travel without the 'agent

Other thank my 36 hour trip to Paris, this was my first week-long vacation I had planned sans parental units. It was a big step to say that my girlfriends and I were able to successfully organize all the necessary details to have smooth sailing in Italy. With few hiccups and many smiles along the way, I think it's fair to say that we did a darn good job planning "Italia 2010."

To me, vacations and traveling are most profitable when you go to see the world, appreciate the culture and everyday things of another place, and when you don't forget to take care of yourself. Sleep, proper nutrition, happiness, and safety & security are the necessary components on any trip.

Traveling takes a lot of courage. You put yourself in new environments, leaving whatever comfort zone bubble to which you belong. If you're not careful, you can easily lose your balance from these 4 key categories, and that can really hamper a potentially successful trip. I'm proud of my friends and I: we managed to plan a vacation almost completely on our own, including transportation, hotels, meals, and daily activities.

It's hard to say exactly what is most beneficial about being abroad, but I'd argue that learning about yourself, in whatever many ways we each do as we journey along in a foreign space, is most beneficial. Arguably, the more you expose yourself to, whether that be different lifestyles or different cities, the more room you give yourself to grow.

Before going abroad, I expected the fall break to be a time where I'd see a dozen cities in 10 days. I know people doing that, or at least attempting to through many weekend trips and quick stops in major European cities. To me, having had the time to relax, live the Italian culture for a couple of days, and learn to take responsibility for my own well-being in a different foreign country, was a really great thing. I feel much more accomplished about myself, on a personal, you-can-do-it-girl!, sense than I had ever expected to feel after a week of "vacation from vacation," as Ali often says. Turns out our fall break was as educational as the hours I put in week in and week out. (That's not to say we don't learn from Jean Michel and his warp-speed lectures!)

Do I sound completely vain right now? I'm sorry. But if study abroad is supposed to be an experience, I can tell you that this is one of the most valuable parts of it.