“You’re how old?”“What are you doing so far from home?”“Does your mother know where you are?”

There is something rad about traveling, the incredible people and experiences that seem to find you everywhere you go. Fresh outta high school I hopped on a plane and landed 5,000 miles from home. With just a backpack I ventured off to see what the world might have in store for a young, goofy gal. Language is the first obstacle to overcome in a foreign country, and I quickly found out that although high school classes may build knowledge of a language they totally fail to teach real life conversation and actually speaking with other people. When I arrived in Madrid just communicating with the taxi driver was nearly impossible, as he spoke no English and my broken Spanish only confused him more. In these situations smiling and nodding can get you a long way. I spent three months living with a family in the city studying the language but found friends among other English speakers and ended up studying alcohol consumption in the clubs. As an under-aged American, legal drinking and lack of parental supervision was wildly freeing. After three months in the big city it was time to explore somewhere new and I headed to southern Spain to the middle of a small desert.

I found work on a small olive grove, spending my days outside with an adorable canine companion. Being completely surrounded by desert is a very vulnerable feeling and it hit me how much I was on my own. This can be and was very frightening as I became increasingly lonely. What was I doing so far from home? This question I was asked countless times. How? Why? Aren’t you too young? Does your mother know what you’re doing? Being pushed outside of your comfort zone forces you to learn quickly and connects you to a true version of yourself. I had to remind myself that the experience I was asking for was not necessarily an easy one but an exciting adventure that would show me a new part of the world. There is no too young. Although, maybe not traditionally ready to be on my own, I was ready for new experiences and a challenge. I would even argue that I was completely not ready to be on my own in Europe, but I pushed myself and adapted and learned. The power of being flexible and taking what life throws at you are two of the most important traveler traits, with these anything is possible. And as things look down new doors always seem to open. Sitting alone in the little house in the desert I searched for my next opportunity.

Volunteering and working abroad was the best way I could have traveled through Europe. I was completely alone, so I needed and wanted to meet people, and I was basically broke, I didn’t have the financial means to go on a lavish tour of Europe. Through work exchange I was able to see a vast array of places throughout Spain, make connections, and spend little to no money. It was quite literally a savior. Being 18, almost everything was pretty much new to me, so being able to work for a many different people in many different places gave me many many new experiences and skills. Not many people know what it takes to keep an olive tree alive, but after a week of raking and pruning trees I have a basic understanding of olive tree care. Most opportunities I found on volunteer and work exchange sites were things I never thought I would even consider doing. Going to a desert? Never. Manual Labor? Impossible, also why would I do that. However, a with a desire to learn and experience new things, finding volunteer hosts was the best way I could truly experience a new culture and meet people. For me, volunteer exchange was a way to travel solo without ever really feeling alone.