Traveling can be a lot of fun, but sometimes it can get frustrating if traveling does not match the expectations. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Europe before studying abroad, so my expectations were of those that you’d expect when traveling with your family. When traveling with family, it is typical to book a well-known airline, have lots of activities planned, and if it’s anything like my family, not have to worry about anything.
However, this isn’t always true when I am traveling while abroad. This weekend my friends and I went to Krakow, Poland. An expectation that I had going to Poland was that having two hours before the flight, the recommended allocated time is completely appropriate and more than enough. In reality, flying out of Stansted Airport on a Friday midday is going to require more time than expected. Stansted is a smaller airport with only a few security lanes operating at a time, the security line can get so long that flyers may miss their flights. The option to purchase fast track is available, but when I flew out of Stansted for the first time I expected the airport security to move quickly like in my local airport.
Instead, the security took an hour and a half. This was especially frustrating because the budget airline I chose to fly with also does not have the option to use a mobile boarding pass, so there is another queue before security that is needed to just print out the boarding pass. Both of which can eat up the time allowed at the airport and cause anxiety about missing the flight.
Another expectation is the concept of a foreigner knowing more about the country that I’m from than me. For example, one night in Krakow we did an evening tour. The tour guide started chatting with my group about how he traveled the US and visited the largest city in the United States: Jacksonville, Florida. My friends and I, all Americans, were shocked. When we googled it, it turns out that our tour guide was correct, Jacksonville is the largest city in the US.
The expectation that traveling can get very expensive is, for the most part, accurate. However, it seems true that the reality is some countries will be cheaper than others. Krakow is not a mainstream city and it took a little convincing from my friends to go. The flight was cheaper than expected, and after a bit of convincing, we got there to be pleasantly surprised with the affordability of the country.
Our expectations versus the reality of traveling do not always have to be opposites. An expectation I had of traveling was that the food would be delicious, which I am happy to report is the reality! The food in Poland was delicious, but that could also be because I am used to eating those kinds of foods at home.
Sightseeing is also a huge expectation when it comes to traveling. The expectation is that the group would already have tours booked and activities planned. However, this isn’t always the case. On Saturday my group had planned a tour of Auschwitz’s, and the Salt Mines which took the entire day. But for Sunday before our evening flight, there was nothing planned. Being a student, on a budget, sometimes adaptability to having a plan, or not, can make or break the trip.
I like to do activities as much as the next tourist, but this isn’t always going to be the reality. On some occasions, everyone will be too tired to do another tour or walk long distances. Instead, it is just as nice to sit outside with my friends and enjoy the sun, the people, and the fresh air.
Traveling in groups can get expensive when thinking about accommodations. Oftentimes my friends and I stay in hostels. My expectations for hostels were negative only due to never being in one. But walking into the hostel in Krakow, I was pleasantly surprised that the interior and service were both sublime. What I expected to be dirty, smelly, and unkempt turned out to be a beautiful, welcoming, and clean environment. Sure, I had to put my sheets on the bed, but doing so saved my friends and me a large sum of money.
Hostel jumping can come with some headaches, it may not go as smoothly as one hopes. But being flexible to this reality is essential for staying calm and finding solutions. For example, when we arrived a woman with the travel agency next door did not believe we had a reservation and therefore did not explain how to get inside or what to do. Instead of freaking out due to being overtired, I tried to stay calm and just call the hostel. When traveling with family, staying at a hotel is expected to go as smoothly as possible. This isn’t the reality when checking into a hostel.
The last expectation I’d like to talk about is the idea of traveling as Americans. An expectation I have heard a lot is that some countries don’t like Americans. For whatever the stereotype may be, it can be a pleasant surprise when we explain that we are from America and people smile gleefully. It is nice to feel so welcomed, and for this reality to be the opposite of the expectation.
The reality is, with all of this, traveling can be fun but sometimes hard or surprising. The expectations we hold can sometimes make it tough to have a good time, even when exploring new places. My friends did not expect to go to Poland, but hopefully, it was a pleasant surprise for them as the trip turned out great.
