Travel Bound

Travel Bound

By: Lillian Bocquin

If you do one thing in your life, I urge you to go somewhere, anywhere really. Travel is not just for the wealthy or those with less strict schedules. Travel is something that can be useful and something worth pursuing. Find the ways travel can be useful and manageable in your life and don’t miss those opportunities.

The Puerto Rico travel opportunity offered by Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma is something I should have looked over. I didn’t have the money or time, but something kept telling me to try for it anyway. After a little research I learned that it could count toward credits I needed and would have to take in the spring if I did not take them over the winter break. After a little more work I learned about several scholarships offered and was able to receive enough money to pay for more than half of my total trip. I felt very lucky and very excited.

Photo by Meta Carstarphen, student group from 2017 Gaylord Puerto Rico class

However, there was a downside to this experience. Now, I’m addicted to traveling. I love the idea of learning new cultures in different communities, seeing new sites or traditions and meeting people I connect with even though we come from completely different backgrounds. I say this is a “downside” only because that’s how people usually view it; I actually view it as the best possible thing that could have happened to me.

Traveling is depicted as being so difficult to manage or plan, but it doesn’t have to be. It took me about 20 minutes of looking into my trip to learn that it would be a realistic option for a struggling college senior behind on her credits. Not only that, it was a preferable option! I urge everyone to take another look at that dream vacation, or even another look into the next city over, you never know what you could end up falling in love with.

Photo by Lilly, Previous study abroad trip to Italy