There is no bigger self-esteem boost than telling people you are traveling. And I don’t mean a vacation to visit my grandparents house or an escape into the mountains for some skiing. I mean, pack up all of your things and high tail it out of the country for months traveling.
Every person, young and old, has reacted essentially the same way the moment I tell them about my upcoming adventure. Always excitement at the prospect, envying the decision and asking a seemingly endless stream of questions.
“How long are you going for?”
“Where are you visiting?”
“Where are you staying?”
“What are you seeing?”
“It’s just you and your boyfriend?”
And then the advice starts pouring in. From places to stay, cities to visit, areas to avoid and scams o watch out for. People are always excited to share their own personal travel experiences, whether they went abroad or on a simple family road trip.
There is a rush that comes with telling people I will be backpack traveling through Europe for three months in spring. A secret pleasure when I see their eyes lighting up, their jaws slackening in shock and their expressions changing from disinterest to full engagement in moments. People are supportive of my decision and openly wish they were me, what could be more flattering than people wishing they were you?
There are reservations of course, the kind that come with any big undertaking. But I suppose that is the plus side to being a wandering twenty something with nothing to lose; I get to see this whole undertaking as one big adventure!
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