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you don't have to wait until rich traveling overseas
I would like to confirm him: "yes, sure you can do it; it’s not unrealistic to realize your dream- traveling overseas."
I am sure you can make it happen
I guess most of my readers in China are keen on learning English; you might admire your classmates or colleagues who have been overseas and wonder why that doesn’t happen to you.
You may get upset by those lucky ones whose rich parents or boyfriends pay for their travel expenses.
On the other hand, you can also let it happen by yourself as long as you have a job; you don’t have to wait until you are rich enough.
My travel map
In the Uni, I was a bit jealous of my college mate, a student from Holland as he has been visiting so many countries.
Again a Swedish girl asked me: “How many countries you have ever been to?”
“Hmmm,” I hesitated: “I haven’t been to any except China and Australia.”
I’ve noticed that she put a lot of colorful symbols on her travel map at her Facebook page, I’ve got a feeling: I wish I could have as many colors as she did on my travel map one day.
I know two friends very well, they are just average, probably you think they are from European countries, must be richer than Chinese ordinary people.
Yes and No, they may earn higher monthly salary than you, but they could run out of money at the end of the month as they pay rental from sharing one house with another 3, and they also pay bills.
One the other hand, they buy cheap clothes, they seldom go to the restaurant, they don’t update the latest model of iPhone unless it can no longer be used.
But they know what they really really want, so they spend limited money on the things they are passionate about.
The guy from Holland used to buy the cheapest airplane tickets and book the youth hostel in advance so that he got the cheapest rate for the limited budget.
Please set up a goal big enough to get yourself motivated
I can guarantee your effort on planning an overseas traveling will be much easier than my effort on studying overseas which took me more than 10 years to realize.
You need set up a goal and start doing it from today
You may don’t have enough money or your parents won't support you financially.
But if you set up a goal for traveling abroad on your own, things will be changed dramatically.
Without mastering certain level of English listening, speaking, and reading which will make your communication with foreigners much harder, you will get frustrated if you have troubles traveling at countryside in a foreign country with no Chinese around.
Firstly, set up a vivid goal
Just imagine, one day, if you travel in a country where you stay with foreigners talking English at a youth hostel or stay in a free accommodation if you knows someone from couch surfing website which is very popular in European countries, then you make friends while traveling, probably you have some true friends who can stay in touch with later on after you are back China. How excited!!
If you keep that image in your mind, you will study much harder, as you have an expectation that one day some interesting thing will happen to you.
Secondly, develop a good habit of making and saving money
Without a certain amount of money, it is impossible for you traveling around.
You don’t have to buy popular things anyone else is using because they are not on your dream list.
Probably you are requested by your parents for finding a girlfriend or boyfriend getting married, and then save money for your kids’ education.
That can understand from a Chinese tradition way, but you still need your life interesting and exciting which make you feel alive.
You will easily get bored from 8 hours’ work day in and day out without having a certain goal or high expectation for the future.
Trying to save a small amount of money each month so that you can make it for your future overseas traveling expense.
If you really have very limited money to save each month, then why not find a part time job on weekends like most Uni students doing earn extra pocket money. Anyway, if you really wanna do it, you will find a better way than what I know.
After 5 or 10 years, you will be very surprised that your English has been improved which is much better than someone at your age, and you also have enough money traveling to a country on your dream list.
Probably, you doubt whether it is worth setting up a goal and put so much effort only for traveling to a country overseas.
Yes, I think it’s useful because you are becoming a stronger version on the way towards your destination, you are making a change.
Persistency: keep saving money and learning English.
Self-confidence: you make it by yourself rather than expecting your boyfriend, parents make payment so that you will be very proud of yourself.
Courage: the first time traveling abroad on your own needs courage, probably you will cry why you are in a new country by yourself, but you will become stronger later on.
Discipline: you learn how to make commitment earning money and learning English on a daily or weekly basis, without discipline, you can achieve nothing.
English improving: when you have a vivid goal, your English will be improved dramatically than someone has no idea what’s the purpose for learning. In return, you may get better job opportunities working in a foreign-run company, which pays you a higher salary.
Take action and make it happen
For those who have already mastered excellent English skill and can afford for a holiday, then it’s time for you make a plan and go for it.
Which country would you like to visit most, and then get your visa done, after that, please book airplane ticket as early as possible, so that you may get a discount rate. For example, one of my colleagues, she booked air tickets for her family 1-year in advance for London, which is cheaper than go to China from Melbourne.
After that, you may search information where to visit, book the accommodation accordingly and some places if it is not convenient for public transport access, you might have to rent a car.
In addition, you also need to know which tourist spots you wanna visit, and which restaurants suit you.
It is not an easy job which is time-consuming, you have to do lots of researching before go for traveling.
But you have to do it by yourself if you would like experience something unique.
Traveling overseas is a big task, it needs effort.
For example, when I traveled to Great Barrier Reef in Australia 9 days, which took me more than 1 month to do research a few hours per day.
I always hear people tell me: I wanna visit Melbourne, but I have never seen them come by, just please make it happen.
The first time would be really hard, once you are used to it, everything will be much easier.
In 2013, I made a 10-year plan, I was gonna travel around Australia and China in the first 5 years.
At the moment, I have visited most of the cities in China and Australia.
I will set up a goal for travel to other countries in the next 5 years.
Sometimes thinking about applying for a visa, fill in the forms, and do research, I would tell myself: “Oh, no, I’d better stay at home.”
But that’s the goal I set up, I have to do it no matter how hard it is, otherwise I can never realize my dream.
A few years ago, after I used up annual leave, I wasn't willing to take extra days off as I was considering how much money I would lose if I didn’t work for a few days.
But now I have changed my mind, time goes so fast, if turn to really old, even if I have enough money or time, I probably don’t have the energy to travel; or if you have a child one day, you might never get a chance for being abroad by yourself, and you have to pay more on school holidays.
Therefore, without giving up things, you can never achieve your dream.
Goals are powerful; it makes you active and energetic.
Please make a plan and get started from today, I believe one day you will travel in a completely new country and make friends worldwide.
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