How Travel Changed Me

It can be hard to sum up how travel changes you. When I try to sum up how it changed me, I think of how I'm more interested in different cultures, more open-minded, and more willing to try new things, not to mention all the "soft skills" I've strengthened like getting better at navigating directions, independence, and a better understanding of the world.

But it's so much more than that. To put it into words, to sum it up in one sentence - it just isn't enough. I could write a novel on how travel changed me, but when honestly trying to come up with how to describe it, I feel like I'm coming up short.

You just know you've changed from travel. You know you're a different person, and a better person because of it. And when people ask you why they should travel and leave the comfort of their home country, or why they should spend money on plane tickets instead of designer bags, you answer saying it's worth it and it'll change you for the better. But how, they ask?

I think the answer is different for every person, but the only way to know how travel changes people is to go out and experience it for yourself.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

– Mark Twain

Solo Travel Stories That Confirmed My Faith In Humanity

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There is no doubt that while travel is amazing, it does come with the occasional struggle. When I was leaving Lake Como with a friend last year, the taxi driver first overcharged us, and even though we paid him the full price, he still chased us all the way into the train station.

We missed our train to Milan because he started shouting, "Polizia! Polizia!" and almost got us arrested. Luckily the police officers believed us when we told them we did indeed pay him the right amount and he was just trying to scam us.

In that moment, I was not too fond of strangers.

For every frustrating situation like that, there is usually at least one (if not more!) good situation to make up for it.

Solo Travel Stories That Confirmed My Faith In Humanity

During my solo weekend in Paris this summer, I experienced the kindness of strangers firsthand. I was by myself, in a foreign country, in a foreign city. Paris is an easy city to travel in, but these few moments where I was given a helping hand definitely confirmed my faith in humanity, and that a majority of the world is made up of good people.

The English Couple and The Louvre Tickets

While waiting in line underground to get into The Louvre, I was chatting with an English couple while we waited. I told them that I was most excited to see Napoleon's Rooms, which I believed would be worth the extra few euros to get in. They said they were most excited for all the Italian paintings.

Once inside, we rushed to the ticket machines and were lucky to get there when we did - a massive line began forming behind us for the ticket machines. On the screen, I was surprised I wasn't prompted to purchase the add-on for Napoleon's Rooms and asked the English couple if they knew anything about that.

They offered to hold my machine (one of them stood at mine and the other stood at their's) while I quickly ran over to the information booth to ask. Turns out there was no extra fee for the rooms! I hurried back to the machine, thanked the couple for holding it for me, and was grateful I didn't have to stand in the continuously-growing line.

The Vietnamese Man That Led Me To Starbucks

Since Paris was the first portion of my summer Europe trip, I was really jet lagged. On Sunday after hours of walking and exploring the city, I collapsed onto my hotel bed into a deep sleep. When I woke up from that long nap at 9pm, I happened to be really hungry. Upon the realization that it was late Sunday night and the cafes and grocery stores were closed, I thought I might have to skip dinner and wait till morning.

But - alas - there was a Starbucks around the corner! I walked over to it and my hopes were tarnished as the sign on the door said it closed at 7pm on Sundays. As if on cue, a man walked up to me and told me there was a different Starbucks about 10 minutes away that was open till 10pm on Sundays. He said he was headed to that area and would show me the way.

In the past I would've had my guard up and politely declined, but my instincts told me he was a normal person and not a serial killer. As we walked we chatted about where we were from and the differences in culture (he was from Vietnam and is living in Paris). We parted ways once we got to Starbucks, but I'll remember our conversation and the kindness of him showing me the way. I was also glad to find food!

The American Students at The Eiffel Tower

The next night I walked a long 45 minute walk from my hotel to the Eiffel Tower to see it light up at sunset. I found a nice spot in the grass and was marveling at the enormity and beauty of the tower. A man came and sat down near me, photographing the tower. He then started a conversation with me, saying he was a magazine photographer and it was his first assignment. I learned he was from Turkey, and told them I was in Istanbul recently.

Our conversation wasn't really going anywhere after that, but he lingered a little. My gut instincts told me he was also a normal man and there was nothing to worry about. (Besides, there were hundreds of people around anyway).

However, a group of American students sitting near me noticed this and invited me to sit with them. They weren't sure if I was uncomfortable or not, but in case it was a bad situation, wanted to help me out. I learned they went to school in Florida and were studying abroad for the summer. We chatted about college, Paris, traveling after graduation, etc. It was nice to make temporary friends for the evening and know that even though we had never met prior, they were kind enough to invite me to hang out with them to keep me out of a (potentially) bad situation.

While these are all little moments of kindness, they are all moments where I realized that most people are good people.

Even things like holding the door for someone, giving a warm smile, or pointing out directions to those who are lost goes a long way. Let's continue the kindness both while traveling and in everyday life!

