Globetrotters (and not the basketball variety)

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When you think of Studying Abroad, do you think of the string of travel photos of fellow friends who are discovering their adventures overseas?

I have learned as an international exchange student that us Americans (and Australians) are obsessed with traveling Europe on the weekends because it is so inexpensive compared to home!

Ryanair, Easyjet, Skyscanner, Hostelworld. These are music to my ears.

When talking to my classmates at university who are from England, or even Europe for that matter, about my weekend travels they often say "Oh I haven't been there yet! I hope to some day!" I found this absurd. Here in Europe, traveling to another country is like traveling to another state for us. One girl from Denmark travels to Greece every summer for vacation, just like how my fiancee's family goes to the Ozarks every summer. Such a different perspective!

Some things to keep in mind, though are: currency changes, transportation when arriving, outlet converters and climate.

In Greece, we used the euro. It was nice when the euro was also used in Barcelona! For our layovers in Switzerland and Norway, the currency definitely messed with our heads. We paid 1,300 kronos for a hot dog. We were so tired that we didn't even WANT to do the conversion.

But seriously, get the currency converter app for your phone. No matter how painful it is to watch your bank account drain.

I have been using an excel spreadsheet to keep track of my spending on excursions. I have been amazed at how easy it is to travel on a college budget, and how simple it really is to book trips. (Well at least I think it is. In fact I find it addicting, almost like it is a game. I find myself booking the weekend excursions for all of my friend trips because it truly is enjoyable to me.) If anyone wants to hire me as an excursion director I would be a happy camper :)

Anyways, back to traveling. With iPhones and new technology, traveling is so simple. I can have my boarding passes on my Ryanair and Easyjet apps. This allows me to check into my flight up to 30 days in advance! When I backpack for these weekend trips (which I HIGHLY recommend) flying is a breeze. I just go through security and show up at my boarding gate.

When booking my first European "holiday" (in America, we would say vacation), it took us about 2 months to figure out flights, accommodations, and activities. I can do this in a single night for the following week now. Last night I planned a trip with one of my best friends back home from Paris, to Brussels, to Amsterdam. We did this in a couple of hours over Facetime. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it really is that easy. (We are also event planning majors, so it's kind of in our blood. But honestly it's easier than you'd think.)

I used to be afraid of the unknown, and even have sleepless nights over the anxiety of what was to come. I like to plan everything perfectly. Now, I welcome the uncertainty of situations. Some comical situations that would have caused me emotional scarring that happened over the past weekend: I was at the airport at 2 am boarding my bus back to Exeter. I handed my ticket to the bus driver, and he realized I booked a ticket for the following day. Luckily he was gracious and still let me on board. When we arrived in Iceland, we booked a rental car. Normally you have to book these 7 months ahead of time. They just so happened to have an automatic car, and offered it to us at a fraction of the prices the other companies had quoted us. The lady was so worried about us that she threw in a wifi hotspot FOR FREE. So that we had wifi the whole time and wouldn't get lost. People really amaze me. On our way back to Exeter, it was 3 am. None of us had wifi or service to call a cab from the bus station that was three miles away from our warm beds. Our bus driver allowed us to use his cell phone. There are amazing and genuine people out there willing to help helpless college students in a pickle, I promise!

Staying calm, thinking logically, and realizing it is a story to laugh about later is so important.

I have compiled a list of ways that you know you are an international student traveling expert.

1. You pack 7 days worth of clothing into a backpack carry on

2. You are forever worried to look at your bank account

3. You check ahead of time the wifi allowance at the airports you have layovers and waiting time at

4. That feeling of relief when your ziplock baggy of liquids actually closes shut!!!!

5. Holding your breath when your carry on goes through security... a can of soup can cause the longest hold up and the dirtiest of death glares. We will not make that mistake again.

6. The excitement when your gate shows up more than 10 minutes before boarding

7. When mobile tickets are your bae

8. The adrenaline you get when your phone is about to die while you are in line

boarding the plane and you have a mobile ticket. (It can be a love hate relationship)

9. When your bus has plug ins!! Or even better: USB ports

10. Fabric softener sheets can be found all through out your backpack to make you feel less bad about re-wearing your wardrobe

11. Always having Skyscanner, Ryanair, and Easyjet pulled up in your tabs so that you can search flights at the click of a button. And send cheap flight options to your flatmates.

12. Deciding to eat 5 day old peanut butter sandwiches and other bland cheap foods because the currency exchange is outrageous and a pint of Ben & Jerry's is

thirteen US dollars in Iceland!!! (No joke)

13. Learning to fall asleep in weird places. And public places. Oops

xoxo,

Leah Joy