The United States is usually the only country most high-schoolers know. The majority of students don’t travel internationally till much later in life. There are some, however, that break this status quo. One of these students is Maya Pharathikoune, 12. Pharathikoune has been traveling since the age of six, when they lived in Japan. They not only met the usual limits of a high schooler’s travel experience, they have exceeded them by far. They have been to over 20 countries, and are still expanding their cultural reach, discovering which ones are their favorites.
“Besides Japan since I lived there and consider that my home, I would probably say Vietnam, Australia, or Italy are my top three,” they say.
Traveling to different countries goes hand-in-hand with trying new foods. During their travels, Pharathikoune has greatly expanded their palette from when they were younger.
“When I traveled throughout Asia I was really young, and I’m also a picky eater. So I ordered the most basic thing that they put
on the menu, which isn’t the best thing to do when you’re traveling. When I went to Europe I tried to eat most of the stuff.”
They have come to realize that when traveling, it is best to try the foods the country has to offer because oftentimes they will end up being very different but delicious.
Pharathikoune’s most recent getaway was a trip through Europe. Though it started as a short visit to Portugal, it ended in a trip to France and Italy too.
“I went to Europe because my aunt was actually getting married in Portugal, and then my parents were like ‘Well we’re already out there, so might as well see what we wanna see.’ So we went to France and Italy as well.”
During this trip, Pharathikoune discovered a lot of the cultural practices and sights in each country. It fed their love for travel, and they want to share this with other people so that they will be inspired to both pursue their dreams and conquer their fears of traveling.
“Don’t feel scared about traveling. It’s a great experience, and it’s a good way to get exposure to the world and anything outside of the states, especially if you have never left the country,” Pharathikoune says. “If you have the opportunity to travel, take it.”
