Going abroad is an incredible experience that you don’t want to forget. Do a few of these things to remember it all.
Documenting your experience while you are abroad is the best way to remember it because you can look back and recall what you were doing, what you were thinking and what you were feeling.
Keep a journal
Journaling is, in my opinion, the best way to remember your time abroad because, depending on how frequently you write, you record as events happen. Write at least once a day, or as much as you can. It’s as simple as writing down what you did that day. Buy a nice, sturdy notebook. If you’re an avid writer, get one that will fit in your bag so you can write everywhere you feel inspired.
Run a blog
I think of blogging as a public journal, documenting what you did for an audience to read. It’s great for easily sharing your experience with friends and family. Up-keeping a quality blog is worth it because you can include it in on your resume and in your portfolio. (If you don’t want to create your own blog, you can blog for Souvenirs!)
Post on social media
Similar to blogging, posting on social media is another great way to share your followers what you did (not to mention the increase in likes you’ll get!). Scrolling through your feed is a fun way to bring back memories.
Take photos
Photos are the best way to to remember the places you visit and recall details you would have forgotten. Take as many photos as your phone or camera can store, transfer them to your computer or a cloud storage then take more.
Buy postcards
Postcards are a little more special than photos you take yourself, not to mention how cheap and easy they are to pack. Get a postcard each place you go and write about what you did there, like a journal entry. Keep it with you, or send it home for your family to read, then re-collect them to keep.
Collect *souvenirs* (haha get it?)
Souvenirs are a great way to remember the places you visited. I purchased a little souvenirs everywhere I went. Coffee mugs, shot glasses, posters, t-shirts and even dry food like candy are fun souvenirs (just keep in mind how you will have to pack it on your way home). Jewelry is my favorite souvenir because it’s small, beautiful and easy to use.
Once you are back home and are naturally having major withdrawals, you are desperate to cling to everything, so spend time commemorating it.
Put together a photo album
Print off your favorite (or all!) photos for a physical album of your trip.
Create a scrapbook
Gather your ticket stubs, playbills, photos, postcards and maps to create a scrapbook. Write excerpts from your journal or what you did for each thing as captions.
Make a documentary video
Put together a video or slideshow of the photos and videos you shot with an explanation of your experience. Like a blog, a video is something you can easily share with the public.
Do you know other ways to remember your time abroad? Leave a comment!
Journal excerpt courtesy of Ella Guo.