Getting acquainted with a city

Overall, I like solo traveling. I’m not afraid to be by myself. I know how to navigate Google Maps pedestrian settings, public transit, and language barriers - at least, enough to get around. But, like many Americans, I struggle with what my dad so eloquently referred to as the “Thanksgiving plate” analogy: I try to travel to so many places in a short time that I get too many samples of cultures and not enough to really get a good taste of any one thing.

I think this is a very American thing. I mean, who can really blame us? It costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get to another continent; of course we’re going to try and see as much as we can! And this works fine, in theory. Why not spend two days in London, then fly to Berlin, then take a train to Gdańsk…you get the idea.

Well, I’ve fallen prey to this line of thinking. And if that’s the kind of travel you’re prepared for, then I say have at it! I did this sort of travel on my first international trip, and it mostly worked well because I was running on pure adrenaline and, like, three hours of sleep.

There are some downsides to this, though. For one, you definitely won’t have enough time to really get to know a city (let alone another country) in a couple of days. I mean, think about it: I’ve been living in Greater Cincinnati for over 20 years, and I still feel like I’m getting to know the city. So do I really know Germany after two days in Berlin? Of course not.

But that’s ok; you can’t dedicate enough of your life to every place you visit to truly know the city like a local. So I think with a well-planned itinerary or a couple of specific goals, this is not a huge issue, as long as you know you’ll never see everything going into it. And in this way, the Thanksgiving plate method is pretty clever. A sampling of each place lets you know what you want more of next Thanksgiving, and it also lets you know what to skip.

My main issue with the Thanksgiving plate method is that you get full before you can finish everything. Logistically, when it comes to travel, this means that you will (or, at least, I will) get more fatigued the more places you go. Because in theory, it is easy to travel between cities, especially ones connected by rail. But in actuality, this means much of your travel time will be spent doing just that: traveling. Packing. Repacking. Checking in. Checking out. Waiting at a train station. Stuck on a delayed train. Drinking Costa at an airport. Making your bed at a new hostel. Relearning the geography of a new city. Adjusting to a new language. And so on and so forth.

Traveling, especially when staying in hostels and using only public transit, can be rough on your body. You aren’t cooking most of your meals, you aren’t sleeping regularly, and your body is constantly on high alert, especially when you’re solo. I think these things can be fun, if you balance them out. But if you are always beginning again in a new city every two to three days, it’s hard to balance anything. For me, the way to actually enjoy traveling is by not rushing everything. I know I’ll never see everything; it’s most important that I listen to my own needs and get a feel for the city in the ways that sounds best for me.

So, how do I get to know a new city? So glad you asked! (Just pretend you asked.) The first thing I like to do is drop my bags off and (hopefully, if it’s time,) check into my accommodation. I am always most irritable when carrying my bag around, so dropping it off is a good first step.

Once I’m ready to explore the city, I like to find a radio station from that country/city that broadcasts in English. In Poland, this is Polskie Radio’s 24/7 English station. Because English is such a global lingua franca, most places have a radio station broadcasting in English. I also like to listen to a bit of the radio station in the country’s language(s) to hear native speakers conversing, even though I won’t understand it. I especially liked doing this with Welsh and Irish radio stations. I also recommend finding music playlists from popular singers and/or singers in a genre you like from the country you’re in. This can set the mood, so to speak, for the next step, which is walking around the city aimlessly! Follow wherever your curiosity takes you. There are no rules (besides, of course, that country’s laws).

I recommend next to take a walking tour of the city you’re in. If traveling in Europe, there are so many great walking tours I’ve found through Walkative. They’re often pay-as-you-wish donation tours led by locals who book through this site. In smaller cities or cities without Walkative, I also think AirBnB Experiences is a good way to find tours. It’s also a great way to find other things going on in the city. I also recommend checking out that city/country’s subReddit, or searching it by name on r/SoloTravel. If these things don’t work, you can always just Google the city you’re in and a couple key words for the activity you’re interested in.

I like going to comedy shows to meet new people; since the ones I go to are in English, they typically draw a more international crowd, and you can chat with people about what they recommend in the city. Also, in Europe, Resident Advisor is a good website that often lists events by city. (I also think this applies to big U.S. cities like New York.) And, of course, if you’re in a hostel, there are events usually through your accommodation (or through the group chats on HostelWorld/WhatsApp).

My final tip is to not be afraid to go do things by yourself. You don’t know anyone in this city, and they don’t know you. As long as you have somewhere to stay at night and can get back to it, it can be super fun to just explore. Often, I walk around markets or parks with my headphones in, and I will get people coming up to me to ask for directions. Of course, I am no local, but I think people see travelers who are confident enough to be solo and walking around without fear, and they view them subconsciously as knowledgeable about the city. So, go forth and explore. And don’t feel like every moment has to be special just because you spent money to go abroad. You’re still human, meaning part of you yearns for routine and rest. Chill in a café or park, read a book, ride the subway, people-watch, listen to the local language, explore local supermarkets, and take in the culture around you. My favorite thing about traveling is seeing just how similar all humans are, in so many ways. But..more on that in another post!

There may be more Żabka stores in Poland than people…so it’s definitely a way to explore the country!

Never forget this is a Gen Z blog.

Chat with you later.