Erin Grant
Staff Writer
Many students dream of traveling the world. Senior Erika Ljutich turned this dream into a reality.
While balancing a full course load, Ljutich has managed to visit over ten countries and several U.S. territories — some by herself — proving that travel is for everyone.
Ljutich’s love for travel started long before she arrived at FSC. Her first international trip, when she was only in high school, sparked a lifelong passion.
“I traveled with my school’s soccer team to Spain and I loved it so much,” she said. Her first exposure to overseas travel ignited a hunger to continue exploring other places and cultures.
For Ljutich, traveling is more than just sightseeing, it’s about finding herself and having new experiences.
“It’s a taste of a new reality. You can be fully yourself, and it makes you realize how small you and your problems are in the world,” she said.
Despite being a full-time student, Ljutich had figured out how to make travel possible. She understands that traveling overseas as a student can be hard, but she’s learned how to make the process a little bit smoother. Her biggest advice? Plan realistically and budget wisely.
“While you’re younger, you can travel. It’s just important to consider your budget when you choose where to go,” she said. “You can’t just say … ‘I wanna go to India’. You can, but it’ll take you a little longer to save up the money to get there.”
While Ljutich truly believes that anyone can travel, she acknowledges the financial sacrifices required to make an international trip happen.
“I work two jobs so that I can travel while in school, and I’ve given up a lot of the comfortability that most people enjoy,” she said, “I don’t eat out at all. I haven’t bought a material item in the past six months. The small amounts add up to go toward a trip that you wanna go on.” She made it clear that it’s all about making small sacrifices that add up to big experiences.
For students worried about the cost of accommodations, Erika has a few hacks.
“Stay in hostels: they are way cheaper, and you’ll make the best friends. It becomes a family,” she said.
You can also leverage those relationships in the future, to make travel even more affordable. In fact, she once managed to travel to Brazil with friends she met through previous travel and only had to pay for airfare.
She also recommends being strategic about how you travel. “Travel on weekdays if you can. That will save you lots of money,” she said. Flights and accommodations tend to be cheaper during the week, making it easier to stretch your budget.
Aside from intentional financial planning, Ljutich also suggests that students take advantage of the resources that are available to them.
For students who may not feel comfortable planning and taking a trip on their own, FSC offers an opportunity to help students explore the world through the Junior Journey program. The program allows students to earn academic credit while exploring different parts of the world at a discounted price. Ljutich strongly recommends using school trips as a stepping stone to more independent travel.
While Ljutich is passionate about students traveling, she doesn’t shy away from the realities of traveling as a young adult: there will be challenges. Erika has seen firsthand how quickly things can take a turn for the worse.
“I got stung by a scorpion … I fell and lost my phone in an Uber and had to get home without my phone, any money or my ticket.”
While not every moment of travel is glamorous, Ljutich believes that the tough moments are part of what makes the experience worthwhile.
“It’s not always fun leading up to it, but it’s definitely worth it once you get to the trip. [Traveling] makes you optimistic that, even on bad days, there’s so much more out there for you,” she said.
If students plan to leave the country soon. Erika has some recommendations based on her favorite part of traveling: food.
“I love Guatemala. Honestly, the best food I’ve ever had was when I went to Guatemala. All of their food was amazing and breathtaking.”
