What Was The Destination That Challenged You The Most?

March 10th, 2010 | 21 comments


This question was submitted by Joel from The Freedonia Post. If you’d like to know more about me, my travels or anything else you’d like to know, feel free to ask me!

Photo by Jabari Bell

Physically: Beijing

I was able to escape the typhoon in Shanghai but the furious intensity of the Artic winds that blew through the Summer Palace was another story. I visited Beijing during the coldest winter day and the wind literally cut through me like butter. Climbing The Great Wall proved to be a challenge too. The higher I climbed, the stronger the winds blew. It stunted my progress and blew the air right out of my lungs.

Emotionally: Shanghai

I went to college in New York City so I commuted to and from school. Studying abroad in Shanghai was the first and only time I lived away from my parents. I didn’t get to ease into living on my own. I was flown half way across the world and dropped there. Splat!

There was language barrier since I knew minimal Mandarin, which left me awfully lonely and terribly confused. I applied to the Chinese Language Program at Fudan University through SUNY Albany. Both schools did a poor job of communicating and advising me while I was abroad. Both schools also chose to blame me for not being responsible enough to figure out the appropriate documents that were required.

Now, I totally understand and can completely accept responsibility for my actions if I was the only one having this issue. But when all of the students I know who are in this program are having the same exact problem, then it’s not me. It’s the universities. Needless to say, it made the beginning of my study abroad experience hell.

Homesick hit quick but it was cured by my wanderlust.

Intellectually: No where

I’ve never gone to a place that was intellectually challenging. They’ve always been intellectually stimulating.

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  • driftingfocus

    Physically I was most challenged by Switzerland. I thought I was in decent shape until I saw fellow travelers making it up mountains hours before I did. It was very humbling. It's still my favourite place though.

    Emotionally I was most challenged by Korea. I lived there for a year and I had pretty terrible employers that made my life hell. I loved pretty much any part of my life that was unaffected by my job, but the stress of dealing with my employers left a pretty big black mark on my whole experience.

  • kirstenalana

    Terrific question! The answers are fascinating too. I was signed up to do a study abroad program my last semester in college. For many reasons – the trip fell through and I wasn't able to go. It is one of the very few regrets I have in life. So despite the hardships you encountered, I think it is so wonderful that you did complete the study abroad program in Asia. It is the kind of opportunity that not every one gets and yet, in a way – everyone should.

  • http://www.stayadventurous.wordpress.com/ craig zabransky

    When I think of my travels to China, I think of 'culinary challenged.' I too hiked the great wall with artic wind and slippery snow, but that was no match for the chicken feet in my soup that warmed me up afterwards. Or in Shanghai, when I was quite surprised by the 'drunken shrimp' – a true delicacy my friend told me. But what she left out was the fact they arrive alive. Ah, Chinese Food – a true adventure (and challenge).

    Stay Adventurous
    Craig

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  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com/ Candice

    Love it. And I totally understand the “overwhelming” feeling, especially with language barriers…

  • http://www.theroadforks.com/ Akila

    Great question! We were just talking about this the other day. We think the Red Centre was the most physically challenging because it is blisteringly hot in the day, freezing cold at night, and the hikes are really tough.
    So far, I think the most emotionally challenging place we have been to is Cambodia because the people there have lived through so much and are still incredible people. I can't think of an intellectually challenging place either, but I am sure I will find one sometime.

  • magicant

    Physically – as much as I've struggled (riding a heavy bike up the Col de l'Aubisque or riding double centuries), I don't think anything compares to just living in Wisconsin for my formative years. The snow & the cold provided challenges every day for someone who prefers the tropics and summertime.

    Emotionally & intellectually – travel has always been stimulating for me on both fronts. It gets me out and challenges me, which is invigorating even when during times of difficulty and frustration (eg. passport stolen in Barcelona).

    Logistically – Japan was the toughest to deal with. Language and culture are definitely very difficult to someone from the US who hasn't the time to fully learn and adjust to them.

  • hikebiketravel

    This will sound wierd to anyone who pines to go to Tahiti but that place was my biggest challenge. I was on a kayaking trip and by 8am it was so frigging hot we had to jump repeatedly into the ocean to try and cool off. We were wearing light coloued long sleeved pants and shirts to prevent worsening of our burns – which were severe, even with zinc as protection. That trip couldn't end soon enough for me though our friends loved it.

