Personal Development
This experience was life-changing. I chose to live so much more spontaneously while on exchange, and I am so glad I did! I said "yes" to most things to make the most of my time away, whch led to so many precious memories that I will cherish forever, such as booking tickets for a concert the night before, or lime scootering around Paris at 1am. Additionally, living in student accommodation provided me with so many opportunities to make friends with people I normally would never meet or hang out with! I actually have my accommodation to thank for most of the friends I made in Manchester. The spontaneity of travel also was so freeing - often, travel plans would be made a week or days before leaving! Old me would have had a heart attack at the thought of that! Further, I chose to stay in hostels while on my travels to save money, but honestly, I found the social aspects of hostels to be one of the best parts about travelling. Safe to say, I have friends scatter all across the world now!
Advice/Top Tips
Don't be afraid to try new things! Get out of your comfort zone and say "yes" to experiences you normally wouldn't to at home. You never want to look back and say "I wish I did that."
Costs
Honestly, I didn't stick to a strict budget. I did my weekly grocery shop at cheap supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi, and rarely went out to eat, which saved a lot of money. For my 5 months in Manchester, and my 2 months of travelling, I spent approximately $20k (ouch!). My two biggest expenses were accommodation and food, so my tip would be to cook when you can, even when travelling, as hostels often have kitchens that you can use. I found that the food in Europe was quite expensive; however, this depends heavily on the country you go to. The food in Italy and the Netherlands was expensive, whereas places such as Greece, Portugal and Spain were much more affordable. I wish I cooked more while travelling, as this would have saved me a LOT of money. Another tip I would give is to not assume that hostels are always the cheapest option. If you are travelling in a group of three or more, often airbnbs or private accommodation worked out to be cheaper!
