Learn calmness
Reaching Matthias is sometimes not that easy. He is currently exploring Central America and reports about it on his blog traveling-shapy.de and his YouTube channel of the same name. He discovered the vlog some time ago, where he can bring his readers and viewers even closer to his travel goals. On his backpacking trips through Central America, Asia and Oceania, he not only creates atmospheric images and reports, but also videos. Since his first Work & Travel tour through Australia, the blog has evolved from an exchange medium with friends to a travel blog. Matthias could also turn his hobby into a career, as the 27-year-old is studying tourism management in Kempten. Where does his career take him? I have no idea, because “you never know where you’re going to end up,” he says. This calmness is a result of his many travels; “things like being stuck in traffic” no longer unsettle him. Tolerating other customs and being open to other cultures are also part of successful travel: “I have no problem with people next to me eating 'dog' as their main course,” says the student. There are many realities and perspectives on life that you can learn to know and understand while traveling. “I definitely want to motivate others to travel more and get to know this wonderful world. Through my videos and reports, I hope to convey this feeling of freedom,” says Matthias.
Packing list
Canon G7X
Travelsafe (mobile safe for naps on the train)
Garbage bags (all-purpose weapon as cling film, (garbage) bags, splash protection for cell phones)
Cotton swabs in small packets
Smartphone with Google Maps app
Be inspired
“My travels always show me how crazy and great the world is and how beautiful it is to live in it,” says Leonie, who lets other people share in her adventures on her blog tyatravel.com. 'TYA' - 'There you are' is the motto of the blog - and that's exactly how the media studies and sociology student lives: in the here and now. Since the beginning of May this year, she has been without a permanent place of residence; she uses her BahnCard 100 to commute between her place of study in Tübingen and Cologne, where her boyfriend lives. “I travel all over Germany depending on my mood and university schedule,” says the 22-year-old. After her voluntary social year, the Bielefeld native went on a world tour and has been sharing her love of traveling through blogging ever since. “We humans thrive on inspiration,” she says, “especially when I travel, I encounter inspiration in every corner, in people, places and moments. I want to share this inspiration and give it back to the world.” Leonie is also interested in the small and large culture shocks that make it clear how different people can live. She found the dream beaches on the Fiji Islands quite nice, but she was much more interested in the “unstable, critical political conditions, the exciting culture of the locals and the muddy national drink kava.” Leonie now wants to live without a permanent residence for a year. Material values are not important to her; she gets by with the bare necessities. Many backpacking travelers appreciate the feeling of dropping ballast on their tours. Traveling is becoming a modern escape from the network of digital media, constant accessibility and the accumulation of values. When Germans travel far away, they meet people along the way who have real existential fears - which puts their own worries into perspective. Leonie also wants to travel after her studies; the idea of digital nomadism appeals to her. She would like to live in Australia for a longer period of time, but “Asia is and remains the continent of my heart,” says the student.
Packing list:
camera
diary
Fake wedding ring (mainly for Asian countries)
Dental floss (great for clotheslines and for cutting cakes)
Collect memories
Lynn's home port is in Hanover. She will study social sciences here starting in the coming winter semester. Before that, she can collect new ideas for her blog lieschenradieschen-reist.com. The blog was created out of a need of the heart. After spending some time in South Africa and Namibia last year, she couldn't let go of her wanderlust: “When I came back, I really missed being on the road and the people I met,” she says. Writing helped her to record her impressions. That's why you can read a lot of posts on her blog about her time in Africa: "Namibia just doesn't let me go," she admits. Not only the incredible wildlife, but also the vastness never ceases to fascinate her. “You can look to the horizon and some days you won’t see a soul,” says Lynn. Nevertheless, the Hanoverian never felt helpless, because when traveling you learn one thing above all: waiting. The bus will come at some point and other problems will usually solve themselves. But her time in Africa also taught her gratitude. “Two men guarded the gate in front of the house where I lived in Kenya,” she says, “seven days a week for around 70 euros a month.” She learned how little money and possessions people can be happy with – and also learned to appreciate their lifestyle. The 20-year-old tries to take all of her newfound knowledge into her everyday life in Germany. “Somehow I always come back from my travels changed,” she says.
Packing list:
Scarf as cold or heat protection
Pillow
To write something
camera
Study time is ideal for traveling. Students are independent, the shared room is quickly sublet for a few weeks during the semester break and you can set off with the bare essentials in your luggage. Three bloggers talk about their motivation for sharing their experiences on a blog.
