When I Got Bit (By The Travel Bug)

Four years ago today I left my study abroad program in Florence, Italy. My first time overseas was six weeks in Italy with a weekend in Ireland and another in England. Traveling abroad had intrigued me beforehand, but once I finally did it, I realized the truth to former study abroad students saying, "It's an amazing experience, and I can't really describe it...you just have to do it for yourself."

None of us were ready to leave our temporary European homes on our last day. The night prior, we had a dinner with our whole program.

At dinner as we were taking photos with everyone and having our last sips of wine, we made sure that whatever we were doing after graduation, we would attend the 50-year anniversary celebration in Florence. (I went back to work in Florence for six months after graduation, but unfortunately left a couple of months before the celebration. Very few actually ended up going to the reunion, though).

The dean gave a speech during our meal. He described the past few weeks as an "opalescent dream state."

It was so true. It went by extremely fast - and when I stepped foot back in Seattle, looking around my house through jet-lagged eyes, it was hard to believe it actually happened.

I unzipped my backpack and pulled out a smushed chocolate croissant from the secret bakery the night before.

That weird feeling of Was I really just in Italy less than 24 hours ago? was very present. I had a similar feeling my freshman year of college when I went home for the first time.

However, the croissant was proof that yes, I was halfway around the world a day ago. It actually happened. I did it! I went to Italy! After years of wanting to make it happen, I made it happen.

...Though while I thought the desire to travel would stop there, it definitely did not.

As cliche as it is, studying abroad changed me. My life away from home seemed so different from my life at home, and I knew I'd never approach anything the same way again.

"Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I shall be happily infected until the end of my life." - Michael Palin

Study abroad shaped my life, but my career path as well. If there are any students out there trying to convince their parents to let them go abroad, show them this: every job I've applied for since graduation was influenced by my studying abroad. Every employer for every job I've been offered since graduating college was thoroughly impressed by my international experience, setting me apart from the other candidates.

Without studying abroad, I have no idea where my life would be and for sure know I would never have had a chance at any of those career opportunities. I'm not saying I would not have had career options, but traveling abroad heavily increased my odds at getting jobs where I was lacking in age and "years" of experience.

I have been forever bit by the travel bug. Anyone who has tried to squash their wanderlust with traveling knows that traveling just makes it all the more worse.

The more you travel, the more you crack the surface of complicated intercultural communication.

The more you see, the more you realize that this planet is amazing and needs to be explored firsthand.

Are you aching to see the world? Go abroad. You should absolutely do it. Just know that you'll be forever bit by the travel bug, which is not a bad thing at all.

10 Crazy, Extreme, and Magical Trips To Take When You Study Abroad in Europe

10 Crazy, Extreme, and Magical Trips to Take When You Study Abroad in Europe

One of the best parts about studying abroad in Europe is the close proximity to other countries and cultures. Many students who go abroad travel on the weekends, and some even go somewhere new every weekend! Here's a quick guide for where to go for crazy, extreme, and magical weekends away from your temporary European home.

Craziest Weekend Trips When You Study ABroad In Europe

When you're young and living the time of your life in Europe, a few crazy weekends are bound to happen. Make sure they're the right ones in these awesome cities.

Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows that I LOVE Oktoberfest. It is seriously so much fun. Clink your huge steins with people from every continent at the world's largest beer festival.

Even if you don't like beer or think it sounds lame (gasp), trust me when I say that this experience is completely worth it.

Plus, there are carnival rides outside the tents - could it get any better than that?!

8 Tips For First-Timers at Oktoberfest

Prague, Czech Republic

This slice of Central Europe is not to be overlooked during your time abroad. Not only is it very inexpensive (it's not on the euro), there is everything from cool, underground-scene pubs to over-the-top six-story clubs and ice bars.

Make sure to see if there are also any music festivals happening during your weekend too for a night to remember (....or not).

Budapest, Hungary

This up-and-coming Eastern European city is seriously so cool. Head to the thermal baths during the day and party at the ruins bars at night. Hungarians definitely know how to have a good night out.

The Thermal Bath Experience in Budapest

Barcelona, Spain

The notoriously late nights out are a staple here - you'll find that nights don't get started till after midnight and end during sunrise around 5 or 6 am.

Most Extreme Weekend Trips When You Study Abroad in Europe

Being abroad is the best time to push your comfort zone. What better way to do so than with extreme sports?

Get out there - on the mountains, in the water, wherever - and try something new!

Interlaken, Switzerland

Often dubbed "the adventure capital" of Switzerland, this small town is known for extreme sports.

Summer offers gorgeous views for hiking and winter offers snow sports in the alps. There are many activities to do year-round, including parasailing, sky diving, or canyon jumping.

Scandinavia

Since it likely will take you a little more time to get farther north, this might be better for a long weekend instead of a regular one. It would be worth it nonetheless!

Try your hand at snowmobiling, bobsledding, bungee jumping - this list has countless activities to do. And there's no better place to do it than with naturally stunning Scandinavia as your backdrop.

