Travelling alone is an entirely different experience. It’s something that I would recommend everyone do.
I was sitting in a plane on my second solo-trip abroad just starting out on the book that I’d picked out for the trip, and the perfect line jumped out at me: “Her colleagues at school thought it odd that she loved to travel solo, but for Lily, making her own way and answer to no one were her favorite parts of the adventure.” It couldn’t have been more fitting for the trip I was embarking on and the topic I’d decided my next post to be on. Especially at a young age in new countries where you might not necessarily know the language, travelling alone seems like a daunting task.
However, in the modern age of technology I think that it is easier than ever before to have a safe and fun adventure on your own. Not sure how to order a hot chocolate in the native language? Have Google Translate up on your phone. If you or a loved one is worried about you being alone, there’s a variety of different services that allow you to share your location. For the entirety of my trip abroad, my entire family has had my location 24/7 in case something happens, even when I’m safely in my dorm. Even more, there are apps that can help you when you feel unsafe, ratings on cab drivers and Airbnb hosts that ensure their credibility, and more.
I am not someone who tends feel comfortable going out to do things alone, such as sitting at a proper restaurant or taking a flight. My first trip alone was a slightly spontaneous one to Switzerland. To avoid paying for somewhere to stay, I took an overnight bus that arrived around 8:30am and then another overnight bus back to Rome leaving at 10:30pm. In the small city of Zürich, there are obviously things I missed out on, but the packed day made me feel like I made the most of my time in the city. I started off with a free tour, went and walked through two museums, and got some food along the way. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel very alone throughout all of it. Walking tours and museum trips aren’t generally places you’d be having a lot of conversation, so I didn’t miss having a friend beside me. Furthermore, I was able to go at my own pace. No one was running into me when I stopped to take pictures or wanting to go slower or faster as I strolled through the museums. Even more so, I didn’t have to compromise where I wanted to go and get food for someone else’s sake. My second trip was to Edinburgh, Scotland, which was different given that rather than a bus-ride, it was now a flight and a weekend rather than day trip. I went to a different airport out of Rome this time, which was a bit overwhelming due to the different set-up of it, but most airports tend to be alike, and I found my way.
Even though it’s not that big of a deal, it still was a practice in problem-solving and figuring things out on my own. Getting into the Airbnb alone was a bit nerve-wracking, because I have always been in Airbnb’s with a friend. It was actually rather nice to have a host that wasn’t around much when I was. Not being able to figure out the key at first was stressful, but once I was in and got to have the full queen-sized bed to myself, it was quite luxurious to have that space after being combined at the hip with my roommate for the last 3 months. Although I met up with a friend while there, I still had time to myself to do a free walking tour and grab some different food along the way before being shown the city. I am always someone who has liked alone time, but travelling alone is an entirely different experience. It’s something that I would recommend everyone do.
People say that travelling abroad is all about independence and finding yourself, and while I think that can be dramatic to an extent, I see the benefit in experiencing new cultures in your own way. Being able to do this in different countries also has encouraged me to consider doing similar little weekend trips around America. A bus or airplane from NYC can take you millions of places, and now that I have conquered other countries, other places in America don’t seem so scary. The reality of being in another country with friends is that not everyone’s financial situation is the same. Some people have the ability to travel every weekends, and others don’t, but whatever category you fall into you should make sure to make the most of your time abroad. Short trips alone are the perfect way make the most of your time and see as much of this world as possible while growing individually.
Spring 2019 Student Ambassador, Rebeka Humbrecht
