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148590022860000The World’s Best Kept Travel SecretEscape the Rat Race: How to Become a Modern-Day Nomad After Age 50Discover Why Volunteering, Exchanging, Learning Vacations, (and Other “Travel-like-a-local” Adventures) Represent the Best Way to Travel Inexpensively and Meaningfully 3810004064000e-mail: HYPERLINK "mailto:travelwithpaul@" travelwithpaul@paulheller08@ website: founder: Paul Helleraddress: 4714 Windsor Blvd., Cambria CA 93428phone: 805-234-6165 ?20108 (1st ed)Table of ContentsChapters:What is a Modern-Day Nomad, discussion of different types of Nomad. Advantages/Disadvantages of Being a Modern-Day Nomad. Culture shock, church overload syndrome, surviving backpacking. Determining Your Travel Personality.Issues to consider before you become a modern-day nomad. visas/keeping, selling home belongings; keeping a car; Finding the Right Balance with Home.Important Information for all Nomads. Money, Customs/Security Immigrations. Transport – including finding the right flights. Air Fares, Side Businesses You Can Do on the Road.Perpetual Nomad Budget Travel, Travel Industry 101. Tours/Cruises, Independent Travel: Accommodations, Transportation, Food, Laundry. Traveling Like a Local. Live Abroad Nomad. Buying/Renting a Home. Importance of Figuring Out What to Do with Your Free Time. Learning a Foreign Language. Adapting to Your New Home. Making a Living. Semi Nomad. Longer term accommodation ideas. 3-3 Waltz.GLOSSARYMODERN DAY NOMADPERPETUAL NOMADPERIPATETIC NOMADDEVELOPED WORLDDEVELOPING (THIRD) WORLDLIVE ABROAD NOMAD OR EXPATINTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINTCHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTIONPART ONE: YOUR OWN STORYMAKE THIS PERSONAL-TALK ABOUT LIFELONG LOVE OF TRAVEL-STARTING YOUNG, OBSESSION WITH OTHER CULTURES/SOCIAL SCIENCES/NEW EXPERIENCES. FINDING YOURSELF ABLE TO TRAVEL PERMANENTLY/BE A MODERN-DAY NOMAD. PARENTS? DEATH, INHERITANCE.TRAVELED NINE MONTHS A YEAR FROM 2011-2O15 WITH SUMMER BASE IN MONTREAL—EXPLAIN SPENT A LOT, FIRST TIME ABLE TO DO WHAT I WANTED WITHOUT THINKING OF MONEY, WANTED TO BE COMFORTABLE/TRY MANY TYPES OF NEW EXPERIENCES. MENTION THAT MANY OF THESE EXTENDED TRIPS. THIS MEANS THAT THEY LASTED MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AND INVOLVED VISITING SEVERAL COUNTRIES. (WHILE THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF EXTENDED TRIPS THAT MODERN-DAY NOMADS TAKE. MINE ALWAYS INVOLVED SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES-INCLUDINING TOURS, CRUISES, INDEPENDENT TRAVEL, SCHOOLS/VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES.)DECISION TO ESTABLISH A HOME BASE IN 2015—EXPLAIN BUDGET ISSUES, FONDNESS FOR MEXICAN CULTURE. REVISE THE TEXT BELOW WITH THESE THOUGHTS IN MINDWhen I was twelve (1977), I randomly found in a small bookstore in Marin County, California what I believe was one of the first Lonely Planet guides (A Shoestring Guide to Asia) available in the USA. The book opened up the world to me. It made me realize that it was not expensive or difficult to travel. It just took a little bit of patience, useful information, desire, and a willingness to be uncomfortable at times.I quickly read the entire guidebook from cover to cover and began scouring libraries and bookstores for other similar guidebooks. I was so excited by what I discovered that I spent my free time through much of my adolescence culling these guidebooks and jotting down lists of exotic places to visit and making notes about ways to travel cheaply, efficiently, and joyfully. I also spent every summer in High School as an exchange student in Japan, the Philippines, and Mexico and a semester abroad in college at the American University in Cairo.With time, guidebooks and later internet sites helped me to expand my travel dreams. Arthur Frommer?s book A Whole New World of Travel expanded my travel vocabulary to include schools, volunteer programs, and other so-called alternative travel experiences. I have participated in many of these programs, including attending an elephant training seminar in Thailand, studying French in Montreal (where I found a girlfriend and spent summers between 2011 and 2019) and Fontevraud (a small town), France, and spending one year and a half as a volunteer English teacher in 1994 in Kaliningrad, Russia.I became enough of an expert on alternative and budget travel that I made my living from 2004 to 2009 teaching seminars about living and traveling abroad throughout the US. Through these seminars, I began to discover a small community of people throughout the US that love travel and living abroad as much as me. (In fact, lot of the advice in this book either comes from, or is inspired, by these students).Between 2011 to 2019, I dedicated my time to traveling around the world as my principal occupation. In that time, I visited 85 countries on every continent, except Antarctica, on a fairly ample budget (around $200 a day) with no other major constraints (family, work, etc.). I spent nearly two years traveling independently (without having to stay in youth hostels) and discovered that while I still enjoy exploring the world of alternative and budget travel, a whole new world had opened up - cruises and tours which explore hidden corners of the world in ways beyond the traditional ¨if it is Tuesday, it must be Belgium¨ type of experience.The period between 2011-2019 was the best of my life. I will always feel blessed to be one of the few people to truly realize a childhood dream. I loved exploring the world through so many types of experiences including volunteering in a school in Bolivia, traveling by cruise ship through the Northern Atlantic (including visiting Greenland), and studying Modern Spanish Art and History in Madrid. PART TWO: EXPLAIN DERIVATION OF MODERN-DAY NOMADSHOULD PART TWO AND THREE BE SWITCHED?AFTER SPENDING FIFTEEN YEARS OF MY LIFE AS A MODERN-DAY NOMAD, I HAVE FOUND THAT WHILE THERE ARE A LOT OF USEFUL MATERIALS REGARDING LIVING ABROAD AND TRAVELING FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIMES, THERE ISN?T MUCH FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME. WHO ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU? I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE LIKE ME THAN EXPECTED AND WANTED TO DEVELOP A BOOK/BUSINESS TO HELP THEM.I ALSO MADE MANY MISTAKES BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE ME. EXPAND - REVISE TEXT BELOW WITH THESE THOUGHTS IN MINDHowever, I made several mistakes partly because I could no longer find websites or guidebooks that helped me find my way. I wanted to find something like the early Lonely Planet guidebooks or the Whole New World of Travel book that opened up new horizons. Yet, discovered instead, that there are surprisingly few resources for people like me- people over the age of 50 who no longer have to travel cheaply but also have time to explore the world. Most information is either: geared toward selling us something (often overpriced), based on the assumption that most people fifty plus do not travel for extended periods of time, or is skewed toward younger or older people with limited meansAlong the way, I met many other people like me who were no longer young but had the time and means to explore the world in depth. In talking to these people, I learned some useful advice but also realized that they made many common mistakes, including missing out on some great experiences, wasting time and money because they did not know about less expensive/more satisfying ways to travel, and not really understanding their true travel personality.MAKE THIS MORE PERTINENT TO THE BOOK AND USE AS A PLACE TO GIVE A SHORT PLUG FOR YOUR WEBSITE--Therefore, I have decided to create a business, named fiftyplusmonad, to provide publications, seminars, and a website for people like myself. It is my hope through Fiftyplusnomad to help others avoid mistakes; inspire readers (particularly those who are about to retire) to realize their dreams of living, traveling, working, and retiring abroad; and develop a community for fiftyplusnomads to share stories, advice, and inspirationI TRIED TO FIND A WAY TO DESCRIBE LIKE MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE I MET ON THE ROAD AND DECIDED TO COIN THE TERM MODERN-DAY NOMAD. PART THREE: DEFINE MODERN-DAY NOMADMANY PEOPLE READ THE TERM MODERN-DAY NOMAD AND THINK ABOUT PEOPLE DONNING A BACKPACK AND TRAVELING THE WORLD FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME OR BUYING A MOTOR HOME (OR CARAVAN, IN EUROPE) AND HITTING THE ROAD FOR THEIR RETIREMENT.WHILE PEOPLE SUCH AS THESE QUALIFY AS MODERN-DAY NOMADS (AS YOU WILL LEARN LATER I CALL THESE TYPE OF NOMADS PERMANENT NOMADS), I USE THE TERM MODERN-DAY NOMAD TO SIGNIFY PEOPLE WHO LIVE OR TRAVEL IN A PLACE RADICALLY DIFFERENT (USUALLY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY) FROM THEIR HOME TOWN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME (A MINIMUM OF THREE MONTHS A YEAR). MODERN-DAY NOMADS ARE NOT SATISFIED TO SIT ON BEACH FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS A YEAR. INSTEAD THEY ARE WILLING TO SPEND A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THEIR TIME, MONEY, AND ENERGY EXPLORING AND LIVING IN NEW PARTS OF THE WORLD. WHILE IT IS HARD TO GENERALIZE WHY MODERN-DAY NOMAD CHOOSE THIS LIFESTYLE, THE MOST COMMON REASONS MODERN-DAY NOMADS REPORT ARE: BECOMING MORE WORLDLY, LEARNING ABOUT OTHER WAYS OF LIFE, DISCOVERING NEW TALENTS OR INTERESTS, BEING ABLE TO PURSUE A PASSION THAT THEY COULD NOT DO AT A HOME (IE MANY PEOPLE RETIRE TO COSTA RICA TO DO WATER SPORTS THAT THEY COULD NOT DO IN THEIR LANDLOCKED HOMETOWNS) OR SIMPLY TO BECOME A BETTER PERSON.MODERN-DAY NOMADS COME FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF NATIONALITIES, ETHNIC AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, AND POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. HOWEVER, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE SOME COMMON THREADS AMONG THE MAJORITY OF NOMADS THAT I HAVE MET AND HAVE, THUS, DECIDED TO GEAR THIS BOOK (AND MY FIFTYPLUS NOMAD BUSINESS) TOWARD THE MODERN-DAY NOMADS THAT MEET THE FOLLOWING PROFILE: (THAT SAID, I DO INCLUDE A LOT OF ADVICE AND IDEAS THAT CAN BE USEFUL TO MODERN-DAY NOMAD FROM OTHER BACKGROUNDS AS WELL):PEOPLE WHO ARE RETIRED/ABOUT TO RETIRE (MAY BE ANY AGE BUT PRIMARILY 50+). LOOKING FOR A NEW LIFE WHERE THEY GET TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. SOME MAY PURSUE THE MODERN-DAY NOMAD LIFESTYLE BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER THAN STAYING AT HOME.HAVE SOME MONEY SAVED TO PAY FOR THEIR MODERN-DAY NOMAD EXPENSES (USUALLY AT LEAST 50,000 USD FOR EACH YEAR THEY PLAN TO BE A MODERN-DAY NOMAD. OR THEY MAY INVEST SOME MONEY-USUALLY OVER 100K USD IN A PROPERTY AND SPEND AT LEAST 25K A YEAR TO LIVE IN A VERY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT).WANT TO TRAVEL AND LIVE ABROAD WITH SOME OF THE SAME CREATURE COMFORTS AS THEY HAVE AT HOMEPLAN TO SPEND A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME AS A MODERN-DAY NOMAD EITHER BY TRAVELING OR BY LIVING IN A DIFFERENT PART (OR PARTS OF THE WORLD). THERE IS NO SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME THAT SOME IS REQUIRED TO TRAVEL OR LIVE ABROAD TO QUALIFY AS A MODERN-DAY NOMAD. INSTEAD, I BELIEVE A MODERN-DAY NOMAD IS ANYONE WHO IS ANYONE WILLING TO INVEST TIME, MONEY, AND ENERGY TO MAKE TRAVEL AND LIVING ABROAD AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR LIVES. ABLE TO/DESIROUS OF A NEW CHAPTER OF THEIR LIFE DEDICATED TO EXTENDED TRAVEL-FASHIONING A NEW LIFE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY.WHILE I TRY TO GIVE ADVICE THAT IS APPLICABLE TO MODERN-DAY NOMADS FROM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, SINCE I AM AN AMERICAN, I REALIZE THAT A LOT OF THE ADVICE IS GEARED TOWARD AMERICANS AND CANADIANS. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANY COMMENTS (SEND AN EMAIL TO PAULHELLER08@) ABOUT WAYS TO MAKE THIS BOOK (AND MY FIFTYPLUS NOMAD WEBSITE) MORE RELEVANT TO PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. SIDEBAR-EXAMPLE OF MODERN-DAY NOMADS THAT I HAVE METMARTY-10 TIME PARTICIPANT ON SEMESTER AT SEA/PETER- SEMESTER AT SEA, MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT TRIPS.. SET UP HOMEBASE IN FORT LAUDERDALE/BOULDER AFTER SEMESTER AT SEA..TAMARA/DENNIS-RENT HOME, SET UP NEW LIFE FIRST IN BELIZE THEN IN MERIDAVICKI-FINDING WAYS TO CONNECT EXPATS. HOUSE SITTING, ETC.Quiz: Are You Ready to Be a Modern-Day Nomad?Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Give yourself one point for each time you agreeI am comfortable with (or better yet, seeking) a slower pace of life.I am curious about how new places are similar and different from my hometown.I am not making the decision to spend time abroad impulsively. I am willing to invest some time and money investigating how I will become a modern-day nomad.I realize that no matter how much research I do, things will be different than I expected. I will work hard to “go with the flow” rather than force things to conform to my preconceived notions. I am comfortable trusting other people.I am not extremely fussy about cleanliness.I feel comfortable when I try to speak with people who don’t understand what I am saying.I enjoy learning new things. I like trying new foods, adventures, and ways of life. I am willing to learn another language.I am patient. I am able to deal with ambiguity. I realize that rules often change for no apparent reason and that generally everything is subject to interpretation.I enjoy meeting new people. I don’t judge people too harshly. I understand that, while other people’s ways of doing something may not always make sense to me immediately, they are usually logical.I realize that I may not have the type of financial safeguards that I have at home, so I plan to have some money available in case of emergencies. I am willing to try creative ways to make money, if necessary, to support myself abroad.I am not seeking to run away (alcoholism, divorce, death) from a bad situation at home but instead to create a better life.I understand that I may not have the same level of support to help me as at home.I know that things may take longer and be less convenient than at home.I am willing to accept the fact that the world will change while I am away from home (and probably become more like the US).I plan to keep in touch with friends and family at home from time to time. I know that I will be homesick at times and am willing to spend some money and time to seek out some reminders of home (i.e. familiar restaurants, foodstuffs, etc.) when these pangs of homesickness strike.My family and friends support my decision to see the planet.2-point questions:My spouse/partner (if you don’t have a partner give yourself 2 points automatically) either seems like he or she is excited about going abroad or is flexible enough to adapt to another cultureMy children (if you don’t have children give yourself 2 points automatically) either seems like he or she is excited about going abroad or are flexible enough to adapt to another culture____________________________________________________________________________ Scoring:0-15 points: You are probably better off staying at home.16-20 points: You may be ready to go abroad but you need to be prepared to deal with some of the issues before you leave.21-25 points:I am surprised that you haven’t already packed your bags and set off for new climes before. Once you leave, you may never want to come home (except for vacations) PART FOUR: BOOK/BUSINESS GOALSFLESH THESE THEMES OUTPROVIDE USEFUL LOGISTICAL INFORMATION FOR MODERN-DAY NOMADSENCOURAGE READERS TO CONSIDER ALL TYPES OF MODERN-DAY NOMAD LIFESTYLES PROVIDE A FORUM OF DISCUSSIONFILL IN BLANKS IN OTHER MATERIALS (NAMELY HOW DO YOU MAKE A SUCCESSFUL LIFE ABROAD/UNDERSTANDING TRAVEL STYLES, ETC.)PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT AGE-TEACH YOU HOW TO THINK LIKE A NOMADTIE TO ME?- THERE IS VERY LITTLE INFORMATION TO HELP THESE MODERN-DAY NOMADSPart Five - Definition of the Three Different Types of Nomads—Permanent, Live Abroad, and Peripatetic.THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK, YOU WILL SEE REFERENCES MADE TO THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NOMADS: PERMANENT NOMADS, LIVE ABROAD NOMADS, AND PERIPATETIC NOMADS.FLESH THIS OUT--PERPETUAL NOMAD – HAVE NO HOME BASE/ON THE ROAD ALL THE TIME. MAY HAVE SOLD HOME AND BELONGINGS WITH INTENTION OF NEVER COMING HOME. MAY ALSO KEEP THEIR HOME, RENT IT OUT, AND PLAN TO RETURN EVENTUALLY. SOME TRAVEL VIA A CAR OR A MOTOR HOME. OTHERS USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. FLESH THIS OUT?- LIVE ABROAD NOMAD. MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY WITH THE INTENTION OF STAYING THERE FOR A LONG TIME. SOME MAY KEEP A HOME IN ANOTHER COUNTRY EITHER TO RENT IT OUT OR TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE SOMEPLACE TO RETURN BACK TO EVENTUALLY. PERIPATETIC NOMAD. PERIPATETIC NOMADS HAVE COME TO REALIZE THE LINES BETWEEN BEING A PERMANENT AND A LIVE ABROAD NOMAD ARE BLURRY. SOME OF THE MORE COMMON EXAMPLES OF PERIPATETIC NOMADS INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO:SPEND SEVERAL MONTHS EVERY YEAR IN BOTH THEIR HOMETOWN AND A DIFFERENT PART OF THE WORLD.LIVE IN TWO (OR MORE) HOMES THAT ARE NOT IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY/TOWNTRAVEL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS A YEAR AND THEN LIVE IN EITHER THEIR HOMETOWN OR ANOTHER CORNER OF THE WORLD FOR THE REST OF THE YEARMOVE BETWEEN DIFFERENT HOMES. SOME OF THESE NOMAD MAY MOVE TO A NEW ¨HOME¨ EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS. OTHERS MAY SPEND A COUPLE OF YEARS OR MORE IN ONE HOME AND THEN MOVE TO ANOTHER HOME IN A DIFFERENT CORNER OF THE WORLD FOR SEVERAL ADDITIONAL YEARS.IT MAY SEEM A BIT STRANGE TO CALL SOMEONE WHO CHOOSES TO MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR A LONG TIME A NOMAD. HOWEVER, I HAVE CHOSEN TO INCLUDE THESE LIVE ABROAD NOMADS, SOMETIMES ALSO REFERRED TO AS EXPATS OR EXPATRIATES IN THIS BOOK AS WELL, FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS:THEY EMBODY THE ESSENCE OF A MODERN-DAY NOMAD BECAUSE THEY ARE WILLING TO LEAVE THE COMFORTS OF HOME TO DEVELOP A NEW WAY OF LIFE IN ANOTHER CORNER OF THE GLOBE. UNLIKE IMMIGRANTS, THEY DO NOT MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT OR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. INSTEAD, MODERN-DAY NOMADS LEAVE THEIR HOME FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AND RENEWAL.SINCE PERIPATETIC NOMADS OFTEN LIVE PART OF THE YEAR SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE THEIR HOME TOWN/COUNTRY (AND SOMETIMES ALSO TRAVEL FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME), I NEED TO PROVIDE A DISCUSSION OF BOTH LIVE ABROAD AND PERPETUAL NOMAD IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY DISCUSS THE NEEDS AND ISSUES OF PERPETUAL NOMADS.CHAPTERADVANTAGES AND POTENTIAL PITFALLS OF BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMADPART ONE: ADVANTAGES OF BECOMING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD XE "Steinbeck,John" IntroductionMAKE THIS SECTION A LITTLE LESS USA CENTRICI am always surprised that more people do not consider living like a modern-day nomad. When I tell people about the joys of traveling and living abroad (I’ve traveled to 100 countries and lived in six), I often get a response that combines skepticism and anger. Many people automatically feel as if they must defend the honor of staying at home. Others do not understand why anyone would choose to live anywhere else.While these responses are understandable, they are not necessary. I know as well as they do that most people who live in the USA want to live here. We are blessed with great natural, political, and economic resources. Everyday hundreds of immigrants come to the USA, often at great personal risk and hardship, to live in our country.Yet I believe that more Americans would benefit from becoming MODERN-DAY NOMADs than will pack up their bags for new climes. Only a little over 3% of Americans live abroad (even then most of these people (almost 90%) are sent overseas for a business assignment) and only about 6% of the native-born population has ever lived overseas. In addition, the US State Department reports, that only 40% of American have a passport and slightly more than half of all Americans report that they have never been outside of the US.I don’t mean to imply that being a modern-day nomad is for everyone. It isn’t. It requires, as you’ll see here, a lot of patience, curiosity, adventure, and flexibility.There are almost as many reasons to be a modern-day nomadtravel as there are nomadsravelers. Some people want to spend their days relax on a quiet palm fringed beach. Others want to eat gourmet food on a cruise ship while visiting romantic ports. Still others want to challenge themselves physically by scaling mountains.I think all of these reasons are legitimate. Sometimes, people need to just relax and recharge. Other times, they need to challenge themselves, get out of the rut, or just explore their passions. I travel to learn new skills, see what makes people tick, meet new people, and to explore what daily life looks like in some other corner of the world. I enjoy checking out how things like movie theaters, supermarkets, and even fast-food restaurants differ around the globe. I believe that becoming a modern-day nomadtravel, when done right, changes you. It challenges who you are as a person. It is more than an escape from your daily life. It is the ultimate antidote to the paranoia and negativity that plague our planet. It is hard, after all, to dislike people once you’ve lived in their homes and enjoyed their hospitality.y.PORTLAND STUDENT-ANY OTHER EXAMPLE-PARLAYED FEARS OF TERRORISM INTO LEARNING ABOUT ISLAM…I also believe that most traditional travel does not really facilitate these life changes. These experiences insulate, rather than involve, travelers into the real, daily life of another place.PART TWO: BENEFITS OF LIFE AS A MODERN-DAY NOMADIntroductionEXPLAIN THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE MAIN BENEFITS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE YOU HAVE MET WHILE BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD/REVIEW OF MATERIALS ON-LINE AND IN BOOKSA Chance to Live Out Your PassionsLOVE THE BEACH, OCEAN SPORTS, CULTURAL EVENTS, ETC.CHANCE TO TRY THEM OUT FOR LESS $/POSSIBLE LESS RISK OF EMBARASSMENT, ETC.Becoming a More Rounded, More-Worldly Person- Avoiding Being Stuck in RutREVIEW SECTION BELOW WITH THOUGHT OF INTEGRATING MORE COMMENTS WHICH REFLECT THE TITLE OF THIS SECTIONProbably the most common reason that I’ve found that students in my seminars decide to become a modern-day nomad is the desire to have a real change of pace and to live a more vibrant life. While immigrants to most developed countries are grateful that our economic and political systems are committed to the constitutional principle that every person is entitled to pursue happiness, they bemoan the loss of flavors, colors, textures, graciousness and warmth of their homeland. They say (and I agree) that in our race to out consume each other and to earn a living in an increasingly competitive workplace, we have lost (if we ever had it) some of the simple pleasures of life. We no longer have as much time to spend with friends and family. Nor do we use our free time to just go out and connect with your community or to smell the roses.Many modern-day nomads also find that, because the cost of living is less, they no longer have to work as hard as at home. They also find that living in another country is revitalizing. It makes them see things in a new light, challenges their preconceived notions of right and wrong, encourages their personal growth, keeps their brains mentally alert, and enables them to live in romantic places – palm fringed beaches, whitewashed colonial towns – that they could only dream about in the USA.Modern day nomads report that their new lives “reminds them of living in their home country several years ago yet has many of the benefits (as the world becomes increasingly smaller) of life in the 21st century.” They enjoy walking around their towns and chatting with their friends and neighbors on the street. Yet they have access to the internet (you can bank on-line from anywhere), large shopping centers (often with Wal-Mart and Costco or something similar like Carrefours, a French hyper-mart) and easy access to their home via frequent airline connections.Cost SavingsEXPAND THIS TO DISCUSS BENEFITS FOR PERMANENT NOMADSMany Americans initially decide to become modern day nomads because it can be cheaper than staying at home. As you’ll see later there are many places you can live in moderate luxury for less than $1000 a month. In addition, you can see the planet comfortably from $50 a day or less (this is equivalent to under $18,000 a year—less than the poverty level in many places in the US) or $200 day (if you want more comfort). It is very possible in Latin America and Asia even on this modest wage to rent a comfortable small house or apartment, eat out a couple of times a week, travel occasionally (using public transportation), have occasional maid and gardening services; and access generally good medical facilities.So can you. Yet, it is easy to find travel experiences that can change your life and perspective on the world. There are hundreds of unique opportunities to get involved in the daily life in another corner of the world through volunteering, exchanging, learning vacations, and other adventures. You can also just simply seek out the places where local people shop, play, work, and learn while on the road.Most of these experiences are inexpensive and easy to arrange. They just don’t get as much attention as traditional travel.The key is to simply travel-like-a-local rather than a tourist. I think once you get used to traveling-like-a-local, you’ll never want to travel another way. Traveling-like-a-local opens your heart and soul. It teaches you something vital –sometimes under difficult conditions— about yourself and the Earth around you - and helps you forge lifelong friendships. It brings out the best (and at times, the worst) in you and allows you to feel, even if for a couple weeks, like you lived in another part of the Earth.You can join a tour, take a cruise, or join backpackers at the local youth hostel. You are only limited by your own imagination and needs. REWRITE THIS SECTIONThat said, most of the people I’ve met who become disillusioned living abroad are retirees on a limited income. While incomes do go farther abroad, the main reason to live in another country is because you want to experience a different way of life. People who come overseas because they want a US style lifestyle at a low cost generally have a difficult time adjusting to all the cultural differences that another country presents. (This is particularly true since there is almost a direct correlation between the places with a low cost of living –like Thailand and Nicaragua- and the level of difference between these countries and the U.S.) On a positive note, keep in mind that many entrepreneurial people find ways to extend their stay by taking on short-term work assignments, setting up a business, or doing consulting for existing clients via the internet. WeatherTime and again, I’ve met expats who love their newfound homes simply because they treasure the ability to afford living in a place with either a pleasant, year-round, temperate or a tropical climate. Unfortunately, in the US, most places with these climates like Florida, coastal California, and Hawaii are priced out of the range of most Americans.Most of the places that attract the temperate climate lovers are in mountainous regions of Latin America—usually at around 3,000-4,000 feet high. One really blessed factor about these areas is that usually you can move around the area just a few miles and find some fairly significant changes in climate. So, there will be places for those who like daily average temperatures anywhere from the mid-60s to the high 80s. You will, however, probably have to get used to a strong rainy season (usually from May to September).Many people also are attracted to the idea of being able to live in beach, tropical environment. It is important that if you are one of these people that you try to live in these climates for a few months before you decide to commit to this lifestyle. I have met many people who start out thinking that they want to live n the beach and find out that they don’t like living in such a tropical climate. PART THREE- HOW BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD HAS CHANGED MEI HAVE FOUND THAT WHILE THE ABOVE NOTED BENEFITS ARE IMPORTANT AND LEGITIMATE. THE BIGGEST BENEFIT FOR ME, AND I SUSPECT MOST OTHER MODERN-DAY NOMADS, IS THAT WE BECOME AWARE/EMPATHETIC OF OUR ROLE AS A CITIZEN OF BOTH OUR HOME COUNTRY, ADOPTED COUNTRY, AND (FOR MANY INCLUDING MYSELF) A GLOBAL CITIZENBEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD HAS MADE ME MUCH MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE HISTORY/CULTURE OF THE WORLDEXCEPTING OF DIFFERENT CULTURESHELPED ME TO FORM LIFE LONG FRIENDSHIPSINCLUDE COMMENT BELOWThe Earth is interesting, fascinating and beautiful. While life on the road can get lonely, it is seldom boring. If you learn to be observant and resourceful, you can always find something really unique and enjoyable. Every community has people with passions that they love to share with others. Just watching people do ordinary tasks in different ways can be enthralling.PART FOUR-WHY WE ARE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO BE MODERN-DAY NOMADSWe are the first group of people in history who can make our dreams to be a modern-day nomad into a reality so easily. Look at all the blessings we have that allow us to hit the road. Specifically, more than any other time in history, modern-day nomads can:Maintain their lifestyles for many years, maybe even the rest of their lives, by accessing equity in our homes and/or savings. If you do not have equity (or don?t want to sell your home) you can rent out our home either as a vacation rental through Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) or offer your home up for longer term rentals. Supplement our income anywhere. We have valuable skills – including proficiency in the planet’s most universal language – that can be used to extend your stay indefinitely. Thanks to the internet, many people can work at our day jobs from anywhere on the planet. What’s more, since more people work as freelancers, it is easier than before to either find or create new l after you’ve left home. THIS CAN ALSO PROVE TO BE AN EXCELLENT WAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ANOTHER COUNTRY. IE THE OLD MAXIM A TEACHER BY THEIR STUDENTS WILL BE TAUGHT… Live longer-and maintain their health- for many years. In the past half a century, Americans have spent more of their life in retirement. Our average life expectancy has increased and there are more and more opportunities to take sabbaticals, etc. Parlay their overseas experience into a better (or new) career if/when they return home. While modern-day nomads are seeing the world, they are learning new skills. like foreign languages, and an understanding of a new marketplace. Some of these skills are useful in your home country. Modern day nomads also learn valuable life skills – like tolerance, independence and self-confidence – that can help them create new opportunities. In addition, you never know who you’ll meet on the road. I once met a man who told me that he met a man who helped him found a highly successful real estate company, on a train, while my acquaintance was backpacking around Europe.Move around easily. Modern-day nomads can fly to and from most cities to anywhere in the world in a matter of a day. They can get tourist visas to most countries without visiting the country’s consulate. While it can take time and effort to establish residency in another country, it is fairly easy to spend three to six months a year in one country as a tourist. (more on this in Chapter___). Part Five: Why There Are Not More Modern-Day NomadsAfter years of listening to people telling me the reasons that they can?t realize their dreams to be a modern-day nomad, I’ve come to believe that the real enemy is fear. This fear comes in many different guises: some of the most common are fear of losing contact with family and friends, lack of money, and safety. All it takes is a healthy dose of travel to cure these fears. I have met very few modern-day nomads (particularly in contrast to people who stay at home) who thinks the world is scary (though many profess that they did harbor fears before they left home). They almost always seem to agree that most of travelers’ fears are unfounded. In fact, here is some of what you’d probably hear world travelers tell you about the world if you had a chance to eavesdrop on their conversations:Nearly everywhere on the planet is safe. Very few travelers ever suffer from crimes. The few that are victims are mostly plagued by pickpockets or con artists. It is extremely rare that anyone is killed or seriously hurt on the road. Statistics show that fewer Americans have died from terrorism while traveling abroad than lightning. Most who die while traveling abroad suffer from heart attacks, cancer, and strokes just like they do at home. Europe and East Asia are actually safer than the U.S.A. Even places with higher crime rates than the U.S.A. (like Latin America) are safe if you practice a few simple rules.Every time, for example, I’ve traveled someplace that travelers avoid because they sense that it is dangerous (like Guatemala in the early 1990s and Russia in the mid-1990s), I’ve felt comfortable. After all, millions of people go about their daily business in places that we consider unsafe and survive. So can you, if you are sensible. If you are, you’ll find that many of the places people avoid are in fact ideal travel destinations—uncrowded, inexpensive, beautiful, and friendly.People throughout this planet are mostly friendly and accommodating. You are usually treated well on the road. Hundreds of people, from all cultural and economic backgrounds, will go out of their way to ensure that you have a great trip. Even people who tell you they don’t like people from your home country will treat you with kindness and respect if you treat them likewise. Travel, in today’s world, is so accessible, easy, comfortable, and cheap that all but the poorest citizens can afford to travel (even for a long time). I think the media?s distorted image of travel often impedes people from hitting the road more than real life challenges. Flip through the pages of any popular travel magazine. What images do you see? Handsome, middle-aged couples dressed in tuxedos and sequined gowns watching the ocean from the deck of a cruise ship? Elaborately uniformed doorman helping young women hail a cab in front of an elegant, iron clad hotel entranceway.In all my years of traveling, I have found that most travelers are not the beautiful people with gobs of money in these travel magazines. Instead, they are people from many different walks of life, political and cultural perspectives, and economic realities. In fact, the fastest growing segment of travelers in the world come from the so called EMERGING and China. EXPAND ON THIS IDEA (ANOTHER BULLET POINT?) BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD MAY ALLOW YOU EVEN TO RETIRE EARLYIn fact, many people (including myself) who started out taking occasional, short vacations have decided to become a modern-day nomad. Who can blame them? You can live in and/or explore many of the world?s best places for half of staying at home. Can’t swing that? You can journey indefinitely by taking on occasional short-term work assignments or setting up a business (see _____ for more details). We Drink, We Smoke, No?Sometimes it pays to take a risk on the road. One time, I was transporting a lot of stuff on a night train from Saint Petersburg Russia to Riga Latvia. Riga was a short half way stop for me on my way from studying Russian in Saint Petersburg to teaching English in Kaliningrad, Russia.On entering my train compartment, a large, gregarious Russian man, Dmitry, started to talk to me. He asked me in Russian where I was from. I replied the United States. He said in English, “We drink, we smoke, no?” He brought out a bottle of vodka, a large slab of sala (uncooked, smoked bacon), fresh tomatoes, brown bread, cucumbers, and a pack of cigarettes. I noticed that the other two people in the compartment took advantage of Dmitry’s hospitality. So even though I’d read several admonitions against accepting food on Russian trains, I joined in.After a little while, Dmitry and I started to talk in Russian. He had been a captain in the Soviet army who settled down in a small beach town near Riga after his tour of duty. Every ten minutes or so, he would repeat in his gravely voice in English, “We drink, we smoke, no?” We talked most of the trip away. When we got to Riga, he carried most of my luggage to a baggage storage place, helped me buy my bus ticket for Kaliningrad, and even assisted me to find and register for a hotel room.He is not the first person to share food with me on the road. I have never had a problem. In fact, accepting food has helped me meet several people like Dmitry who took time out of their lives to help make my stay in their country more pleasant. What is traveling-like-a-local?Travel-like-a-local is about the attitude you adopt on the road. It is about being a participant, rather than a spectator, in a new place. It involves slowing down enough to get involved in another way of life, even if it is for a short time. No matter how you travel, you can do it like a local if you take pains to seek out ways to reach out to other people along the way. What are some basic ways to travel-like-a-local? Here are a few suggestions:stay in locals’ homeslearn another language or cultural activity at a school in another country.share your interests and hobbies with locals.volunteer to work in local social service and environmental organizations.visit local marketplaces and craft studios.read local papers (most major cities and tourist communities have English language papers. For a list of these papers, see world-)ride public transportation anduse local services like dry cleaning and hair salons. You can travel-like-a-local independently or as part of an established program. Later, you will learn about many ways that you can study, volunteer, and live for a short period of time in another country through established programs. However, you do not have to join a program to interact with the local environment as long as you travel slowly, use local services, and reach out to people who live in your destination.You do not have to have a lot of time or money to travel-like-a-local. You can travel as a volunteer or student for a couple weeks for $30 a day. You can also stay in luxury and still interact with your environment. It is all up to you. ADD BULLET POINT ON EASE OF ACCESS TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS VIA TECHNOLOGY… POSSIBILITY TO VISIT EACH OTHER EASILY… IN FACT, SOME NOMADS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO DECIDE TO LIVE ABROAD, FIND THAT THEY SEE AS MUCH OR MORE OF THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS AS BEFORE AND ALSO ARE ABLE TO MAKE MANY NEW FRIENDS AS WELL.A final wordSo why don’t we leave the country more? I don’t know. But I do know that it is not good. We have become too insular. We don’t seek to understand other people. Nor do we see the joys and travails of life for the seven billion people who live outside our borders. Perhaps worse, we deny ourselves the opportunity to take advantage of some of the benefits of spending time on the road—reduced costs, more agreeable climates, economic opportunity, the joys of learning about another way of life—to fashion a life of your dreams.PART SIX: COMMON ISSUES FOR MODERN NOMADSWarning: This Book May Talk You Out of One of the Best Decisions of Your Life WHEN I TAUGHT COURSES ABOUT BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD, I ALWAYS WORRIED THAT I TALKED PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR DREAMS. