As an international event planner, I have the opportunity to plan the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA) Congress with sophomore Maddy Snyder, under the management of Augustana Professor Doug Tschopp. After working hard planning the congress all year, it is our job to attend and make sure it runs smoothly. My freshman year it took place in Aberdeen, Scotland and this year the congress is in San Juan, Puerto Rico. So here are some tips and tricks I encourage you to try while traveling.
1.Take a tour: Tours are a great opportunity to learn more about the area that you are traveling. I recommend taking a tour at the beginning of the week, especially if you are in a city. This way you have an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the area and get recommendations for fun places to go or good places to eat. At the beginning of our trip, Maddy, Doug and I went on an Old San Juan walking tour. We were able to learn about the history of Old San Juan, appreciate the culture, and see the city. Puerto Rico is beautiful. All of the houses are bright colors like pink, red, yellow, blue or purple. As we walked down the street we could hear music playing. Whether it is the man on the corner with the guitar or the boisterous beats coming from the restaurants nearby, I couldn’t help but appreciate the music and add a little dancing in my walk down the street. As we walked, we saw a lot of cats laying around. We learned that the women in the town put food and water out to feed them all. Most of the cats could be found escaping the Puerto Rico heat under a shady tree!
2.Explore: Regardless of where you are traveling, there is something for everyone. Take advantage of these opportunities to see new things and expand your knowledge and horizons. In Puerto Rico we were free to explore the El Yunque Rainforest and Luquillo Beach. At the rainforest we were able to see and learn about the different types of vegetation, hike to a waterfall, and experience the beautiful scenery all around us before going to lunch at Luquillo beach. Here, Maddy and I were able to take a quick dip in the Atlantic Ocean for our first time ever! The beach had a multitude of shops, vendors, and places to eat. So as soon as we got out of the water, Maddy joined me in a swift barefoot walk down the streets of Puerto Rico so I could purchase a hammock!
3.Try New Foods: Especially if you are traveling out of the country, I highly recommend trying the food they have to offer. All over the world there are fresh foods unique to different regions. There is no harm in trying something new, especially if you don’t know if the opportunity will ever present itself again. On our tour, we learned about some of the foods here in San Juan. Our tour guide, Eda, ended up influencing both my lunch and dinner choices! I ended up getting Mofongo for dinner: an authentic dish made from fried plantain, (a vegetable that grows here in Puerto Rico and looks like a mini banana)! Along with the plantain, Mofongo can come with your choice of shrimp, chicken, skirt steak, or churrasco, which is the Spanish name for grilled meat which more generally can be beef, sausage, pork, or lamb!
Next time you travel, be adventurous. Take a walk, learn something you didn’t know, try new things. The world has so much to offer and we have so much to learn. So take full advantage of every opportunity that comes your way because you never know if it will be your last.