Most Magical Weekend Trips When You Study Abroad in Europe

These destinations will have you feeling like you stepped inside a fairy tale, providing countless memories to take back home with you.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

The first time I saw a photo of Amalfi, it took my breath away. I knew I had to see it in person.

This treasure of Southern Italy is the perfect beach getaway and is definitely worth the trip.

Mediterranean Musts: 17 Reasons Why You Need To Visit Italy's Amalfi Coast

Munich, Germany + Neuschwanstein Castle

Munich is already a daydream, though nearby is the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Look at photos of it and just tell me it's not the most magical looking castle you've ever seen.

Cork, Ireland

Start in Cork (Southern Ireland) and wander around the adorable Irish city with colorful doors.

Make your way to the Blarney Castle for major emerald everything, or even take a bus/train through the countryside to Dublin where you'll see endless greenery along the way.

Ireland: Imagine the Greenest Scene Ever, Then Multiply it By 100

Salzburg, Austria

This Austrian town is where the Sound of Music movie took place. You'll see the hills that are "alive" and charming, colorful buildings everywhere.

If you happen to be here during the winter holiday season, make sure to stop by some Christmas markets - lesser-known than the ones in Germany or Vienna, which it all the more special.

Your time studying abroad is limited. You can always return to your favorites in the future or hit up places you didn't get a chance to see the first time around.

However, studying abroad is a unique experience and traveling differently after college won't be the same. Make the most of it while you're there!

Southwest Skies Before a Storm

While the weather in Phoenix, Arizona tends to be straightforward most of the year - blue skies, sun, and major heat - sometimes storms are thrown into the mix. The storm could be a monsoon, a 10-30 minute downpour that temporarily floods the streets in the summer, a haboob, a thick wall of dust that travels through town, or even just your average rainstorm.

The skies look the coolest during the calm before the storm, especially at sunset. Check out these photos taken right before a thunderstorm and you'll see why.

Sunsets are also fun to edit. This photo was taken at the same spot, on a different night.

Edited with Mextures app before uploaded to Instagram.

12 Gorgeous Photos of Vienna, Austria

Vienna is an incredible city to be in any time of year. It's draped with Christmas lights during the holiday season, though even when the decorations come down, the ornate details on the old town architecture are a delight to see. This truly is one beautiful European city that offers much more than the eye can see. Until you experience it firsthand, however, here are some photos to lust over in the meantime.

platz vienna

vienna, austria

st stephens church austria

st stephens church vienna

city center vienna austria

Naschmarkt Vienna Austria

Christmas bow decoration vienna austria

Austria

Parliament Building Vienna Austria

Vienna Austria Christmas Markets

vienna

Vienna Austria

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5 Periscopers To Follow For Major Travel Inspiration

Periscope is my new favorite app. I love "traveling" to other places and interacting through the comments with the person broadcasting. Though Periscopes can be about anything, the ones I tend to watch the most are those who show their city or where they are.

A few of my favorites:

5 Periscopers To Follow For Major Travel Inspiration

@BaseGiulioBase

Giulio is literally the happiest, most optimistic person ever, always telling us to "look at the beauty!" A film director from Rome, his 'scopes include walks around his home city, other parts of Italy - and my recent favorite - Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival.

@EuroMaestro

Euro is a Parisian who shows us around Paris. Walking along the Seine with Euro had me reminiscing about my trip to Paris last year and it felt like I was back there too. A couple of days ago he took us up to Sacre Coeur as well as Versailles - two things I didn't get around to doing on my trip - so I was very happy to get to experience it through Periscope.

@moeinteractive

Moe lives in New York and broadcasts tours around NYC's favorite spots. He'll take us around and show famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building or the Brooklyn Bridge, oftentimes talking to people along the way. He always seems to stumble among the coolest happenings too - such as street performers or a filming location for a movie.

@carpediem

I first found Carpe Diem when she was streaming on the beaches of Cancun. It took less than ten seconds for me to bump up Cancun and the Yucatan Penninsula on my travel list. Those white sand beaches!

@GlobalPeriscope

@GlobalPeriscope is always suggesting awesome 'scopes around the world to watch. I never get bored opening up one of their suggestions.

Some of Periscope's recent updates include an app for Android, the ability to create an account without connecting to Twitter, and searching for broadcasts in both list and map form.

Learn more about Periscope here, and make sure to follow me @allyarcher!

Lenses for DSLR Cameras: It's Not Always 'All About That Base'

Choosing a DSLR Lens

Almost five years ago, I upgraded my point-and-shoot to a DSLR camera. My lovely Nikon D3200 (formerly the D3100 prior to a rain-and-coffee-spillage-incident in Germany) has been my companion on every trip I've taken.

Even though my iPhone 6 has a great camera, the quality of photos I get on my Nikon beat the phone every single time, to the point where it is worth the extra weight of bringing the camera on outings.

Pomegranate Juice Istanbul Turkey

The Nikon D3200 is a starter or "beginner" DSLR camera. I haven't considered upgrading to a more advanced camera because I'm not a professional by any means and still have a lot to learn in the likes of photography.

Also, I've learned that oftentimes you can get the shot you want just by switching out the lens. I've even heard some Youtubers suggest something along the lines of investing in the lens, not the camera base.