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS SOMETHING DEEP WITHIN HUMAN NATURE THAT GIVES MORE VALUE TO THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND ISSUES THAN THE BENEFITS OF BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMADS. IN SPEAKING TO HUNDREDS OF MODERN-DAY NOMADS, FEW REGRET THEIR LIFESTYLE AND MOST BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF THEIR FEARS AND CONCERNS WERE UNFOUNDED.I FEEL AN OBLIGATION HOWEVER TO MAKE SURE THAT MY READERS ARE AWARE SOME OF THE ISSUES/PITFALLS THAT THEY WILL ENCOUNTER- PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT OVERALL LIVING AS MODERN-DAY NOMAD WORKS WELL FOR MOST PEOPLE WHO GIVE IT A TRY. KEEP THE FOLLOWING IDEAS, IN MIND, PARTICULARLY IN SECTION….. ABOUT BEING A LIVE ABROAD NOMAD. Think about how much work and time it took for you to establish your life in your home country. Finding work, buying (or especially building) a house, using new technology, learning to drive a car, etc. is not easy anywhere in the world. It probably took you more time and effort to set up your life in your home country than you think.Being a modern-day nomad requires quite a bit of work. Often it will seem daunting, however, in reality, it doesn’t take that much more time and effort than it did in your home country it is just that it seems more complex in the context of another culture and language. Many times, when I’ve heard modern-day nomads say things like, “This would be so much easier in my home country”, the truth was either: 1) that the thing they are trying to accomplish would be hard to do in their home country as well or 2) the ultimate source of their frustration derived from a policy of a company or government in their home country.That said, your home country is a very convenient place to live for those of us who grew up there. You can get more accomplished there in a day than you probably will be able to do in a new country. However, this convenience also means that we are pressed to do more and consume more than any other country. Once you are a modern-day nomad for a while you’ll know what I mean.If you concentrate on why you want to be a modern-day nomad in the first place, most of these problems will seem minor. The vast majority of modern-day nomad who have a clear vision of why they want to live abroad and are fairly well-adjusted people in the first place, find that they are happy with their new lives. They are also able to solve most of the problems that they encounter fairly easily, provided that they are patient and flexible. Often from your home country, it will seem like an almost insurmountable challenge to become a modern-day nomad, but most people get what they want, and a lot of great things they didn’t even expect, out of the decision.I would suggest that, if after you read this booklet you feel that this is too hard for you to be a modern-day nomad, you also read one of the many memoirs written by modern-day nomads who have decided to live and travel abroad. Almost invariably, you’ll find that the authors really capture the joys of being a modern-day nomad so well that you’ll want to pursuit your dream to live and travel abroad after all.Remember that most of the warnings contained in this booklet also apply in your home country. You also sometimes get taken by bad real estate transactions and get involved with bad people, etc,. at home. It is just that you have more of a chance to fall into these problems abroad. That said, modern-day nomads rarely have many of the problems this book tries to warn you about. :Introduction NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE AS A MODERN-DAY NOMAD, YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE SOME DAYS THAT DO NOT GO SO WELL. SOMETIMES AS THEY SAY ?SHIT HAPPENS¨-PLANES GET DELAYED, VENDORS DRIVE YOU MAD, YOUR HOTELS DOES NOT MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS, ETC. SOMETIMES, YOU WILL SIMPLY HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING USED TO LIFE AS A MODERN-DAY NOMAD. IN MY EXPERIENCE THERE ARE FIVE COMMON PROBLEMS THAT MOST MODERN-DAY NOMADS EXPERIENCE AT SOME TIME IN THEIR JOURNEYS. THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS ARE LONELINESS (PRIMARILY FOR SINGLES) AND CONVERSELY TOO MUCH TOGETHERNESS (MOSTLY COUPLES OR FAMILIES. I HAVE COINED TWO NAMES FOR TWO OTHER COMMON ISSUES THAT WILL PLAGUE ALMOST ALL THE PERPETUAL NOMADS: CHURCH OVERLOAD SYNDROME AND THE BACKPACKERS SYNDROME. THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR MODERN-DAY NOMADS IS CULTURE SHOCK. IT OCCURS MOST COMMONLY WHEN PEOPLE DECIDE TO LIVE OR TRAVEL IN ONE COUNTRY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.Loneliness PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON ISSUE THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED AS A MODERN-DAY NOMAD IS LONELINESS. I AM FAIRLY SHY. I AM NOT TERRIBLY COMFORTABLE IN NIGHT CLUBS AND BARS. AND SOMETIMES AFTER A LONG DAY OF SIGHTSEEING, I WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO GO BACK TO MY HOTEL ROOM, WATCH TV, AND TALK TO NO ONE. I REALIZE THAT THIS CAN CAUSE ME PROBLEMS IF I LET MYSELF SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ALONE. IN THE PAST, ESPECIALLY WHEN MY FUNDS WERE LIMITED, I FOUND TWO WAYS TO BEAT LONELINESS: ONE WAS STAYING IN YOUTH HOSTELS. MOST HOSTELS HAVE COMMON AREAS WHERE IT IS EASY TO MEET OTHER TRAVELERS INCLUDING KITCHENS, TV ROOMS. SOME EVEN HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS AND LOW-COST TOURS AVAILABLE FOR THEIR GUESTS THAT MAKE IT EASY FOR TRAVELERS TO MEET ONE ANOTHER. IN GENERAL, THE PEOPLE WHO STAY IN HOSTELS LOVE TRAVELING AND ARE EASY TO GET TO KNOW.THE SECOND OPTION WAS RENTING A ROOM (OFTEN WITH MEALS-THE BEST WAY TO MEET THE FAMILY) WITH A ¨HOST FAMILY¨ AS PART OF SCHOOL (USUALLY LANGUAGE SCHOOLS).AS I HAVE GOTTEN OLDER I HAVE FOUND THAT SLEEPING IN THE SAME ROOM IN A HOSTEL WITH OTHERS AND GOING DOWN THE HALL TO GO TO THE BATHROOM/SHOWER IS NO LONGER COMFORTABLE FOR ME. (NOTE: MANY HOSTELS HAVE PRIVATE ROOMS WITH BATHROOMS DOWN THE HALL. I FIND THIS DOES NOT HELP THAT MUCH.) I STILL ENJOY STAYING WITH HOST FAMILIES (MORE ON THIS IN SECTION---). IT IS THROUGH LIVING IN THESE FAMILIES THAT I HAVE MADE THE MOST PROGRESS IN LEARNING ANOTHER LANGUAGE, MET SOME GREAT PEOPLE, INCLUDING MY CURRENT GIRLFRIEND, AND LEARNED A LOT ABOUT DAILY LIFE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. AFTER MANY YEARS AS A NOMAD, I HAVE FOUND THAT THE BEST REPLACEMENT FOR HOSTELS FOR AVOIDING LONELINESS IS TAKING TOURS. THEY ARE GREAT WAY TO MEET OTHER TRAVELERS (OFTEN OLDER), LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF MY DESTINATION, AND, IN SOME CASES, I HAVE COME TO KNOW THE GUIDES FAIRLY WELL. IN TALKING TO OTHER MODERN-DAY NOMADS, MANY SOMETIMES ARE LONELY, PARTICULARLY IF THEY TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY. I THINK THE BEST ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM LIES IN FIND WAYS TO CONNECT YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT ALSO ARE COMFORTABLE FOR YOU. TO ME, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY IT IS VITAL THAT MODERN-DAY NOMADS SPEND TIME FINDING THEIR TRAVEL PERSONALITY (SEE SECTION__). Too Much TogethernessWHILE THIS IS PRIMARILY A PROBLEM FOR COUPLES, IT CAN SOMETIMES BE A PROBLEM FOR ALMOST ANY MODERN-DAY NOMAD. I FIND THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I GO ON TOO MANY BACK-TO-BACK MULTIPLE DAY, GROUP TOURS (PARTICULARLY IF I AM ON TOURS FOR MORE THAN ONE MONTH) OR IF I HAVE STAYED FOR AWHILE WITH A HOST FAMILY (PARTICULARLY IF I HAVE HAD SOME DIFFICULTY IN ADJUSTING TO THE FAMILY AND/OR SCHOOL (MORE ON THIS LATER)) ALL I WANT TO DO IS JUST SPEND SOME TIME ALONE. SINCE I KNOW THAT THIS CAN BE PROBLEM, I PLAN MY EXTENDED TRIPS TO INCLUDE AT LEAST A WEEK EVERY MONTH WHERE I AM COMPLETELY ALONE. DURING THESE TIMES I USUALLY PICK THE MOST ANONYMOUS, BIG CITY HOTELS POSSIBLE (MORE ON THIS IN CHAPTER____) AND I GO OUT TO EAT AND VISIT MUSEUMS ALONE. (I DO GO ON SOME DAY LONG GROUP TOURS, THOUGH).WHILE I USUALLY TRAVEL ALONE, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL IN A COUPLE DURING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS USUALLY FOR TWO TO THREE WEEKS AT A TIME. I HAVE FOUND THAT I ENJOY TRAVELING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT I DOUBT THAT I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE TRAVELING WITH HER FOR MUCH LONGER AT ONE TIME. I FIND IT HARD TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF ANOTHER PERSON FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.WHEN I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER MODERN-DAY NOMADS, WHO TRAVEL AS A COUPLE, OVERALL, THEY SAY THAT WHILE THEY ENJOY TRAVELING WITH THEIR PARTNERS MOST OF THE TIME SOMETIMES THEY WISH THEY COULD SPEND SOME TIME ALONE. TRAVEL HAS A TENDENCY TO CAUSE THIS FEELING BECAUSE YOU ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH YOUR PARTNER IN CLOSE SPACES (IE CRUISE CABINS, HOTEL ROOMS, ETC.) AND HAVE TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS THAT ARISE IN THEIR TRAVELS. (SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE ONES THAT YOU HAVE NOT RESOLVED BEFORE – I.E. HOW TO DEAL WITH PERSISTENT VENDORS IN EMERGING COUNTRIES-- AND CAN EASILY CAUSE CONFLICT BETWEEN PARTNERS (OFTEN ONE PARTNER IS MORE GENEROUS AND TOLERANT WITH VENDORS THAN THE OTHER, FOR EXAMPLE).IT?S ALSO RARE THAT TWO PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME TRAVEL PERSONALITY AND USUALLY THEY WILL, THEREFORE, HAVE TO MAKE SOME CONCESSIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF THEIR PARTNER, WHICH CAN GET TIRING AFTER AWHILE.WHILE I HAVE NEVER MET ANY MODERN-DAY NOMAD COUPLES THAT HAVE FOUND THAT THEIR LIFESTYLES CAUSES REAL PROBLEMS WITH THEIR RELATIONSHIP. I HAVE HEARD STORIES OF BROKEN RELATIONS AMONG MODERN-DAY NOMADS. MOST OF THESE RELATIONSHIP BREAKUPS INVOLVE COUPLES WHO HAVE RETIRED AND THEN DECIDED TO BECOME A MODERN-DAY NOMAD. MANY OR THESE COUPLES WERE USED TO SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITHOUT THEIR PARTNERS BEFORE RETIREMENT AND THEN END UP HAVE SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES SPENDING ALL THEIR TIME TOGETHER AS MODERN-DAY NOMADS. REMEMBER THAT TRAVELING AND LIVING ABROAD CAN BE ESPECIALLY STRESSFUL AT TIMES. YOU HAVE TO RELY MORE ON YOUR PARTNER TO HELP GET THINGS DONE-- I.E. FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET AROUND, USE A FOREIGN CURRENCY, ETC.-THAN YOU WOULD IF YOU STAYED AT HOME Church Overload SyndromeDEFINE CHURCH OVERLOAD SYNDROME -USING THE TEXT BELOW AS A STARTING POINTRecently a friend told me that when she went a tour of the Sistine Chapel in Rome she heard a fellow tourist say “I am sure looking forward to seeing the Sistine Chapel” while the tourist was, in fact, in the midst of the Sistine Chapel,While, I must admit it was a bit fun to laugh at this na?ve tourist, after a while I began to realize that this could happen to anyone, even a more experience traveler like me. After seeing the great churches, museums, and sites of an antique-rich country like Italy for several days they all begin to look alike. In fact, one Australian tourist who spent a month on a whirlwind independent visit to over fifteen of Europe greatest cities told me that he felt like he was on a perpetual strip tease tour of the continent. He kept seeing enough of the continent to get excited, but not enough to get his fill.While this is a bit of a crude description, I must admit that I have frequently felt the same way. I’ve seen enough of many places to get interested but not enough to feel satisfied. I call this process “The Church Overload Syndrome” because the surest sign that I’ve fallen into its trap is when I don’t want to see another church even if it is supposedly a “must see” part of every tourist’s itinerary.EMPHASIZE THAT CHURCH IS A METAPHOR.OTHER THINGS OTHER THAN VISITING TOO MANY CHURCHES (CHURCHES JUST HAPPEN TO BE THE THING THAT I HAVE NOTICED MOST SETS OFF THIS FEELING AMONG MORE DAY NOMADS-GIVE SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF THIS FROM YOUR LIFE IF POSSIBLE) CAN CAUSE THE SAME PHENOMENA. CHURCH OVERLOAD SYNDROME CAN HAPPEN WHENEVER YOU DO TOO MUCH OF ONE ACTIVITY THAT IS NOT TRULY INTERESTING TO YOU AND/OR YOU HAVEN?T LEARNED HOW TO MAKE THAT ACTIVITY INTERESTING TO YOU (USUALLY BECAUSE EITHER UNCONSCIOUSLY/ CONSCIOUSLY YOU ARE STILL DOING WHAT YOU THINK IS EXPECTED OF YOU).IF YOU FIND YOURSELF EXPERIENCING CHURCH OVERLOAD SYNDROME HERE ARE SOME STEPS TO HELP YOU OVERCOME IT. IF IT LASTS AWHILE, YOU PROBABLY HAVENT FIGURED OUT YOUR TRAVEL PERSONALITY AND/OR YOU MAY HAVE A BIT OF CULTURE SHOCK (MORE ABOUT THESE IN SECTIONS___). EXPAND THIS INTO A SEPARATE BULLET POINT- VISIT FEWER PLACES FOR MORE TIME. SLOWING DOWN HELPS YOU TO ABSORB WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING BETTER. IT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO RELAX AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES BETTER. Spending enough time at big tourist attractions to get to know them well. When I was in Florence, Italy, unlike most tourists I spent two days just at the Duomo (Cathedral). I went to the Opera (“opera” in Italian means work of art) della Duomo which featured art objects that had been taken from the Cathedral over the last 500 years as well as a detailed display about the history and construction of the Cathedral. I visited the baptistery, the bell tower (campanile in Italian), the main church, and the dome. I rented an audio-guide to the Opera, the dome, and the church, itself. By the end, I felt like I really appreciated the Duomo and could understand why it was considered one of the great tourist attractions on the Earth. I also began to appreciate the importance of the Florentine Renaissance in world history.Learning about the time period when the City where you are visiting was most significant. I really learned to appreciate Florence, Italy by studying the City’s history during the Renaissance. I read four fantastic, easily readable, and well researched books about the City in the Renaissance that really made the City come alive including: Tim Ward’s The Medici’s Money; Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King; and Charles Nicholl’s book Leonardo de Vinci. By doing this research, I got a real sense of life in Florence in the Renaissance and as a result began to the sites (most of which were built during the Renaissance) in a different way than most other tourists. When I visited the dome of the Duomo, instead of racing with the hordes of tourist up narrow steps to see the dome, fresco, and the City, I marveled at the tremendous skill and effort that Brunelleschi put into this unparalleled achievement and could recognize why this work was so important to modern architecture. (Note: In the 1960s, several books were written about daily life in the ancient world. I’ve enjoyed these books about ancient Rome and the Incan and Mayan empire immensely. In addition, the Great Courses (WEBSITE) provide short versions (usually around 20 hours) of college classes about ancient cultures. I particularly like their courses on the History of Ancient Egypt, India, and Mesoamerica). ADD REFERENCE TO RICK STEVES' EUROPE 101: HISTORY AND ART FOR THE TRAVELERCarving some time out to explore something you love in your destination. If you love to cook, enroll in a cooking school. Love to eat and drink wine? Find a great gourmet restaurant or go on a tour of wineries. Don’t get too literal, however. If you love wine, for example, you won’t find much of interest in Mexico. However, you may, as I have, enjoy exploring tequila or mescal factories instead. Unless you break up your vacation, you may grow to the point where you no longer appreciate what you are seeing any more.Finding some way to learn about what you are seeing in every place you visit. Look for guided and audio tours. If these guides aren’t available, buy a small book about the place from the bookstore and read it as you walk around. Take walking tours of cities. If you are really interested in a particular place, invest money and time into hiring a guide, even if you need to spend a fair amount of money for the experience. Checking out a few off-the-beaten path sites in each city you visit. I love going to Washington DC, for example, because the city has so many great small museums. Over the course of several visits, I’ve visited the Postal, Spy, Building, American Indian, African Art, and the News Museums and loved each one.Spend some time to learn about current life in your destination. Before you leave, read a couple of books about the country’s culture, history, and politics. (I have a large list of such books on my website: . Some of the best books are similar named something like The Italians, The Brazilians.) These books will help you to have grist for conversations with the locals and to appreciate the daily life that goes on around you more. In this same vein, I’d also recommend that you take some time just to do things that locals do like walk around a non-touristy city neighborhood, take a public bus, visit the local market, etc. Backpacker?s SyndromeBACKPACKER SYNDROME IS A SENSE OF EXHAUSTION FROM ALL THE DEMANDS OF TRAVELING ON AN EXTENDED TRIP. IT IS CALLED BACKPACKERS SYNDROME BECAUSE IT WAS FIRST NOTICED AMONG BACKPACKERS AND IS ALSO MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR AND HAVE SERIOUS REPERCUSSION (LIKE CANCELING THE TRIP) AMONG BACKPACKERS. (WHILE MOST BACKPACKERS TRAVEL WITH A BACKPACK, THE TERM USUALLY REFERS TO PEOPLE WHO TAKE EXTENDED TRIPS ON A LIMITED BUDGET).BACKPACKERS?SYNDROME GENERALLY MANIFESTS ITSELF BY THE DESIRE TO STOP: ADOPTING TO NEW PLACE, FACE DEMANDING VENDORS (COMMON IN EMERGING COUNTRIES), OR TO DEAL WITH THE LOGISTICS OF PLANNING YOUR TRIP (FINDING A HOTEL/ PLACE TO EAT/ ETC.). INSTEAD, YOU JUST WANT TO RETREAT FROM THE WORLD FOR AWHILE. YOU MAY EVEN, AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER ALONG THE WAY, WISH YOU’D STAYED HOME.MOST MODERN-DAY NOMADS WILL SUFFER FROM SOME FORM OF BACKPACKERS? SYNDROME AT SOME POINT DURING THEIR ADVENTURES.. Fortunately, these trying times seldom last more than a few days or at most of a couple of weeks. However, for a few people backpacking can get so frustrating that they go home early.WHILE THIS IS MOST COMMON AMONG BACKPACKERS, IT EFFECTS ALL MODERN-DAY NOMADS BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU HAVE MONEY AND TRAVEL IN A GROUP ON A MULTIPLE DAY TOUR (OR EVEN A CRUISE SHIP) TRAVELING CAN BE DEMANDING AT TIMES. IT IS JUST MORE COMMON WITH BACKPACKERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO WATCH THEIR PENNIES AND TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY.How can you get over the background syndrome? Here are a couple of tips that have worked well for me:If you get a minor illness on the road, spend money on a nice, quiet room and don’t travel, if you can avoid it. Make sure that the room has a comfortable temperature. There is nothing more miserable than trying to sleep in a hot or a cold room when you don’t feel well anyway.If you feel tired, spend a couple of days in your room watching TV, reading, and just relaxing. Anticipate that you will need to spend one or two days a month just hanging out. Plan some down time particularly after traveling for a long time on public transportation or an airplane.Stay in a famous hotel, eat at a gourmet restaurant, and/or take a drink at a high-class bar or nightclub. It is fun to live a life of luxury for a day or two. Sometimes these experiences also give you some great memories to share with your friends.Seek out little “tastes of home” while you are on the road. If you find yourself thinking things like “I wish these people were more like the people in my home country”, take some time out to eat from your home country or shop at a store that you would frequent at home Do these “home country” type activities for more than a couple of days and you’ll probably be ready to go back to local foods and activitiesTHE SUGGESTIONS FOR CHURCH OVERLOAD AND BACKPACKERS SYNDROME WILL WORK WELL IF YOU ARE JUST SUFFERING A SHORT-TERM MALADY. IF YOU HAVE THESE TYPE OF FEELINGS FOR A LONGER TERM, YOU PROBABLY EITHER HAVE NOT FOUND YOUR REAL TRAVEL PERSONALITY- GIVE AN EXAMPLE HERE?-OR YOU MAY BE A VICTIM OF CULTURE SHOCK.Culture ShockAlmost all modern-day nomads at times, particularly those who decide to live in another country, will feel a bit overwhelmed, depressed, or homesick. If these feelings continue over a week or more, your may have want experts call “culture shock.” Experts in culture shock typically report that most people who live or travel abroad will experience four stages in adapting to their new country or lifestyle. During the first stage, they are in love with their new life; they enjoy the new sights and sounds, and even sometimes begin to dislike their homeland. In the second stage, they begin to understand that being a modern-day nomad has flaws and they get tired of trying to adjust to a new way of life (usually after 3-4 months). In the third stage, they often yearn for home and regret their decision to become a modern-day nomad in the first place (this usually takes 1-3 months). In the last stage, they begin to accept both the trials and joys of being a modern-day nomad. People go through these four stages at different times. Often modern-day nomads report that it takes six months to a whole year to go through all these stages. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not anticipating culture shock. You may decide to come home too early or you may remain in the second or third stage for much longer than necessary just because you do not seek out support to get out of your funk. If you anticipate culture shock, you can work through it. When I was a volunteer English-as-a-Second-Language teacher in Kaliningrad, Russia, I got over “culture shock” by:Seeking out familiar sights and sounds from home. If you, like me, find yourself in a place that has very few people and places that are like home, take short vacations to places that are more Western. I frequently took short jaunts into Warsaw, Poland (which was 200 miles away) and, while generally I prefer “local” eats, allowed myself to eat at places like McDonalds and Pizza Hut that felt like home. I also ate ethnic foods (Thai, Mexican, and Korean) that reminded me of my life in multicultural cities in the USA.Asking other modern-day nomads for help. Since I was part of an established volunteer group, I talked about my sadness with our director. She gave some of the best advice I’ve ever heard about culture shock: “Just go out and try to have fun. Don’t stay at home. Try to get invited to parties. Go to bars or discos. Take a class in something fun.” I followed her advice and let my hair down. It worked wonders!Realizing that it would pass. As you’ll see later on, I actually let culture shock interfere with my time in Cairo, Egypt and decided to return home early only to my later regret. After this incident, I haven’t made a decision like that again. I kept reminding myself when I was in Russia of my mistake in Egypt. This kept me from going home earlier than I should have.Accepting that Russians were different from Americans. Oddly, my first impression of Russia was that the place was more like the USA than I ever expected. However, over time, as I got to know the language, customs, and people, I felt more and more like I’d moved to the other side of the Earth. After a couple of months, I began to dislike Russians. They seemed overly concerned with saving face, and they seemed more competitive, collectivistic, and brusquer than my countrymen. As time went on, I began to look for things I could admire about Russians. It wasn’t that hard once I tried. Russians are generous, smart, talented, and beautiful people. I also began to realize that since Russia was a huge country with many differences between people, I should stop expecting everyone to act the same way. Once I found things to admire and started treating everyone as individuals, I really began to like the country. Eventually I married a Russian and while it did work not out in some ways, I will always be grateful for the time I spent with her and her family in Russia.While these strategies worked well for me in addressing culture shock, there are a couple of others strategies that I’ve heard about from both expats and experts in culture shock that are also worth consideration including:Celebrate holidays like you would at home. The worst time to be plagued by culture shock is during the holidays. You will miss your family and traditions. However, you can also use this to your advantage. Work hard to get invited to another expat’s home. (Many times, they volunteer to host other Americans during the holidays.) Or even invite your neighbors over to partake in the holiday. (This can be a great way to make some friends from your new country.) Take up a hobby. Ideally this hobby will be something new so that you can share a laugh at your awkwardness with other novices. Studying a new hobby can also be a great way to meet non-expat locals. Regrets… I Have Had a FewCulture shock unfortunately plagues most people who live or travel abroad for more than a couple of weeks. In some people, culture shock manifests itself in a desire to avoid going outside the house. In others, it is an intense homesickness that can be so debilitating that it even creates physical hardships (like stomach pains). My culture shock experiences manifest themselves in what I consider the worst diseases?a traveler can catch:?excessive stinginess.? Here are a few examples of my stingiest and most embarrassing moments on the road:When I was in Russia they had a double pricing structure for foreigners and local residents. While this pricing system is common in many countries, it is nowhere near as prevalent and unfair as in Russia. It cost 20-40 times as much for a foreigner as a Russian. This discrepancy angered me to no end. One day, I went with my ex-wife, Nina, to a church in the Kremlin in Moscow. She paid 40 cents and I was charged $7.50 to enter. I blew up at the little old lady ticket-taker. I told her that this was not fair; I’d lived there for a year, made a Russian wage, etc. She would not budge. Nina looked at me and said, “Paul, calm down, there is nothing you can do about it. It may be unfair, but you are making a fool of yourself.” I thought about it for a few minutes and realized she was right. For some reason, the whole week I spent in Jogjakarta, Indonesia, in 1991 I was a true cheapskate.? At the airport, I went to the tourist desk and?took up their offer of a room in a new hotel?with a free private tour of Prambanan and Boroborodur, both of which are among the world's best known Hindu and Buddhist temples.? I?liked Eric, the tour guide, and contracted with him for a tour of the Deng Plateau for $70.? I didn't like the Deng Plateau much and told?Eric that I did not want to pay him the full cost of the tour.? I had bought?several puppets and dolls?at a shop he recommended a couple of days before?and told him that?he should rebate me any commission that he got.? He told me that the?shop?did not pay him a commission. (I later learned that the shop catered to professional puppeteers not tourists and thus Eric was probably right.)? I told him I did not believe him and paid him $65.? He left and said that he had wanted to take me on the tour in order to get enough money to buy his wife a birthday present and that the $65 barely covered his expenses.? I didn't budge and have regretted it since then.? To make matters worse, I had promised him that I'd send him some old Spanish textbooks when I got home and?could not because I lost his address.In addition, one of the decisions I regret most in my life was caused by excessive culture shock.? In 1984, I was a student for a semester at the American University in Cairo (AUC) as part of my college's study abroad program.? I was scheduled to stay there for a year.? I decided to come back after a semester and regret it to this day.I was tired of Egypt and thought if I came home all would be better.? I did not want to fight cab drivers to go to school cheaply (Egyptians, at least then, had a tendency to charge foreigners five to ten times as much as Egyptians) and?never really learned to feel comfortable with Egyptians.? I did not do very well?academically because I?traveled rather than?studied and?thought, erroneously, that?I?could get by without much work. (As it turned out, the Egyptian students were probably as well, if not better, prepared academically than?me and their teachers were quite academically demanding.)? When I came back, I almost immediately knew I'd made a mistake.? The moment I got off the plane in Saint Paul, Minnesota (where my college was located), I was depressed by the snow outside and yearned to return to the warmth of Cairo.? I did not feel comfortable with American culture anymore and most of my friends had made new friends.?I began to realize that I had met some really wonderful?students from all over the world at?AUC and that I would miss them terribly.? I also regretted not taking AUC seriously.? It also began to dawn on me that most of my "problems" in Egypt were the result of culture shock, which probably would have passed if I had given it more time.My semester back in the US was a disaster.? I now know that I would have been better staying in Egypt.? I look back at my time in Egypt fondly today.? I know that it was a hard time, but it was also really interesting and challenging.CHAPTER FIGURING OUT YOUR TRAVEL PERSONALITYPART ONE: INTRODUCTIONTHE MOST COMMON MISTAKES I HAVE SEEN MODERN-DAY NOMADS – IE STOP THEIR TRIP EARLY, ACT LIKE AN UGLY TOURIST, GET DEPRESSED- OFTEN STEM FOR THE FACT THAT THEY EITHER DO NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING A TRAVEL PERSONALITY (DON?T REALLY KNOW THEMSELVES) OR GET STUCK IN A RUT BECAUSE THEY DONT CHANGE THEIR ACTIVITIES TO REFLECT EITHER THEIR TRUE TRAVEL PERSONALITY OR THE CULTURE OF THE PEOPLE IN THEIR ADOPTED COUNTRY. (FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOME COUNTRIES IT IS HARD, ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE OF A HIGHLY TOURISTED AREA, TO FIND RESTAURANTS THAT SERVE DINNER BEFORE 8-10 IN THE EVENING. IF YOU CAN?T ADAPT TO THIS REALITY YOU MAY NOT EAT WELL UNLESS YOU PREPARE SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF)KEEP IN MIND THAT TRAVEL IS A GREAT CHANCE TO TRY NEW THINGS. IF YOU DO THE SAME THING ALL THE TIME EVEN SOMETHING AS EXCITING AS BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD CAN GET REPETITIVE. IN ADDITION, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO FIND THAT YOUR TRAVEL PERSONALITY CHANGES WHILE YOU ARE TRAVELING AND THEREFORE YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR ACTIVITIES. THIS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD SIGN…IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING YOUR MIND OPEN- IE NO TOUR PEOPLE COMMENT….ALSO-SERIOUSLY CONSIDER HOMEBASE IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A PERMANENT NOMAD-VALUE OF A HOMEBASE-MY EXPERIENCE WITH MONTREAL AS HOMEBASE…FINDING YOUR RIGHT PERSONALITY IS ALSO VALUABLE FOR ASSESSING WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO GO HOME OR MAYBE TO SET UP A NEW LIFE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. MAKE THIS COMMENT PERSONAL. I BEGAN TO FIND THAT I FOUND THE ANNOYANCE OF TRAVEL WERE WEARING SOME OF MY ENTHUSIASM OF BEING A PERMANENT NOMAD AFTER FOUR YEARS OF TRAVEL AROUND EIGHT TO NINE MONTHS A YEAR. I BECAME A SEMI NOMAD FOR THREE YEARS WITH HOME BASES IN MONTREAL AND MERIDA, TRAVELING ONE TO THREE MONTHS A YEAR. I FOUND THAT I MISSED TRAVELING. I TRAVELED FOR SEVEN MONTHS STRAIGHT AND THEN STARTED TO WORK AND LIVE ABROAD. PRESUME THAT WHEN I REPLENISH MY FUNDS, I WILL WANT TO FIND A MIXTURE BETWEEN LIVING IN MERIDA AND TRAVELING.PART TWO: QUESTIONNAIRECOMMENT- THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, BUT YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE TIME TO CONSIDER YOUR ANSWERS SERIOUSLY. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALSO TO REVIEW YOUR ANSWERS AT TIMES DURING YOUR MODERN-DAY NOMAD ADVENTURESOME POSSIBLE QUESTIONSDO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL WITH OTHER PEOPLE OR WITH OTHERS OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH (THROUGH TOURS)?DO YOU ENJOY TRAVEL WITH GROUPS –IE TOURS, CRUISES, INDEPENDENTLY, OR A MIXTURE OF BOTH? WHAT ARE THE EXPERIENCES -- SIGHTSEEING, TRANSPORT, ACCOMODATIONS, FOOD- THAT YOU WANT TO SPLURGE ON? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE OK TO ECONOMIZE?IF YOU ARE GOING TO TRAVEL FULL TIME FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, DO YOU WANT TO SPEND A LONG TIME IN ONE PLACE OR KEEP MOVING BETWEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES? OR VARY YOUR ROUTINE?WHAT DO YOU LOVE DOING AT HOME? HOW CAN YOU DO THESE THINGS AS A MODERN-DAY NOMAD?ARE THERE ANY ACTIVITIES/EXPERIENCES THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY? CAN YOU DO THESE THINGS DURING YOUR MODERN-DAY NOMAD ADVENTURE?WHEN DO YOU LIKE TO BE ALONE? WITH OTHER PEOPLE? SEVERAL PEOPLE FIND THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC TYPES OF EXPERIENCES THAT THEY LIKE TO DO ALONE AND OTHER THAT THEY LIKE TO DO IN GROUPS.HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL CULTURE? ALL OF THE TIME? SOMETIMES? SELDOM? IT IS VERY COMMON PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE A LIVE ABROAD NOMAD TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION ALL OR MOST OF THE TIME AND TO FIND, THAT IN REALITY, YOU SPEND SOMETIME IN YOUR NEW CULTURE AND SOMETIME IN YOUR OWN CULTURE (IE SHOPPING AT THE SAME STORES AS AT HOME, VISITING WITH LOCAL COMPATRIOTS, ETC.). THIS IS ENTIRELY ACCEPTABLE AND PROBABLY HEALTHY FOR MOST PEOPLE. DO YOU LIKE TO HAVE OTHER PEOPLE PLAN YOUR ACTIVITIES? PLAN EVERYTHING YOURSELF? OR DO A COMBINATION OF BOTH? A LOT OF NOMADS THINK THEY WANT TO PLAN EVERYTHING THEMSELVES AND GRADUALLY ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE PLAN PARTS OF THEIR ADVENTURE.HOW BUSY OR RELAXED DO YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR DAYS? PART THREE-SIDEBARSIDEBAR- MY TRAVEL PERSONALITY. LOVE MOVING BETWEEN DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES- CRUISES/TOURS, INDEPENDENT TRAVEL, DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS-DIFFERENT PARTS OF WORLD, HOMESTAY/LANGUAGE SCHOOLS, VOLUNTEERING/SOON WORKINGNEED SOME COMFORT-WANT TO SLEEP ALONE, LIKE TO HAVE CLEAN LAUNDRY (NOT GOOD AT WASHING MYSELF),DON?T LIKE CITY BUSES MUCH, PUBLIC TRANSIT TO CITY AFTER ARRIVAL-UGH-WHY?—DON?T WANT TO START TRAVELING RIGHT AWAY (NEED TRANSITION), WANT TO ORGANIZE HOTELS IN ADVANCE BUT MAY WAIT TO DECIDE ON SIGHTSEEING THINGS LATER…LIKE INDEPENDENTLY BEING IN CITIES FOR 10 DAYS FIND TOURS FOR OUTSIDE CITY- MOST TOURS RUSH MUSEUMS. ALWAYS TRY NEW TYPES OF EXPERIENCES-CONCERTS AS AN EXAMPLE. I DON’T LIKE TO DRIVE PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE OF THE US (SEE LATER COMMENTS). AM MORE WILLING TO SPLURGE ON MEALS AND SIGHTSEEING, BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE ¨CULTURALLY RELEVANT¨, THAN HOTELS… FIND THAT I DO DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES DEPENDING ON HOW EASY OR DIFFICULT IT IS FOR ME TO TRAVEL TO A PLACE. FOR ME, THE EASIEST PLACE TO TRAVEL IS MEXICO, I SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, THERE IS A LOT OF TOURIST RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE, I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THE CULTURE, IT IS EASY TO PAY FOR THINGS THAT HELP ME TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE-IE HAVING SOMEONE DO MY LAUNDRY/TAKING TAXIS. I FIND RURAL PARTS OF EUROPE TO BE DIFFICULT TO DO INDEPENDENTLY BECAUSE I DO NOT LIKE TO DRIVE. THEREFORE, I TAKE GROUP TOURS (EITHER MULTIPLE DAY OR DAY TOURS) TO THESE PLACES. I WILL EITHER TAKE TOURS OR HIRE SOMEONE TO DRIVE ME AROUND IF I GO TO MORE EXOTIC COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA OR BOLIVIA. CHAPTERESSENTIAL QUESTIONS FOR MODERN-DAY NOMADS TO CONSIDERBEFORE STARTING THEIR ADVENTURE QUESTION ONE: SHOULD YOU KEEP OR SELL YOUR HOME/FURNITURE?Introduction-The most important thing for modern-day nomads to consider, if you own a home in your home country, is whether you want to keep or sell your home before you begin your adventure. A lot of the answers to this question depend on how long you want to spend on your adventure, how attached you are to your home, and your economic situation. These decisions largely depend on your needs and finances and are thus not ones that I can help you to answer easily. That said, there are some pros and cons that may not be evident that I would like to point out for you to consider. NOTE-IS THEIR ANYTHING TO BE SAID FOR RENTERS?Pros of Selling Your HomeCAPITAL FOR TRAVEL: SELLING A HOME THAT IS WORTH SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THE MORTGAGE IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON SOURCES OF REVENUE TO FINANCE MODERN-DAY NOMADS? ADVENTURES. (THE OTHER MOST COMMON SOURCES, AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE ARE INVESTMENT AND RETIREMENT INCOME. NOTE: MY ADVENTURES WERE FINANCED BY ALL THESE SOURCES).NO RESPONSIBILITIES-NO MONTHLY EXPENSES TO COVER. IF YOU KEEP YOUR HOME, YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH ISSUES LIKE REPAIRS, MANAGING THE RENTAL, ETC. EVEN IF YOU ENGAGE A PROPERTY MANAGER, YOU STILL WILL HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THE MANAGER IS DOING THEIR JOB AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO PAY THE MANAGER. IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH THE HOUSE, IT CAN BE HARD TO MANAGE A PROBLEM FROM AFAR AND, THUS, YOU MAY FEEL LIKE MANAGING THE SITUATION AT HOME SERIOUSLY IMPINGES ON YOUR ABILITY TO ENJOY YOUR MODERN-DAY NOMAD ADVENTURE (ONE TIME, WHILE I WAS MANAGING THE RENTAL OF A DENTAL OFFICE, A PLUMBING PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE I WAS ON A CRUISE SHIP BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND MAURITIUS. IT WAS VERY HARD FOR KEEP TABS ON THE SITUATION BECAUSE I HAD VERY LIMITED ACCESS TO THE INTERNET OR PHONES. THANKFULLY, I HAD DESIGNATED A FRIEND AT HOME TO HELP WITH THE SITUATION. NONETHELESS, IT SERIOUSLY CRAMPED MY TRIP FOR A BIT OVER A WEEK.) IT IS GOOD TO SELL YOUR HOUSE IF YOU WANT TO CUT OFF TIES WITH YOUR LIFE FOR SOME REASON. OFTEN PEOPLE START THEIR MODERN- DAY ADVENTURES AFTER A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT—IE DEATH OF A LOVED ON, DIVORCE, KIDS LEAVING THE NEST, RETIREMENT, ETC. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL THAT AFTER THESE EVENTS HAPPEN, YOU WILL WANT TO START A NEW LIFE SOMEWHERE ELSE. BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD IS ONE OF THE BEST POSSIBLE TO REMAKE YOURSELF. I KNOW THAT WAS CERTAINLY MY CASE. IN 2011, MY FATHER DIED. I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF HIM, AFTER THE DEATH OF MY MOTHER A YEAR AND A HALF EARLIER. UNTIL MY MOTHER GOT SICK, I LIVED WITH MY PARENTS FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS A YEAR AND SPENT THE REST OF MY TIME RUNNING MY OWN TRAVEL SEMINAR BUSINESS (WHICH MEANT THAT OFTEN FAR AWAY FROM MY PARENTS? HOME). AFTER MY MOTHER GOT ILL, I DECIDED TO GIVE UP THE BUSINESS SO THAT I COULD TAKE CARE OF MY PARENTS. I ENDED UP LIVING IN THEIR HOME (WHICH WAS NOT MY CHILDHOOD HOME) FULL-TIME WHILE I TOOK CARE OF MY PARENTS. WHILE THE HOUSE WAS IN A BEAUTIFUL HOME IN A LOVELY PLACE (CAMBRIA, CA), IT WAS NOT A PLACE WITH WHICH I FELT ANY REAL ATTACHMENT. IT WAS OVER A FORTY MINUTE DRIVE FROM EVEN THE MOST BASIC URBAN AMENITY AND I LIVED MOST OF MY LIFE IN OR NEAR SEVERAL LARGE CITIES. WHILE I DID MEET SOME GOOD PEOPLE IN THEIR TOWN, I DID NOT REALLY KNOW ANYONE VERY WELL. IN ADDITION, I STILL TO THIS DAY, HAVE PROBLEMS RETURNING TO THAT TOWN BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME OF THE TIMES THAT MY PARENTS WERE ILL. (NOTE: THANKFULLY I HAVE SOME GOOD MEMORIES OF MY TIME THERE WITH MY PARENTS AS WELL). THEREFORE, I SOLD THE HOUSE AND USED THE MONEY TO HELP FINANCE MY MODERN-DAY NOMAD ADVENTURE. YOU MAY NOT WANT TO RETURN HOME AFTER YOUR MODERN-DAY NOMAD ADVANTAGE. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL AFTER YOUR ADVENTURE TO HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT IDEA OF WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE YOU HAPPY THAN YOU HAD BEFORE YOU BEGAN YOUR ADVENTURE. SOMETIMES, YOU MAY VIEW YOUR HOMETOWN/COUNTRY VERY DIFFERENTLY AFTER YOU HAVE SPENT TIME AWAY. IN ADDITION, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR MODERN-DAY NOMADS TO REALIZE THAT THEY NO LONGER NEED, OR EVEN DESIRE, THE SAME LEVEL OF MATERIAL COMFORTS THAT THEY HAD BEFORE THEY LEFT HOME. IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND A JOB BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOST CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE YOU KNEW BEFORE YOU LEFT, HAVE DIFFICULTY ADDRESSING EMPLOYERS? CONCERNS THAT, SINCE YOU LEFT YOUR PREVIOUS LIFE BEFORE, YOU ARE NOT AS DEDICATED TO YOUR CAREERS AS YOU WERE PREVIOUSLY. Cons of Selling a HomeCONSERVE CAPITAL FOR FUTUREIf you own a home, you may want to keep it during your modern-day nomad adventure, particularly if you’ve built up capital in the house and/or you have decided before you leave on your modern-day nomad adventure that you want to return home after a period of time on the road. REESTABLISHING YOUR LIFE AT HOME AFTER YOUR MODERN-DAY ADVENTURE CAN BE DIFFICULT. THINGS MAY HAVE CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY DURING YOUR ABSENCE. RENTS AND HOME PRICES MAY HAVE INCREASED SO SUBSANTIALLY THAT YOU CAN NOT FIND A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE IN YOUR HOME TIME. IF YOU HAVE A HOME TO RETURN TO, YOU WILL BE ASSURED THAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO COME HOME. (YOU MAY DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO SELL THE HOME WHILE YOU ARE THE ROAD TO KEEP TRAVELING OR TO MOVE ABROAD).Many property owners finance part of the costs of their modern-day nomad adventure by renting out their homes in their home country, since they often find that they can rent their home out for more than it costs to keep and use the difference to finance their trip. If this is the case, make sure that you are renting the home to someone who will take of it while you’re gone. You may be able to make more money by arranging to rent your place as a vacation rental through a local rental agency or a website like VRBO or Airbnb. Regardless how you rent out the house, you will need to have someone, like a property firm or a trusted friend or business associate, to look over the property and address any necessary repair and maintenance concerns while you are gone.IT IS EASIER TO RETURN HOME IF YOU KEEP YOUR HOME.YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU REALLY DO NOT LIKE BEING A MODERN DAY NOMAD THAT MUCH. IF YOU OWN A HOME IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO STOP YOUR LIFE ON THE ROAD AND COME HOME. CONVERSELY, SOME PEOPLE FIND THAT HAVING A HOME FREES THEM UP PSYCHOLOGICALLY TO ENJOY THEIR MODERN DAY NOMAD ADVENTURES WITHOUT FEAR OF THE FUTURE.Selling/Giving Away Furniture and BelongingsConsSTORAGE CAN BE EXPENSIVE. THERE ARE MANY FACTORS INVOLVED IN STORAGE (SIZE OF STORAGE UNIT, CLIMATE CONTROL, LOCATION, ETC.) SO THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHAT IT WILL COST. EVEN IF YOU DECIDE TO KEEP YOUR STUFF, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING AND ONLY STORE THE THINGS YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED THE MOST IN THE FUTURE. