“Don’t be fearful – be ready to take on Europe”

For many travellers, DiscoverEU is more than a journey of cultural or geographical discovery – it’s also a journey of self-discovery. This was certainly the case for British traveller Joel Baldwin, who, faced with the prospect of going to university a few months later, decided to apply for a pass in order to develop his confidence and become more independent.

“I thought that it would be a good setup before university, because a lot of people go afterwards in a gap year,” he said. “And I thought; ‘hang on, I could do this before and get the experience’”. Travelling across 6 countries, Joel found that the skills he learned on his journey made his transition to university smoother. “It was very enlightening for me. I’m at university now but it made it a lot easier. It was almost a precedent to it,” he said. “It gives you more faith in your social skills. People love to hear about it – it’s a great conversation starter.”

With his new-found self-confidence, Joel is already planning his next trip. “I might go to India, which is even further away,” he said. “But without DiscoverEU I wouldn’t have even had the courage to think about it.” Joel’s advice to prospective travellers is simple: “Just embrace it. Take everything in your stride. Don’t be afraid to meet people, to speak to people, and definitely, definitely do it.” 
 

Updated on Teisipäev, 26/07/2022