Beccy on Tour - My Semester Abroad in Raleigh, NC, USA

Rebecca Schaden 0:09
Hello, guys, and welcome to my podcast "Beccy On Tour" about my semester abroad in Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States. My name is Beccy, and I'm your reliable source into the exciting world of American college life. So if that sounds like something you'd be interested in, stay tuned.

Hi, guys, and welcome to my 10th episode, I cannot believe it's already been the 10th episode. Honestly, guys, I am so grateful to all of you who have been listening since I've published my first episode. But I also want to thank all of you who might be new to "Beccy On Tour". Thanks for tuning in. In the last two weeks, my podcast started airing on WKNC. And I am very, very interested in your thoughts on that. So did you listen to my podcast at 7am from Sunday to Wednesday? If you did, I'd love it if you dropped me a DM, I'm always eager to get your feedback and any recommendations you might have.

But for today, and you might have guessed it already, I'm gonna tell you guys everything about my trip to San Juan in Puerto Rico. And yes, it was a fairly short trip. But still a lot of fun and very exciting. As I had three exams on Thursday, yes, you heard right, three exams. It's really crazy how heavy the workload is here. I left on Friday, and I stayed till Tuesday, the following week. And the past weeks here have been really, really crazy. So I had to finish up a bunch of classwork and my applications for internships. So, I just wanted to have peace of mind before taking off to Puerto Rico.

So unfortunately, I got off on a bumpy start because my flight got delayed two times. And so at 3 pm, I still thought I had some time, because I knew that my flight wouldn't leave until 6:30. But then I remembered that I still needed to go back to my dorms pack, call an Uber, and get to the airport before the gates closed. So in the end, I got in a bit of a hustle, because my Uber canceled on me and I had to wait for 20 minutes to get a new one, which was really annoying. Thankfully, my Uber driver was used to getting people to the airport in no time. But still, when I arrived there, it was already 5:30. So oh my god, guys, I'm telling you, I was honestly so afraid I would miss my flight. And I already pictured myself sleeping at the airport, or having to book another flight. So when I arrived, I kind of panicked because I couldn't find my gate. So I asked the first person I could find to help me find it. And the woman was really nice. She even wanted to help me skip the line, which you can apparently do against the fee. And honestly, I probably would have paid any fee if it meant that I could get on the plane in time. But after 10 minutes, we realized that it only works for US American citizens. I don't know why. But that's just how it is. So I had to queue after all. And at the time, it was already 5:45 and I had given up all hope to get on my flight in time.

Thankfully, security was pretty quick. They didn't even ask me to take my laptop and electronical devices out of my bag to put them in a separate box, which is normally how it's done in Europe. And interestingly, most people only traveled with their ID as opposed to their passport. I did know that Puerto Rico is kind of a part of the US, well unincorporated US territory if you want to be politically correct, but it still caught me by surprise that most people do not use their passport to travel. But according to my American friends, a lot of Americans don't even have a passport because they don't need it for travels inside of the US. So that kind of explains that I guess. Anyway, I made it through security pretty smoothly and without running into any problems. And as soon as they let me go, I started running towards my gate, and I was still preparing my speech explaining and justifying my delay when I arrived and saw everybody was still sitting there peacefully relaxing and chatting. So I was pretty out of breath when I went up to the flight attendant and asked if the flight had already left. But he just laughed and said, Don't worry, it's not going to leave for at least 20 minutes. So obviously, I was relieved, but I was also a little pissed because it meant that I would arrive in Puerto Rico even later than expected. Fortunately, it wasn't a big deal for my hostel as they didn't have a fixed arrival date, which is definitely one of the advantages of hostels, but I was still a little annoyed.

