Travel with No Regrets

We all have that one moment that nearly changed our lives forever. Whether it was going to college, meeting the man of your dreams, or finally being out on your own, you knew in that moment that nothing would ever be the same. For me, although stepping on the beautiful Auburn campus was a big change, that moment was my first trip overseas. My Christmas-gifted five day tour of Paris, France in high school sparked a hunger that will never be satiated.

I remember my parents me to the airport just before Valentine’s Day, sobbing my eyes out. Having never been on a plane, I was scared, unsure, and nervous about my first trip overseas. I would be meeting my cousin at the gate before making the eight-hour flight to Charles De Gaulle to meet my aunt and uncle in the City of Lights. Before the ink of the French stamp had even dried on the empty pages my passport, I knew I would never want to leave. The trip was an immersion of culture mixed with a whirlwind of sightseeing, topped off by nearly frostbitten fingers and toes. Although it did not always go as planned, never has an experience in my life had such a dramatic impact on my future. The moment I stood in front of La Tour Eiffel on our last night, my authentic (and highly caloric) chocolate éclair in hand, it became clear that my first Parisian adventure would most certainly not be my last.

Several years later, I had the fortune of joining my grandparents on an almost two week excursion to the home of my German ancestors, a small town called Hambrücken, less than an hour outside Frankfurt. In our three days in the village, I explored the past and present of my not-so-extended family, celebrated the 500th celebration of the town my great-grandfather left when he was young, and learned that distance doesn’t create differences within families. A lovely weekend with relatives was followed by a trip to Munich and the gorgeous castles of the “Fairy Tale King” Ludwig II (Neuschawnstein proved to be the German equivalent to the Eiffel Tower for me), a tour of the filming locations of the Julie Andrews’ classic film The Sound of Music in Salzburg, Austria, a sombering visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp, topped off by exploring the mountains of the Black Forest in Baden-Baden. The history was lengthy, the architecture breathtaking, the culture incredible, and the experience unforgettable.

All anecdotes aside, travelling to foreign places is, uniquely, the only event in the world that strengthens your home-grown roots by helping you to build new ones. Forging memories that last a lifetime with the help of people you’ll never forget, discovering things about yourself along the way, and learning to fall in love with your own culture all over again. It’s so easy to make excuses as to why staying stateside is the only option—the expenses, the time, the lack of companionship, and many more things factor into why we’ve all said no to going abroad.

As for the expense, which will never disappear as long as exchange rates are down, there are always incredible deals to be found. As a collegiette who is always planning her next Eurotrip, I’ve discovered that there are discounted vacations to be found all over the internet. There are an excess of websites designed to be an aid for girls (and guys!) our age, and through my daydreams I’ve found a new personal favorite. So put down the books and minimize your notes for just a minute and discover your new best friend through Contiki, a travel website centered around planning worldwide vacations for college-age students and young adults, and begin taking the steps toward your first (or next!) foreign trip. With discounts, special tips, forums to find travel buddies, and tons of tours to choose from, Contiki allows us all to cure our travel fever induced by the excitement of discovery and the love of adventure. Watch the website’s promotional video here to gain some inspiration.

As young college students, this is the one time in our lives that we should be travelling. We’ve yet to gain all the major responsibilities involved in adulthood, our friends are available to accompany us on our adventures, and the possibilities for us are endless before we hold that degree. So before the stress of paying all our bills, working nine to five jobs, and shopping for furniture and groceries, make time to get out and see the world. The experience will leave a mark in more ways than one. Your view of everything changes–your culture, your past, present and future, and most importantly, yourself. So while you have the time, make the time to expand your horizons and jet-set into the unknown and the different. There’s so much to see, so much to learn, and let’s face it, nothing is hotter than a stylish straight guy with a to-die-for accent. And just so you know, the world beyond our beloved America has plenty of foreigners who adore sweet-accented Southern Belles like us! Get out there girls, and in the words of my favorite band One Direction (who just happens to be a five-some of foreign boys), let’s live while we’re young and see the world. Remember, we only get one life, so live it this summer with no regrets. 

“This is a partner post. All opinions are 100% ours.”

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Eiffel Tower and Neuschawnstein images courtesy of Alexis Brost
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