I have three lenses for my Nikon:

- A standard lens that came with the camera, 18-55mm f/1:3.5-5.6G

- A zoom lens that also came with it, 55-200mm f/1:4-5.6G

- A macro lens, 40mm f/1:2.8G

Dalmatian-Coast-Croatia

The Types of Travel Photos I Use These Lenses For

The Standard Lens

beginner nikon lens 18-55mm

This lens came with the camera (if you're buying the actual camera, you don't need to purchase this lens separately). By playing around with the settings, you can really do a lot with this lens. I've shot everything from landscapes, group photos, some closeups, and HD video with this lens.

The Beautiful Amalfi Coast, Italy

Purple Flowers Amalfi Coast

The Zoom Lens

af-snikkor 55-200 mm zoom

Having a zoom lens has really come in handy for certain types of shots. This lens can go FAR. And no matter how zoomed in the photo is, the quality is still spectacular.

a

I took the photo of St. Peter's Basilica from atop Castel Sant'Angelo, across the street. The photo of the Pope during the Pope's Blessing was taken from down below in the audience.

Pope

The Macro Lens

af-s micro nikkor 40mm

As the newest addition to my collection, this macro lens is my favorite one to use. It's great for super close shots of food, objects, people (love getting the blurry background), or for getting just the subject very in focus. I also really enjoy how lights look when using this lens.

Grom Gelato New York

Manhattan

The AF-S option allows both manual and auto focus and is compatible with my Nikon. Having both options makes this lens quick to use in a pinch with auto focus or more tailored to my preference with manual focus. All three of the lenses in this post are AF-S.

Nikon Macro Lens

Christmas Lights - Macro Lens

Even though I'm not a professional photographer I've really enjoyed having these lens options to photograph my travels. It makes looking back on my memories that much better because of the quality, which is reason enough for me to invest in my DSLR. Plus, it's fun to learn new tips and try them out along the way.

What are your tips for travel photography and/or choosing a lens? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Can't Decide Where To Go? 7 Steps On Choosing Your Next Destination

If you have a serious case of wanderlust with a bucket list that's pages long, you're like many others who love to travel. There are so many places to see in the world and it can be tough to narrow it down to your next must-go-to destination, especially when your growing travel list becomes overwhelming. If you are having trouble deciding which place you should visit next, it helps to break it down into steps. Once you've figured out where you want to go, you can actually begin the planning process.

Starting with a destination in mind will get the ball rolling so your dream trip isn't an idea that seems far away...it becomes a plan that's happening in the near future.

1. Make a list of the top 5 destinations you want to visit most

Download your FREE worksheet here!

Don't think about money, time, or anything else that might hold you back. Paris? Buenos Aires? ...A remote, nomadic village in Mongolia? ...A research base in Antarctica? Other than passport/visa restrictions, no place is off-limits at this point.

2. For each destination, list 1-2 reasons why you want to go there

What makes you excited about this particular place? Is it the opportunity to see friends or family? To take a relaxing break from the stresses of everyday life? To work or volunteer? To meet people from other cultures? To seek adventure? To find yourself?

3. Then, list the number one activity you want to do while you're in each destination

If you were only at these places for a day each, what is the one thing you'd have to do? This could be taking a tango lesson in Argentina. Or drinking wine in Tuscany. Or volunteering at a local school in Nicaragua. Or surfing in Australia. Write out your "must-do" activity for each destination on your list. Now that you've defined some reasons for why you want to go to your top destinations as well as some things you'd do, it's time to narrow down the list.

4. Remove a destination from the list

While they all sound exciting, deep down you know which one you prefer less than the others. It doesn't mean you'll never make it there. Removing one location will get you closer to your decision, and ultimately, your trip. You should now have four locations on the list.

5. Do some quick, surface research for each location. Find out:

• When peak travel season is as well as the shoulder season

• Average cost of roundtrip flights from your home city to each destination

• What the visa process is and if you need to apply or pay for one

• The currency conversion rate of the location to your home/general consensus if it is expensive or inexpensive

• Cost (if any) of your top, number one activity from Step 3

6. Duke it out, bracket style

Write out the first two destinations on your list in a column on one side and the other two on the other side. After having considered the factors from your research - as well as listening to your gut feeling - choose only one from each column as the winner. Then, have the winners on each column battle it out for number one. Choose the winner based on your gut feeling, deep down, where you see yourself most. Then...

7. Yeah! You've chosen where to go! Now comes the fun part: planning

Is your chosen destination seemingly expensive, time consuming, or has some other factor that feels overwhelming? Don't give up yet! You generally have an idea of what the trip will cost and when most people go. Look into many ways to budget travel and see which time fits best with your schedule. Also, decide when to go. If you can't make a finalized decision yet, start with "this year" or "next year" AND choose the month. Saying "Oh, I guess I'll go to Marrakech next year" isn't a very motivating goal, but "I'm going to Marrakech this September" is. This ensures you have a time frame to start out with which will help you research and plan. It's okay if it changes later on. Get my free worksheet!

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