Twixt degrees of vacay-tions
Many youngsters from Bengaluru have opted to study abroad as it gives them an opportunity to travel extensively.
Academia isn’t everything. Whether on a scholarship or parents paying for it, including travel on your itinerary, while on a foreign exchange programme from college, enriches the entire experience. After all, travel is more education than vacation.
Karthik Rajagopal, who studied sports journalism at Charles Strut University, feels that understanding the people and culture of various places while on a semester abroad is important.
“Exploring Australia during college breaks, I got to know the place pretty well. I even travelled alone, staying with friends from my University who were in different colleges for their exchange programme. With no restrictions, the traveller in me was ready to explore,” he claims.
Hailing from a middle-class family, Samarth Rao says the only way he has travelled five countries is taking up an exchange programme in Hogskulen I Volda and currently being a resident of EU.
“When I visited the hometown of my classmate from Slovakia, I wasn’t just visiting the popular locations. I got to do small yet very native things of the land that I couldn’t have experienced as a random tourist.” he admits.
A sudden decision to visit Krakow, Poland on a break from college at Hochschule Bremen was how Abhishree started travelling solo.
“On an exchange from a country where girls travelling alone is considered unnecessary and dangerous, there was a weird joy in exploring Europe alone. I learnt to keep myself safe and be more alert. Walking around the city showed me what the city is like and a gist of the life there. For a lover of art and history, Europe is heaven!” she says as she heads off to Prague now that classes are over.
Being a college student also means being broke all the time. “Travelling within Europe doesn’t cost much and with good offers you get to buses for 1 or 2 euros and flights for 10 euros. Buses equipped with toilets, Wi-Fi and charging points also makes it convenient for long journeys. The exchange program has been a blessing for me,” says Clifford Ambler, a filmmaking student at Bremen University of Applied Sciences.
Starting to travel early in life and saying yes to new adventures can prove to be a very rewarding experience.
— Rachana Raj