The news continues to be the same. The BP Oil crisis continues, Michael Jackson is still dead and Toyota is recalling yet another car. Yawn. What’s a person to do?

Travel, that’s what.

Anna Kramer, a Masters student at the University of Washington, was awarded the Bonderman Travel Fellowship. What does this mean for Anna? Well, she was awarded $20K to travel alone to at least six different countries in two regions of the world over a minimum of eight months. A few requirements, but hey, they’re giving her money and momentum to get going.

While traveling, fellowship recipients can work or loaf, they just need to immerse themselves in the local culture. Apparently, most tend to work and use resources available for inexpensive travel as the airline budget eats a lot of the $20k. But really, being away in a foreign land and working your way through it only enlightens your experience.

Anna is focusing her travels along the Pacific Ocean, with stops along various Asian islands, New Zealand and then up the Central American coast. Kind of a ’round the Pacific tour. Her only hesitation is traveling alone, but a young woman as resourceful as Anna should be fine. Now, we just need her to submit stories to Hipster Travel Guide.

Fellowships and scholarships for travel abroad are out there. It’s up to you to find out how you can apply to pack your bags. If you’re currently in college, check out what is available through your college and any of the organizations of which you’re a member. For those of you not currently enrolled, this is another reason for continuing that education. There’s plenty of on line resources that will tell you what is out there and how to apply.

It’s up to you – either buy the crystal world globe pictured above and let it collect dust or use it to plan your next trip.

Tags: anna kramer, Bonderman Travel Fellowship, Fellowship, travel, winner