Traveling is something that has always had a warm place in my heart. One of the easiest ways that I have found to plan for traveling is through the use of social media. Social media has allowed me to see endless travel photos and videos from all around the world. By using social media, I can get inspiration from people that I follow and vice versa. When I browse social media, I often notice I get severe "FOMO (fear of missing out)". This leads me to immediately want to do whatever my friends are doing simply because I viewed their post on a social media platform.
Pinterest is one of my favorite sites to explore when researching different places to travel. It allows me to follow other peoples ‘boards’ to get tons "of travel inspiration". It also allows me to save things that other people have on their boards to one of mine. Once I have some ideas in my head of where I might want to travel, I immediately go to TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor allows me to "easily access thousands of reviews in the click of a finger". The platform has something of interest for people of all ages. "Reading reviews provides me with that extra kick of confidence in my travel plans". Whether that be the hotel, where to eat, or excursions, I can see what "real people think about the hotel rather than the hotel's opinions". One of my favorite things to do after a trip is to write a review on TripAdvisor myself. Doing this allows me to give back to those who gave me the information that made my trip as perfect as it was.
Social media had given me more ways to assist in my travel needs than I could have ever imagined. Growing up, my family was blessed to go on a work trip along with my father to Africa. When we first arrived, I would have never guessed the impact that social media would have brought to my life. On our journey through different countries in Africa, my family had a strong connection with a local Ugandan family. The relationships that we made on that trip continue to last lifetimes, and it could not have been done without WhatsApp. "WhatsApp allows me to communicate with my ‘Ugandan family’ in real-time, without any of the annoying fees". Had I not been on WhatsApp, I would not be able to see the amazing connection that continues internationally.
Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
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