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Bucketlist Bri

Bucketlist Bri

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How To Travel While In College

Last Updated: October 20, 2021 · Travel Tips

Being in college as a student, whether that be part-time or full-time, is one of the utmost stages in life that is best for traveling opportunities.  Nope, I’m not kidding.

Guess what? Every country (except for 3) I’ve traveled to in my young 22 years of age has been during my student years.  That = 13 countries (all in the past 3 years!)

And it’s all thanks to my study abroad year in France.  I have met countless people who have studied abroad, thought about studying abroad, who wanted to, who were scared to, nervous, excited, and the list goes on.

But there’s one thing that they all had in common: opportunity.

They each had the opportunity to travel abroad, but not everyone chose to pursue it for their own reasons.

And those who did, well, let’s just say they had the time of their life.

Table of Contents show
How to Travel While in College
Money ?
Family ?
Fear of change / the unknown ?
Work ?
School ?
Prioritize & Organize
Keep Abroad in Mind
Take that First Step

How to Travel While in College

Do you want to see the world, or don’t you? Answer your impulse, answer the question – within 5 seconds. Go. 5, 4, 3, 2…1…..   If you are still reading this article then I imagine your answer is “Yes.”

If that’s the case then ask yourself, what’s stopping you?

Money ?

I didn’t have any money and I still don’t.  But money should not stop you.  The goal is to just get there. You don’t need a fancy apartment to live in and you certainly don’t need to sport the latest European trends.  Be you.  Be broke.  After all, it is the best way to travel, in my opinion.  Get the ticket – that will be the most expensive thing on your list of travel to-dos.  Once you are there (wherever it may be; Europe, Asia, US..) the possibilities for cheap and adventurous travel are endless.

Family ?

Leaving behind your family and friends is not easy to do.  But, it’s worth it (love you mom…). Maybe it’s the first time you have ever left home.  Scary, right?  Well, think about how much scarier it is to never leave home.   Adventure awaits!  Travel is about meeting people and making great friendships, and then having to say see ya later, bye-bye for now, tootaloo.  And that is okay. 

It will be okay, I promise. J You will cherish the diverse people you meet for the rest of your life, even if you never bump into them again. And who knows, some of the people you meet abroad may be a part of your family one day! 😉

Fear of change / the unknown ?

Another thing travel is all about is learning how to overcome your fears of stepping into an unknown culture, with perhaps no previous knowledge of the language, unfamiliar customs, values, traditions, etc.  But isn’t that also the beauty of it?  Adapting to change by first stepping outside of your comfort zone is a surefire way to discovering amazing opportunities and embarking on some unforgettable adventures.

Work ?

“Who needs work anyway?” Just kidding, we all have to work (some) to make (some) money eventually.  Some college students work full-time jobs in addition to being full-time students. 

I completely understand.  I would have been in the same boat if it wasn’t for financial aid that allowed me to shrug off “work”.  Don’t be fooled, I didn’t live off financial aid alone. I did work and I did earn money.  A great way to earn money while in college is to get a job through the university. 

This way you get the same university holidays, unlike if you were, say, for example, working in retail two miles off-campus, in which case you are most likely adding hours during the holidays.  I tutored French to other students through the university and it worked out perfectly and saved me a lot of time and money because “work” was located on campus which I was already at for my classes.  One location = one trip = save gas = save money = save up for travel.

School ?

There are several ways you can incorporate travel to match school.  One way is to do it my way >>> make school about travel.  What the heck are you talking about Brittany?

Okay, find a major(s) that you love —language (like me, woo!), arts, history, science, biology, psychology, business and administration. 

Okay great. Guess what, you’re in luck because those fields exist abroad, too.  So study abroad! Do not make school the reason why you don’t pursue your wanderlust. While I was tutoring other students French, I always told them about my study abroad year in France and asked if they had planned on going somewhere during their undergrad.  Most of them said yes, but others said “Ah, I’d love to, but I just can’t…ya know…School.” Excuuuusseeee me? What did you say?

