You know you’re a traveller when…
Living in a hostel room with 10 other people is not regarded as an unfortunate tragedy, but rather, a fun way of making friends and drinking buddies.
Your favourite book is The Beach.
You are bilingual (or at the very least, you can order beer in about 10 different languages).
When someone tells you that they don’t own a passport, you can’t believe that’s even possible.
Back home, you are appalled when discovering that flip flops no longer constitute as proper footwear.
When you log on to Facebook, 75% of the status updates on your news feed are in a different language.
When abroad, you own about 3 shirts that you wear everyday.
When you hear strangers talk about travelling, you immediately eavesdrop.
You spend more on alcohol than food.
You’ve dated more ‘foreigners’ than people from your own country.
Somehow you’ve made it work with someone who barely speaks your language. At least for awhile.
Back home, you seem to have a better immune system and higher alcohol tolerance than your friends.
In any given situation where you are with a group of people from at least six different countries, you call it a “L’Auberge Espagnole” moment.
Most of your dinners consist of pasta or instant noodles.
You own more travel guides than actual novels.
You aspire to write a travel memoir.
A good portion of your paycheck goes into saving up for travelling.
Everyone looks at you in geography class/Who Wants to Be a Millionaire/Trivia Pursuit night when required to name the capital city of some random obscure country.
You remember more people by country rather than name.
Conversations that begin with “what country are you from?”, “how long have you been travelling for?”, “which countries have you been to?” become really tiring, but you ask them anyway.
Your suitcase/backpack is never really unpacked.
Anyone you have hung out with for more than 48 hours is considered your best friend.
Skype and Instagram are some of the greatest inventions ever.
Your dream job consists of working for Lonely Planet, The Discovery Channel, National Geographic, or some international NGO.
When comparing job offers, the amount of vacation days always plays a huge factor in deciding.
Every long weekend and national holiday will be spent going abroad or at the very least, a road trip. Time spent at home is wasted potential!
You are used to cold showers.
Communal washrooms have simply become a way of life.
You always insist on taking the road less travelled just to one up those travelling with Lonely Planet guidebooks.
You go to McDonalds and libraries for free wifi.
You have slept in the airport to save on accommodations.
You read travel blogs when you’re at home.
You have a list of countries you’ve been to to keep track.
Acronyns such as RTW and 4WD are part of your vocab.
You’ve watched the movie Eurotrip more times than you’d like to admit.
Back home, you are disappointed that your accent is no longer cool.
cute =)
I can't say I've travelled enough to be able to relate to most of these but I can definitely say the second last one rings true! Haha.
Cute list! Found you on 20SB, I can relate to lots of that, though I don't think anyone's told me my American, Southern accent is "cute". Maybe I'm going to the wrong places!
I can definitely relate to a lot of these though I didn't start traveling until I was in my thirties (so I was already beyond the hostel phase). I did stay in a hostel two years ago in Edinburgh and had a great time. There were twenty men and women in my room, and there was a pub in the hostel. I can say I can't eat gluten in more than twenty languages.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes to all of these!
I especially love the "L'Auberge Espagnol" moment – classic!
xxx
Jenna
This is SO true: Your suitcase/backpack is never really unpacked.
haha – what a great list! Unfortunately I'm not much of a traveller though, or at least only in my head!
Haha, well I'm Canadian, so most travellers tell me that I actually have "no accent." So… you are lucky to have an accent! 🙂
What an interesting story! The most I've ever stayed at is a 15 person dorm…they called it "The Church." 20 people sounds like a crazy amount…but I guess sometimes you just have to go big. And it just goes to show, that it's never to late to start travelling 🙂
best movie EVER! 🙂
hahaha I am still amazed that anyone thinks my Canadian accent is "lovely". I also have a real soft spot for eurotrip! lol! Love the list!
Haha! It's usually the tourists in OZ that tell ME my accent is 'cute'!!! Love your list – and I don't even have to go overseas to relate to it!!!
🙂
that movie never gets old!
Haha you're lucky you live in a country that's just SOO full of travellers and backpackers!
Agreed! And…all my non-native English speaking friends thank me for "pronouncing every syllable unlike the British and Aussies"…it's pretty funny!
Yes and I think some of my shirts will just permanently have creases in them because of that! haha
it's a good starting point 🙂
This is great… I have traveled around the world and for the first time in about 5 years am finally settled down and this list is so good- I was chuckling throughout and being like 'that is so on spot!!" really cute 🙂
new reader and follower 🙂
thanks! 🙂 i bet it must feel weird settling down after traveling for so long!
I am an adult third cultured kid, and I relate to some of the points on this list.
Great compilation!
Hahaha. This is spot on! I can relate to EVERYTHING on this list. I do have one minor addition…
When you hear strangers talk about travelling, you immediately eavesdrop… and find a way to join their conversation, because you can’t stop talking about traveling.
🙂
yes, I’ve definitely been guilty of that! haha
Haha one to add to this is – once I got asked at a hotel to see my “visa” so I whipped out my passport to show them my visas inside. “No, dear,” the receptionist reponded, “I mean your credit card”.
Hahaha, that’s such a funny story! 🙂 I probably would’ve done the same!
I wish all these things meant something to me, but someday they will!
Eve
I got to your site by googling fun facts about Germany…….lmao funny, really enjoyed reading. Hoping to travel to Berlin and Amsterdam from Copehagen. Any fun tips?
So TRUE.
Your backpack is never really unpacked 🙂
YOU SAID HOSTEL NOT HOTEL.
What an amazing post! Had to laugh so hard at some of those points but they are mostly true for me 😀 Every time my friends are planning a vacation they want to stay at a hotel and I’m just like “Uargh, no way!”
If you’re interested you can check out my blog (highontravelling.wordpress.com). I did a post similar to this one, but a lot shorter 😉
I really enjoy your blog! You seem like a genuine and open minded person – as a German, I do appreciate this :p
This list is hilarious, although I mostly traveled in Europe (its cheaper and we can drive by car) the last years, we are trying to hit a new country every year. I studied 9 months in Canada, Toronto, and I can relate to soo many things on the list – and L’auberge espagnol 1&2 were my favorite movies back then 🙂
You are used to cold showers….gold!
Great list again, really enjoying your blog which I find nigh on five minutes ago
Keep it up 🙂
Jamie
omg yes.. my accent is no longer cool.