But Im glad I did: it promptly proved wrong most of the assumptions Id made about the world.

Somehow, I thought things would be different in Europe.

It didnt take long to realize just how much time Id waste if I decided to see these places.

Yes, theyre legendary and cool to visit, but was it worth the time?

In most cases, no.

So I sought out other attractions.

TheBauhaus Museumin Berlin rarely has a wait and is incredibly fascinating.

TheKattenKabinetis an absurd, wonderful little cat museum in Amsterdam.

But more importantly, just walking around cities proved far more interesting than waiting in a line.

All told, it was about 100 miles of walking over the course of two weeks.

Im not suggesting anyone skip out on museums they want to go to.

The things youll find on an aimless walk are often just as interesting.

As an adult, its terrifying.

But its not nearly as scary as I made it out to be in my head beforehand.

Everything about international travel is a little scary the first time.

However, once youre actually in those situations, they arent that terrifying.

Signs are specifically made as a sort of international language and its easy to understand them at a glance.

Its all easy to figure out in the moment, so dont stress about it ahead of time.

If not, you probably dont need one in Amsterdam either.

Pay attention to your surroundings and operate with a bit of common sense.

If I worried someone was overcharging me for something because I was a tourist, I didnt buy it.

But thats all besides the point.

In most cases,people arent all out to get you.

I spent a lot of my time on vacation lost and confused.

The benefit here is twofold.

But you also meet people.

I was struggling through a beer menu at a bar in Amsterdam one afternoon and asked for help.

The bartender ended up being super helpful and chatty.

Its a lesson Ive brought home with me too.

We like to think were the center of the universe, butnobodys paying that much attention to you.

Im a lot more comfortable looking stupid these days.

I just dont feel stupid while Im doing it.

it’s possible for you to get by with less these days, as long as youre still respectful.

For everything else, a little basic courtesy, awareness, and humbleness go a long way.

Apologizing for not speaking the language and politely asking for help is all you need.

Its not just language barriers, either.

Its also worth just paying attention to basic customs.

In Berlin, I found that most restaurants didnt have hosts and you just seat yourself.

But while its certainly a luxury, its not as outrageously priced as I expected.

Weve covered all kinds of ways to save money when you travel, from thebest airline booking sitestoaccommodations.

In the end, I only cared about flights, accommodations, and food.

Of course, travel has all sorts of more obvious benefits.

Even if all my expectations were way off the mark.

Illustration by Tara Jacoby.