Anthony,+Isabella+&+Christine

A. =The meaning of independence=

Last year I went to America on my own. The land of freedom was a right place for me to spend a holiday because I was travelling alone. The atmosphere was excited but full of opportunities when I left our house. The journey was to begin.

 When I left my house I was quite terrified but I was still keen on going on my own. I felt the wind of the freedom when I got on the bus which took me to the airport. I was able to do things I hadn´t done before like going shops without having to inform somebody but I was also responsible for my own doings. At least I didn´t have difficulties to find the gate on my own. After that the world was open for me.

 “Where is my luggage?” was the first thing that came to my mind. I had waited for nearly two hours in front of the luggage reclaim but my luggage hadn´t arrived. This was the first time I wished my mom would be with me. I had to find a place from where I could ask for my lost luggage. It was a little bit hard to understand American accent but I found out that my luggage was sent to Australia. And they said I wouldn´t get them back before four weeks so I couldn´t get them back until I would be back in Finland.

 The rest of the holiday went well after I had bought some stuff to replace the lost ones. I travelled back to Finland and I was pleased to see my family again. I had learned a lot but the most important thing was that it´s especially fun to travelling alone but it is also quite tough. It means that independence doesn´t always mean freedom. It means responsibility. You just can´t see it before you experience it on your own.

= = =__Independent means__=

=
I love travelling more than almost anything else in life. I just don’t get the chances to do it very often. Usually it’s because my parents don’t have the time to go anywhere. And the used to think I’m too young for traveling abroad on my own. Last summer that changed! I went all by myself to England; I didn’t even have a friend with me. I was going for a language course.=====

=
In England I realized little better what independence means. I was responsible for almost everything I did and didn’t do. For me it was awesome! It was lot more relaxing to get to choose what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. Of course sometimes I felt a bit homesick and missed my parents because there was no one to tell me when I should eat and sleep and other things like that.=====

=
Even thought I was super nervous when I left, as soon as I came back I knew that really got more independent. And by independent I mean I can now more often decide what I want to do and I know how to take care of myself.===== = =

Written by Christine

=Going solo = When you go to a trip, the person you are travelling with can make your holiday a disaster. Is it easier to travel alone then? There are upps and downs for travelling alone, but it can be very relaxing. You can deside everything related to the trip by yourself. You don't have to go to places your friend is dying to go, but to places you want to see. If you like relaxing home alone, a trip with just yourself and a couple of books can be the holiday of a lifetime.And who knows who you'll meet when you have to make connections abroad without a friend beside you. Travelling alone is a very lonely hobby, and some people just can't handle being alone. When you are for example in a train alone it can be a little boring when you have no one to talk to, but then again you can strike up a conversation with a total stranger and end up having a lifetime friend. It's of course safer to travel with someone, but don't you just love the idea of surviving on your own? In a conclusion you could say that travelling alone is not for everone but it can be a fun change to the usual trips. You just have to test for yourself do you like going solo?

Written by Isabella