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO PAY UP TO $350/MO (OR TO PAY $20-30.000 TO PURCHASE A STORAGE UNIT) IN THE US.YOU MAY DECIDE AFTER YOUR MODERN NOMAD ADVENTURE THAT YOU DO NOT WANT A LOT OF YOUR BELONGINGS OR YOU MAY EVEN DECIDE YOU DO NOT WANT TO LIVE IN YOUR HOMETOWN ANY LONGER. IF THIS IS THE CASE, YOU MAY PAY STORAGE FOR A LONG TIME FOR NO REASON OR YOU MAY HAVE TO SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME ARRANGING TO SELL AND GIVE AWAY ALL THE ITEMS IN STORAGE.SOME MODERN DAY NOMADS FIND THAT GIVING AWAY/SELLING THEIR BELONGINGS GIVES THEM A SENSE OF FREEDOM TO REALLY ENJOY THEIR MODERN DAY NOMAD ADVENTURES.ProsIT CAN COST YOU A LOT TO BUY FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS AFTER YOU RETURN HOME. IT IS COMMON TO UNDERESTIMATE THESE COSTS BECAUSE WE FORGET ALL THE THINGS THAT GO INTO SETTING UP A HOUSEHOLD. SOME ITEMS THAT ARE EASY TO FORGET WHEN DOING YOUR ESTIMATES COSTS INCLUDE BEDDING, COOKING EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS, DECORATIONS, AND LIGHTING.IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GIVE AWAY/SELL YOUR BELONGINGS. YOU WILL PROBABLY GET ONLY A FEW CENTS FOR EACH DOLLAR YOU PAID FOR YOUR STUFF. YOU MAY EVEN FIND THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE AWAY (AND CAN?T SELL) SOME OF YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS. IN ADDITION, YOU WILL INVARIABLY FIND THINGS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO PART WITH BECAUSE THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PAST MEMORIES.QUESTION TWO: WHAT TYPE OF NOMAD SHOULD YOU BE: PERPETUAL NOMAD, LIVE ABROAD NOMAD, OR A PERIPATETIC NOMAD THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THIS BOOK, I WILL EXPLORE THE LOGISTICS OF BECOMING A PERPETUAL OR A LIVE ABROAD NOMAD. IN ADDITION, I WILL REFER MY READERS TO WEBSITE AND BOOKS TO HELP YOU EXPLORE SOME OF THE TOPICS ADDRESSED IN THIS BOOK IN MORE DETAIL. THAT SAID, I THINK IT IS WORTH ENUMERATING SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BOTH OF THESE LIFESTYLES.The Permanent NomadProsIT IS EASY TO RETURN HOME AFTER YOUR FINISHED WITH YOUR ADVENTURE. SINCE YOU ARE TRAVELING ALL THE TIME, AND YOU DO NOT OWN, OR EVEN RENTING A HOME, YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH CONCERNS WITH SELLING A HOME/FURNITURE, GETTING OUT OF A LEASE, ETC.. IF YOU WANT TO GO HOME ALL HAVE TO DO IS GET ON A PLANE. IT CAN BE A LOT OF FUN LEARNING ALL THE TIME ABOUT NEW PLACES. WHILE YOU ONLY GET A SOMEWHAT SUPERFICIAL VIEW OF THE PLACES YOU ARE VISITING, IT IS SURPRISING HOW EASY IT IS TO EXPERIENCE THE CULTURE, HISTORY, POLITICS, ECONOMIC, ETC. IN DIFFERENT PLACES ON THE PLANET QUICKLY. YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF, LIKE I AM, ADDICTED TO THE EXCITEMENT OF ALWAYS DISCOVERING SOMETHING NEW AND UNKNOWN. FOR ME, AND MANY OTHER PERIPATETIC NOMADS, YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU FEEL LIKE A LITTLE KID MESMORIZED BY THE THRILL OF THE NEXT NEW PLACE. IN OUR DAILY LIVES, WE CAN GET STUCK IN A RUT, DONE THE RIGHT WAY, BEING A PERPETUAL NOMAD IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO RECOVER YOUR SENSE OF EXCITEMENT IN LIFE. AFTER ALL, THERE IS SOMETHING AWE-INSPIRING ABOUT SEEING PLACES LIKE THE TAJ MAHAL, MACCHU PICCHU, OR THE ACROPOLIS THAT YOU HAVE STUDIED AND HEARD ABOUT SINCE CHILDHOOD.CONVERSELY IF YOU DO NOT LIKE SOMEPLACE OR ACTIVITY, YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST DO SOMETHING ELSE OR GO SOMEWHERE NEW EASILY. WHILE I USUALLY ENJOY ALMOST PLACE, AND MOST ACTIVITIES, I HAVE OFTEN FOUND THAT JUST KNOWING THAT I WILL BE IN PLACE OR DO AN ACTIVITY TEMPORARILY MAKES IT EASIER TO ENJOY IT. AS A RESULT, I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM WILLING TO TRY ACTIVITIES, OR SEE PLACES, THAT I WOULD NOT CONSIDER IF I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO INVEST A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT.YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT YOURSELF AS A PERPETUAL NOMAD. IT HELPS SOME PEOPLE TO DEVELOP A REAL SENSE OF SELF CONFIDENCE BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS TRYING NEW THINGS AND SOMETIMES YOU FIND OUT YOU HAVE TO USE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU NEVER EXPECTED TO NEED.ConsYOU WILL NEVER HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING ANYWHERE. THIS CAN LEAVE YOU FEELING OUT OF PLACE AND LOST AT TIMES. IF YOU TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY ALL THE TIME, PLANNING THE LOGISTICS OF TRAVEL CAN GET EXHAUSTING. TRYING TO FIND A GOOD HOTEL OR RESTAURANT, FIGURING OUT HOW TO BUY A BUS OR TRAIN TICKET, OR EVEN JUST GETTING YOUR LAUNDRY DONE OVER AND OVER AGAIN CAN GET OLD FAIRLY QUICKLY. YOU CAN GET TIRED OF TELLING YOUR INTRODUCTORY LIFE STORY ALL THE TIME, THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IF YOU DO A LOT OF MULTI DAY GROUP TOURS. YOU SHOULD ALSO BE PREPARED FOR SOME NEGATIVE REACTIONS (THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A HOME) INCLUDING: HAVING NO IDEA WHAT TO SAY NEXT, THINKING THAT YOU ARE A TRAITOR TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY, AND JEALOUSY. IF LIKE ME, YOU BECOME A NOMAD BEFORE THE AGE WHEN MOST OF YOUR COUNTRYMEN RETIRE, YOU WILL FIND THAT ALMOST EVERYONE WONDERS HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO AFFORD TO BE A PERPETUAL NOMAD AT YOUR AGE.The Live Abroad NomadProsYOU WILL LEARN A LOT ABOUT A NEW PLACE. YOU WILL FIND OUT FIRST HAND ABOUT BOTH THE ADVANTAGES OF DISADVANTAGES OF LIFE IN ANOTHER CORNER OF THE WORLD. YOU WILL ALSO DISCOVER A LOT ABOUT THE CULTURE, HISTORY, ECONOMICS, POLITICS OF YOUR ADAPTED COMMUNITY.YOU WILL HAVE THE TIME TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND TO BECOME PART OF A COMMUNITY. KEEP IN MIND THAT USUALLY IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO FEEL PART OF THE NATIVE COMMUNITY IN YOUR ADAPTED HOMETOWN. HOWEVER, YOU WILL FIND IT EASY TO CONNECT WITH OTHER LIVE ABROAD NOMADS—SIMPLY ASK THEM FOR ADVICE ABOUT HOW TO GET THINGS DONE IN YOUR ADOPTED TOWN.LIVING ABROAD CAN BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REINVENT YOURSELF. YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT NEW PLACES AND MEET NEW PEOPLE. EVEN JUST VISITING A LOCAL MARKET CAN BE AN EXCITING EXCUSE TO TRY NEW FOODS, ETC.ConsTHE COMMUNITY OF LIVE ABROAD NOMADS CAN FUNCTION LIKE A SMALL TOWN IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY. THERE CAN BE A LOT OF GOSSIP AMONG THE COMMUNITY. YOU MAY ALSO FEEL A LOT OF PRESSURE TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VALUES AND PRACTICES IN YOUR COMMUNITY. (FOR EXAMPLE, DURING MY TIME LIVING AMONG EXPATS IN MERIDA, MEXICO, I FELT PRESSURE TO HAVE A HOME AND ENTERTAIN LIKE OTHER AMERICANS IN THE COMMUNITY (MOST OF THE HOMES ARE LARGE, COLONIAL SYTLE, DECORATED WITH LOCAL TIMES, AND HAVE A POOL).IN ADDITION, YOU MAY FIND THAT IT IS HARD TO MAKE LONG-TERM FRIENDSHIPS BECAUSE PEOPLE FREQUENTLY RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY AND MANY EXPATS ONLY STAY IN YOUR ADAPTED COMMUNITY FOR PART OF THE YEAR. (THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IF YOUR ADOPTED COMMUNITY HAS A SEASON WHEN THE WEATHER IS COMFORTABLE AND ANOTHER WHEN IT IS NOT).The Peripatetic NomadONE OF MY MAIN MISSIONS IN THIS BOOK IS TO BOTH EXPLORE THE PERIPATETIC NOMADIC LIFESTYLE AND TO ENCOURAGE MY READERS TO CONSIDER BECOME A PERIPATETIC NOMAD. (AS A REMINDER A PERIPATETIC NOMAD IS ANYONE WHO CHOOSES A LIFESTYLE THAT DOES NOT FIT INTO THE DEFINITION OF A PERPETUAL AND A LIVE ABROAD NOMAD). I HAVE BEEN AMAZED HOW MANY PEOPLE I HAVE MET ARE PERIPATETIC NOMADS YET SURPRISED BY HOW LITTLE IS WRITTEN ABOUT THIS GROUP. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT I LOVE BEING A PERIPATETIC NOMAD AND PLAN TO CONTINUE THE LIFESTYLE IN THE FUTURE.UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NOT FOUND AN EASY WAY TO ADDRESS THE PERPETUAL NOMAD LIFESTYLE BECAUSE THERE ARE ALMOST AS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE A PERIPATETIC NOMAD AS THEIR PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE IN THIS LIFESTYLE. THEREFORE, I HAVE DECIDED TO DEVOTE MOST OF THIS BOOK TO THE LIVE ABROAD OR PERPETUAL NOMAD LIFESTYLE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE CONTEMPLATING A PERIPETIC LIFESTYLE TO READ THE ENTIRE BOOK (AND THE WEBSITES AND OTHER BOOKS THAT SEEM RELEVANT) AND FIGURE OUT YOUR OWN RECIPE FOR LIVING THE MODERN-DAY NOMAD LIFESTYLE OF THEIR DREAMS. IN MY MIND THERE ARE SEVERAL ADVhaANTAGES TO BECOMING A PERIPATETIC NOMAD INCLUDING THAT YOU CAN:Bounce between low-and high-cost destinations. Some people love high cost destinations but can’t afford to live in the high cost destination full time, so they save money by spending a couple of months in their dream location and a couple of months in a low-cost destination like Thailand.Stay in your home country for a few months a year and spend a few months away. Some people have strong ties to their home community and family and don’t want to leave forever. But, they want the lower-costs, good weather, or simply change of pace that comes from spending part of the year elsewhere.Always experience good weather by changing homes at least twice a year. Perhaps, you have always dreamed of living in a tropical beach location, like most of Mexico’s Pacific coastline, which has wonderful weather for six months a year and is quite hot the other six months. As a peripatetic nomad, you can live in your tropical paradise in the winter and chose to spend the hot summer months where the climate is pleasant.Go back and forth between living in two or more different countries because you don?t want to settle on one place, enjoy moving between places, or simply are attracted to more than one place. Spend several months a year traveling around the world and the rest of the time living in one or more countries.Try out living in different countries. You can live in one country perhaps for a couple of years and then try out living in another country for enough time to really feel like a resident.As a whole, I am a big fan of the peripatetic nomadic lifestyle. It is a great way to see the world and can also help you avoid the costs, weather, and legal issues of living in one place year-round. It also can be a nice way to break up your time as However, it is not for everyone. Some people find that they are in a perpetual state of culture shock and never really feel at home anywhere. (Most people find that they avoid culture shock by bouncing between homes, however). In addition, this lifestyle can be difficult on a frugal budget. You may need to pay a lot of money to maintain two or more places (I’ve even met people who pay for rent on two or more places all year round) and/or to pay for vacation rentals and hotels while you are traveling. (In many places you also don’t want to leave a place vacant for fear of squatters). That said, you may be able to offset these costs by renting out your property (if you own it) while you are away; exchanging your home,or spending part of your time volunteering in exchange for room and board abroad.Residency RequirementsNOTE: THIS IS A JUST A SUMMARY OF THE ISSUES INVOLVED WITH VISAS. PLEASE REFER TO CHAPTERS AND FOR MORE INFORMATION. ALSO REFER TO THE WEBSITES LISTED IN THE BACK OF THIS BOOK FOR EVEN MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC COUNTRY. KEEP IN MIND, GOVERNMENTS FREQUENTLY CHANGE VISA REQUIREMENTS, SO YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONSIDER CONTACTING AN ATTORNEY FOR ASSISTANCE BEFORE APPLYING TO BECOME A RESIDENT.ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND LEGITIMATE REASONS TO BECOME A PERIPATETIC NOMAD IS TO AVOID THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN BECOMING A LEGAL RESIDENT IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. THESE ISSUES ARE OFTEN, AS YOU WILL SEE, ONEROUS, COMPLEX, AND RIFE WITH RED TAPE. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS RELATIVELY EASY TO BE A TOURIST IN MOST COUNTRIES FOR MOST PEOPLE FROM A DEVELOPED COUNTRY. (SEE CHAPTER FOR MORE DETAILS). IF YOU ARE NOT A LEGAL RESIDENT, YOU WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED TO STAY AS A TOURIST. AS A TOURIST, YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME (USUALLY THREE, BUT SOMETIMES, SIX MONTHS- OCCASIONALLY YOU NEED A VISA TO STAY MORE THAN ONE MONTH (LIKE THAILAND). IN ADDITION, YOU WILL HAVE TO STAY AWAY FOR THAT COUNTRY FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE YOU CAN RETURN. (IN MOST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES YOU MUST STAY AWAY FOR THREE TO SIX MONTHS AS WELL). IN ADDITION, YOU WON?T BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MANY OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING A RESIDENT, PARTICULARLY ACCESS TO THE GOVERNMENT?S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THE REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES TO BECOME A RESIDENT MAKE IT DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, FOR MOST PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF FIFTY TO BECOME A RESIDENT OF MOST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (IE MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THE USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND). (THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH IN CHAPTER ___). THEREFORE, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE IN A DEVELOPED COUNTRY, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO LIVE THERE AS A TOURIST AND YOU WILL BE FORCED TO DO WHAT I HAVE NAMED THE ¨3-3 DANCE¨. THE THREE-THREE DANCE MEANS THAT YOU WILL SPEND 3 MONTHS IN THE “DEVELOPED” COUNTRY AS A TOURIST AND THREE MONTHS OUTSIDE OF THAT COUNTRY AND THEN RETURN TO THE FIRST COUNTRY FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS AND LEAVE THE COUNTRY FOR ANOTHER 3 MONTHS. (IN SOME COUNTRIES THIS IS SIX-SIX DANCE -YOU CAN SIX MONTHS, THEN YOU MUST LEAVE FOR SIX MONTHS). Many times, this works out well because winter and summer can be very hot or cold in the “developed” country, so you can “escape” the bad weather during these seasons by spending the winter and summer in countries with a more agreeable climate.THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE FROM DEVELOPED COUNTRIES DO NOT NEED TO DO VERY MUCH TO GET PERMISSION TO BE A TOURIST IN ANOTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRY. YOU WILL GET PERMISSION ON ARRIVAL AND AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT OVERSTAY YOUR STAY YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE SAME COUNTRY MULTIPLE TIMES AS A TOURIST WITHOUT PROBLEMS. (SEE CHAPTER ____ FOR MORE DETAILS). PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE SCHENGEN TREATY, IF YOU ARE NOT A CITIZEN OF AN EUROPEAN COUNTRY, YOU CAN ONLY SPEND THREE MONTHS IN THE ENTIRE EUROPEAN UNION THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN NOT SPEND THREE MONTHS IN FRANCE AND THEN SPEND THREE MONTHS IN GREECE. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION ENTIRELY AFTER THREE MONTHS AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS.OBTAINING RESIDENCY IN A THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY IS SOMEWHAT EASIER THAN IN DEVELOPED COUNTRY. HOWEVER, IT CAN BE TRICKY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WHILE SOMEWHAT RISKY, YOU CAN LIVE YEAR-ROUND, FULL-TIME IN MANY THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES AS A TOURIST SIMPLY BY LEAVING THE COUNTRY EVERY THREE OR SIX MONTHS AND RETURNING BACK A COUPLE OF DAY LATER. THIS PROCESS IS CALLED A VISA RUN AND WILL BE DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER____.QUESTION THREE: SHOULD YOU OWN A CAR (OR A MOBILE HOME) OR NOT?TIE THIS DISCUSSION INTO LIFE AS A PERPETUAL NOMAD AND INCLUDE MORE DETAILS ABOUT OWNING/RENTING A MOBILE HOME In most of the world, you don’t need a car as much as you do in the US or Canada. In the US only about ten percent of the population (almost exclusively poor, except in a few dense metropolitan areas like N.Y.C.) lives without a car. In Western Europe, around 30-40% of the population does not have a car, and most people who do have a car use it primarily for vacations and moving things. In most EMERGING countries, the majority of people do not have a car, though this is changing rapidly. In EMERGING countries, buses and taxis are plentiful, inexpensive, and go almost everywhere. The long-distance buses are also surprisingly comfortable –many show movies and provide snacks- and efficient, most leave and arrive on time. (Note: it can take a while to learn a bus system, however, since maps and guides can be hard to find). The only live abroad nomads who need cars generally in EMERGING countries are: 1) those that need cars to do their job (most commonly real estate agents) 2) people who chose to live in neighborhoods that are exclusive occupied by expats. (Since most of these expats have cars and there aren’t any locals to patronize public transportation, taxis and buses can be few and far between), and 3) people who live and like to travel to “off-road” places. One of the best examples of this is Southern and Central Baja California, most of which is very lightly populated and has a lot of natural attractions often found miles off the main road.In Europe public transportation and taxis are usually very fast, plentiful, comfortable, and almost always on time. Most trains and buses charge based on the distance you travel. Based on this system, it can cost as much as $25 to go across a metro area by train. Long distance travel (like from London to Athens) can cost upwards of $300 one-way. In addition, considering the high cost of cars, European trains and buses, though not cheap, are a relative bargain. That said as often as not modern-day nomads have cars overseas. If you plan to be one of these expats keep in mind the following:You may have to pay much higher taxes on cars than you are used to paying . In many countries, particularly in Europe, taxes can as much as double the cost of a car. In addition, you may not avoid paying these taxes by importing your car from the US. (In Mexico you can import your car without paying any tax from the US if it is for your personal use only, however, you will have to pay if the car is sold), Driving requires a lot of skill. The roads are slim and potholed and the other drivers aggressive. Street signs can be non-existent and addresses convoluted. (Costa Rica and Nicaragua give directions based on landmarks, some of which have disappeared years ago, rather than addresses. I lived once with an ambulance driver in Costa Rica who told me many interesting, and sometimes poignant, stories about his difficulties in finding patients). If you spend time with American expats overseas, chances are you’ll hear all sorts of stories about the crazy things that they’ve seen on local roads. (My favorite: One time, in Cairo, I watched a camel seated in the trunk of a small, Toyota truck stand up and cause the car’s suspension to become so weak that the cars wheels were completely submerged). That said one expat in Costa Rica actually told me that after driving there for many years, it was hard for her to keep from falling asleep on the “easy” American freeways.Tolls can be very high. It cost more just in tolls to drive from the border to Mexico City, for example, than it would to fly from a border city to Mexico City (up to $200 one way). It is not unusual to pay $15 every time you pass a toll box in France. London even charges cars a special fee for traveling into the City during busy business periods.In a EMERGING country, if you own a car, chances are at some point or another that you will have to pay a bribe or else risk legal problems. Most officials make very little money and see bribery as a way to enhance their income. Cars are attractive targets because no matter how carefully you drive you will probably at some point or another disobey a law. (On the other hand, I’ve traveled for almost four years of my life in Emerging Countries and have never been even presented with a situation where I needed to pay a bribe).Accidents are much more frequent overseas than in the U.S. The U.S has half the car accidents per mile traveled as any European countries. In Egypt, the accident rate is fifty times the US. If an accident occurs, it will be settled onsite in many Emerging countries. If you have insurance, the agent will often come to the accident site to work on a settlement right there and then. Insurance is seldom cheaper than the US and as a result most drivers, particularly in Emerging Countries, will not have insurance. (Though, a few countries like Costa Rica are strict about insurance).Mechanics can be much cheaper than in the US, especially in Emerging Countries, however, you will have to buy high cost, imported parts. And these parts can be hard to find.Gas for a car is seldom much cheaper than in the US. In many countries like Nicaragua and Thailand, where most things are inexpensive, you’ll spend more for gas than in the US. In Europe, you’ll spend as much as twice as much per gallon of gas as in the US.Finding your way around can be very frustrating. I once spent almost six hours in a car with someone just looking for a way to get out of Mexico City. I have also met several people who were so frustrated driving around Europe between the small roads, crazy drivers, and confusing road signs that they vowed never to return again.If you are going to live somewhere for more than a year you should consider getting a local driver’s license. In most Emerging countries this is usually not much of a problem. However, in the European Union you may be required to take a whole new driving test if your US state or Canadian province does not allow drivers from that European country to drive in that State without a license. European driver’s license exams can be arduous – requiring you to know every part of your car and what they do. Despite these obvious disadvantages there are times that having a car can be worthwhile. I would advise you to consider getting a car when:You plan to do a lot of travel in rural and suburban areas. It can be hard to find buses in the areas and when they do exist they can be extremely infrequent. In addition, when you travel in rural and suburban areas with a car you can access inexpensive rural accommodations [car-oriented chain hotels (like Motel 6 in the U.S. or Ibis in Europe), hostels and campgrounds, and agro-tourism and monastery rooms --see accommodation section below for detail] and restaurants (truck -stop diners and drive-through, fast-food restaurants) which help offset the car rental costs.You are traveling with your family. Even though costly, car rentals become competitive with public transportation when three or more people travel together,You need to carry a lot of luggage. Cars will save you a lot of lugging and storage charges. (In the U.S. and Western Europe, it can be hard to find baggage storage facilities in bus and train stations. When you do find these facilities, they will be very expensive and may not allow you to keep baggage overnight.) Quiz: Are You Ready to Travel-like-a-Local?Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Give yourself one point for each time you agree:I feel tired when I see a lot of places on a short vacation.I do not like large crowds.I do not care if I am pampered during my vacation.It is easy for me to adapt to new environments.I am curious about how new places are similar and different from my hometown.I don’t like having my time programmed. I am comfortable with spontaneity.I am comfortable trusting other people.I am not extremely fussy about cleanliness.I do not feel uncomfortable when I try to speak with people who don’t understand what I am saying.I feel comfortable staying in someone else’s homeWhile I enjoy seeing ancient sites, I am more interested in how people live today in a new place.I enjoy learning new things. I often take classes for fun at home.I am patient.I enjoy meeting new people (It doesn’t have to be easy for you meet new people, though. I like meeting people, but am shy. I find that because of the fact that you have to interact with others during many travel-like-a-local experiences (the ice is naturally broken) that it easier for me to travel this way). 0-6 points:You are probably better off going on a guided tour.6-11 points:You may be ready to travel-like-a-local but you need to be prepared to deal with some of the issues when you go away from home.11-14 points: Travel-like-a-local was made for you. Once you travel-like-a-local, you’ll never want to travel the traditional way aCHAPTER IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL MODERN-DAY NOMADSTRAVEL ECONOMICS 101ONE OF MY MAIN GOALS IN THIS BOOK IS TO GIVE MODERN DAY NOMADS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THEIR OPTIMAL JOURNEY. WHILE MANY OF THE DETAILS OF TRAVEL CHANGE RAPIDLY, I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE SKILLS THAT MODERN DAY NOMADS NEED TO MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR JOURNEYS IS A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY WORKS. AFTER READING THIS, SOME READERS MAY SAY ¨THAT IS WELL AND GOOD, BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MY JOURNEY¨. JUST HANG ON. I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL SEE THAT HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS WILL HELP YOU TO ANTICIPATE CHANGES, DEAL WITH PROBLEMS, AND BE A BETTER TRAVELER CONSUMER OVERALL.THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY:Travel is a Perishable CommodityWHILE PRICES FOR MOST THINGS VARY DEPENDING ON WHERE AND WHEN YOU BUY THEM, PRICES FOR MOST THINGS WE BUY CHANGE A LOT LESS FREQUENTLY AND SEEMINGLY RANDOMLY THAN TRAVEL PRODUCTS. IN ADDITION, AT THE CONSUMER LEVEL, USUALLY WE CAN SEE FAIRLY CLEARLY WHY WE WOULD SPEND MORE FOR A PRODUCT AT ONE STORE THAN AT ANOTHER STORE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO BUY MILK AND BREAD, YOU WILL PAY MORE AT THE CORNER CONVENIENCE STORE THAN AT A LARGE BOX STORE LIKE WALMART IN ORDER TO AVOID THE TIME AND TROUBLE OF TRAVELING TO AND BUYING THE MILK AND BREAD AT WALMART. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR TRAVEL PRODUCTS. TWO PEOPLE SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON THE SAME PLANE, WILL PROBABLY FIND THAT THEY PAID VASTLY DIFFERENT PRICES FOR THEIR SEATS WITHOUT RECEIVING ANY NOTABLE DIFFERENCE IN SERVICE.THE REASON WAY TRAVEL PRODUCT PRICING IS SO RANDOM LIES IN THE FACT THAT TRAVEL IS PERISHABLE. Generally, most people think of fruit or meat as perishable because these products will rot if unsold after a short period of time. However, travel is even more perishable than fruit. If a hotel does not rent a room for the night or the airline does not sell a seat for a flight, their chance to make that money is gone forever. They can’t, like many industries, store the product in inventory and wait for a sale at a later date. As a result, travel companies have to find both a price that maximizes their profit and also ensures that all of their inventory is sold. THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY DETERMINES THESE PRICES THROUGH A SYSTEM CALLED YIELD MANAGEMENT.YIELD MANAGEMENT IS PERVASIVE THROUGHOUT THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, HOWEVER, MODERN DAY NOMADS WILL ENCOUNTER IT MOST PERVASIVELY AND PERPLEXINGLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.Yield Management is the Most Important Tool that the Industry Uses to SurviveWHILE SEEMINGLY OTHERWISE, EVERY TIME YOU SEE AN AIRFARE, CAR RENTAL CHARGE, OR A HOTEL RATE YOU CAN BE SURE THAT THE TRAVEL PROVIDER HAS INVESTED CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT TIME, ENERGY, AND EXPENSE INTO DETERMINING WHAT THEY SHOULD CHARGE THE CUSTOMER AT THAT EXACT MOMENT. THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY FUNCTIONS LIKE A COMPUTERIZED VERSION OF AN OLD FASHION BAZAAR WHERE THE VENDOR DETERMINES WHAT THE PRICE WILL BE BASED ON WHAT HE OR SHE BELIEVES THE CUSTOMER IS WILLING TO PAY. THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY WANTS THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY HIGH FARES OR WHO ARE DESPERATE FOR THEIR SERVICES TO PAY THROUGH THE NOSE. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY NEED TO CHARGE LESS MONEY TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS SO THAT THEY DO NOT LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FILL EVERY HOTEL ROOM OR AIRPLANE SEAT OR RENTAL CAR EVERY DAY OR EVERY FLIGHT.AS A RESULT, UNLIKE MOST THINGS THAT YOU PURCHASE, THE SAME HOTEL ROOM, CAR RENTAL, OR AIRFARE WILL BE SOLD FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT PRICES DEPENDING ON MANY FACTORS INCLUDING: WHEN YOU WANT TO USE THE PRODUCT, WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR BOOKING AND, INCREASINGLY, AND WHAT KIND OF PERKS YOU WANT.SOME OF THESE VARIABLES ARE FAIRLY EASY FOR CONSUMER TO ANTICIPATE AND DO NOT CHANGE A LOT. FOR INSTANCE, THE LOWEST AIRFARES REQUIRE YOU TO BUY THE SERVICE IN ADVANCE (THIS IS TRUER WITH AIRLINES THAN HOTELS) BECAUSE MOST LAST-MINUTE TRAVEL PRODUCTS ARE BOUGHT BY BUSINESS TRAVEL WHO GENERALLY CAN AFFORD TO PAY MORE. IN ADDITION, TRAVEL PRODUCTS ARE CHEAPEST WHEN TRAVEL PROVIDERS HISTORICALLY HAVE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING TRAVELERS. (FOR EXAMPLE, THE LOWEST AIRFARES TO THE EAST COAST FROM THE WEST COAST WILL OCCUR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK (MANY BUSINESS TRAVELERS LEAVE ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS AND MANY LEISURE TRAVELERS FLY ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS) DURING TIME PERIOD LIKE EARLY DECEMBER, LATE JANUARY, AND LATE-FEBRUARY AND EARLY MARCH, WHEN THERE ARE NO HOLIDAYS FROM WORK OR SCHOOL AND THE WEATHER IS LIKELY TO BE AT ITS WORST). AIRFARES AND HOTEL ROOMS, ON THE OTHER HAND, WILL BE AT THEIR HIGHEST AROUND HOLIDAYS AND WHEN THE WEATHER IS AT ITS BEST AT YOUR DESTINATION. YOU CAN EXPECT THE HIGHEST PRICES IN THE USA, FOR EXAMPLE, AROUND THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY, THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, SPRING VACATION/ EASTER (NOTE: SPRING VACATION IS NOT LIMITED TO THE WEEK JUST BEFORE EASTER (AS IT DOES IN MANY LATIN AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN COUNTRIES). IT CAN OCCUR ANYTIME UP TO TWO WEEKS BEFORE EASTER OR ONE WEEK AFTER EASTER). YOU CAN ALSO EXPECT HIGH FARES THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE SUMMER BECAUSE SCHOOLS ARE OUT OF SESSION AND THE WEATHER TENDS TO BE BETTER. (NOTE: AIRFARES AND HOTELS WILL BE HIGHER IN THE SUMMER WHERE THE WEATHER IS EXTREMELY HOT, LIKE SOUTHERN FLORIDA, THAN IN THE WINTER WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD, THE MIDWEST AND EAST COAST, BECAUSE SCHOOLS ARE OUT DURING THE SUMMER).WHILE MANY ASPECTS OF BOOKING TRAVEL PRODUCTS ARE THE SAME ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT BETWEEN BOOKING A HOTEL AND AN AIRFARE. HOTELS ARE OFTEN CHEAPEST A MONTH OR SO BEFORE YOU PLAN TO TRAVEL AND THERE ARE SOMETIMES GOOD DEALS TO BE FOUND FOR LAST MINUTE HOTELS. IN ADDITION, THE PRICES DON?T CHANGE THAT DRAMATICALLY DEPENDING ON WHEN A BOOK A HOTEL. FINDING THE BEST TIME TO BOOK A FLIGHT IS MORE COMPLICATED (AND THERE ARE SELDOM ANY LAST-MINUTE DEALS) BECAUSE AIRLINES CHANGE THEIR PRICES MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY AND DRAMATICALLY THAN HOTELS OR RENTAL CAR COMPANIES. IN ADDITION, BECAUSE LAST MINUTE CANCELLATIONS ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN WITH HOTELS AND CAR RENTALS, SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET A GOOD DEAL JUST SHOWING UP AT A HOTEL. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE AN AIRFARE FARE GO UP OR DOWN EVEN A COUPLE OF MINUTES AFTER YOU LAST CHECKED. THE MOST LIKELY EXPLANATION IS THAT THE FARE THAT YOU WERE SEEING SOLD OUT AND YOU HAVE BEEN BUMPED TO THE NEXT HIGHER FARE CATEGORY. IF THE FARE GOES DOWN, IT IS OFTEN BECAUSE SOME RESERVATIONS THAT WERE BEING HELD WERE CANCELED, POSSIBLY OPENING UP SEATS IN A FARE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY UNAVAILABLE. DURING THE 335 DAYS THAT A FLIGHT IS OPEN FOR SALE, THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE SOME PERIODS OF TIME WHEN A SPECIAL PRICE WILL BE OFFERED, SOMETIMES FOR JUST 24 OR 72 HOURS.THESE SALES EXPLAIN WHY PRICES CAN BE HIGH WHEN A FLIGHT JUST OPENS FOR SALE 11 MONTHS IN ADVANCE. WHILE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THESE SALES WILL OCCUR, MOST EXPERTS MAINTAIN THAT THE BEST TIME TO BUY A FLIGHT IS OFTEN BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR MONTHS OUT BECAUSE IT IS DURING THIS TIME FRAME WHEN AIRLINES ARE MOST LIKELY TO INTRODUCE SALE FARES. OF COURSE, THERE IS ALWAYS A SLIGHT RISK THAT IF A FLIGHT IS HEAVILY BOOKED THERE MAY NOT BE ANY SALES. (THIS IS WHY IT IS USUALLY ADVISABLE TO BOOK TRAVEL DURING THE HIGH SEASON MORE IN ADVANCE THAN THE RECOMMENDED ONE TO FOUR MONTHS BEFORE DEPARTURE). The Travel Industry is Profitable Because it is Always Selling Much More than its Main ProductEVEN WITH ALL THE EMPHASIS ON YIELD MANAGEMENT, VERY FEW SEGMENTS OF THE INDUSTRY SURVIVE JUST BY SELLING SEATS ON A FLIGHT; RENTING A ROOM IN THE HOTEL; ETC. MOST OF THE INDUSTRY?S PROFIT COMES FROM SELLING OTHER SERVICES AND FEES. THE NUMBER AND THE COSTS OF THESE FEES AND SERVICES HAVE GROWN EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. IN THE PAST, YOU COULD AVOID MOST OF THESE FEES JUST BY DECIDING NOT TO USE THE SERVICES OFFERED. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THESE FEES- LIKE HOTEL RESORT FEES- ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID UNLESS YOU CHOOSE A DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDER THAT DOES NOT CHARGE THIS FEE. (NOTE: IN SOME MARKETS LIKE CANCUN AND LAS VEGAS, THE ONLY HOTELS THAT DO NOT CHARGE THESE FEES ARE BUDGET HOTELS). IN ADDITION, THERE ARE MANY FEES-LIKE AIRLINE BAGGAGE FEES- THAT MOST PEOPLE PAY BUT USED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PAST. TRAVEL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, PARTICULARLY ON CRUISE SHIPS, RECEIVE A LOT OF INCENTIVES TO SELL YOU SOME OF THESE ADDED SERVICES. IF YOU SUCCUMB TO SOME OF THESE PROMOTIONS (AS I HAVE AT TIMES) IT COULD SEVERELY STRAIN YOUR BUDGET. HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON CONSUMER RELATED FEES AND SERVICES THAT TRAVEL INDUSTRY PROVIDERS CHARGE:?CRUISE LINES MAKES THE BULK OF THEIR PROFITS (UNLESS YOU GO ON AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY CRUISE WHERE THERE ARE VERY FEW ADDITIONAL CHARGES) THROUGH FEES FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS, TIPS, SHORE EXCURSIONS, SPAS, GAMBLING CASINOS, BINGO, ART AUCTIONS, ON-BOARD STORES, INTERNET AND PHONE SERVICES (QUITE EXPENSIVE. SOME CRUISE COMPANIES OFFER YOU UNLIMITED INTERNET ACCESS THAT COSTS BETWEEN $10-$25 A DAY. TELEPHONE CALLS ARE OFTEN $6 A MINUTE. I USUALLY WAIT UNTIL I AM PORT TO MAKE CALLS OR CHECK THE INTERNET. I ALSO OFTEN CHECK THE INTERNET EVERY OTHER DAY ON LONG CROSS OCEAN PASSAGES. NOTE: THE INTERNET SERVICE ON-BOARD IS USUALLY NOT AS GOOD AS ON-LAND). CRUISES ALSO ADD A DAILY GRATUITY FOR HOUSEKEEPING, ETC. (USUALLY BETWEEN $12-$15 A DAY) PLUS AN 15-20% GRATUITY FOR BAR AND SPA SERVICES. (YOU CAN REQUEST THAT THE CRUISE LINE ELIMINATE THIS CHARGE, HOWEVER, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU DEPRIVING THE OFTEN OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID STAFF OF INCOME IF YOU ELECT TO DO SO).?AIRLINES HAVE ADDED MANY FEES IN RECENT YEARS (MORE ON THIS LATER IN SECTION___) FOR SUCH ¨AMENITIES¨ AS MEALS AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, SELECTING YOUR OWN SEATS, CHECKING IN BAGGAGE (SOME AIRLINES EVEN CHARGE NOW FOR CABIN BAGGAGE). SOME AIRLINES EVEN CHARGE YOU FOR PRINTING OUT A BOARDING PASS (EASY JET IN EUROPE). SPIRIT AIRLINES EVEN TRIED SEVERAL YEARS AGO CHARGING FOR USING THE BATHROOM! AIRLINES IN THE MID-2000S UNTIL THE MID-2010S (THANKFULLY, IT IS RARE NOWADAYS) ADDED A FUEL SURCHARGE TO ADDRESS THEIR LOSE OF INCOME FOLLOWING INCREASES IN THE COST OF FUEL. PERHAPS THE MOST CONSUMER UNFRIENDLY OF THESE FEES IS THE AIRLINES? FEES FOR CHANGING TICKETS. (IN 2012, CHANGE FEES ALONE ACCOUNTED FOR ALMOST HALF OF MANY AIRLINES? PROFIT MARGIN). CONSUMER ADVOCATES SAY THE PENALTY IS EXCESSIVE (USUALLY THE CHANGE FEE IS BETWEEN $200 AND $500). AIRLINES ARGUE THAT THESE FEES HELP AVOID TRAVELLER NO-SHOWS (IN FACT AS YOU WILL SEE IN CHAPTER ___THESE PENALTIES ARE THE MAIN REASON I DO NOT SHOW UP) AND LIMITS CUSTOMER CHANGES. ADVOCATES COUNTER THIS ARGUMENT BY SAYING THAT WHEN PASSENGERS CHANGE FLIGHTS FAR IN ADVANCE, AIRLINES USUALLY RESELL THESE SEATS AND STILL COLLECT CHANGE PENALTIES. SOME SUGGEST AIRLINES SHOULD CHARGE SMALLER FEES FOR SWITCHES LONG BEFORE DEPARTURE. HOTELS CHARGE SOME OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL FEES (NOTE: THIS IS A LIST OF ALL POTENTIAL FEES, MANY HOTELS DO NOT CHARGE MOST OF THESE FEES): (1) RESORT FEES (USUALLY BETWEEN $10 TO $60 PER DAY- THESE FEES ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO THE BUSINESS CENTER, A POOL, A GYM, DAILY NEWSPAPER DELIVERY, HOUSEKEEPING OR LOCAL CALLS. EVEN IF YOU DON’T USE ANY OF THESE SERVICES, YOU STILL MAY PAY THE FEE. (SOMETIMES, THE HOTEL MAY ELIMINATE OR REDUCE RESORT FEES IF YOU ASK, PARTICULARLY IF YOU MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU WON'T BE USING THE SERVICES THE FEES COVER); (2) DRINKS AND SNACKS FROM IN-ROOM MINI-FRIDGES (NOTES: (A) SOME HOTELS CHARGE FOR THE BOTTLE OF WATER THAT THE HOTEL HAS LEFT ON YOUR DESK AND (B) PICKING UP AN ITEM AND PUTTING IT BACK CAN TRIGGER THE MINIBAR’S SENSORS, IMMEDIATELY ADDING THE PRICE OF THE ITEM TO YOUR BILL; (3) PAY-PER-VIEW MOVIES; (4) FEES FOR EARLY AND LATE CHECK-IN (TYPICALLY YOU CAN CHECK-IN AFTER 3 PM AND CHECK-OUT BEFORE 12 NOON (OCCASIONALLY CHECK OUT IS AT 10 OR 11 A.M.); (5) WI-FI ACCESS (THIS IS GETTING RARER. HOWEVER, SOME HIGH END AND BUDGET HOTELS STILL CHARGE THIS FEE. SOMETIMES, IT IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE RESORT FEE. OCCASIONALLY, YOU MAY ALSO PAY EXTRA FOR HIGH-SPEED ACCESS) AND USE OF IN-ROOM PHONES; (6) AIRPORT SHUTTLES (USUALLY THIS IS FREE. HOWEVER, SOME HOTELS ADVERTISE THIS FEATURE BUT DO NOT PROVIDE FREQUENT SHUTTLES. MORE ON THIS LATER IN SECTION___); (7) A SERVICE CHARGE OR FEE THAT COVERS GRATUITIES FOR BELLHOPS AND HOUSEKEEPING STAFF; (8) CANCELLATION FEES (MANY HOTELS OFFER YOU A SLIGHT REDUCTION IF YOU AGREE TO PAY A FEE, USUALLY FOR ONE NIGHT?S STAY, IF YOU CANCEL THE RESERVATION BEFORE YOU ARRIVE. MANY HOTELS WILL CHARGE THIS FEE IF YOU CANCEL LESS THAN 24 OR 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE RESERVATION, UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS USUALLY NOT POSSIBLE TO GET THIS FEE WAIVED FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS LIKE AIRLINE DELAY, FAMILY ISSUES, ETC.); (9) ENERGY SURCHARGE (IN THE RECENT PAST, SOME HOTEL ADDED SURCHARGE OF SEVERAL DOLLARS A DAY); (10) GROUNDSKEEPING FEE; (11) IN-ROOM SAFE (THIS FEE IS ADDED EVEN IF THE SAFE IS NEVER OPENED); (12) LUGGAGE HOLDING; (13) PACKAGES (SOME HOTELS CHARGE TO MAIL OR TO RECEIVE PACKAGES FOR THEIR GUESTS); (14) TOWELS (SOME HOTEL CHARGE TO RENT A BEACH TOWEL AT THE POOL. MANY REQUIRE YOU TO CHECK-OUT A TOWEL AND WILL CHARGE YOU FOR THE TOWEL IF YOU HAVE NOT RETURNED THE TOWEL ACCORDING TO THEIR RECORDS).HERE ARE SOME OF THE MORE COMMON FEES THAT RENTAL CAR COMPANIES CHARGE: (1) EARLY AND LATE RETURN AND PICK UP FEES: IT IS ESSENTIALLY THAT YOU RETURN OR EVEN PICK UP YOUR CAR AT THE TIME THAT YOU INDICATED IN ADVANCE TO AVOID FEES. (I WAS ONCE CHARGED FOR DROPPING OFF A CAR LATE BECAUSE THE STAFF WAS SO OVERWHELMED AT