Growing up, my parents often reminded me: “There is no free lunch, even in Freetown.” At first, I understood this as a lesson about money and hard work. Later, through studying Business and Economics, I realised it applies to something much bigger: every choice carries a cost.
Every journey comes with a receipt.
Not the one tucked into my coat pocket after buying a train ticket or boarding pass. I mean the invisible receipt: the one that records the fuel consumed, the resources used, and the footprint left behind.
As I prepare for my study year abroad in France, I find myself imagining the receipt attached to every decision I make. When I dream about having my own “Emily in Paris” experience, I also find myself asking: what kind of traveller do I want to be?
I do not want “Kristine in Lyon” to be just another tourist, collecting experiences and spamming her instagram story. I want to be a temporary citizen, conscious that every choice I make leaves a mark on the place hosting me. Having spent the last four years studying French language and culture, I view it as my responsibility to make that mark a sustainable one.
This understanding has shaped how I approach my year abroad in France. Rather than viewing sustainability as a restriction, I see it as an opportunity to make smarter decisions. In Business Management, I have learned that when it comes to strategic decision-making and corporate social responsibility, efficiency and innovation are often interconnected. The same principle applies to travel. Wherever possible, I intend to prioritise lower-carbon transport options, such as trains for regional journeys, and reduce unnecessary travel by planning efficiently. Small decisions, multiplied over an entire year, can create meaningful change.
To borrow one of my favourite French sayings, “La vie c’est comme une bicyclette, il faut avancer pour ne pas perdre l’équilibre”. Life is like riding a bicycle; to keep your balance, you must keep moving. Fortunately, cycling is about to become my new best friend!
My commitment extends beyond transportation. I plan to support local businesses, reduce waste, purchase second-hand items where practical, and make conscious choices about the products I use. These actions align closely with UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. As someone passionate about ethical business practices and Fairtrade principles, I believe sustainability is strongest when it supports both people and the planet.
Furthermore, my year abroad presents an opportunity to learn. By engaging with France’s environmental initiatives and sharing those insights with my community, I hope to contribute to a wider conversation about how young people can travel more responsibly in an increasingly interconnected world.
My parents were right: there is no free lunch, even in Freetown. There is no free travel either. But if every journey has a cost, then every traveller has a choice. My goal is to ensure that I leave behind more value than I take away – one ‘bicyclette’ at a time.
