Get-up-and-go! Try something new this summer

By Denny Hollick [Coordinating editor]

Now that the spring semester is over, many of you may have chosen to take a light course load, or might be taking the Summer off all together. Either way, many people choose to take the Summer to work, save up some cash, or loaf around.

That being said, there is one thing that you should indulge in if you haven’t started already: travel.

With most university students being in their early twenties and many still living at home, it’s much easier to pick up and leave for a bit as opposed to being married with kids, a mortgage and a full time job. This is one of the greatest opportunities that you will have in your life. Living a life without all these burdensome commitments can be a blessing.

About two years ago I decided to “pick-up-and-go.” I caught a flight to Hong Kong by myself, and decided that I was going to live travelling for awhile. It was the best decision that I have ever made in my life. I was gone for 6 months, and since then I’ve made it to 27 different countries. The wanderlust continues to grow.

Travelling is one of those things that, unless you have done it, you can’t explain the exhilarating feeling of total freedom and new experiences. Scuba diving in Thailand, learning Mandrin in Shanghai, trekking through the amazon, and a picnic under the Eiffel Tower are just some of the more memorable experiences I can remember.

And no matter where you go, you always seem to meet new friends. Great friends. Although I went on my trip alone, I can’t think of more than 4 hours that went by where I was actually by myself: I was with people I enjoyed being around. Many of these people, I’d even consider family. We had become so close over our journey.

Not only is it an exhilarating experience, but the amount of character and knowledge you gain from travel is exponential to that of what you might learn in a classroom. Although it was only 6 months that I was gone, it felt like two years because of the enormous amount of knowledge and experiences I had gained.

I know, many of you may want to travel, but have not found the means. It’s much easier than you may think. Much of my travel has been free. There are government programs, volunteer experiences, scholarships, bursaries and work abroad programs that can all fund travel.

Already I’m planning my next trip, where I’ll be working in Quebec for three months, then moving to Benin, Africa for another three. All this is mostly paid for by the government through the program called “Canada World Youth.”

If you want to seek some travel programs, learn how to get a work permit abroad, or other ways to go abroad, check out www.youth.gc.ca.