Tip #1- The Faithful Four (Traveling With Friends You Trust)

TIP #1.

Tip number one and the most important tip, in my personal opinion, is as follows:

Always travel with friends you know have your back in every situation

Little people are difficult to travel with; this is a given. We can not walk long distances and are constantly going out of our way to find the elevator. But the one lesson I have learned through this experience is always travel with friends who know you, understand your limitations, and are willing to stick by you through all the obstacles. This is important for travelers of all shapes and sizes! Without my friends (I call them the faithful four), I never would have made it this far in one piece.

They went out of their way to help me in any and every way that I needed, including being separated from the group, pushing my scooter through the streets of MANY European cities/countries, and doing everything in their power to make me feel like I was always included and loved.

A note to the little people: Sometimes you may feel like a burden to your friends. You may feel like you are holding them back from what they want to do. I know I felt that way for the first few weeks of the semester and in a way I will probably continue to feel that way. But we always find a way to work it out so that every one can find something to do that they enjoy. And the best part is, so many times throughout the semester so far, my friends and I have had so many adventures we never would have had if I wasn’t a little person and if I didn’t have a scooter. We have made so many memories together that we will look back on and laugh about. We have stories of adventure and growth and maturity and laughter to bring back with us when we return home at the end of the semester.

By the end of our first trip of the semester, to a town in Austria called Salzburg, we had a phrase that we’ve used often over the past few weeks and will continue to use throughout the semester. My scooter died at the end of the day and we had to push it all the way from a European McDonalds in Salzburg, Austria to the buses parked on the other side of town, over a bridge of locks, in a steady rain.

Ever since this experience, we have said that “It’s always an adventure when we are with Emma!” And I am proud of this phrase! That isn’t a bad thing! We all know that when I’m around we are going to have adventures that turn an ordinary European trip into memories to last a lifetime. And we also know that none of those adventures would have happened if I wasn’t who I am.

So no matter who you are, always travel with friends that you know will have your back. To anyone who may be a little person or have a disability, don’t be afraid to travel just because you feel like you may be a burden to your friends or travel partners. If you work together, you can find a solution where everyone is satisfied with the arrangements. Just remember, there will be times when you think everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, and you want to have friends who will come in and save the day in your time of need.

And who knows, you might make some amazing memories along the way!

Unpack Your Heart In Austria- Travel Blog Introduction

My name is Emma Baugher, I am 19 years old, and I am studying abroad in Gaming, Austria with Franciscan University of Steubenville. I have been in Austria for 28 days and counting and it has been one whirlwind of an adventure. The most important fact you should know about me is that I am a little person. I have a form of dwarfism that effects my size, my mobility, and my life on a daily basis. However, against all odds I have made it to Europe and have experienced joys, struggles, wonders, and adventures for 28 unforgettable days.

            I had not planned to write a blog during my time in Austria. I intended to use my many photographs as my journal and travel log throughout the semester (I always take way too many pictures), but a broken scooter, a convincing professor, and two weeks of travel later, I have decided to create a blog. The purpose of this blog is not only to record my many adventures throughout these upcoming weeks, but to take time to reflect on the fact that traveling as a little person is difficult, however, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I want to take this space to show others that traveling with a disability is challenging, but possible, and definitely worth it. I want to inspire them to never give up on their dreams of one-day traveling to far off lands of culture and exploration. Each blog post will consist of an important travel tip that is applicable to both little and average sized travelers alike, but with a focus on the fact that although sometimes difficult and very stressful, traveling with a disability can be a successful time of learning, growing, maturing, adventuring, and making memories of a lifetime.