The Traveling Journal

The Traveling Journal: Life-Changing Moments in the Mediterranean

Student Ambassador Joseph White embarked on his very first trip overseas to the Mediterranean with Explorica by WorldStrides. Joseph and his classmates had an incredible time learning about new cultures, eating delicious foods, and most importantly—growing as global citizens.

“My trip to the Mediterranean was an amazing way for me to grow as a person and to form new bonds with the people around me. During the trip, I saw parts of the world I never expected to see and experienced things entirely new and different from what I had known my entire life in the States.

 One of my favorite things about the trip was the sheer amount of freedom it granted me. I was allowed to explore and see places in a way that felt personal. When placed in my group and given the time to walk around, explore parts of cities and find places to shop at and eat at, it was a new type of experience in that I had a choice in where we were headed. The places we went to were amazing and the extra experiences we signed up for were very interesting.

The sheer amount of places you get to see is amazing as well. My favorite country of them all was Switzerland purely due to the mountains and how polite the people were. My two runner-up’s are Spain and France because they both had beautiful landscapes in different ways and very interesting cultures. I have to give Italy credit for the food, though. It was probably the best out of them all. I personally am a very big food person and am currently pursuing a degree in culinary arts. The amount of new foods and dishes I’ve eaten before but now am trying in their home country changed the way I thought about what I’ve had up to this point. The trip also opened my mind to trying new things, prior to this trip I have always been a very picky eater.

Everything about the trip plays a part in how you think and who you are. This trip was honestly life changing and I think it will stick with me for the rest of my life. Within the few days of being back in the States, I’ve already begun to see the changes made to myself following the trip. I think if you are a student who fits any of the criteria of someone who has never traveled, someone who has traveled but wants a personal experience, or someone who just wants to see new things, this trip is perfect for you—it truly was for me. I’m not great with words, but I make up for it in sincerity. All that I’ve said has been genuine  and I truly think this trip has changed me for the better and expanded the way I think in ways I previously thought unimaginable.”