The story behind “Wanderer Footsteps”
So here we go…What got me into starting “Wanderer Footsteps” page?
Well, the story goes as follows.
Back when I was a child, I used to go with my parents for a walk along the sea; from there, we could watch airplanes flying over the city. Seeing them, landing and taking off was very fascinating! I had always wondered where do these planes come from or where do they go, how do people sit inside them and what is there to do; but I never really dug deep to find out, I just enjoyed looking at them.
After I finished school in 2006, I have enrolled in an art university and majored in interior design.
Three years later, on a sunny morning of April 2009, I took a decision that will, later on, result in the launching of this page: I applied for a scholarship to pursue my studies in France, and in May 2009, I received the letter of acceptance.
My feelings were overwhelming! I was so happy yet a bit worried. In two months’ time, I would be on board a plane for the first time in my life, leaving for no less than two years, to a new country with no friends or relatives.
The next weeks were all about preparing for the trip: I bought my first luggage bag, printed a map of Paris’ metro system and tried to understand it, it sure wasn’t easy at first. I checked the expected weather conditions and packed my clothes accordingly; I even began taking cooking lessons from my mother and wrote down some essential recipes.
During the last few days, I bid farewell to family members, and with each passing hour, my enthusiasm grew bigger.
On the 14th of September at around 2 AM, I was standing in the airport lobby along with my family; I had two luggage bags, one for clothes and another for all the food my mother prepared; needless to say that the goodbye was too emotional, but I knew that this was the beginning of a new adventure, I didn’t know where it was going to lead me but was anxious to find out.
Two hours later, I was sitting inside one of the planes I used to look at as a child, it took off, and 4 hours after that, I had landed in Paris and my journey abroad had begun.
This still ongoing journey has taken me to wonderful places and introduced me to amazing people from all around the globe; I learned that there is so much more to traveling than just visiting known landmarks and touristic areas.
I embraced the beauty and charm of solo traveling, I got lost in the streets of beautiful cities, I had long talks with locals I just met, I made lifelong friends through “Couchsurfing”, I sat for hours on a bench waiting for a sunset or a sunrise, I stargazed under a foreign sky, and partied all night with strangers, I went road tripping till I reached the Atlantic ocean, I fell in love with a fellow traveler from the other corner of the planet.
These memories, as well as others, draw a smile on my face whenever I remember them and make any trip special and worth taking.
I am always anxious to meet the people I still haven’t met, to wandering in cities I still haven’t visited, for I know that unique moments and experiences are waiting for me every step of the way.
And now, back to the main question: What got me into starting this page? Well… my purpose is to share the stories of my travels, to talk about the many aspects of traveling and point out the special moments that make every trip an unforgettable one; hopefully, it will help everyone find the inspiration and insights to create their own memorable trips and enjoy what traveling has to offer.
