Tips for Taking Side Trips Alone While Abroad

By Ian Acosta on June 2, 2017

Going abroad is very exciting. Not many get the opportunity to experience all it can be so be sure to make the most of your trip.

You may decide that you want to go on an excursion to another city or country by yourself. This sounds like a blast, right? You bet it does! There are a few important things to keep in mind, however, the paramount among them being safety. In addition, you should also have a plan, some emergency contacts, and a little background of the area before you go anywhere by yourself. Here are some tips to make your solo trip the best and safest it can be.

Budget it out

For many a college student, money is not as well kept track of as it probably could be. Therefore, to actually save money, create a budget. Forecast your expenses of what you will incur through traveling, food, sightseeing, going out, rent (possibly), and remember your plane ticket to and from home!

This too should include any solo trips you will go on. Planning out a budget will give you guidelines you can hold yourself to and, thus, be more mindful of. Budgeting is something everyone should be doing but students are either intimidated by budgeting or too lazy to do so. Break the stigma around it and look up some budgeting tips and tricks if you are truly that hesitant to do it. After all, money is key when it comes to traveling across countries. Make a list of how much you think you will want to spend on your trip and do your best to stick to that number.

Be safe

What is the best way to go about this? Research the country. Once you find out where you will be staying, spend some time and learn about the city or neighborhood. Scope out local coffee shops, stores, restaurants and also landmarks such as police stations, hospitals, churches, and libraries. If you are staying with a host family, be sure to learn and hear about their experiences about living there.

Keep a keen eye. As my father likes to constantly remind me, “Keep your eyes open.” Always be aware of your surroundings. I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard stories of my friends who were pickpocketed of their phone or wallet without them even feeling anything. The point is to always have some street sense and be wary. You do not want to lose something valuable just because of a lack of awareness.

Buy souvenirs

The best way to keep memories is to have a keepsake from where you visited. Be sure to bring back some clothes, pottery, spices, oils, or anything you can remember the experience by. If you stay in a hostel, ask your host for some recommendations on where to get some eccentric, cultural souvenirs to take back with you.

Buy something for yourself, your family, your extended family, or even your friends! They will appreciate it and it is a great way to share your story and experiences abroad.

Have emergency contacts

If you do happen to run into trouble or get into a sticky situation, know who you are going to call. Worst case scenario, know where the law enforcement is and the nearest embassy. Be sure to have the ability to contact someone.

Take some time to reflect and unwind

This is the most overused and probably most cliché phrase, but, this time can be used to “find yourself.” It is some time to yourself. Just enjoy it. Put everything else out of your mind and just have a blast. Go out on a tour, go for a hike, take a solo expedition, go out in the city, eat at every restaurant in sight, just experience all your trip has to offer! If there are some museums, go see the art. If there are tours to explore the history of a specific area, be sure to take advantage.

Lay off social media

You know that one friend who is OBNOXIOUS about posting every minute of their study abroad trip on Instagram or Snapchat? Yeah, do not be that person. The point of going away is to get away from it all. Try to stay away from social media when possible and don’t feel the need to post something EVERY day. We get it, you are abroad. Enjoy it but do not go overboard.

“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” In my opinion, this is a very powerful quote to describe the experience that can unfold before you. Enjoy it, remember it, and have a blast.

pexels.com

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format