Quote Corner

The world is a book,

and those who do not travel

only read one page.

-St. Augustine

Interested in Studying Abroad?

I recently wrote an article for Go! Overseas, a travel organization for people looking to go abroad--whether to teach, volunteer, study or intern.

The article is linked up above.

Check it out!

YouTube Tuesday: Where in the Hell is Matt?

So, I'm sure if you're a fan of travel as much as I am, and if you troll YouTube as much as I do, you've already familiarized yourself with Matt.

Where in the hell is he, anyway?

No one ever really knows (or maybe they do, but I certainly don't). But regardless of where he is in the world, he's always dancing. I think that's why I like him so much. He dances. He travels. He dances while he travels. And he does it all while video recording himself to post online and share with the world.

If you ask me, he's pretty cool.

2008

2006

>
2005

And while, sure, he tends to be doing the same silly dance in every video, in every country, in every city or town or village... he's living the dream. He's doing something he loves, and he's made a name for himself by dancing ridiculously every where he goes.

Not bad, if you ask me.

What do you think? Do you think making a name for yourself is worth looking a little silly sometimes?

The Bed Bug Nightmare

While traveling in Croatia for 5 days over Easter weekend, I had my first encounter with the dreaded Bed Bug.

Thankfully, I was not the victim.

Unfortunately, a friend of mine was earlier in the semester in Germany at a hostel she had checked into. Despite checking for the little insects and finding none, she woke up the morning after checking in to find little groups of red bumps that itched like crazy. Sure enough, she had been bitten.

Unfortunately again, while in Croatia she found another crawling across her comforter in the evening. What she was thankful about, was the fact that she had found it before having another nasty night of bites from the bugs. She switched rooms in the hostel and had no more problems, but was obviously (and rightfully so) a little more than skeeved out.

The lesson we can learn here is that, while traveling, you must be vigilant in your search for the little critters. While they are visible to the human eye, they're really good at hiding. And that means you have to look hard despite being able to see them without a magnifying glass.

Be sure when you travel that you check for them. It's so important, especially if you don't want them hitching a ride on your suitcase, clothing and other personal items once you move on from the infested place.

Check the corners of the mattress that you're sleeping on. Check the seams of the mattress. Lift the sheets and check under them. Then check under the mattress. Inspect your comforter and any other blankets on the bed. And be sure to be thorough and do this every time you sleep in a new bed, no matter how clean the hostel, hotel, rented apartment or friend's place seems to be.

Because, let's face it, it's better safe than sorry when it comes to bed bugs.


Have you ever run into these nasty little bugs? Where were you and what did you do?

(Thanks to Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net for the photo.)

Suggestions for the Traveling Soul: Use TripAdvisor

I use TripAdvisor for as many things as possible when I travel.

If you don't already know about it (and use it!), you should totally become familiar with it! And here's why...

First off, it's a great way to find out where to go, what to do, and how to do it, especially if you're a little nervous about traveling to a place you know next to nothing (or, like me, absolutely nothing) about. I used trip advisor while traveling in Budapest by myself for 4 days back in early April. After having the two friends I was supposed to meet cancel on me, I decided to go anyway so that I wouldn't be out the cash for my flight and hostel. And TripAdvisor was awesome! I found free walking tours through it, a great place to eat, and some of the best things to see and do while in Budapest (such as going to the Szechenyi Baths and St. Stephen's Basilica).

Second, after you use it to help plan your trip, you get to contribute to the site. You can write reviews and comment on the things you did and saw, the places you stayed, and the restaurants you ate at. It's a great way to contribute to someone else's experience in the place you visited and got to learn about, just as others helped you with their comments and reviews.


I really love the internet and all it's been able to do for me in my travels.

I can honestly say, without it, I wouldn't have bungee jumped in Costa Rica, saved money by taking free tours in Budapest, or known about the ancient wall around Lucca in Italy.

Sometimes, I'm a Little Epic

Now, I don't want to brag, but I've been known to seek out some pretty intense adrenaline rushes.

I recently visited Jimmie from Tales of a Traveling Texan, and discovered a somewhat silly, but also incredibly entertaining travel quiz. The concept is to answer a handful of questions to discover your "Travel Sign." I thought it was intriguing enough to take the quiz, and while most of the online quizzes I've taken in the past really have turned out to be silly, this one piqued my interest.

My result?



"Farbarian, Farbarian, where for art thou, Farbarian? Off on some epic quest, no doubt. Your name belies your need to wander. Along the spine of the granite peaks to the west and among the rolling hills to the east. Farbarian, you make your mother weep with your wild travel adventures. But, Mother Nature weeps with joy."

And you know what? It pretty much hit the nail on the head. I love adventure. I love challenge. I love doing things that will probably end in making a fool out of myself, because life is too short not to have a good laugh, even at my own expense. I love taking risks, and I love the rush or adrenaline I get when I jump out of a plane or zip line across a valley. There's nothing quite like that feeling of heightened awareness, and I tend to go to places that offer me an opportunity to do something crazy.

And as it says (and my mother would probably agree), "you make your mother weep with your wild travel adventures." She's told me before, go and do, but go and do before telling me where you're going and what you're doing--at least when it comes to jumping out of planes.

Take the quiz! What kind of traveler are you? Do you agree with the result?

Looking Back at My Semester Abroad

It's hard to believe that my semester in Rome is finished.