More posts on solo travel right here >>>

Don't Let Your Dreams Be Dreams

Everyone has goals in life. Big or small, opportunities are always coming our way - though  more often than not you must seek out such opportunities to accomplish your goals.

You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

The above quote sums up how I feel about most things I go after in life, especially when I was in college. In addition to a full time major/double minor class schedule, I was part of a number of things outside of class: Dance Team, Student Publications, Study Abroad Ambassadors, Freshman Orientation Leaders, a board member of PRSSA, a Zumba instructor, and an intern at a few different companies. I also took extra classes like graphic design or rock climbing just for fun. My college lifestyle is not for everyone - and if I could do senior year all over again, I would narrow my workload down to just one or two things besides class to enjoy my college experience more - but I did so much because I was interested in so much. I wanted to utilize as many resources as I could during the short four years I had.

As a naturally self-motivated person, I didn't always get it when someone would ask me how I worked up the courage to do many of these things (like applying for a competitive internship contest or applying for a job to work overseas in Italy after graduation). I just tell them that I had everything to gain and nothing to lose. There was no harm in going after any of those lofty goals - the worst that could've happened would be to not get that internship or that job in Italy. But you know what happened? I got that internship my junior year. I was offered that position in Italy after graduation. None of that would've happened if I hadn't gone out there, put in my best effort, and just went for it.

There have been plenty of jobs I've applied for and didn't get. What did I "lose" from applying, though? Nothing! Maybe a half hour of my time spent filling out the application and an hour for an interview. The chance of making something happen is too great to just not try in the first place.

Setting goals can take some planning, organization, and sometimes, a lot of soul searching. Personally right now I have so many random goals in my head that I just need to sort out. The best way to turn those dreams into reality is to get started. Start by creating a "SMART" goal. Do your research. Ask for advice from family or friends or bloggers. Once you get started, things will become much clearer and those goals will seem more reachable.

Don't let your dreams be dreams. Turn those dreams into reality.

What Not To Miss In Vienna: Concerts At The Schönbrunn Palace

My second visit to Vienna was earlier this year for a work trip. Since my first visit to Vienna was only a day long, my short taste of the city left me longing for more. I was in Vienna for nine days during my second trip, which left much more time to explore the city, try more foods (like sachertorte!), and learn more about the culture.

Vienna is not only the capital of Austria; it is the capital of music. With the likes of Mozart, Strauss, and Beethoven hailing from the city, it is no wonder that there are plenty of ways to partake in listening to classical music. While going to the opera house is a popular option (who can beat standing-room-only tickets for only a few euros?!) I'd definitely recommend a concert at the Schönbrunn Palace.

Our large group had a private concert one July evening at the Orangery inside the palace. Before heading in, we took some time to wander around the grounds and gardens. Once we were inside, we took our seats to watch the show. To be completely honest, I was expecting good classical music but not much more than that - but I was completely blown away by how entertaining the show was!The music wasn't just good, it was incredible. And there were singers and ballerinas that accompanied some songs, which made it even more entertaining. The musicians had great stage presence and some were a little goofy to add to the humor of the show. The end felt like it came too quick, and as we were giving our applause, I didn't want it to be over. It really was that good.

They don't allow photos or video of the concert, so I don't have any personal ones (the ones on this post are from around the web). I'm hoping my memories will suffice enough until I get a chance to head back to Vienna and go to another one of these concerts.

Info:

Classical Concerts at the Orangery, Schönbrunn Palace

Show:Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Strauss Familie

Prices: Between 39-119 euros per ticket, depending on seat and time of year

5 Ways To Beat the Blahs of Living Abroad

Living abroad can be an amazing experience. And in most cases, it totally is! Though whether you're studying abroad, working abroad, or staying in a home base in a foreign city, sometimes after a while your excitement for where you live can dwindle after some time. Maybe you're saving your money to travel in a few weeks. Maybe you can't get time off from your job overseas to take a short trip. Maybe you're a little homesick during your study abroad.

Whatever the case, re-spark your excitement for your city with these five tips!

1. Be a tourist in your own city

It's easy to not be a tourist in your own city when you actually live there. (Speaking from experience: I still haven't climbed the Duomo in Florence, and I've both lived and studied abroad there). Many cities have plenty of of attractions for visitors, so try to play tourist in your own city to shake things up.

2. Take a day trip

Get out of your city, if even only for a day. Look into what towns are nearby and the things you can do. Exploring something new will be refreshing and will be a welcome break from where you currently are.

3. Go out to eat or drink somewhere new

A meal, wine tasting, brewery tour, whatever - try something that's different from what you normally do. Take a night off from cooking your own dinner and go out with friends. Laugh, enjoy, and have fun!