  • http://twitter.com/KevinRevolinski Kevin Revolinski

    Emotionally: Anahuac, a small town in Chihuahua, Mexico. We went on a volunteer trip, met some amazing locals who founded a coop for people to work off their food bills. Brought in (smuggled, technically) medical supplies. And helped out at an orphanage. Horrible stories of their origins. 3 of the kids there came after their mother was bloodily murdered by a jealous boyfriend in front of the 7 year old daughter who was then raped. We all shuddered, but it was one faceless story in a long line of them. After several days I had bonded with one of the sweetest little orphans, and she wrote my name in chalk all over the playground and I snuck her some handcreme for her cracked little hands. We were all playing games one evening in the activity room and a balloon she was holding popped. The girl just curled into a ball and wailed. The staff rushed her off and said it happens sometimes. At that moment it was explained that the anecdote about the little girl was about my new little friend. We returned to town and I sobbed in the dark of the bus the whole way back. God, even just typing this again makes me sick. What a world.

    Kevin
    travelingmadly.blogspot.com
    http://www.TheMadTravelerOnline.com
    @KevinRevolinski

  • monica530

    I can totally see how your employer would be such a downer on your experience abroad. I feel the same way about my study abroad program. Everything else that wasn't related to my study abroad program was fantastic.

  • monica530

    Totally agree! If it wasn't for my study abroad program I don't think I would have unleashed the wanderluster in me. :)

  • monica530

    Haha! I can't say I feel the same. I grew up in a house with weird animal parts. Have you ever had water beetles?

  • monica530

    I never knew how isolated it can feel when you lose the ability to communicate. Now I can related to immigrants who come to the US for a better life.

  • monica530

    You make my challenges sound so inferior. Haha! I haven't seen poverty like Cambodia but I can only imagine how much it would tug at my heartstrings. I cry just watching it on the screen. How did you deal with that?

  • monica530

    I've been dreaming to go to Barcelona since I can remember. When I go, I'll be sure to watch out for pickpocketers. How did you get your passport stolen? Did you carry it around with you or did you leave it in your hotel room?

  • monica530

    Wow – it gets that hot in Tahiti that early?! How did you manage to survive the rest of the day?

  • monica530

    I think it's experiences like the one you've had that reminds us that too many people live in a bubble and those who don't get out of that bubble are living a lie. The world isn't what it seems to be because everything is filtered through the media.

  • magicant

    At the time, I thought I needed to have my passport on me at all times. Should have left it in the room. At the consulate, they have a chart of incidents by area – you need to be especially on guard at La Rambla (as you should be anywhere). I got stupid and careless in a crowd of people there.

  • monica530

    Oh, I'll be sure to keep a sharp eye out.I usually make multiple copies of my passport & birth certificate and I slip them in my luggage, my carry on, my jacket, etc. But I usually keep the original on me. And I also carry a dummy wallet in case someone decides to get ballsy and try to rob me. Lol. I think I might be a little paranoid but better safe than sorry, right?

  • http://genuineescapism.wordpress.com Adriana

    I remember feeling a little overwhelmed in Marrakesh with so many people trying to sell things, constantly invading my personal space, so I would walk around holding my boyfriend´s arm firmly, so that was a bit of challenge on the first couple of days, specially when someone offered a snake and held it way closer to me than what I would like. ;) I got used to it and embraced it, and started to photograph it all! :)

  • monica530

    Yea, I get a little uncomfortable when someone gets closer than a 3 feet radius. Haha but I also think it's a cultural thing. In many places around the world, there is no concept of personal space. Sometimes I carry big bags to use as a barrier. Even in NYC. Lol

  • http://twitter.com/om4ry Omary

    I’d have to say Barcelona was emotionally challenging for me too but not because of mugging, but because of how blatantly misogynistic they are over there. When we arrived to transfer at the train station one of the guards just grabbed one of my traveling mates by the shoulders and held her close to him saying really nasty things in Spanish that she didn’t understand (but I did). He must’ve been like 50 and she was 19. She felt so awkward that she just smiled at him and tried to go along with it. I also remember walking into a bookshop and seeing rows and rows of magazines featured like newspapers with completely naked women with surgically enhanced body parts in full frontal reveal. Some men came in and would pick up the magazines and would make sucking noises and point to the women’s breasts. Ugh, I could not get the hell out of there fast enough. It was not a good place for me.

    I plan on visiting the Middle East soon…we’ll see how that goes.