So that was a rocky start to my Puerto Rico adventure, but it didn't lessen my excitement to visit all Puerto Rico had to offer. On the flight, I actually met a guy who traveled to San Juan to celebrate his 21st birthday. And that's also when I learned that in Puerto Rico, the drinking age is 18, like in Austria, which I thought was kind of cool. So when I arrived in San Juan, I took an Uber to my hostel. And even though it was already pretty late, a staff member was there to take me into my room and gave me a quick tour of the hostel, which I thought was pretty nice. I lived in a shared room with eight bunk beds. And as I had never experienced that kind of living arrangement before, I was a little nervous. But looking back to it now, I am glad I booked that hostel. It's called Nomada Beach Hostel. And as always, I'm gonna put the link to the hotel in the description. And even though it was very cheap, it was really clean, the people were very forthcoming and welcoming, and they even had a pool, so I can definitely recommend it.

But back to the story. As soon as I opened the door, I was welcomed by a Polish girl and an American girl from New York, and they had just come back from visiting the El Yunque rainforest, and they urged me to go there during my time on the island, which I did, but I will get to that later. They were also getting ready to go out and even though I was pretty exhausted, I agreed to join them because I kind of wanted to get the full on Puerto Rico experience, including the nightlife and I am telling you guys, you cannot compare it to nightlife in Vienna or any other European city, at least as far as I can judge. The people here are just really nice. They don't care about what anyone thinks they will party and sing on the streets. And I was asked to dance at least four times and my Salsa dancing skills are very limited. But my dance partner didn't mind. He patiently explained moves to me and didn't mind my poor performance. And the funniest part of it. I met the woman that was sitting next to me on the plane and we really hit it off. La placita de Santurce, and I greatly apologize for my pronunciation, is one of the biggest nightlife and party locations in San Juan. And if you decide to visit Puerto Rico, you should definitely check it out. I am going to put a link to it in the description of this episode, so you can better find the location.

Originally, I had planned to visit El Yunque rainforest the next day, but I overslept and I still had to get some shopping done because I left in such a rush that I forgot to pack basic stuff like toothpaste, shower gel and shampoo. Yeah, I know stupid me. When I came back, the girl from Poland Victoria and The New Yorker, Bailey decided to get an Uber to Paseo Piñones, again I greatly apologize for my pronunciation, which was a beach nearby, to grab a bite to eat and also just to relax a little bit, and I was definitely in need of a lot of relaxing after this exam filled week. So we took a stroll down the beach, Victoria ordered some seafood and Baley and me tried the coconut water which honestly tastes really bland. The natural landscape was beyond beautiful and the waves were thankfully not as high as in the Outer Banks, so I could actually swim there without fear of drowning. And there were little ponds that were separated by rocks from the rest of the sea. So you could just sit in there and enjoy the sun. Well, if you saw my Instagram Stories, you probably saw that I enjoyed the sun a little bit too much. So one advice I definitely give you guys put on sunscreen, not once a day but three times a day or more because I'm telling you the sun is really really strong. I really look like a freshly picked tomato and I even got a pretty bad headache after so please take care of yourselves guys.

Sunday was adventure day. I took an Uber to the meeting point where I would get picked up to start my El Yunque rainforest adventure tour and I was really excited. I had never been to a rainforest before and even though Bailey and Victoria told me a thing or two about it, because they had done it before, I didn't really know what to expect. We left the meeting point a little late because some people didn't make it to the meeting point in time. But we got back on track pretty fast, which also might have been because our tour guide drove like a crazy person. Like I am not kidding, guys. I think we hit at least two other cars and a tree on our way to the rain forest. And he didn't lose his cool ones. He honestly didn't care. He just commented, he just hit something and continued driving. And it wasn't an easy drive to the rain forest. The streets were very narrow and curvy. So it was impossible to see around the corner if a car was coming from the opposite direction. So I was actually pretty certain at some point that I was going to get killed on that car ride, not because I was bitten by a snake, not because I got lost in a rain forest. No, because of a crazy person who probably won his driver's license gambling. Just kidding. He's actually pretty cool. If you don't get in the car with him that is. He led us through the rain forests. And if you've checked out my Instagram Stories, do you know what I'm talking about when I say I've never seen a place with such diverse and untouched flora and fauna that was green wherever I looked kind of like a little paradise where you can immerse yourself in nature. And in the middle of the rainforest, there was a huge waterfall, and that's where the adventure part comes into play. Bailey and Victoria had warned me that it would be challenging, and even a little scary to climb up the rocks and jump off cliffs. And it was but it was also a lot of fun. I jumped off the highest Cliff twice. And sadly, we could only do the waterslide ones. But I would have loved to do it again. Something that surprised me though, was that out of 10 people who were on the tour, only three knew how to swim, me included. So when our tour guide first asked if we could swim, I thought he was kidding. But apparently not a lot of people learn how to swim there, which is pretty sad, considering they have so many beautiful beaches there. But we all managed to get out of the forest safe and sound and no one drowned. So that's definitely a success. The only thing that tarnish my enthusiasm, I lost my sunglasses again, and those will be the fourth sunglasses I lost this year. So I guess that's a sign from above that I should not be wearing sunglasses or that I should be more organized, which is probably more likely.

