The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Millersville chapter.

I was recently at my mom’s house and I happen to have this big, gorgeous world map on my wall. Its green and blue painted on a huge canvas – my brother bought it for me a few Christmases ago. It got me thinking about this “game” I used to play by myself when I was bored. Then it evolved into something I did therapeutically in high school when I was sad or lonely, or angry. Basically, how it worked was, I had a map of some kind, at the time it was my mom’s globe on her desk; I would spin it, close my eyes, and then drop my finger onto a random spot.

Once the mystery designation was chosen blindly, I would write it down and get to work on the computer looking up the place. It is kind of like finding a whole new world, seeing a new place, and going on a vacation in your room. I would look up the place, what it looked like, how you get there, what kind of people live there, the languages, the clothes, the food, the things to do or see and so on. It was so fun, and it became a cool way to see other parts of the world without being told to study them – it was truly an exploration.

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Seeing the map in my old room sparked this memory and inspired me to do it again with a Google earth globe. I randomly spun it blindly and I landed on 10 different places in the world. I looked them up and did some self-directed research. Here are the places I traveled, the things I “saw”, what I “ate”, and the languages I “experienced”. Hopefully you will be able to find some fun in this and learn something new about a different place. Have fun escaping, without paying, with me!

Below are key facts/attributes for each place I randomly selected:

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1. Greece

– Γεια σας και καλώς ήρθατε στην Ελλάδα! –> Hello and welcome to Greece!

– Greece is an archipelagic country (consisting of a stretch of many small islands)

– 80% of the Greek landscape is composed of mountain regions

– The capital of Greece is Athens, named after Greek goddess Athena

– In Greece you will be eating – Baklava, Dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves), Gyros, Moussaka, and Saganaki (fried cheese)

– When in Greece you should definitely visit The Acropolis, Canal d’Amour, Blue Caves, and Shipwreck Beach

2. Thailand

– สวัสดีและยินดีต้อนรับสู่ประเทศไทย! –> Hello and welcome to Thailand!

– Thailand has a population of 70 million people

– Thailand is among the world’s top 10 countries most exposed to climate change (rising sea level & extreme weather events)

– The capital of Thailand is Bangkok, there are 10,539,000 people who live within the capital city

– In Thailand you will be eating – Tom Yum Goong (spicy shrimp soup), Pad Thai, Khao Pad (fried rice), Panang (Thai curry), and Kai Jeow (Thai omelet).

– When in Thailand you should definitely visit the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Ko Ta Pu (“floating” rock formations coming out of Phang Nga Bay), Haew Suwat Waterfall, and State Tower

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3. Slovakia

– Ahoj a vitaj na Slovensku! –> Hello and welcome to Slovakia!

– Slovakia is ½ of what was formally Czechoslovakia, the other ½ is the Czech Republic

*Fun fact: my mom’s side of the family is from Czechoslovakia before it split during war*

– Slovakia has hundreds of caves/caverns under the mountain ranges, 30 are open to the public to explore!

– The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava with a large population and most all of the country’s officials live there

– In Slovakia you will be eating – Pierogis, Cabbage Soup, Schnitzel, Goulash Soup, and Pork Dumplings

– When in Slovakia you should definitely visit Bratislava Castle, Bojnice Castle (Castle of Spirits), St. Martin’s Cathedral, Hviezdoslav Square, and Old Town Hall

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4. New Zealand

– Hello and welcome to New Zealand!

– New Zealand consists of 2 main landmasses, the North Island, and the South Island

– The capital of New Zealand is Wellington; it is not the largest city in New Zealand, but it is where the official administrative buildings are

– In New Zealand you will be eating – Crayfish, Kiwi Burger, Pavlova (fruit, meringue, and whipped cream), Whitebait Fritters, and Paua (large sea snail)

– When in New Zealand you should definitely visit Abel Tasman National Park, Lake Tekapo, Franz Josef Glacier, Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, and Tongariro Alpine Crossing

5. Chile

– ¡Hola y bienvenido a Chile! –> Hello and welcome to Chile!