4. Do some research about your city

Maybe you'll find some interesting facts about that seemingly uninteresting building you walk by every day. Or you'll learn about some cool place you hadn't known - go see it in person, while you have the chance.

5. Switch up your routine

Take a different route to work. Take a walk to a part of the city you don't spend much time in. Try a different cafe for your daily espresso. Chances are you'll find new hidden gems along the way and you might even favor this new routine more than your regular one!

Valuing Experiences More Than Things

Earlier this year I went to Southern California for a few days to visit family. Over the course of the days, we went out to eat, did some shopping, and went to Disneyland. What sticks out in my mind as the highlight of the trip? DISNEYLAND! It was so much fun and totally worth the (kind of ridiculous) $137 ticket.

I wear the funky printed shorts I got at a boutique and my favorite pair of heels I got at the mall in California all the time. But what sticks out in my mind the most from that trip is Disneyland. Spending money on experiences while you travel is definitely worth it. Though I still love shopping....

I used to have a personal style blog. I've always enjoyed fashion, and even had my first internship writing for a popular fashion blog. For my internship I photographed girls' outfits on my college campus and wrote about their style. I wanted to do it for myself too - showcase my outfits through blogging - and I've always liked writing. Therefore, my style blog was born and I was eventually posting photos of my outfits regularly.

After college, my bank account wasn't as pretty as it used to be. I was traveling a lot  - I spent the summer in Washington, DC and New York City, moved to Italy to travel and be a tour guide for five months, was in DC for some time after that, then went back to Europe for a few weeks again....and then I moved to a new city when I got back.

Within that year I was not posting as often on my old blog. I didn't have as many creative outfits. My outfits looked fine and put-together, but they were getting too repetitive to post on my blog. I didn't have the money to keep up with trends as much as I used to. The personal style blogging niche is extremely saturated and I began feeling like most of the style bloggers' outfits and websites were all looking the same. I was getting bored with blogging about my style, because I was bored with my style. I was just not excited about personal style blogging as I used to be.

Then I started posting more travel-related articles. I had realized within the past year how passionate I was about traveling, even more so than fashion. I would look at the cost of a Tory Burch bag that was $350 and immediately think how one could spend $350 toward travel instead.

I was slowly beginning to realize what people have been saying all along...

Experiences are more important than things.

I started Go Seek Explore in May 2014 and have been loving writing about travel. I love writing about my experiences, because I have been valuing my experiences more. The more I travel, the more my eyes are opened up to the world. The more I travel, the more I enjoy experiences. I still enjoy shopping and doing a little retail therapy. I would rather spend a little more on quality because I like my clothes to last longer.

Sometimes it can be hard to want to save money for travel when I see friends wearing cute new designer things - I see their fabulous outfits and it makes me want to spend all my money on designer things too. But in the back of my mind I always try to remember that experiences are more important than things, and that the few hundred dollars I spent to go to Paris for a weekend was far more worth it than that Tory Burch bag I contemplated buying. (Though if I could've afforded both...I probably would've bought it. Ah, the materialistic struggle...)

What do you do to balance spending money on material things versus experiences?

It's Better To See Something Once Than Hear About It a Thousand Times

Earlier this summer, I got an exciting and somewhat unexpected opportunity to go to Europe to work for a few weeks. With that opportunity came flights paid for by the company, and which could be flexible if I wanted to travel before/after. Of COURSE I jumped at the opportunity to do a little side-traveling! While I wanted to do a big trip around the Balkans or travel around Spain and Portugal for a few weeks, there was no way my budget would've allowed either trips at the time.

Instead, I chose to spend a long weekend in one of the most popular European destinations...Paris.

Though I had been to Europe a few times prior and had even been to the French Riviera, I had never made it up to Paris. I've had so many friends tell me that I would love the city, and from the popularity in books and movies I knew I had to get there.

I had seen so many pictures throughout my life of Paris and the iconic Eiffel Tower. I had seen videos on Instagram of friends jumping or dancing around with the tower in the background. I had seen it sparkling at night in the background of a scene on Gossip Girl, my favorite show.

Seeing the Eiffel Tower in real life from Placa de la Concorde was exciting, but it wasn't until I got up close to it that it took my breath away. That thing is giant! I found a spot in the grass in perfect view of the tower and watched it slowly light up as the sun set. It was beyond beautiful - much more so in person than it was in photos. And then it sparkled at 11pm that summer night and was even more gorgeous.

I realized at that moment why Paris is such a popular city for people to travel to. You can find beauty everywhere in Paris - even at the seemingly "cliche" spots like the Eiffel Tower. That's why this quote resonates with me:

"It's Better To See Something Once Than Hear About It a Thousand Times"

If you've been wanderlust-ing about going somewhere, find an opportunity and go. Looking at pictures of your dream destination will only fulfill you for so long.