Travel while you're young (LIVE, LIVE, LIVE!)

Traveling is one of the most beneficial things you can do as a person, but being young and traveling is even more amazing! You have a strong and able body, to walk and run, go see the world with it!

You are young, able, and have time, maybe not money but find a way because right now you have the time!

"Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer"

Travel gives you an opportunity like nothing else in the world, you have the ability to see and do things that people dream of doing! Use the youth you were gifted with for only a brief time in your life to go and enjoy all that the world has to offer you.

Many young people are in school and feel that they have to rush to finish and rush to go and get into the work place, I know because I feel this way all the time. But wait, why are we rushing, we only live on this planet for a short while so why waist the precious time we've been given? You are young and alive and have the opportunity to see the world, grab it by the horns and run with it!

When you travel you learn more than most books could ever teach you, you are immersed in the culture, in the experience and if you have the right mindset you can learn so so much more than you ever thought possible.

Be accepting and be willing to learn about what the region and that time in your life has to teach you, you never know what you might find. Granted stick to your moral compass and don't stray from it because you need to be grounded in who you are. But this does not mean you can not be an explorer and an adventurer. See things for how you can apply them and learn from them. Everything in life is a lesson, some are good and some are not so good but there is always something to gain from a lesson. Be patient and adapt to the situation, and if you are from another country don't be ignorant and flaunt your wealth or your nationality around, this is rude and really... really ignorant. Be a citizen of the world, embracing world cultures and bringing the best of the world into your identity.

Its like talking to an old wise person who has years of knowledge packed into one mind, don't you want to be that way? Have you ever talked to someone who has years of wisdom and thought wow, I want to be like that one day. Travel will make you like that, a young person with the world at their finger tips can learn so much and impart that knowledge to others.

Why do people say that when they retire and have money they will travel, when you are old... really? Lets think about this, right now you can walk for quite some time before you are tiered , you don't really require much maybe a little food, some water and a change of clothing. TRAVEL NOW, WHEN YOU DON'T NEED MUCH AND HAVE TIME

I figured this out when I was 17, I went on a crazy adventure around Europe with my sister for 10 days, and boy oh boy was it crazy, it was fun, but exhausting, and think I was 17 when I did this! We walked all day all around some of the worlds most beautiful cities, saw museums, cathedrals, etc. All of this with a bag of protein bars and a water bottle and a few scarfs to change up our outfits, and that's it, we took a bus to the next city in the night and woke up and did it all again the next day.

So why would I wait until I cant walk without getting achy in a few short hours and need to do more to take care of myself? Right now you can do so much with the young body you have.

Now money, this is kind of a big deal, when you're young you don't exactly have a full retirement plan waiting for you to spend, now do you? Most of us don't, so how do I travel then? Okay lets see, people in college, this is your time to shine. Right now you are in your prime, all you have to worry about is going to school, many of us are not married, don't have children, and live in a dorm, for the most part at least. You have freedom, so USE IT! look at the foreign exchange programs your school offers, think once you graduate you are off to work and you can never look back. You have to work now, you don't have it easy, you have to live on your own, no more dorm and dinning hall, you have to pay more bills and work everyday with little vacation time. When you are in college you have at least some vacation time or if not you have study abroad where you can immerse your self in the culture while you are in school and during your off time explore this new place you are in.

If you have a some money to spare for the long run, budget your self, put some money away for travel, this does not have to be a lot but just gradually start saving. If you have ever been some where and bought different things, try and remember approximately how much the trip was with transit, souvenirs, food, etc then base your savings off of that.

The one thing that most grad students, med students, and adults say about what they regret most in college is not going on a foreign exchange and not traveling, because now they do not have time. You are young and alive, LIVE, LIVE, LIVE!

Look at cheep airline tickets, and think about big port cities like London (LHR), NYC (JFK), DC (IAD), LA (LAX) these are where you will find the cheapest prices. And its a big plus if you are in driving distance of one of these airports because it means cheaper tickets for you! If you cant find a cheep ticket round trip look at 1 ways to and from. Look up bus and train tickets to and from cities that you may want to see, this is a cheep and convenient way to get to where you are going for a fraction of the cost. If you know how to use metro systems, provided they are safe and don't have large terror threats, use them they are fast, cheap, and easy to use and usually go to the hottest attractions in cities.

Look at different ticketing websites, I usually use student universe then bounce around from there

Some cheaper options for travel include: aerlingus (air), mega bus (ground), wow air (air), I would not recommend air lines like jet blue since they have a reputation for being terrible with take off times and gate changes.

For housing options look up hostels, or AIRBNB and do your best to travel with a buddy, there are power in numbers so its best to not travel alone if possible.

Tips: Do your best to carry as little as possible and do not have open pockets with things in them, this makes you an easy target for pickpockets and these are extremely prominent in big cities.

Don't be the loud American, shut it! Blend in, follow the culture and the vibe of the people you are around this makes it safer for you and the people you are with and makes you look less like a tourist (which is defiantly a good thing,goal don't look touristy). And if you are in another region of the world try to be friends with locals, you are there to experience the culture so don't cling to other Americans or people from your country, fully immerse your self in the culture by hanging around people from there. Plus you learn a lot from locals, they know whats good whats bad, they will help you with terms you don't understand and teach you the ways of that region. Emulate the locals and you will be better off. For example dress like a local, if they all wear neutral colors, change up your wardrobe and for the love of pineapples don't wear American logos, you look really ridiculous if you are in another country with American logos on, it just makes you look like a dumb American flaunting it around.

Wear a pouch/sling inside of your clothing ("this is not a fanny pack!"), sure you thing it'll be uncomfortable and look lumpy, okay don't carry enough for it to be lumpy folks. They are commonly sold in the US at places like REI, passport holders with zipper pockets and RFID protection. I mean how much should you carry? Some money, identification, phone, tickets, camera maybe, a snack and that's about it. Don't carry more than you need because you will be fumbling around with it when you are trying to have fun, and believe me it is not worth it. Have freedom in what you can do, plus most museums, well actually all world class museums check your bag and often do not recommend carrying a large bag. Another plus, if you get a feel from some people trying to pick pocket, they won't get anything because its under your clothing, plus you are protecting your lively hood (passport, ID, money). When in a foreign country the last thing you want is to lose your passport, ID or all of your money, so get something to wear under your clothing.

Don't walk around looking through a big camera and hang it around your neck, you look like a target (a tourist) Tourist often do not know much about the ground culture of the place they are in until they have been there, so if you are new to a region and look like a tourist, people who want to rob you see you as an easy target because you are lost in the beauty of the city, are not paying attention, and don't know whats coming.

Don't look lost, looking lost is a dangerous thing, people thing they can take advantage of you if you look lost and confused. Look like you know where you are going and politely and discretely figure out where you are going from a business person near you.or a security guard.

Don't drink faucet or fountain water only bottled water! Now this is not me just saying this, most regions have water issues so I do not recommend drinking straight faucet water unless you want to catch a bug and get sick. Now some places its okay, just do your research and you should be fine. ex: in part of ITALY the water system is fantastic in the Vatican in Rome, you can drink out of the fountains around the museum that come from a natural spring underneath the Vaticano.

If you can, say you are in a restaurant, try and order in the native language even if you fail they will take it as a kind gesture and it is way more respectable than asking if anyone speaks English. Google it if you need help and try to say it :)

Where will your next big adventure take you, start making your travel plans now and when you arrive at a time and place when you can take that trip, GO FOR IT!

AmeAmor signing off until next time!

ciao