Author: Janelle Bouman

Location: Utrecht, Netherlands

One of the main reasons why I chose to study abroad was because I love to travel and experience new places.  Some of my best adventures have come from traveling alone.  I never would have thought I’d be brave enough to take a trip by myself until I actually did just that for the first time.  I’ve been on a few solo trips by now: a year and a half ago, when I was 19, I traveled through France by myself for a week.  This semester abroad, I’ve added solo adventures to Copenhagen during my fall break, and a long weekend in Berlin.  I sometimes get moderately shocked reactions when people learn that I’ve traveled by myself, but I think everyone should do this!  The more experienced I get, the more comfortable and enjoyable it becomes. I cannot recommend the experience highly enough to my fellow travelers.  Here are a few of the reasons why:

You have to get out of your comfort zone

This is the obvious reason, but also probably the most important one.  Traveling by yourself is certainly intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it before.  But I’m a strong advocate for going out there and trying the things that might scare you.  Before I left on my first solo trip, I was questioning why I had decided to do this and wondering if I would actually be up for it.  It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life.  I guarantee that traveling by yourself will be a little scary, but also inevitably a rewarding challenge and learning experience.

Your itinerary (and your wallet) are completely under your own control

I love museums, castles, and cathedrals.  I enjoy simply wandering to take in the sights of a city, stopping to listen to street music, and taking way too many pictures of scenic views.  I don’t mind being out in the rain or walking long distances.  I also prefer spending as little money as I possibly can.  When I am by myself, I don’t have to worry about balancing any of these things against anyone else’s interests or wishes, because my day and my pace are entirely up to me.  And the best part is, I am completely free to change my plans on a whim, sometimes resulting in the very best of experiences.

You learn how to figure out things for yourself

Traveling plans never go perfectly, and figuring out how to handle these situations on your own is just part of it.  I’ve run into cancelled trains that left me scrambling to not become stranded somewhere, language barriers with no one to translate, and bad weather that ruined an all-outdoor itinerary.  You don’t know what sorts of situations you will run into while traveling, but you do know you will learn to adapt to them.  By yourself, there is a lot less pressure when things don’t work out like you wanted.  Solo travel gives you the experience to handle anything that goes wrong with confidence rather than panic.

You become comfortable spending time by yourself

I’ve definitely heard people express concerns about getting lonely while traveling by themselves.  As an extremely introverted person, I probably benefit from (and need!) the alone time of solo traveling more than most people would.  But whether you are the same way or not, being comfortable in only your own company is a valuable skill to learn.  Traveling by yourself gives you plenty of time to think, reflect, read, or do whatever makes you happy when you are on your own.  What better way to do this than by visiting somewhere fantastic?

You get to meet new people

Alone time is important, but so is making friends, and you can balance that when you are traveling by yourself.  When you are with others, it’s tempting to stick with the familiarity of only the people you know.  By yourself, it’s much easier to break out of that shell and meet new people.  Youth hostels are designed for connecting with people: you room with complete strangers, and the buildings usually have hang-out areas, game rooms, and a restaurant or bar.  In Copenhagen, my hostel roommates were other university-age women from all over the world.  Many travelers who stay in hostels are specifically looking to meet other travelers!

It’s a great self-confidence builder

After returning from my first trip by myself, I felt that if I could do that, I could do anything!  Successfully navigating planes and trains in another country is exhilarating, and a huge self-confidence boost.  I certainly felt more confident moving to the Netherlands for a semester because I already had experience traveling in other countries by myself.  If you like traveling, I highly recommend stepping out of your comfort zone and giving a solo trip a try.  It will be a valuable learning experience that you won’t forget!

Author: Rachel Silcox

Location: Utrecht, Netherlands 

Hello again! Welcome back to the Netherlands and specifically, my flat, as today I will be introducing you to one of my unitmates! I am so excited to introduce you to Nadège, because she is one of the most welcoming people and the nicest friend! Nadège is a native Belgian as her home is Brussels. She is studying law and anthropology with a minor in art history! Now, instead of boring you with my description of her, I’ll let Nadège tell you about herself!

Me: Why did you come to UCU to study the liberal arts and sciences?

Nadège: Well, I would really like to work across disciplines. Combing law and anthropology seemed like a great choice based on my interests. I would really like to work with indigenous populations, the environment, and with human rights. The liberal arts and sciences allowed me to explore and learn about all of these things!

Me: Cool! How did you get interested in working with indigenous populations?

Nadège: When I was 14 a guy came to our lecture from a village and talked about how they are trying to fight big companies that want to take their land. From this experience, I knew I wanted to do anthropology, because learning about their culture and the preservation of it was so cool! But I knew I need something heavier in my background. I tried politics and law and I loved them! Law is my favorite now and with it I hope that one day I can be a legal expert working locally with indigenous peoples to help preserve their identity, culture, and protect their rights. Culture is so cool and I really want to help preserve it for places that have one. Coming from Belgium, I never felt like I had a culture and so I realize how special it is to have a culture and I want to protect that!

Me: You never felt like you had a culture? What do you mean?

Nadège: Belgium is such a new country; it was only formed in 1830! It doesn’t have a long history. Plus, the division between French and Flemish speakers in our country really hurts the ability to have a unifying culture! But, when I see indigenous peoples they have such a long history of tradition and culture and I want to help sustain that, because I have never felt that so strongly. The only time I really feel a cultural connection to other Belgians is at Christmas. Europe was super touched by Christianity and a lot of our events have to do with that. To be honest, I don’t really know what Christmas means in Christianity, but for me, Christmas always had a feeling of being connected to my community. I feel connected to the past and the people around me. But that is it! Culturally, I want to feel as connected to other Belgians as I do at Christmas all the time!

Me: What do you think created a feeling of never having a culture for you?

Nadège: We were always influenced by big countries. I actually know more about French politics than Belgium ones! We are like a transitional country I feel. All the artists have to go through France, not us, like Stromae! Lots of people think he is from Paris, but he is from my city, Brussels! Artists are immediately related to the Netherlands or France. We can’t really make something ours because it always goes through others to be heard by the world. Also, we are super international. I love that we are so international and multicultural, but also there are so many influences that we can’t make our own. It’s bad, but it’s also good. I admire the beauty of living in a deep cultural tradition, but I do love Belgium and being able to help construct our culture! Like we love to laugh and live life! We really relate to that and it is our attempt to create a national identity to be proud of!

Me: So how would you like to use this to contribute to the world?

Nadège: I want to help preserve culture, because I know how unconnected someone can feel when they don’t have the tie of culture connecting them with others. But beyond that, I want to help open debate between indigenous cultures and the international community. Indigenous communities aren’t always right. But I want to be a part of the debate and discussion to let those cultures live!

Me: I love your perception on culture! So, anything that you would like to say to the culture and people in the U.S. or Valpo?

Nadège: People should be proud of identity and culture and cherish it! Be proud to be in the US where there are so many people from other places. The diversity is so cool and can create a new culture! On se construit par notre histoire et celle des autres. C’est la beauté de notre monde. (trans. We build ourselves by our history and that of others. That is the beauty of our world.)