CHICAGO-O?HARE WITH CAR CHECK-INS THAT THEY DID NOT PROCESS THE PAPERWORK UNTIL THREE HOURS AFTER I DROPPED THE CAR OFF). THE PENALTY FOR RETURNING YOUR CAR EARLY IS SOMETIMES CALLED "RENTAL CHANGE FEE" AND CAN BE AS HIGH AS $15-20. IF YOU TURN YOUR CAR IN LATE, YOU WILL PROBABLY BE ASSESSED A FEE AS WELL AS AN HOURLY OR DAILY RATE FOR THE EXTRA RENTAL TIME. EXPECT TO PAY A FULL DAY'S CHARGE FOR THESE OPTIONAL ITEMS IF YOU RETURN THE CAR LATE. (2) REFUELING FEE (TO AVOID THIS FEE, REFUEL THE CAR WITHIN TEN MILES OF YOUR RENTAL CAR OFFICE AND BRING THE RECEIPT WITH YOU WHEN YOU RETURN YOUR CAR); (3) ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED DRIVER FEE; (4) FREQUENT TRAVELER PROGRAM FEE (IF YOU ASK THE RENTAL CAR COMPANIES FOR CREDIT ON A FREQUENT FLIER ACCOUNT, EXPECT TO PAY A SMALL DAILY FEE- OFTEN MORE THAN THE MILES ARE WORTH FOR LONGER-TERM CAR RENTALS- FOR THE PRIVILEDGE); (5) LOST KEY (SINCE MOST KEYS ARE SMART KEYS EXPECT THIS FEE TO BE SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. YOU MAY PAY THIS FEE TWICE IF YOU LOSE BOTH KEYS ON A TWO-KEY KEY RING); (6) CANCELLATION FEES (USUALLY CAR RENTAL COMPANIES DO NOT CHARGE THIS FEE FOR MOST RENTALS, HOWEVER, THERE ARE TWO NOTABLE EXCPETIONS: (A) IF YOU RENT A LUXURY OR PREMIUM CAR AND (B) IF YOU PREPAY FOR THE CAR (WHICH USUALLY SAVES YOU SOME MONEY) YOU WILL PAY A FEE IF YOU CANCEL YOUR RENTAL LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED PICKUP TIME; (7) DROP-OFF FEES (SOMETIMES SUBSTANTIAL) IF YOU DO NOT PICK-UP THE CAR AT THE SAME PLACE YOU DROPPED IT OFF; (8) FEES (SOMETIMES QUITE HIGH) FOR GPS AND BABY SEATS; (9) AIRPORT CONCESSION FEES; AND (10) MISCELLANEOUS CAR-RELATED FEES SUCH AS VEHICLE LICENSING AND TIRE RECYCLING FEES.?TRAVEL INSURANCE: TOUR COMPANIES, CRUISES, TRAVEL AGENTS, AND AIRLINES MAKE A LOT OF THEIR INCOME FROM SELLING TRAVEL INSURANCE. THEY GET LARGE COMMISSIONS (OFTEN UP TO 50%) AND IT IS A FAIRLY EASY SELL. THAT SAID, IT IS WORTH PURCHASING SOMETIMES. (MORE ON TRAVEL INSURANCE IN SECTION ).IT IS NOT JUST CONSUMER FEES THAT HELP THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY STAY PROFITABLE. AIRLINES, FOR EXAMPLE, RECEIVE ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THEIR REVENUE FROM CONSUMERS DIRECTLY AND THE OTHER 40 PERCENT FROM BY SELLING FREQUENT-FLIER MILES TO CREDIT CARD COMPANIES (WHICH THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES, IN TURN, AWARD TO CLIENTS AS AN INCENTIVE TO USE AIRLINE BRANDED CREDIT CARDS), REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, CARGO (PARTICULARLY PROFITABLE ON SOME ROUTES), ETC.Businesspeople are the Industry?s Favorite CustomersWHILE SEVENTY PERCENT OF ALL AIRLINE BUSINESS REVENUE COMES FROM LEISURE PASSENGERS, BUSINESS TRAVELERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A MUCH GREATER SHARE OF THE INDUSTRY?S PROFITABILITY THAN THEIR LEISURE COUNTERPARTS. WHY??THE ADDITIONAL TICKET PRICES MORE THAN MAKE UP FOR THE COSTS OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO FIRST CLASS OR BUSINESS SERVICE. IN FACT, ON SOME FLIGHTS, BUSINESS PASSENGERS REPRESENT 75 PERCENT OF AN AIRLINE?S PROFIT. ?BUSINESS TRAVELERS AND HIGH-END TRAVELERS BRING SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL REVENUE THROUGH FREQUENT-FLIER PROGRAMS AND OTHER INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. FREQUENT-FLIER MILES PROGRAMS ALLOW THEIR CONSUMPTION AND SPENDING BEHAVIORS TO BE TRACKED. MANY BUSINESSES GATHER OR PURCHASE CONSUMER SPENDING DATA FOR USE IN DEVELOPING MARKETING STRATEGY AND PRODUCT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. MANY COMPANIES BENEFIT FROM THIS DATA AND ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE INEXPENSIVE FOR THE AIRLINE TO OPERATE. NOT ALL MILES EARNED BY CONSUMERS ARE ACTUALLY USED, WHICH LOWERS THE COST OF THE PROGRAMS EVEN FURTHER AND CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR PROFITABILITY. TO LURE NEW BUSINESS PASSENGERS, AIRLINES INTRODUCE INNOVATIVE SERVICES OR REFIT AIRCRAFT FOR MORE FIRST-CLASS LEGROOM, ADD LIE-FLAT SEATS AND MINI-SUITES, AND OFFER MORE LEGROOM AND SERVICES TO PASSENGERS ON ROUTES THAT ARE POPULAR WITH BUSINESS TRAVELERS.ADD COMMENTS ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS AND HIGH-END TRAVELERSALMOST HALF OF RENTAL CARS ARE RENTED AT AIRPORT LOCATIONS, PRIMARILY TO BUSINESS TRAVELERS (HENCE THE HIGH COST OF RENTALS FROM AIRPORTS). THE INDUSTRY PURCHASES OVER 2 MILLION CARS.The Internet Has Changed the Travel Industry ConsiderablyUNTIL THE LATE 1990S, PLANNING A HOLIDAY USUALLY INVOLVED A VISIT TO THE LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT, CONSULTING A WELL-USED GUIDEBOOK, OR RELYING ON FRIENDS? WORD-OF-MOUTH RECOMMENDATIONS. TODAY, THANKS TO SMART PHONE APS AND HIGH-SPEED INTERNET, TRAVELLERS BOOK THEIR OWN FLIGHT AND HOTELS ONLINE, BOOK STAYS IN SOMEONE ELSE?S HOME, USE APS TO BOOK TAXIS (AND EVEN RICKSHAWS), AND SEARCH ONLINE REVIEWS TO SELECT RESTAURANTS, TOURS, AND ATTRACTIONS.NEVER BEFORE HAVE CONSUMERS HAD ACCESS TO SO MUCH INFORMATION JUST A MOUSE CLICK OR A SMART PHONE AWAY. BUT, WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN FOR THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY? HERE ARE SOME OF THE EFFECTS:BY PLACING THE ABILITY TO BOOK SERVICES DIRECTLY INTO THE CONSUMERS’ HANDS, CUSTOMERS CAN PLAY AROUND WITH DIFFERENT TIMES, DATES, ETC. FOR FLIGHTS AND HAVE DISCOVERED, AS A RESULT, THAT A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY CAN PAY BIG DIVIDENDS IN COST SAVINGS. SINCE THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY HAS OPENED UP THIS INFORMATION TO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE, THE AVERAGE CONSUMER EXPECTS TO AND DOES, IN FACT, PAY LESS (ESPECIALLY WHEN ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION) THAN IN THE PAST. BEFORE THE INTERNET, TRAVEL AGENTS AND AIRLINES WERE TRAINED TO ASK CONSUMERS (WHAT I USED TO CALL “THE MOST DANGEROUS QUESTION OUT THERE”): “WHEN DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE?” THE AIRLINES SET UP THEIR FEE SCHEDULES TO REFLECT WHAT THEY EXPECTED TO BE CONSUMERS’ ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTION. IF YOU WANTED TO TRAVEL AT THE SAME TIME AS EVERYONE ELSE, YOU PAID THROUGH THE NOSE. IF YOU HAD EVEN A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY, YOU SAVED MEGA BUCKS. AIRLINES KNEW THAT BUSINESSPEOPLE HAD LITTLE FLEXIBILITY AND THUS USED TO CHARGE THEM THROUGH THE NOSE OFTEN WITH NO COMMENSURATE INCREASES IN SERVICES?THERE WERE 50,000 FEWER TRAVEL AGENTS (AROUND 40% REDUCTION) IN THE USA IN 2014 THAN IN 2000. HOWEVER, RECENTLY THE INDUSTRY HAS STABILIZED AS MORE TRAVELERS REALIZE THAT AGENTS CAN HELP THEM STEER THROUGH THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AIRLINE FARE REGULATIONS. ?MORE THAN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY CUSTOMERS USE THE INTERNET FOR TRAVEL PURCHASES. IN FACT, IN 2016 ALMOST HALF OF ALL TRAVEL RELATED BOOKINGS ARE MADE ONLINE. ?WHILE THE INTERNET KILLED OFF MANY TRAVEL AGENTS, MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE INDUSTRY, LIKE TOUR OPERATORS, HAVE SURVIVED BY INTRODUCING ONLINE BOOKINGS. ?ONLINE BOOKINGS HAVE ALLOWED THE SHARE ECONOMY TO FLOURISH. BY MAKING BOOKINGS EASY AND QUICK, MORE AND MORE TRAVELERS ACCEPT THE IDEA OF STAYING IN OTHER PEOPLES? HOME THROUGH AIRBNB OR USING A PRIVATE CAR AS A TAXI THROUGH UBER AS A NORMAL PART OF TRAVEL. IN FACT, WITHIN FIVE YEARS AFTER LAUNCHING AIRBNB, 9% OF UK AND US TRAVELLERS RENTED SPACE IN A PRIVATE HOME OR APARTMENT THROUGH AIRBNB.?TECHNOLOGY HAS ALSO ALLOWED CONSUMERS WORLDWIDE TO FIND UNIQUE TRAVEL OPTIONS DESIGNED AROUND THEIR TASTES AND INTERESTS. TRAVELERS CAN EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF TRAVEL SERVICES THROUGH ONLINE REVIEW SITES, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE BUSINESSES’ OWN WEBSITES.?TRAVEL COMPANIES ARE INCREASINGLY ABLE TO SUGGEST CUSTOMISED PRODUCTS ON THE BASIS OF TRAVELERS PROFILES AND PAST BEHAVIOUR.?TRAVELERS HAVE INCREASINGLY FORMED ON-LINE COMMUNITIES TO DISCUSS TRAVEL OPTIONS WITH OTHERS WITH SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS, INTERESTS, AND NEEDS.?THE INTERNET ALLOWS THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY TO AVOID A LOT OF COSTS, TIME, AND PERSONNEL IN ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR OPERATIONS SUCH AS THE COST OF ISSUING TICKETS. AIRLINES EVEN SAVE FUEL COSTS, FOR EXAMPLE, BY PUTTING ALL OF THEIR EMPLOYEE BRIEFINGS, REGULATIONS, ETC. DIGITAL INSTEAD ON PAPER.Most Major Airlines are Part of Alliances with Other CarriersAN AIRLINE ALLIANCE IS A PARTNERSHIP IN WHICH AIRLINES SHARE MANY ASPECTS OF THEIR BUSINESS TOGETHER IN ORDER TO OFFER MORE CUSTOMER CHOICE AND GREATER OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY. SINCE NO ONE AIRLINE CAN FLY TO EVERY DESTINATION, THEY PARTNER WITH OTHER AIRLINES TO FACILITATE CONNECTIONS OF PASSENGERS AND THEIR BAGGAGE BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT AIRLINES SO THAT PASSENGERS CAN TRAVEL EASILY TO MOST DESTINATIONS WORLDWIDE. THE THREE MOST COMMON AIRLINE ALLIANCES ARE STAR ALLIANCE, ONEWORLD, AND SKYTEAM. YOU CAN FIND A LIST OF THE AIRLINES INVOLVED IN THESE ALLIANCE AT . BENEFITS OF THESE ALLIANCES INCLUDE: ?SHARING THE COSTS FOR: SALES OFFICE, MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, OPERATIONS SUCH AS CATERING OR COMPUTER SYSTEMS, STAFF INCLUDING GROUND CREWS (INCLUDING STAFF AT CHECK-IN AND BOARDING COUNTERS), AND BULK PURCHASING ?CONSUMERS BENEFITS INCLUDING: LOWER PRICES DUE TO REDUCE OPERATIONAL COSTS, SHORTER TRAVEL TIMES AS A RESULT OF EASE OF TRANSFERS, ACCESS TO MORE AIRPORT LOUNGES AND OTHER FREQUENT FLYER BENEFITS, THE ABILITY TO BUY ROUND-THE-WORLD TICKETS. (MORE ON THIS LATER).WHILE THE ADVANTAGES TO AIRLINE ALLIANCES ARE SUBSTANTIAL, THE ALLIANCES CAN CREATE DISADVANTAGES FOR THE TRAVELER, PARTICULARLY IN THE FORM OF HIGHER PRICES AND LESS FREQUENT FLIGHTS WHEN ALLIANCES ELIMINATE COMPETITION ON A GIVEN ROUTE.THE ABILITY OF AN AIRLINE TO JOIN AN ALLIANCE MAY BE RESTRICTED BY LAWS AND REGULATIONS OR SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY AUTHORITIES. HOWEVER, THESE ALLIANCES HAVE EXPANDED MARKEDLY IN RECENT YEAR PARTIALLY BASED ON THE RISE OF OPEN AIR AGREEMENTS BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS. OPEN SKIES AGREEMENTS, ACCORDING TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE, ¨HAVE VASTLY EXPANDED INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER AND CARGO FLIGHTS TO AND FROM THE UNITED STATES, PROMOTING INCREASED TRAVEL AND TRADE, ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY, AND SPURRING HIGH-QUALITY JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. OPEN SKIES AGREEMENTS DO THIS BY ELIMINATING GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN THE COMMERCIAL DECISIONS OF AIR CARRIERS ABOUT ROUTES, CAPACITY, AND PRICING, FREEING CARRIERS TO PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE, CONVENIENT, AND EFFICIENT AIR SERVICE FOR CONSUMERS¨.The Travel Industry is an Expert at Finding Ways to Save MoneyIN ORDER TO MAKE PLANES LIGHTER (FUEL REPRESENTS AROUND 33% OF OPERATING COSTS) AND THUS SAVE ON FUEL COSTS, AIRLINES ARE FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO CUT WEIGHT INCLUDING: (1) ELIMINATING OR REDUCING THE WEIGHT OF AIRLINE PILLOWS AND BLANKETS; (2) CHARGING OR NOT EVEN PROVIDING FOR EARPHONES ; (3) CHANGING THE WEIGHT OF THE PAPER OF THEIR IN-FLIGHT MAGAZINE; (4) REDESIGNING BATHROOMS; (5) DISCONTINUING SELLING DUTY-FREE PRODUCTS IN FLIGHT; (6) REDUCING THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE IN-FLIGHT DRINK/SNACK CARTS; (7) INSTALLING LIGHTER SEATBACK ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS (SOME BUDGET AIRLINES ARE ELIMINATING THE SEATBACK ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS ALTOGETHER OR REPLACING THE SYSTEMS WITH TABLETS) (8) INSTALLING LIGHTER, AND THINNER SEATS; (9) SWITCHING OUT GLASS BOTTLES FOR CANS; AND (10) REPLACING EMPLOYEE PAPER MANUAL WITH TABLETS. IN ADDITION, MANUFACTURERS ARE ALSO DESIGNING NEW ENGINES AND LIGHTER PLANS INTO THEIR NEW PLANES TO CUT WEIGHT. WHILE MOST OF THE CHANGES WILL NOT AFFECT CUSTOMERS THAT MUCH, WE CAN EXPECT THAT AIRLINES WILL INCREASINGLY REDUCE THE SIZE OF SEATS FOR BASIC ECONOMY CUSTOMERS WHILE OFFERING MORE OPTIONS FOR CUSTOMERS TO PAY MORE FOR SEATS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT MORE COMFORTABLE. IN ADDITION, DO NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE ADVERTISEMENTS ON SEATBACKS, SOME SMALL AIRPLANES CHARGING EXTRA FOR OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE (THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO ME ON NATURE AIR IN COSTA RICA), SMALLER GATE SEATING AREAS, FEWER AIRPORT PERSONNEL AT THE GATE AND CHECK-IN COUNTER, AND INCREASED USE OF SHUTTLES FROM AIRPLANES TO THE AIRPORT. REDUCING FUEL COSTS IS NOT THE ONLY WAY THAT AIRLINES REDUCE COSTS. HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON NON-FUEL RELATED COST SAVING TECHNIQUES THAT ARE USED BY AIRLINES, ESPECIALLY BUDGET AIRLINES:MINIMIZING TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE COSTS BY ONLY USING ONE OR TWO DIFFERENT MODELS OF AIRPLANE (MOST OF THESE AIRCRAFTS ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE FUEL COSTS). REDUCING LABOR COSTS BY HIRING LESS EXPENSE, MORE INEXPERIENCED EMPLOYEES AND NOT OFFERING THESE NEW HIRES PENSIONS AND USING LESS UNIONIZED LABOR. (MANY LEGACY CARRIERS HAVE ALSO REDUCED BENEFITS FOR EXISTING EMPLOYEES). REPLACING EMPLOYEES WITH TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE AT PASSENGER CHECK-IN AND GATES.REDUCING THE TIME BETWEEN FLIGHTS ON THE SAME AIRPLANE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IT USED TO BE THAT AIRLINES SPENT QUITE A BIT MORE TIME CLEANING AND ENSURING THAT PLANES WERE READY FOR TAKE-OFF THAN NOW. OUTSOURCING AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TO CHINA, MEXICO, AND INCREASINGLY, EL SALVADOR, WHERE LABOR IS CHEAPER AND REGULATIONS AND SUPERVISION LAXER. IT IS NOT ONLY AIRLINES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. THE CRUISE INDUSTRY USED TO PROVIDE MIDNIGHT BUFFETS AND FREE, HIGH END DISHES (LIKE LOBSTER AND EXPENSIVE CUTS OF STEAK). IN ADDITION, IT IS RUMORED THAT THEY CANCEL PORTS IN ORDER TO INCREASE REVENUES (CUSTOMERS BUY MORE FROM THE CRUISE LINE WHEN THE SHIP IS AT SEA THAN IN PORT) AND PAY LESS PORT FEES. HOTELS OFTEN REQUIRE CUSTOMERS TO INSERT THEIR KEY CARD INTO A SLOT IN ORDER TO TURN ON LIGHTS IN ORDER TO SAVE ELECTRICITY COSTS AND REDESIGN BATHROOMS TO USE LESS WATER. Airlines Routes Planes Using the Hub-and-Spoke Model An Explanation of the Hub-And-Spoke ModelUNDER A HUB-AND-SPOKE MODEL, AIRLINES ARRANGE THE BULK OF FLIGHTS TO GO TO ONE OR MORE CENTRAL HUB. UNDER A POINT-TO-POINT SYSTEM THERE ARE MANY FLIGHTS THAT GO DIRECTLY BETWEEN TWO DESTINATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, LET?S SAY YOU ARE FLYING BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND COLUMBUS, OHIO. USING A HUB-AND-SPOKE MODEL YOU WOULD FLY FROM LOS ANGELES TO ONE OF SEVERAL HUBS (IE CHICAGO (UNITED/AMERICAN), DENVER, HOUSTON (UNITED), DALLAS (AMERICAN), DETROIT (DELTA), ETC.) THEN CONNECT TO ANOTHER FLIGHT FROM THESE HUBS TO COLUMBUS. USING THIS MODEL, YOU HAVE MANY OPTIONS FOR FLIGHTS PER DAY BUT THE TRIP IS LONG (USUALLY A MINIMUM OF SEVEN TO EIGHT HOURS). USING THE POINT-TO-POINT MODEL, YOU WOULD FLY NON-STOP FROM LOS ANGELES AND COLUMBUS. SINCE THERE IS NOT THAT MUCH DEMAND FOR TRIPS BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND COLUMBUS, THERE ARE FEWER NON-STOP FLIGHTS AVAILABLE ON THIS ROUTE THAN CONNECTING FLIGHTS. (RARELY NOWADAYS, BUT IN THE PAST, IT WAS COMMONPLACE, THAT AIRPLANES WOULD MAKE A STOP IN ANOTHER CITY. THESE FLIGHTS ARE CALLED DIRECT FLIGHTS SINCE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CHANGE PLANES. IF YOU CHANGE PLANS, IT IS CALLED A CONNECTING FLIGHT). HOWEVER, THE TRIP WOULD ONLY LAST THREE-AND-A-HALF HOURS. (FIVE HOURS IF IT WAS A DIRECT FLIGHT). (NOTE: EVEN THOUGH MOST AIRLINES USE THE HUB-AND-SPOKE AS THEIR PRIMARY ROUTING MODEL, THEY USUALLY DO HAVE SEVERAL POINT-TO-POINT FLIGHTS THAT DO NOT GO TO A HUB CITY. THIS IS BECAUSE SOME FLYERS, PARTICULARLY BUSINESSPEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR THESE FLIGHTS TO AVOID THE TIME AND HASSLE OF MAKING CONNECTIONS. WHEN I CHECKED THE FLIGHTS FROM LOS ANGELES TO COLUMBUS, THERE WAS ONE NON-STOP FLIGHT A DAY ON AMERICAN, DELTA, AND ALASKAN AIRLINE (AND AROUND 50 POSSIBLE ITINERARIES WITH CONNECTIONS), EACH OF WHICH COSTS AROUND $70 MORE THAN A CONNECTING FLIGHT. THERE WERE NO DIRECT FLIGHTS).Advantages of the Hub-and-Spoke ModelAIRLINES PREFER THE HUB-AND-SPOKE MODEL TO THE POINT-TO-POINT MODEL BECAUSE THE HUB AND SPOKE MODEL ENABLES AIRLINES TO CONNECT MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS WITH THE MINIMUM AMOUNTS OF ROUTES.THE HUB AND SPOKE MODEL ALSO ALLOWS THE AIRLINES TO HAVE A CENTRAL BASE OF OPERATIONS (OR FOR LARGE AIRLINES LIKE UNITED OR AMERICAN, NUMEROUS BASES) WHICH BRINGS MANY BENEFITS, INCLUDING THAT AIRLINES CAN:1.USE A SMALL NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT AND PILOTS TO COVER MANY DESTINATIONS. 2. INCREASE ROUTING OPTIONS BETWEEN ANY TWO DESTINATIONS. THIS ALLOWS AIRLINES TO KEEP THEIR PLANES IN THE AIR FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME (THIS IS ALSO WHY AIRPLANES USUALLY DO NOT STAY IN THE AIRPORT VERY LONG BEFORE THEY TAKE OFF FOR ANOTHER DESTINATION) AND ITS GOOD FOR PASSENGERS SINCE THEY HAVE MORE CHOICE OF FLIGHTS.3.AIRLINES CAN EASILY RESPOND IF DEMAND INCREASES OR DECREASE ON A GIVEN ROUTE. (USING THE LOS ANGELES-COLUMBUS ANALOGY, FOR EXAMPLE, LET?S SAY THAT COLUMBUS SUDDENLY GETS A MAJOR COMPANY WHICH INCREASES DEMAND FOR TICKETS TO COLUMBUS, WITH THE HUB-AND-SPOKE MODEL, THEY COULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS FROM SEVERAL HUBS TO COLUMBUS TO TAP INTO DEMAND FROM ALL OVER THE US. UNDER THE POINT-TO-POINT SYSTEM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE THE FLIGHTS FROM EACH CITY THAT HAS EXPERIENCE AN INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR THE FLIGHT, THAT IS TO SAY, ADD ANOTHER FLIGHT PER WEEK FROM LA TO COLUMBUS).PLICATED OPERATIONS SUCH AS CARGO SORTING, ACCOUNTING, AND PASSENGERS SWITCHING CAN BE DONE AT A CENTRAL AIRPORT RATHER THAN MULTIPLE AIRPORTS.Disadvantages of the Hub-and-Spoke ModelDESPITE THE ABOVE NOTED ADVANTAGES, THE HUB- AND-SPOKES MODEL ALSO CAUSES THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS:1. CONGESTION AND DELAYS AT HUB AIRPORTS AIRLINE SCHEDULE MULTIPLE INCOMING AND OUTGOING FLIGHTS DURING A SHORT TIME (MANY AIRPORTS DO NOT LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS) FRAME TO LIMIT WAITING TIMES AND PROVIDE MANY POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS FOR PASSENGERS. THIS TYPE OF SCHEDULING, OFTEN CAUSES DELAYS DUE TO THE SCARCITY OF AIRPORT FACILITIES, SUCH AS TAXIS OR RUNWAYS.2. AIRLINE ACHIEVE TOO MUCH DOMINANCE IN THE HUB CITY. THE AIRLINES THAT USE HUBS HAVE A TENDENCY TO SQUEEZE OUT COMPETING AIRLINES IN THEIR HUB CITIES. (IN SOME CITIES, LIKE MINNEAPOLIS (DELTA) MORE THAN 90% OF ALL TRAFFIC IS ONE AIRLINES. ONLY A FEW MAJOR AIRPORTS, IN THE USA, LIKE JFK-NEW YORK, CHICAGO-O?HARE, AND LOS ANGELES, SERVE AS A HUB FOR MORE THAN ONE AIRLINE). AS A RESULT, CONSUMERS HAVE LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO TAKE THE DOMINANT AIRLINES IF THEY LIVE IN A HUB CITY (OR IN A CITY WITH SMALL AIRPORT CLOSE TO THE HUB CITY). THIS REALLY EFFECTS CONSUMERS WHO LIVE IN A HUB CITY THAT STOPS FUNCTIONING AS A HUB AFTER A MERGER WITH ANOTHER AIRLINE (IE SAINT LOUIS, A FORMER TWA HUB LOST A LOT OF OPTIONS AFTER AMERICAN AIRLINES, WHICH ACQUIRED TWA, DECIDED TO RELOCATE MANY ST. LOUIS FLIGHTS TO DALLAS). CONVERSELY, IT ALSO AFFECTS CONSUMER WHEN AN AIRPORT BECOMES OVERSATURATED AFTER AN AIRLINE DECIDES TO INCREASE ITS OPERATIONS AT A PARTICULAR AIRPORT AFTER CONSOLIDATION. (I.E. NEWARK AFTER UNITED BOUGHT CONTINENTAL AND DECIDED TO USE CONTINENTAL?S HUB IN NEWARK AS A MAJOR UNITED HUB). Airlines Change Their Schedules and Routings FrequentlyFOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, MANY PASSENGERS WHO BOUGHT TICKETS MONTHS IN ADVANCE FIND THEIR ITINERARIES GETTING SWITCHED TO DIFFERENT FLIGHTS.THE CHANGES, CANCELLATIONS AND REBOOKINGS, SOME OF WHICH ALTER SCHEDULES BY 10 TO 12 HOURS, OR FORCE CONSUMERS TO TAKE CONNECTING FLIGHTS (WHEN THEY BOUGHT NON-STOP TICKETS, MY PERSONAL PET PEEVE) CAN CREATE ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS FOR CUSTOMERS INCLUDING: (1) RENTAL-CAR RESERVATIONS AND SOMETIMES HOTELS NEED TO BE REBOOKED, OFTEN AT HIGHER RATES; AND (2) TRAVELERS HAVING TO LEAVE WORK EARLIER OR LOSE TIME FROM THE VACATIONS. TO SAY NOTHING, OF SHEER FRUSTRATION. INDUSTRY EXPERTS REPORT THAT AIRLINES INCREASINGLY MAKE SCHEDULE CHANGES AFTER CUSTOMERS BOUGHT THEIR TICKETS (NOTE BEFORE 2012, THESE CHANGES WERE RARE), BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:MERGERS. MERGERS OFTEN RESULT IN AIRLINES CLOSING OR EXPENDING HUBS RESULTING IN MASSIVE CHANGES IN AIRLINE SCHEDULES. IN ADDITION, COMPETITORS ALSO ADD OR REDUCE FLIGHTS TO ADDRESS THESE FLIGHT CHARGES. (FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER AMERICAN CLOSED ITS SAINT LOUIS HUB, OTHER AIRLINES ADDED FLIGHTS TO SAINT LOUIS).MARKET CHANGES. PLANES GET PULLED OUT OF WEAK MARKETS AND SENT TO STRONGER ROUTES IN RESPONSE TO ECONOMIC CHANGES. FLIGHT RESCHEDULING. AIRLINES CHANGE TIMES TO BETTER COORDINATE OTHER ROUTES OPERATED BY THE SAME PLANES AND CREWSIMPROVE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE. POOR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE RATINGS CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH REGULATORS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS. AIRLINES MAY CHANGE TIMES (THOUGH AIRLINES DENY DOING THIS) ON FLIGHTS WITH BAD ON-PERFORMANCE RATINGS TO A TIME WHEN IT IS EASIER TO ENSURE THAT FLIGHTS ARRIVE ON TIME. (AIRLINES ARE ACCUSED OF EXTENDING THEIR FLIGHT TIME BY 20-30 MINUTES TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT THE FLIGHTS ARRIVE ON-TIME. I REMEMBER AFTER 2008 ECONOMIC CRASH IN THE US, ARRIVING THE LOS ANGELES AIRPORT TO PICK SOMEONE UP AND REALIZING THAT EVERY FLIGHT ARRIVED AT LEAST TEN MINUTES EARLY. I SUSPECT THIS WAS BECAUSE THE AIRPORT WAS NOT AS BUSY AS BEFORE THE CRASH AND THE AIRLINES HAD PADDED THE FLIGHT TIMES BEFORE THE ECONOMIC CRASH TO ENSURE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE).THE CHAIN EFFECT. SINCE AIRPLANES FLY MULTIPLE TRIPS EACH DAY, CHANGING THE TIME OF ONE FLIGHT MAY FORCE ADJUSTING 10 OTHER FLIGHTS FOR THAT SINGLE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTS IN CHANGES TO CONNECTIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS.AIRPLANE EQUIPMENT CHANGES. SOME AIRPLANES TAKE LONGER TO TURNAROUND DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE PLANE OR MECHANICAL DESIGN (CLEANING, CHECKED BAGGAGE REMOVAL, REFUELING, MAINTENANCE CHECK). FOR EXAMPLE, SWAPPING OUT A 737 FOR A 777 MEANS THAT THERE ARE NOW 100+ MORE SEATS TO CLEAN AND HUNDREDS OF GALLONS OF MORE FUEL TO FILL UP, RESULTING IN A LONGER TURNAROUND TIME AT THE AIRPORT AND THUS A CHANGED FLIGHT DEPARTURE TIMECHANGES IN PERSONNEL AVAILABILITY.FLIGHT CONNECTIONS. BY CHANGING FLIGHT TIMES, AIRLINES CAN BETTER ACCOMMODATE CONNECTING PASSENGERS. IF AN AIRLINE FINDS THAT A FLIGHT IS BOOKED WITH MANY ONWARD PASSENGERS TO A PARTICULAR CONNECTING FLIGHT, THEY AY CHANGE THE FLIGHT TIME OF THE FIRST FLIGHT TO ENSURE A SMOOTHER CONNECTION.WEATHER. A HARSHER THAN EXPECTED WINTER ON THE EAST COAST MAY RESULT IN SLOWER TURNAROUND TIMES FOR FLIGHTSSPECIAL EVENTS. EVENTS THAT DO NOT OCCUR REGULARLY I.E. THE OLYMPICS, WORLD CUP, ETC. OR EVEN THE ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE OF A DIGNITARY?S AIRPLANE ALL MAY IMPACT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AT AIRPORTS. GOVERNMENTS REVOKE THE RIGHTS OF AN AIRLINE TO FLY A CERTAIN ROUTE.CONSUMER ADVOCATES ARGUE THAT AIRLINES SHOULD HAVE TO COMPENSATE TRAVELERS WHO INCUR COSTS BASED ON AIRLINE INSTIGATED CHANGES, SIMILAR TO COMPENSATION THAT THE AIRLINES ARE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR BUMPING TRAVELERS AT THE AIRPORT.Rise of Budget AirlinesFOLLOWING DEREGULATION OF THE US AIRLINE INDUSTRY IN THE 1970S, MANY NEW CARRIERS WERE FORMED TO CHALLENGE THE DOMINANCE OF THE SO-CALLED LEGACY CARRIERS (UNITED, AMERICAN, ETC.). MOST OF THESE CHALLENGERS ATTEMPTED TO UNDERCUT THE LEGACY CARRIERS’ PRICES. (BEFORE DEREGULATION, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED WHAT ROUTES THE AIRLINES WOULD FLY AND DETERMINED THE PRICING SYSTEM. MOST TICKETS, BY THE WAY, WERE PRICED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MILES TRAVELED.)IN THE FIRST DECADE OR TWO AFTER DEREGULATION, HUNDREDS OF THESE CHALLENGERS APPEARED AND DISAPPEARED SEEMINGLY OVERNIGHT. IF A CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BUY A TICKET ON THESE AIRLINES BEFORE THE COMPANY WENT BANKRUPT, THEY COULD GET A GOOD DEAL; HOWEVER, AS A WHOLE, SINCE THESE CHALLENGERS ENTERED AND LEFT THE SCENE SO QUICKLY, THEY MADE ONLY A SMALL IMPACT ON THE COST OF THE FARES THAT MOST CONSUMERS PAID.IN THE 1990S, SOUTHWEST BEGAN TO CHALLENGE THESE LEGACY CARRIERS VERY EFFECTIVELY BY DEVELOPING AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT BUSINESS STRUCTURE THAN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY EVER HAD BEFORE. IT: 1) SIMPLIFIED ITS PRICING STRUCTURE (THERE ARE USUALLY ONLY THREE TO FIVE PRICES FOR EACH FLIGHT BASED ON FAIRLY SIMPLE CRITERIA SUCH AS HOW MANY DAYS IN ADVANCE YOU BUY A TICKET AND WHETHER YOU BUY A TICKET ONLINE) 2) CHANGED THE HIRING PRACTICES OF THE INDUSTRY (BY HIRING NONUNION LABOR AND GIVING THE EMPLOYEES THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THE SPOT) AND 3) RADICALLY ALTERED THE INDUSTRIES’ TRADITIONAL ROUTING STRUCTURE BY USING LESS POPULAR AIRPORTS (SUCH AS BURBANK IN LOS ANGELES, OAKLAND IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, ISLIP IN NEW YORK CITY, AND MIDWAY IN CHICAGO) AND SPECIALIZING IN SHORT HOPS RATHER THAN LONG HAUL FLIGHTS. (IF YOU FLEW ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU MADE AT LEAST ONE, OFTEN TWO OR THREE, STOPS ON SOUTHWEST).SOUTHWEST PROVED PROFITABLE WHILE THE LEGACY CARRIERS UNTIL THE LAST SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, FLOUNDERED. AS A RESULT, THE LEGACY CARRIERS AND SOUTHWEST BECAME MORE ALIKE. THE LEGACY CARRIERS ADOPTED SOUTHWEST AIRLINE PRICING STRATEGIES IN THE LATE 1990S AND 2000S. WHILE SOUTHWEST SOUGHT TO ATTRACT MORE LEGACY CUSTOMERS BY OFFERED ITS OWN FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, BECOING THE ONLY MAJOR AIRLINE IN THE USA THAT DOES NOT CHARGE BAGGAGE FEES. IT ALSO IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS EXPANDED ITS FLIGHT SCHEDULES TO INCLUDE DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE USA, BEGAN TO FLY MORE LONGER HAUL DOMESTIC FLIGHTS, AND PROVIDED MORE SERVICE BETWEEN LARGE US AIRPORTS.IN THE 2000S, BUDGET AIRLINES BECAME A FACT OF LIFE THROUGHOUT THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE. TODAY, THEY EVEN PROVIDE 50% OF THE AIR TRAFFIC IN EUROPE. AS A RESULT OF BUDGET CARRIERS, AIR TRAVEL HAS BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE. THERE ARE MORE AND MORE FIRST-TIME FLYERS (PARTICULARLY IN EMERGING COUNTRIES) AND MANY YOUNG AND LOWER-INCOME PEOPLE (PARTICULARLY IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD) ARE FLYING MORE OFTEN. LIKE SOUTHWEST PREVIOUSLY, BUDGET CARRIERS WORLDWIDE ARE BEGINNING TO LOOK MORE LIKE LEGACY CARRIERS BY: (1) EXPANDING THEIR NETWORK INTO THE TRANSATLANTIC AND TRANSPACIFIC FLIGHTS; (2) DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO ATTRACT BUSINESS CLIENTELE BY SELLING TICKETS THROUGH THE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS OR GDS (GDS ARE USED BY MANY CORPORATE BUYERS) AND LAUNCHING THEIR OWN FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS; AND (3) USING MORE MAJOR CITY AIRPORTS. CONVERSELY, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE US TWENTY YEARS AGO, LEGACY CARRIERS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE LIKE THE BUDGET AIRLINES IN ORDER TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE. I SUSPECT THAT, SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN THE US, WE WILL ALSO SEE SOME BUDGET AIRLINES DISAPPEAR, MORE AIRLINE CONSOLIDATION, INCREASING PRICES FROM BUDGET CARRIERS (ESPECIALLY AS THEIR STAFF AND PLANES GET OLDER), AND THAT LARGE BUDGET CARRIERS WILL JOIN ALLIANCES WITH THE LEGACY CARRIERS.Consumers Pay High Taxes on Travel Industry ProductsOVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS, PARTICULARLY FOLLOWING SINCE 9/11, I HAVE NOTICED A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN TRAVEL-RELATED TAXES. THIRTY YEARS AGO, TAXES WERE 10-40% OF WHAT THEY ARE TODAY. IT IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE RHYME AND REASON OF THESE TAXES BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF TAXES HAS ALSO GONE UP AND THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE TAXES ARE CONFUSING. AirfareNOWADAYS WHEN YOU BOOK AN AIRFARE, MOST WEBSITES WILL INCLUDE ALL TAXES (BUT NOT FEES) IN THE AIRFARE THEY QUOTE YOU. HOWEVER, SOMETIME BEFORE YOU BUY THE TICKETS YOU WILL SEE AN ACCOUNTING THAT SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH TAXES ARE INCLUDED IN THE FARE. DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU GO, THESE TAXES WILL USUALLY CONSTITUTE BETWEEN 5 AND 50% OF YOUR TOTAL AIRFARE. ON SOME ESPECIALLY LOW-COST FLIGHTS, YOU MAY EVEN PAY MORE IN TAXES THAN FOR THE FLIGHT! (NOTE: SOME TAXES ARE BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF THE FARE, OTHERS ARE A SET AMOUNT, AND A FEW IMPOSE HIGHER TAXES DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF AIRFARE (I.E. BUDGET VS. FIRST CLASS)). OF THE 15 MOST POPULAR DESTINATIONS FOR AMERICAN TRAVELERS, VALUEPENGUIN FOUND THAT THE U.K. CHARGES THE HEAVIEST ENTRY TAX AT $209; JAMAICA AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ARE CHARGE $158 AND $146 IN TAXES RESPECTIVELY. TAXES IN MEXICO AND CANADA CONSTITUTE ABOUT 30% OF AVERAGE AIRFARE. (FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE WWW.TAXES-RAISE-INTERNATIONAL-AIRFARE). U.S. TAXES RANGE FROM APPROXIMATELY 15-40% OF THE AIRFARE. (GENERALLY, THE LOWER THE COST OF THE TICKET, THE HIGHER THE PERCENTAGE OF TAXES PAID). THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE TAXES THAT MAY BE INCLUDED IN AIRPLANE TICKET INVOLVING TRAVEL IN THE US: SEPTEMBER 11 SECURITY FEE; PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE; US FEDERAL DOMESTIC SEGMENT FEE; US TRAVEL FACILITIES TAX (ONLY APPLICABLE TO FLIGHTS TO/FROM/BETWEEN THE CONTINENTAL USA AND ALASKA AND HAWAII); US IMMIGRATION USER FEE; US CUSTOMS USER FEE; US APHIS USER FEE; AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION TAXES (THIS CAN BE AS MUCH AS $200+); FEDERAL EXCISE TAX (8% ON DOMESTIC FLIGHTS) AS A WHOLE, MOST TAXES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR IMPROVING AIRPORTS, AIRPORT SECURITY, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, TOURIST MARKETING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AND, OCCASIONALLY, ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION.When flying internationally, you should also be aware THAT OCCASIONALLY (LESS AND LESS FREQUENT) the airport imposes a departure tax that is not included in the ticket. (Almost every airport imposes the fee in some way or another. In THESE destinations, USUALLY in Latin America, you will be required to pay this tax—sometimes as high as $100—at the airport at the time of departure.Hotel TaxesUNLIKE AIRFARES, MOST HOTEL WEBSITES DO NOT QUOTE YOU THE PRICES WITH TAXES INCLUDED. YOU OFTEN WILL NEED TO WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE ABOUT TO BOOK THE ROOM AND THEN YOU WILL FIND OUT THE FULL PRICES INCLUDING TAXES. SOME WEBSITES LIKE JUST LET YOU KNOW THE FINAL AMOUNT WITHOUT DETAILING WHEN THE TAXES ARE GOING. ( ALSO INCLUDES AN UNDISCLOSED FEE FOR THEIR SERVICES WITH THE TAXES). IN THE US AND CANADA, TAXES ARE USUALLY NOT INCLUDED EVEN WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU BOOK A ROOM THROUGH IN THE US OR CANADA, DON?T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU CHECK OUT AND DISCOVER THAT THE HOTEL CHARGES YOU MORE THAN YOU WERE QUOTED ON THE SITE. (NOTE: DOES DISCLOSE THE AMOUNT OF THE TAXES THAT YOU WILL PAY AT THE COUNTER BEFORE YOU BOOK THE HOTEL). THE AMOUNT OF HOTEL TAXES IN THE US AND CANADA IS USUALLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 15-25% OF THE ROOM COSTS. THESE TAXES ARE OFTEN CALLED "OCCUPANCY TAXES OR FEES.". YOU MAY ALSO SEE THESE FEES ASSESSED ON SHARED ECONOMY SYSTEMS LIKE AIRBNB.MOST OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE HOTEL TAXES BUT THEY ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE ROOM COSTS QUOTED BY THE HOTEL. (OFTEN THESE FEES WILL BE DISCLOSED AS VALUE ADDED TAXES, OR VATS, AND ARE OFTEN THE SAME RATE AS IS ASSESSED ON THE SALE OF MOST ITEMS IN THAT COUNTRY). SOME EUROPEAN CITIES WILL CHARGE A COUPLE OF EUROS A DAY PER PERSON PER NIGHT FOR LOCAL TAXES AT CHECKOUT. THESE FEES ARE USUALLY INDICATED ON MOST HOTEL OR ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY WEBSITES. Port Fees and TaxesLIKE HOTELS, MOST CRUISE COMPANY AND ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCIES DO NOT INCLUDE PORT FEES AND TAXES IN THE FIRST PRICE THAT YOU ARE QUOTED. YOU WILL FIND OUT HOW MUCH THE TOTAL COST OF THE CRUISE IS BEFORE BOOKING THE CRUISE. TYPICALLY, YOU WILL PAY BETWEEN 10 TO 25 PERCENT FOR TAXES AND FEES. GENERALLY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE ANY ACCOUNTING FOR THESE FEES AND TAXES. THESE FEES AND TAXES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: BAGGAGE HANDLING AT DEPARTURE AND FINAL DESTINATION, SECURITY, TOW BOATS, FACILITY CHARGES, ETC.Car RentalsLIKE MOST NON-AIRLINE-RELATED TRAVEL SERVICES, CAR RENTAL WEBSITES USUALLY BASE THEIR FIRST QUOTE BASED ON THE COST OF THE CAR RENTAL WITHOUT FEES AND TAXES. THE TAXES ADD BETWEEN 10 AND 25 PERCENT TO MOST RENTALS. USUALLY ONCE FEES ARE ADDED, THE FIRST QUOTE AND THE QUOTE THAT YOU RECEIVE AT BOOKING VARY SIGNIFICANTLY. IN ADDITION TO STANDARD SALES AND VAT TAXES, THERE ARE OTHER TAXES AND FEES THAT ARE ASSESSED FOR RENTAL CARS. SOME, SUCH AS STADIUM FEES, ARE SIMILAR TO THE FEES CHARGED FOR HOTELS. OTHER ARE SIMPLY ADDITIONAL SALES TAXES. Increased Low-Cost Routing and Ticketing OptionsOne of the biggest positive changes in the industry is that nowadays you can buy many types of tickets that used to be prohibitively expensive. It used to be that airlines charged as much as possible for anything other than a roundtrip ticket between big city airports because they believed that these tickets would only be purchased by businesspeople (who the airlines believed would be willing to pay almost anything to get to their destinations). Some of these extremely expensive tickets of yore included one-way tickets (which often were 50% more than a roundtrip ticket), multiple destination travel (making stopovers on the way to your final destination), open jaw tickets (open jaw tickets involve using different airport(s) on one leg of a flight from the other), and any flights leaving/arriving from an off-the-beaten-path destination. The Travel Industry is Consolidating All the TimeTHE NUMBER OF MAJOR PLAYERS THROUGHOUT ALL MAJOR SEGMENTS OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY IS CONSTANTLY GETTING SMALLER AS COMPANIES CONTINUALLY BUY UP THEIR COMPETITORS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND TO REDUCE COMPETITION.MANY TIMES, CONSUMERS BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE BUYING PRODUCTS FROM MANY DIFFERENT COMPANIES, AND LATER DISCOVER THAT INSTEAD THEY ARE BUYING SERVICES FROM DIFFERENT BRANDS OWNED BY THE SAME COMPANY.THE INDUSTRY TRIES TO CREATE THE ALLUSION THAT THERE IS MORE COMPETITION THAN REALLY EXISTS BY DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCT LINES WITH A DIFFERENT NAME. OFTEN WHEN THEY BUY A COMPETITOR THEY KEEP THE NAME AND MANY OF THE PRODUCT FEATURES- CARNIVAL AND ROYAL CARIBBEAN ARE AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THIS PROCESS. MANY CONSUMERS BELIEVE THAT HOLLAND AMERICAN, PRINCESS, AND CARNIVAL ARE DIFFERENT COMPANIES BECAUSE THEY SEEM QUITE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. (MORE ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE BRANDS IN SECTION__). YET, ALL THREE CRUISELINES (AS WELL OF SEVERAL OTHER LINES) ARE OWNED BY THE CARNIVAL CORPORATION.THE FOLLOWING IS A DISCUSSION OF THE EFFECTS OF MERGERS ON AIRLINES AND NON-AIRLINE TRAVEL SERVICE PROVIDERS:AirlinesThe Major Players in the USACONSOLIDATION HAS THE GREATEST EFFECT ON AIRLINES, PARTICULARLY IN THE US AND CANADA, OF ALL THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY.OVER THE LAST DECADE THE U.S. AIRLINE INDUSTRY HAS UNDERGONE THE MOST DRAMATIC CONSOLIDATION IN ITS HISTORY, LEAVING TRAVELERS WITH THE CHOICE OF JUST FOUR AIRLINES FOR OVER 80% OF ALL DOMESTIC FLIGHTS. THREE OF THESE AIRLINES ARE LARGE, HUB-ORIENTED, GLOBAL LEGACY CARRIERS (AMERICAN, UNITED, DELTA). THE OTHER IS LARGE, POINT-TO-POINT ORIENTED ‘LOW COST’ CARRIER (SOUTHWEST)The Rest of the Airline IndustryTHE REMAINING 20% OR SO OF THE AIRLINE MARKET IS IN THE HANDS OF SIX MUCH SMALLER CARRIERS, EACH WITH LESS THAN 5% OF THE MARKETTHESE AIRLINES INCLUDE?THREE SMALLER, PRIMARILY REGIONAL CARRIERS (ALASKA, JETBLUE, HAWAIIAN)?THREE MUCH SO-CALLED ‘ULTRA LOW-COST CARRIERS’ OR ‘ULCCS’ (SPIRIT, FRONTIER, ALLEGIANT).AIRLINE MERGERS DIFFER FROM OTHER TRAVEL MERGERS: ACQUIRED BRANDS CONTINUE OPERATING UNDER THEIR OWN NAMES IN OTHER TRAVEL SECTORS, BUT WHEN AIRLINES MERGE, THE WEAKER NAME IS RETIRED AND THE COMPANY OFTEN CONTRACTS FLIGHTS, ROUTES AND HUBS.KEVIN MITCHELL, CHAIRMAN OF THE BUSINESS TRAVEL COALITION, NOTES: "MOST CONSUMERS CANNOT GET ALL THEIR NEEDS MET BY ONE OF THESE AIRLINES. IN FACT, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MONOPOLY MARKETS, AND AS SUCH, IMPERFECT COMPETITION, AND NO TRUE PRODUCT SUBSTITUTION FOR MANY TRIPS." CONSOLIDATION IS PARTICULARLY BAD FOR CUSTOMERS IN HUBS, LIKE ST LOUIS UNDER AMERICAN (AFTER TWA MERGER), WHERE SERVICE IS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED IN FAVOR OF OTHER HUBS (IN THIS CASE, DALLAS).MOST ANALYSTS CONCLUDE THAT THE FOUR LARGE CARRIERS CANNOT MERGE WITH ANY OF THE REMAINING SIX CARRIERS FOR ANTITRUST REASONS. DOES THIS MEAN CONSOLIDATION IS OVER? IT WOULD APPEAR AT FIRST GLANCE THAT AIRLINE CONSOLIDATION COULD SUBSIDE IN THE FUTURE. EACH OF THE REMAINING SIX SMALLER CARRIERS HAS A SUCCESSFUL NICHE. NONE ARE FINANCIALLY TROUBLED. MANY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING LARGE CARRIERS RELUCTANCE TO GO INTO NEW MARKETS UNTIL THEY HAVE AN ASSURANCE OF THE PROFITABILITY OF SUCH A DECISION. THAT SAID, WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE THE FOLLOWING CONSOLIDATIONS OF THESE SIX REMAINING AIRLINES:?MANY ANALYSTS ANTICIPATE A MERGER BETWEEN JET BLUE OR HAWAIIAN AIRLINES AND ALASKA/VIRGIN. WITH THESE MERGERS, JETBLUE WOULD ADD EAST COAST PRESENCE TO THE NEW MERGED WEST COAST ALASKA/VIRGIN. HAWAIIAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, WOULD ENHANCE WEST COAST PRESENCE WHILE ADDING ASIA PACIFIC?THE OTHER POSSIBLE MERGER WOULD BE BETWEEN SPIRIT, FRONTIER, AND/OR ALLEGIANT BASED ON THEIR SIMILARITY IN BUSINESS MODELS (ULCC) AND FLEET COMMONALITY; THEIR HEAVY RELIANCE ON ANCILLARY FEES. COMMENTS ABOUT CANADA AND MAYBE MEXICOConsolidation in Europe’s Airline Industry WHILE THERE IS MUCH MORE COMPETITION IN THE EUROPEAN AIRLINE INDUSTRY (THERE WERE 38 EUROPEAN AIRLINES IN 2016), CONSUMERS SHOULD EXPECT MORE CONSOLIDATION IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY IN EUROPE IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF THE LOW PROFITABLY OF MANY NATIONAL AIRLINES AND COMPETITION FROM LOW-COST AIRLINES AND HIGH-?SERVICE MIDDLE EASTERN AND ASIAN CARRIERS. HOWEVER, THE CONSOLIDATION WILL PROBABLY OCCUR LESS QUICKLY THAN IN NORTH AMERICA BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEGREE OF EUROPEAN AIRLINE REGULATION.Non-Airline ConsolidationsOnline Travel AgenciesEXPEDIA HAS BEEN GOBBLING UP OTHER ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCIES FOR 15 YEARS NOW, LEAVING ABOUT 80% OF THE U.S. DOMINATED BY JUST TWO MAJOR PLAYERS: EXPEDIA AND THE PRICELINE GROUP. ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCIES ARE NOT AS PLENTIFUL THEY APPEAR. EXPEDIA OWNS 12 TRAVEL BRANDS, INCLUDING TRAVELOCITY, HOTWIRE, , ORBITZ AND EGENCIA; PRICELINE OWNS PRICELINE, KAYAK AND . (IN ADDITION, EXPEDIA RECENTLY BOUGHT HOMEAWAY, PROBABLY BEST KNOWN FOR ITS VRBO (VACATION RENTAL BY OWNERS SITE), THE SECOND LARGEST VACATION RENTAL ONLINE SITE, AFTER AIRBNB).Car RentalsNINE BRANDS ARE OWNED BY JUST THREE CORPORATIONS:AVIS BUDGET GROUP OPERATES AVIS, BUDGET AND PAYLESS (AND ZIPCAR)ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS OPERATES ALAMO, ENTERPRISE AND NATIONALHERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGS OPERATES DOLLAR, HERTZ AND THRIFTYTHESE THREE COMPANIES ALONE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 90% OF THE CAR RENTAL MARKET IN THE USA (UP FROM 65% IN 2005). THEY OPERATE OVER 30,000 WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY ON EARTH. THEY HAVE ALSO INCREASED THEIR MARKET SHARE, OUTSIDE OF THE US BY ACQUIRED SEVERAL RENTAL CAR COMPANIES OUTSIDE OF THE USA IN THE PAST TEN YEARS.INTERESTINGLY THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT THIS LACK OF COMPETITION HAS SUBSTANTIALLY RESULTED IN INCREASED COSTS TO CONSUMERS. THERE ARE TWO REASONS FOR THIS: (1) THE THREE COMPANIES HAVE DEVELOPED BRANDS IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT ARE GEARED TO MORE PRICE SENSITIVE LEISURE TRAVEL MARKETS AND (2) CAR RENTAL COMPANIES ARE FACING SOME COMPETITION FROM THE CAR SHARING MARKET SUCH AS UBER AND LYFT. (SOME TRAVELERS, PARTICULARLY BUSINESS CUSTOMERS, RATHER THAN RENTING A CAR USE CAR SHARING SERVICES TO GO BETWEEN MEETINGS AND THEIR HOTELS).Cruise LinesTHE FOLLOWING THREE CORPORATIONS CONTROL APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE CRUISE MARKET:CARNIVAL CRUISES OWNS NINE LINES, INCLUDING CARNIVAL, COSTA, CUNARD, HOLLAND AMERICA, P&O, PRINCESS AND SEABOURNE. (CARNIVAL CORPORATION ALONE CONTROLS AROUND HALF OF THE MARKET AND OWNS OVER 100 SHIPS).NORWEGIAN CRUISE HOLDINGS OWNS NORWEGIAN, OCEANIA AND REGENT SEVEN SEASROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES OWNS SIX LINES, INCLUDING CELEBRITY AND ROYAL CARIBBEAN.THE REMAINING 20% OF THE MARKET IS DIVIDED BETWEEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CORPORATIONS, WITH THE LARGEST PLAYERS BEING MSC AND DISNEY CRUISES.WHILE CARIBBEAN CRUISES STILL MAKE UP ABOUT HALF OF THE INDUSTRY, THE LAST TEN YEARS HAVE WITNESSED AN INCREDIBLE INCREASE IN ROUTES IN THE REST OF THE WORLD, PARTICULARLY THE MEDITERRANEAN.IN ADDITION, THE NUMBER OF CRUISERS HAS INCREASED MARKEDLY OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS AND STILL APPEARS TO HAVE CONSIDERABLE ROOM FOR GROWTH AS MORE AND MORE TRAVELERS DISCOVER CRUISING AND THE NUMBER OF AVID CRUISERS INCREASES.LodgingSEVEN COMPANIES OWN MORE THAN 80 MAJOR BRANDS. (IN MANY CASES THE SISTER COMPANIES ARE NOT DIRECT COMPETITORS, BUT IN SOME CASES, THEY ARE):CARLSON REZIDOR OPERATES EIGHT BRANDS, INCLUDING COUNTRY INNS, PARK PLAZA AND RADISSONCHOICE HOTELOPERATES 11 BRANDS, INCLUDING CLARION, COMFORT INN, ECONO LODGE, QUALITY AND RODEWAY INNHILTON OPERATES 11 BRANDS, INCLUDING CONRAD, DOUBLETREE, EMBASSY SUITES, HAMPTON, HILTON, HOMEWOOD SUITES AND WALDORF ASTORIAINTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS OPERATES 11 BRANDS, INCLUDING CANDLEWOOD, CROWNE PLAZA, HOLIDAY INN, INTERCONTINENTAL AND STAYBRIDGEMARRIOTT/STARWOOD OPERATES 27 BRANDS, INCLUDING COURTYARD, FAIRFIELD INN, MARRIOTT, RENAISSANCE, RESIDENCE INN, RITZ-CARLTON, SPRINGHILL, LE M?RIDIEN, SHERATON, ST. REGIS, W HOTELS AND WESTINWYNDHAM OPERATES 14 BRANDS, INCLUDING BAYMONT INN, DAYS INN, HAWTHORN, HOWARD JOHNSON, KNIGHTS INN, RAMADA, SUPER 8, TRAVELODGE AND WYNDHAMACCOR, THE LARGEST PLAYER IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY OUTSIDE OF THE USA HAS A WIDE PORTFOLIO OF 26 BRANDS INCLUDES RAFFLES, FAIRMONT, SOFITEL, NOVOTEL AND PULLMAN, IBIS, FORMULE 1, SWISS?TEL, MERCURE AND ADAGIO.LODGING IS THE LARGEST SEGMENT OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY. AS SUCH, THERE ARE MANY PLAYERS IN THE INDUSTRY (AS WELL AS MANY SMALL, INDIVIDUALLY OWNED HOTELS, B&BS, MOTELS, ETC.). WHILE THERE ARE MANY MARKETS WHERE THE ABOVE NOTED CHAINS HOLD THE MAJORITY OF THE LODGING MARKET, THE INDUSTRY IS NOT NEARLY AS DOMINATED BY A FEW COMPANIES AS THE OTHER SEGMENT OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY. THAT SAID, CONSOLIDATION IS MORE ACTIVE IN THE LODGING MARKET THAN MOST OTHER SEGMENTS IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY. THE 2016 MERGER OF MARRIOTT AND STARWOOD LEFT IT AS THE DOMINANT PLAYER IN SEVERAL LARGE MARKETS, SUCH AS MINNEAPOLIS AND MEXICO CITY, PARTICULARLY IN NORTH AMERICA. WE SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE MORE AND MORE CONSOLIDATION PARTICULARLY SINCE THERE ARE STILL MANY CHAINS AND INDIVIDUAL HOTELS LEFT FOR THE DOMINANT PLAYERS TO ACQUIRE. THAT SAID, HOTEL CHAINS WILL PROBABLY NOT DOMINATE THE LODGING INDUSTRY BECAUSE: (1) THEY WILL FACE INCREASING COMPETITION FROM THE SHARE ECONOMY, ESPECIALLY AIRBNB, AND (2) THE SMALLER, INDIVIDUAL HOTEL AND CHAINS WILL BE ABLE TO STEM OFF PRESSURE FROM LARGER PLAYERS IN THE INDUSTRY BY CONCENTRATING ON IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE (MEANING GOOD REVIEWS ON SITES LIKE TRIP ADVISOR) AND SPECIALIZED CONSUMER EXPERIENCES. What are the Effects of Industry Consolidation on Travel Consumers? SOME TRAVEL EXPERTS SUPPORT CONSOLIDATION BASED ON THEIR BELIEF THAT IT CREATES FINANCIALLY STRONGER CORPORATIONS, AND PROMOTES SOME BENEFITS, SUCH AS GREATER PURCHASING POWER AND MORE EXPANSIVE LOYALTY PROGRAMS, THAT CAN BENEFIT TRAVELERS. HOWEVER, MANY EXPERTS CAUTION THAT THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF CONSUMERS NOT BENEFITTING FROM MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS. IN MOST INDUSTRIES, CUSTOMERS ARE BEST SERVED WHEN COMPETITORS FIGHT FIERCELY TO PLEASE CONSUMERS, NOT CONSPIRE AGAINST CONSUMERS? INTERESTS. CONSOLIDATION MAY HELP A COMPANY'S BOTTOM LINE, BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, IT DOES NOT BENEFIT CONSUMERS.The Travel Industry Has Been Changed Dramatically by the Rise of the Share EconomyACCORDING TO THE OXFORD DICTIONARY, THE SHARING ECONOMY IS ¨AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM IN WHICH ASSETS OR SERVICES ARE SHARED BETWEEN PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, EITHER FREE OR FOR A FEE, TYPICALLY BY MEANS OF THE INTERNET. THANKS TO THE SHARING ECONOMY YOU CAN EASILY RENT OUT YOUR CAR, YOUR APARTMENT OR HOUSE, YOUR BIKE, EVEN YOUR WI-FI NETWORK WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT." WHILE THE “SHARING ECONOMY” HAS BECOME A BUZZ PHRASE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, HISTORICALLY, SHARING POSSESSION, SKILLS, AND IDEAS WAS THE BASIS OF MOST ECONOMIES UNTIL A COUPLE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.WITHIN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, ORDINARY PEOPLE ENGAGE IN THE SHARING ECONOMY BY SHARING OR EXCHANGING A ROOM, A HOUSE, OR A CAR FOR MONEY OR OTHER SERVICES. DESPITE ALL THE RECENT PUBLICITY, THE SHARING ECONOMY HAS BEEN PART OF TRAVEL INDUSTRY FOR MANY YEARS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXCHANGING HOUSES WITH EACH OTHER FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS, AND RENTING ROOMS, HOMES, AND APARTMENTS FROM EACH OTHER FOR CENTURIES.THE FOLLOWING FACTORS HAS MADE THE SHARING ECONOMY BECOME SO CHIC AND PERVASIVE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS:SHARING ECONOMY COMPANIES (PARTICULARLY UBER AND AIRBNB) HAVE USED VERY EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES TO MAKE THE IDEA OF STAYING IN A STRANGER?S HOME OR GET INTO A STRANGERS? CAR ACCEPTABLE TO A MASS AUDIENCE.EXPAND ON THIS IDEA- THE CORE PRINCIPLE OF THE SHARING ECONOMY – “UNUSED VALUE IS WASTED VALUE”INTERNET SITES AND MOBILE PHONE APPS HAVE MADE IT COST EFFECTIVE AND EASY FOR CUSTOMERS TO POST AND RESPOND TO LISTINGS FOR SHARING ECONOMY PRODUCTS (CARS, ROOMS, AND EVEN PRIVATE PLANES) AND FOR COMPANIES TO MAKE GOOD MONEY BY TAKING A SMALL CUT FROM EACH TRANSACTION. SOME OF THE BEST-KNOWN SHARING ECONOMY TRAVEL PLAYERS INCLUDE:?COUCHSURFING. FOUNDED AS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, TODAY COUCHSURFING INTERNATIONAL OPERATES AS A FOR-PROFIT HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE WITH NEARLY 14 MILLION TRAVELERS AND 400,000 HOSTS AROUND THE WORLD. THE IDEA OF HOSTING GUESTS IN PRIVATE HOMES HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE JUST AFTER WORLD WAR II, WHEN SERVAS, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, WAS DEVELOPED TO PROMOTE CULTURAL EXCHANGE. ?AIRBNB – AIRBNB CONNECTS HOME OWNERS WITH TRAVELERS AND MAKES A PROFIT OUT OF BOTH. IT BEGAN WITH THE IDEA OF PROMOTING CULTURAL EXCHANGE, HOWEVER, IT HAS MORPHED INTO A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY. 16.9% OF ALL AMERICANS STAYED IN AN AIRBNB AT LEAST ONCE ACCORDING TO MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN 2017. (MORE ON AIRBNB IN CHAPTER _____).?UBER. UBER HAS INTRODUCED A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL APP-BASED SERVICE THAT MATCHES PEOPLE WITH A CAR THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO USE AS A TAXI WITH CLIENTS NEEDING A RIDE. NEARLY ONE-FIFTH OF THE U.S. POPULATION HAILED AN UBER VEHICLE IN 2017. (MORE ON UBER IN CHAPTER___).What Does the Sharing Economy Mean for the Travel Industry?THE ESTABLISHED TRAVEL INDUSTRY IS BEGINNING TO REACT. WORKSPACES, HOTEL ROOMS AND RENTAL CARS ARE BECOMING AVAILABLE ON HOURLY BASIS, AND MORE PRODUCTS ARE FEATURED AS PART OF THE SHARING ECONOMY, INCLUDING HOTEL ROOMS. LIKE THE INTERNET, THE SHARING ECONOMY IS MORE COMMON IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY THAN IN MOST OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE ECONOMY. TAKE A LOOK AT THESE VALUATIONS OF SOME OF ITS BIGGEST PLAYERS (MUCH BIGGER THAN MANY OF THEIR TRADITIONAL CAR TRANSPORTATION AND HOTEL RIVALS):UBER – VALUED AT $18.2 BILLIONAIRBNB – VALUED AT $13 BILLION (WITH AN ESTIMATED 300 MILLION CUSTOMERS)LYFT – VALUED AT $2.5 BILLION(SOURCE OF VALUE ESTIMATIONS, )The Key to the Travel Industry?s Growth Lies in Emerging Countries and ChinaTHE TRAVEL INDUSTRY IS WITNESSING A DRAMATIC GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF AFFLUENT TRAVELERS FROM “EMERGING” MARKET COUNTRIES.THE IMPACT OF THESE EMERGING MARKET TRAVELERS CAN ALREADY BE SEEN IN PATTERNS OF OVERSEAS TRAVEL INTO THE UNITED STATES. BETWEEN THE EARLY 2000S AND 2014, THE PERCENTAGE OF OVERSEAS TRAVELERS (EXCLUDING CANADA AND MEXICO) TO THE US FROM EMERGING MARKETS – INCREASED FROM ONE-THIRD TO OVER ONE-HALF OF ALL VISITORS.TRAVELERS FROM THE EMERGING COUNTRIES ARE ALSO CHANGING THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY. THEY SPEND MORE, ON AVERAGE, PER PURCHASE AT RETAIL, PARTICULARLY HIGH-END STORES, IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD. EMERGING COUNTRY TRAVELERS ARE ALSO SPURRING GROWTH IN THE AIR TRAVEL MARKET. GROWTH IN AIR TRAFFIC IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION AND AFRICA IS THREE TIMES THAT OF THE USA AND THE TOP 10 FASTEST GROWING AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD ARE ALL IN EMERGING COUNTRIES. (NOTE: JUST FROM PERSONAL OBSERVATION, I AM AMAZED AT THE HIGH QUALITY OF AIRPORTS IN ASIA VS. THE POOR STATE OF AIRPORTS IN THE USA AND SOME PARTS OF EUROPE).LEADING HOTELS AND CRUISE LINES ARE NOW FOCUSING MUCH OF THEIR NEW INVESTMENT IN EMERGING COUNTRIES. TO CAPTURE THIS MARKET, HOTELS ARE DEVELOPING MANY CHANGES TO ADDRESS THE EMERGING WORLD?S (PARTICULARLY ASIA) COMFORT WITH NEW SMART AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY. IN ADDITION, CRUISES ARE BEING MARKETED MORE AND MORE TO THE EMERGING COUNTRY MARKET SINCE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE MARKET THAT HAVE CRUISED IN EMERGING COUNTRIES IS MUCH SMALLER THAN IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD. (CRUISE COMPANIES ARE ALSO OFFERING MORE AND MORE CRUISES TO DESTINATIONS IN THE EMERGING WORLD THAT ARE GEARED TOWARD CLIENTS FROM THAT REGION).PEOPLE FROM EMERGING COUNTRIES ARE ALSO TRAVELING MORE ARE MORE WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES. BETWEEN 2008 AND 2013, MEXICO SAW A DECREASE IN TRAVELERS FROM USA WHICH WAS MORE THAN COMPENSATED BY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MEXICAN TOURISTS WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. (THE NUMBER OF TRAVELERS FROM EUROPE TO MEXICO ALSO INCREASED DURING THE PERIOD).Expect Continuous Future Customer Service Reductions (Unless You Pay Beaucoup Bucks for Better Service)Until about fifteen years ago, the legacy carriers generally looked and felt different from Southwest. They served complimentary meals, showed movies, and did other small things to make their customers feel comfortable. They also flew longer routes which required fewer stops and connections. Today none of these differences apply. Airlines have: 1) reduced their staffs so much (and given the few that remain so much responsibility) that their employees are becoming justifiably increasingly surly; and 2) looked for excuses to cut corners to such a degree that they no longer even carry pillows to reduce their onboard weight.In addition, after 9/11 security has become more and more obtrusive and time-consuming Yet, despite these changes, more and more people are flying. I suspect this is because of two factors: 1) the industry’s lower overall cost and 2) many consumers actually feel more secure flying because of the security checkpoints than they did before 9/11. Ironically, I feel less secure because the checkpoints separate me from my luggage, increasing the chance that I could inadvertently leave something behind and also making it easier for someone to steal something because I am not able to pay as much attention to my luggage. (Note: Airports and bus stations are the places where you are most likely, statistically, to have something stolen.)I expect that over time the costs of flights will increase, the level of service will continue to decrease, and the consumer will ultimately be the loser.The general quality of airline travel in the U.S. has declined to such a point that I always seek out foreign carriers if I have a choice. They still have a fairly high level of service and their security is not as obtrusive, particularly if you are flying to East Asia. Unfortunately, foreigncarriers are forbidden from flying domestic U.S. routes. I believe that, in the long run, the only solution to the problems of the airline industry from a consumers’ standpoint would be for the U.S. government to allow foreign carriers to service domestic routes (though I think the chance of that happening are about the same as a snowstorm in the city of Los Angeles). Conclusion: The Best Way to Save Money in the Past, Present, and Especially the Future Will Be to Follow the Tips Outlined Later in this BookletAs the loopholes close up, hotels and planes run full, and customer service becomes more and more a thing of the past, I think that as time goes by the best way to travel will be to: 1) opt-out of the traditional travel industry and 2) concentrate your cost saving energies on what you do once you’ve arrived at your destination. You will always need to rely on the industry to get you to your destination; however, once you are at your destination you can easily go outside the industry, save money, and even have a more authentic and interesting travel experience. PART ONE: PASSPORTS AND VISASPassportsYou need a passport (or passport card) to travel overseas nowadays. IN THE U.S. YOU CAN APPLY FOR A NEW PASSPORT AT AN ¨ACCEPTANCE FACILITY¨ (MOSTLY POST OFFICES) IF YOU APPLY 4-6 WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF TRAVEL. THEY WILL DO A CURSORY REVIEW AND SEND TO PROCESSING CENTER. IF YOU ARE RENEWING A PASSPORT, YOU CAN SEND IT TO THE PASSPORT PROCESSING CENTER BY MAIL (OR YOU CAN GO TO ONE OF THE ACCEPTANCE FACILITIES). IN SEVERAL CITIES (MOSTLY LARGER CITIES LIKE BOSTON OR SETTLE), YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET A PASSPORT PROCESSED IN A HURRY FOR EXTRA MONEY (WITH PROOF OF TRAVEL). CHECK FOR MORE DETAILS ON US REQUIREMENTS. CHECK FOR MORE DETAILS FOR CANADIANS.IF YOU LOSE OR HAVE A PASSPORT STOLEN WHILE YOU ARE ABROAD, YOU WILL HAVE TO GO OUR HOME COUNTY?S CONSULATE (OR EMBASSY, IN SOME LIMITED CASES) TO APPLY FOR A NEW PASSPORT. WHEN I LOST MY PASSPORT IN MERIDA MEXICO, THE PROCESS WAS RELATIVELY SIMPLY TO GET A NEW PASSPORT EXCEPT THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET THE REQUIRED APPOINTMENT AT THE CONSULATE. IF YOU NEED A PASSPORT IN HURRY, KEEP IN MIND THAT NOT ALL CONSULATES CAN HELP YOU. (IN FACT, I NOTICED THAT THE ONE IN MERIDA COULD NOT HAVE HELPED ME IF I NEEDED A PASSPORT QUICKLY). HOWEVER, YOU MAY FIND THAT SOME CONSULATES IN LARGER CITIES CAN ISSUE A PASSPORT IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST PROBLEMATIC PART OF APPLYING FOR A PASSPORT IS ASSURING THAT THE PHOTO MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS. (THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR VISAS). OFTEN THESE REQUIREMENTS DIFFER FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND IT IS NOT UNUSUAL THAT YOU APPLICATION WILL BE REJECTED BECAUSE YOUR PHOTO DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. (THIS IN FACT WAS THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAD WITH GETTING MY REPLACEMENT PASSPORT IN MERIDA. FORTUNATELY, ALL I HAD TO DO IS GET A NEW PICTURE TAKEN AND RETURN TO THE CONSULATE LATER THE SAME DAY). MANY COUNTRIES WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO ENTER THEIR COUNTRY IF YOU HAVE SIX MONTHS OR LESS DURATION LEFT BEFORE YOU PASSPORT EXPIRES. FOR THIS REASON, I ALWAYS RENEW MY PASSPORT AT LEAST EIGHT MONTHS (SIX MONTHS PLUS TWO MONTHS TO PROCESS THE APPLICATION) BEFORE ITS EXPIRATION. VisasCITIZENS OF MOST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES CAN GET PERMISSION TO ENTER THE MAJORITY OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES AS A TOURIST UPON ARRIVAL SIMPLY BY SHOWING YOUR PASSPORT AND ANSWERING THE CUSTOMS OFFICIALS QUESTIONS. THAT SAID, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK TO MAKE SURE IF A VISA IS REQUIRED TO ENTER YOUR DESTINATION. OFTEN PEOPLE ARE DENIED ACCESS ONTO THEIR FLIGHT BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT VISA.YOU MAY BE DENIED ENTRANCE IF YOU HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY (OR THE COUNTRY YOU ARE VISITING). FOR EXAMPLE, US CITIZENS WITH DUI WILL BE REFUSED ENTRANCE TO CANADA, ETC. YOU MAY ALSO BE DENIED ENTRANCE IF YOU HAVE VISITED A COUNTRY THAT THE COUNTRY YOU WILL BE ENTERING DOES NOT LIKE OR RECOGNIZE. UNTIL RECENTLY THIS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE VISITING COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST WITH AN ISRAELI STAMP IN THEIR PASSPORT. FORTUNATELY, MOST CITIZENS OF DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT MOST MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES, MOST NOTABLY UAE, EGYPT, AND JORDAN, WITH AN ISRAELI STAMP. AS A WHOLE, MOST US AND CANADIAN CITIZENS WILL NEED TO GET PERMISSION (TYPICALLY CALLED A VISA) IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY OR ON-LINE PRIOR TO ENTERING THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES (MORE OF THIS LATER):MOST LARGE COUNTRIES—CHINA, INDIA, RUSSIA, BRAZIL.MANY COUNTRIES THAT DO NOT RECEIVE MANY TOURISTS- IE MOST AFRICAN COUNTRIES (SOUTH AFRICA IS A NOTABLE EXCEPTION), SOME FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS (AZERBAIJAN, UZBEKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, ETC.), SOME SOUTHEAST ASIA COUNTRIES (NAMELY VIETNAM, LAOS, MYANMAR, AND CAMBODIA) TRADITIONALLY WHEN GUIDEBOOKS AND TOURIST ORIENTED WEBSITES SAY THAT YOU NEED A VISA TO ENTER A GIVEN COUNTRY THEY MEAN THAT YOU NEED TO GET PERMISSION ON-LINE, BY MAIL, OR IN PERSON FROM THE CONSULATE OF THE COUNTRY BEFORE YOU CAN ENTER SAID COUNTRY. MOST OF TIME THAT CONSULATE WILL BE LOCATED IN THE CAPITOL OF YOUR HOME COUNTRY OR IN THE NEAREST BIG CITY TO YOUR HOMETOWN.IN RECENT YEARS, MANY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES HAVE STARTED TO REQUIRE CITIZENS FROM OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES TO GET AN ¨ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION¨ BEFORE ENTERING THEIR COUNTRY. THIS IS EXTREMELY COMMON FOR ENTERING THE US, CANADA, AND AUSTRALIA. (ONE NOTABLE EXCEPTION CANADA AND USA DO NOT REQUIRE THE ETAS FOR EACH OTHERS? CITIZENS). FOR MOST PEOPLE ELECTRONIC TRAVEL VISAS ARE RELATIVELY EASY TO OBTAIN. YOU GO TO A WEBSITE, PAY A SMALL FEE (AROUND $30 US), FILL OUT A SHORT ON-LINE FORM, AND WAIT TO RECEIVE AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER. NO PHOTOS, SCANNED COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT, ETC., ARE USUALLY REQUIRED. (YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE REQUIRED TO PRINT OUT A COPY OF THE AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER THE COUNTRY).NOWADAYS, YOU CAN GET VISAS MORE AND MORE OFTEN ELECTRONICALLY FROM THE CONSULATE OR EMBASSY THAT SERVES YOUR HOME TOWN. (IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU ARE GOING TO VISIT INDIA AND YOU LIVE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, YOU WOULD GET THE VISA ON-LINE FROM the INDIAN CONSULATE WEBSITE IN SAN FRANCISCO). ELECTRONIC VISAS ARE USUALLY EASIER THAN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION BY MAIL (PARTICULARLY SINCE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SEND YOUR PASSPORT). WHILE THE REQUIREMENTS TO GET AN ELECTRONIC VISA VARY, YOU SHOULD ANTICIPATE THE FOLLOWING: (1) SUBMISSION OF A SCANNED PHOTO, (2) PAYMENT OF A FEE, (3) FILLING OUT AN ON-LINE APPLICATION (NOTE: YOU WILL OFTEN BE ASKED WHERE YOU WILL BE STAYING IN THE COUNTRY. IF YOU ARE PLANNING TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY JUST GIVE THE ADDRESS OF A HOTEL WHERE YOU PLAN TO STAY ON YOUR FIRST NIGHT IN THE COUNTRY), (4) A SCANNED COPY OF THE IDENTIFICATION PAGE OF YOUR PASSPORT (SOMETIMES, YOU WILL ALSO NEED A SCANNED COPY OF YOUR DRIVERS LICENSE OR OTHER LOCALLY ISSUED, GOVERNMENT IDENTIFICATION). OCCASIONALLY YOU WILL NEED TO GET YOUR VISAS BY MAIL FROM THE EMBASSY OR CONSULATE IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY FOR THE COUNTRY YOU PLAN TO VISIT. (PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON COUNTRY WHERE THIS APPLIES IS CHINA). THE REQUIREMENTS ARE SIMILAR VISA TO THE ELECTRONIC VISA EXCEPT YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SEND IN YOUR PASSPORT (THE CONSULATE OR EMBASSY WILL STAMP THE VISA INTO THE PASSPORT) AND A PAPER COPY OF YOUR PHOTO. A FEW COUNTRIES, LIKE RUSSIA, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS, WILL NOT ISSUE A VISA WITHOUT A LETTER OF INVITATION. MOST TOUR COMPANIES ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS AND CAN ISSUE THE LETTER EASILY. IF YOU TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY, YOU CAN GET MANY LARGE HOTELS OR HOSTELS TO ISSUE THIS LETTER AS LONG AS YOU STAY IN THEIR ESTABLISHMENT. THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE INVITATION FROM A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL CAN BE VERY COMPLICATION FOR BOTH YOU AND INVITING PARTY.If you apply for a visa by mail, it usually takes at least a week to process the application. If it is sent by internet, it will be usually processed more quickly than by mail. (Often the same day). You can also apply at the consulate in-person, usually they will have the visa ready the day after you apply. THE TERM VISA SOMETIMES CAUSES CONFUSION BECAUSE TECHNICALLY ALL A VISA MEANS IS PERMISSION TO ENTER A COUNTRY. AS A RESULT, SOMETIMES YOU WILL READ THAT A VISA IS REQUIRED (PARTICULARLY ON THE CONSULAR WEBSITE) BUT FIND THAT, IN REALITY, YOU CAN GET THAT VISA ON ARRIVAL. SOMETIMES THE VISA IS ISSUED AFTER YOU MADE A SMALL PAYMENT ON ARRIVAL. (TEN YEARS AGO, THIS WAS CASE WHEN I ENTERED NICARAGUA. THE VISA WAS IN REALITY A $5 ENTRANCE FEE). THE CONSULATE WEBSITES CAN BE CONFUSING ABOUT VISA REQUIREMENTS. SOME CONSULATE WEBSITES, LIKE THE BOLIVIAN AND TANZANIAN CONSULATE IN THE US, MAKE IT SOUND LIKE YOU NEED TO APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE CONSULATE IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY TO GET A VISA. HOWEVER, IF YOU DO A BIT MORE RESEARCH, YOU WILL FIND THAT MOST TRAVELERS GET THAT VISA ON ENTRANCE. YOU CAN FIND OUT IF THIS IS THE CASE BY READING THE TRAVEL INFORMATION PAGES FOR TRAVELERS ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF YOUR HOME COUNTRY. (FOR US CITIZENS YOU WILL FIND THESE PAGES AT TRAVEL.). SOMETIMES THERE IS A LIMITED NUMBER OF BORDER CROSSINGS AND AIRPORTS THAT CAN ISSUE THE VISA ON ARRIVAL. OFTEN YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT SOME OF THE SAME THINGS YOU WOULD NEED FOR A TRADITIONAL VISA, SUCH AS PHOTOS. THE ONLY CONSISTENT REQUIREMENT THAT I CAN FIND IS THAT YOU NEED TO FIND EXACT CHANGE IN US DOLLARS (USUALLY WELL OVER $100) TO PAY FOR THE VISA. (ALL THESE WARNINGS ASIDE, I HAD VERY LITTLE DIFFICULTY GETTING A BOLIVIAN VISA ON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT IN LA PAZ). ONE POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH SOME VISAS IS THAT THEY ARE ONLY VALID FOR A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME FROM THE DATE OF ISSUANCE. IF YOU ARE PLANNING A LONG TRIP, THIS CAN BE PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAVE TO APPLY BY MAIL. FOR EXAMPLE, VIETNAM USED TO ISSUE VISAS THAT WERE ONLY VALID FOR THREE MONTHS WHICH CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE WHO PLANNED TO BE TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME COUNTRY FOR THE THREE MONTHS BEFORE THEIR TRIP TO VIETNAM.ON THE OTHER HAND, SOME COUNTRIES NOW OFFER VISAS THAT ARE VALID FOR MULTIPLE ENTRIES FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. BRAZIL, FOR EXAMPLE, REGULARLY ISSUES VISA FOR CITIZENS OF MANY DEVELEOPED COUTRY FOR TEN YEARS. THEY EVEN ALLOW YOU TO REENTER THE COUNTRY USING A VISAS FROM AN EXPIRED PASSPORT. (ALL I HAD TO DO TO ENTER BRAZIL WAS SHOW THE IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL MY TEN-YEAR VISA IN THE EXPIRED PASSPORT). SOME COUNTRIES, LIKE ARGENTINA, WILL CHARGE YOU A RECIPROCITY FEE TO ENTER THEIR COUNTRY. IN MOST WAYS THE PROCESS FOR PAYING THE FEE IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM GETTING AN ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION, EXCEPT THAT IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE. A RECIPROCAL FEE IS ONLY REQUIRED IF YOUR HOME COUNTRY CHARGES A VISA FEE FOR CITIZENS OF THAT COUNTRY. (YOU WILL BE CHARGED THE SAME FEE THAT YOUR HOME COUNTRY CHARGES CITIZENS OF THAT COUNTRY TO APPLY FOR A VISA. NOTE: CHILE, FOR EXAMPLE, REQUIRED THESE FEES FROM US CITIZENS UNTIL 2014 WHEN THE US GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO ALLOW CHILEANS TO TRAVEL WITHOUT A VISA). THERE ARE MANY COMPANIES ONLINE THAT WILL HELP YOU GET A VISA. (TRAVEL DOCUMENT SERVICES, I-VISA) I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER USING THEIR SERVICES ESPECIALLY WHEN:YOU ARE GOING TO VISIT SEVERAL COUNTRIESYOU ARE APPLYING FOR A VISA BY MAIL BUT WILL NOT BE AT YOUR HOME ADDRESS WHEN YOU APPLY FOR THE VISAS (MOST CONSULATES WILL ONLY SEND THE PASSPORT BACK TO YOUR HOME ADDRESS).YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A VISA FOR A COUNTRY THAT IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS BUREAUCRACY (ESPECIALLY INDIA, RUSSIA, CHINA, AND BRAZIL).YOU NEED TO GET A VISA QUICKLY.YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR APPLICATION IS COMPLETE BEFORE SUBMITTAL. (I FIND THAT I GET NERVOUS ABOUT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH PHOTOS, ETC.)YOU CAN FIND FIRST HAND COMMENTS ABOUT VISAS BY READING TRAVELERS COMMENTS ON-LINE. I FIND THE EASIEST, AND MOST RELIABLE COMMENTS, CAN BE FOUND ON TRIP ADVISOR AND LONELY PLANET THORN TREE. READ THESE COMMENTS CAREFULLY PARTICULARLY IF YOU PLAN ON GETTING A VISA ON ARRIVAL WHEN THE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT ALL THAT CLEAR (IE BOLIVIA). PAY ATTENTION TO THE DATE THAT THESE COMMENTS WERE POSTED AS VISA RULES CHANGE QUICKLY AND WITHOUT MUCH NOTICE. PART TWO: MONEYCurrencyTALK ABOUT ROUNDING TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH SOMETHING COSTS IN YOUR HOME CURRENCY. MAY BE WORTH GETTING A SMALL AMOUNT OF CURRENCY BEFOREHAND, DESPITE FEES, SO THAT YOU GET USED TO WHAT THE CURRENCY LOOKS LIKE. YOU NEED IN SOME PLACES TO HAVE MONEY WITHOUT TEARS AND IN GOOD CONDITION. LESS COMMON THAN BEFORE PARTICULARLY WITH PLASTIC MONEY. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN AN OUT OF THE WAY PLACE, AND YOU ARE USING US DOLLARS, THEY NEED TO CRISP DOLLAR BILLS.MAY BE WORTH DOING A CONVERSION CHART IF YOU CAN?T DO THE ROUNDING IN YOUR HEAD EASILY.BE CAREFUL THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE COST BEFORE YOU BUY. FORTY VS FOURTEEN, ETC.Tips for Using ATMs and Credit CardsDESPITE THE TRANSACTION FEES, ATM WITHDRAWALS OVERSEAS ARE USUALLY THE MOST FINANCIALLY VIABLE WAY TO DEAL WITH FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. The primary reason for this is the ATM exchange rates are also usually more financially favorable than those available through most other currency exchanges (more on this later).IT IS ALMOST NEVER ADVISABLE TO ALLOW THE ATM TO CONVERT THE TRANSACTION TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY?S CURRENCY FOR YOU. MOST ATMS WILL DISPENSE THE CURRENCY OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED. MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY, ATMS WILL ASK YOU IF YOU WANT THEM TO DO THE CURRENCY CONVERSION FOR YOU AND THEN THE ATM WILL SHOW YOU HOW MUCH WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM YOUR ACCOUNT IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY?S CURRENCY. OSTENSIBLY, THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD WAY TO AVOID A FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEE (MORE ON THIS LATER). UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU DO THE MATH, YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND THAT THE BANK IS CHARGING YOU AN EIGHT PERCENT COMMISSION ON THE EXCHANGE. (THIS IS CALLED A DYNAMIC EXCHANGE RATE. MORE ON THIS LATER).IT IS GENERALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE A WITHDRAWAL FROM AN ATM MACHINE WITH A CREDIT CARD. MOST CREDIT CARD COMPANIES CHARGE FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEES ON THESE WITHDRAWALS AND TREAT THE WITHDRAWAL AS A CASH ADVANCE. CASH ADVANCES COME WITH FEES (UP TO 5%) AND HIGH INTEREST RATES. Avoid Getting Your Credit and ATM Cards Frozen: Many banks will not allow you to take money out of your account or to make credit charges overseas if they sense that you are spending the money too quickly or that a transaction could be fraudulent. While there is no exact way of determining when banks will cut you off, it usually seems to occur when you make multiple withdrawals, particularly over several days or if you either have not traveled much before or have not traveled in a while. Therefore. if you will; travel for the first-time in a long while; travel for a long time; or know that you’ll need to access a big sum all at once, you should let the bank know in advance (unless they tell you that it is no longer necessary to contact them, which is likely to happen if you travel frequently). You usually can advise the bank via their website rather than phoning them. Unfortunately, you may find that even if you advise the bank that they will cut you off sometimes. That said, twice my bank has found fraudulent charges on my credit cards and I was grateful that they found these charges before they caused a problem.Making Large Withdrawals: Most nomads will have to make a large withdrawal for ATMs at some point in their adventures. Credit card use is not as common in some countries as in your home country. Some common reasons to make withdrawals include paying for tours or lodging with companies that do not except credit cards and, in the case of live abroad nomad, to pay for home repairs, rent, etc.Most ATMs will only allow to withdraw a maximum amount, usually around the equivalent of US $200-500, at one time. (Note: You can usually make more than one withdrawal at an ATM if you need more than that amount). Unfortunately, you cannot learn what the maximum withdrawal amount is easily in advance. Each bank overseas has their own limits, your home bank may have a different limit, etc. It is usually a matter of trail and error but I have occasionally found good information by googling something like ¨What is the best bank in Italy to withdraw a large sum of many from a Bank of America ATM card¨? Probably the easiest way to avoid a problem with being cut off, if you know in advance that you will a large sum of cash, is to make one withdrawal every other day for a week or more in advance of your purchase.Fortunately, you can usually get the bank to unfreeze your account easily by phoning them. Keep in mind that while many banks have 24-hour telephone lines (the numbers as usually printed on your credit or ATM card), they may be better equipped to deal with problems like this during work hours in your home country. ATM and Credit Card Transaction Fees: Most banks will charge a fee, which they call a foreign exchange fee for international ATM or credit cards transaction that is equivalent either to: 1) 1-3% of the credit card transaction or the ATM withdrawal amount and/or 2) a fee of $2-5 per transaction. (Often banks charge both). You can find out what these fees on most bank?s website or checking your account balance on the bank?s website after you’ve made your first ATM withdrawal or credit card charge. Once you have determined the fee, plan your withdrawals so that you minimize the charges. In other words, if the bank charges a $5 fee for each ATM withdrawal, take out the largest withdrawals possible so that you don’t have to pay $5 for a bunch of small withdrawals. If the bank charges a large credit card transaction fee, try to minimize our use of the credit card by withdrawing money from your ATM card and using that money for all but your largest transactions.SOMETIMES YOU CAN EVEN AVOID FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEES ALTOGETHER BY USING A BANK THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NETWORK OF YOUR HOME BANK. (FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE NO FEES FOR WITHDRAWALS AT BARCLAYS BANK IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IF YOU HAVE A BANK OF AMERICA ATM). YOU CAN FIND OUT WHICH OVERSEAS BANKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR BANK BY CHECKING YOUR HOME BANK?S WEBSITE. IN ADDITION TO THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEE, JUST LIKE IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY, YOU WILL OFTEN PAY A FEE FOR WITHDRAWING MONEY FROM AN ATM THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOUR HOME BANK. USUALLY THIS FEE IS THE EQUIVALENT IN LOCAL CURRENCY OF AROUND $2-4 PER TRANSACTION. SOME ATMS WILL CHARGE MORE. THE TRANSACTION FEE WILL ALWAYS BE INDICATED WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR ATM TRANSACTION. MANY BANKS OFFER ACCOUNTS THAT CHARGE NO OR LOW INTERNATIONAL ATM FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEES FOR CUSTOMERS WHO MAINTAIN A HIGH ACCOUNT BALANCE (USUALLY AROUND $25,000). IF YOU PLAN TO DO A LOT OF TRAVELING THESE CAN BE A GODSEND. FOR MORE DETAILS, CHECK OUT . IN ADDITION, SCHWAB OFFERS BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS THAT WILL REFUND YOUR ATM FEES. KEEP IN MIND, HOWEVER, EXPLAIN THAT YOU WILL STILL PAY AN ATM FEE FOR USING A BANK OTHER THAN YOUR HOME BANK. WHILE I AM NOT SURE THAT THE OPTIONS STILL EXISTS, I HAVE A CITIBANK ACCOUNT THAT WAIVES ATM FEES IF I EITHER MAINTAIN A $25000 BALANCE OR PAY A MONTHLY $30 FEE. I PAY THE MONTHLY FEE AND ESTIMATE THAT IT SAVES ME BETWEEN $60-200 IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEES EACH MONTH. I SIGNED UP FOR THIS ACCOUNT AFTER I RECEIVE A NOTICE FROM MY CITIBANK/ AMERICAN AIRLINES CREDIT CARD. SO, IN ADDITION, I GOT 30,000 FREQUENT FLIER MILES FOR SIGNING UP FOR THE ACCOUNT.FINDING CREDIT CARD COMPANIES THAT DO NOT CHARGE A FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEE IS RELATIVELY EASY. ALMOST ALL BANKS HAVE CREDIT CARDS AVAILABLE THAT WAIVE FOREIGN EXCHANGE FEES. IN ADDITION, MOST CREDIT CARDS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AN AIRLINE (IE CHASE UNITED AND CITIBANK AMERICAN AIRLINES CARDS IN THE USA) COME WITHOUT A FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE. Nowadays almost every city of any size, or touristic importance, has ATMs. So, you only need to carry a lot of cash if you will be traveling in very rural communities or off the beaten path countries. THAT SAID, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE TO VISIT SEVERAL ATMS BEFORE YOU FIND ONE THAT WILL DISPENSE CASH. IN SOME COUNTRIES, THERE ARE ONLY A COUPLE OF BANK ATMS THAT WILL DISPENSE CASH FOR FOREIGNERS. WHEN I WAS IN BOLIVIA IN 2014, FOR EXAMPLE, I FOUND THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR THAT MY ATM CARD ONLY WORKED ON ATMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BANCO DE SANTA CRUZ. IN ADDITION, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO FIND THAT MANY ATM MACHINES ARE OUT OF ORDER. I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO DOUBLE CHECK YOUR ACCOUNT ONLINE WHENEVER YOU FIND THAT A MACHINE DOES NOT DISPENSE YOUR CASH. ONCE IN A RARE WHILE, YOU WILL FIND THAT THE WITHDRAWAL WAS TAKEN OUT OF YOUR ACCOUNT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE BUT I FOUND THAT THE WITHDRAWAL WAS CREDITED BANK TO MY ACCOUNT BOTH TIMES A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER.For safety sake, avoid taking out money from ATMs that are not located on a bank’s premises. Sometimes, in Mexico and Brazil, disreputable people have set up fake ATMs that withdraw money from your account without giving you any money. (I knew a Mexican man in Mexico City who had $1,000 taken from his account this way.) In addition, since most banks place their ATMs inside a building and require you to use a card to enter the ATM building, you will have less chance of being robbed at a bank ATM than at one located in other places.DO NOT USE ANY ATMS IN MEXICAN RESORTS CITIES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO DISPENSE US DOLLARS ONLY. TYPICALLY, YOU WILL BE CHARGED 12-15% ADDITIONAL FEES ON THESE WITHDRAWALS.SOME COUNTRIES, LIKE COSTA RICA, HAVE ATM MACHINES THAT OFFER AN OPTION TO DISPENSE U.S. DOLLARS. OFTEN IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE YOU WILL SEE THESE MACHINES, PRICES FOR MANY THINGS ARE QUOTED IN US DOLLARS. FORTUNATELY, IN THIS CASE, THERE IS USUALLY NO PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH WITHDRAWING US DOLLARS FROM THESE MACHINES AND PAYING FOR SERVICES IN US DOLLARS. (NOTE: MANY HOTELS IN MEXICAN RESORT TOWNS ALLOW YOU TO PAY IN US CURRENCY. THIS IS ALWAYS A BAD IDEA BECAUSE THEY ARE USING A DYNAMIC CONVERSION RATE (MORE ON THIS LATER).You can also access your cash right away from an ATM if you receive a deposit. This is a blessing if you are relying on an automatic deposit to finance your trip. For years, I received my automatically deposited, pay check at 4:45 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Thursday and found that I could always access my money anywhere at that timeFinding the Best Currency Conversion RateMOST NOMADS WILL ENCOUNTER TWO EXCHANGE RATES IN THEIR TRAVELS: 1) I CALL A MODIFIED INTERBANK RATE AND 2) A DYNAMIC CONVERSION RATE.THE INTERBANK RATE IS WHAT FINANCIAL ORGANIZATION PAY EACH OTHER FOR LARGE TRANSACTIONS. YOU CAN FIND THE INTERBANK RATES IN THE CURRENCY CONVERTER SECTION OF WWW. AND WWW.. MOST CREDIT CARD AND ATM TRANSACTIONS (IF YOU DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THE CONVERSION BACK TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY?S CURRENCY) ARE BASED ON WHAT I CALL A MODIFIED INTERBANK RATE. THE MODIFIED INTERBANK RATE IS USUALLY THE INTERBANK RATE PLUS 1-2%. IN OTHER WORDS, I JUST LOOKED AT THE AND THE EXCHANGE RATE IS 18.91 PESOS TO A US DOLLAR. IN MEXICO, THEREFORE, IF A BANK BOUGHT $100 IN PESOS THEY WOULD GET 1,891 PESOS. YOU AND I, IF WE BOUGHT SOMETHING ON A CREDIT CARD THAT COST 1891 PESOS WOULD BE CHARGED BETWEEN 101 AND 102 DOLLARS. ($100 PLUS 1-2%). IN MY EXPERIENCE, THERE IS NO WAY TO AVOID THIS 1-2% FEE. I THOUGHT THAT A LARGE TRANSACTION WOULD AVOID THIS FEE. HOWEVER, I WAS WRONG. I BOUGHT A HOUSE IN MEXICO FOR 1,500,000 PESOS, WHICH AT THE TIME (NOVEMBER 2015) WAS EQUIVALENT TO $86,000, ACCORDING TO . I WIRED $86,000 TO THE BANK AND WENT TO CLOSE THE DEAL AND FOUND THAT I STILL OWED 15,000 PESOS (1% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE, OR NEARLY $800) BECAUSE I MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT SUCH A LARGE PURCHASE WAS SUBJECT TO THE INTERBANK RATE.THE OTHER COMMON EXCHANGE RATE IS A DYNAMIC CONVERSION RATE. THIS IS USUALLY THE RATE THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE AT A CURRENCY EXCHANGE KIOSK OR A HOTEL. IT IS ALSO THE RATE THAT THE BANK ATM WILL USE IF YOU ALLOW IT TO MAKE THE CONVERSION BACK TO YOUR HOME CURRENCY. THE DYNAMIC CONVERSION RATE IS USUALLY BETWEEN 7 AND 8 PERCENT. IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU WANTED TO BUY THE SAME 1891 PESOS ITEM IN MEXICO USING DOLLARS THAT WERE CONVERTED AT A KIOSK, YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO GIVE THE KIOSK $107-$108 ($100 PLUS 7-8%) TO GET THE 1891 PESOS NECESSARY TO MAKE THE PURCHASE. (NOTE: IN SOME COUNTRIES WHERE THE CURRENCY IS WEAK YOU MAY PAY LESS THAN SEVEN PERCENT AT A CURRENCY EXCHANGE KIOSK OR BANK. (THIS OCCASIONALLY HAPPENS IN MEXICO AND OFTEN HAPPENS IN ARGENTINA). CONVERSELY, IF THE CURRENCY IS STRONG YOU MAY EVEN PAY MORE. (SUCH WAS THE CASE IN THE EURO ZONE BETWEEN 2005-2008)).THE EXCHANGE RATES AND CURRENCIES IN A FEW OFF THE BEATEN PATH COUNTRIES CAN GET EVEN MORE COMPLICATED. SOME COUNTRIES HAVE A DIFFERENT EXCHANGE RATE FOR TRAVELERS AND LOCALS. CUBA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS THE CUBAN PESO FOR LOCALS AND CONVERTIBLE PESO FOR TOURISTS (THE CUBAN PESO IS BASED ON THE US AND CANADIAN DOLLARS. IT IS ALSO CHARGED FOR LOCALS WHO WANT TO BUY GOODS FROM OUTSIDE OF CUBA). SOMETIMES COUNTRIES HAVE OLD AND NEW CURRENCIES. HAITIAN BUSINESSES OFTEN QUOTED PRICES IN OLD GOURDES WHEN I WAS THERE IN 2014. THE GOURD FOR MANY YEARS WAS SET AT 8 GOURDES TO ONE US DOLLAR. SOMETIME BEFORE 2014 THE CURRENCY WAS ALLOWED TO FLOAT, IN OTHER WORDS TO HAVE THE EXCHANGE RATE BE DETERMINED BY THE WORLD CURRENCY MARKET. WHEN I WAS THERE THAT RATE OF EXCHANGE WAS 48 GOURDES TO ONE US DOLLAR. THEREFORE, IN THE SHOPS THAT QUOTED PRICES IN OLD GOURDES, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO TIMES THAT PRICE BY 6 (6 TIMES 8 EQUAL 48) TO GET THE PRICE IN NEW GOURDES OR TIMES THE PRICE BY 8 TO GET THE PRICE IN US DOLLARS (WHICH WERE WIDELY ACCEPTED EVERYWHERE IN HAITI). IN ADDITION, SOMETIMES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NEW AND OLD CURRENCY IS SIMPLY THAT THE GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO KNOCK OFF SOME ZEROS OFF AND RELEASE A NEW CURRENCY. WHEN I WAS IN POLAND IN 1995, THEY HAD BOTH OLD AND NEW ZLOTYS IN CIRCULATION. THE OLD CURRENCY WAS 22,000 ZLOTYS TO A DOLLAR, THE NEW CURRENCY WAS 2.2 ZLOTYS TO A DOLLAR. THEREFORE, IF I BOUGHT SOMETHING THAT WAS 10,000 ZLOTYS AND GAVE THE VENDOR A 20,000 ZLOTY NOTE. I WOULD GET BACK A 1 NEW ZLOTY NOTE BACK (A NEW ZLOTY EQUALED 10,000 OLD ZLOTYS). Cash and Traveler?s ChecksIssues with Banks: Though less so than in the past, bank transactions are best avoided. Many banks have long lines and a lot of bureaucracy overseas. In addition, there are no advantages in exchange rates over those you will get from the ATM machine.Problems with Travelers’ Checks: Travelers’ checks are problematic for a couple of reasons: 1) Due to problems with counterfeiting, travelers’ checks are hard to get and cash. You will normally be only able to cash them at banks for a fairly high commission charge. 