spontaneity

If there’s anything I learned from studying abroad last year, it’s that planning and preparing for any kind of travel is good, but ultimately, flexibility will be your best friend. The most notable time that my friends and I were taught this lesson was on a bitterly cold day in Munich, Germany. We had devised a strategy to catch a train to Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, later take a different train back to Munich, and then ride to Vienna that evening. Despite the chill, we were all excited for the day’s coming events.

For Brooke Jacobson, travel is a way of life. When she was sixteen, she kept track of her travels on a small globe. One day, her mom saw it and expressed amazement at how many places Jacobson had already visited. Jacobson responded sadly, saying, “I know. There are so many places I still haven’t been!”