Four bicycles, two backpacks, and five pairs of sports shoes — this was Li Guoli’s “travel package” during his four years at Wuhan Yangtze River Business University. With his sun-tanned, glowing skin and muscular build, the 1.8-meter-tall young man looked exceptionally strong.
“I’ve been to provinces and cities such as Hubei, Hunan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Chongqing, Jiangxi, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Guangdong. After graduation, if conditions allow, I’ll keep traveling — maybe even abroad,” Li said with a smile as he counted off the places on his fingers.
Not enough money? Side jobs to the rescue
When it comes to travel, the first thing that comes to mind is cost. Li managed to visit 10 provinces during his four years of independent travel, spending just over 20,000 yuan. He laughed and said, “Generally, when I go to a place, I don’t head straight for the tourist attractions. I try to avoid paying entry fees as much as possible. The places I visit most are museums and food streets.”
“When I run out of money while traveling, I take on part-time jobs to get by,” Li explained. “During the summer after my sophomore year, I was cycling to Chongqing when my wallet was stolen. I happened to see a bar hiring singers, so I gave it a shot and got the job. I stayed there for 10 days, earned over 3,000 yuan, and then continued my journey.”
“Most of the money for traveling comes from my living expenses — 1,500 yuan per month. When that’s not enough, I take on part-time jobs,” Li admitted. The biggest headache about traveling is the cost. He didn’t like constantly asking his family for money, so he had to “increase income and reduce expenses.” During his spare time at school, he worked as a singer at bars or helped out at a friend’s photography company, usually earning around 2,000 yuan a month from part-time work.
Sharp mind, loves travel books
Speaking of Li Guoli, his counselor, Teacher Wang, said, “This kid is very playful, has a sharp mind, and rarely focuses in class. What he reads the most are geography and travel books borrowed from the library. But he still manages to pass every exam and has never failed a course.”
“During college, I probably read dozens of geography and travel books. When I have free time, I research routes and attractions on my own,” Li said when asked about his passion for travel. “There’s no specific reason. Maybe it’s just interest. Whenever I see travel shows or beautiful sights, I get really excited and always want to go there myself to experience it.”
Signed agreement, moral support
“It’s good for him to travel more at this age. Gaining experience is better than staying cooped up in the classroom all the time,” Li’s father thinks his son’s travels are a good thing. Every time Li returns home, he shares his experiences with his parents.
Li’s mother believes that children shouldn’t be like flowers in a greenhouse — they can’t be too delicate. If they want to stand on their own feet in society and live well, they should go through some hardships.
The couple supports their son morally when it comes to his travels but hasn’t contributed much materially. “The premise for agreeing to let our child travel is that it doesn’t interfere with his basic studies at school. Aside from providing the usual 1,500 yuan living allowance each month, we don’t give any other financial support,” Li’s father added. Before their son went traveling, they had him sign an agreement: he must not ask the family for any extra money and must find solutions to difficulties through proper means.