Travel Correspondent: Caitlin, Australia, Lessons Learned

Caitlin: Lessons Learned from Traveling

1.  It’s okay to go alone

I’ve never really been one to like to do things alone, and never thought I would in a foreign country. Coming to Australia alone for 3 months had me excited, but also very scared. I wouldn’t let that stop me though. Sometimes you have to just push the fear aside and not let it stop you from having the time of your life. Traveling alone was the best experience I have ever had, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

2. You have to be open to new things

When you travel, especially if you travel to another country, new things will be all around you. Part of the experience is trying new things; you might surprise yourself! When I went to Greece, I thought I was never going to find authentic food that I liked. On my first night, I saw a little take away restaurant on the street and decided to go in. I couldn’t read the menu, so I just pointed to a picture and hoped for the best. To this day, I don’t know everything that I ate, but I do know that it was delicious and I wish I could have it again. I could have looked for a place that would serve me a burger and fries, but hey, I can be an American in America. Here in Australia, I’ve tried to eat like an Australian and try as many of the typical Aussie meals as I could. I’ve had a lot of great things to eat this way- especially kangaroo (don’t knock it until you try it!).

3. You have to remove yourself from life at home

When I traveled Europe for 39 days 3 years ago, I left my cell phone at home. The only contact I had was limited to using my tablet for Facebook on occasion when wifi was available. While everyone on my trip was engrossed in their phones, I was trying to embrace as much of the new culture as I could. I didn’t really miss my phone too much because I knew that life at home would still be the same when I got back. Traveling was my chance have some new fun and gain new experiences that I will never be able to get back home. Even though I have my phone in Australia, the time difference has limited the time I have had to talk to my friends and family back home. However, immersing myself in my new Australian life has made me not homesick at all, but rather I am just fully enjoying the life that I have here.

4. You have to embrace the culture and way of life

I love going to new countries because the culture and way of life in each one is so different. I love walking through a city and just admiring the architecture, seeing how the locals dress and act, trying the local cuisine, and just soaking in all that I can. One of my favorite ways to embrace the culture is by living with the locals. While traveling around Australia, I used Airbnb to book a room in peoples’ homes with them. I got to interact with locals and learn about how they spend their days. I would highly recommend this over hotels. You’ll really feel like a local yourself!

5. You have to be willing to go outside of your comfort zone

There are endless possibilities of things to do while traveling. Not everything is going to be in your comfort zone, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it anyway! I put myself out there with my work at my internships. I was required to push myself at both sites, and I grew as a person and as an occupational therapist by doing this. If I wouldn’t have come outside of my comfort zone, I would not have gained anything from this experience.

Read Next:

• Caitlin’s Travel Correspondent Blog 21
• Caitlin’s Travel Correspondent Blog 22
• Margherita Travel Correspondent Blog 2
• Abigail’s Travel Correspondent Blog 7
• Intern in Australia
• Intern in Occupational Therapy

Posted by World Endeavors on    August 25, 2018