Light Write: How to travel for FREE

Friday, June 9, 2017

How to travel for FREE

Sometimes I get stressed about travel decisions. Should I go somewhere new? I love all the places I've already been! I must go again! There are many new places to explore!

Yeah yeah #firstworldproblems but seriously.

2017 winner: It's a repeat! Spain, wrap me up in your olive and jamón filled embrace!

Traumatic side story: While walking around Madrid I realized it was my Middlebury ten year anniversary. I froze in the middle of the street and had a one person freak out/class reunion. Ten year old kids, who are now walking around, talking, doing all kinds of stuff, were born when I studied in Madrid. I might as well die now.

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Actually, what I've mostly been thinking about is the best way to travel.

Here is a list of ways to travel that are not the best:
large tour groups
cruises
Las Vegas

Those are the main ones I can think of right now.

Calm down. There aren't wrong ways to travel. But booking a flight and visiting a city's highlights is literally the easiest thing to do. Again, nothing wrong with this. Chill out.

Slice me some jamón!

When I think of my most memorable trips, they all involve unique connections to the destination. Meeting or visiting people who live there... Joining some normal, local activity... Looking like an overly eager foreigner trying to blend in...

'But, wait, I don't understand. Can you please give an example?'

- 'Why yes. Yes I can.'

I recently volunteered with an organization called Pueblo Inglés. They run English immersion programs for professionals from all over Spain. English speaking volunteers come and spend the week speaking a whole bunch of English.

You guys, it was so much fun.

Here is how many exclamation points worth of fun it was:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There were tons of games and activities: 1-to-1 conversations, group discussions, team challenges, trivia, theater skits... As other volunteers pointed out, it was like summer camp.

Summer camp is way more fun as an adult.

Kid campers lack the life experience to fully appreciate camp. Their days already predominately consist of planned activities. And there's usually at least some preoccupation with looking cool and is ______________ noticing said coolness.

As an adult you realize being a kid is amazing. You've faced the chilly abyss of grown up responsibilities and there is no way you're passing up an opportunity to play the heck out of some games while someone else manages mealtime. Not to mention, it's been clear for awhile that looking cool is not going to happen for you.

The program also involved hearing ourselves talk a lot, explaining funny expressions like 'kick the bucket', and exploring La Alberca, a really charming area about 4 hours west of Madrid.

Above all, spending a week with 30 great people = new friendships and learning more about the world. I was amazed at how quickly students' English improved after only a few days. It inspired me to get my Spanish going again, but then I came home and naps.

Here are more pics. La Alberca: hasta la próxima!