Remember the first day of a new semester. You navigate through the corridors until you locate the right classroom. The professor steps in, introduces themselves, and distributes the syllabus.
My initial reflex? To swiftly skim through the pages, seeking clues about the leniency of the class attendance policy. By day’s end, I’d meticulously align my course timetable with the academic calendar to strategize how best to capitalize on school breaks and holidays – often resulting in the swift booking of several trips.
I surprised myself by visiting over 100 countries at 23 years old. More than 75% of these journeys were undertaken solo during my undergraduate and master’s studies. You can read the full story about how I did that here. I firmly believe being a student is one of the best times to travel (read more on that here). Nonetheless, I maintain that there’s never a wrong time to book a flight. After all, deep down, we’ll always remain students, continually learning something new about ourselves and society.
I joke that I was bullied into launching this blog. There was a lot of kind pestering from friends, family, and even strangers clamoring for “travel content”. What truly spurred me, however, was the disconcerting realization that my memory was beginning to falter. Questions about past travels would leave me flustered, unable to recall the details of a particular town or a savvy deal I’d snagged. I’ve previously attempted to maintain a travel diary but completed a total of two entries before my lack of accountability led me to abandon it. Starting a blog struck the perfect balance – documenting my escapades for personal recollection while extending a helping hand to fellow wanderers embarking on their own journeys.
The Sightseer’s Syllabus is a blend of my retrospective travel journaling, guides, recommendations, and candid (plus occasionally contentious) opinions on the various destinations I’ve visited. If you stick around, feel free to suggest topics you’d like to see covered like guides, recommendations or my opinions!
About Yina
A quick rundown on the syllabus’s author: I’m Yina – a lover of travel in my mid-twenties yet to tether myself to a single base. I have two passports: Nigerian and American. I grew up in Nigeria but studied in the US for many years and completed my masters in the UK. I’m Christian. I’m vegetarian. My playlist rotates between classical music, Spanish rock, afrobeats, and contemporary gospel. I love a good sunrise and sunset. And I’m ever cognizant of the extraordinary privilege I’ve had to be able to visit so many places at such a young age. I look forward to sharing my adventures, insights, and missteps and finally etching my memories into the digital archives of the World Wide Web 🙂
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