A Travel Blog by Adam Goot, International Studies major and IU Peer Coach

The first day I arrived in Cape Town, I was pooped on by a bird. The second day, I won a free two-day safari. A day after that, the man I sat next to on the 15-hour plane ride to Johannesburg told me he reserved two tickets for me and a buddy to come to the concert he was helping to set up. The bands performing happened to be the famous 90s rock bands LifeHouse and Collective Soul.

I guess it’s true that getting pooped on by a bird really is good luck. Now it’s day 7. Hopefully pooping your pants is good luck, too, because traveler’s tummy (which is arguably the biggest euphemism) is on to me.

I don’t necessarily believe in karma, but being positive, open-minded, and avoiding unnecessary conflict is serving me well so far. I’ve met some great people and had a lot of time to reflect, thanks to my traveler’s tummy.

My feet smell and my stomach hurts, but there’s nothing more refreshing than knowing no one in a place you’ve never been – even if number 2 won’t stay out of your life.

Watch for future posts from Adam about his adventures abroad throughout this semester.