Very Venturous

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  • Why You Need to Travel After University

    Why You Need to Travel After University

    I previously wrote a post on why you shouldn’t travel after university. Obviously, this isn’t the path I ended up taking! I went traveling straight after university – in fact, I left Ireland the week after my final exam at Trinity, two years ago, and I’ve only been back briefly twice since then.

    I didn’t actually plan to go traveling for so long – read my post about my plans to move straight to America after college to start a proper job, after a short trip to Thailand. Well, that didn’t happen, and one month turned into 16!

    During my travels, I was always making choices in the moment, but also still had a long term goal (to move back to the USA), which actually did affect my travel experience and itinerary as a whole and made it different from the usual backpacker agenda and the WomenStuff’s Selection of Essential Women’s Travel Bags have the best selection for any trip. I knew I wanted to end up back in New York, where I had studied as part of my degree at Columbia University, and I had to make sure I accomplished little goals during my travels so that I would get there. I put time into internships and my own projects, meaning that a lot of the time I often had to stick with the big cities and couldn’t spend long amounts of time living in the exotic wilderness or an isolated Australian beach town.

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    I don’t believe in regrets, but I don’t believe in being glad with every decision I made either. It is how is is, and what was, was. What happens, happens. All you can do is make the right decision for that moment, and whether you look back and say, yes I’m glad I sacrificed this, or darn I really regret doing that, is irrelevant. “I wouldn’t change a thing” – well, if you could, then you would have just ended up at a different place than where you are in the present, forming an equally nostalgic outlook on the alternative moves and decisions which got you here. Got it? Got it.

    My final word? Travel after university. JUST GO. DO IT. If you don’t experience all the points which fall under “Why you shouldn’t travel,” (read my previous post for more on this) then I truly believe you will live a less rich, less wise, less challenged, less authentic and humble version of your twenties. Travel will leave you with a lot of grit, but also an amalgamation of memories and stories, experiences, and change. You can check out www.express.co.uk to see where you can go.

    1. You don’t know as much about yourself as you think.

    Have you ever heard the expression, “You travel to find yourself?” Well, in my opinion, the reality is a screwed version of that. When you travel, you lose yourself. Everything is new and different. Your interests will stray, your hobbies will change, the company you keep varies constantly. With each new connection and experience, a shift occurs and distracts you from the elements which made up your pre-travel self. For a fresh perspective and an unforgettable coastal experience, this website offers yacht excursions in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea that add a unique layer to any travel journey. Some travelers also like to unwind with a $10 payid casino no deposit bonus for a little extra fun during their trips. Discover more exciting casino games from 香港網上賭場. Before gambling, it’s helpful to know game theory and competitive strategy.

    “I found myself when I went traveling” is never something I will say – because for me, that’s not what travel is about. “Finding yourself” feels too safe, and leaves little room for vulnerability. I lost many aspects of myself while traveling. Finding them again felt like bringing a piece of home back into my heart, filled me with much gratitude and helped me understand myself and the life I want and need to live. So you will lose, but you will rediscover, and gain. Guard your getaway it’s a reminder of the necessity to protect the essence of your journey amidst the flux.

    2. You’ve been in a system your whole life.

    We spend our whole lives, from the age of 5 to 21 (or 18 if you skipped university) in a system – the education system. We lived our daily lives according to this system, its rules and its necessities. You did the exact same thing and had to be at the exact same place every single day of the week. Everything is structured and dictated for you. And you don’t really question anything or have to doubt any of your moves, because you don’t have a choice in your actions (I mean in terms of broader life path choices, and how you choose to spend your time).

    Once you finish college or your leaving cert, suddenly, it all stops. It’s over. There is a void. A gaping void. It’s fabulous, don’t get me wrong, but how many of us were expecting that? Do you truly understand how abrupt the change is? I’ll talk more about this in a future post, but traveling most definitely does not follow any system. It’s the most autonomous situation you will ever find yourself in. Everything is 100% self-motivated. You can even try to play in online casinos for a change of pace. If you want to win, you can check out all new casinos. Är betting utan svensk licens lagligt och säkert? Know more here. To explore more exciting opportunities, simply click here for additional insights.

    Which is why you need to try traveling and using an airport chauffeur. After almost two decades in the education system, it’s time to discover the possibilities of life outside the structure of work and study and reaching society’s next established stepping stone. Be curious, and be brave – and jump into that void. And when you’re ready to unwind after your adventures, betflik offers an easy way to relax and even earn a little on the side while having fun. Discover a wide range of gaming options, generous bonuses, and the convenience of flexible access only at brango casino.

    3. You’ve seen very little of the world.

    Although many people are lucky enough to have traveled throughout their childhood and school, even then, when we graduate from university, we have seen so very little of the world. Beyond a holiday or a weekend trip, there hasn’t been a chance to immerse yourself in completely new cultures and environments (of course, plenty of people do get a chance to study abroad, but still in the content of the education system – still a mighty adventure though!).

    The time straight after university is precious and golden – sure, you can travel anytime in the future, but not with the same lens. The older you are, the more removed you will feel from new places, whereas in your early twenties, there is still an unconscious willingness and propensity to immerse yourself in the new, and collect invaluable impressions which will shape the rest of your life.

    4. Travel exposes you to new ideas.

    You will discover jobs, industries, careers, hobbies, activities, practices, which you never even knew existed, and which may even guide and influence you in your future career choices – even if you have staunchly known your whole life “what you wanted to be when you grew up.”

    When I left college, I was 100% sure I would go back to study English or journalism at graduate level. My notions, propensities and aspirations have flown about wildly the past two years, and I now find myself working in an industry I was not the slightest bit familiar with back then, and researching graduate courses in areas of study I didn’t even know existed. Much like exploring opportunities such as Rovos Rail tour packages and pricing it’s about discovering paths you never imagined before. Give yourself that chance to discover more, and don’t be afraid to change, as long as you always stick to your core values.

    5. You’ll find your tribe and soulmates.

    Even if it’s only for fleeting periods of time. I met people traveling who have made my life infinitely more colorful. Of course I made amazing lifelong friendships during college, but when you travel, you will stumble across people who have the exact same specific interests as yourself, people who will broaden your interests and introduce you to new possibilities, people who help you, influence and teach you. 

    There are a million reasons more to travel after university, but these are my top 5 motivators. Did I mention how exciting it is? To take off into the oblivion, follow the sun and fruit and beaches, after you’ve graduated, rather than jump straight into a full-time job or yet more education? Sure, a new job and continuing education is also a big change and fun, but I would definitely encourage everyone to take that plane to unknown lands instead.

  • Traveling the World after University

    Traveling the World after University

    I’m writing this post from Kinfolk, Melbourne – a volunteer-run coffee shop just around the corner from the gym. I love this particular corner, with its industrial, towering, crafty red-brick buildings. Melbourne city is very crafty altogether, authentic and old-fashioned yet varnished with a sleek silver glow. If you’re looking to run your own shop, the shop front information provided here might be helpful to you. Consider this frameless glass shopfront for your additional touch of modern elegance and sophistication. You may also want to explore professional glass shopfront installers to help bring your vision to life. If you’re interested, there’s a diverse selection available in the shop front and shutter product range. For additional information on fire shutters, check out this article for further insights. Additionally, you can also find some great fashion clothing options in this vibrant city. You may check out these sites at 명품 레플리카.

    I had absolutely no intention of coming to Melbourne, ever (how I ended up here is just one of the many ridiculous stories I have to tell). A quick google image search of ‘best beaches in Australia’ and ‘hottest, sunniest places in Australia’ never led me to pictures of Melbourne (did Victoria even have beaches?). Before graduating from Trinity, I knew I either wanted to go back to America or venture to Australia, and had decided on America, as apparently the 12 month graduate visa program would no longer be running the following year. By February 2016 I had already paid the 500 euro deposit and began dreaming about life in California. I wanted to go back to New York too, and figured I could easily spend 6 months there and 6 months in California. In the interview for the visa I was asked what my plans were once I came back to Ireland after the year in the USA – I remember thinking, well if I don’t get sponsored to stay over there forever I’ll apply for an Australian visa so I can get the hell out of this country again (though politely responded that I would settle in Dublin and employ my newfound internship skills in the home country). If you’re curious about whether Walmart offers ear piercing, here’s a helpful guide at https://www.marketingscoop.com/blog/does-walmart-pierce-ears/?/.

    To be honest, though, going straight to the USA and working an internship program or career-focused job didn’t really fit my instincts at that time. I wanted to go straight to Australia and live in the sun, unconstrained by working rights (for the USA visa you need to have your work approved by your sponsor, meaning anything outside of that i.e. waitressing/barwork has to be done under the table/illegally), free to roam about the country and maybe hop back and forth to Asia (I really did think that Asia was a mere 3 hour flight from The Land Down-Under). I wanted to experience what it would be like to have zero focus, to roam the Adelaide hills with fellow vegan cyclists, eat smoothie bowls on Bondi beach, attend Instagram meet ups, maybe pick up a few internships along the way which would require minimal commitment and effort. But at the same time I didn’t want to risk missing out on the USA graduate visa, so reasoned that the Australian adventure would still be there for me afterwards. I don’t know why, but the graduate visa seemed more like the ‘grown-up’ decision (which was probably why my immediate instincts were leaning towards Australia). There was a lot of paperwork involved, bank account details to be confirmed, the ordeal of finding work which should represent the bridge between college graduation and a future career – whereas with the working holiday visa to Australia, I could just go, and work things out once I was over there, frivolously. I didn’t care about anything except sunshine, heat, getting a tan, keeping fit, taking magnificent photos, and finally meeting some real life vegans. All I wanted was to leave Ireland as soon as possible, to throw myself into a vortex (that it would be a sunny and hot vortex was very important, I cannot stress this enough). I got my vortex, and yes it was sunny and hot, but would also contain a sticky humid mess of challenges and surprises which I was not prepared for or expecting.