The semester flew by, and it was probably the best semester of my life.

During my time in Europe I was able to do a lot of traveling.

I made it to 11 cities in Italy, 9 countries in both Western and Easter Europe, and 22 cities across the continent in total.

Talk about the travel bug.

But even before coming to Italy I had already done my fair share of travel. At this point, I've been to 17 countries. I (more than) doubled my country count this semester (by one country!), which was impressive, by my standards at least. I certainly wasn't expecting to make it to that many places, but I am really glad I did.

I met some amazing people and did some amazing things.

My flight got canceled because of a freak blizzard the night I was supposed to leave and made friends with a guy from Michigan who would end up being one of my closest friends abroad. I saw the Colosseum for the first time the very first night I was in Rome. I got lost more times than I can count the first two weeks of the semester. I spent Valentines day with my girls and Bob Marley. I had the best week-long date in Rome with my amazing boyfriend who visited for his spring break and my birthday. I had a blast on my birthday, too. I discovered the Appian Way, the Cappucin Crypt and dozens of churches throughout the city. I got lost amongst the canals of Venice. I hung out with two of my housemates from the States when they visited. We traveled four cities of Tuscany and discovered the leather market of Florence. I took midterms and did better than expected. I hit four countries and 5 cities in 10 days over my spring break. I traveled to Budapest by myself, explored caves with a Finnish guy, took a tour of Communism with a German couple, and went to a Salsa club with Croatian students. I swam in the Adriatic off the coast of Capri, enjoyed the artisan market of Sorrento, and explored the ruins of Pompeii. I went clubbing in Testaccio. I visited the gardens of Tivoli. I played cards outside of a train station and sang Sara Barielles with friends. I basked in the sun in Croatia, took an tour of the Island of Brac, ate a seafood dinner in Trogir, and lost my toe nail in Split. I had a formal at my apartment for all my friends in Rome. I went to the AS Roma vs. AC Milan soccer match. I took finals (and passed!) and I finally flew home.

What are some of your best memories from traveling to different places?

The Essentials of Packing Lightly

Because I'm no stranger to travel at this point, I've done quite a bit of packing, which is precisely why I want to share with you my Essentials of Packing Lightly.

Before I start to go more in depth, I'll tell you now. This list is a list that works best for me. What is best for me, might not be what is best for you. Additionally, if you're the kind of person who doesn't want to do Budapest on a budget with a backpack, then obviously this list isn't for you. However, if you're looking for a list of clothing and items for the hardcore, 25-pounds-or-less, I'm-kind-of-grungy-but-having-an-awesome-time-anyway route, this might help you gather ideas for your own list of what to pack.

The kind of packing lightly that I'm talking about isn't easy. It means sacrificing the luxuries you get to have at home. But at the same time, they're called the essentials for a reason. It means you need them, while the luxuries you can leave at home. Trust me, packing lightly makes everything easier. You wouldn't want to end up like me, facing the wrath of the theives of Costa Rica and Rome, and losing all of your valuables that you really didn't need to bring with you on your trip anyway.

So, without further ado! My Essentials of Packing Lightly.

Tips for Pre-Packing
1.) Pack layers. Especially if you're traveling to several different places with a variety of climates in the same trip, you're going to want to pack layers. That way, when it's cold, you can pile them one and when it's hot, you can strip them off. Easy-peasy lemon pie.
2.) Pack the bare minimum. Maybe this means you'll be wearing the same shirt over and over again throughout your trip, but especially if you're backpacking, you won't want 12 shirts for a 12 day trip. You're going to want 2. Because that pack will be heavy... and on your back... hence it's name: backpack.
3.) You might not need that lip stick or cologne. Decide accordingly. Sorry ladies and gents, but leave the niceties at home for certain trips. Ladies? The lip stick won't matter no matter how many times you reapply throughout the day if you plan on chowing down on a whole fish or sharing some Mate tea. And gents? You certainly won't need that cologne when you're riding a camel, cause you'll stink just the same by the end of the day anyway (have you smelled a camel?!)
4.) Dark colors for the win! That's right. Wear darker colors as much as possible. Unless you're going to be in the middle of the Sahara Desert for you're entire trip (where you will want white and egg shell colored clothing), you're going to want to stick to browns and blacks. They don't show dirt, pit stains, or that green-chili curry you spilled through the hole in your bottom lip last night at dinner.

