During my two weeks, I went up and down the UK and to Eastern Europe to visit a friend. I went to Edinburgh by myself for four days and it was a lot of fun. Traveling by oneself is really rewarding and I'm really glad I had the opportunity to do it in the UK. The key is to be a smart traveler and not go out after dark. I went through St. Christopher's Hostels for a place in Edinburgh and it wasn't the nicest place, but it was cheap.
Tips for Traveling Alone:
1. Keep a budget.
2. Don't walk the streets after dark.
3. Try and blend in with the locals.
4. Pack as light as possible!
5. Don't make yourself vulnerable.
Edinburgh was a pretty tourist-friendly place, so it wasn't all that bad. I would be a little more hesitant to go travel in Turkey or someplace in Eastern Europe by myself, but I did have a friend there and that made it a little better. Being alone does get a little lonely, of course, but there is so much to see and I was so glad I got to see what I wanted.
Now that I'm back in the States, I'm going to miss my host mom in Italy, I'm going to miss all the sites in Europe, and I'm going to miss the Tube especially in London, but being abroad has helped me to learn how to deal with different people especially after we all lived together for so long, and how to adapt to new surroundings. I'm so excited for the people who will be going on this program next year. There are so many perks when going abroad and though I want to go back to Europe soon (immediately, might I add), I know it's not going to be the same. Still, I'll have this awesome program to remember Europe by and hopefully make some more memories in that lovely country soon!
