10 Ways to Travel without Leaving Home: Wanderlust Fixes for the Home-bound Traveler

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When the travel bug gets you, it can seem pretty hopeless and downright depressing when you’re stuck at home. Right now, even though I’ve been feeling like Im on house arrest due to Louisiana’s Covid-19 stay at home order–I’m feeling especially grateful for the privilege I’ve had in being able to travel so much and so frequently. For a lot of us, this new time spent at home can feel like an adjustment. But also, this is the reality for much of the world regardless of current travel restrictions.

The time spent at home has given me some time to reflect on why I travel. The biggest reason for me is to learn about and experience cultures other than my own. While I may be homebound now, that doesn’t stop me from continuing to seek out those same experiences, just now from within the comforts of my own home.

Here’s my 10 ways to have all the experiences of travel without leaving home:

1. Try a new recipe

My biggest joy from traveling is trying new foods. While I can’t spring off for a weekend foodie tour around Mexico City or eat my way through New Orleans, I can try a new cuisine in my very own kitchen.

Here’s a few of my favorite global-inspired recipes I’ve tried lately:

Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa

Mexican Carnitas (perfect in tacos! Yum!)

Shanghai style pork belly (Hong shao Rou)

Italian Pasta Bolognese

Ukranian Beef Borsht

2. Get a history lesson

Have some future trips planned? While we’re not exploring Macchu Picchu or the ruins in Tikal, Guatemala right now, we can still learn all about these amazing places and the people who lived there.

Visiting the Museo de la Revolución in Leon, Nicaragua this past December inspired me to learn more about the events in Nicaragua’s past. I’ve picked up some books to read and learn more about the history of a country I love to visit so much. Now, next time I visit, I will have a better understanding of the Nicaraguan culture, politics, and the significance of public holidays and historical sites.

How cool would it be to have some historical context to those cool cities/ruins you’re planning to visit? Take this time to read up on the history of places you’re interested in.

Exploring the historic city of Leon, Nicaragua.

3. Read local authors

Craving a cultural immersion experience? Why not read some books by authors from the places you’re dying to travel. Not only can you virtually escape your living room through the pages of a book, but you’ll get a first-hand experience of cultural and societal issues pertinent to that country. Now when you’re able to travel for real, you’ll be coming with a deeper cultural understanding of where you’ll be visiting.

4. Learn a new language

Got some serious free time on your hands? Try taking this time to learn a new language. I’m a language teacher myself as well as a lover of learning language. A couple years ago, I had an amazing time taking a Spanish language course in Bocas del Toro, Panamà.

But you don’t need to travel for at all to learn a new language! There are so many resources online for language learning. While we need to social distance in person, digitally the world is more connected than ever. Learn some basics and find an online tutor to practice conversational skills with. Maybe you’ll make a new friend to visit in the future!

Here’s some great resources to check out:

Mango Languages – This language learning platform is a paid platform, but depending on your region, your local library or university may include the service making it free for you! Just enter your zip code when you make an account to see.

Duolingo—the app is free and it’s a great tool to get some quick and consistent practice with vocabulary and grammar, but solely using this won’t help you learn a language fluently.

Italki—find an online language teacher or tutor. As a language teacher and language learner myself, it’s so important to have real, in-person conversation in a language to truly learn it. Don’t know anyone in your area who speaks the language you want to learn? No problem, you can have your very own language teacher and practice conversational skills online! Each teacher sets their own price so you can find someone you think you will work well with and in your budget.

5. Take a virtual tour

So many museums, cultural sites, aquariums, zoos… you name it are opening up their doors—or cameras I should say, for free!

Here are a few of my favorites so far:

The Palace of Versailles: This has been on my bucket list for a long time. While we can’t visit in person, there’s an excellent online virtual tour. The history of the palace and the architecture is fascinating.

Wild Animals: Explore.org has a huge variety of different live streams of animals, both land and sea, all over the world! I’m really loving the great white shark meditation stream.

Detroit Institute of Arts: If you’re a fan of Frida Kahlo, they’ve got some great virtual exhibits of her work. The virtual tours feature her work, as well as an explanation, like you’d get in a museum tour, giving you insight into her life and the historical and cultural significance of her work.

Visiting the Sagrada Familia was so amazing, put it on your bucket list and take the virtual tour for now!

6. Watch a foreign film/documentary

Just like reading a local author gives the reader an insight into their cultural background, so to do filmmakers. With film, we’ve got the added bonus of the visual experience as well. We can virtually escape into the beautiful landscapes we’ve been dreaming of, learn what daily life in the Amazon is like, the possibilities are endless.

7. Explore the world through photography

Do you ever travel to take in breathtaking views? I’m missing that as well, reminiscing of some of my awe-inspiring trips to places like the Grand Canyon and Macchu Picchu. Thanks to photographers, we can still experience the beauty of these places from home.

The Guardian published two great lists of virtual tours of natural and manmade wonders you can visit through photography:

10 Best Virtual Tours of the World’s Natural Wonders

10 Best Virtual Tours of the World’s Most Famous Landmarks

8. Read a foreign newspaper

I can guarantee the biggest headlines no matter where you are in the world are probably about the same right now with this global health crisis. It’s crazy to think that no matter how different we are, we as humans are all having one shared experience at this moment.

Whether you want to learn how other places in the world are experiencing this global health crisis or you’d rather look into other news, check out what the big ( and small ) topics in the news are around the world. You can get an insight into cultural and societal affairs and have a deeper understanding of the places you want to visit.

9. Take an online dance class

One of my favorite experiences was taking salsa dance lessons in Colombia last summer. It was such a fun experience and really opened up doors for me to learn more about Colombian culture and to hang out with locals.

Dance is so integral to so many cultures worldwide. Work on a new skill and you’ll be able to hit the dance floor with the locals when you’re able to jet off again!

Here’s some websites with free salsa dance lessons:

Latin Dance Movement

Dance Papi

And if you want to learn Bachata…

Or check out youtube for some more free online dance classes in any style you choose!

10. Read a travel blog

They say absence makes the heart grow stronger… maybe because I can’t travel right now, but I’m reading travel blogs more than ever! While my own adventures have been postponed for now, I can live vicariously through the experiences others have shared.

Here are some of my favorite travel blogs to read:

Alex in Wanderland—she scuba dives, teaches yoga and has explored all over Southeast Asia, Latin America, the USA, as well as places in Europe and the Middle East. I’m also super excited that to attend one of her yoga and dive retreats later this year!

Meghan the Traveling Teacher—Seeing a fellow teacher out there in the travel blogging world, you know she’s one of my favorite bloggers to read. She’s got great tips for traveling on a teacher’s budget as well as sharing some amazing resources for teaching and traveling at the same time!

Brown Eyed Flower Child—Taylor runs a mid-budget boutique travel blog and is based in New Jersey. I love reading her weekend guides to give me great ideas for a mini-vacay. Plus her outfits are always on point!

A Passion and a Passport—Jessica works in education full-time in San Francisco and still manages to take some epic trips throughout the year. I love reading her blog for some inspiration on where I can go on my school breaks. She’s traveled all over the USA and various locations worldwide. Her resources on trip planning are super helpful!