Until the age of 18, I had never left the United States of America. I was fortunate enough to travel throughout the U.S. but had still yet to fully experience other cultures. Many non-North-Americans love to say that we are not well-traveled. In fact, we areā€”our country/continent is huge. All of Italy, plus a little, can fit just in the state of Texas. We do not even have to leave our country to be considered well-traveled. Despite knowing this fact, I had a dream of seeing the world. I wanted to explore everything that was unknown to me. Here is how I began my traveling journey.
The summer before my sophomore year of college, I experienced a family vacation throughout the southern European countries and instantly fell in love. I have always found myself so in awe of and lusting over things that were so different from my everyday life. And Europe was exactly that.
I was studying Italian at UT the following year and was offered an opportunity to do a six-week summer study abroad course in Rome. It appealed to me immediately. This extended period of time changed everything for me. I met my now best friend, who shared the desire to see the world, fell in love, and realized I would much rather spend my extra money on enriching experiences over material items.
I have since returned to Italy twice, with two more trips planned in the next three months. I do work a lot and save most of my money, but tracking flight prices has saved me significantly. Another money saver has been airline loyalty. Building up points allows upgrades to better cabins and discounts on future flights.
All of this to say, it is possible to travel the world, even as a “broke college kid.” It is all about saving money and budgeting. Having a travel buddy to split housing expenses with is also a great investment, as well as good company. If you want it bad enough, it can happen. This applies not only to experiencing all this world has to offer but to anything you desire.