The Basics (Meaning you're traveling the back-country of the Midwest, the countryside of Eastern Europe, or the cloud/rain forests of Central America, etc etc...)
1.) 1 Pair of Long Underwear: If where you're traveling is going to be cold, pack a pair of long underwear, preferably silk or synthetic ones. Yes, they'll cost you an arm and a leg at an outdoors store, but you won't regret it. They keep you warm and dry, both of which are essential in colder climates. Not to mention, you can wear them as layers or by themselves as PJs.
2.) 1 Heavey-Weight Fleece Jacket: You don't need a name brand like Northface, but having a fleece jacket ensures that you'll stay warm. Even in countries that have warmer climates during the day can drop their temperatures pretty low at night. Stick with a black fleece and you can wear it with pretty much anything without feeling too touristy or American.
3.) 1 pair of Synthetic Quick-dry Shorts: They won't chafe you, and they dry super quick. What more could you ask for? Plus, they come in handy if you want to stand under a waterfall or ride a horse through a creek and be dry within half an hour of doing so.
4.) 2 Synthetic Quick-dry Shirts: Same story as your synthetic-quick dry shorts. And they won't get you as smelly as cotton, because they wick the sweat away from your body and help it evaporate quicker.
5.) 3 Pairs of Long Wool Socks: I prefer the SmartWool variety. I've used them for essentially every trip I've taken both in and out of the U.S. for the past 5 years and I'm not going back. They keep your feet warm, dry, and less-stinky than cotton socks do. Win!
6.) 3 Pairs of Liner Socks: Again, I prefer SmartWool, but any liner socks will do. And trust me, you're going to want liner socks if you plan on doing a lot of walking with a heavy pack. Having liner socks means no blisters (hurrah!) and it also means your feet stay even dryer. Double win!
7.) 1 Pair of Super Sexy Hiker Pants: I have a pair of these from R.E.I. and while they scream "tourist!" to anyone who sees me, they're literally the most incredible pants I own. Do I want shorts? Yes, I do. So I zip off the pant legs. How about pants? Zip the pant legs back on! Capris? Roll up the cuffs and snap 'em up. It's like having any kind of bottoms I can imagine in one pair of pants! Sure, they're ugly (aka, I lied when I said they were super sexy), but they're so handy.

8.) Medium Weight Hiking Boots: I prefer medium weight hiking boots because I rarely do any form of traveling that requires more than that. Light weight boots also tend to be not enough for some of the more serious hikes I've done. However, just like Goldilocks with the Three Bears, mid-weight boots are just right.

9.) 8 Pairs of Cotton Blend Underwear: One for each day of the week, and then some! The reason I like cotton blends is because they're breathable, but they dry quicker than full cotton undies after you wash them.

10.) Heavy-Duty Space Coat: These coats are the kind that make you look like you just landed from mars and you're 100 pounds overweight, but thankfully you only need it if where you're going is really cold.

Rain jacket, synthetic shirt,
hiking pants, mid-weight boots-
check, check, check, and check.

A Little Fashion (Meaning you're traveling more within civilization and urban areas, but still want to pack light...)

1.) 3 Solid Colored T-shirts: They're versatile, they're colorful, and they can go with lots of different things. Depending on the colors, you can dress them up or down, as well. Think darker colors though, because, as I mentioned above, they hide stains and dirt better.

2.) 1 Pair of Comfortable Dark-Wash Jeans: Dress 'em up, dress 'em down, wear 'em with any of your tops. They're versatile just like your solid colored T's and they don't need to be washed that often. So bring a pair and wear 'em often.

3.) 1 Pair of Black Flats: I love having flats because they're comfortable, not as chunky as sneakers, and not as bare-bones as flip-flops/sandals.

4.) 1 Pair of Black Sandals/Flip Flips: For those beach days, hot days, rainy-but-warm days, gross hostel showers, dressier occasions or any other occasion you can think of.

5.) 1 Pair of Sneakers: You can feel free to go with black again, because they're less noticeable than white sneakers, and don't look as dirty after wearing them often.

6.) 1 Long Sleeved Solid Colored Shirt: I usually go with a dark color, but any color will do. Just keep in mind that black is versatile, dark colors hide dirt, and it isn't noticeable if you wear it often as if you're wearing a baby-blue shirt.

7.) 1 Light Weight Zip-Up Hoodie: They're comfortable as all get-out, and they are great for layering, and they give you a hood during impromptu rain showers. Again, I always go for a darker color.

8.) 2 Patterned Wrap-Skirts/Sarongs: They work as skirts, dresses, beach blankets, picnic blankets towels, or any other imaginative thing you can think up. 

9.) 8 Pairs of Cotton Blend Socks: Same with the underwear as above, you have a pair for each day of the week and one extra for good luck. Then they dry fast after you was them.

10.) 2 Solid Color Tank Tops: I don't think I have to say it at this point, but I often opt for black or another dark color.

Other Various Goodies

1.) Toiletry Pack: I'm talking tooth brush, tooth paste, hair brush, q-tips, floss, face wipes, deodorant, contact-solution, extra contacts, and whatever else you see fit that can make its way into a 3 liter zip-lock bag.

2.) All-Purpose Soap: This works wonders for not only washing your hands and face, but for your hair, your clothes, your dishes--basically anything you need washed, an all-purpose soap will wash it.

3.) Sunscreen: I literally don't leave home without it because I was blessed with the skin of the Irish. It's 75+ for me, but feel free to go with a lower SPF.

4.) Chapstick: It's necessary for rain or shine, cold or warmth. I get chapped lips in all types of weather, so I always carry one with me.

5.) Mini First-Aid Kit: Talk about essential. If you want to know why I recommend this, check out my post about what I left in Croatia to find out why a mini first-aid kit comes in handy.

6.) Body Spray: Call me vain, but I like to smell good. Small body-sprays make this possible. Currently I'm using Hawaiian Ginger. 

7.) Travel Pack: This is where I keep all of the little luxuries that I can afford to carry with me. Things like ear plugs, a face-mask, an inflatable neck pillow, aspirin, any other medication you might need, copies of your important documents and itineraries, etc.

8.) Extra Camera Battery/Memory Card: Because chances are, at some point, if you travel a lot, you will lose, break or have one of these stolen.

