local | Living with Liv

In my eyes, there are two ways to travel. The first is traveling as a tourist and the second is traveling as a local. Traveling as a tourist means you are going to all of the most popular sights, eating at the most renowned- and somewhat basic- restaurants, staying at popular hotels etc. That is a great way to travel. However, in order to learn from the culture, to me, you must travel as a local. Hit up the most underground bars, attend hole in the wall restaurants that are recommended by locals, and bike around the city.

Check out the link below to get a professional’s thoughts on the value of travel.

The Value of Travel

A few weeks ago, I mastered a balance between the two ways of travel. I visited Copenhagen, Denmark and indulged myself in the beauty of Danish culture while getting to see the most famous spots. I have a few recommendations for Copenhagen if you are wanting to do some out of the box activities that really made my stay worth while.

Stay in an Airbnb- Staying in a hotel is nice if you want to feel pampered 24/7. However, nothing says local like living in a local’s home.
Hotubs of Copenhagen- An underground activity that proved the beauty of the city. Sitting in wildly hot baths with your closest friends on the river in Copenhagen isn’t something that everyone gets to say they’ve done.
Horseback riding in the Danish country side- An 8am wakeup call seemed like a minor detail after riding horses in the Danish countryside and watching locals play polo shortly after the water-side ride. I got to explore an aspect of Danish culture that I never really knew existed. While cantering through the fields with hills on my left and water on my right, I realized that the world has so much to offer- whether concrete or cultural. This activity transformed my opinion on how I wanted to spend my time abroad. While I can’t go to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower or Rome without seeing the Colosseum, exploring the intricacies of each culture is more important to me than being a tourist.

I have a strong opinion that traveling can teach you more than school ever will. Reading a textbook does not even compare to visiting different countries- all with different cultural traditions, cuisines and historical landmarks.

Check out the YouTube link below to learn more about how travel can shape you.

How Travel Can Shape You

Social networking is the language of our generation. This social structure facilitates communication between people all over the world depending on certain interests, areas of expertise, shared values etc. In the most common sense, our society uses an array of social platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to inform friends and family of their experiences, reach out to potential employers and basically connect with people all over the world. These platforms alone have shifted the way in which we think and interact with people. Some may argue that social networks have ruined our society’s ability to have personable relationships, however, I believe that it has pushed our generation forwards.

I, for one, have used social networks to fuel my travels. My goal for my social media is to get a conversation started. Whether that means getting feedback on a restaurant I posted about, triggering a conversation based on a certain tourist location that I visited, or just opening a forum for discussion based on my travels while abroad.

This past weekend, I went to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam is particularly controversial because of its liberal daily activities, such as the red light district. However, this is the perfect example of how a place one has traveled to instigates a conversation- either positive or negative. People can respond negatively, saying that the culture is too promiscuous for people around the world or people can respond positively, saying that the culture shock is just enough.

I enjoy indulging in both the touristy spots as well as the local gems when I travel to different countries. And by posting about all of those experiences, I give my followers a taste of what it is like to be abroad.

Click on the link below to see me at one of the biggest tourist hubs in Amsterdam, the Heineken Experience.

Instagram

Regardless of what I use my social media for, I view it as a powerful networking tool.

Living with Liv

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Cantering in Copenhagen