Thank you for visiting my blog!
Firstable, this blog has 2 objectives.
- To help anyone who is planning, wanting or about to do an exchange year, especially Europe and even more accurately Austria or Linz, Austria.*
- To describe my planning budgets, costs of living, travels and more in 2016 prices, It is difficult to find updated experiences so I'll just write my own and hope it helps you.
I have read different experiences and stories that have helped me a lot so what I want the most is to help others with a different perspective on an exchange year.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE = DIFFERENT PRIORITIES
Most people plan, save and spend their money on travel, food or experiences according the expected prices that Europe offers, but as I have seen, people usually expect certain quality from the services they acquire or even pay a bit more to have a similar quality level in things they have on their native countries.Examples: Pay for a comfortable bed because it's basic to enjoy sleep properly, Pay to have the same quantity of food they have back home or pay for the most expensive prices in the city.
But basically I don't care about the things I enjoy normally in my country, I don't care about the best nor even a good bed, but at least with a clean one I'm happy. I don't care about taking taxi, I can have the money but I want to walk and get lost in cities I don't know, explore! I don't wanna be a tourist, I wanna mix with the environment. I don't care about the food as long as I don't die (Yes, that is my limit, the insurance is there for something, I like to take things to the limit haha)
TL:DR
People like to be comfortable when traveling to Europe, considering to pay a little more to arrive faster, or a bit more for good quality services or whatever. Not Me.I'm traveling to Europe expecting to live as a tramp, I don't care about anything but the experience of traveling itself, getting to know the places, learning from people, I just want to enjoy the most and spend the least, so I can do even more. I'll take it as far as I can because of the nature itself of Europe (Not what it's called cheap).
In Practice
I'm going to try to do the most things I can with the less budget I can. Hypothetically:--> Europe has cheap and fast trains to travel, so - I'm going to try and travel the most I can by bus.
--> Because they are even cheaper, in spite of the increase on time they take to arrive at a destination and trying to enjoy and describe here the advantages of these downsides.
For example,
Paris --> Lyon : 5 hours by train. 73.71 € (Via RailEurope.com)
Paris --> Lyon : 9 hours by bus. 24,50 € (Via FlixBus.com)
Clear downside is the time I will waste on the travel, but on the other hand, France landscapes are unique (like any other but in their own special way), so with the patience and understanding that time sacrifice represents a 66% Discount from the train price, I can gladly wait 4 hours watching and enjoying the road, trees and the sky while knowing I'll have almost 50€ more to spend in whatever I please later on my arrival, or some more days at a decent hostel or even another ride.
Plus considering them as part of the just-in-case money one always ends up spending at travels because unexpected situations.
Summarizing
I'm going on an exchange year to Linz, Austria. This can help anyone to have an idea of the minimum expenses to be made so one can live properly, enjoy travels, learning things and whatever else one finds on the way there.Thank you!
