How to make the most of cultural experiences in Europe

Kayla Dinsmore studied at the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria in Spain for the Winter 2018 semester. She is a Bachelor of Arts student on the Waterloo campus.

During my semester abroad in Spain, I travelled non-stop. I visited 16 new countries, and two new continents, and every single country taught me something new.

Everyone knows that you’re already traveling TO your study abroad country, but let’s discuss traveling FROM your study abroad country to other parts of the continent. I would like to note that this article will mostly pertain to study abroad in Europe. There are opportunities to travel within other continents, but I can only write about my experience within Europe.

First, let’s discuss the best low-cost carrier option in Europe. Ryanair, in my opinion, is the best option for cheap plane tickets on the continent. The least I paid for a one-way ticket (to Germany) was €19.99. The most I paid for a one-way ticket (to Romania) was €44.

If you study in England, or some of the other cheap bases, you can fly for less than €10 one-way. There are also other low-cost carriers in Europe, such as Vueling, EasyJet, Wow Air and Wizz Air. However, these airlines operate by overcharging for non-essentials. If your carry-on luggage  is oversized, you pay €50. If you didn’t print your boarding pass, or check in online before your flight, you pay €50. Always make sure to read the fine print before buying and always follow the rules!

Next, I will discuss the balance between school and traveling. We all know that studying abroad is for traveling, and school work often takes the back burner. However, you can’t let your desire to travel overtake your ability to study and get your work done. It’s a balance that takes getting used to, but it’s easy to find your groove once you figure out the amount of homework and effort needed for each of your classes.

I scheduled my classes in such a way that I was only on campus two days a week. They were very long days, but it worked for me. However, I think a smarter plan would have been to schedule my classes all in a row: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

Weekend travel is the most expensive travel, so if you have two free consecutive days during the week, you can travel cheaper AND not have to worry about missing classes. Some universities have attendance policies, and others don’t. Always ensure you know exactly how many classes you are allowed to miss, and try not to schedule flights too far ahead; that way you don’t miss important tests and assignments, and you can be more flexible with your travel dates.

Next, budgeting! I’m sure you’re wondering HOW MUCH?! Unfortunately, I don’t have a concrete answer for you. Everyone travels differently and spends their money on different things.

Generally, in Western Europe, budget about €20 a night for a bunk in a shared room in a hostel. Moderate meals with a drink will cost around €15-20, and attraction tickets upwards of €20-30. 

For Eastern Europe, budget about €10 per night (sometimes less!), meals with a drink are generally €5-10, and attraction tickets are almost never more than €5 euros (I paid 16 CENTS for a tower ticket in Ukraine.) Also, always bring your student card. Many places across Europe offer a student discount and it can really add up in savings!

Now, I’d like to talk about some of my favourite destinations that I visited during my semester abroad. As I mentioned before, I visited 16 NEW countries during my time in Europe. I have my favourites and least favourites, and you’ll probably be surprised at which ones were my least favourite!

My first two months in Spain I mostly travelled Western Europe. I visited Italy, Scotland, France, Germany, and other cities in Spain. But after seeing my bank account get smaller and smaller from visiting these expensive destinations I decided I wanted to try some cheaper destinations in central and eastern Europe. What an experience! I visited places like Poland, Ukraine, most of the Balkan countries, and some countries in central Europe (also, Morocco, but it wasn’t cheap).

I had incredible, authentic experiences in these relatively un-travelled places, and my money lasted five times longer than in places like Paris or Rome! The food was delicious, the people were friendly, the nature was untouched, and NO LINES! While in Ohrid, Macedonia, I happened upon an Ancient Greek amphitheatre that was built in 200 B.C., and I was the ONLY person there! I was completely alone in this breathtakingly old piece of Greek history, something that I would have paid €20 and waited four hours to see in Italy or Greece.

You might ask, is Eastern Europe safe? My answer: incredibly safe. As a solo female traveller, I never felt safer than in Eastern Europe. The people were incredibly friendly, and the crime rates are often low in these countries. You’ll meet other brave travellers, looking to explore these underrated countries, and you will make friends along the way!

To finish, traveling while studying abroad can be extremely rewarding, and cheap! I learned so much during my travels outside of my study country, and I did it all solo! I met so many new friends, tried new food, experienced new cultures, and added 16 countries to my list.

It was the most incredible experience of my life (thus far), and I encourage everyone who studies abroad to travel as much they can during their semester!