2) Since banks are only open on weekdays, you can easily be left without money on weekends and weeknights until the banks are open again. Even when they are open, banks often have long lines. (Note: I am surprised that they even exist nowadays). Travelers cheques only have some utility if you are going to visit a country that is so off the beaten path that they have few ATMs and/or has a high degree of pickpockets. (It is difficult for a criminal to cash a traveler?s check because they need ID and a signature). In the case of most off the beaten path countries (most of sub-Saharan Africa, some former Soviet Republics, Haiti), you may want to consider bringing a mixture of US Dollars (or Euros) and traveler?s checks. Using US Dollars Abroad. I am always surprised how often I find tourists (even some who are not Americans) who believe that vendors overseas prefer US Dollars over the local currency. However, this is not usually the case. The majority of vendors do not even except US currency. You can only expect that vendors will even accept US dollars in the following situation: 1) Cities on the US-Canadian and US-Mexican border, 2) Cities, like Cancun and many other Mexican resorts that have large groups of US tourists, 3) Vendors that deal with a large number of cruise ship passengers, 4) countries which frequently charge US Dollars (like Costa Rica) for many transactions, 5) countries where the US Dollar is the official currency (El Salvador, Panama, Zimbabwe, Ecuador and some islands in the Caribbean) or the currency is based on the US currency (both Belize and Barbados have a currency that is pegged at 2 for a US Dollar) and 6) countries where the local currency is very weak (Cambodia, Liberia, Nicaragua, Myanmar, and Somalia) or is temporarily weak (I found this to be the case in Argentina in 2014). Even in these cases, it is rare, except in cases 4-6 above, that you will receive a good exchange rate from vendors. Usually it will cost you 10 to 15% more to use US Dollars. (Most vendors will simply convert the prices using an exchange rate that is easy to calculate. For example, for several years, there were 12 to 13 Mexican pesos to a US Dollar. Most vendors quoted prices in US Dollars based on 10:1 exchange. In other words, if you wanted to buy something that cost 120 pesos, the vendor would ask you $12 US dollars. (120 pesos/10 pesos). However, if you paid them with pesos that you got from an ATM machine you would have only paid around $10 for the same item (120 pesos/12 pesos to a dollar)). Many people expect that since the US Dollar is strong, vendors want the US Dollar. However, this also is rare because: 1) most vendors do not have a lot of US dollars and therefore get lousy exchange rate and 2) it takes time and effort for vendors to exchange the dollars into their currency. It is also important to realize also that US dollar is often weak. (Throughout most of the GW Bush administration, most foreign currencies, even the Mexican Peso, were strong against the US Dollar). As a result of all these factors, I almost never use US Dollars outside of the country. The one exception is in ports on cruise ships. It is generally not worth getting currency from an ATM, in these cases, because the fees are relatively high for a small withdrawal and I do not want to waste the time to find an ATM machine. I also do not want to get stuck with much of the currency after I leave.Avoid having a lot of foreign currency leftover when you leave the country (particularly if it is a “soft” or little-known currency). Generally, you will receive horrible exchange rates for foreign currencies (particularly other than the US Dollar, Euro, or Japanese Yen). In addition, you will also pay a lot of commission charges to buy or sell foreign currencies and you won’t be able to exchange foreign coins outside of the country as well.Keep your money hidden (and in more than one place) and have many copies of your passport: Put your money in a money belt that goes under your clothes or for men in the front pant pocket. Try to keep one credit card, a little cash, and your passport somewhere other than on your person, just in-case you are robbed. Always have copies of your cover passport page (with your photo) on you (in case you need it for identification), at home, and in your luggage in case it is stolen.Keep a Little Cash Aside and an Extra Credit Card-Just in Case of Problems: Though it has never happened to me, I have heard stories of people who had troubles using their ATM or cashing travelers’ checks overseas, particularly in Japan. In addition, if your wallet is stolen, you may not have any money for a couple of days. In 2017, my wallet was stolen on a bus in Milan, Italy. Fortunately, I only lost 50 Euros. The bank (in this case, Citibank) sent me a replacement ATM card by express mail which left me without cash for three days. At the time, I stayed in a homestay and the woman in charge kindly lent me 50 Euros which sufficed. PART THREE: AT THE AIRPORT- CUSTOMS, IMMIGRATION, SECURITYIN MY MIND, THE MOST TIRING ASPECTS OF BEING A MODERN-DAY NOMAD INVOLVES AIRLINE CHECK-IN, SECURITY, AND CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION. Check-InIF YOU BUY THE CHEAPEST FARES POSSIBLE, DON?T BE SURPRISED IF YOU PAY FEES AT CHECK-IN FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: (1) CHECKED BAGGAGE (USUALLY AROUND THE EQUIVALENT OF $25-$30 FOR THE FIRST BAG AND $100 FOR A SECOND BAG. THESE FEES ARE USUALLY WAIVED IF YOU BUY YOUR TICKETS WITH A UNITED CHASE CARD, THEY ARE SOMETIMES WAIVED WITH THE AMERICAN CITIBANK CARD); (2) SEAT ASSIGNMENTS (I USUALLY DO NOT PAY THIS FEE AS A SINGLE TRAVELER AND LET THE AIRLINE ASSIGN ME A SEAT. I PAY THE FEE, USUALLY BETWEEN $25-$75 WHEN I WANT TO ENSURE THAT I AM SITTING NEXT TO MY TRAVEL COMPANION), AND (3) SOMETIMES EVEN FOR CARRY ON BAGS. (SOME BUDGET AIRLINES SEVERELY LIMIT, OR EVEN PROHIBIT, CARRY-ON BAGGAGE. THESE AIRLINES CHARGE HIGH FEES IF YOU EXCEED THEIR STRINGENT LIMITS). THESE FEES HAVE BEEN A PART OF MANY FLIGHTS FOR THE LAST DECADE OR SO. (ESPECIALLY FLIGHT IN/BETWEEN THE US AND CANADA AND FLIGHTS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION. THAT SAID, THESE FEES ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON ON ALL FLIGHTS). OFTEN AIRLINES ALLOW YOU TO BUY TICKETS THAT INCLUDE THESE FEES SO THAT YOU CAN AVOID PAYING THESE FEES AT CHECK-IN. SOMETIMES, THESE TICKETS WILL COST YOU LESS THAN IF YOU BOUGHT A CHEAPER TICKET AND PAID THE FEES AT THE CHECK-IN COUNTER. (THIS IS TRUE WITH EASY JET AND RYAN AIR)MOST OF THE TIME YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A BOARDING PASS OR A COPY OF YOUR ELECTRONIC TICKET ON CHECK-IN. USUALLY YOU JUST SIMPLY PRESENT THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT ISSUE ID AND THE TICKET AGENT WILL USE THAT TO FIND YOUR RESERVATION. (NOTE: MORE AND MORE, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE YOUR PASSPORT UPON CHECK-IN EVEN ON DOMESTIC FLIGHTS, PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME COUNTRY). SOME AIRLINES, MOST NOTABLY THE EUROPEAN BUDGET CARRIERS, EASY JET AND RYAN AIR, AND SPIRIT AIRLINES (MOSTLY FLIGHTS BETWEEN THE US AND LATIN AMERICA) WILL CHARGE YOU EXTRA TO PRINT OUT THE RESERVATION AT THE TICKET COUNTER.IF YOU HAVE A ONE-WAY TICKET TO ANOTHER COUNTRY, DO NOT BE SURPRISED IF YOU WILL BE ASKED FOR PROOF OF ONWARD PASSAGE AT THE CHECK IN COUNTER. PROOF OF ONWARD PASSAGE MEANS A DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS WHEN YOU ARE LEAVING THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU WILL DEPART THE PLANE. IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU BOUGHT A ONE-WAY TICKET TO COSTA RICA (A COUNTRY THAT IS STRICT WITH THIS REQUIREMENT), YOU WILL NEED TO SHOW THE AGENT AN AIRLINE OR BUS TICKET (OR IN THE CASE OF A CRUISE, A PRINT OUT OF THE SHIP?S ITINERARY) BEFORE YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO GET ON THE PLANE. THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROOF OF ONWARD PASSAGE VARIES OFTEN, THEREFORE, IF POSSIBLE, I WOULD ADVICE YOU TO PRINT OUT COPY (OR HAVE ITEASILY AVAILABLE ON YOUR SMART PHONE) OF THE PROOF THAT YOU ARE LEAVING THE COUNTRY BEFORE YOU GO TO THE AIRPORT. YOU CAN ALSO FIND OUT IF YOU WILL PROOF OF ONWARD PASSAGE BY DOING INTERNET RESEARCH.IF THE LACK OF ONWARD PASSAGE BECOMES AN ISSUE, YOU CAN BUY A FULLY REFUNDABLE AIR TICKET. THERE IS A SMALL FEE FOR CASHING IN THESE TICKETS BUT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RECOOP NEARLY ALL OF THE COST OF THE TICKETS WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A REFUND. UNFORTUNATELY, THE COST OF THESE TICKETS IS HIGH (AS MUCH AS $5000 FOR A TRANS ATLANTIC OR TRANS PACIFIC FLIGHTS) SO YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE A LOT OF CREDIT AVAILABLE TO COVER THE EXPENSE UNTIL YOU ARE ABLE TO GET A REFUND. I HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME ON A FLIGHT BETWEEN FORT LAUDERDALE AND NASSAU, BAHAMAS TO PICK UP A CRUISE SHIP THAT WAS DEPARTING FROM NASSAU TO VISIT THE AMAZON. I WAS FORCED BY BAHAMAS AIR TO BUY A REFUNDABLE TICKET BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE A COPY OF THE CRUISE SHIP ITINERARY SHOWING THAT I WAS LEAVING THE BAHAMAS. (IRONICALLY, I WAS IN BAHAMAS FOR LESS THAN TWO HOURS). THE REFUNDABLE TICKET COST ME $280. (MY ORIGINAL FLIGHT ONLY COST $55). IT TOOK ME A COUPLE OF CALLS AND A FAX TO THE BAHAMAS, BUT I GOT BACK $265 FROM BAHAMAS AIR. ($280 MINUS A $15 FEE).IF YOU HAVE EVEN SOMEWHAT LIMITED MOBILITY, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU ASK FOR WHEELCHAIR ASSISTANCE EITHER WHEN YOU: 1) MAKE A BOOKING FOR A FLIGHT OR 2) GET TO THE AIRPORT. THIS IS PARTICULARLY ADVISABLE IF YOU HAVE A FLIGHT WITH A CONNECTION. (I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST YOU CALL FOR ASSISTANCE ANYTIME YOU ARE BOOKING A FLIGHT FOR ANYONE WHO DOES NOT SPEAK EITHER ENGLISH, THE LANGUAGE OF THE AIRLINE CARRIER, AND/OR THE LANGUAGE OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT). AIRPORTS NOWADAYS ARE HUGE AND VERY CONFUSING. THE CONNECTION TIMES CAN BE TIGHT. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO LIMIT YOUR STRESS IS ADVISABLE.Security UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY ON WHAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE OFF IN ORDER TO PASS THROUGH SECURITY. OVER TIME, I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS EASIER TO TAKE OFF EVERYTHING THAT COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM BEFORE I GO THROUGH SECURITY. THIS INCLUDES TAKING OUT:EVERYTHING FROM MY POCKETSMY WATCH AND BELT, MY CELL PHONE/COMPUTER FOR SEPARATE INSPECTIONI ALSO:TAKE OFF MY SHOES FOR ALL FLIGHTS IN/TO USA. (USUALLY YOU ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES ON FLIGHTS WITHIN, TO, OR FROM THE US).PUT ALL MY TOILETRIES IN MY CHECKED LUGGAGE.TRY TO PUT CHANGE AND KEYS, AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE, IN MY CHECKED LUGGAGE.WHILE THIS IS BEYOND WHAT IS NECESSARY, (YOU CAN, FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE LIQUIDS AS LONG AS THEY ARE LESS THAN 3 OUNCES IN SIZE), I DON?T LIKE GOING THROUGH SECONDARY INSPECTION AND THUS TRY TO AVOID IT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. AS A RESULT, I FIND THAT I ONLY GO THROUGH SECONDARY INSPECTION EVERY 20TH TIME OR SO. OFTENTIMES, I GO THROUGH SECONDARY INSPECTION BECAUSE I WAS PICKED OUT TO GO THROUGH THE INSPECTION RANDOMLY.DO NOT BE SURPRISED IF YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY AN ADDITIONAL TIME ON FLIGHTS WITH WHAT I CALL AN INTERMEDIARY INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION. (AN INTERMEDIARY INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION IS A ROUTING WHICH STARTS IN ONE COUNTRY, TRANSITS THROUGH A SECOND COUNTRY (THE INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION) AND THEN GOES EITHER TO ANOTHER PLACE IN THE SECOND COUNTRY OR ARRIVES IN A THIRD COUNTRY). EXPECT TO GO THROUGH SECURITY AT THE INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINT WHEN YOU TRAVEL IN THE US, MEXICO, CANADA, AND MOST OF EUROPE, EVEN IF YOU ARE JUST TRANSITING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. FOR EXAMPLE, EXPECT TO GO THROUGH SECURITY IN BOTH CANCUN AND ATLANTA IF YOU ARE FLYING FROM CANCUN TO CHARLOTTE, NC AND HAVE A CONNECTION IN ATLANTA (NOTE: IF YOU TAKE A FLIGHT DIRECTLY FROM CANCUN TO CHARLOTTE, YOU WILL ONLY GO THROUGH SECURITY IN CANCUN). THE ONE EXCEPTION TO THIS IS THAT YOU USUALLY DO NOT NEED TO GO THROUGH SECURITY IF YOU FLYING FROM CANADA ARE CONNECTING IN THE US TO GO TO ANOTHER CITY IN THE US. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU WILL LIKELY NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY IN CHICAGO IF YOU ARE FLYING FROM TORONTO TO LOS ANGELES VIA CHICAGO.I HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURITY TWICE MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY AT THESE INTERMEDIATE CONNECTION POINTS. AS A RESULT:I TRY TO FLY NON-STOP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON ALL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO AVOID THE WHOLE PROCESS ALL TOGETHER. I HAVE FREQUENTLY FOUND MYSELF LITERALLY RUNNING, LIKE OJ SIMPSON IN THE 1970S HERTZ COMMERCIALS, IN THESE INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINTS. AIRLINES LOVE TO SCHEDULE THEIR INTERMEDIARY CONNECTIONS WITHOUT ENOUGH TIME TO ENSURE YOU CAN MAKE THE CONNECTION. I SUGGEST THAT IF YOU PICK FLIGHT WITH AN INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION THAT YOU LEAVE AT LEAST TWO HOURS BETWEEN FLIGHTS, IF POSSIBLE. A THREE-HOUR CONNECTION TIME IS EVEN BETTER IF YOU WANT TO AVOID RUNNING THROUGH AN AIRPORT TO CATCH YOUR CONNECTION FLIGHT. (KEEP IN MIND, FLIGHTS OFTEN ARRIVE THIRTY MINUTES TO AN HOUR LATE AS WELL). IT OFTEN TAKES AT LEAST AN HOUR TO GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION, CUSTOMS, AND SECURITY IN AN INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINT. (STRANGELY, THE PROCESS OFTEN TAKES THE LONGEST IN PLACES WITHOUT A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS- THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN CHARLOTTE, NC AND DENVER- BECAUSE THE AUTHORITIES USE THIS AS AN EXCUSE TO BE EVEN MORE THOROUGH), AND THEN IT CAN UP TO ADDITIONAL FORTY MINUTES TO FIND AND GET TO THE GATE FOR CONNECTING FLIGHT. (ONE TIME IN MIAMI I LITERALLY HAD TO GO FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER END OF THE AIRPORT WHICH TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR. IN ADDITION, I ONCE HAD FORTY-FIVE MINUTES TO TRANSIT THROUGH HEATHROW AIRPORT IN LONDON WHICH SEEMED POSSIBLE UNTIL I REALIZED THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT TERMINALS IN TERMINAL 5- 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, AND 5E). THIS IS WHY, I (AS WELL AS MANY CANADIANS) OFTEN SELECT NONSTOP FLIGHTS BETWEEN MEXICO AND CANADA. TO ME, IT IS WELL WORTH PAYING $50-100 MORE EACH WAY TO TAKE FLIGHTS WITHOUT THE HASSLE OF AN INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION IN THE U.S.A.IF I BUY ANYTHING THAT MIGHT CAUSE A PROBLEM GOING THROUGH SECURITY (IE SOMETHING METALLIC OR LIQUID) IN THE AIRPORT BEFORE A FLIGHT WITH AN INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINT, I WILL PACK THE ITEM INTO MY CHECKED BAGGAGE AFTER CLEARING CUSTOMS IN MY INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINT. (USUALLY YOU HAVE TO PASS THROUGH CUSTOMS BEFORE SECURITY. GENERALLY, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PICK UP YOUR CHECKED BAG BEFORE PASSING THROUGH CUSTOMS. BEFORE I RECHECK MY BAG RIGHT AFTER CUSTOMS, I WILL PACK THE LIQUID INTRO THE CHECKED BAG). Immigration and CustomsON MOST FLIGHTS (AS FAR AS I CAN TELL THIS IS ALMOST ALWAYS THE CASE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES), YOU WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION (IMMIGRATION REVIEWS YOUR PASSPORT TO CHECK THAT YOU ARE ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTRY) AT THE PORT OF ENTRY, ANOTHER NAME FOR THE FIRST AIRPORT WHEN YOU LAND IN ANOTHER COUNTRY (OR IN THE PORT OF ENTRY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION). THIS APPLIES EVEN IF YOU ARE JUST CONNECTING THROUGH A DEVELOPED COUNTRY ON THE WAY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. IN OTHER WORDS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WILL GO THROUGH BOTH U.S. AND CANADIAN CUSTOMS IF YOU FLY FROM CANCUN TO MONTREAL VIA ANY CITY IN THE U.S.A. ONE NOTABLE EXCEPTION: IF YOU ARE FLYING FROM CANADA TO THE U.S., YOU PROBABLY GO THROUGH U.S. IMMIGRATION IN CANADA AND WILL NOT HAVE GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION IN US. (THIS IS BECAUSE MOST AIRPORTS IN CANADA HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE U.S. I.C.E, IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, TO PROVIDE U.S. IMMIGRATION SERVICES AT MOST PORTS OF ENTRY IN CANADA). USUALLY YOU CAN TRANSIT IN A EMERGING COUNTRY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH IMMIGRATION AT THE INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINT. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED. HOWEVER, TO VERIFY THIS BEFORE YOU BUY A TICKET TO ANY INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION COUNTRY THAT REQUIRES A VISA TO ENTER.WHILE THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS (THERE ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, A FEW CITIES IN THE US WHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS IF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION IS IN CANADA), YOU WILL ALSO HAVE THROUGH CUSTOMS UPON ARRIVAL IN AN INTERMEDIARY CONNECTION POINT. IN ORDER TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS IN THE INTERMEDIARY COUNTRY, YOU WILL PICK UP YOUR BAGGAGE, GO THROUGH CUSTOMS, AND REDEPOSIT YOUR LUGGAGE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CUSTOMS.IN ORDER TO AVOID PROBLEMS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU EAT, OR THROW AWAY, ANY FOOD OR WATER THAT YOU GOT ON THE PLANE OR AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT BEFORE GOING THROUGH CUSTOMS. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT YOU DO NOT PACK NON-COMMERCIALLY WRAPPED FOOD STUFFS IN YOUR CHECKED BAGGAGE.Look and act like a respectable businessperson whenever you are passing through immigration. You will avoid attention if you look clean and are dressed like a businessperson (chinos and polo-type shirts are good for men). In addition, when the immigration form asks what you do for a living, try to pick a common profession that does not arouse much suspicion. I always say that I am a teacher or businessman. (I once had a friend who put down that she was an attorney when she tried to enter Peru and the immigration officials decided to harass her because they had recently had problems with a group of American attorneys who were involved with drug smugglingWHILE I CAN NOT CONFIRM THIS ASSERTION, I HAVE FOUND THAT IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS OFFICIALS WILL GRILL YOU THE MOST IF YOU ARE COMING INTO THEIR COUNTRY FROM A COUNTRY THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A GOOD RELATION (I.E. MY EXPERIENCE AT MIA AFTER FLYING FROM QUITO) OR ON A BUDGET FLIGHT FROM AN AIRLINE BASED IN A EMERGING COUNTRY (I.E. INTERJET BETWEEN CANCUN AND MONTREAL). FAST PASSES, ETC.PART FOUR: TRANSPORTATION (OTHER THAN AIRPLANES)GOOD GENERAL RULE FOR ALL TRANSPORTATION. THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE ACCEPTING A SCHEDULE WITH VERY SHORT TIMES BETWEEN CONNECTIONS – RECOMMEND AT LEAST TEN MINUTES FOR LONG DISTANT TRAINS/BUSES, AN HOUR FOR PLANES. SOME AIRPORTS ARE HUGE- IT CAN TAKE UP TO AN HOUR TO GET TO SOME GATES- MENTION YOUR EXPERIENCES AT HEATHROW AND MIA AND EXPERIENCE IN ITALY TO SALERNO…Buses, Trains, and SubwaysROAD TO RIOSCHEDULES ONLINE.. EVEN MOST LOCAL BUSES… OFTEN THE BEST TIMETABLES ARE POSTED AT THE BUSSTOPS THEMSELVESMENTION THAT IF YOU DO NOT A CHIP AND PIN CREDIT CARD YOU MAY HAVE TROUBLE BUYING EUROPEAN TRAIN TICKETS. (ALSO RARELY YOU MAY NEED THE PIN NUMBER. YOU MAY BE TO USE AN ATM CARD (WITH A PIN) AS WELL AS A CREDIT CARD.)IN MANY PLACES THE BEST, AND OFTENTIMES THE PRIMARY, INTER-CITY, SHORT DISTANCE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS BY BUS. (THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA AND MANY PARTS OF EASTERN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS VERY FEW OTHER OPTIONS). INTERCITY BUS TICKETS IN MOST OF WESTERN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA, COST ABOUT 20-30% LESS THAN COMPARABLE TRAIN TICKETS. THE BUSES ARE GENERALLY QUITE COMFORTABLE; HOWEVER, TRAINS ARE USUALLY A BIT FASTER AND MORE RELAXING. BUSES THAT TRAVEL IN RURAL AREAS IN EUROPE AND THE U.S., AND SECOND-CLASS BUSES IN LATIN AMERICA, DO NOT ALWAYS USE STATIONS. YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION THAT YOU ARE EXITING AND ENTERING THE BUS AT THE RIGHT PLACE. SOMETIMES, THE DRIVERS AND/OR AN ELECTRONIC SIGNS WILL ANNOUNCE THE STOPS; HOWEVER, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS SINCE THEY ARE NOT IN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE. (IN ADDITION, THE DRIVERS AND ELECTRONIC ANNOUNCEMENTS OFTEN USE NAMES OF PLACES THAT CAN BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU EXPECT). LET THE DRIVER AND/OR SOME FELLOW PASSENGERS KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO BE DROPPED OFF TO AVOID MISTAKES. ALSO, IF YOU ARE TAKING A BUS IN A RURAL AREA, PARTICULARLY IN PARTS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA, YOU PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO CALL FOR A TAXI (GENERALLY IT IS EASY TO FIND TAXIS IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN TRAIN AND BUS STATIONS) ONCE YOU ARRIVE TO GET TO YOUR FINAL DESTINATION. (TAXIS, OR SOMETIME MOTORIZED BICYCLES ARE ALMOST ALWAYS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE EMERGING). ASK FOR HELP OR, IF IT IS AVAILABLE, USE UBER, IF THIS IS A PROBLEM. MOST PEOPLE ARE GLAD TO HELP TOURISTS. MANY NOMADS FORGET THAT THEY CAN HIRE SOMEONE TO DRIVE THEM AROUND AND/OR GIVE THEM A PRIVATE TOUR. THIS IS A VERY VIABLE OPTION IN A THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY WHERE COSTS HIRING A DRIVER AND A CAR FOR ONE DAY RANGE BETWEEN $60 AND $150 PER DAY. (OFTENTIMES THIS IS NOT MUCH MORE THAN THE COST OF RENTING A CAR). IT IS QUITE EXPENSIVE TO DO IN A DEVELOPED COUNTRY ($300-$600 PER DAY). I WILL DISCUSS THIS OPTION IN DETAIL IN CHAPTER .VERIFY AND FLESH OUT MORE INFO-MEGABUS/LA-LV BUS?-Greyhound has set up the Bolt AND MEGABUS ( HYPERLINK "" ) can be a great cost savings alternative for traveling between many large cities in the U.S and Canada.National Express and Eurolines ( HYPERLINK "" eurolines.co.uk) offer inexpensive shuttle and bus services between airports and major European cities. They occasionally run some amazing deals. When I checked out National Express line’s website, they had tickets for one pound from London to Brighton (15 pounds from London to Paris). The best deals are available if you book a week or more ahead of time. You can find a lot of good deals in buses and planes by looking for signs advertising deals while you are traveling around Europe (and, to a lesser degree, the U.S.).Know when and how to pay for public transportation. In both Western and Eastern Europe, you are usually required (outside of a few tourist areas) to buy local (and some long distance) train and bus tickets ahead of time. City bus tickets are sold at local stores. (In Italy, for example, local bus tickets are sold by tobacconists.) Train and long-distance bus tickets are sold on-line or at the station.You must validate city bus tickets from a machine inside the bus. (On the train, these machines are usually somewhere near the train tracks or ticket vending area. If you forget to get the ticket validated you can sometimes get away with writing in the date and time on the ticket.) If you are caught without a validated ticket you will be subject to a substantial fee (up to $100-200). In some countries, like Italy, the enforcement of this rule on city buses is so lax that you could probably pay less for fines than tickets if you were daring enough not to buy tickets. In other places, like Poland (at least when I was there in 1994) the rules are very strictly enforced causing many unsuspecting travelers to pay big fines. (The Poles in 1994 found every conceivable excuse to fine travelers. I have friends who were fined for not putting the validation stamp on the right place on the ticket.) ANY APPS THAT HELP WITH THIS? -- Though riding a city bus saves money (and sometimes time and trouble) over taxis and cars, particularly in North America and Europe, it can be more trouble than it is worth. City buses are a great option if you are going to use the same route repeatedly over a week or more. (For example, if you are living in a homestay and studying the language for a couple of weeks). They are particularly worthwhile if you are going to buy or rent a house overseas for an extended period. (I think one of the biggest mistakes that live abroad nomads make is buying a car. See chapter for more details). Buses in most of the developed world cost between 5-20% of the price of taxis and Uber, cover a lot of territory and avoid some of the problems with associated with car rentals (i.e. car accidents). Yet, riding a city bus can be more trouble than they are worth if you plan to travel to many places in a city over a small period of time. Buses can be very slow, infrequent, and complicated. I’ve spent lots of time looking for a bus stop in the middle of seemingly nowhere. More common still, I’ve got on the right bus number. Unless you are in a big city, buses can be surprisingly infrequent in Europe. In Italy I frequently spent between thirty minutes and an hour waiting for a bus. SAME WITH TRAINS-PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH Outside of big cities in the U.S., public transit can be so infrequent as to be essentially useless for all but the most determined budget traveler. It can also be troublesome finding the right bus stop to get off the bus. Often the buses are so crowded that you can’t see any landmarks and even when you can see the route most of the places you want to go are not noticeable outside the bus window. I’ve found that the only way to avoid these problems is to ask at least two locals for help and, even with that, accept that about one-quarter of the time I’ll be on the wrong bus or get off at the wrong stop. (Note: The difficulty of city bus travel is one of the main reasons that I don’t recommend that budget travelers visit a lot of cities for a day or two each in Europe. You may, like me, spend almost as much time getting lost on the city bus as sightseeing.)That said city bus travel doesn’t have to be that bad. Once you’ve used the bus, you’ll be able to find your way the next time easily. In addition, many touristy cities have one or two bus routes that connect most of the main common tourist sites. I’ve even meet some travelers who like taking the buses because the mistakes they make give them stories to tell their friends. (In EMERGING cities, though buses outside of city centers are usually more frequent than in Europe, the frustrations of city buses are similar to Europe. Local bus lines can, however, be useful in the EMERGING if you are planning to travel more than about five miles. Otherwise, I’d suggest using a taxi. Most taxi rides cost about $1 a mile. Bus rides are 25 cents to $1.) In larger cities worldwide, take the subway. Subway routes are generally pretty easy to understand and very few tourist sites are located more than a twenty-minute walk from a station. (Just make sure that you know the name of the last station on your route and you’ll get on the right train). THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS OFTEN REVOLVES AROUND BUYING THE TICKETS TO ENTER THE SUBWAY. UNLESS THERE IS A LONG LINE, I WOULD RECOMMEND BUYING TICKETS AT A KIOSK THAT IS MANNED BY A HUMAN BEING ANYTIME PARTICULARLY IF YOU WILL ONLY USE A METRO SYSTEM A COUPLE OF TIME. (MANY STATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN EUROPE, DO NOT HAVE THESE KIOSKS, UNFORTUNATELY). THE MACHINES CAN BE COMPLICATED TO USE AT FIRST PARTICULARLY SINCE SOME SYSTEMS HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF TICKETS AVAILABLE. (NOTE: MANY OF THE KIOSKS DO HAVE SCREENS AVAILABLE IN OTHER LANGUAGES. USUALLY YOU CAN ACCESS THESE SCREENS BY LOOKING FOR THE U.S OR U.K. (UNION JACK) FLAG). SINCE, SOMETIMES, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A TICKET AVAILABLE TO EXIT THE SUBWAY AS WELL, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU KEEP YOU TICKET AFTER ENTERING THE SUBWAY JUST IN CASE. Consider taking slower, second class buses and trains instead of express ones, particularly in Europe. In most countries, you’ll be able to save about one-third by choosing local trains. Many travelers make the mistake of buying tickets for express trains before they know that local trains are available. Yes, it takes more time (usually about 50% more time) and many local trains are less comfortable. However, you do get to see more countryside (partly because the trains stop more often and move slower) and the cost savings are considerable. (In most EMERGING countries, the quality and slowness of these buses and trains are bad enough so that I would recommend that most travelers stick to first class, express buses and trains).DISCUSS DOWNSIDES--You can often save on accommodations by choosing to travel at night. If you can sleep on a train or bus and don’t care about seeing the countryside, this can save quite a bit. This cost saving technique is so commonly used by many EMERGING residents, that you may find it hard to find long-distance buses, trains, and even planes that travel during the day. In Central America, you want to consider taking shuttles between major tourist centers. These shuttles are vans that travel between the major tourist attractions. Most shuttles depart four to six times a day and have eight to ten passengers. The shuttles cost $25 and leave from major hotels. Similar bus trips cost around $3-$5, however, the shuttles are more comfortable and secure. (A particularly good idea if you are carrying valuable or heavy luggage). Gray Line Tours operates these shuttles in Costa Rica. I’ve seen similar shuttles in Nicaragua and Guatemala.Bus, Train, and Subway PassesPasses come with a lot of rules that can really limit your flexibility. I think they were worth considering primarily if you want to travel to a lot of places for a relatively short period of time (under a month). I have not bought rail or bus pass because I realize that I couldn’t use most of the pass features since I usually stay in one city for a week or more (and use it as a home base to explore the nearby countryside) and, therefore, it was cheaper for me to buy individual plane or train tickets than a pass.WHILE EVERYONE HAS HEARD ABOUT EURAIL PASSES (CHECK OUT RICK STEVES’ WEBSITE, WWW., AND GUIDEBOOKS FOR DETAILS), FEWER PEOPLE REALIZE THAT: 1) MANY TRAVELERS WHO BUY EURAIL PASSES HAVE DISCOVERED THAT, AFTER THEY’VE PURCHASED THE TICKETS, THEY COULD HAVE TRAVEL FOR LESS (AND OFTENTIMES MORE EASILY) USING LOW-COST, INTERNAL EUROPEAN AIRLINES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO CHECK-IN LUGGAGE. (EUROPEAN BUDGET AIRLINES OFTEN CHARGE AS MUCH OR MORE FOR CHECKING-IN YOUR BAGGAGE AS FOR THE TICKET. SEE CHAPTER FOR MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT EUROPEAN BUDGET AIRLINES.) (2) THE PASSES LIMIT THEIR FLEXIBILITY TO STAY IN ONE PLACE LONGER (OR LEAVE A PLACE QUICKER THAN EXPECTED) SINCE YOU HAVE TO BUY THE EURAIL PASSES BEFORE YOU LEAVE FROM YOUR HOME COUNTRY AND (3) YOU CAN’T GET REFUNDS FOR UNUSED PASSES. AMTRAK’S PASS IN THE U.S. AND VIA RAIL?S PASS IN CANADA MAY BE AS GOOD, IF NOT A BETTER DEAL, THAN EURAIL (MAINLY BECAUSE TRAVEL IN THE US AND CANADA CAN INVOLVE LONG DISTANCES AND THUS CROSS-COUNTRY TRIPS CAN COST AS MUCH AS THE PASS). BE AWARE, HOWEVER, THAT THOUGH AMTRAK IS COMFORTABLE, IT IS NOT VERY PUNCTUAL (EXCEPT BETWEEN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS LIKE THE BOSTON-WASHINGTON DC AND LOS ANGELES-SAN DIEGO CORRIDOR) AND THE CAF? CAR IS EXPENSIVE AND NOT VERY GOOD BUS PASSES MAY BE A BETTER OPTION THAN TRAIN PASSES. EUROLINES () OFFERS VERY INEXPENSIVE PASS FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN EUROPEAN CITIES. (I THINK THAT EUROLINES PASS COULD BE MORE USEFUL FOR MOST EURAIL PASSES FOR SOME MODERN-DAY NOMADS BECAUSE THE RULES ARE LESS COMPLEX AND THE PRICE IS MORE INEXPENSIVE THAN THE EURAIL PASS). GREYHOUND ALSO SOMETIMES OFFERS A BUS PASS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT IN THE US OR CANADA. (EUROLINES IS GENERALLY MORE PUNCTUAL AND SAFER THAN GREYHOUND).Passes are not just available in the U.S. and Western Europe. I’ve seen bus and train passes in many countries. While I have never used it before, I have heard good things about the Indrailpass offered in India () In addition to the cost savings, these passes can save you the time buying tickets in crowded stations I have also heard praise for Oz (), Kiwi (), and Feejee ( ) Experience. Many cities have passes that allow you to make unlimited subway and bus trips for a reasonable set fee (usually $3-$10/day; $15-50 a week). If you intend to make more than three trips a day by public transportation, these passes usually end up being worthwhile. Check guidebooks and tourist information offices to learn how to buy these passes. THESE PASSES MAY BE WORTH IT TO AVOID PROBLEMS IN BUYING TICKETS. CAN OFTEN BUY A SMALL NUMBERS OF TRIPS AT ONE TIME…NEED EXACT CHANGE ON A CITY BUS IN MOST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. MAY NOT BE WORTH IT IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE FOR VERY LONG AND/OR YOU DON?T INTEND TO RETURN IN THE NEAR FUTURE (SOME CARDS HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE).Taxis, Tuk-tuks, and UberTaxis and Tuk-tuksDISCUSS THE IDEA THAT MANY PLACES IN ASIA DO NOT HAVE THAT MANY TAXIS, PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE OF BIG CITIES. INSTEAD MOST SHORT DISTANT TRIPS ARE IN WHAT BACKPACKERS HAVE COME TO CALL TUKTUKS. DISCUSS WHAT THEY ARE, ORIGIN IN THAILAND. MOST OF THE SAME RULES FOR FINDING TAXIS BELOW APPLY.TALK ABOUT TIPS FOR FINDING A TAXI. IMPORTANCE OF WRITING DOWN THE ADDRESS OF YOUR DESTINATION. TRY TO FIND NEARBY DESTINATIONS THAT THE TAXI CAB DRIVER KNOWS. HOTELS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND. NAMES CHANGE. MANY CHAINS HAVE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT SEEM TO KNOW WHERE IT IS, SEE IF YOU CAN ACCESS THE HOTEL ON THE INTERNET AND SHOW ON GOOGLE MAPS. (INCREASINGLY TAXI CAB DRIVERS WILL DO THIS AUTOMATICALLY). IF YOU CAN SHOW THE DRIVER THE ADDRESS IN LOCAL CHARACTERS, IE CYRILLIC/ARABIC/CHINESE. HAVE THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE HOTEL SO THAT IF NECESSARY THE DRIVER CAN CALL THEM FOR DIRECTIONS. AVOIDING BEING OVERCHARGED. FIND OUT TYPICAL COSTS FROM HOTEL CLERK OR WEBSITES. ASK THE DRIVER THE PRICE BEFORE YOU ENTER THE CAB AND IF NECESSARY HAGGLE. IN MY MIND, IF THE PRICE IS CLOSE TO WHAT THE HOTEL/WEBSITE QUOTED AND IT IS NOT VERY EXPENSIVE ANYWAY, I WOULD NOT HAGGLE IF THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE IS LESS THAN 10%. THIS IS MORE LIKELY TO BE THE CASE IN THE EMERGING WERE COSTS ARE LOW IN THE FIRST PLACE. MOST TAXIS IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD HAVE METERS. USING THE SERVICE PROVIDED BY A KIOSK AT THE AIRPORT. EXPENSIVE BUT SAFE. DO NOT ACCEPT TAXIS WHEN SOMEONE COMES OUT OF THE BLUE AND ASKS IF YOU WANT A TAXI-PIRATE, NORMALLY JUST MORE MONEY, BUT CAN BE DANGEROUS. USUALLY LEGITIMATE TAXIS WILL HAVE A TAXI SIGN, AND A LICENSE. ALSO HELPS TO GOOGLE TO FIND OUT THE NAME OF TAXI COMPANIES. HOWEVER, I ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THE TAXI EXPERIENCE IN YOUR DESTINATION BEFORE YOU ARRIVE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. PERHAPS INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCE IN MYSORE. UberEXPLAIN BRIEFLY WHAT UBER ISINTEGRATE THIS INTO THE TEXT: “APPS HAVE PROVIDED BOTH ASPECTS OF ID AUTHENTICATION AND GEOLOCATION TO ENABLE A SERVICE MARKETPLACE, AND THEY REMAIN THE BEST WAY TO CREATE EFFICIENCIES IN PROCESSES.”EXPLAIN THAT TO USE UBER WELL IT IS BETTER YOU HAVE A RELATIVELY NEW (NO MORE THAN THREE YEARS OLD) CELL PHONE AND AN UNLIMITED DATA PLAN (YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO USE IT WHENEVER/WHEREVER YOU NEED A TAXI RATHER THAN WASTE TIME TRYING TO FIND A WIFI SIGNAL).MENTION THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL SERVICES LIKE UBER THAT YOU HAVE NOT USED SO YOU DO NOT KNOW IF THE SAME ADVICE APPLIES TO THESE OTHER APSADVANTAGES WILL BE LESS LIKELY TO BE OVERCHARGEDDO NOT NEED CASH. YOU KNOW WHEN THE UBER WILL ARRIVE. ISSUES UBER WILL NOT ALWAYS PICK YOU UP/DROP YOU OFF WHERE YOU ARE OR WANT TO GO –USE PHILLY AS AN EXAMPLE. YOU WILL PAY A FEE IF YOU CANCEL THE UBER.MAY NOT SAVE YOU MONEY DURING PEAK HOURS, PARTICULARLY IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.UBER CAN BE PROBLEMATIC IN PLACES WHERE THE TAXI DRIVERS ARE IN PROTEST. IN MY MIND, ONE OF THE BEST BENEFITS OF UBER IS THAT REGULAR CABS HAVE GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH UBER. I FIND UBER IS BEST WHEN YOU HAVE TO CALL FOR A TAXI. REGULAR TAXIS MAY BE BEST WHEN THERE IS A TAXI STAND (YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 5 MINUTES FOR AN UBER AND YOU CAN TAKE A TAXI AT THE STAND RIGHT AWAY). UBER MAY BE GREAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU GOINGUBER CHOOSES THE ROUTE THE DRIVER FOLLOWS, MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN YOU EXPECTED SINCE YOU NEED TO INDICATE WHERE YOU ARE GOING BEFOREHAND, YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU WILL LIKELY AVOID MANY OF THE PROBLEMS FINDING YOUR DESTINATION THAT I DESCRIBED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION ON TAXIS. A LOT OF TIMES YOU CAN JUST PUT IN THE NAME OF A BUSINESS OR SITEYOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL, HOWEVER, THAT UBER SENDS YOU TO THE RIGHT PLACE BY CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THAT UBER IS SENDING YOU TO THE RIGHT PLACES…MAY BE WORTH COMPARING WITH GOOGLE MAPS.BE CAREFUL JUST AS WITH TAXIS, WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO ANY BUSINESS WITH MULTIPLE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO GET INTO THE CAR QUICKLY AFTER YOU CALL FOR AN UBER.LYFT – YET ANOTHER SAN FRANSISCO-BASED COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A “COUCHSURFING ON WHEELS” FOR CONNECTING PEOPLE WHO NEED A LIFT WITH PEOPLE WITH A CAR. LYFT IS IN DIRECT COMPETITION WITH UBER, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME HIGHLY PUBLICIZED CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COMPANIES.CAR COMPANIES ARE PILOTING THEIR OWN CAR-SHARING SERVICES, TOO. CASES IN POINT: GENERAL MOTORS LAUNCHED MAVEN IN 2016; FIAT’S CADILLAC BRAND LAUNCHED A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE, BOOK BY CADILLAC IN 2017; AUDI IS CURRENTLY PILOTING AUDI ON DEMAND IN SAN FRANCISCO; AND DAIMLER AND BMW RECENTLY AGREED TO MERGE THEIR CAR-SHARING SERVICES, CAR2GO AND REACHNOW, IN ORDER TO SCALE THEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE U.S. MARKET.Car RentalsI OFTEN WONDER WHY SO MANY PEOPLE RENT CARS. THERE ARE DEFINITELY TIMES WHEN RENTING A CAR IS A GREAT OPTION. HOWEVER, I THINK A LOT OF NOMADS SIMPLY RENT A CAR BECAUSE IT SEEMS THE THING TO DO WITHOUT CONSIDERING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FIRST.MENTION YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH TRANSPONDER AND FEES ON FLA TURNPIKE.