“What does 3,000 euros mean? It could be a top-tier laptop, a designer Hermès bag, or a FENDI suit. For me, 3,000 euros (about 25,000 yuan) meant an 80-day European backpacking trip, including a month of volunteer service in Turkey and visits to 11 countries and 26 cities.” This is what Sun Jingwen, a sophomore at Nanjing Audit University, wrote at the beginning of his blog post “My 80-Day Backpacking Trip” after returning from his European adventure.
This just-turned-20 sophomore used his summer vacation in 2011 to volunteer in Turkey for 20 days, and then backpacked through most of Europe. Sun Jingwen said, “It’s actually not that hard.”
Currently, Sun Jingwen’s personal photo exhibition titled “Europe Alone” is being held at Nanjing Audit University, running until January 7.
He wanted to do
something crazy and meaningful
In March 2011, Sun Jingwen met two German student volunteers. “They came to China for an overseas internship through AIESEC (the International Association of Students in Economics and Business). After two months of getting to know them, I decided to apply.”
Sun Jingwen said that thanks to his good spoken English, he successfully secured an internship opportunity to teach English in Turkey. He described the experience as “teaching abroad in a distant land.” In addition to teaching English, he also engaged in cultural exchanges with local students.
Although this was Sun Jingwen’s first time traveling abroad—and for as long as 80 days—it wasn’t his first backpacking trip. After last year’s college entrance exams, Sun Jingwen and a classmate set off from Shanghai and spent 20 days traveling to Jiayuguan. That experience made Sun Jingwen fall in love with backpacking as a way of travel.
“The most important reason is that I wanted to do something crazy and meaningful when I was 20.” Twelve countries and 26 cities made up Sun Jingwen’s “crazy” route over 80 days. Before departure, he had various worries, but he said, “That’s also part of the meaning of travel.”
He measured
12 countries and 26 cities
“Almost to leave,” was the tweet Sun Jingwen posted at 10:10 PM on July 9, 2011, as he departed from Shanghai. Alone, with just a backpack, Sun Jingwen set off on his journey.
The first destination, Turkey, was the country where he stayed the longest. During his 20-day volunteer teaching period, Sun Jingwen taught English to Turkish students aged 12–16 who were attending a summer camp. “In the morning, we had English communication and study sessions; in the afternoon, we did cultural presentations. I wanted to help them learn more about China.”
After the 20-day volunteer program, Sun Jingwen spent another 20 days exploring Turkey in depth. Judging by the route map he drew after returning, it was almost a full loop around the country.
Over the next 40 days, Sun Jingwen traveled through the other 11 European countries. “I’d plan the route first, and then look for tourist information desks once I arrived,” Sun Jingwen said. These information desks are found in nearly every city station across Europe and offer various travel-related services.
To save money, Sun Jingwen tried to choose the cheapest transportation options. “I mostly took overnight trains and sometimes even slept at train stations,” he said. Along the way, he met many backpackers from around the world. “Once on a train, there were six people in my compartment from five different countries.” Like Sun Jingwen, most of these travelers were also students.
But one thing that slightly disappointed Sun Jingwen was that he didn’t meet any other Chinese students during the trip.
He felt
that either the body or the soul should be on the road
Aside from seeing landscapes he had never seen before, Sun Jingwen also experienced many “heart-pounding moments.” He was once kicked off a train midway while waiting for a companion. To save on transportation costs, he also spent nights alone sleeping by the Aegean Sea, all of which became unforgettable memories.
In Selçuk, Turkey, Sun Jingwen found a hotel listed in his travel guide, only to discover it was fully booked. He searched for another place and unexpectedly had a pleasant surprise. “The owner invited us to his family’s farm, where we ate lots of fresh fruit, rode horses in the mountains, and he even gave us a free ride to the bus station.”
Sleeping by the Aegean Sea—sounds romantic, right? Sun Jingwen recalled one camping experience. The cheapest accommodation by the sea cost at least 200 yuan per night, so Sun Jingwen opted to sleep right by the shore. “It sounds romantic, but waking up freezing in the early hours of the morning is a different story.”
When Sun Jingwen’s friends and classmates heard about his experiences, they expressed feelings of “envy, jealousy, and hate.” Sun Jingwen said that all you need to do is take the first step. “Either travel or read. At least one of your body or soul should be on the road.” That’s a line Sun Jingwen often thinks about after returning.
Organizing a photo exhibition, printing postcards, and answering questions for classmates and friends—Sun Jingwen hasn’t had a moment to rest since returning. His personal photo exhibition “Europe Alone” has attracted many visitors since it opened on December 7 last year. He sold over 3,000 travel postcards at cost price, and they quickly sold out. Sun Jingwen told reporters that he’ll soon be heading to Germany for three months this time through a school exchange program.