Don’t make that same mistake.  School is a gateway to a plethora of travel opportunities.  Do an exchange, no matter what your major is there is a university abroad that will offer similar classes that you can get credit for. Don’t have the freedom to go away for a whole year? Do a semester! A summer program!  Put in the effort, apply, and fill out those darn applications and just go! You won’t regret it.  In fact, the biggest and most common regret among adults today is that they never pursued their study abroad opportunities whilst in college.

Have another area in life that is potentially stopping you from traveling abroad while in college? Let me know and I’ll do my best to give you advice.

  • First destination of our Eurotrip - Paris! Bits of Bri

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Prioritize & Organize

Traveling abroad doesn’t organize itself.  You need to put in the effort. 

Plan ahead, at least a semester or two.  I took my whole junior year and devoted it to my study abroad; I left May 2013 and did a summer program in one part of France until mid-July when I moved to the next city, Lyon, where I stayed for two academic semesters before leaving to backpack Europe for one month.

So prioritize the money you make by putting some aside for when it’s travel time.  Organize and do a bit of planning ahead.  This is also the perfect time to apply for those grants and scholarships for study abroad.

Keep Abroad in Mind

Think about where you are going and where you want to go.  Is living abroad a good fit for you?  Then pursue programs abroad.  I am currently living in Nepal because I found an interesting Masters’s program here.  Now I’m in a hotspot for traveling Asia, eventually.   Keep in mind that where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Volunteer abroad.  My roommate at the moment tells me awesome stories about her volunteer experience living in Kenya for fourth months.

Work abroad.  Teach English in Japan, Vietnam, Spain, France, etc.; the options are endless, just search for them.

Intern abroad.  Similar to working abroad, an internship is a great way to go live abroad in a country for a couple of months.  Just find a paying internship (harder to come by), but if you do you’re in luck. Internships often lead to contracts, so maybe you’ll end up working abroad anyway.

Holiday/work abroad.  Have you ever heard of a work/holiday visa?  Well, they are the greatest things ever.  You can work up to 20 hours/week to sustain yourself, but the main goal is to just be on holiday and travel.  Jump from fun, boring, temporary jobs; farming, bartending, whatever is it, make some money and move on.  Just for the record – I am definitely doing this in New Zealand. And, well, you should too.

Wherever you want to go in the world believe that there is a way to get there, because there is. You just have to find it. Ask me about my job(s) in France and Nepal.

Take that First Step

Sometimes the hardest part is the beginning.  It’s like when you have a term paper due the next day but all you can do is fill in your name, class, professor, and date in the top left corner with “enter witty title here” a few lines below and center.  But once you start it gets easier.  Well, it’s more or less the same thing with travel.  Just start.  Just go.  Just do.  Just live.  Just travel.  Just live.  Just love.  Just enjoy.

Take advantage of your youth, of your situation, of your education.  And above all, make your education more than learning from books, go live and learn from the world; from amazing countries, places, museums, people, bars, concerts, shows, games, restaurants, clubs, beaches, mountains, deserts, casinos, art exhibits, everywhere and anywhere there will be lessons in disguise, people to learn from, experiences to share, and opportunities to grasp.  So GO! What are you waiting for!?

Hi there! Thanks so much for reading and following BB. I hope you could benefit from this blog post! If so, share the love by letting me know!  If (me) sharing my experiences (with you) makes you want to just get up and go travel and satisfy your wanderlust, then that means I must be doing something right. 

By: Bri · In: Travel Tips

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I’m Bri, an adventurous digital nomad living abroad full-time since 2015. It is my hope to inspire you to live a life of adventure, seek out meaningful experiences, and travel slowly and mindfully!

