What?
JOUR 2050 is a Travel Writing course I took in Fall 2022. Each Wednesday, twenty students from all sorts of majors gathered at desks in a horseshoe formation to discuss travel articles and learn about what it means to be a "good tourist." We learned about Icelandic history and culture from several books laden with dry Nordic humor. And then, as soon as exam week ended, we made our way to CVG airport to embark on a 9-day trip to the Land of Fire and Ice.
So what?
This seminar in particular had been nestled into the back of my mind for years as I anxiously awaited for study tours to begin again after the pandemic. As a freshman in Fall 2019, I watched as gorgeous snowy photos rolled through my Instagram feed at the hands of my advisor and older students who I had gotten to know. I added this to my tentative planning list of honors experiences. One of my closest friends through middle school and high school had extended family in Iceland, and I longed to experience a place so different from my Midwest river valley.
It wasn't just the adventurous vacation that had my attention, though! I've loved reading and writing since I was a kid, and remember sitting in the car on family roadtrips happily occupied with a journal and pen. I wanted to reconnect with this hobby and become a better writer. And, after close to ten years of studying French, any chance to really dive into another culture and language fascinated me. (But please don't ask me to say anything in Icelandic!)
My 19 new friends and I practiced writing about place in blog posts and feature articles. I was so excited to reconnect with writing and to learn more about the places I already knew and loved.
Now what?
This experience made me more appreciative of the process of traveling and helped me broaden my definition of what "traveling" really is. I can now better appreciate even small-scale adventures local to me because I'm able to connect with the culture and history more strongly by researching what's most interesting to me and seeking it out. This will affect my future trips near and far, and I'll always be left with "Thetta Reddast": "it will all work out."
You can read my blog here and learn more about my experience!