I have 4 months to travel anywhere...

[HornZealot]

where should I go?

I am graduating in December, a semester early, and really want to take 4 months and travel somewhere by myself.

I went to Europe for 3 weeks earlier this summer, and was thinking of going back in the spring but I am worried about the cost.

As of now I am leaning towards going to South America and travelling around while trying to learn Spanish, but I only have a few years of high school Spanish and didnt take any in college. I just recently set a goal of learning Spanish and this seems like it may be a great time do it. However I will be done with undergrad and may not want to be tied down to one city and have to spend time studying. Does anyone know any kind of language intensive program in South America? What are some places to see in South America? Will a WASP like me have any problems (safety wise) travelling around down there?

I am really open minded on places to travel, and my goals are to see new cultures and step out of my comfort zone. So if you have suggestions of other places to travel to please feel free to recommend them.

 

[tlonghorn]

I did this last year with my girlfriend. Just had some free time while switching jobs and towns.

We did Europe for a month and South America for 3.

I cannot tell enough people to check out South America. It's cheap, great scenery, great cities, and you can definitely learn spanish.

Because of the timing, Buenos Aires and the coast of Uruguay will have a lot going on. Also, we spent about 3 weeks in Peru and could've stayed longer. There are so many geographical regions to explore. Southern Chile, Patagonia, etc could take up quite a bit of time and I've heard the small villages there are awesome.

There were all sorts of language programs in Buenos Aires, unfortunately I don't have the names.

Let me know if you want any exact details about the trip I took or the places I've been. There are a few people on the board that know Argentina really well.

Congrats on graduation coming up.

 

[iamtigerwoods]

IF you really want to get out of your comfort zone, try SE Asia. It is cheap, the food is great, the culture is exotic and the beaches are great. Check out Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Lots of European backpackers to meet up with throughout the region.

Going to Europe is no more exotic than going to Canada..

 

[kicksumass]

Go to South America - brazil, argentina, chile, peru, ecuador.

I wish I had so much time to travel. I get 2 weeks off this year and I am going to brazil. I know I won't be ready to come back after just 2 weeks there.

 

[goofybevo]

I also vote for SE Asia. Especially Thailand. Ask Hayden_Horn for sightseeing/ prossie recs.

 

[DeadHeadHorn]

South America. Do it.

Safety isn't that much of an issue. Just keep your wits about you and be practical. In my experience, you usually pick up the best tips on where to go, what to do, etc. while you're traveling, from other travelers. Obviously you should do a bit of research before you leave so you have an idea of what you want to do, but don't be too stringent w/ your itinerary. A lot will change along the way and that's what makes it fun.

I think it's wise to buy an "air pass" before you leave though, b/c that way you get cheaper flights around the continent. From what I've read, you can't buy one once you're in the country.

Lonely Planet's Thorntree is a great set of boards to get good info on.

Have fun. Four months is a good chunk of time to go learn a lot about yourself and the world.

 

[si se puede]

If you've got the $$ to support yourself for a few months, plop yourself into a city or two and really get to know it. It's one thing to travel around, but it's another entirely to immerse yourself in a local culture. Constantly traveling is naturally insular, in that your "comfort zone" is limited to what can easily be found and experienced by tourists.

If you're going to do this, you may want to go away from major capitals and find other cities that are off the beaten tourist path. Go to the local university and look for a board with people seeking roommates, or pick up a local newspaper. Settle in and find ways to meet locals; your roommate could be a good start. You can learn the language this way, and you'll pick up the local dialect. You'd be amazed at how quickly even someone with a couple years of high school foreign language can become proficient with immersion.

In most countries now, you can buy prepaid cell phones to keep in touch. Under the table employment isn't out of the question if you need cash. One major caveat, however, is how long a foreign country will let you stay without a visa. Most places will let you stay 3 months at the most, or else you need to apply for residency.

 

[snow leopard27]

I applaud you for this; I spent about 9 months backpacking around China, India, & SE asia about 12 years ago and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

As far as cost India/SE asia < S America < Europe

If you are into trekking, I would really recommend Nepal in the spring. Very cheap - you can get by on less than 15$/day without any problem. Friendly people, exotic culture, some of the best mountain scenery in the world. Get a trekking permit and you can off into the mountains for several weeks - staying in village teahouses along the way so don't even have to carry much.

Once you are tired of that - it is just a 3 hour flight to Bangkok and Thailand's incredible beaches.

Where ever you decide, go for it and have a great time!

 

[utexas_61]

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[Longhorn_in_LA]

In addition to traveling abroad, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take 3-4 weeks to travel all over the US. There are so many different geographical differences and unique parts to the US that it really is worth taking some time to check out.

This also gives you a chance to figure out where you might want to live after your 4 months of freedom are up...if you want to stay in the US of course.

Where ever your travels take you, enjoy it. It will be one of the best experiences in your life.

 

[DeadHeadHorn]

Good advice from Si Se Puede about immersing yourself in a local culture. I took a semester off of school and bussed it from Austin down to Panama over the course of four months and it was an amazing time. But the point about being insular is spot-on: you're going to be hanging out with lots of other travelers, and English is the common language that will be spoken. You won't totally immerse yourself and you won't get the most out of the trip, linguistically speaking.

But, it's going to be a hell of a lot of fun.

I think it takes discipline to settle down in one area and stay there for an extended period of time. When you're abroad you definitely get hit with wanderlust, and you want to see everything you can.

Both are great ways to do it. I wouldn't change how I traveled, but next time I'm going to settle into a city and really work on my Spanish.

Good luck, let us know what you decide to do. If you need C. American travel advice, let me know. We hit up some amazing spots.