If you know a quote that makes you think of
your destination, include that in your journal. I wrote a lot of blessings in
my journal during the four days I spent in Ireland. You can also include any local slang you come
across. My journal is filled with British slang I picked up during the summer of
my study abroad. Anything funny or strange that you see is fair game too. I’ll
never forget the “Turkish Viagra” that I saw at the Istanbul Spice Bazaar.
Your
journal can be whatever you make it. If it’s only a basic account of your trip
without the color and flavor of your visit, what made your trip memorable may
be forgotten over time. Sometimes it’s not all about what you see and do.
Sometimes it’s about the people with whom you rub elbows, the sights and sounds
of the locals doing their everyday things, the smells of a food you’ve never
heard of until that vacation. Use all of your senses, take it all in, be as
complete as possible, and you’ll have a great souvenir that will last a
lifetime.