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Dear me, thank you 🥰 This is your sign to tak Dear me, thank you 🥰 

This is your sign to take yourself to your dream destination (even—or especially—if you have to go solo!) ✨✨✨

Follow along to see my adventures in Japan! 🇯🇵 

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Memories from Morjim, Anjuna, & Panjim (Goa, India Memories from Morjim, Anjuna, & Panjim (Goa, India) 🇮🇳 

1. Waiting on India's first digital nomad conference to start! (CYF CON) 

2a. The funkiest hippie/night market in Anjuna

2b. Overlooking the beautiful and historic Panjim (the capital of Goa) 🌴

2c. One of the oldest + most popular Portuguese Baroque-style chapels in Goa (Lady of Immaculate Conception, Panjim)

3. I specifically requested a yellow scooter just so I could take a picture like this lol 🛵

4a. Kitty portrait inside a really cool speakeasy

4b. Feeling cute at the cutest little outdoor gin cocktail bar 

4c. Sunset over Chapora Bay + Arabian Sea

4d. Nightlife / beach shacks on Arpora 

5. Looking out at the sea from atop the ruined Chapora Fort

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9b. Local Goans + holy cow walking on Mandrem beach at sunset 🌅 

10. Enjoying our stay at the lovely  @anamivagoa 

PS. All of these memories and experiences wouldn’t have been possible without @nurall_co 💛 Nurall's next remote work retreat is in KHAO LAK, THAILAND 🇹🇭this July 2023 (cost: $900 USD only). Comment or DM me for an extra 5% off if you’re interested in signing up!

#goa #indiatraveldiaries #morjim #anjuna #panjim #slowtravel #remoteworklife #nomadiccreators #digitalnomadgirls
Whether its for adventure, community, or leveling Whether its for adventure, community, or leveling up your business, a digital nomad / remote work retreat is one of the best ways to work remotely and travel! 💻✈️

I’ve rounded up some of the best curated trips and retreats out there in my latest blog post (🔗 in bio to check it out!) 

Featured in my guide are:

@nurall_co 
@beunsettled 
@minoma.co 
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Types of experiences you could discover with these guys range from training for 🥊 Muay Thai in Khao Lak, Thailand (@nurall_co co) to 🥾 hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain (@beunsettled) to ⛺️ camping out in the desert of Morocco (@minoma.co), and more!

WHY JOIN A NOMAD / REMOTE WORK RETREAT? 👇

Retreats offer curated itineraries/experiences designed to bring you epic adventures in bucket list destinations, plug you into the local scene, and collab with like-minded souls — all while leveling up your business/entrepreneurial skills and remote lifestyle and giving you creative space to cowork in beautiful places. 🤗

On a digital nomad retreat, you might...

💡Strike a new business idea
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🌿 Build a new brand from scratch
💃 Change directions completely in your personal life
🧘‍♀️ Strengthen your sense of self, confidence, and spirituality

These are just examples of the very many outcomes you could gain from attending a digital nomad retreat.

In short, these programs have the power to evoke positive change in your life and, more often than not, your investment is rewarded handsomely (in more ways than one). ✌️

I’m long-time digital slomad, but after discovering Goa, India with @nurall_co I’m most definitely going to attend more retreats like this in the future! ✨✨

*Not spons, btw! Just sharing ways you can find a community of digital nomads, whether you want to be one or already are one! 👩🏼‍💻💛

My blog guide shares the deets about price, location, etc — go check it out and save this reel! ✨

#digitalnomads #remoteworkandtravel #grouptravel #grouptrip #remoteworklife #laptoplifestyle #digitalnomadgirls
< 1 week until we get to do this again! Adventur < 1 week until we get to do this again! 

Adventures await us in our beasty 1990 Roadtrek 🚐🌲🥾 — she’s been sitting out winter in Washington while we tanned our toes in Mexico 🇲🇽 

I’ve never been able to choose between the mountains ⛰️ and the sea 🌊 … you? 

Tell me what kind of summer you’re manifesting in the comments! 🧡

#vanlife #summeriscoming #granolagirl #roadtrek #pnwadventures #outdoorsy #homeiswhereyouparkit
And... WE’RE LIVE!! 🚀 I’m stoked (read 90 And... WE’RE LIVE!! 🚀 

I’m stoked (read 90% nervous, 10% excited), to share that @slomadstories is officially OUT THERE! 

