By Kyle Barker

One of the key draws of going on an exchange in Europe was the ease of travelling while abroad and being able to experience so many different cultures so easily, and it hasn’t disappointed. Alicante, being a major tourist destination itself, has a very well-connected airport with cheap flights to every corner of Europe. I’m fortunate to have a three-day weekend, which has allowed me to go on a few trips – with more to come.

So far, on my weekends I have travelled to Zagreb (Croatia), Porto (Portugal), and Toulouse (France), with Marseille (France) and Krakow (Poland) coming up in the next month.

This is my first time solo travelling, and it has definitely been a very different experience from travelling with friends or family. Travelling alone gives you the opportunity to meet so many interesting people that you might not encounter otherwise. I’ve had the chance to connect with some incredibly interesting people from a wide range of backgrounds, which has made the experience even more rewarding. While it can be a bit lonely sometimes when you don’t meet a good group of people at the hostel, I’ve enjoyed getting used to my own company and the freedom to explore wherever you want, whenever you want. However, the moments when you meet other solo travellers and form genuine connections make the experience incredibly fulfilling.

If you go on exchange, I encourage you to take every opportunity to travel and immerse yourself in different experiences.

Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb was a wonderful place to reconnect with nature after the barrenness of Spain. The city offers great hiking trails and plenty of opportunities to explore the outdoors. I went for a hike up the Medvednica mountain, which was absolutely stunning and reminded me of home. Shortly after reaching the top, I realised there was a gondola that provided great views and saved me from walking down! The city is a beautiful mix of historic charm and modern culture.

Porto, Portugal

Toulouse, France

My favourite weekend trip so far! The main reason I wanted to go to Toulouse was to tour the Airbus factory, and while the tour itself was excellent, the Aeroscopia Museum was an unexpected bonus, with a couple of Concordes on display and an A380. The city was also beautiful with the autumn colours, and there was an excellent Sunday market that took over many of the central streets.

My exchange experience has given me the incredible opportunity to explore new places, meet people from all over the world, and grow more independent. Travelling alone has pushed me outside my comfort zone, but it has also been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. I’m grateful for how easy it is to travel within Europe and for the memories I’ve made along the way. I’m excited to see where my next trips will take me and what I’ll continue to learn through this experience abroad.

If you get the opportunity to study abroad, take full advantage of it – explore, discover, and experience as much of that corner of the world as you can.