- a car anywhere can be difficult and problematic for many budget travelers. Rental rates are generally range from $40-$100 a day and insurance costs an additional $10-40 more. (In addition, most cars in Europe have stick-shift transmission. If you need an automatic, you’ll pay more if you can find them at all.) If you rely primarily on public transportation, you will find that most of the world is considerably cheaper than the U.S. (Note: The U.S.A, however, is usually the cheapest and easiest place to rent a car.) In addition, you will also have other advantages if you rely on public transportation, including:You’ll meet more local people. I’ve met some of the world’s kindest people on buses. One time I even had a fellow passenger in Mexico offer to let me stay with him because I was sick on the bus.You’ll see more of the countryside and relax on public transportation. On the bus or train, can read and look out the window rather than having pay attention to the road.You won’t have to pay the high tolls that exist overseas. Tolls can easily add ten to twenty cents a mile to travel in many parts of Europe and even parts of Latin America, such as Mexico and Argentina. (For example, you can spend more money on tolls alone traveling between Texas and Central Mexico than an airline ticket would cost.)Gas in most countries (even in the EMERGING) costs as much or more per gallon as the U.S.A. In most of Western Europe gas costs the equivalent of $8-11 a gallon. Even in a country where travel is cheap, like Thailand and Argentina, gas costs more than in the U.S. YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE….Several times in my classes I have heard stories of people who rented a car in Western Europe or Australia and got in an accident in an area (like a traffic roundabout or a mountain pass) that was not covered by the car insurance. Generally, these students have had to endure a prolonged fight to get the issue resolved and one student even had to pay the rental agency for the cost of a “totaled” car. It can be very difficult to find parking overseas, particularly in large cities. It is not unusual to spend thirty minutes to an hour just to find free spaces. And, in some cities, you can easily pay $20-$50 a day just to park your car. In addition, in many European cities you’ll have to park outside of the city and walk or bus your way into the city Finding your way around can be very frustrating. I once spent almost six hours in a car with someone just looking for a way to get out of Mexico City. I have also met several people who were so frustrated driving around Europe between the small roads, crazy drivers, and confusing road signs that they vowed never to return again.Despite these obvious disadvantages there are times that renting a car can be worthwhile. I would advise you to consider renting when:You plan to do a lot of travel in rural and suburban areas. It can be hard to find buses in the areas and when they do exist they can be extremely infrequent. In addition, when you travel in rural and suburban areas with a car you can access inexpensive rural accommodations [car-oriented chain hotels (like Motel 6 in the U.S. or Ibis in Europe), hostels and campgrounds, and agro-tourism and monastery rooms --see accommodation section below for detail] and restaurants (truck -stop diners and drive-through, fast-food restaurants) which help offset the car rental costs.You are traveling with your family. Even though costly, car rentals become competitive with public transportation when three or more people travel together,You need to carry a lot of luggage. Cars will save you a lot of lugging and storage charges. (In the U.S. and Western Europe, it can be hard to find baggage storage facilities in bus and train stations. When you do find these facilities, they will be very expensive and may not allow you to keep baggage overnight.) That said, traveling by rental car is usually a good option in the U.S., unless you are traveling to (and/or between) major cities in a congested area (like Boston-Washington- New York, San Francisco, and Chicago). Public buses are rare in the U.S. and, most importantly, rental cars can be very cheap. Over the years, I’ve noted that there are several clues to getting inexpensive car rentals in the U.S.:The cheapest rentals are usually from locations that are off-the-beaten-tourist-path. It is rare that you’ll get a good deal at the airport. Sometimes the difference in rental fees between locations in the same city can be so pronounced that it is worth the time and trouble to take a bus or shuttle to another location to pick up a car or to change your itinerary to a place where rental cars are available cheaply.IT COSTS THE SAME TO RENT A CAR FOR A WEEK AS FOR FIVE DAYS. THEREFORE, TO BE DEGREE, MAKE RENTALS IN WEEK-LONG INCREMENTS. (NOTE: THIS IS TRUE EVEN FOR LONG RENTALS. IN OTHER WORDS, IT WILL COST THE SAME TO RENT A CAR FOR 26 DAYS (7 DAYS FOR THREE WEEKS PLUS FIVE DAYS AS FOR 28 DAYS (7 DAYS FOR FOUR WEEKS).Look for rentals as part of packages. When you book a flight, many sites will ask you do you want to rent a car as well. I’ve found that usually booking both together will save 10-30%. While usually you want to avoid returning a car to a different office than you rented it from, sometimes it can work out. You may pay as much or less for a car rental when you return the car to an office located a long distance from where you rented it. I was surprised to discover that it cost me $50 less to rent a car for a week in Peoria, Illinois and return it to Providence, Rhode Island than to rent a car to travel around Peoria for a week.If you need to travel to an airport that is far from home to pick up a flight, you may want to consider renting a car and driving it to the airport rather than taking a shuttle. Usually there is no drop-off fee (drop-off fees usually occur when you rent a car from one location and drop it off at another location) for bringing a car to a major airport. Sometimes if you are leaving from a more off-the-beaten-path destination, the rental fees can be very reasonable.DO NOT BE SURPRISED IF CAR RENTAL COMPANIES CHARGE YOU AN ADDITIONAL DAY IF YOU DO NOT RETURN THE CAR AT THE EXACT TIME YOU INDICATE ON YOUR RESERVATION. Ways to Save Money Getting to and from the AirportIf you need to park your car at the airport for several days, consider renting a room for the night and asking the hotel if they’ll let you park your car until you come home. Usually they will charge you more for the night’s accommodation than you’d pay otherwise, but it still may be less than it costs just to park your car at a lot near the airport. Parking a car near the airport usually costs $15-30 a day for a lot next to the airport and $6-15 a day for a lot two to five miles away from the airport. (Note: You can make parking reservations online. You will be shuttled to the airport from the parking lots that are away from the airport.) A hotel room, with parking included, usually costs $100-150 a night. Sometimes, however, the free parking is only available for a limited period of time (most commonly, one week). If you park for more time, you may have to pay extra (usually less than you’d pay at an airport parking lot. Generally, inexpensive hotels charge less for parking and will allow you to park for a longer period of time for no additional charge. It is rare that you can park a car for more than two weeks without paying an extra fee). For more information on these parking/room specials, check out .If you are planning to travel for less than a couple of days, you may be able to park your car at a suburban train station or a park-and-ride lot for free (or low cost) and take the train or bus to the airport and, thus, save the high parking costs. Check websites or call the station for details. Be careful since this option is not available from every station/park and ride lot and you could come home to a hefty ticket if it is prohibited.You can travel by public transportation to the airport and bypass paying parking fees altogether. Yes, in many suburban and rural communities, it may take several hours. However, there is almost no home in the U.S.A that is completely inaccessible by public transport and even if you have to make many transfers you’ll eventually get to the airport. (I think every airport is connected by public transportation. The larger cities are well connected. Buses for example go from Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles to Los Angeles (LAX) every thirty minutes and from Seattle’s Airport (SEA-TAC) to Downtown Seattle every 10-20 minutes. Subway trains serve San Francisco Airport (SFO), O’Hare in Chicago (ORD), Washington-National (DCA), Logan in Boston (BOS), etc.Trains and buses also provide connections from downtown to all major airports in Europe and Asia. I have never had trouble getting to the airport in Europe and Asia by public transportation outside of the U.S. even when I needed to get an early morning flight. PART FIVE: FINDING THE RIGHT FLIGHTTRAVEL HACKS FROM NOMADIC MATT TELL THE READERS THAT THIS IS A SUMMARY OF HIS BOOK -GIVE FULL TITLE AND ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS-ON TRAVEL HACKS. I DO NOT INCLUDE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IN HIS BOOK INCLUDING APPENDIXES—WITH A SHORT EXPLANATION OF EACH APPENDIX- MILEAGE CHARTS, INFORMATION ON PROGRAMS AVAILABLE OVERSEAS, AND “MANUFACTURE” SPENDING – ACCORDING TO MATT THIS INVOLVES THE RECYCLING OF CLOSED-LOOP, MONEY-MOVING TECHNIQUES SUCH AS PREPAID PIN ENABLED DEBIT CARDS, MONEY ORDERS, AND GIFT CARDS. TELL THEM THAT THIS INFORMATION AGES QUICKLY AND EXPLAIN THAT I AM NOT SURE THAT SOME PARTS OF HIS BOOK LIKE HOW TO GET CREDIT/HOW TO REPAIR CREDIT ARE VERY RELEVANT TO MOST OF MY READERS. ALSO MENTION THAT I TRY TO CONCENTRATE ON THE PARTS OF HIS BOOK THAT DEFINE THE TERMINOLOGY OF TRAVEL HAKING AND TECHNIQUES THAT I HAVE USED PERSONALLY AND/OR I THINK WILL BE RELATIVELY EASY AND APPEALING FOR MY READERS. MENTION THAT I WILL DISCUSS MY EXPERIENCE WITH AIRLINE AND HOTEL PROGRAMS LATER IN THE BOOK. SAY THAT YOU THINK MATT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF OUTLINING HOW TO MAXIMIZE POINTS AND MILES AND IT IS WELL WORTH READING IF YOU ARE INTRIGUED WITH LEARNING THE INS AND OUTS OF POINTS AND MILE PROGRAMS.What is Travel Hacking?Travel hacking is the technique of legally collecting loyalty points for travel programs ? and then gaming said programs to get free or severely discounted travel. As airline and hotel programs have expanded and became a cash machine for travel brands, companies have begun to o?er points for just about anything even including taking a survey, signing up via a link to a particular bank, and shopping on-line. The rise of large credit card bonuses has also made it easy for consumers to obtain hundreds of thousands of miles each year without ever traveling. There’s nothing illegal about this. All the companies know what’s happening; some even host travel hackers at corporate events. Although “hacking” seems to imply something ?shy, it’s perfectly legit. Why do these huge corporations allow people to game their programs and seemingly “lose” out? Because it’s actually big business. Brands sell their points to credit card issuers, shops, restaurants, and other programs. Those companies then use those points to encourage consumers to use their products, sign up for cards, shop, and do whatever else. Everyone wins: travel brands, banks, shops, and consumers. Companies wouldn’t let this go on if they didn’t bene?t from it. As long as you pay your credit card bill each month and never take on more than you can chew, you can’t lose. I never get in over my head, and my bills are paid o? each month. I just collect the miles and redeem them as needed. Though loopholes come and go and the game is constantly changing, travel hacking will probably remain for years to come. While it’s here, I’ll certainly use it to pay less for my travels. And so should you. It costs businesses more to gain new customers than to keep existing ones, especially ones who are paying for first-class tickets and penthouse suites. Loyalty programs keep customers coming back over and over again, even if we don’t love the company or some new policy. These programs entice travelers to stay with them instead of switching to another, as most companies have cut benefits and perks to nonmembers. Even if you hate the new direction a rewards programs is going, the cost of switching becomes so high that we think, “Well, we already have miles with them,” so we don’t switch.We love the idea of being rewarded and winning. Even non-airline and non-hotel chains like the booking sites Expedia and offer loyalty programs for booking through their websites! Book enough with these companies and they will give you a free stay or discounts off your next booking.How Do Loyalty Programs Work?Hotel ProgramsEvery hotel loyalty program offers its own benefits. Programs are generally divided into various levels, and the higher levels (think silver, gold, platinum) see the most benefits. As you gain status, you’ll earn point bonuses during hotel stays, free amenities, free Wi-Fi, room upgrades, and complimentary breakfasts. Hotel programs are very straightforward. Amenities and perks are pretty standardized across the board, and since the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) merger with Marriott, there are even fewer programs out there and less variation. Just by signing up for any program (which you should do in advance of your first stay), you’ll get free Internet, complimentary water, and added points per dollar spent at the hotel. That’s standard across programs. With hotel loyalty programs, you only earn points and status when you book directly through the hotel. For example, if you stay at the Hilton but booked via Expedia or , you won’t earn points from your booking or have that stay count toward your elite status. You’ll earn points from money spent on extras such as room service, but not from the room itself. For many years, I shunned hotels in favor of hostels, and when I finally started staying at hotels, I made the mistake of booking them via . I ended up losing out on a full week of points and status at an SPG hotel in Bangkok because I didn’t book directly with the hotel. Not only do hotels take better care of customers who book directly with them but they’re also more likely to award upgrades and perks if they see you are a direct booking. (Tip: Call the hotel you want to stay at. Usually you can get a cheaper rate by negotiating on the phone, especially during low season). Note: The hotel booking websites PointsHound and RocketMiles will sometimes code the bookings so that rooms booked through their sites still earn hotel points. Also, with these two websites, you earn airline frequent flier miles when you book—lots of them. I’ll touch more on redeeming hotel points and weighing benefits in a later chapter, but for now, know that hotel loyalty programs are pretty straightforward. The more often you book directly and spend money during your stay, the higher your status and the more benefits you get. Airline Programs Airline loyalty programs are far less straightforward than hotel programs, as there are far more caveats. Started in the 1980s by American Airlines, airline loyalty programs used to give you one frequent flier mile per mile flown. However, it’s not nearly as simple as that anymore, so let me go into some detail on how these programs, especially those in the US, work. Nowadays, actual miles flown (often known as elite qualifying miles, or EQMs) count ONLY toward determining if your eligible for “elite status.” This is the status that gets you free checked bags, priority boarding, priority screening, lounge membership, international upgrades, and more. Miles gained through non-airline credit card purchases, surveys, promotions, and credit card bonuses don’t count toward your elite status. Some top-level airline credit cards (i.e., the ones with high yearly fees and spending requirements) do offer some elite status if you hit a certain level of spending.There’s another type of miles you get on a flight: redeemable miles, the kind you use to book that flight for free. The difference between EQMs and redeemable miles is that airlines award redeemable miles are based on a lot of factors other than just flying. And that’s why 3,000 miles flown doesn’t necessarily equal 3,000 redeemable miles. Depending on your status, it could be a whole lot more—or less. In the last few years, airline programs have really changed how they calculate these redeemable miles. Every airline has its own rules and calculates these miles differently. Here in the United States, while the major airlines (Delta, United, American) still give you at least one EQM for every mile you fly, they no longer give you one redeemable mile for every mile you fly. The redeemable points you get are based on your ticket fare and elite status in the airline’s program. For example, redeemable miles for most flights geared toward leisure, coach travelers are calculated for most US carriers based on the fare (usually 5 redeemable miles for every dollar spent on a fare, minus taxes and fee), but if you fly one their partners, it could be based on distance or fare, depending who the partner is! IS THIS STILL TRUE? One notable exception to the above-noted rules is Alaska Airlines. (Note: Alaska Airlines partners with a large number of airlines, like American, Delta, Qantas, Emirates, Cathay, and Icelandair (which partners with no one else)). It still calculates EQMs and redeemable miles earned based on distance and elite status, so there is a good argument to be made that you can get the most of your rewards if you bank your miles to them when you fly Alaska or their partners. I fly a lot out of NYC, and Alaska doesn’t have a lot of flights there, but its partner American Airlines does. My strategy is to earn 50,000 EQMs with American in order to be eligible for upgrades and international lounges, then afterwards always use my Alaska Airlines number to maximize the redeemable miles I earn for flights, since Alaska partners with most of the airlines I redeem miles on anyway. Since JetBlue and Southwest don’t have transfer partners, I am not including them in this section, because you can only use earned miles with them. As you can see, earning miles and status on airlines is not as simple as it used to be. The airlines have made their programs a lot more complicated and have so many rules that if you are not a high-spending frequent flier, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to earn and keep your status. The vast majority of branded airline credit cards offer free checked bags, priority access, priority boarding, and discounts on in-flight food and beverages regardless of whether you have an elite status. The main benefit of elite status (upgrades and international lounge access) only begin when you have mid-level status with an airline- usually once you have at 50,000 EQMs per year. Therefore, it’s not worth being loyal when you can get many elite status perks by just signing up for an airline’s branded credit card!If you do fly frequently, though, loyalty programs become extremely important—not only for your ability to have a better flying experience but also because most of the best perks happen around 50,000 miles a year. If you think you’ll fly that many miles on paid tickets, stay loyal to one airline until you get there and then move to another airline. But if you can’t fly that much or spend much in tickets on the same airline, don’t stick to one airline. EVER! Loyalty programs exist to get you hooked on a single brand so you don’t switch to a competitor, but as a travel hacker, you will accumulate miles and points with several loyalty programs to maximize both your elite status (and thus upgrades and other benefits) and point balances to redeem for freebies. However, even if you’re a casual traveler, don’t stretch yourself too widely across loyalty programs. Having a tiny balance in a lot of programs won’t get you free flights (my friend Travis from Extra Pack of Peanuts calls these “straggler points”). In short, don’t be overly loyal—either to hotels or airlines. They constantly change the goal posts programs—upping mileage requirements, reducing benefits, and just overall being jerks. Unless I can get to the mid-level status with one company (either through having a certain credit card, meeting a spending requirement, or staying or flying enough), I don’t bother. It simply doesn’t pay to be loyal. Airlines are going to continue to screw us over with earned miles. They no longer look toward their frequent customers but rather their big-spending ones, the kind that buy last-minute business tickets. It doesn’t matter anymore that you flew that airline 40 times last year. They care more about the guy who spent $10,000 USD on tickets—even if he will only ever fly that airline once. And another important reason to diversify and not be loyal? Mileage depreciation. Miles are like currency. The more you have, the better. But just like regular money, miles lose value over time through inflation and overprinting. Essentially, the more miles the airlines “print,” the less valuable they become. There are so many miles currently in circulation (more than there is money in the world) that they’ve become too easy to earn and redeem for free travel. To correct this, airlines devalue their miles every few years by increasing the number required for a reward ticket and placing restrictions on when you can use them. Use your miles as soon as you have enough for the reward ticket you want, because you never know when the programs are going to change. How do you fight this? You don’t—but what you can do is use programs that allow you to move points around, like Chase’s Ultimate Rewards, American Express’ Membership Rewards, or Citi’s ThankYou points. These programs allow you to transfer points between multiple hotel and airline companies to redeem the travel you need right then and there. They don’t allow you to transfer to all brands, but still, enough brands to make them your primary points programs for general mileage earning. Using Travel Credit CardsGigantic credit card bonuses are what make travel hacking possible on a grand scale. Competition for customers is fierce, and as a result, card companies partner with major travel brands to offer sign-up bonuses to new customers. I’ve accumulated over one million points through sign-up bonuses alone. I use so many points each year, it would take an entire book to just list them off to you. From first-class flights and booking my parents on holidays, to free hotel stays and trains trips, points and miles help me keep my travel costs down. And they can do that for you too, which is why signing up for a travel credit card is so important.Credit cards are integral part of travel hacking. They are your miles and-points printing press (outside of actual travel). This does not mean you have to get dozens of cards if you don’t want to. Nor does mean you need perfect credit. This isn’t about spending money you don’t have—it’s about finding a way to earn miles and points through what you already buy.Before we go into travel credit cards, let’s talk about credit in general. They’ve become a symbol of everything that is wrong with modern finance. And it’s true, in part: credit cards, especially travel-related ones, come with high interest rates and big penalties. And getting stuck on the debt wheel can be hard to get off. But I currently have 19 credit cards, and I’ve never had a problem getting a new card or any other type of loans. Credit cards are only bad if you spend more money than you have. You use a debit card with your bank because you can see the money leave your bank account and you don’t spend more than you have, right? But debit cards don’t allow you to earn miles or come with the consumer protections and benefits credit card do. Credit cards, when used properly, will just print free money (i.e., points and miles) for you. They offer high levels of consumer protections, fraud protection, insurance, and perks that make them way better than using a debit card for transactions. If you pay your bill on time and in full and don’t spend more than you can afford (travel hacking is not about spending extra money), you’ll face no penalty, interest, or late fees. I’ve never paid a late fee or interest on any of my many credit cards. Don’t give into the hype and misinformation about them because a few people like to overspend and be voracious consumers. Those are the people with credit card debt. Travel hacking is not going to hurt your credit score in any way as long as you pay your balance in full—in fact, it can help you. Some Dos and Don’ts of Good Credit Card Use ? Pay your balance in full to avoid interest and fees. You can set up auto-payments to ensure that you never miss a payment! If you carry a balance or can’t pay your balance off in full each month, stop now. Travel hacking is not for you. Don’t cancel no-fee cards! (Since the length of your credit history is a factor, if a card doesn’t have a yearly fee, just leave it open as an “anchor” for your credit score.) ? Don’t apply for a lot of cards at one time. ? Wait a few months before you apply for new cards. Applying for new credit cards gives you a temporary ding that goes away after 2–3 months and your score goes right back up. I like to go by a 91-day rule. On the 91st day after my last round of applications, I apply for new cards. ? If you’re about to apply for a mortgage, refinance your home, or take out a personal loan, don’t apply for a lot of credit cards within six months of doing that, because it will negatively affect your credit score.Why Credit Cards Are Branded? Credit cards are big business, and that’s why you see such great sign-up bonuses. This is how it works: Credit card companies make money via each swipe of the card—the more times you use your card, the more times they make money. Generally, when people get used to using one card, they stick with it, so companies want to make sure that their card is always the go-to one, which is why they offer so many perks. By offering huge bonuses, they get you to sign up and use the card. As a result, credit card companies buy billions of dollars? worth of points and miles from the travel industry each year (Delta’s contract with American Express is worth $2 billion USD!) and then turn around and offer those points and miles as sign-up bonuses to you! We all win. That’s why travel companies love these cards and promote them so heavily.How to Pick the Right Cards With so many credit cards to choose from, which ones do you pick? Well, the short answer is: all of them (eventually). Why put a limit on how many points you can get? But that being said, don’t do that quite yet. When you are just beginning to learn this stuff, you should instead start off with the following question: What is your goal? The important thing to do when you begin travel hacking with credit cards is to come up with a plan. While the most ardent of travel hackers will sign up for anything and everything to gain points, for the casual or new hacker, it’s best to start slow and focus on a few key goals. The first thing you want to ask yourself is: What do you want—free flights? hotel points? transferable points? Are you loyal to one brand? Is there a specific trip you have in mind? For example, if you’re a loyal flier with American Airlines, the best cards to start off with would be the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard (50,000-point sign-up bonus) and the Starwood Preferred Guest Card from American Express (25,000-point sign-up bonus plus a 20% bonus when you transfer your SPG points to one of their partner airlines like AA). That way you get the perks the card comes with (free checked bags, special discounts, and priority boarding) and can jump-start your point balance right away. Just want free hotel rooms? Sign up for the card from the hotel brand of your choice. I tend to avoid hotel cards since I rarely stay in hotels. I dislike Hilton and Marriott and would rather focus on getting points for Starwood (whose hotels I prefer) or miles for flying. So, unless there is an excellent sign-up bonus for a certain card, I concentrate my efforts on using cards that get me airline miles or that have good transfer bonuses to airline programs. If you just want points to spend wherever you choose, get the Chase or American Express cards, because you can use their points with a variety of travel companies. They each have their own rewards programs (Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards), and points can be transferred to multiple airline or hotel partners or used to book travel directly through their travel sites. But more on bookings later. Right now, it’s important to remember to start with a goal so you can focus on the cards that will help you achieve it. By focusing on what you want, you can maximize your short-term goals and get the hang of travel hacking What Makes a Good Card? Now, how do you find a good card? There are so many—and not all of them are good or worth getting. Some are just down right terrible. Eventually, you want to get any and all of the good cards. As I’ve said, you don’t want to spread yourself out too thin, but you want to make sure you’re always getting maximum value for your cards. I try to avoid cards that only give you one point per dollar spent. I want cards that allow me to accelerate my points earning and have a low minimum spending requirement. Unfortunately, in order to get the great bonuses these cards offer, there is usually a required spending minimum, as mentioned. While there are ways to fake your spending, it’s best to be able to get the bonus using normal day-to-day spending. I typically sign up for cards with a minimum spending requirement of no more than $1,000–3,000 USD in a three- to six-month period. My favorite spending minimums are the offers that require you to make one purchase in order to unlock the bonus. While you shouldn’t necessarily avoid high-minimum-spending cards, as they have substantial rewards, it’s a good idea to start small, because you don’t want to get stuck with so many cards that you can’t meet the minimum spends. Remember, once you get the card, you can’t reapply for the card, so don’t go overboard and miss out on the sign-up bonus. I try to time my sign-up bonuses with major purchases, such as airline tickets, the holidays, or seasonal clothing shopping. Many fees for company-branded credit cards range from $50–95 USD per year (though some are as high as $450 USD). For those who travel and fly a lot, it can be worth it to get a card with a fee. Fee-based cards tend to offer a better rewards scheme, where you can accumulate points faster, get better access to services and special offers, and obtain better travel protection. With these cards, I’ve saved more money on travel than I’ve spent on fees. That being said, most fee-based cards waive the first year’s fee for new customers. After that, you can either cancel the card or move to a no-fee card. Whenever I call up to cancel a card, the company (wanting to keep my business) either waives the fee for another year or switches me to a no-fee card. If they move me to a no fee card, they usually feature a less generous rewards program, but by that point I’ve gotten my sign-up bonus and moved on to a better card anyway! Now that you have all these cards, what do you do when you don’t need them? Do you cancel them? Pay the fee? Doesn’t canceling hurt your credit? Can you just sign up for the card again after you cancel it? When it comes to paying the yearly fee after your first year is up, you have to think: are the perks worth more than the fee? I have a lot of active cards and I pay a lot in fees, but I get more value than the fees. For example, the Hyatt card from Chase comes with a $75 USD yearly fee, but I get a free night’s stay at a category 1–4 property. That means I’m paying $75 USD for a $200 USD room. That’s value to me. If you decide that there is no value in keeping the card, call up the rep and see what they will give you for staying. Most of the time, these credit card companies will offer you an incentive to stay a little longer (either in the form waiving the annual free or more bonus points) and that could be worth keeping the card around another year. If they won’t do that, try to move the card to a no-fee version. Many companies have no-fee versions of their credit cards and I often do this to preserve my credit line. After all, a no-fee card costs nothing to keep! Additionally, when you do this, try to then move your credit line to another card with that same company. For example, when I cancelled a Chase Freedom card, I moved the credit line on that to my Chase Sapphire. This helps keep your available credit the same and doesn’t hurt your FICO score. “Churning” Credit Cards One question I get asked a lot is the subject of “churning.” Churning is the act of signing up for a card, canceling it, and then signing up for it again right away, the goal being to earn as many sign-up bonuses as possible. This was a huge thing for a while, but banks have gotten wind of this and they limit when you are eligible for a bonus again. For most companies, it is after a period of 18–24 months. So, if you get a card once, you’ll have to wait another 18–24 months before being able to get the sign-up bonus again. But companies do vary considerably. American Express only lets you get a card’s sign-up bonus once in your lifetime. On the other hand, Bank of America and Barclays have no such rule so you can churn their cards all the time. However, Chase has a rule that it’s important to know. It’s called 5/24 and states that if you get more than five credit cards in a 24-month period, you can’t get one of their cards (this applies to only their company cards, not their branded travel cards like with United or IHG). There are no exceptions to this rule so be sure to get their cards first. Travel credit cards are key to gaining lots of points quickly. While we will talk about the various ways to accumulate points without them, the cards themselves (and the sign-up bonuses) are what supercharge your rewards balances. Don’t be afraid of using them; when used wisely, they become an invaluable asset with which to quickly increase your point balances, giving you the ability to go and stay anywhere for free.How to Maximize Your PointsEveryday PurchasesWhile signing up for multiple credit cards provides the main boost to your mileage (or point) balances, there are other ways to gain miles without relying solely on card bonuses. While these other methods are not usually as lucrative, every little bit helps. If you already have a credit card with rewards, the first thing you should do is put everything on that card. It’s so simple, but it’s worth it; every dollar spent not using your card is a point lost. I never pay cash unless I have to. If you spend $3,000 USD each month ($36,000 USD annually), that adds up to 36,000 redeemable points (at one point per dollar) earned each year without doing anything extra. And that can get you a round-trip domestic flight! But there are ways to get additional points per dollar spent. Certain cards have what are known as category bonuses, where you get 2–6 points per dollar spent. It varies by card, but generally, you get 2 points on restaurants, 2–3 on airfare, and 5 on office supplies. Be sure to check your card’s offers for the latest bonus structure, as cards change all the time. A word of caution: Use the cards that maximize your points—but also are part of programs you want points in! Don’t spread yourself too thin. If you’re using five credit cards for five different programs, it’s going to take a lot longer to bank enough points for free travel. All airlines, hotels, and travel brands partner with preferred merchants. These companies—ranging from clothing retailers to sporting goods stores to office supply businesses and everything in between —are featured on airlines’ special shopping malls (portals). I never shop in a brick-and-mortar store (though I often go in to try clothes on and then buy the stuff online so I get my multiple miles). By ordering online through an airline’s shopping portal, you can earn multiple miles per dollar in addition to any miles/points you get from the credit card itself. Simply go to the website, sign up with your existing frequent flier number and account information, and go shopping. You’ll need to ensure you have cookies enabled on your web browser so they can track the sales. But other than that, points are automatically tracked and added into your frequent flier account (they take about 6–8 weeks to post). While purchasing online is great and can lead to earning multiple points per dollar spent, you can “stack” offers to get double and triple the points! This is shopping portals on crack, and it works this way: 1. Go online through a shopping portal and buy an e-gift card for the company you want. This counts as one purchase. 