Greenheart Travel

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  • What I Realized While Living with a Host Family

    What I Realized While Living with a Host Family

    Around the time I was thinking about traveling to Spain, I never thought that staying with a host family would have such a huge impact on my trip. Yes, solo travel may sound great, but having a family was something I needed. Before, I could never imagine myself living in someone else’s home, but the time shared with my family contained the most treasured moments that truly a photo couldn’t capture. Although, there’s no specific guidebook on how you should meet people, or in this case live in someone’s house, here are some of the things that I learned while living with a host family.

    Find confidence in yourself.

    This helps when you are entering their home and daily routine. You should believe that you are brilliant and courageous enough to be far from home and living with people whom you’ve only known for a few video chats or even messages. Moreover, you should know that living with other people in general is a very hard thing to do, but for you to come into a strangers house and adapt to their set of rules, that truly deserves a round of applause.

    Christmas dinner with my host family. Of course, I ate everything!

    Be open to everything, because that’s what you are here for.

    There are things that you’ve never thought about trying, and this is the time to change that. Regardless if it’s the host family’s hobbies, language, or food; you should step out of your comfort zone to try these once in a lifetime things. For example, I think the most trouble I had was not trying to speak the language fully. I tried all the food and activities, but the thing I couldn’t bring myself to do is try the Spanish language. This is one of my biggest regrets. So try everything!

    Family trip to Albanchez

    Regardless of how private you’d like to keep yourself, you should be open with your host family.

    Something one of the cousins told me was, “Well you’re here aren’t you? You’re family.”  Not that you have to tell everybody your business, but there are times you should confide in your host family, such as when you are feeling uncomfortable or down. This is where you may have to release some of the things you harbor. 

    And of course there are many different experiences that I can’t speak for, but here are some of the things that I had to deal with in order to have the most pleasant experience. It’s always great to have a family where you are.

    Nini Vo is a Greenheart Travel First Time Traveler Scholarship recipient from Texas. Learn more about Greenheart Travel’s scholarship opportunities to help you travel for a change!

     

  • Choosing Experiences Over Things: A First Time Traveler’s Perspective

    Choosing Experiences Over Things: A First Time Traveler’s Perspective

    I’m an 18-year-old girl from Houston, Texas. I always had a dream to learn about everything and everyone. I realized that I couldn’t do that just sitting in a room and reading about it, but setting out for an adventure to learn. Everyone can tell you it’s crazy and impossible, but they aren’t curious enough to try it. I know that money won’t fly out of the sky so of course, the planning of reaching this goal was already a journey in itself.

    When I was 15 years old there was this book that I came across called, “The Alchemist.” Although it shortly became my favorite book, I read it not understanding very much and only getting out of it this vague message, follow your dreams. I then picked up the book again when I was 17 and still missed the fact that the setting was in Spain. I turned 18 and I wanted to set out and travel the world. When I was picking on the first place I wanted to travel, I just automatically chose Spain, not knowing much about the place; I guess I was just destined to pick this place because it just felt like I should be there.

    The book that inspired me to choose my first destination.

    I know it’s such an odd explanation of why I chose Spain but I also heard about it many times as “the place you should put on your travel bucket list.” I didn’t know much about Spain, just  big cities like Madrid and Barcelona. I picked it just really knowing about the soccer culture, and I wanted to find out more.

    The way I was able to pay for this trip was by saving all the money that I worked in part-time jobs. I started saving in 8th grade not knowing what for, but then I decided that it was for travel. When I came across this program and the opportunity to travel, I knew that I was going to invest in something that would stay with me forever. I always opt to spend money on experiences rather than material things, so saving was a little easier for me.

    I know it’s hard to just save money, because life gets in the way. I always kept in my mind that I had a dream to go to all these places and the money wasn’t going to be magically handed to me. I had to sacrifice eating out, buying a coffee and just spending money on the little things that didn’t matter. I opt for thrifted clothes and home cooked meals rather than expensive jewelry and take out meals. And of the course helping out my family was a must, but I always put money aside for my goal.

    The two that allowed me to see more of the world!

    I see this experience being one that holds a lot of growth. Growth in my experiences, growth for my knowledge as well as the family’s, growth in general because I know that living with a host family, I surely will have to get out of my comfort zone. I see this trip being one with many exchanges in culture, laughter, and love. Regards if there are many things we do differently, I know that everything can be fixed through communication and empathy.

    I also see this being only the beginning of my travels and I know that this one is going to a great experience. Whether good or bad, I believe that every experience is a learning one and as long as I go on with that attitude what could go wrong? Of course, I understand that every day may not be a crazy adventure, but it’s still going to different and I should be present for all of it.

    Nini Vo, from Texas, is a Greenheart Travel First Time Traveler Scholarship recipient. Learn more about Greenheart Travel’s scholarship opportunities to help you travel for a change!