In the evening, I met up with my friend Christie, who was also in San Juan at the same time with a group of friends from my university and we grabbed dinner at a food truck park called Miramar Food Truck Park. I will put the link in the description again. And you definitely have to check it out. The food in Puerto Rico is really tasty. And it's not as unhealthy as it is in the United States oftentimes, so that was a nice change. Christy brought some friends she made on her snorkeling trip, which is something I will definitely put on my bucket list for my next beach trip and we ended up talking all night about everything and anything. People are so open and welcoming in Puerto Rico, they really care for one another. And Terrence, the snorkeling instructor even gave me a ride home, which I was really grateful for because the public transportation is not great here.

Monday was my last full day in San Juan. And as I love to learn more about the history of the city I visit, I took a tour through San Juan's Old town. And what I found especially interesting was that the architecture reflects for centuries of historic development. So parts of San Juan reflect Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. And I'm not very versed in architecture. But what I can tell you guys is that the buildings and the composition of the city as a whole was very impressive. I also loved different colors of the houses and how you have an amazing view of the city from almost everywhere in the city. I totally get now why so many people get married in Puerto Rico. It's an amazing location to say "Yes, I do". And they have a high number of wedding planners and photographers that make getting married in Puerto Rico an unforgettable experience. Oh, and funny side note. There are cats everywhere you go in San Juan and the people who live there, feed them and care for them. And they even built a cat Airbnb for them, which I think is pretty weird. But hey, who am I to judge?

After my tour and taking about 1000 pictures, I had to pause for a bit to write an article that was due that day because well the world doesn't stop spinning just because I'm on vacation. But in the evening I booked a night's canoeing tour Ed's condado beach and honestly, guys, I think there isn't a more peaceful place than being on your own in the middle of an ocean. The view was magnificent and the lights of the city made this an even more magical experience. I could have stayed there forever. But sadly, our guide brought us back to shore far too quick.

The next day was already departure day. Yes, it was definitely a short trip, but I wouldn't miss it for the world. In the morning, I had a zoom call with Krissy, my modeling agent. And this is a shout out to him, because I really appreciate him taking the time and effort to set up a meeting with me even though I am not in Austria right now, especially given the time difference. That's definitely a pain. And sometimes I still get confused. So I was really grateful.

This time, the flight back home was definitely more chill, and I even met a few NC State students. And honestly guys, I am still amazed at how tight the community at NC State is because we talked throughout the whole flight and even shared an Uber home. All in all, San Juan is a great traveling destination, especially if you go in fall or winter, the weather is perfect, the food is tasty, and the people are lovely. And even when you travel on your own, you can be sure to meet people to hang out with and go places too. So you definitely won't get bored or feel lonely.

I hope I could give you guys some insights into my Puerto Rico trip. And as always, if you have any questions or recommendations or constructive criticism, feel free to DM me on Instagram on beccy_schdn or beccyontour_. But for now have a great week. Greetings from the other side of the ocean and I'll talk to you next week. Bye bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai