Last Updated on December 30, 2020
Do you know that traveling alone for citizens of some countries like the United States is possible from the age of 16? It is not by chance that 66% of Americans have traveled or consider traveling alone: the freedom to choose the itinerary and tours and the privacy to relax and rest are really good reasons for that. Aren’t they? Even with common motivations, each tourist has his style of travel. Some prioritize long walks through forests, others prefer to climb mountains and make snowmen. But everyone who has traveled alone at least once takes apprenticeships with them for the rest of their lives. Check out some lessons that you only learn when you decide to do this!1. You are responsible for your own actions
Everyone who has read the classic book The Little Prince already knows that “You become forever responsible for what you captivate.” Still, that phrase is just good advice close to the real experience of having to take on responsibilities like paying your bills, organizing your time, and dealing with bureaucracies. The truth is that traveling by yourself is a perfect aperitif to start taking control of your life. This is one of the lessons that you learn in the first days when you have to organize the necessary documents, such as your passport, authorizations, letter of motivation, and curriculum, when you travel for work or study. When you forget one of them or your passport expires, and you didn’t know, for example, you have to deal with the frustration of having your trip delayed. It’s quite a lesson!
2. How to create a financial plan
Even if part of your trip is being funded by a university, as in the case of an exchange scholarship, you will inevitably have many bills to pay. In general, they come down to four types: tickets, accommodation, food, and transport. The cost varies depending on the place you are going to visit. But the most significant is the transformation in the way you relate to money. The few resources you have are worth much more and are no longer used with anything. With that, you end up having to plan financially or organize yourself minimally so that things don’t get off track. Spending less than you receive, avoiding superfluous expenses, paying bills within the validity period, and never losing a discount are small lessons that you acquire in this matter. If you have traveled alone more than five times, you probably have already adopted a financial spreadsheet to do your calculations in an automated way.
