I'm twenty years old and I've been to over five countries. What that means is that I love to explore and see new places, and enjoy history and cultures that are not my own. What that doesn't mean is that I "have money." It's a quick and easy assumption to make about people like me; those with our selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower or Florence cathedral. After all, we're all supposed to be hungry, struggling students, right? Trust me, we still are. Some of us simply prioritize travel over other things.

We aren't rich though and I get why people make these assumptions. These are expensive cities, and flights are damn costly. However, I feel the need to clarify a lot of things about us millennials, particularly students, who still travel far and wide across the globe. In my case at least, I can say that I choose my international experiences above most other things. I have many friends who often attend music festivals, concerts, and shows. These events can cost hundreds of dollars each, sometimes just for the initial ticket. I have nothing against these types of events or those who choose to attend them, but for me prefer to save my money in order to pay for something else, like a plane ticket. Also, when students like me travel abroad, we probably typically aren't staying in five-star hotels or eating in Michelin starred restaurants. Often, we are going through study abroad programs or staying at the houses of international friends/family. Believe me, as someone about to embark on her second study abroad journey, we save costs wherever we can. For study abroad/exchange programs, we also have the help of scholarships, grants, and financial aid. Without which I know I certainly would not be able to experience all that I have.

I write this because, all too often, when people ask where I've been and I tell them, their expressions change. They suddenly look at me like I'm some privileged young thing who hasn't had to work a day in her life but gets to see the world. Yes, I am blessed to have seen parts of the world some may never see, I know this. I also work a minimum wage job and try not to spend more than $20 on groceries every week. I value experiences and am willing to sacrifice a little bit now in order to experience something great later. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to travel and one day live abroad. I am not going to pretend like my parents and family don't help me with these expenses, but again, I'm also not asking them to pay for my expensive concert tickets or other such things I value less than going abroad.

I love to travel and I don't plan on slowing down. I know some may stereotype me as a privileged or "entitled" millennial, and though I wish I could show them the truth I know it's just not always possible. Some of us choose travel above all else, and that does correlate with having money to spare. For now, I'll just keep proving people wrong, working my ass off, and traveling as much as possible.