9.) Earrings: Ok, maybe you won't pack these, but I do--because earrings are my thing, and I love to wear them.

10.) Minimal Make-Up: This includes face-powder, mascara, and eyeliner for me. No, it's not essential, but like the earrings, sometimes I'm a little vain and like a small luxury.

What are some of the things you pack when you go traveling? Do you travel with a backpack or a suit case, usually? Have you ever had to pack light for a long trip?

Take the Plunge

I've done my fair share of plunging into water these past couple weeks.

I've dipped into 38 degree C bath in the Szechenyi thermal bath house in Budapest, Hungary (hot, hot, HOT!)
I've jumped off the side of a small motor boat into the Tyrrhenian Sea off the coast of Capri, Italy.
I've dived into the Adriatic Sea off a yacht in Brac, Croatia.
I've been drenched by freezing cold torrential rain in Prague, Czech Republic (okay, maybe not my own doing, but certainly still water...).
I've leapt into the Cetina River from a 3 story high cliff outside of Omis, Croatia (twice!).

And currently, the heavens just opened up and released its bath water upon the city of Rome. Thankfully, this time, I'm safe inside of my lovely little apartment listening to the pounding rain instead of standing in the midst of it.

Throughout all of my diving, dipping and plunging I've found that sometimes the water is hot and sometimes the water is cold and sometimes the water is just right (granted, I might have stolen this from Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but "bear" with me). Regardless the temperature of the water, I wanted to jump into it anyway.

It's about the experience, and this is what I often write about--the experience.

What if I had not jumping to the numbing Adriatic Sea and had stayed on the boat instead? Well, I wouldn't be able to say that I swam in the Adriatic even though I'd been to Capri. If I hadn't gone to a bathhouse in Budapest, I would have been missing a crucial part of the culture of the city. And if I'd not ignored my fear of jumping off a three story rock in Croatia? I wouldn't have had the adrenaline rush I got from the thrill of leaping into the crystal clear Cetina River of Croatia.

It might seem like such a small and insignificant thing in the grand scheme of traveling the world--but next time, take the plunge and jump into a body of water. It's invigorating, refreshing, and sometimes the best memory you have from a place!

When have you taken the plunge? Were you nervous to jump into water you knew was really cold or too hot? Were you unsure about cliff jumping or leaping off a boat? Did you ignore those feelings and dive in anyway?

You Leave a Part of Yourself In Every City

You know how the saying goes: "I left my heart in San Francisco."

The same is true whenever you travel. You leave little bits and pieces of yourself in every place you go. It's hard not to--you get attached, you form relationships, you eat delicious, interesting or weird new foods that you can't get enough of, you do new things and you see places you've only ever seen pictures of previously.

I've definitely lefts parts of myself in every place I've visited. Croatia is lucky enough to have claimed my left foot next-to-pinky-toe toenail.

I bet you did not expect this post to go in the direction it just did.

Well, regardless of what you were expecting ("I left my heart in Croatia!"), I did, unfortunately, leave a more gross part of myself in Split, Croatia. Being the klutz that I am, I tend to not watch where I'm walking more often than I care to admit and then trip or fall over things just a little less often than not watching where I'm going (although, I will admit, the two go hand-in-hand).

So, Croatia wins this round. "How?" you might ask? On my way to dinner with three girl friends I walked into a chair. That's right: a chair. Once again I was not paying attention to where I was walking, and walked directly into the leg of a chair. At first I thought it was a standard stub-the-toe-and-wince kind of accident, only to look down and discover a less than enjoyable scene. Sucking it up, I told the girls we had to backtrack to my hostel so that I could perform emergency first-aid on my toe.

It wasn't pretty. It wasn't fun. But looking back, it makes for a good story.

My moral for you this time takes several forms, and you can decide which direction to take (kind of like those childhood books where you pick your own ending! So fun!): either wear close-toed shoes and continue to be clumsy, or begin to pay attention to where you place your feet so you can avoid the entire situation completely.

I'll be opting for the latter of the two in the future. I just can't give up my sandals!

Have you ever done something clumsy and literally left a part of yourself in a city?

Short, short, short hiatus!

I'm leaving for Split, Croatia in several hours! How exciting!

Unfortunately, I won't be traveling with my computer. So you'll all have to wait until Tuesday for an updating blog post (and new Obsession of the Week) because I failed at scheduling posts for the upcoming few days.

Enjoy your weekends! I know I will!

Ciao!

Stay Calm. Don't Panic. Look for Solutions.

Sometimes, the most horrible things can happen when you're traveling. And by horrible, I do mean horrible.

However, that's the price you pay with travel. You risk that things will not go the way that you plan them to go, and that things will go wrong at any moment. And while most of the time, travel is exciting and rewarding, it's better to be prepared for when disaster strikes than not.

I have learned about disaster striking the hard way several times throughout my travels, and so here I hope to divulge some advice for if or when these things happen to you while traveling.

1.) Don't Panic. Just like in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy recommends, don't panic. This is rule number one for a reason. If you panic, that's when things get even worse. Panicking only leads from disaster to more disaster, because it means you aren't thinking straight and you are being progressive in finding a solution to whatever the problem should be.

