if all else fails...

[pinknic38]

So I was catching up with a friend who was studying abroad for the summer (well actually a month long of intensive studies in Estonia and then traveling for a month in Denmark...) and she told me the most ridiculous story that I really think gives broke travelers around the world hope.

Not that anyone should EVER bank on the stupid actions of my friend, but just so you know, it HAS been done.

So my friend had her tickets squared away prior to leaving, with the help of the study abroad people and whatever. She flew from Columbus to Estonia(and I'm sure multiple stops in between) did her studies, then already had her flight from there to Copenhagen bought, and was planning on flying home from Copenhagen when she was done traveling. So all tickets already bought, sweet, whatever.

Well this clown overspends her budget by far (too much fun + too little studying in Estonia = bad news), and REFUSES to sell her ticket to Copenhagen, swallow her pride, and come on home. Her mom told her she would PAY her to come home. But no. My friend was going to Denmark. For a month. With 300 bucks in the bank.

To keep this short and on point, she, at some point in the month of July, did the following in Denmark:
-washed plates to pay for meals
-hitch hiked across the damn country
-made a sign and sat on the street asking for change
-accumulated $400 from collecting change
-bought a wooden flute and played music with a homeless dude (who had an accoustic guitar)
-made $100 from music playing (she has not played the flute since the 7th grade mind you... she's 22)
-attended a wedding reception with a dude she met in a bar, she pretended to be a foreign exchange student (which technically she was so she wasn't really lying) and wound up staying with the family of the groom of the wedding for like 10 days
-taught a local bartender how to make a flaming dr. pepper and made $90 in tips one night and some random bar (not the same bar she met wedding dude in)

So if you're broke and still want to travel... it is possible. I told my friend she is my new hero.

[simply_angelic]

Thanks for the story Nic! I think I'll end up doing that eventually.....my budgeting skills seem to suck as of late

[pinknic38]

haha well it always makes for a good story, if nothing else!

[TheJake]

that is awesome.

[DC_Jessica]

That's a travelogue I'd like to read!!!! Tell your friend it's funding for her next trip!!!

[expatben]

You're friend is absolutely amazing and an inspiration to me.

[BigE]

That is great. I saw a lot of broke students doing all kinds of things in Denmark and Sweden.