Globalization has put the Internet in nearly all corners of the world and unlimited information at our fingertips. Just like spending your life watching other peoples’ lives on reality television, you can virtually travel the world while sitting on your couch. But why would you want to do either of those things? On average a couch is 2 meters long where as the Earth’s land masses total 149 million kilometers. If you stay on your couch, you are only exploring .000000000013% of what this world has to offer! That fraction of a number doesn’t include the endless possibilities of what one could discover in the all of the Earth’s water masses (oceans, rivers, lakes, etc).
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| The world is huge! |
WHERE: where you want to go;
WHAT: what you want to do;
WHO: who you want to do all of this with.
WHERE do you want to go?
This is where your planning begins. The questions is simple…where do you want to go? There are seven continents with 195 independent countries (as recognized by the US Department of State) but this list does not included territories that are ‘debated’ such as Western Sahara and Palestine.
Obviously some places are much more accessible, populated, and have a very similar to life style to that in the United States or other developed countries. Other destinations lack access to clean potable water, all inclusive resorts on the beach and over half of the population may live on less than $1.25/day. These are all facts that you must take into account – what sort of ‘trip’ are you trying to plan? Vacation, backpacking/solo travel, mission/volunteer work, etc.
Start your basic research.
- Google is a great place to start, it's a wonderful tool. Learn to use it and learn to love it. Type in the country/area/region that you are interested in. Explore. Click the “Images” and “News” icons in the tool bar. This is the fun part, seeing photos, skimming sites for more information and narrowing your search down. Be sure to read, or at least look at 10+ websites to get a good idea of what is in store for you when you arrive at your potential destination. Try different key words and feel free to get clicker crazy. Use the right of your mouse while opening websites in a different tab, that way you can open 10-15 without loosing your initial search.
- The CIA World Factbook has very practical and literal information on countries with topics such as government, people & society and economy. It is not a website that you will help you plan your trip, but it has a lot of background information which could help with safety issues. Historical research and current local news papers are always a good idea to read before setting off on your adventure.
- Read blogs and travel magazines that have information on people who have traveled to the place(s) your are interested in, get a real life perspective on what it’s like there.
- Make use of your 'bookmark' tool. Start a new folder on each different place you are interested in to keep organized. Delete and add resources as necessary.
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| Example of bookmark menu |
There are millions of things you can do while abroad. What you want to do abroad depends on your personality and what you are expecting to get out of the trip. Ask yourself, once you get off the couch…what do you want to do? Relax, party, vacation, work, volunteer, solo travel, backpacking, group travel, eco-tourism, learn, explore, and more.
- If you have an idea of what you want to do, add that into the Google search bar. i.e.: volunteering in South America or backpacking in Australia
- Once you have virtually explored your potential destination you may want to use “quotes” to help your search be more specific (IF necessary).
i.e.: “NGOs in Peru”, “business internship in Scotland”, “all inclusive” “beach resort” in Cyprus, “hiking” tours in “Italy”, “Overland” group travel through “Africa”.
- Send emails to these organizations/groups to get more information.
- Keep using that bookmark tool!
WHO you want to do this with?
This may quite possibly be the most important questions you ask yourself. Who you surround yourself with while abroad makes a huge impact on the enjoyment of your trip. Maybe you have a group of friends or a significant other that your want to travel with, either way, make sure all parties are on the same page with the destination and purpose of the trip. You don't want to make plans with Debbie-Downer or Flakey-McGuee.
1. Group Travel: It has many perks, especially for someone who isn't ready for independent travel. You will save a lot of time and planning because the company/organization you book with usually has an itinerary planned out. You meet awesome people from around the world, obviously you must have somethings in common if ya'll are on the same trip! There are many organizations online, here are few to get you started:
- EF College Break
- Imaginative Traveler
- Intrepid Travel
- Oasis Overland
- In a Google search, you can find thousands more by searching your country/region of choice and key words like “tours”, “group travel”, “overland”, “tourism” etc.
2. Solo Travel: It can be a daunting idea, but solo travel is the most rewarding. Another perk: you have no one to answer to but yourself. You don't have to consult with anyone, and your plans can change on the drop of a dime. This can be more dangerous (especially for women) so be sure you are prepared.
- Research, research and more RESEARCH.
- Lonely Planet has phenomenal guide books and resources on their website.
- Rough Guide books also have a great reputation. Regardless of which brand of guide books you choose, it is a VITAL purchase and will make planning and arrival much more enjoyable.
- There are hundreds of online forums with independent travelers such as yourself – they are your best resource not only for pre-departure planning but also while traveling. Once abroad, things will flow and work out the way they are supposed to work out. Don’t stress about what hotel you will be staying at on the 15th night, it will work out!
JUST DO IT: TRAVEL!
Sign up, buy a ticket, make reservations, apply, take time at work off, tell your friends and family – whatever it is you need to do to commit… DO IT! The hardest part is diving in, taking the plunge and making the commitment, but you must do it! Once you sign up you will think “oh wow, now I really DO have to do this” and you will.
Make a budget:
This is a very important and useful step. Creating a budget will help you plan accordingly. How much money you will need, how long that will take you to save, and it is very encouraging because you will see instant progress in saving to meet your goal.
- Excel is user friendly and easily accessible by most computer users. Any spread sheet program will work.
- There are many things you will need to account for in your travel budget. Major expenses include: airfare, travel insurance (highly recommended), passport, lodging, food/drinks, in country transportation, spending money, etc. Some things that depend on the destination and length of stay include: visa fees, extra money saved for bills at home, program fees, etc.
