Traveling By Yourself

Whenever you think of going outside to any place; whether it be to get food, go shopping, or even go for a walk; your first thought is often ‘is there someone who could go with me?’ How many times have your parents or siblings asked you to go run errands with them? They do not need you there to complete the task, but they desire the company. People are beings of community, they enjoy being around others that are like them, it creates a sense of comfort. Yet, what happens when you want to go out one day and your friend has a group project to work on? What happens when you want to go try new foods, but your friend group is full of picky eaters? You cannot be afraid to go out and explore by yourself. When you are studying abroad, your class schedules will not always match up to the schedule of the people you know. This does not mean that you will always be by yourself, but it does mean that sometimes you must venture out alone.

My school schedule abroad ends my school day at 2pm, most days of the week. Many of the people that I know prefer later classes, so that they do not have to wake up early. I prefer to have the rest of day to do whatever I please. Study abroad only lasts so long, and if I continue to wait for my friends to join me any place I go, I will not get to do much. And there is always the prospect of meeting someone new while you are out.

In Korea, I have gone shopping, sightseeing, and even enjoyed the nightlife by myself. While shopping, I have met people at stores that have the same interests as me. Like buying a new album that has just dropped and trading cards with the other people there for that album drop. This can lead to new friends to hang out with, or even someone to eat lunch with.

Sadly, many restaurants in Korea only offer large portions of food, meant for sharing with others. There are also places that you cannot eat at unless there are at least two people. So, traveling alone is not always ideal. The feelings that might come about seeing others hanging out with others, or just the sheer number of couples present around you, can lead to you not wanting to travel alone again, but I believe that sometimes it is nicer.

There are tons of nice people in Korea, willing to answer a question you might have or take your picture for you. Some things you will miss out on or just never experience if you do not go off on your own and explore.