Hostelling International | She Is Going Places

I first heard about studying abroad during college when I went to interview the director of my school’s program for the student newspaper. While I don’t remember much of what we talked about, I do recall getting excited over the places as a student I could go to – Ireland, England, Spain, and Italy. And leaving with some flyers to peruse when I got home.

But I ended up not studying abroad. I never signed up.

Maybe I was hesitant, worried about the money aspect or missing out on what was happening with friends at home. Nonetheless, my travel years since college have made up for it. However, the opportunity could have taken me in directions I can only “what if” about.

Nowadays, studying abroad is becoming more the norm. It’s also getting help from travel experts and bloggers – with many having studied abroad themselves – in telling how transformative this experience can be. This Friday, I’m going to the Travel Bloggers Summit on Study Abroad & Global Citizenship at Hostelling International NYC to see how.

Presented by Hostelling International USA and Partners of the Americas, this three-day summit (which started today) is a sequel to an inaugural event at the White House in 2014. This initiative was established to encourage young people to set out and see the world through educational experiences. To help foster this push, many well-respected travel experts and bloggers were invited to Washington, D.C. to learn more and become involved in this project.

Many of them I will see tomorrow in NYC.

Creative Commons photo/ Andreas Mortonus

Why Study Abroad?

So why promote studying abroad? Well, here’s some data. A 2016 Open Doors Report released by the Institute of International Education found that during the 2014-2015 academic year found that:

Reported 313,415 U.S. students studied aboard. As for where they went, Europe received the most U.S. students, with 170,879 of them participating in undergrad programs there. Outside of North America, the Middle East and North Africa hosted the lowest number of these students, with a combined total of 6,844.
What are they learning? The report found that these top five fields of study are attracting U.S. students to study abroad: STEM, business, social sciences, foreign language and international studies and fine arts. As for how long they’re gone, it’s short-term, with 63% of them going abroad for eight weeks.
As for who specifically is studying abroad, the report found that the largest ethnic group of U.S. students was white (at 72.9%). Students who identify as multi-racial, American Indian or Alaska Native are rarely doing so (at only a combined 4.6% for the 2014-15 academic year).

Creative Commons photo / Kenneth Lu

Breaking Down Barriers

Another focus of this summit is to determine how to break down barriers that prevent students of diversity from studying abroad. A 2017 presentation on Diversity Abroad for a grant by Partners of the Americas found reasons such as:

Awareness of its value – misconception that it’s a vacation
Cultural restraints – since study abroad is not a traditional part of higher education experience, families are not likely to support the student either morally or financially
Finances – it’s too costly or students cannot afford the loss of income for the time period abroad

Even high education might also hinder opportunities for their students to study abroad due to issues such as map out courses for credits transfer and count toward graduation, lack of funding for new programs, and engaging with faculty and adminstrations to see the value of having a study abroad component.

What Can Be Done

Along with raising awareness, there are initiatives in making study abroad more accessible such as grants. Adminstered through Hostelling International USA, Explore the World scholarships help selected applicants in financing an international trip that includes an educational or service component.

Besides money, studying abroad is also noted for its non-tangible value: learning a new language, understanding of different cultures,and building skills that can serve an ever-global growing economy.

Another cool aspect of this NYC travel summit is that it’s happening during NYC’s Global Citizen Week, which will cumulate with Saturday’s Global Citizen Festival, a separate, ticketed event on Central Park’s Great Lawn. If you’re on Twitter, follow along with the discussion on Friday (Sept. 22) at 3 p.m. via the hashtag #studyabroadbecause.

Have you studied abroad? If so, share with me your experience.

The site of my first hostel stay: Hostelling Interational-New York City

Up until last month, I had never stayed in a hostel. There’s no real reason why I didn’t; perhaps I just didn’t considered using them. Yet as I start to do more solo travel, and realize that my budget needs to better adjust to this fact, I figured it would be interesting to see what a hostel stay is like.

In brushing stereotypes and horror stories aside, hostels primarily have a good reputation as being a safe and affordable option for accommodations. They also attract more travelers from different age groups and backgrounds. Recently, for a work assignment, I spent a weekend at Hostelling International-New York City, the Manhattan location for Hostelling International, a worldwide organization.

Overall, my first experience went well, and I wanted to use it to share some first-time tips for staying in a hostel with other newbies.

The room I stayed in at Hostelling International-New York City.

Here they are:

Of course, do your research. Just like with looking up hotels online, there are a number of websites on hostels complete with pictures, personal reviews and rankings (definitely pay attention to comments on amenities and cleanliness). Search engines such as hostels.com, hostelbookers.com or hostelworld.com provide lists on hostels in your destination. Hostelling International also is a good source, as their brand has hostels in just about every country and throughout the U.S. Another plus with all of these sites is that you can obtain the address of your potential hostel and be able to Google Map it to get specific directions.
Weigh what you’re comfortable with. Especially as a woman, I think it’s important to really make sure you’re comfortable with your choice of setup in the hostel you’re heading too — way before you go. Hostels have a number of room options, varying in cost, occupancy and availability (plus an upfront deposit can be required). There can be a private room/with bath but it will cost more than let’s say a shared room with other women. “Shared” can number out to four to a room, perhaps even more than at. In some cases, you could choose to stay in a co-ed shared room. It’s up to you. At Hostelling International-New York City, I was assigned to a room set up for four people. My bed was one of the top bunks.

The showers at Hostelling International-New York City

Bring comforts and essentials. Most hostels will provide lockers or offer additional space for rent. Locks can cost extra. I brought a travel combination lock with me and my suitcase was small enough to be squeezed into my given locker. Bedding is supplied, and often towels are as well (I brought one along just in case). I would recommend bringing along flip flops, just in case, as you can wear them in the shower as well as go back and forth from your room. Earplugs are helpful to block out noises and late-night arrivals. Bring small bills, too, to cover any popup or not-covered expenses from laundry machines to a mid-afternoon coffee.
Get secure. As with using lockers, don’t get too casual with your stuff. Travelers often go in and out of hostels as they please, and particularly the rooms they sleep in, so it’s best not to leave your phone or other electronics and valuables lying around in the open. (I had a bottle of water I bought and put on the side of my room taken, but still, it was MINE). With building security, a hostel should have knowledgeable staff that can give you directions and might also be able to book transportation to and from the airport. When I stayed at HI-NY, my keycard doubled for both getting into my room and past the check-in area.
Be sociable. Hostels often have communal hangout areas like lounges and café seating areas to relax in or make small talk with other guests. At HI-NY, breakfast was included in the cost of my stay, so during my morning meal I got to chat more with one of my roommates, a Canadian, as well as two girls from England and Fiji, respectively. Check to see if the hostel organizes group outings too. HI-NY has guided excursions such as bar crawls or borough tours. I was there on Halloween night, so I signed up for a group outing to go watch the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade.

A lounge at a hostel is a good place to relax or chat with fellow guests.

Staying in a hostel could feel like reliving your college dorm days. Yet, it’s a place to meet new people or even get some different tips on what’s in your destination. If you’re still going solo, your hostel is a good base to head back to, especially if you need help.

Editor’s Note: As part of my assignment, I was comped for my stay at Hostelling International-New York City.

She Is Going Places

Tag Archives: Hostelling International

2017 Travel Bloggers Summit on Study Abroad & Global Citizenship NYC

Why Study Abroad?

Breaking Down Barriers

What Can Be Done

Tips for Your First Stay at a Hostel