How I learned this lesson: When I was in Costa Rica this past summer backpacking the country with my best friend from high school, someone broke into our hostel room while we slept and stole majority of anything with value from me and two other guests. I'm talking passports, cameras, wallets, credit cards, phones, IDs, ATM cards, money, iPods, purses, etc. This guy made out, literally, like a bandit, because he easily took off with probably $4,000 worth of items. Upon waking up that morning to catch an early bus to another part of the country, I discovered that my stuff was gone, and silently began panicking. My mind clouded up, and all I could do was cry and breathe entirely way too fast. However, I quickly found that that was not helping matters, calmed myself, and set to work in fixing the situation as best I could, which consisted of alerting the hostel owners, calling my mom on Skype to have her cancel my cards, submitting a theft report to my travel insurance company, and reporting the incident to the police (regardless of how unhelpful they were). No, it wasn't easy. No, it wasn't fun. But it was necessary to stay calm and reasonable so that I could do my best on solving the problems at hand. So don't panic. Just get to work in finding the best possible solutions.

2.) Buy a substantial amount of traveler's insurance. This one is important. Because if you do run into a problem, insurance will help cover whatever monetary costs you accrue. It may not cover everything, but it will help to cover at least some of the costs, which will help lessen the burden when disaster strikes. Oh, and be sure to get enough insurance. When it comes to insuring yourself, it's better to pay the extra $10 for the next level up in coverage than risk not having enough coverage.

How I learned this lesson: Again, the theft in Costa Rica helped me learn about the importance of not just having traveler's insurance, but having enough insurance to cover the damage. Unfortunately, I opted for a lower coverage plan when I purchased my insurance before Costa Rica. Instead of spending the big bucks and paying $60 for the high coverage, I went with the $47 lower coverage plan. And I regretted it less than a week into the trip because of the theft I mentioned above. Instead of getting a reimbursement check from Travelex, I received $500, which covered about a third of the items I had stolen from me. It was better than nothing, but I was still out $1,000. This was a hard lesson to learn.

3.) Theft proof yourself as much as humanly possible. There's no way to completely ensure that you will have nothing stolen from you while traveling. The fact of the matter is that you risk having your things stolen when you travel. Some countries are riskier than others. But no matter where you go, whether it's New York City and Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong, San Jose and Mexico City, Rome and Paris--they all have people looking to pick pocket you and steal your camera, money, phone, wallet, etc. But the best way to avoid getting something stolen is to either don't bring it with you when you travel, leave it in a secure place when you go out for the day (like a safe in your hostel, in your apartment/place of residence, locked in a closet, etc), or keep it in a safe place on your person if you do decide to bring it with you (like an inside zippered pocket in your purse or a breast pocket in your coat).

How I learned this lesson: No surprise here, but this also applies to the theft I experienced in Costa Rica. However, it also applies to just the other day here in Rome when I was riding a crowded bus into the city center with my small point and shoot camera in my front jeans pocket instead of in my purse where I usually keep it. This was a bad choice on my part, because after exiting the bus at my stop, I found that I had been pick-pocketed. I thought I was going to be able to make it 4 months in this city without having something stolen from me, but I was careless and let my guard down, and was once again reminded of why it is so incredibly important to never let your guard down and become careless with your belongings if you want to maintain possession of them, especially when riding crowded busses.

4.) Be cautious of the water and if you decide not to be, then have medicine ready. If you're like me, you would rather risk drinking the water when you travel than rely on purchasing bottled water every time you're thirsty and need a drink. While this is an extremely foolhardy way to live, bottled water is expensive, and I've found it's just much easier to just drink the tap water when I travel. This choice, however, is one that carries severe consequences with it. All sorts of nasty things happen when you drink unclean tap water, so if you choose to drink it anyway, make sure you have some kind of medication like Cipro with you to relieve your distress.

How I learned this lesson: When I was in Tanzania two summers ago I suddenly came down with a violent illness about a week and a half into the trip. I was unsure as to why I was getting so sick, only to realize that my choice to drink the tap water was paying its toll to my stomach. I had gotten sick of relying on the bottled water several days earlier, and began to brush m teeth with and drink small amounts of the tap water. It led to 12 excruciating hours which were relieved only after taking Cipro and sleeping for an extended amount of time. Since then, I have continued to drink the water when I've traveled to places like Costa Rica, Honduras and Argentina, but it is a conscientiously decided risk that I take because I know of the consequences and just how un-fun they truly are.

5.) Get your shots and take your meds. This one, I think, is self-explanatory. If you're going to be traveling to countries that have medical risks, like typhoid, yellow fever, malaria, TB, etc then please, please, please go prepared. This means scheduling a visit to your local travel clinic and getting your shots and prescriptions for malarial pills.


How I learned this lesson: Before I traveled to Tanzania with the group of students and advisors we all went to a travel clinic to get our shots. We needed to be guarded against typhoid, yellow fever, and Hep B. We also needed a prescriptions for Cipro (the all-mighty stomach guard!) and malaria medication. Thankfully, the shots guard you for about two years, so when I went to Honduras I scheduled my own visit to a travel clinic for my Hep A shot and to get more malaria medication and Cipro. When you travel to places that are in danger of these things, you need to get your shots. There's no way around this one. Just do it. It's much better to be safe than sorry. Plus, you don't want malaria. Malaria sucks.


