Name: Lauren Rabindranath
Age: 25
Program: Master of Arts, Experimental Digital Media
You’ve been busy this past year! First – tell me a little bit about finishing up your master’s program at UW. What were you studying?
I was studying Experimental Digital Media, which is offered through the English Department. I have always been a lover of words and books, and see digital platforms as another ‘text’, so it worked out great. The program encouraged a lot of critical thought about our relationship with digital media and devices and led to some creative and inspiring projects.
Would you have travelled after undergrad as opposed to after doing your masters? What made you want to travel?
For me, jumping right into a masters after my undergrad made the most sense – financially and in terms of motivation. Everybody is different though and everyone travels for different reasons. Other backpackers I met ranged in age from 18 to 38, so the timing is really personal.
I have always been interested in art, architecture, and nature. Exploring them in an up-close-and-personal way seemed like the most rewarding and authentic way to get in touch with those passions. After my first backpacking trip to Europe last year, I got a little addicted and knew I wanted to go further and longer.
Outline your 6-month travel plan briefly. Which countries did you travel to?
I left in February of this year and returned at the beginning of September, and spent most of the time traveling with a friend I met during my undergrad. We went to South East Asia but took a strange route compared to the usual ‘banana pancake trail’ people take. We started in Cambodia, went to Thailand for our visas before heading to Myanmar, returned to Thailand, flew to the Philippines, went to Vietnam, then Laos, Indonesia, and Malaysia. We separated in Kuala Lumpur and I went to Sri Lanka for a week of solo travel before meeting up with my family there.
Did you have any initial fears? How did you overcome them?
Having a travel buddy made things a lot easier; getting lost is less scary if you have someone to get lost with! I was definitely nervous about how sustainable traveling for so long would be for me. Traveling to new places is exciting but physically and mentally tiring, and going from -30 degree weather to +30 degrees with a 12 hour time difference took some adjusting. After the first month I think we got in our groove and my fears evaporated.
What was the most challenging part of living so far away from home?
I’m lucky to have a lot of fantastic friends and family in my life, and being away for holidays and birthdays was strange and difficult at times. Missing people is hard but also made me feel really fortunate. I was also working on the road (I am a freelance copywriter), so balancing the work and play was hard when most other travelers were just there to play. As mentioned, traveling is also really exhausting. Being surrounded by the unfamiliar is thrilling but taxing. Taking some ‘down days’ and settling in certain locations for a week helped us recharge.
What’s one life lesson that you would take away from your travels – One lesson that you want to share with everybody?
I shared a few of my reflections and lessons here. If I had to choose one lesson that has taken on heightened importance in my transition phase back home, it would be to trust your own path. Most of the best experiences we had on the road were not planned. Just because you have a map doesn’t mean you know where you are going to end up. Giving up a little control and exercising a little faith (in yourself and in the future) can give you the best results. It will also make the journey a lot more enjoyable!
What’s one piece of advice you would give somebody who wants to pursue similar travels?
Just go for it. There are always going to be reasons not to go – diseases, safety issues, and other risks – but I promise there are more to just go. The reality is that women have a lot more considerations to make, but there are always networks of other solo travelers, tour companies, and online resources to ease your concerns. If there is somewhere you want to see, don’t wait! If you have the time and the resources now, seize the opportunity.
5 quick tips If you are gearing up for a trip: find regional backpacker groups on Facebook; download Maps.me for offline maps; keep plans a little loose to leave room for surprises; pack light; and learn some key phrases in the local language.
What’s next?!
Excellent question. I’m busy with freelance work and have started some personal projects involving art submissions and creative writing. The job hunt has also begun and I am interested in getting involved in the arts and culture industry. Hopefully I’ll find a role building up an arts community and giving visitors that same rush I felt experiencing art in other cities around the world.