Translation: Sindri Snær Jónsson

When I started my university studies, I could imagine myself spending hours at a time at Þjóðarbókhlaðan when it came time to write my BA thesis, yet I cannot say that the idea of spending a lot of time there excited me.
I do, however, have the travel bug to the utmost degree and I dreamt about being able to combine the remote learning that anthropologyat the University of Iceland has to offer with travelling. During my first year, I spent the first half of the spring semester in a small village in Portugal and learned to surf on the weekends. Then I was off to Morocco during the second half, but as this happened during the first months of 2020, I was stuck there for the next two years because of COVID-19. Now, during my last semester at the university, I am writing my BA thesis on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. All you need for distance learning is a computer and Wi-Fi, and additionally, an instructor and mental support if you are writing your BA thesis.

Studying for university during a backpacking trip can be tricky, but at the same time, it is a complete luxury. Some days, when the weather is good, and there is so much more to do than just sitting down and writing, and you can barely write more than five words. On other days there might be more. Possibly the biggest con regarding distance learning while in another country, is finding the discipline to stick to writing when there are so many exciting things to do around you.

Other travellers I have met on my trip do their jobs remotely and use the opportunity to travel while doing it, but the minority do online school.

Along with COVID-19 came working online and distance learning, and many have kept working online, although COVID-19 seems to be fading - will distance learning in universities follow the same route? Of course, not all university studies can be wholly taught online, but it’s nice to have the option to in the majors that can.

While on my journey, I have studied on planes, in airports, in buses and at traffic centres, camping grounds, a lot of coffeehouses, hostels, and sometimes on car trips in Spain or Turkey.

Here are a few tips for people considering remote learning in another country:

1. Find a place to study at. That may be a public library, a cosy coffee shop, co-working spaces, or anything else. In co-working spaces, you can rent a desk for a certain amount of time, and some places offer an unlimited amount of coffee throughout the day. Speaking of, I am in a co-working space right now in Fethiye in Turkey, where cats (and people) come and go all day. You can likely buy a pass for a day, week, month, or even longer in such places. Whatever suits you. Public libraries around the world are often incredibly beautiful and can provide a lot of inspiration to study.

2. Do not travel too quickly. It takes time and energy to go to new places, and even if seeing new places is one of the reasons people travel, university studies need a lot of energy for studying. A pro about travelling slowly is getting to know the places better and the people who live in them.

3. It can be helpful to find a job at Workaway, WWOOF, Worldpackers, or similar sites, especially if you’re travelling slowly, so your travel fund lasts longer. If you stay at hostels, you can also ask if you can work for them - they often have volunteers who work for a few hours a day, stay for free and use their free time to look around. Most places would ask that you be there for at least two weeks to a month.

Enjoy yourself as much as you can; this position is a dream for those who enjoy studying and travelling. Travelling can also teach you a lot, just like studying at university.

Distance-learning abroad