- Keep in mind that this budget will be added to and altered several times before departure and possibly while abroad.
- Besides the obvious, budgets can include the following: extra money for bills (while abroad), savings so that when you return from abroad you have a some "cushion" money, and maybe extra spending money. You might want to detail how you are paying for things with two forms of payments: cash (meaning all paid off) and credit (put on my credit card to pay off at a later date). Putting vacations or overseas adventures on a credit cards is not advised unless you are very responsible with you money and know that it will paid off ASAP. Debt = not good.
- There are few things worse than being stuck in a foreign country with no money. Budget, budget, budget..plan, plan, plan!
Motivation and saving:
There are many ways to stay motivated while planning and preparing your adventure. Usually, saving money is the hardest part!
- Cut unnecessary spending. This is easier said than done. First, identify your expenses…where is all of your money going? Then prioritize them and figure out which things you don’t really need. Maybe you go out to dinner more than once a month, maybe you have a cell phone plan that has unlimited everything and is very expensive, maybe you have a shopping habit. Whatever it is, figure it out and cut spending!
- Pick up an extra part time job! I'm sure you are thinking "I don't have time for a part time job" Maybe you go to school and already and/or have a job...No excuses, pick up a part time job! The more you work, the more money you make and the less time you have to spend that money!!
- Open a new bank account. Go to a new bank and open a savings and/or checking account for your “travel funds”. If your new part time job offers direct deposit, sign up and link it to your new Travel Savings account. DO NOT get a debit card linked with this account (that will only lead to spending). Put all extra cash in this fund.
- If you work in customer service and receive tips, start to take out a set amount (50%, $25, etc) every shift and deposit it directly into your new account. Don’t hold the money at home: out of sight, out of mind.
- Print out a couple of pictures of your destination and tape them onto your debit and credit cards to discourage spending. If you habitually shop online, put a sticker note on your computer that promotes saving money.
- If you have time to shop online, watch TV, or knit, you have time to work more hours at your job(s). ALWAYS pick up shifts (if possible) and let your co-workers know you want more hours. Even check out Craigslist for small jobs in your community such as helping an elderly woman clean her garage for one afternoon.
- Deposit cash, keep your debit and credit cards at home! If you don’t have access to the money, you can't spend it!
- Sell old stuff you don't use or need! Again, Craigslist is a great place to sell things. Especially if you are going abroad long term, you won't need your bed, desk, dresser, car or other items for a long time.
Make a timeline with ‘strict’ deadlines:
Now you know roughly how much you need to in order to make your trip possible and you are cutting spending to save money.
- Be realistic in your departure date. Sometimes setting a date a year in advance is the best way to do it – it gives you a year to save money and plan. Other times, people will have some extra money saved or will come into new money and the trip will be more of a ‘spur of the moment’ adventure which is planned a month, week or just days before departure. Whatever you choose, stick to it!
- Make small savings goals. For example, if the round trip plane ticket costs $700, try to have that paid for in the first 2 months of saving (whatever is best for you, your budget and your life).
Scholarships/Grants/Fundraising:
Depending on your purpose of travel, you may very well be able to get help in paying for your trip. A little bit of hard work and yet, more research can go a long way. Grants, scholarships and fundraising are mostly reserved for those doing volunteer type work and not for those going to have fun on vacation.
- If you are studying abroad, there are literally thousands of scholarships ranging from $100-$10,000 which you can apply for. Scholarships mostly depend on your program location, the university you study at, and your planned courses of study. Some popular scholarships include: The Gilman International Scholarship and The Boren Award. Visit your campus's Study Abroad office or The Institute of International Educational for more information on studying abroad and funding.
- There are also organizations that support motivated volunteers who are trying to make the world a better place. Again, Google is a great place to search. Google is your best friend, searching for hours on end using "quotation marks" and a variety of key words in searches will yield promising results. There are tons of grants and scholarships out there - some are very specific to the type of work you are doing - search high and low.
- Travel agencies give discounts to those who chose to travel to do goodwill/mission work. Fly For Good and Golden Rule Travel are two I have worked with.
- Nothing beats the support of family and friends. Websites such as Kickstarter, You Caring, Go Get Funding, and IndieGoGo allow you to create your own "cause" or "project" that people can view online and donate towards your trip. This sort of fundraising is usually for volunteers. You can also draft a much more personal 'fundraising letter' which you can selectively send to local businesses, family, friends, and large organizations such as the The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or even Oprah!
- Wealthy parents, grandparents or other family/friends? Ask them for a plane ticket as a birthday or Christmas gift - it never hurts to ask :) Instead of getting gifts that won't be useful (candles, new shoes, Starbucks gift certificates ) ask for them to buy small parts of your trip instead. i.e.: travel insurance, visa fees or other program fees.
- Make sure you always write a "Thank You" letter to those who have donated towards your trip and have helped you to make it possible. It shows your appreciation and also makes them more inclined to help others or help you again in the future.
- This is why planning far in advance is recommended. Be sure to give yourself enough time to save and earn money! Many scholarships and grants have deadlines so start the search early!
Now that you see how easy it is to plan and save for any type of trip imaginable, I hope you get off the couch and go explore! PLEASE, contact me with any questions. I am happy to help and inspire others to see the world. Let me know what you think, or if I didn't touch on a subject you think I should have.
Thanks for the fundraising tips! Very helpful. :)
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