Many people have mixed feelings about traveling alone , especially if they’re a female. I’ve had the opportunity to not only travel abroad alone, but to also actually live abroad. During my solo travels I’ve learned a lot about myself and the world in which I live in.
From my most recent adventure to Nicaragua.
Here are 8 things I learned while traveling solo:
1. Wherever you are, you’re never alone.
I’m a college student and over the past year I’ve dealt with some bad anxiety issues. I can tell you there were times that in a room full of friends I felt completely alone. When I took the summer to travel to Central America, things changed. No matter where I went, I never felt “lonely”. There was always either another traveler, or a local, who could understand what I was going through. At times you might feel lonely in a hostel full of people you don’t know, but there’s usually always someone else nearby feeling the same way.
2. Waiting for your life to magically change on it’s own is a bad idea.
Waiting out the rain, in the rain.
Think of it like this, if you walk outside and it’s raining, you’re not going to stand outside in the rain until it stops raining before continuing on with your life. If you hate what you’re doing, then why are you doing it? If you sit around waiting for the day that suddenly everything is going to change on its own, you will probably never see that day. You have to be willing to work for the change. You can’t expect that you will win the lottery and finally be able to take a trip somewhere, you have to work for it.
I learned this very quickly when traveling. My friends back home would always tell me “Oh I wish I was rich so I could afford something like that!” I’m a college student. I am far from rich, and I’ve worked for the money that I have. If you want to do something, you have to actually work for it.
3. People are generally good.
Surfing Turtle Lodge (Nicaragua – $10/night)
When I was in Nicaragua this summer I stayed at a place called the Surfing Turtle Lodge. It’s this hostel on it’s own little island, not too far away from Leon. To get to this hostel by public transportation – you have to take a bus from Leon, walk about a half a mile to the boat launch, pay $1 to hop on this little motor boat over to the island, and then walk through the small jungle on the island to the other side where the hostel is. During my walk across the island, I was approached by an elder man riding on a horse-drawn cart (it was literally a piece of wood over two wooden wheels). He had an ax across his lap and asked me if I wanted a ride. Naturally, I accepted and he took me to the hostel.
Most people would never imagine doing something like this, but when you travel you quickly learn that most people are generally good. Hitchhiking is a norm in central and south America, and in many countries being a traveler you can be invited to stay in someone’s home even when you don’t know them.
4. Bad things can happen to you anywhere.
Hang in there!!
While yes, people are generally good, bad people do exist. So many fear traveling because of the “bad” things that could happen to them. When I lived in Brazil, people would ask me if I was “scared of living somewhere so dangerous.” I stuck out like a sore thumb in Brazil, and I went to places many of the richer locals deemed “too dangerous” and I never had any serious problems. In an entire year I was robbed once, and it was only for $20.
The thing most people fail to remember is that bad things can happen to you wherever you are in the world. I’m personally more nervous walking around some areas of Tampa than I ever was in Brazil.
If you find yourself in a bad situation – don’t let it control your whole trip. You have to hang in there and enjoy all of the other positives!
5. Planning everything out can often lead to missing out.
After our 6 and a half hour hike to the top of the volcano!
Everything about your travels can’t be focused on the destinations, but the journeys that take you there. We had decided we were going to climb the volcano just outside of Granada, Nicaragua, and we didn’t really have much of a plan.
We didn’t want to spend money on the bus to get to the park (which was probably only 50 cents), so we just started walking. We ended up on these back dirt roads through people’s farms, asking for directions constantly. We eventually ended up hiking through the rainforest on the side of the volcano, at times needing to use our hands to dig into the mud and pull ourselves up the small, rarely traveled, trail. While it did take us over six hours to reach the top, it was an amazing experience.
In places such as Central and South America, it’s very difficult to plan out a lot. If you plan, you’re going to overspend and miss out on what some countries have to offer. While I’m not telling you to hop on a plane with no idea of what you’re doing, I’ve learned that you need balance. If you feel the need to plan everything out, you’re going to miss out on a lot of spur of the moment opportunities.
6. Some things will never translate.
The class I helped teach in Nicaragua
If you truly immerse yourself in your trips abroad, by learning the language, you’ll realize that many words, acts, and activities, will never translate into your language or culture. My favorite example of this is the Portuguese word saudades. Many times people translate this word to simply meaning “to miss something,” but it has a much stronger feeling than that. It’s to long or desire something you once had, but now is missing. When I look back at my travels, I can’t express how much I miss my friends and family from Brazil, or how much I miss the class of kids I worked with this summer in Nicaragua very well in English.
This goes the same way with experiences. When you come back from a super awesome trip, you want to tell everybody about all of the cool things you have done. You’ll realize quickly that nobody actually wants to hear all of your trip stories, they just want to hear the basics. Your feelings and experiences are never going to be as interesting to a friend or family member as they were to you.
7. It’s good to step out of your comfort zone.
My 21st birthday gift to myself – A skydive adventure!
I like to say that “I’m most comfortable outside of my comfort zone.” This allows me to constantly try new things that I might be too afraid of doing, such as skydiving. Now skydiving might not be for you, but when you travel you quickly learn that your comfort zone is a dangerous place.
You miss out on so much when you don’t want to try new things. I had the opportunity to travel abroad by myself for a year as a 16 year old. I had an unusual but amazing opportunity to grow at such a young age. I believe the more you push the limits of your comfort zone, the more you are able to experience in life. You don’t have to do this by jumping out of planes, but the more something makes you nervous – the more exciting it can be!
8. The only person who can make you happy is you.
This I think is the biggest lesson I’ve learned spending time alone. You can people please and work your way into all the right circles to try and force happiness, but no other person can make you truly happy. If you aren’t happy with yourself, you’re never going to be completely happy.
Accept your faults and take pride in your strengths. You only have one life, and if you aren’t spending your time happy, you’re wasting your time. Breathe,smile, and be thankful to be alive in such a beautiful world.
Do any of my findings apply to you? What have you learned traveling alone? Scroll down and leave your answers in the comments below!
This post was written by Lauren Youngerman, a student at the University of South Florida studying international business with a focus on Spanish and marketing.
She is a member of her school’s sailing team, and also works as a sailing coach at a nearby club.
Lauren is an adventure seeker who has had the opportunity to live abroad in both Brazil and Nicaragua, as well as to being a part of the U.S. Army.
Currently completing a social media internship for VentureTime Travel, Lauren seeks a career in marketing after graduation. Learn more about Lauren’s work experience via her LinkedIn profile.
Learn more about Lauren’s travel experiences and insights by reading some of her other posts:
- How to Pack Three Months of Your Life Into One Suitcase
- “As a child, my parents didn’t buy me “˜things,’ but spent on experiences, such as travel, that allowed me to grow as a person.” A Travel Chat with an International Business Student
- 13 Favorite Things to Eat, Drink, and Do in St. Augustine, Florida
- 6 Tips for Your First-time Hostel Stay
- The Search For the Best Cuban in Tampa
- 6 “Can’t Miss” Beaches in Florida
- 10 Fun Facts About Tampa, Florida
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