Nicole's Volunteering and Adventures Abroad

After an unfortunate visa mishap while I was attempting to travel to India, I found myself stranded in London for the entire time that I was supposed to be in Bangalore to visit a friend.   I did in fact stress out for a whole day, trying to adjust the remainder of my plans to travel to the Philippines after being in India.   A few hours in an airport and a reassuring call to my parents later, I was in an Uber on my way to a hostel in London.   I had gone through so many countries and through so many experiences that I was actually surprised that a big incident like this did not come on sooner.   The fact that I had been to 7 different countries before running into a major travel problem was impressive, but as all good things do come to an end, I found myself in London of all places ready to start an unplanned adventure.   While at the airport, I contemplated flying back to Paris where I had become comfortable and where my friends and family were,...

* this information was compiled in part from my personal experiences, but now without help and advice from my many friends and family, travelled or not.    I would not have survived this trip without the knowledge shared by others and answers to my many late-night texts and questions.    Thank you to all who gave me recommendations of places to go, things to do, and who supported me during my journey.   1. Check for visa entry requirements into whatever country you decide to go to, regardless of if you think you know the requirements or not.   There is nothing worse than purchasing a flight and being denied a boarding pass because you cannot get into the country. 2. If you’re staying long, buy a Lonely Planet guide for the country/region.   Most Lonely Planet guides can be purchased on Amazon or at a bookstore and you will be glad you got it.   Lonely Planet will give you details about best ways getting to and from airports, how ...

Going to Germany was something I hadn’t done in at least 5 years. Despite having family there, I always find that I don’t visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins often enough.  While I was in Peru, I decided that I wanted to take a path through Germany while I was still in Europe and had free reign over my time.  I booked a train ticket for the end of my stay in Paris and started on my journey to visit family and friends in the beautiful country in the middle of winter. I hopped on a train with my backpack on my back and a croissant in my hand and began my journey early in the morning. My first stop was in Hamburg where I spent nearly a week with some friends Carla and Lotti whom I had met in Peru at the Hogar.  We bonded so much during our time in Peru and had been separated for about a month and a half that we thought a reunion was long overdue.  These two ladies were gracious enough to introduce me to their very generous families and let me stay ...