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Maddie Koerner on Solo Travel and Life in Europe

November 1, 2017
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An Instagram picture may be worth a thousands words, but influencer Maddie Koerner knows that’s not enough.  “The people that are seeing my pictures aren’t experiencing the excitement I felt when I saw the Eiffel Tower light up or the friendships that I’ve made throughout my journeys,” she said. “This is why I believe traveling is essential for everyone.”

Italy Canal Boat Travel Madeline KoernerMadeline Koerner Italy Solo Travel

Communal travel

Maddie spent her summer in Italy as an au pair; she watched the children while the parents were at work and also practiced English with them.  Her work-free weekends included traveling to places such as Bologna, Milan, Portofino, Camogli, Verona, Venice, Riccione and Florence.

Outside of Italy, she traveled to Paris, France, and this trip brought some of her favorite memories.

“I loved Paris because I met so many new people and actually stayed with a Parisian friend; so I didn’t feel like a tourist,” she said. “I was experiencing things that most tourists don’t, but I also got to see all of the beautiful museums and monuments as well.”

She met this blogger friend on Instagram.  “We had a lot in common, and she was so welcoming and genuine,” Maddie said.  “It made my experience better because I didn’t have to pay for a hotel. And I also got to experience true Parisian life.”

  • Eiffel Tower Paris France Madeline Koerner Travel
  • Eiffel Tower at Night Paris France
Louvre Museum Musée Paris France Travel

IRL

But not every moment was perfect, including when a man tried to rob her.  “I believe I handled it well though by quickly moving away without even saying a word to him,” Maddie told me. “It’s better to do this because you never know if they may have a weapon or something to harm you. And he wasn’t able to steal anything because I moved away too quickly.”

Navigating the Parisian metro system wasn’t a piece of gâteau either, but she chose to make the most of it.  “I also had many different transportation delays over my time in Europe and this is always frustrating,” she said. “But if you just go with it and accept it, you will enjoy your time a lot more.”

Notre Dame Paris France Seine Travel

Paris France Eiffel Tower French Picnic Travel

Solo travel tips and tricks

Maddie understands the dangers of solo travel, but those don’t keep her from adventure.  “Being a blonde, obviously American girl alone in a foreign country makes me an easy target for quite a few people like pick-pocketers or men,” she said.

The key is being aware and keeping one’s guard up, she said.  “It’s not safe to just trust everyone like we may do at our university campuses or our smaller towns back home,” Maddie said.

Madeline Koerner Italy Travel SoloItaly Travel Italian Au Pair Weekend Travel

Travel to learn

Beyond these cautions, Maddie sees solo travel as a learning experience.  “You learn so much about yourself and others cultures because you are forced to ask questions and engage in their culture,” she said.

“When you are with a group of people you know, you are less likely to ask questions or meet new people in random places.”

“It’s amazing to not be just a tourist, but to be experiencing the actual culture within a country,” she said. “To me, a city is not experienced through the places, but it’s experienced through the people.”

All photos courtesy of Maddie Koerner.

Follow her on Instagram: @maddiekoerner

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Comments

  1. athenasadventuressite says

    November 22, 2017 at 6:30 am

    I au paired in Italy as well! Your pictures are GORGEOUS and you’re so lucky to get free accomodation in Paris! I’m glad you had a better experience au pairing in Italy then I did x

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      November 22, 2017 at 6:37 am

      Hi Athena! I’m sorry to hear that 🙁 my time in France wasn’t perfect either: https://roundtrip.blog/2017/06/14/living-abroad-isnt-perfect/ I’d love to hear more about your experiences! Feel free to email me at roundtriptravelblog@gmail.com ! I’d love to share your story on my blog 🙂

      Reply
      • athenasadventuressite says

        November 22, 2017 at 6:46 am

        https://athenasadventuressite.wordpress.com/2017/11/10/benevuti-in-italia/ This is about my first experience in Italy! I would LOVE to contribute to your blog- prepare yourself for an email 😉

  2. mixedbaggweb says

    November 27, 2017 at 9:35 pm

    Thanks for sharing.

    Share your adventure with us and earn!
    http://themixedbagtravel.com/

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      November 28, 2017 at 7:49 am

      Thanks for stopping by and for sharing your site! I love to connect with fellow travel bloggers 🙂

      Reply
  3. Shagun Gupta says

    February 5, 2018 at 3:52 pm

    Bonding through journey and travels is one of the best! Glad to see you not only look out for such opportunities, but are also able to successfully make such friendships!

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      February 5, 2018 at 6:46 pm

      Thanks for the read, Shagun! And happy traveling 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Fight Burnout and Find Inspiration – round trip says:
    February 21, 2018 at 11:06 am

    […] it.  You don’t even have to leave your room to be inspired by others’ stories.  Read about one woman who worked a summer in Italy and spent her weekends traveling solo.  Or the woman who road tripped through Iceland with her lifelong […]

    Reply
  2. Round Trip: The Best Of – round trip says:
    December 1, 2018 at 11:53 am

    […] Maddie Koerner on Solo Travel & Life in Europe […]

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
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Want free access to my 30-minute travel budgeting course?

Not to be dramatic or anything, but those nine day Not to be dramatic or anything, but those nine days truly changed my life😍 About 7 years ago, I was taking AP European History and heard about a summer trip to Europe with my high school. London, Paris, Florence and Rome.

Yep, we were that group of students walking around Europe with our lanyards and headsets. I got those jitters when I saw Europe in its glory for the first time. And I still do.

If you would’ve told me then that I’d move to France during a global pandemic, I’d tell you you’re complètement fou.

But here’s the thing: that trip with @EFtours stirred something inside of me, and it has yet to settle. It was a longing to see and experience the world with my own two eyes. And it inspired me to start my travel blog, to continue with my French studies, to study abroad and to move to France.

This ain't sponsored (but I sure wish it were!), and I mean with my whole heart those few days in high school set me onto this path. And for that, I am beyond grateful.

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One thing you rarely hear about life abroad: so mu One thing you rarely hear about life abroad: so much dang paperwork and many complicated processes🙈

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Have you ever had one of those “it’s a small w Have you ever had one of those “it’s a small world” moments?🌏

☀️Back in 2017, I spent a summer in Toulouse. One weekend, my friends and I went on a road trip to a slew of villages in southwestern France. They were truly some of the best days of my life: we stayed in my friend’s castle🏰(casual), we swam in the river + sunbathed, we drank wine + played games, we explored idyllic villages.

One of my favorite spots with the sweetest of nostalgic memories was in a small village called Laguépie. Population: ~600. Whenever people asked me my favorite place in France, nobody ever knew where I was talking about. It wasn’t in the magazines or travel blogs. (Ahem, it’s on mine!)

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What do you like searching for on Pinterest?📌 What do you like searching for on Pinterest?📌

✈️I love finding travel destinations + itineraries, easy recipes and decorating ideas. My guess is that you've found some blogs and ideas you love through this site. 

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Best day trips from Nice No. 4: Èze🏰 This med Best day trips from Nice No. 4: Èze🏰

This medieval village enchanted me so much so I almost teared up as we left because I just didn’t want to go. If there are castles, sea views and charm, I’m so there. And Èze checks all these boxes✅ 

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How's your sense of direction?↪️🗺️I am th How's your sense of direction?↪️🗺️I am the queen of getting lost — and not on purpose😂

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And defeated, I sat down in the bakery, cried and FaceTimed my mom. Some kind French girl saw my tears and approached me to help me book a new train.

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