Exploring Paris

Author: Anna Mathis | Major: Agriculture Communications, Agriculture Leadership | Semester: Falll 2023

Ciao from Roma! I’m about halfway through my study abroad semester here in Italy, and I feel like I’m already a professional travel agent and problem solver. Before studying abroad I knew I wanted to travel on the weekends—I just didn’t really know where to begin with booking and planning. After six trips here, I’m no professional, but I’d like to think I’m the level under professional, whatever that is. I’m dedicating this blog to specific tips that could elevate your study abroad weekend trip or next international vacation! Most of these tips were learned the hard way, as most good lessons are.

Where do I start?

I always start at Google Flights. Some people recommend just traveling to the cheapest destination; I’d recommend traveling somewhere you actually want to go if it’s a cheap option for the weekend. Here you will price shop, look at different days and times, and play around with the cheapest options. The cornerstone of your trip should be your flight. How do you pick the best flight? Here are things to consider:

• Cheap international airlines will always have extra hidden fees. Just because it says $100 on the website doesn’t mean it will be. Budget at least $50 more, and even more if you bring carry-on luggage.
• Try to avoid bringing a suitcase (especially with wheels) for that reason. Why? International airline sizing is different, you will be fined if your bag is over the requirements (or it will be checked, increasing chances that it will be lost—it is terrible). Also, cobblestones are not fun. Just don’t do it.
• Cheap international flights don’t usually fly into the main airport, you will most likely be commuting 0.5-1.5 hours to get to the city. What does this mean? Public transportation doesn’t always run early in the morning. Booking a 6 am flight to save money sounds fun, but if you add in 1.5 hours of commuting, planning on public transportation that doesn’t even start running at that time, you’re in trouble.
• If the flight is too expensive that weekend, try a different one. If you can book at least three weeks in advance, it’s usually ideal for pricing.
• If you’re traveling to the UK, budget for time to get through border control.
• I always Google the best way to get from the airport to the city—or I just wait to find those options when I get there (if I have time). In the past I’ve booked a train from the airport to the city to find out the train station wasn’t even at the airport. Usually each airport has a bus that runs straight from the airport to the city and is fairly cheap.

What next?

After booking my flight, I immediately find my hostel. Yes, hostel. If you’re traveling by yourself or up to six people, it’s your best option. I have so many thoughts on hostels, but here are my top suggestions:

• Most important: book hostels that have 24-hour reception. I just got back from a hostel that wouldn’t even wait 15 minutes for me due to a delayed flight, and I had to find another place to stay while having to pay for the originally booked hostel. It is nonnegotiable in my opinion.
• Reviews matter. Saving $15 to book an “okay” hostel is simply not worth it. I try to only book “fantastic” reviews or equivalent, when I didn’t, I regretted it.
• Consider booking your gender type room. As a female, I feel more comfortable in female-only hostels.
• Try booking a hostel close to either the city center or a bus/metro station (bonus if both).
• In the hotter months, if your hostel has AC, that’s an even bigger bonus. When it’s hot with no AC, which is most of Europe, you have to open windows letting in bugs and noise.

The rest

Once I have my flight and hostel, I usually relax for a few days then piece together a loose itinerary. Whether you’re type A or not, traveling to a new country with no idea what to do is just a bad idea. Having potential restaurants and locations of what you want to do is a necessity. Bonus if you’ve mapped out locations close to each other.

• Buy an Apple Air tag (or Android equivalent) right now, put one in every bag. It was the only way I was able to recover my lost luggage in Belgium.
• Google Maps is your friend. You should always map how far the hostel is from the airport, the bus/metro/train station, and the city center. Getting a sense of where things are in your city is so helpful.
• Travel with a wireless phone charger. My phone got water damage in England, and I couldn’t access any phone store at night, and even then, no American insurance plans really translate to Europe. I was only able to charge my phone because I borrowed someone else’s wireless charger as it wouldn’t charge through the port—it was the worst stress of my semester. Bring wireless chargers, mobile chargers, and plug adapters to make sure you always have access to your phone.
• Look up your destination on Instagram and it’s a quick way to find fun/cute/historical places. You usually also find influencer tips which are helpful!
• Don’t push yourself too hard. This is probably the least acted upon advice, but I promise you will have a more enjoyable experience if you allot some downtime at a coffee shop or powernap instead of rushing all day every day.
• Don’t be afraid to solo travel and avoid traveling with people you don’t get along with. That being said, you don’t have to do everything together. Getting to the location as a group then having solo time during the trip is a great and safe way to travel!
• Consider letting Chat GPT plan your trip—it works.

Mostly, the point of the weekend trip is to have fun and experience something new. Don’t feel pressure to travel all the time, spend lots of money, or go with groups you don’t want to. It’s about what you want to do and most important, what you have the capacity for. There are tons of ways to save money like walking instead of taxis, getting food at the grocery store instead of going out, etc. I hope some of these tips help ease the nerves of weekend trips or help supplement your next international travel. The more you travel, the more you learn. Mistakes will be made, but that’s alright! They make for hilarious stories when you get back home.