6.) Be prepared to see something gruesome, especially if you're budget traveling in poorer parts of the world. You can't stay naive about the goings on in countries all around the world. Some cultures have certain practices that are pretty awful, disheartening and upsetting. Some people live extreme poverty. Some foods will make your stomach churn. It's part of what you experience when you travel, so it's better to be prepared to see or hear about these things than to be ignorant and then shocked if they do happen.


How I learned this lesson: While in Tanzania a group of students I was traveling with had the unpleasant experience of being shown a video of someone being stoned to death for stealing. The stoning had taken place around the corner from the school where they were working, and their bus driver had been present at the stoning and video taped the entire thing with his cell phone. They students had heard about what had happened from some of the boys at the school, but never expected to see it. Unfortunately, the bus driver showed two of the students the video he took, which I can only imagine must have been one of the most terrifying things they'd ever seen. This wasn't a movie like Hotel Rwanda where you could feel removed, even if the violence in the film was graphic. This video was real life, and had taken place only blocks away from the school. But however sad and upsetting it is, that kind of practice is part of the culture in Tanzania when someone steals and is caught by the public instead of the police.

I don't want these things to deter you from traveling, but I do want you to know that travel, while absolutely incredible most of the time, comes with its downfalls, as well. It's better to be prepared for these kinds of things than it is to be unaware about the dangers of traveling, especially in cities or poor areas. But if you're prepared, you're less likely to experience these problems, and will therefore have a much better time during your travels.


What are some things you've learned about traveling in order to avoid disaster? Share them here!

What to Do When Homesickness Strikes

It's tough being away from home.

Home is familiar. Home is comfortable. Home is where the heart is. But sometimes, you outgrow "home" and you want something more--and so you leave home for somewhere new, exciting, fun and... lonely?

Well, it doesn't have to be. Being away from home, whether for a week or for a year or for ten years, might be hard at times, but it doesn't have to be lonely and depressing--at least not 100% of the time. Sure, everyone gets homesick, but what happens when you can't shake the feelings and you dig yourself deeper and deeper into the hole of homesickness?

For me, homesickness has come in waves, and each time I've dealt with it differently. There are so many ways to deal with it. I've only discovered a handful and am still in the process of discovering more for when I am struck with future waves of homesickness. But, if you're like me, it's hard to come up with remedies for being homesick on the spot and in the moment of desperation. So here, I'll share some of my solutions in the hopes that next time you're hit with being homesick, you won't have to think on your feet right away and you can try a few of these first.

1.) Get out of bed (because I know that's where you most likely are if you're homesick), get a shower, and get out of your flat/apartment/townhouse/dorm room/etc. Yes, I know it's much easier to just stay in your pajamas and wallow all day long until you can go back to sleep in hopes of waking up the next morning cured. But the truth of the matter is, you'll just build up more feelings of loneliness and homesickness that way. Trust me, I know. There have been several days here in Rome (or back home at my university) where I've done exactly what I just told you not to do, and it has not helped. So now, when I begin to feel the symptoms of being homesick, I get up and get going. It gets me away from the doom and gloom of my bed and out into fresh air.

2.) Do something you've never done before. Have you been dying to check out that new museum exhibit, but no one ever seems to want to go with you? Have you heard about a new restaurant that has great food and you want to try it out? Have you wanted to take a walk around the nearby park that you just haven't had a chance to walk around yet? Then go do it. When you do something new, it might help you find something that you'll really love, it'll keep you from getting bored with routine, and it'll help you grow! Not to mention, it'll keep your mind off of being homesick, and by the time you get back to your place of residence, you'll have fun stories to tell your room mates and will be too preoccupied to be homesick.

3.) Talk to someone else who is with you who might be going through and feeling some of the same things. While it might seem backwards to talk about your homesickness (because then you are thinking about it instead of getting your mind off of it, right?) it can actually be beneficial. The other person, while also homesick, might have some great ideas to get rid of the homesickness that you hadn't thought of. Or they might help you put it into perspective. Or they might just commiserate with you until you've talked through it. Any of these things could help you to ease your feelings of homesickness.

4.) Go through all of the amazing pictures you've taken since being away from home. Not only will this make you smile at all the goofy, silly, challenging, and exciting things you did since being away from home, but you'll be too busy remembering all the fun you've had being away, you'll forget why you were even homesick to begin with. Not to mention, you'll look forward to all your future adventures while you're away from home, knowing that they'll continue to be amazing and adventurous.

5.) As a last result, call home. It's okay to do this. Sometimes, what you really need is to just talk with mom, or your brother or sister, or your boyfriend or best friend. And while it might also make you miss them more, it can also be alleviating to tell them how homesick you are and that you need them to tell you something happy. I've found that listening to other people tell me about their days helps me not to think about why I'm homesick in the first place. Listening to someone else talk about their routines, classes, meals, or daily goings-on might seem boring usually, but when you're homesick, it can actually be soothing to know that life is still the same back home and, while you are missing the people and comforts, not much is changing in your absence.

What are some of your remedies for homesickness? How have you learned to deal with missing the people, places and things from home? Has being away gotten easier the longer you've gone without going home?

Look for Beauty in Everything You Do

Even in the most run-down, beat-up, or turned-around places, people and things you can find beauty.

When I traveled to the Amalfi Coast this past weekend, it was easy to appreciate the beauty of such a breathtaking place. Capri is unlike anything I've ever seen in my life. Sorrento was full of art and crafts and lovely people. Pompeii was awe-inspiring with its ruins and artifacts. Mt. Vesuvius was in all of its glory on a beautiful, sunny, 75 degree weather day.

