10 THINGS

A Little Adrift … 20 Lessons from 5 Years Traveling Around the World

Five years ago today, I sat at Los Angeles International Airport watching the ground crew load the plane outside the window with baggage and fuel. Conflicting emotions warred inside of me; in two short hours I would board a one-way flight to Australia to start my year-long round the world trip. This moment was the culmination of five months of meticulous planning and the realization of my dream to see other places—to find a purpose for myself while traveling through the cultures and countries I had read about in National Geographic all my life. My brief but powerful panic attack earlier in the day gave way to acceptance as I sat at my gate… I was nervous and still unsure about what awaited a slender, solo 24-year-old woman from the states who possessed little travel experience but great curiosity, but I had faith that even if everything went wrong and I hated this decision, that I would come out okay on the other side.
I didn’t know it then, but that solo trip evolved into five years of slowly traveling and working my way around the world. I have spent long periods of time exploring just a few regions of the world, and beyond that, I used these years to gain a better perspective on myself. Some lessons over the years were hard-won and humbling, others came from unlikely tutors and at unlikely times. Here are 22 things I’ve learned since that day I sat at the LA airport debating the wisdom of my decision to travel solo around the world.

1. The world is inherently kind.

I say this often here on A Little Adrift and in personal conversations. When I meet new people and they hear my story, many are alarmed by some of the countries I have visited. They only hear negative stories and stereotypes perpetuated by the mainstream media. And so, this mantra bears repeating: traveling illustrates the inherent kindness in the world. Yes there are dangers out there, and I have discussed some of them before, but the friends I met these past five years have welcomed me into their homes, helped me when I was sick, and generously offered their time to share a piece of their culture with me.

2. Language barriers are easier than most people imagine.

Many reader emails express fear over the language barrier in a new place. It’s also a frequent question middle schoolers ask me when I speak in their classroom (right up there with “what’s the grossest thing you’ve even eaten?). With the hundreds of languages and  dialects out there in the world it’s easy to get bogged down in the perceived obstacle. The truth is, though, English is the language of tourism in most places. There are places it’s still rare, but major tourist sites generally default to English as the second language of communication. And when it is not, you can get through with a smile, patience, a game of charades, and a language app on your smartphone (or a phrasebook if you’re old-school).

3. Solo does not mean lonely.

It can mean lonely at times, I have never been lonelier than when I was sick on the road, but those moments are the exception, not the rule. The very fact that I have traveled mostly solo these past five years has opened up conversations, moments of clarity, and deep friendships that would have been harder to find if I traveled with others. Because I’m out there alone on the road, I seek friendships and bonds that group travelers may not need or notice. And as a single woman, I am accepted into places males are not allowed. Women befriend me on buses, they invite me to tea, and in many cultures men and women alike take me under their wing the moment they find out I am alone, offering help, friendship, and safety. And sometimes, the solitude and mental space to work through thoughts on your own is reason enough to travel solo. Solo travel teaches more about your self than any self-help book ever could and every person should travel alone at least once in their life.

4. Travel is affordable.

Traveling the world for five years on end is out of the norm for most people, and many friends tell me they would never switch places with me because they can’t imagine that many long stretches away from a home-base. But almost every person I meet expresses a wish to travel somewhere, even if on a short vacation. And it’s possible. Travel does not have to be a high-end luxury cruise around Europe, it can be, but for those who dream of travel, it’s more affordable than you imagine. My 11-months on that first year cost me about $18,000 for everything from lodging to airfare to food. Many developing countries offer experiences for a fraction of the cost of traveling in the US or Europe, and afford a chance to also see disparate cultures you won’t find close to home either. The countless other travelers I have met on the road come from every income bracket and socio-economic level. If you prioritize travel, you can find the ways to make it happen.

5. Travel, like life, is personal.

The longer I travel the more I realize that what one traveler loves, another might find dreadful. I eschew big cities and am content to travel through in towns with sub-500 people… that just sounds like hell to some. Museums are not my thing but I can wax poetic on my hike or the linguistic nuances of a new language I’m learning. We all geek-out on different things, and it’s totally fine to geek-out on whatever makes you happy.

6. Gratitude is the greatest lesson in cultivating a happy life.

Traveling with my niece underscored for me the importance of instilling the character traits of empathy and gratitude into the next generation. With Ana, we talked about the wealth disparities we saw and the places we visited. Seeing how hard parents in Laos had to work to send their child to the most basic schooling gave her a tangible appreciation for her educational opportunities. She saw the long, long hours farmers put in to grow the rice and coffee that fill our tables in the West, hours spent making a living wage that barely supports their most basic needs. Practicing gratitude is not exclusive to travel, but long-term travel cultivates lessons in thankfulness and instills the practice deep into your life.

7. Eat the street food.

Sampling the local street eats in a new place is actually cautioned against in some guidebooks. For shame. While there are definitely precautions you have to take eat safely in some places, the flavors, freshness, conversations, and friendships formed on tiny plastic stools sitting at rickety tables behind steamy hot street food stalls are many of my greatest memories. It’s worth it.

8. Always carry travel medicine.

It can save your life… especially if you eat the street food. ;-)

9. Lessons come from unlikely places and unlikely people.

I have spent hundreds of hours in deep conversations with strangers on buses, trains, and planes all over the world. Each new person offered a fascinating story, a nugget of wisdom, or a nuance of the local culture. Through these conversations I learned a great respect for how different our lives can be, but even more the shared commonalities. Travel made me face my arrogant notions of book smarts and instead look at each new conversation and experience as a chance to learn something new.

10. The developing world is more modern than you think.

Though I have seen great poverty and wealth disparities on my travels, it is the modernity of foreign places that surprised me most when I left to travel. Bangkok, Thailand has some of the most spectacular glass malls in the world—a dozen floors of haute couture, trendy restaurants, and enormous cinemas. Cellphones are ubiquitous the world over, a fact surprising to many