Travel has become more than simply visiting new places for me. It has become a way to step outside of the environment I am used to and experience different cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives firsthand. Traveling through Europe has especially pushed me to become more independent and curious about the world beyond the United States. From navigating unfamiliar cities on my own to experiencing different approaches to food, transportation, history, and everyday life, each trip has taught me something that I could not have learned in a classroom. These experiences have also made me think more seriously about what kind of life I want for myself in the future and how much of the world I still want to explore.
Growing up, international travel was not something my family could always afford. As a family of five, traveling anywhere could become expensive quickly, and going overseas was an even bigger commitment. Because of this, traveling internationally felt much more distant to me as a child than it does today. I was interested in seeing other parts of the world, but I did not grow up constantly traveling from country to country. That has made the opportunities I have had as I have gotten older feel even more meaningful.
When I was 18, I took my first major step toward traveling independently when I went to Rome by myself. I spent five weeks there volunteering with cats through International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). It was also my first experience realizing that I was capable of living independently in a completely unfamiliar environment. Suddenly, I had to navigate a foreign city, adapt to cultural differences, meet people I had never known before, and create a routine thousands of miles away from home.
Spending five weeks in Rome was very different from simply visiting somewhere for a few days. I had enough time to become familiar with the city and experience aspects of everyday life rather than seeing everything exclusively through the perspective of a tourist. I became more comfortable navigating public transportation, walking through unfamiliar neighborhoods, and figuring things out for myself when I did not immediately know what to do. There is a particular kind of confidence that comes from being alone in another country and realizing that you can handle situations without relying on someone else to guide you. While Rome was my home base during those five weeks, I also used the opportunity to explore beyond the city. I traveled to other parts of Italy, including Milan, Florence, and Pompeii, which allowed me to see how much history, culture, and everyday life could vary even within the same country. I also took a weekend trip to Switzerland, visiting Lugano, Zurich, and Lucerne. Being able to travel between cities and even cross into another country made Europe feel much more accessible to me and sparked an even greater desire to continue exploring it.
That experience also changed the way I thought about Europe. Instead of seeing it as somewhere distant that I might occasionally visit on vacation, I began to imagine what it would actually be like to spend longer periods of my life abroad. I became increasingly interested in the differences between European and American cities, particularly the way many European cities are designed around walking and public transportation. I also became interested in the individual identities of different European countries. Europe may appear relatively small on a map compared with the United States, but crossing a border can mean encountering a completely different language, history, cuisine, architecture, and culture.
Since that first solo experience, traveling has become one of the main ways I challenge myself. Every new destination requires me to become comfortable with some level of uncertainty. I have had to navigate train systems I had never used, communicate across language barriers, plan itineraries, manage money, and occasionally change plans when something goes wrong. Traveling alone has also taught me that independence does not mean everything will always go perfectly. Instead, it means developing enough confidence in yourself to respond when it does not.
Travel has also made me more curious rather than making me feel as though I have already seen enough. The more places I visit, the more aware I become of how enormous and diverse the world actually is. Visiting one European country often makes me curious about the countries surrounding it. Seeing one city makes me wonder how people live elsewhere. I have learned that even places located relatively close to one another can have completely different histories, social norms, political cultures, and ways of life.
Most importantly, traveling has expanded my idea of what my own future could look like. Growing up in the United States, it was easy to assume that my adult life would naturally remain here. Spending time abroad challenged that assumption. I have become increasingly interested in studying, working, and potentially living abroad for longer periods of time. Even if I ultimately remain in the United States, I want international experiences to continue being a meaningful part of my life.
For me, expanding my horizons does not mean simply adding more countries to a list. It means continuing to put myself in environments that are unfamiliar enough to challenge the way I think. The 18-year-old who traveled alone to Rome was taking a major risk compared with what I had previously experienced. Looking back, that decision opened the door to a much larger curiosity about Europe and the world. There are still countless places I have never been, cultures I know little about, and experiences that are completely unfamiliar to me. Rather than finding that intimidating, I find it exciting. Traveling has taught me that the world I grew up knowing is only one small part of what is possible.
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By Aaron Newman
Aaron Newman is an Education Studies major based in Fort Lauderdale, he writes about relationships, entertainment and fashion. He also writes about the hardship and being optimistic about his struggles and looking forward to the present and future.
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