These kinds of things are obvious in their beauty. When you look at something like the cliffs of Capri, it's impossible not to catch your breath and take a photo in hopes of remembering its pure and magnificent beauty.

However, not everything is easy to look at and see beauty. Some things, when you look at them, are not what we would call "beautiful," "magnificent," "breathtaking," or "awe inspiring." But, despite not having beauty at face value, everything has beauty in its own way--and it takes looking at something twice, or beneath its surface, or at the inner meaning of the person, place or thing in order to really appreciate just how precious and beautiful he, she or it is.

For instance, there are hundreds of streets in Rome covered wall to wall in graffiti. When I first saw this, my reaction was one of aversion. I couldn't believe the amount of graffiti on the walls in a city that I had imagined being full of ancient ruins (which it is) and beautiful monuments (which it also is) and an endless amount of churches (which it also, also is...). However, it's also a city full of graffiti--and coming from Philadelphia, graffiti shouldn't come as a surprise to me--and yet, here, it did.

Over time, I've learned to discover the beauty within the graffiti covering the walls of this city. Because when it comes down to it, the graffiti is part of the culture here. Yes, it's illegal. Yes, it's destructive. Yes, it's a problem that needs to be addressed (in productive and not prohibitive ways, mind you). But it doesn't mean that it's ugly, necessarily. There is a lot of beauty in the graffiti in this city. There are messages and pictures and words--many political in their meanings--that are part of what Rome is as a city. People in this city place the graffiti on the walls for a reason--to express themselves--and there is beauty in that.

So, look for the beauty in the things that, at first, might not seem so beautiful. Look long and hard and deep for the beauty, because it's difficult to find... but when you do find it, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

What is something, somewhere or someone in which you've found beauty when you weren't expecting? What was it like finally seeing what you weren't expecting to see?

When You're All Alone...

Sometimes solo trips happen.

The bad news is: it gets a little lonely.
The good news is: well, everything else.

When you travel by yourself it gives you space to do all the things you can't do when you travel with someone else (or several someone elses... or a lot of someone elses). You can get up when you want, do the things you want to do, eat when you want to eat, spend money on what you want to spend money on, and meet people you wouldn't have otherwise met.

For instance, this past weekend I traveled to Budapest. I was supposed to meet a friend and spend the weekend with her, but unfortunately she messaged me about an hour before I was leaving for the airport to tell me that she had a 102 degree fever with the flu and wouldn't be able to fly out to meet me anymore. Although I was upset, I decided I wasn't going to be out the money for my flight or hostel, and left for the airport anyway.

I am so glad that I did.

I arrived at my hostel late on Thursday night (well, technically it was Friday morning around 1am) and immediately crashed. The next morning, I got up and asked the woman in reception about some things to do. She circled some things on my map, and told me which public transportation to take. I spent the morning hiking up to the Citadel on the Buda side of the city, the afternoon checking out all the major landmarks on the Pest side of the city like Parliament, St. Stephan's Basilica, the Synagog, the Opera House and all of the bridges, and the evening walking around and getting traditional beef stew with egg barley and some Hungarian beer at a local pub. It was such a great day, and I really enjoyed all the time I had to myself.

Saturday I went caving in three of the caves open to the public. I teamed up with a Finnish man who was also traveling alone, and spent the morning caving with him. It was nice to have the company, and it was also nice getting to meet someone new. In the afternoon, I was tired, and so I headed to one of the thermal bathhouses to soak in the heated pools and relax. It was so good to just sit in the pools and check out the sauna. I also ate the leftovers from my dinner the night before, and a falafel sandwich, both of which were delicious.

Sunday I woke up early because I had limited time before going to the airport to head back to Rome in the evening. I hopped on a free tour about Communism in Hungary and met a german couple who I enjoyed talking to in between stops on the tour. After the tour about Communism, I took another tour about the Pest side of the city and the Jewish quarters. On that tour I met a group of students who were studying in Croatia, but were from all over the world. I had a great time on tour with them. And finally, I ended up in the City Park to check out Heroes Square and the castle.

Basically, traveling alone was a great way for me to have some "me" time, to meet people from all over the world, and to learn some really cool stuff about Budapest.

My recommendation to you: travel (at least once in your life) alone. It's a whole new way to travel, and gives you a totally different perspective than traveling with friends or family or a tour group.

Have you ever traveled alone before? What was your favorite part of it? Did you meet new people or do something you wouldn't have done otherwise?

Don't Be Afraid to Speak Up

What happens when something goes wrong while your traveling?

Let's face it. It's bound to happen. In fact, on every single trip I've taken, something has gone wrong. It's inevitable. You get sick. You lose your keys. You have something stolen. All of these things will happen if you're a traveler, and there really is not much you can do to prevent these things from happening all the time.

So, when something goes wrong, speak up. Tell someone. Talk to someone who may be able to help you. It's better than suffering alone, and it's one way to ensure that your suffering will be lessened.

For instance, I just got back from a ten day spring break trip to Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris. While it was, quite possibly, one of the best times of my life, it also came with its own handful of problems. It's to be expected, especially considering I was traveling to 4 countries in 10 days with 120 people. Things go wrong, and the best thing that I could do was ask for help when I needed it.