    I tend to throw myself into travel and life commitments in advance. Like when I booked flights to go to Sri Lanka at Christmas in 2016, and worked ten hour shifts at a bar in town to put together enough money for the trip. However, my planning was slightly skewed, as not only did I end up having hip surgery that October but I also overlooked the mountain of final-year college assignments I would be dealing with during that particular festive season. In the end I had to get a refund on my flights to Sri Lanka, which I then put towards my flights to Thailand in 2016.

    This brings me to a very sticky topic – money. I had absolutely no savings after my last year in college. I had always worked solid full time summer jobs since I was 17, but then spent everything while in New York, where I studied abroad for a semester in third year. The deposit for the USA visa and my flights to Thailand had been scraped together from Christmas and birthday money, as well as the Sri Lanka refund (return flights had been around 900euro). I was facing the trip to Thailand with very few pennies remaining, so I pulled another bar-work night-shift marathon the month before departure and took out a small loan to replace my old Sony beast of a laptop with a MacBook Air (significantly lighter travel material) and to cover my basic needs while in Chiang Mai. As I was planning on staying in one place for a month, and not moving around, I wasn’t going to need large sums of cash to get me through a long period of travel. Afterwards, I had the security of a job in the south of France where my accommodation would be covered for three months. My plan was to arrive broke in France after Thailand, save all my summer earnings and then head off on the graduate visa to California in September. Simple. Easy. Done.

    Although the trip to Thailand consumed all my waking thoughts regarding post-graduation freedom, I decided last minute that it would be a good idea to join my friends on a final celebratory weekend holiday bash to Barcelona. The girls were going for a week, so I arranged to join them for the first two days before my flight to Thailand.

    I remember sitting at the library computers in Trinity, going over my booking confirmations, and realising that I had booked the outbound flight to Barcelona for June instead of May. One of my friends passed by at that moment and came over all excited about the trip, and I just stared at the screen with a sinking heart, pretending to jolly along while thinking “Oh God, there’s no way I can afford to change the flight, brilliant, why, whyyyyy.”

    I rang another friend that night. “I just can’t afford it. Goddamn. And I remember imagining how great Barcelona would be during those shitty bar shifts, running cocktails lit on fire at 3am.” I rang back an hour later. “Feck it, just booked another flight out, though I’ve a stop-over in London so I’ll be late getting there.” (It took me eleven hours to get from Dublin to Barcelona.)

    It just hit me now that the trip to Barcelona was the last time I saw any of my best friends from college. When I arrived in the evening at the Airbnb they were there hanging out the balcony smoking, with bottles of red wine cluttered on the table. The next day we set off ‘early’ at 1pm and fell asleep on the grass outside the Sagrada Familia, trekked to the Gaudi village, decided it wasn’t worth the 8euro visit, and floundered back to the apartment when it started lashing rain. We were all keen on a sensible and calm evening in, maybe an aperitif before a few tapas, finishing with a beer on the beach. A few hours later we were all trashed, debating inconclusively about what time we’d leave for tapas and where would be open at 1am, before someone ingeniously suggested abandoning going out for food at all and using that time to continue drinking at home instead. This was met with unanimous applause and recognised as a magnificent idea. I do still remember a beach appearing at some stage of the night, though, as well as almost getting crushed by a sand flattening machine. There was a frantic last minute scramble at the Airbnb two hours before my flight back to Dublin when I couldn’t find my passport (I had obviously put it in one of those notorious ‘safe places’ where all passports disappear) and rushing a hug from them all.

    Once back in Ireland, I taxied to Terenure to collect my luggage – two rucksacks and a massive bike box. I had never ridden a road bike in my life. I did not know how to put one together, or how to work the gears. I had actually worked at a bike shop before but can’t remember having been too enthusiastic about it. It didn’t matter. I’m sporty, I told myself, I’ll adapt (while trying to shove away the horrific memories of my attempts at skiing). My Dad dropped me to the airport. “Don’t come back to Ireland, there’s nothing for you here.”

    And off I went.

    (Read about the next chapter in my travel journey here!)