I actually had the first episode published on April 4th, but was too shy to share about it until now. 

But, as you’ll hear when you tune in... (🥳) this podcast isn’t just about highlighting raw, meaningful stories of adventure by ordinary people who seek an extraordinary life — YES, it’s mostly about that — but the very heart of this podcast is about DOING things despite how much they SCARE you or thrust you into the UNKNOWN.

I’ve always *tried* to live my one very short life by seeking to know, chasing curiosity, and jumping headfirst into the journey. 

— This podcast is simply a new endeavor, a new project that WILL NOT stop whispering at my heart. I’ve been trying to deny this urge, this tug, for so long! The whispers started in 2020 when a person who I thought would become a close friend bailed on the idea to start one together. So I let the idea go, for a while. But then it came back twice as strong in 2022, when I was living as a temporary nomad in Portugal for two months. It was there that I had my podcast cover art designed. That was already 1.5 years ago! 

Life passes us by...

We hear the whispers, we see the project coming to life in our heads, we feel the pull...

But we say no over and over again, and we make very legitimate excuses, until ultimately, the idea, the spark, the magic, fades; it chooses someone else to birth the idea and manifest itself into creation (something I learned reading “Big Magic” by Liz Gilbert, it’s amazing, go read it!). 

I have no idea why I felt the need to start a podcast, it’s not like I am already juggling enough.

But I wanted to, for me.

For you ✨ 

For everyone who ever chased that feeling, that tug. 

Because that?? 

That’s been my life for the last decade. I moved abroad countless times — and stayed — from Nepal to Mexico and beyond, and I would’ve never done ANY of it if I had not listened to the whispers.

This podcast is about continuing in the pursuit of the unknown, seeking more, and taking decisive action.

Welcome to Slomad Stories, & thank you for being here. 🧡

Xx,
Bri
MINI GUIDE TO JIUFEN 🏮🇹🇼👇 🍡 Explor MINI GUIDE TO JIUFEN 🏮🇹🇼👇

🍡 Explore Jiufen Old Street and try local street food (The taro balls came highly recommended! We ate giant pork buns, xiao long bao dumplings, and a vegan pork noodle dish!) 

🍵 Visit the iconic A-Mei Tea House for traditional tea ceremony and sweets (a bit touristy, but worth it for the views imo)

🐉 Pick up some of the magic of “Spirited Away” in the shops (there are so many souvenirs and Studio Ghibli themed goods)

⛰️ Hike to the top of Keelung Mountain for a fun and sweaty adventure (go before sunset and go prepared for thousands of steps, lol)

🏮Wander through the narrow alleyways — explore away from Old Street!! 

⛏️ Learn about the town’s history at the Jiufen Gold Mine Museum — you can take night tours for a small fee or organize them through your hotel

🎭 Visit the two-story historic Shengping Theater, an abandoned cinema that provides a glimpse into Jiufen’s past

💦 Explore the nearby Golden Waterfall (10 minute drive)

Most people only come to Jiufen for a couple of hours to stroll through Old Street and take a photo of the teahouse since it evokes the bathhouse in Spirited Away🏮🐉 with its architecture and lanterns. But DON’T make the mistake of coming only for a day!! 

There is so much to do in Jiufen, even though we stayed 2 nights in the town (highly recommend), we wished we had stayed longer. 🥹

Oh yeah, and BRING AN UMBRELLA!! ☔️ Or don’t, the locals will give you one out of the goodness of their hearts (our hosts were the sweetest!!) ❤️

Save this to your Taiwan bucket list, pass this reel along to a friend, anddd check out my blog @bucketlistbri .com for more adventures abroad! 💃

#discovertaiwan #jiufen #spiritedaway #northtaiwan #asiatravel #travelbucketlist #jiufenoldstreet
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