/if) you go back, there’ll be a reminder of where(/who) you were.
And homesickness is natural. It’ll come, but it can go too. Keep going.
*Know your limits and boundaries before you get on that plane to go. Stick to them. Maybe you’ll change them midway, but you’ll be able to take charge of that decision rather than let someone else dictate the situation.
And the one that stays with me -- you will learn something new everyday, and you will change and grow during this trip. Everyone and everything will play a part in this. Embrace it!
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