MacKenZie Rumage

Community Contributor

Although I'm originally from southwest Florida, I currently spend most of the year in Scotland, where I'm going into my third year studying Art History and Middle East Studies at the University of St Andrews. I love writing exploring places off the beaten track, giving travel advice and talking about what it's like to be an American living abroad. I want to do more photography, going on more device-free trips and places where little-to-no English is spoken. The biggest reason I decided to move to Scotland was the same reason why I love travel: because no matter what the trip is, no matter where it is, it's an adventure and it forces you to be present. You always learn something abroad, whether it's a few words of a different language, how to build physical and mental resilience, how to be more empathetic, or even that you don't like certain foods. Some of the biggest life lessons I've learned and the best memories I have are from travelling, both solo and not, and I want to encourage others — especially young people — to break out of the typical trip mould of visiting a famous city, going to the same places everyone else has, staying in a small radius that's close to their hotel and posting about all of it like Instagram is the only thing that will remember your trip. I want people to try experiences they would not easily find experiences of online (like hiking in Iona, Scotland) so they allow themselves to be open to a brand new experience, along with visiting the well-known destinations.