The Destination Bucket List of a 20-year-old College Student
The Destination Bucket List
-of a 20-year-old college student-
I want to preface this post with a few things. I take traveling and most specifically respecting the land I am visiting, and the people who are living in those areas, extremely seriously. Traveling especially to small countries makes it so much more important to help the country actually thrive. Making sure to only travel when it is ethical because yes traveling during a pandemic isn’t ethical. I learned this going to school on Oahu, please respect when people from a destination ask you to wait, or at the bare minimum be respectful of the people and the land of where you are.
Also included are a few pictures from places I have been :)
The multiple Hawaiian Islands
Making sure to do it ETHICALLY!!!!! I am so so lucky to be going to college on Oahu to study Environmental Science (I mean can you imagine a better place to do that). But I am confined to this island and while beautiful, it is overrun by tourists which have forced locals from their homes. I want to visit the other islands, but only ethically, supporting locals is extremely important to me, that’s what keeps the livelihoods of the locals going, so support them. Be kind, you are in a sacred place, treat it and the people as such. It will go a long way to be a good person.
Washington State
Like many of the most beautiful places around Washington, I almost went to school at a small college in Tacoma. It was of the most beautiful areas I’ve been to. I love trees and nature and boy oh boy does the Pacific North West have some GREAT trees, and mountains, and water. The trinity of nature is all together and beautiful. I want to take pictures all around the national and state parks. Many of my dream (they are cliche) photography locations lie in Washington
Greece
I want to see the towns all over the Mediterranean as well as the areas where the Blue Zones were first realized and researched. I intuitively realized that eating in the way the Blue Zones talk about is how I feel my absolute best, and hearing that’s one of the ways to live the longest was cool to me, and now I want to see where it thrives the most. Another reason is that one of my older sisters studied in Greece for a few weeks on a winter term and had the most incredible time learning there.
Italy
My dad took a motorcycle trip all over Italy a few years ago and documented all of it so incredibly. I had always thought going to Italy would be cool but he made it that much more interesting to see and hope to visit someday. As well as it is another place around the Mediterranean which is so so beautiful.
Scotland
I have always thought Scotland was so cool, and it was where my favorite fantasy movies were filmed (mostly). Which made it that much more desirable to go to. One of my sisters (newly married) has been dating/now married to a Scottish guy for almost eight years, his family has a home in Scotland, and seeing all that they have shown my sister is so incredible and I can only hope to experience one day.
Ireland
I have some Irish heritage as well as knowing some people who spent a few months in Ireland and absolutely loved it. From what they have told me it would be a place that I too would love. Making it another point on my bucket list to hit.
Pacific Islands
From Guam, Samoa, Mariana Islands, Fiji. I have met many people from a ton of different Pacific Islands going to my college, and my school has an event called Pacific Island Review (PIR), and through it we get to see the cultures from all over the Pacific Islands and it makes me so grateful that I get to learn from people in the cultures that are the trademark, the original Environmentalists. I get to learn from so many people because of this and I hope to one day ETHICALLY visit some of the islands that some of my most incredible (not to mention smart) friends are from.
New Zealand
Now I know it is technically a Pacific Island but New Zealand gets its own section. I have a cousin who studied in New Zealand for a semester and had the time of her life while learning about how New Zealand struggles in similar ways to Hawai’i and yet they are so different in so many ways. As well as so similar. I hope I get to see a traditional New Zealand Haka in person someday.
Alaska
I grew up watching the movie Balto, a concerning amount, and I since then have thought that Alaska would be an incredible destination to see. I have always wanted to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) in person. Someday I will make that dream come true.
United Kingdom
I have some friends who live in the UK and I would absolutely love to spend some time with them in the countryside and adventure all around with them. It is such a beautiful area and I hope to be able to visit them someday.
Spain
My Dad lived in Spain for a few years when he was in the Navy and I grew up hearing his stories of living in Spain. I have seen pictures from when family members have had the luck and privilege to travel to Spain. It’s so beautiful and full of so many people who are full of personality and I hope to experience that someday.
Japan
As typical as it is I want to see the cherry blossoms!!! I got to see some in D.C. as a kid when visiting my Aunt and Uncle and I’ve heard about just how much more beautiful they are in Japan and I really want to see them. My Grandparents and my Dad and his siblings lived in Japan for about three years as well and we have a ton of things that they brought back in my family’s house, which makes it that much more desirable. One of my best friends lived in Japan for nine years of her life and it was her favorite place she’s ever lived (and there are quite a few of those). Her loving it that much makes it another place to add to my bucket list.
Africa
I have always wanted to go on a safari to see all of the incredible animals that live out in the desert. Ever since I was little I had wanted to see a lion outside of captivity. I have a cousin who spent some time in South Africa (yes I’m aware of how large Africa as a whole is) and had so much fun in her semester there. I will have to do quite a bit of research to see just the right areas for me to visit.
Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
Bing bing another place one of my sisters spent a short term to get some college credit. I loved seeing and hearing stories from her few weeks between the Galapagos, Ecuador, and the Amazon (the Amazon I’m a bit scared of though). Such incredible beautiful, culture-filled places that I hope I get to visit someday.
Some Caribbean Islands
I saw so many pictures from people visiting the Caribbean and thought it looked so cool to visit. Also, Pirates of the Caribbean is set in the Caribbean, and it’s one of my all-time favorite movie series so that definitely influenced my want to go there and see all there is to the Islands.
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