solo travel taught me this.

I travelled to 4 countries by myself (it’s not as scary as you think).

A few months ago, I decided to jet off to Europe (for the first time) by myself. Although I’d wandered around the boroughs of New York in between crashing at different friends’ places and hitched a ride from the airport in Costa Rica with a kind American family I’d met seconds prior, this was the first big trip I’d truly be on my own for.

My parents must have thought I was crazy when I initially told them my plans— and I very well could have been— but I’d read something that really resonated with me and I couldn’t let it go.

There’s never going to be a “right” or “reasonable” time to travel the world, or really go for any dream whatsoever, so you might as well do it now.

Como, Italy.

So I booked a last-minute flight, packed my bags with the warmest winter clothes a Southern California native could find and all the tech accessories I’d need to be productive while traveling, and left. I’d start off in London, then country-hop for a few weeks and reconcile with old friends as I went.

On my flight to Heathrow, I jotted down some things I wanted out of my trip — to prove my self-sufficiency, push myself out of my comfort zone, expose myself to different ways of living, remind myself of larger things than my immediate problems, and show my gratitude for the opportunities I have in my life.

If we’re being honest, I forgot most of these goals the moment I stepped foot into some airport lounge and ordered a glass of cheap champagne. Yet in just under a month, I checked every box — and then some. Here is a (by no means exhaustive) list of the lessons I learned and hope to keep with me.

1. Traveling is very doable.

After making friends in, finding things to do around, and — most importantly — learning how to use public transportation in 4 different countries (one of which I had to navigate during a country-wide strike), I feel like I’m capable of pretty much anything. Planning itineraries and finding your way through new places is definitely not easy, but it’s not that hard either — even if things don’t go as expected. Just pick a place and go; you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn on the fly (pun intended).
It’s also worth noting that there is a huge distinction between travel and vacation that is often overlooked. Travel can be done affordably if you plan thoroughly, and it’s much more accessible than most people think.

Pictured: things not going as expected. Luckily, London has no shortage of Apple stores.

2. People are what you make of them.

Being thrust into places where I knew no one and no one knew me, each interaction I had felt more valuable and precious than usual. Approaching each person I met with the goal of adding something to their life in the temporary time I had with them made me feel so much more optimistic about finding community in others and human nature in general, something I’d been struggling with a lot post graduation and prior to my trip.
It’s easy to see the world as a dark and negative place when your mind looks just like that. Remember to show a little empathy to those around you; we’re all still growing up and trying to figure out our places in the world.

Florence, Italy on a rainy day.

3. The world is yours.

Every crazy thing you’ve wanted to experience is within reach. There were moments skipping through the rain from the Sacré-Coeur with new friends in Paris and walking through Vondelpark’s forests of endless orange and yellow in Amsterdam when I had to literally stop and ask myself how on earth I had gotten there.

Amsterdam, Netherlands. I spent the better half of a day getting lost here.

The moment when you look back and wonder why you never did those things before is a crazy and wonderful feeling to have, and it’s one I felt a countless amount of times during and even after my trip. Do everything that scares you — you’ll reach a point where it’s just an adrenaline rush and a “what next?”. There is so much adventure out there, and so much left to explore.

4. Life is really interesting.

It’s one of my favorite sayings that to be interesting, you must be interested. That’s actually surprisingly easy when there is so much cool stuff in the world.

Yet, it’s funny how this often escapes us — you can be so unaware of how interesting things are until they’re right in front of you. To be honest, I didn’t give a damn about art restoration techniques or the authenticity of stroopwafels before last November. Being exposed to all of that not only makes you appreciate it more but also piques your curiosity further.

I’m definitely interested in food. Did you know that the national dish of England is chicken tikka masala?

It is a beautiful and lucky thing to be in the pursuit of some lofty ambition and come across something even more meaningful along the way. Solo travel taught me everything I wanted and more — both about the world and my place in it.

Where have you traveled to that you really enjoyed? Let me know in the comments!

About me: Hi everyone! 👋 My name is Vanessa. I’m a UCLA alumnus and software engineer. I love reading, creating, and sharing my ideas/perspectives with the world! 🧠

Feel free to follow me on Medium or reach out on LinkedIn! Always happy to connect.