Picture this:

The wind moves through the trees, making the air crisp and cool. Hundreds of people dressed in jeans, jackets, dresses, scarves, hats, and gloves try to shield themselves from the bitter wind as they make their way to the train station, their steps echoing against the surrounding stone buildings. You can hear people’s music from their favorite Pandora station playing through their Beats as they walk by here with phones in hand.

As you step out on the street, you are numb not only from the wind but also to the sites that you see: electronics everywhere. People briskly brush by you texting, taking selfies, listening to music, talking on the phone, looking for directions on their iPads... It's just another ordinary day.

But what if you can't do these things? What happens when you're 5,000 miles from home in a different country and your phone is on airplane mode 99% of the time?

At first, not being constantly connected to the outside world was scary. We have become a culture that is so consumed with using media that when you don't have access to it 24/7, you feel cut off and isolated, even though there are people all around you. But, strangely enough, having a very limited data plan while abroad has become one of the best things that have happened to me.

Here are a few things I've observed by not being consistently on my phone:

1. You’ll develop a great sense of direction. You’ll look up an address, commit it to memory and actually visualize where you’re going and how you’ll get there. And if you get lost, you have the opportunity to meet some cool people to ask for directions. When was the last time you tried driving to a new place without google maps?

2. Human friends are better than Facebook friends. I've met some neat people by getting lost or just striking up a conversation on a train. And these people seem so much more genuine than only seeing friends through a FB or Instagram lens.

3. This world is beautiful. Okay, okay. We all know this. But the world becomes so much more alive and vibrant when you're not always looking at it through a screen or half-hearing the street sounds through headphones. Sure it can be a little dirty and loud and busy, but that's what makes it beautiful.

4. You will spend more time day-dreaming because you'll inevitably be a little bored without an instant distraction in the palm of your hand. You'll learn things about yourself and your dreams and aspirations because sometimes that's all you can do when waiting for your bus to arrive.

5. You'll realize just how attached we actually are to technology... The first week or so of living abroad felt like I was going through withdrawal... How was I supposed to find my flat or ask Siri what the name of that actor was in that movie I really liked? How was I supposed to write on my friend's wall because I saw something that she really would have enjoyed? How were people supposed to know what I was doing since I couldn't immediately "check-in" on FB or upload a picture on Instagram? It was weird, but it became not only routine but something that I began to cherish.

It made me appreciate the world and the people around me more than I ever have. I became thankful that I could have real conversations with people at lunch because none of us could check our phones. I was happy for the times that I got lost because I was able to trust my gut to get back home and find some beautiful hidden treasures along the way. I found myself feeling free because I wasn't continuously chained to my phone or the rest of the world.

I lived three months in airplane mode but have made a lifetime of memories. It was weird at first, but I wouldn't have it any other way.