The perfect example of what to do when things go wrong was when I was on this trip. To put it simply, I had a lot of problems with locks and keys. For some reason, the god of locks and keys was not on my good side throughout my spring break.

In Prague, I locked my suitcase in order to keep my belongings safe in the hostel room while I was out exploring the city. The second day into the trip, I lost the keys to the lock. I sat there frustrated for a few minutes, pissed off at myself for losing the keys, and then decided to do something about it. Sitting in my room sulking would not solve the problem, so I went to the reception desk of the hostel and asked if anyone had turned in a blue lanyard with two keys on it. The answer? "No." I walked back up to my room even more frustrated, sat on the floor, and fiddled with the lock and two bobby pins in hopes that I would somehow open the lock like they do in the movies. The result? No luck. So I walked back down to the reception desk and this time asked the receptionist if he was able to break a lock. After getting a puzzled look, I told him that I had locked my suitcase and lost the keys, and he smiled, went to the back room, and grabbed a lock cutter the size of my arm. He followed me up to my room, broke the lock for me, and we laughed--me at my stupidity and him at the fact that "It happens all the time."

Additionally, in Prague, I also locked myself out of my room. But the best part of it was that I locked myself out of my room while I was off to take a shower. So not only was I locked out of my room, but I was in a towel with my shampoo and conditioner bottles. This time there was no chance I was walking down to reception since I was dripping water and in a towel. I locked myself in the bathroom, and thought, "Well... my room mates should be back in an hour after their Czech beer tasting... I'll wait until they get back." Of course, I got bored after twenty minutes of sitting in the bathroom, and decided it would be smarter to wander the hallway in hopes of running into a girl who I could ask to run down to reception for me. Lucky me, I found a girl, and she helped me out. I got into my room and was able to get my clothes.

Then, as if that wasn't enough of locks and keys, I ended up sleep walking out into the hallway in Amsterdam without my room key. After spending several minutes banging on the door hoping to wake one of my room mates up after I realized I was out of the room, I paced the hallway deciding what to do. Should I go out into the bar/reception area in my pajamas even though the bar was still rockin'? Or do I sit like a lost (and sleepy) puppy in the hallway. Of course, I go to reception. I was greeted with some chuckles and pointing... but I got back into my room.

So the moral of my stories? Don't be afraid to speak up, even if it makes you look dumb, or ridiculous, or lost, or silly, or anything. Because more often than not, you aren't the only person it's happened to, and others can help you out of embarrassing situations. It's better to speak up than to be left out of your element.

Do you have any stories of when something went wrong during your travels? Was something stolen? Did you miss a train? Were you locked out of a room or your suitcase? What did you do to solve the problem and what did you learn from it?

Fundraising: Part 1

Traveling is fun. You get to learn a lot, you get to try different foods, you get to meet many people.
However, it's expensive.

I've learned that fundraising, especially for service trips, is one of the best ways to help ease the expenses of traveling.

Today I went to the SHH Fundraising Summit at George Mason University in Virginia. SHH (Students Helping Honduras) is the organization I went through for traveling to Honduras several weeks ago over winter break. I was fortunate enough to apply and receive a scholarship for the full cost of the trip (minus airfare and the country exit tax), so that I did not have to do fundraising for this specific trip, but if I want to return in the future, and seeing as how I do want to,  I will most likely have to fundraise in order to afford it.

So todays conference was a great way to brainstorm ideas for fundraising and learn about starting an SHH Chapter at La Salle University.

I went to four of the eight presentations:
1.) How To Retain Membership For Your University's Chapter of SHH
2.) Expanding Your University's Chapter of SHH
3.) Fundraising Tips: Fundraisers That Work, and Fundraisers That Don't
4.) Giving a Fundraising Speech

The other four that I did not have time to attend were:
5.) Raise $600 In Two Hours: Letter Writing Campaigns
6.) Hosting a Successful Skype Chat
7.) Organizing a Service Trip
8.) Raise $40 An Hour By Selling SHH Coffee

Of the four presentations that I did have time to attend, I'm going to post an overview of the ideas from each one in a series of 5, starting with this post as my introduction.


Fundraising is difficult; it is time consuming; it takes a lot of effort, energy and patience. However, it is extremely rewarding. Whatever the cause, fundraising can be a great way to unite your group and create a fun bonding experience if done with enthusiasm and charisma. Although it's tough to fundraise, staying positive and being smart about decision making can make for a pleasant and successful experience--one that group members will enjoy and remember.

I've done a lot of fundraising over the past three years, and I've learned a lot of good and bad things to do. Going to these presentations was a great way to compile others' experiences with my own in order to form new ideas for future fundraising. I've actually enjoyed doing the majority of the fundraising that I've had to do--which is a good thing seeing as it's something that I'll probably be doing for the rest of my life with my tentative possible career choices for my future.


As for SHH, today marked the beginning of our 100 Day Fundraising Campaign to raise $200,000.
$100,000 will go to the Education and Empowerment Fund.
$50,000 will go to a Children's Home.
$50,000 will go to an income generating business center for Villa Soleada.

It's a huge goal, but one that is 100% achievable. There are, as of right now, 34 colleges, universities and high schools pledged to raise money for SHH. It's incredibly empowering to know that we are all working together for this common goal to help the people we all love who live in Honduras in Villa Soleada.