– Chile has the world’s largest swimming pool, it holds about 66 million gallons

– The oldest mummies in the world were found in Chile, known as Chinchorro

– The capital of Chile is Santiago, it’s the largest city in Chile and houses 8 million out of the 17.5 million people

– In Chile you will be eating – Papa Rellena, Chochoca (rolled dough made from potatoes), Caldillo de Congrio (conger eel chowder), Empanada, and Costillar de Chancho (marinated pork ribs)

– When in Chile you should definitely visit Torres Del Paine National Park, Atacama Desert, Easter Island, Santiago (Chile’s capital), Cape Horn, and Mylodon Cave Natural Monument

6. Taiwan

– 您好，歡迎來到台灣! –> Hello and welcome to Taiwan!

– If you want to rent a car in Taiwan it will cost you about $100 a day – it is one of the most expensive places to rent a car

– Taiwan has some of the most beautiful, lively, and best night markets where you get get different foods all night with friends

– The capital of Taiwan is Taipei, about 2.5 million people live here and is considered a multicultural capital as well

– In Taiwan you will be eating – “Stinky” Tofu (deep-fried tofu), Scallion Pancakes, Gua Bao (braised pork belly & cabbage in a steamed bun), Soup Dumplings, Niu Rou Mian (beef noodle soup), and Bubble Tea

– When in Taiwan you should definitely visit Taipei 101, Kending National Park, Night Markets, Hot Springs, and Taroko Gorge (12-mile-long landscape of marble cliffs and rivers)

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7. Italy

– Ciao e benvenuto in Italia! –> Hello and welcome to Italy!

– Italy is a peninsula [surrounded by water on 3 sides] located in the Mediterranean Sea

– Everyone knows Italy is shaped like a boot, but did you know the national animal is an Italian Wolf (also called the Apennine Wolf for the mountainous alps in which they live)

– The capital of Italy is Rome; Rome is a famous city filled with history, architecture, and about 3 million residents

– In Italy you will be eating – PIZZA, Polenta, Ossobuco, Risotto, Focaccia, Arancini, Gelato, and a plethora of pasta dishes

– When in Italy you should definitely visit The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, The Pantheon, Sistine Chapel, and Sempione Park

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8. Ireland

– Dia duit agus fáilte go hÉirinn! –> Hello and welcome to Ireland!

– The shamrock isn’t a symbol of Ireland it’s just a word that means “young clover” from the Anglicized “seamrog”

– Ireland is named after a goddess (Old Irish = Eriu : Gaelic = Eire) who looked over the well-being of the ancient island nation

– The capital of Ireland is Dublin; Dublin is known all throughout the world and one of the most beautiful parts is the Father Mathew Bridge – i.e., Dublin Bridge

– In Ireland you will be eating – Irish Stew, Lamb, Black & White Pudding, Seafood Chowder, Guinness, and Irish Coffee with Baileys Irish Cream

– When in Ireland you should definitely visit the Cliffs of Moher, Dublin Castle, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, 14 Henrietta Street, and Powerscourt Waterfall

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9.Belarus

– Прывітанне і сардэчна запрашаем у Беларусь! –> Hello and welcome to Belarus!

– Belarus has a holiday celebrated the week before lent, it is called Maslenitsa Week, where everyone eats pancakes for the whole week covered in different and creative toppings!

– One of the most important national symbols in Belarus is their national animals – the Bison is considered to be the heaviest surviving land mammal in Europe, and has been brought back from near extinction

– The capital of Belarus is Minsk, the largest city in the country, it sits on the Svislach and Niamiha Rivers

– In Belarus you will be eating – Vereshchaka (meat stew), Khaladnik (beet stew), Kvass (ancient Russian beverage), and Draniki (potato pancake)

– When in Belarus you should definitely visit Kosava Castle, Brest Hero-Fortress, Polesie, Trinity Church, Augustousky Canal, and Naliboki Reserve

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10. Madagascar

– Miarahaba ary tongasoa eto Madagasikara! –> Hello and welcome to Madagascar!

– Madagascar is the 4^th largest island in the world

– Madagascar is home to 70 species of lemurs found nowhere else on Earth (which is pretty awesome honestly)

– The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo, more commonly known as Tana

– In Madagascar you will be eating – Vary Amin’anana (rice and vegetable soup), Hen’omby Ritra (simmered beef), Tsaramaso (bean dish), Tekateka (clams in sauce), and Masikita (marinated skewers)

– When in Madagascar you should definitely visit the Ambohimanga Royal Hills, Baobab Avenue, Andafiavaratra Palace, Lake Tritriva, and Andohalo Cathedral