Before I went home last Christmas my advisor said that I can finish my PhD in 4 years - so in less than 1.5 years I'll be out of LA and moving on. I'm not sure to where at the moment. But there is really nothing keeping me in the US so I've been thinking for a few months now that I may go to Europe. Like US, Europe has beautiful scenery but it's also composed of many small countries and it would be really interesting to experience the different cultures that each has to offer. And in terms of practicability, education and health care systems are way better in for example Switzerland and Denmark than it is here. So I may do my rotations in Europe and decide if I want to end up staying there. Although I have been anticipating my road trip of moving from LA to where ever my job is for some time now! :P
No matter what, I'd like to do some backpacking in Europe after I graduate. Seriously, I don't know if I'll get another chance to go backpacking. When I start my job it will be very hard to take time off and even harder for when I become attached for both of us to get time off together. So it's basically now (ie 1.5 years later) or never. And isn't life about having adventures and having no regrets?! It would be nice if I can backpack for 3 months. I want to go across Morocco, Spain, France (I'll probably spend a significant amount of time in rural France and also put my French to the test), Luxembourg (see what one of the richest country has to offer), Germany, Denmark (sunrise at 4am and set at 10pm in summer!), Switzerland (the Alps), Italy etc etc I think having both English and French should set me off pretty well in most countries... :) A good starting point SoYouWanna backpack through Europe?
the first paragraph sounds like the life! living in europe would be wonderful - traveling is only a doorstep away.
ReplyDeleteas for backpacking - i think it's the most terrible idea. do you really want to sleep in backpacker lodges, with fleas and who knows what. remember those dodgy lanes we walked past in auckland on our last day, where the backpackers stay? plus, it's dangerous. our CEO (female) went on 12 months backpacking in europe after uni. in the first month, she got mugged and beaten very badly (no more $ left) and was hospitalised. i'm amazed she continued and for the next 6 months she was always anxious but finally settled in, in the remaining 6 months. a girl in europe is just not safe.
Bix, I feel like I haven't really lived if I don't go backpacking. I want to see and experience new things, meet random/crazy/interesting people, make up plans on the spot and let my imagination take me to where ever I want! I think even if I get mugged, beaten etc if I come back intact and healthy then it would be totally worth it!
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