I was just at the NAFSA: Association of International Educators convention in Houston — a gathering of 8,000 university administrators, teachers, and advisors who coordinate the foreign study industry in the USA (both for inbound foreigners, and for Americans going out to the rest of the world). I enjoyed the honor of giving a 90-minute plenary talk to a huge and packed auditorium, sharing my take on the importance and value of foreign study — now more than ever.
That experience — combined with my recent 20-cities-in-20-days road trip, and my upcoming commencement address at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington — has connected me with the excitement of exposing the next generation to the wonders, complexities, and challenges of our world firsthand.
One thing I always encourage young travelers to do is to keep a journal. Along with writing countless postcards (which were ultimately gathered together to make running accounts of my early travels), I diligently filled “empty books” with 200 pages of tiny handwriting from each of my first ten adventures in Europe and Asia. Of course, these days, kids blog. My kids, Andy and Jackie, have each enjoyed blogging, as has my niece, Nicolina, on her recent street art mission in Brazil.
During my March lecture tour, I met John Paul Gairhan, a 15-year-old in Conway, Arkansas, who was excited to be planning his first European adventure. John just began his trip, and following his blog reminds me of the thrilling mix of fun, fear, and fantasy of my first trip at his age. I promised John if he shared an insider’s look at the thrill of a 15-year-old kid from Arkansas enjoying Europe for his first time, I’d send him lots of readers. So travel along with John on his blog.
Another highlight of my lecture tour was in Omaha, where I was ambushed by an enthusiastic band of high-school German students. I just received this email from their teacher:
Hi Rick,
I’m the German teacher at Millard North High School you met here in Omaha. I wanted to thank you again for all that you do. When I was in college, your travel books and videos were an extremely positive influence on me and how I organized my trips to Europe. More importantly, I was inspired by and followed your advice that wise travelers remove as many barriers as possible between themselves and the culture they came to visit.
Outside of the classroom, I don’t think there’s any better way to educate oneself but through travel. I became a German teacher just in the past year and I do my best to teach my students not only an appreciation for other cultures but also a strong wanderlust. I want them to see life as an adventure for which they must boldly write their own personal script.
Throughout the year, we’ve used your videos on Germany, Austria & Switzerland as a teaching tool. In fact, you’ve achieved a quasi-cult status amongst my students. I invited my students to attend your lecture here last March and thirty showed up. Although they were a bit raucous at times, you were kind enough to invite us all on stage for this photograph. Thanks again for coming to Omaha and speaking to our community.
Best Regards,
Jason Pitt and the German language students of Millard North High School
I’m glad I discovered backpacking in Europe during my college years when everybody slept on trains, when there were no cell phones, ipads, or Internet. When communication meant sending a postcard. Traveling then seemed a bit more mysterious and special. You really could get lost then and the world was bigger then it seems now. It was a magical time, and while I still enjoy traveling there in a more technologically advanced world, I’m glad I had a chance to experience that magical time.
Rick, I know this is your business, but in the big picture you have done so much to give everyday people the confidence to travel. I always in my heart wanted to travel like you have done and for my husband and myself we did not grow up in northern Calif. with families that “did”that. So we went on with our careers and had a family. Started to travel a bit with work. And then when kids graduated from college and we were truely empty nesters about 12 years ago we said one day “why not” and have been traveling every year. As my husband puts it, we are doing our college days but we have a bigger credit card! Anyway if I had not picked up that first Rick Steves book ( it was Italy before the Euro) I don’t think I would have ever thought this is something we could do! We have a lot to be thankful for, these have been some of our best experiences in life and have given up such a bigger perspective from the small town we live in.
My husband started traveling in Europe about the same time as you, Rick. While most of the postcards he sent to his parents are lost, he has his trip journals. Reading about his experiences in Greece when he was 15, and hosteling throughout Italy, Germany, etc. in his late teens, is just priceless. (As a bonus, since he was usually on a tight budget, he kept good notes about how much things cost and exchange rates – so we’re able to compare his early experiences with our travels together.) I’m glad he kept those journals and that we’ve been able to add to the collection together over the years.