2. Go back through the shopping portal a second time and then use the gift card to buy the merchandise you want. This counts as different purchase. Sometimes shopping portals don’t register the gift card purchase as a purchase and don’t award the points. There’s nothing you can do about it. (Matt?s Travel Hacking book outlines how this is done in detail. It seems complicated and potentially problematic to me.)If you have family, use them to help earn points and meet minimum spending requirements. For example, my parents might fly once a year. My sister, maybe twice. They don’t really need or use their miles, so I have them give them to me (with the understanding that if they ever do need points, I’ll be there to help out!). My parents use my credit card to purchase all their tickets, and when they fly, they transfer their miles over to my account. There is a small fee for the transfer, but it’s worth the extra miles. Moreover, family members are a great way to help you meet minimum spending requirements. I sign up for all of the airline and credit card email newsletters so I can stay updated on special fares, deals, and offers. Many of the best deals in the business are only sent via newsletter, and if you don’t sign up, you’ll never know about them. I once got triple miles for three months on my Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard through an alert sent to me via email. Moreover, many airlines offer special card sign-up bonuses to subscribers that aren’t available to the public. Be sure to sign up for every airline newsletter! The following websites are also good resources to find out about these kinds of mileage deals: ? Airfarewatchdog ? Deals We Like ? The Flight Deal ? FlyerTalk ? Holiday Pirates ? View from the Wing. Sign up for deal alerts from them. You can sign up for double miles on certain airline routes, for using a company’s app, or for staying at a hotel on a Friday. It can be anything. And even if you don’t think you’ll use the deals, sign up anyway. It doesn’t hurt you, and you never know what could happen! Similar to their shopping portals, airlines also have dining rewards programs. You sign up with your frequent flier number, register your credit card, and get extra points when you dine at participating restaurants in the airline’s network (which rotate throughout the year). Note: While you can sign up for every program, you cannot register a credit card with more than one. That means that if your Chase Sapphire Preferred card is tied to your American Airlines account, you can’t earn miles on your United Airlines account with that same card. Join one of the programs in the Rewards Network (they run all the dining programs) so you can get five miles per dollar spent once you became a “VIP member,” which happens after 12 dines. Thanks to a number of partnerships you can double-dip on points now! There’s a growing number of companies partnering with each other and this is an amazing way to double-dip points. For example, Capital One card users can get their 10th Uber ride free. JetBlue and Delta user will earn 1–3 extra points per ride when you use Lyft; you can get 1 Delta mile for every dollar you spend at Airbnb. Even though the points are small on these crossover rewards, they still add up—and give you a chance to never leave a mile on the tableMany travel brands, especially airlines, have bonus offers on select flight routes, fare classes, and dates. By flying during these times, you can maximize your miles for future redemptions. Stay up-to-date via newsletters. Never let a potential point go unearned.Take Surveys Sometimes, travel companies offer you points for taking surveys or participating in contests. Staying up-to-date via newsletters can tell you when these opportunities happen, but for a more consistent way of finding out, you can use the company e-Rewards. This company sends consumer surveys to fill out. For every survey you take, you earn “e-money” that you can redeem for many things, including loyalty points with various hotels and airlines: Surveys rarely take over 15 minutes, and you can take as few or as many as you want. This is good way to top up and earn some consistent miles without having to do much! I usually fill these surveys in while I watch Netflix. Two birds, one stone! Note: You can’t sign up for e-Rewards through their website, you have to go through one of their partners (so anyone listed above). You can also earn money taking surveys (which is just as good as miles!). The three most lucrative companies to sign up for are: ? Swagbucks ? Inbox Dollars ? Pinecone Research Stay Up to Date on Bonus Offers and Partners. Buying PointsEvery company lets you buy points and often incentivizes you to do so by offering bonuses. For example, if you buy 100,000 miles, you’ll get an extra 50,000 points. This isn’t free, but it’s another way to get points. Is it worth it, though? Rarely. Point valuations are always subjective, but most of the time, if you are spending more than 1.6 cents per point, it’s not worth it. I hardly ever buy points unless I have a pressing need or there’s a great deal for points on the cheap. If I am taking a flight soon or need to top off my account to get a flight, I’ll spend money on miles. Otherwise, don’t use this method. How much is a mile worth, and when is a mile not really worth a mile?Knowing when to redeem points is just as important as knowing how to earn them. This is important because you need to know when it’s better to redeem points rather than pay with cash. For example, I recently redeemed 20,000 Starwood points for two nights at the Westin in Portland. The value of those 20,000 points was $525 USD, but the cost of paying to stay for two nights was only $486 USD. Therefore, by redeeming the points, I actually lost money. It would have been better to save my points for a better deal. Once I had to fly from Dallas to Phoenix at the last minute, and the cheapest flight I could find was $400 USD (it was very, very last minute), therefore I redeemed 9,000 points (about $180 USD) on British Airways and saved money! In general, it’s best to use points if possible for international rather than domestic flights, especially in business or first class. I pay for a lot of my domestic flights (as opposed to using miles) to help maintain my elite status and earn miles, which I then redeem for international award tickets. Before we discuss how much a point or mile is worth, we need to discuss different types of awards ticket the airlines offer. Many airlines use zone-based award charts that place more emphasis on where you start and stop than how you get there or what the real ticket price is. Every zone has a different point value. For example, the continental United States is usually considered one zone. An airline may charge the same 25,000 points to fly 200 miles or 2,000, as long as you stay within the continental United States. Or it may charge the same 110,000 points to fly in business class, whether you’re on some low-quality domestic carrier or one of its prestigious international partners. It doesn’t matter how many miles you fly within the zone, only that you fly within the zone. A few frequent flyer programs focus only on the distance traveled and are indifferent to where you begin and end. Two major examples are ANA (All Nippon Airways, a Star Alliance member) and British Airways’ Avios (a Oneworld member). Distance-based awards are best for short-haul flights, and some routes offer better value over zone-based charts. Many points and miles junkies like to take advantage of the disparities between basic and premium services. Many airlines often charge just twice as many miles for business class over economy class despite a fourfold difference in the published fare. (First class offers an even better value.) A cheap airport hotel, for example, may cost only $100 USD or 10,000 points. A luxurious beachfront resort may cost $500 USD or 20,000 points. Which would you rather have? I THINK THIS COULD BE CLEARER. I THINK HE IS TRYING TO TALK ABOUT USING CASH BANK REWARDS TO BUY TICKETS. Finally, fixed-value award charts assign a specific value to their points and treat them like cash. There is no way to game these systems. But they can be useful when no other option is available or when a flight happens to be relatively cheap. Reward points from banks are one of the best examples, though they can often be transferred to specific airline and hotel programs that offer greater value (because those can be gamed). Other programs that used fixed-value currencies tend to be discount carriers like Southwest Airlines and JetBlue. One Rapid Rewards point from Southwest Airlines, for example, is worth 1.43 cents when redeemed for its discounted “Wanna Get Away” fares. And you earn Rapid Rewards points based solely on how much your ticket costs, not how far you fly. It’s really no different from a rebate program. It can still make sense for some people, though, depending on when and where they want to travel.Hotel AwardsMost hotel programs function very similarly to the fixed-value awards described above. Hotels are sorted into categories, and a certain number of points in each category is required to book a night. For example, a room in the cheapest Starwood category can cost 2,000–3,000 points depending on the day of the week, but the highest category can cost over 30,000 points a night. This can be very beneficial if staying at a nice hotel that happens to be in a relatively low category. It stinks if you end up paying more than the hotel is worth. Hotels differ from airlines, however, in the other ways they allow you to redeem your points. Many allow discounts for booking multiple nights, which could mean that the cost of staying four nights versus five is basically the same. Some hotels also allow flexible use of their points for suite upgrades: you pay for the room with cash but use points to get something better than you originally booked. (Hyatt Gold Passport is known for particularly inexpensive suite upgrades.) Others offer bonuses when you transfer hotel points to an airline to use on a flight. (Hotels and airlines have partnership agreements.) Most airline transfers are actually a bad deal, but a few programs like Starwood Preferred Guest actually offer pretty decent transfers; this is one reason why their points are highly valued. Keep in mind that most hotels waive taxes (but not resort fees) on award nights and have very limited capacity restrictions. This contrasts with airlines, which rely on limited award availability to keep their award prices low and always add on the associated taxes and government fees; a few airlines even add on fuel surcharges. How Much is One Point or Mile Worth?Now that you know the different categories, you’re better able to determine how much points or miles are worth. For example, Southwest’s miles probably aren’t worth any more than the 1.43 cents they allow you to redeem them for. United’s miles tend to be valued at about two cents each (since, on average, you can redeem 25,000 miles for $500 USD flights and use cash for the others). Ultimate Rewards points and similar programs are tricky. They have a fixed-value component if you use them to book a ticket through the bank’s travel agency, but they can also be converted to high-value airline miles by transferring them to an airline’s frequent flier program. (I prefer to value them as if they were airline miles.) When assigning a value to miles, the math is pretty simple: the value of the award (benefit) divided by the number of miles required. Most travel hackers say a mile is worth around 1.5 cents. But value is also in the eye of the beholder. I place more value on Starwood and Chase points because they are harder for me to get, so I use them sparingly. However, I fly American Airlines so often that I have tons and tons of miles. They aren’t “worth” as much to me because I can get them so easily, so I use them the most. For example, take business-class flights. Everyone is going to value that business class trip differently. Some people will view it as once-in-a-lifetime experience and so assign it a premium. Others will care only about reaching the destination, so it’s not much better than being in economy class. Still more people will argue that the complications of finding limited award space detract from their value. An elite frequent flyer might assign a higher value to miles because they can be used flexibly—after all, award change and cancellation fees don’t apply to elite fliers (another reason to be loyal), meaning they can book trips on speculation and cancel with no penalty. On the other hand, an elite frequent flyer is also concerned about requalifying for status each year, and award flights (those booked using miles) do not earn any elite qualifying miles (EQMs). Use your own judgment to determine what a flight is worth to you when redeeming your miles. With that being said, I do find The Points Guy’s value chart to be the most accurate. LINK HERE POSSIBLY MAKE SOME TYPE OF RECIPROCITY ARRANGEMENT WITH POINTS GUYREDEEMING POINTS AND MILESNow that you’ve earned all those miles, what do you do with them? Just book and go? Well, yes, but there are some caveats, so let’s talk about how to maximize redemptions so you can get the best flight possible. (Hotel redemptions are discussed at the end of this chapter.) Redeeming for Flights: General Principles All airlines have their own rules and procedures for how they let you redeem miles (and there are so many it’s impossible to list here). This is another reason it’s good to have goals. Knowing what airline or brand you want to work with can allow you to research their rules before you start earning, so you know you won’t end up short. However, some general, overarching principles are enumerated below. Before we discuss those, however, know that, for the most part, booking reward tickets is fairly easy. Airlines let you book most award tickets via their website. You go online, select your destination(s), click “Use Award Miles,” search for tickets, and pay up with your miles. No need to call up the airline… most of the time. (Note: Sometimes you do have to call, since not all partners are listed on an airline’s website! For example, American Airlines has 23 partners but only lists eight on their website If you don’t find a flight you want and a mileage point you are happy with, call the airline and have them plan your ticket. Another benefit of this is that they can sometimes use their fancy fingers to find routes and connections you can’t see online. (For complex award tickets, I often call the airlines.) Now, back to the overarching principles. I’m going to explain them and then give some examples of redeeming miles so you understand the basic principles. Travel hackers devote thousands upon thousands of blog posts to the subject of searching fare routes, classes, etc., but these general principles will help you start. General Principle #1 For short-haul flights, don’t use zone-based reward programs unless you have to. On a short-haul flight, it’s always best to use distance-based award tickets from ANA or British Airways since you’ll always need fewer miles than in a zone-based system. Distance-based programs like Avios, or even Delta’s program, have great redemptions on short-haul flights. Additionally, many airlines have special discounts for short-haul and intrastate fares, but those aren’t always available. General Principle #2. Since zone-based awards start at 12,500 miles, sometimes using your points with Barclays, Capital One, or Citi (which also has a special relationship with American Airlines—and therefore all its partners) as cash works out better on cheap fares. Short-haul flights are pretty easy. Whether I am going around Australia, Southeast Asia, or Europe—or just NYC to Boston—I always follow the same two principles. I first look up fares and see how much they are and note how many miles it would be if I used the equivalent of cash (i.e., certain non-airline cards). After that, I just decide what I want based on flight availability and cost. For US domestic flights, Southwest, Avios (British Airways), and JetBlue are good programs to also be involved with. Since they don’t fly internationally much, you can save your big airline miles for international flights and use your Southwest and JetBlue miles for domestic flight. General Principle #3: For longer flights, it gets complicated. Here is my process on how I book long-haul, international flights: I decide where I want to fly to and in what class. For example: LA to Bangkok, business class. On a route like this, I’ll have to connect somewhere else first, so I can pretty much fly any airline alliance, since there are no direct flights. I see where I have the most miles. This is a cost-benefit analysis. If I have a lot of AA miles versus Chase points, I may decide to use AA miles. I may end up using more AA miles than Chase points or United, or British Airlines miles, but if I’m running “low” on a balance, I may decide to conserve them for a later date. Next, I’ll do a regular search online via ITA Matrix to see what the flight times and routes look like. (YOU NEED TO BUY MATT?S TRAVEL HACKING BOOK TO FIND OUT HOW THIS WORK). If I see that Asiana (in the Star Alliance) has better route times, I’ll start looking with that airline. Or, if I really want to visit Japan on the way, I’ll look at All Nippon Airways (ANA), United, or Japan Airlines (JAL) since they all fly into Tokyo. After that, I’ll head to United, LifeMiles, or Aeroplan’s website (Star Alliance flights); or Air France-KLM (SkyTeam); or British Airways (Oneworld). These airlines show much better partner award availability. This will let me see where I can use my miles. However, if I have a lot of United miles, I may just focus on trying to find times that work with the Star Alliance. Note: Not all airlines show award space for their partners.I’ll call the airline and let them know who I want to fly, where, and what flights. Often, they can come up with better routes and deals than you can online by yourself. After that, I’ll book my flight with miles and off I go. That’s it. That’s my six-step plan to redeeming miles. Yes, there can be a lot of variables between airline programs, and you may not always find the exact route you want, but that’s how I do it. For longer flights, redeem miles on the airline and in the class you want, using the program with which you have the most points. Be sure to factor in your personal value of miles and what points have the most value to you (see the previous chapter). For example, once I could have booked a first-class ticket from London to Dallas for 100,000 miles with American Airlines or 62,500 miles plus $400 USD in fuel surcharges if I flew British Airways. I picked the flight with fees because I’d rather fly British Airways first-class and I wanted to save my AA miles for later. For me, the $400 USD was worth saving the miles and having a better in-flight product. I often redeem points for cash to fly budget airlines even though that’s not the best way to maximize the value of those miles, but it’s better than paying with cash. Redeeming your points is a complex process, and each airline has a different system. It’s not always about using the fewest points. It’s often about using the points you have for the airline you want. If you use the above general principles to guide you, you’ll be going in the right direction.Unlike airlines, hotel redemptions are easy and straightforward. You can either use your Chase, Citi, or Amex points in lieu of cash (this works best on cheap hotels) or use your hotel points to book a room. That’s it. Sometimes redemptions aren’t available, but you don’t have to do all the fancy footwork like you do with airline points. Before we end, here are some other tips based on questions I always get: How do I know the best route or mileage to use? The best miles to use and routes to take are those that that match your needs in terms of who you want to fly, how many connections you’re willing to make, and where you have miles. For example, I’ve flown from NYC to Melbourne via Abu Dhabi because, even though it was a lot longer than going via LA, I wanted to fly a good business class and Etihad was supposed to be great (they were!). I’ve flown Lufthansa home to Austin via Frankfurt and Houston because I had a ton of United points and wanted to try it. What if the route I’m offered is something I don’t like? Try mixing and matching. Maybe you fly to Hong Kong on one airline and then switch to another one. Try to take a more circuitous route (like I did to Melbourne). There’s no magic bullet with travel hacking. Sometimes routes just aren’t available. Sometimes no matter how many hours you spend looking at routes and availability, you don’t find anything. This is why having points across multiple programs is great. It allows you to be flexible and mix and match planes and airlines. Can I combine award miles from multiple airline programs into one program?No, you can’t. You can transfer hotel points and credit card points to airlines but you can’t more your American Airlines miles to British Airways, or move United miles to Singapore, or move Delta miles to American, etc. Once miles are in one airline program, they have to be used in that airline program. How do I know the best mileage program to use?This is one of the most common—and most complex—questions I get. This can be hard, because all airlines have their own sweet spots. For example, it’s better to use British Airways for short-haul flights and Singapore Airlines for business flights to Europe (they are cheaper than United) and Korean SkyPass to Asia. British Airways is also really cheap to the Caribbean too. So how do you learn this? The short answer is that it takes time and practice. You learn this as you go. There are countless blog posts written about how to use every award program and what their sweet spots are. My advice is that when you’re starting out and figuring out where you go, accumulate points towards the airline you want to fly. In truth, there’s no crib sheet for this. No page says, “If you are going here, and want this airline, use points with this company.” For now, you simply have to do it the old-fashioned way and look up the award availability of each airline and then decide who to use based on miles needed. How to Find and Book Cheap FlightsPoints and miles should be saved for those high-value, high-price airline tickets. For everything else, use cash…and here are a few tips that can help you use less of it. Be Flexible with Your Travel Dates If you are not flexible on the dates you want to fly, you will never be able to find a cheap flight. Even the difference of one day can mean hundreds of dollars in savings. Airline ticket prices vary depending on the day of the week, time of year, and upcoming holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving, or the Fourth of July. Overseas, August is a big month for traveling around Europe, as many Europeans go on vacation then, so airline tickets to Europe tend to be pricier. Before you commit to your departure, make sure you check other dates so as to pick the cheapest day. It’s always cheaper to fly during the middle of the week than on a weekend because most people travel on the weekends, so airlines hike their prices then. Prices are also a bit cheaper if you fly after a major holiday. Early-morning or late-night flights are cheaper because fewer people want to travel then.Be Flexible with Your Destinations Instead of going to a place with an expensive flight, go where it is cheaper to get there. Kayak offers an “Explore” tool that allows you to put in your home airport and see what routes have the cheapest fares. Google Flights also has a similar (and better) feature. If you are flexible with where you want to go (i.e., anywhere but home), these are wonderful tools to start your planning with. There’s always a deal to some destination around the world, and if you’re flexible on where you want to go, you’ll be able to find one.Try Alternative RoutesNot only does it help to be flexible with dates and destinations but try being flexible with the route you take, too. Sometimes it’s cheaper to fly to London and take a budget airline to Amsterdam than to fly direct to Amsterdam. There are so many budget carriers around the world that sometimes this is the best way to go. I had to go to Paris once; the flight was $900 USD. But I could fly to Dublin for $600 USD and get a $60 USD flight to Paris. It meant more flying time, but the $240 USD I saved was worth it. By working various airlines and special offers, you can save a lot. This method is not for everyone, however. It is more work, as you have to figure out lots of different routes and check different airlines. But it will shave some money off your flight, giving you more to spend at your destination. Fly with Budget Carriers Years ago, if you wanted to fly between continents, you were mostly stuck with traditional expensive airlines. That’s no longer true. Budget airlines now service many long-haul routes, making it possible to bounce around the world for little money. Many times, these low-cost airlines offer no-fare tickets —you pay just the taxes. (However, in America, there are only a handful of budget airlines. In Europe, where there are more, competition has kept prices low.) For example, Norwegian Airlines allows you to fly to Europe and then to Bangkok for about $250 USD each way. WOW air is introducing cheap fares to Iceland and London from the United States. Indian and Middle Eastern airlines offer inexpensive flights throughout the subcontinent, Middle East, and Africa. AirAsia offers crazy deals around Asia and Australia. (For example, you can find tickets from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur for $30 USD. You can even fly between Southeast Asia to Australia for around $110 USD each way.) Flying the budget airlines is a good alternative to flying “the majors” whenever possible. You get fewer perks, but you can save a bundle in ticket costs. But be sure to check out how far the airports are from the city center—sometimes transportation from the airport to the city can actually make a budget airline more expensive. However, in general, these budget airlines are a good deal. Remember: Not All Search Engines are Equal When most Americans do a web search for airline tickets, they use Expedia or Orbitz. But these sites either work with or are owned by the airline companies and don’t offer unbiased fares. Booking sites also have blind spots. They don’t cover every region of the world and every airline equally. Moreover, many don’t list budget carriers, because those airlines don’t want to pay a booking commission. So, you need to search as many flight search websites as you can in order to ensure that you are leaving no stone unturned. You’ll often encounter variations in prices, and you don’t want to miss a deal. The best search engines are the ones that have no affiliation with any airline and make their money via advertising, not bookings. But all websites have their weaknesses and do not include every airline. As mentioned, you aren’t going to find AirAsia, Ryanair, or most other budget airlines on large sites like Kayak, Expedia, or Orbitz. US booking sites also tend to not have the obscure foreign airlines that you see on international sites like Skyscanner or Momondo. Remember: There is no perfect airline search engine. Even the best have their faults.Know What You Want to Pay for a Flight People always try to get the lowest price online, wait too long (or book too early), and then pay too much. We all know airline prices always bounce up and down, yet in our quest to hold out just a little longer, most of us miss the lowest price. Therefore, it’s important to know what you want to pay, not what you hope to pay. What’s the highest price for you? What do you feel comfortable paying? Don’t wait for the perfect price — wait for your price. Be realistic too. If the lowest available price for a flight is $1,000 USD but the average is $1,500 USD, don’t try to wait for $900 USD, as it’s probably not going to get that low. You will never have buyer’s remorse if you find a price you are comfortable with. No two people on a flight pay the same price, so all you can do is hope you get the price you feel good about. Book Early, But Not Too Early Booking a flight can be one of the most stressful parts about travel! Airfare is expensive, and what with variation in prices, we often worry that if we buy right now, we’ll be the person who paid the most for the flight. “Maybe if I wait just a little longer, prices will drop,” we say to ourselves. I used to spend hours upon hours searching for the right price. I’d search multiple websites, second guess myself, and worry about what happens when the prices drop. I would hold off on buying, waiting for that perfect moment. But it was like trying to time the market—it simply doesn’t work. Ninety-nine times out of 100, you lose out. On a recent trip from Austin, a one-way ticket to New York City on American Airlines was $206 USD. The next day it was $149 USD and used a better route. When I checked a few hours later, it was back to $206 USD!But there is a sweet spot when the airlines begin to either lower or increase fares based on demand. Don’t wait until the last second, but also don’t book far, far in advance. The best booking window is 6–8 weeks before a flight, or around three months ahead if you are going to your destination during peak season. (You can also read this interview with George Hobica, the head of , an airline monitoring website, to learn more about how to find a cheap flight.) But still, you can’t predict prices. The best day to book is usually today. Last year, I went to visit the folks at Google Flights, and over lunch they told me about a study they did of thousands of flights. They found the average drop in price is about $50 USD. That means if you wait, you’re most likely to save about $50 USD—but might also be stuck with a price that is hundreds higher. (This excludes sales and mistake fares.) As someone who doesn’t go a day without searching for airfare to regions all over the world, I can tell you that you can’t second-guess yourself. If you’re comfortable with the price you paid, you need to accept it and move on, even if airfare drops. Five Steps to Booking a Cheap Flight Online So now I want to show you how to put that into practice and walk you through how I book my tickets. Step 1 First, I’ll look at deal websites like Holiday Pirates or The Flight Deal to see if there are any fare sales going on. Sometimes there are; most of the times there aren’t. After that, I start with the ITA Matrix, an amazing tool that allows for complex searching and that every flight junkie I know uses (Matt details this more in his Travel Hacking book). While it only searches major airlines (no budget carriers here), it has a calendar option so you can see prices over the course of the month and get a solid baseline on prices. Step 2 Next, I check Skyscanner and Momondo prices and see if any budget carriers fly the route I need. Step 3After looking at these three websites, I may look at Kayak or Orbitz just as a safeguard. It doesn’t take long to enter in a few dates, and if the prices they return are similar to what I got before, I close out the browser and move on. Next, I’ll visit the airlines’ websites to see if there are any deals to be found. In order to encourage consumers to book directly with them, airlines often have cheaper prices listed on their website.Step 4 After booking the flight, I make a note to check back in 23 hours, as you have 24 hours to cancel a flight without penalty, so right before that time is up, I’ll clear out my browser’s cookies and do a quick search to see if the price dropped . I’ll either rebook or keep my flight based on what I find. After that, I don’t give a second thought to it, even if two weeks later there’s a sale or I see a cheaper price pop up somewhere. You can’t know the future or when a sale will come. You can only make your best decision with the information at hand at the very moment you’re booking. In the end, it is not worth worrying about. First, you’ll be frozen with potential buyer’s remorse if you worry about future prices. You’ll never buy a flight because you’ll always be wondering “what if?” and in the end, you’ll wait too long—and probably pay more. Second, how much is your time worth? Maybe I could search more, but I’d rather use those extra hours to enjoy life, plan an itinerary, work on my blog, or relax at the beach. My time is more valuable than a slight drop in price will ever be. If you’re spending more than an hour booking a flight, you’re spending too much time. This entire process from start to finish took me 40 minutes. I never second-guess myself on flights. You’ll go crazy if you do. Spend 30–60 minutes finding and booking a cheap flight at a price you’re OK paying and move on with your life.That’s it! Earning the points is hard. Spending them is the easy part! Travel hacking can be complicated. There are many different systems and programs, and they’re constantly changing. The fluctuating rules can cause confusion even for people who have been in the game a long time. The most diehard travel hackers spend countless hours each week keeping track of all of this. It’s like a sport. And this is also why there are so many sites dedicated to just this one topic. I hope this sidebar has put everything into perspective for you and relieved some of the confusion and mystery of the process. You don’t need to devote endless hours of your week to keeping on top of current trends but putting in even a little bit of time will be well worth the effort.NOTE THAT I INCLUDED THE SIDEBAR FROM MATT BECAUSE I THINK HE PROVIDES THE BEST OVERALL DISCUSSION OF HOW TO FIND THE BEST DEALS ON CHEAP FLIGHTS (AND TO SOME DEGREE HOTELS) AND HOW TO USE AND COLLECT FREQUENT FLYER POINTS. HOWEVER, I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES, TO ADD TO THE SIDEBAR:The Bundling of Fares IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, ALL THE AIRLINES HAVE STARTED TO PROVIDE TWO TO FOUR DIFFERENT FARES (BUNDLES OF SERVICES) FOR EACH FLIGHT. WHILE THE NAMES FOR EACH OF THESE BUNDLES VARY FROM AIRLINE TO AIRLINE, THE FIRST IS USUALLY CALLED BASIC ECONOMY FARE, THE SECOND SOMETHING LIKE ECONOMY PLUS, AND A THIRD IS BUSINESS/FIRST CLASS (SOMETIMES PREMIUM FARE). THE BASIC FARE IS USUALLY NO FRILLS (SMALL SEATS AND MINIMAL LEG ROOM) AND INCLUDES LOTS OF ADDITIONAL FEES. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BASIC, DOMESTIC FARE THAT DID NOT INCLUDE A FEE FOR SEAT SELECTION AND CHECKED BAGGAGE (CALLED HOLD BAGGAGE IN SOME COUNTRIES). HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY OTHER FEES THAT CAN COME WITH BASIC ECONOMY DEPENDING ON THE AIRLINE. SOME ADDITIONAL CHARGES THAT I HAVE SEEN INCLUDE FEES FOR ON-BOARD SNACK/NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS, IN-SEAT ENTERTAINMENT, CARRY-ON BAGS (PARTICULARLY IF YOU WANT TO CARRY-ON SOMETHING LARGER THAN A SMALL BACKPACK), AND PRINTING OUT BOARDING PASSES. OFTEN, BASIC FARES, ALSO ADD THE WEIGHT OF BOTH THE CARRY-ON AND CHECKED BAGGAGE TOGETHER TO DERIVE THE BAGGAGE FEE.PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REALIZE ABOUT MOST BASIC ECONOMY FARES IS THAT YOU USUALLY CAN NOT CHANGE OR CANCEL THE TICKET. (NOTE: YOU CAN CANCEL OR CHANGE ALMOST ALL TICKETS WITHIN A 24 HOURS PERIOD AFTER TICKET PURCHASE). HOWEVER, AS YOU WILL SEE LATER IN THIS DISCUSSION, YOU MAY OFTEN END UP NOT USING BEING ABLE TO CHANGE MOST INEXPENSIVE TICKETS ANYWAY. I OFTEN SELECT THE MIDDLE FEE (ECONOMY PLUS) ESPECIALLY IF IT INCLUDES THE BAGGAGE AND SEAT SELECTION (PARTICULARLY IF I AM TRAVELING WITH SOMEONE ELSE). IT USUALLY ENDS UP BEING ABOUT THE SAME COST AS PAYING THE FEES SEPARATELY AND OFTEN INCLUDES ONE OR TWO SMALL EXTRA BENEFITS. MY FAVORITE BENEFIT OF SOME OF THESE FARES IS THAT YOU CAN CANCEL OR CHANGE THE FLIGHTS FOR A REDUCED FEE (USUALLY $50-100, INSTEAD OF FORFEITING IT COMPLETELY OR PAYING A FEE OF $200 PLUS TO CHANGE A TICKET).ONE OF THE MOST COMMON BENEFITS OF THE NON-BASIC ECONOMY FEES ARE SEATS WITH ADDITIONAL LEG ROOM. SINCE I AM A HEAVY-SET MAN WITH RELATIVELY SHORT LEGS, I DO NOT FIND THIS A GREAT BENEFIT. HOWEVER, I THINK THIS COULD BE A BENEFIT FOR MANY MODERN-DAY NOMADS, PARTICULARLY ON A LONG FLIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE BUNDLES ARE STILL NEW AND CONFUSING TO CONSUMERS. IT CAN TAKE AWHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS AND IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE. EVEN IF YOU CAREFULLY READ ALL THE RULES, DO NOT BE SHOCKED IF YOU END UP PAYING A SMALL, UNEXPECTED FEE. ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BUNDLES OF SERVICES WILL PROBABLY CHANGE FREQUENTLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS WHILE AIRLINES EITHER WORK OUT THE BUGS OR DECIDE TO ABANDON THE IDEA COMPLETELY. (NOTE: YOU ARE USUALLY HELD TO THE TERMS THAT YOU WERE APPLICABLE WHEN YOU BOUGHT THE TICKET. IT SHOULD NOT MATTER, IN MOST CASES, IF THE AIRLINES CHANGES THE RULES AFTER YOU BOUGHT THE TICKET).THE LARGE, TRADITIONAL AIRLINES (OFTEN CALLED ¨LEGACY CARRIERS) HAVE ADOPTED THIS BUNDLE SYSTEM IN RESPONSE TO THE RISE OF BUDGET AIRLINES. TODAY, BUDGET CARRIERS REPRESENT A SUBSTANTIAL SHARE OF THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY (50% OF THE MARKET IN EUROPE) AND ARE USUALLY PROFITABLE. YOU WILL FIND BUDGET AIRLINES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE. THE SERVICES OFFERED IN THE BASIC ECONOMY BUNDLE OF THE LEGACY AIRLINES AND THE BUDGET AIRLINES DO NOT DIFFER AS MUCH AS IN THE PAST. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SMALL BENEFITS TO THE LEGACY CARRIERS INCLUDING: (1) BUDGET AIRLINES ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE LOCATED IN THE FARTHEST REACHES OF THE AIRPORT WITH UNCOMFORTABLE, OVERCROWDED LOUNGES; (2) OFTEN YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE A SHUTTLE FROM THE PLANE TO THE AIRPORT ON A BUDGET AIRLINE; (3) YOU MAY HAVE LESS OPTIONS IF A PLANE IS DELAYED OR CANCELLED ON A BUDGET AIRLINE THAN A LEGACY CARRIERS. (NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT MUCH RECOURSE EVEN ON A LEGACY AIRLINE); (4) SINCE BUDGET CARRIERS ONLY FLY REGIONALLY AND DON?T PARTNER WITH ANYONE, YOU CAN?T USE THEM ON YOUR ROUND THE WORLD TICKET (5) SOME BUDGET AIRLINES USE LESSER-KNOWN, FURTHER OUT AIRPORTS. SOMETIMES, THE COSTS OF THE ADDITIONAL FARE TO GET TO THE AIRPORT MAY BE MORE THAN YOUR COST SAVINGS ON YOUR TICKETS (MORE AND MORE BUDGET CARRIERS ARE, FORTUNATELY, USING MAJOR AIRPORTS. THAT SAID, ALWAYS CHECK TO SEE WHERE THE AIRPORT ON BOTH ENDS IS LOCATED BEFORE BOOKING THE TICKET).; AND (6) SEATS ARE SMALL AND GENERALLY CANNOT RECLINE. MOST FLIGHTS BETWEEN DIFFERENT CONTINENTS (I.E. CROSS ATLANTIC/PACIFIC, FLIGHTS BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, ETC.) ON LEGACY CARRIERS INCLUDE IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT, MEALS, AND BEVERAGE SERVICE (OFTEN INCLUDING ALCOHOLIC DRINKS). THE BUDGET CARRIERS OFTEN EITHER CHARGE EXTRA FOR THESE SERVICES OR DO NOT INCLUDE THEM AT ALL. HOWEVER, IT IS ON THESE FLIGHTS, THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BUDGET AND LEGACY CARRIER?S PRICE MAY BE THE MOST EXTREME. THAT SAID IF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLYING A BUDGET AND A LEGACY CARRIER IS LESS THAN $50 ONE- WAY ON A FLIGHT WITHIN THE SAME CONTINENT AND $100 ONE-WAY BETWEEN CONTINENTS (AFTER ENSURING THAT THE TERMS ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR), I WILL CHOOSE THE LEGACY CARRIERS FOR THE REASONS DESCRIBED ABOVE. HOWEVER, I EXPECT, THAT WITH TIME, THE LINE BETWEEN BUDGET AND LEGACY CARRIER WILL BECOME FUZZIER AND THAT I MAY CHANGE THIS POLICY IN THE FUTURE.ADD A LIST OF BUDGET AIRLINES- NOT A PERFECT LIST, I HAVE BEEN ON SOME AIRLINES THAT ARE NOT ON THE LIST- JET AIRWAYS IN INDIA FOR EXAMPLE, BUT GIVES YOU A GOOD STARTING POINT. There are Many Other Factors than Cost to Consider in Booking the Right Flight THE YIELD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SEE CHAPTER __) MAY SERVE AIRLINES WELL. BUT, IT DOES NOT REALLY SERVE CUSTOMERS. FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IT MEANS THAT CUSTOMERS INCREASINGLY MUST TRADE INCONVENIENCE FOR LOW PRICES. UNTIL ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, I WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO DO ALMOST ANYTHING FOR LOW PRICES. HOWEVER, WITH TIME, I HAVE DECIDED THAT SOMETIME THE SACRIFICES ARE WORTH THE COST. THE FOLLOWING LIST SUMMARIZES SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT I TAKE INTO ACCOUNT FOR SELECTING THE RIGHT FLIGHT FOR ME. EVERY MODERN-DAY NOMAD WILL HAVE SOMEONE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF THE RIGHT FLIGHT, HOWEVER I HAVE INCLUDED MY LIST TO GIVE MY READERS SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT:IN THE WINTER, KEEP WEATHER IN MIND WHEN BOOKING A FLIGHT. GENERALLY, NON-STOP FLIGHTS ARE PREFERABLE TO CONNECTING FLIGHTS. BY LIMITING THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS YOU TAKE, YOU ALSO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF WEATHER SYSTEMS THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR ROUTE. IN ADDITION, IT CAN BE WORTHWHILE TO AVOID SOME AIRPORTS LIKE SAN FRANCISCO THAT ARE INFAMOUS FOR FLIGHT DELAYS (AND USE SAN JOSE OR OAKLAND INSTEAD) TO AVOID WEATHER-RELATED ISSUES. (KEEP IN MIND THAT WHEN THE WEATHER IS TO BLAME, AIRLINES DON'T PAY FOR HOTELS OR MEALS FOR STRANDED TRAVELERS. TRAVELERS CAN GET A REFUND IF THEIR FLIGHT IS CANCELED, AND THEY CAN MAKE ONE SCHEDULE CHANGE WITHOUT PAYING A CHANGE FEE, WITH RESTRICTIONS).IF YOU DO NOT LIVE IN A CITY WITH A LARGE AIRPORT, THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN IT IS BETTER TO TRAVEL TO LARGE AIRPORT VIA LAND TRANSPORT (A CAR, BUS, ETC.) THAN TO FLY OUT OF THE NEAREST AIRPORT, EVEN IF THERE IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THE PRICE OF THE TICKET. SINCE THE NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS FROM SMALLER AIRPORTS ARE LIMITED, YOU WILL ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE TO CHOOSE A CONNECTING FLIGHT TO GET ALMOST ANYWHERE. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO WAIT A LONG TIME FOR THESE CONNECTING FLIGHTS MAKING THE TOTAL TRIP TIME AS MUCH OR MORE THAN IF YOU TOOK LAND BASED TRANSPORTATION TO THE LARGE AIRPORT AND THEN TAKE A NON-STOP FLIGHT FROM THERE TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION. I FIND IT IS LESS STRESSFUL TO TAKE LAND-BASED TRANSPORTATION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT IS USUALLY MORE DEPENDABLE THAN AIR TRANSPORT AND LESS STRESSFUL (NO SECURITY, ETC.), IT OFTENTIMES ENDS UP COSTING ABOUT THE SAME OR LESS AS WELL, EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE COSTS OF GETTING TO LARGE AIRPORT. AN EXAMPLE HERE.IT IS OFTEN WORTH CONSIDERING NOT TAKING A FLIGHT IF YOU CAN GET TO YOUR DESTINATION IN LESS THAN FIVE TO SIX HOURS BY LAND-BASED TRANSPORTATION (PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO/FROM DOWNTOWN). USUALLY IT TAKES ALMOST FIVE TO SIX HOURS TO TRAVEL BETWEEN TWO DESTINATIONS BY PLANE BY THE TIME YOU ACCOUNT FOR THE FOLLOWING:A 30 MINUTE OR SO TRIP TO THE AIRPORTAN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND HALF AT THE AIRPORT TO GO THROUGH SECURITY AND CHECK IN AND THEN WAIT FOR AND BOARD THE FLIGHTAN HOUR TO TWO HOUR FLIGHTA 30 MINUTE OR AN HOUR TRIP FROM THE AIRPORT TO YOUR DESTINATIONFLIGHTS THAT INVOLVE MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS ARE NOT USUALLY WORTH IT. THE MORE CONNECTIONS, THE MORE CHANCES THAT SOMETHING WILL GO WRONG, IN ADDITION THE LONGER THE FLIGHT TIME, THE MORE STRESSFUL THE TRIP BECOMES. I WOULD RECOMMEND PAYING MORE TO AVOID TRIPS THAT INVOLVE BACKTRACKING. ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, I FLEW FROM LOS ANGELES TO SAN FRANCISCO TO MEXICO CITY BECAUSE THE FLIGHT WAS $100 LESS EXPENSIVE THAN A NON-STOP FLIGHT BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND MEXICO CITY. I ALSO FLEW EIGHT YEARS AGO FROM MIAMI TO NEWARK TO WASHINGTON DC TO BUENOS AIRES TO SAVE $150 AND GET MORE FREQUENT FLYER MILES. (FREQUENT FLYER MILES EARNED ON FLIGHTS WERE WORTH MUCH MORE THEN THAN TODAY). BOTH OF THESE ITINERARIES MADE THE TOTAL TRIP TIME MORE THAN TWICE AS LONG THAN THE NON-STOP FLIGHT. NOWADAYS, I CONSIDER MY TIME AND SANITY TO BE WORTH A BIT MORE THAN THESE RELATIVELY SMALL DIFFERENCES IN FEES. (THAT SAID, I MAY SUBJECT MYSELF TO THESE FLIGHTS IF THE PRICE DIFFERENCE WAS HIGHER..) IF I CHOOSE A FLIGHT WITH CONNECTIONS, I PREFER TO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH AT LEAST ONE AND HALF HOUR OR MORE LAYOVER. MANY TIMES, IF FLIGHT IS DELAYED IT WILL BE FOR AN HOUR OR LESS, SO BY BOOKING A LONGER CONNECTION WINDOW YOU HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF MAKING THE CONNECTION. IN ADDITION, MANY OF THE AIRPORTS THAT HAVE A LOT OF CONNECTING FLIGHTS ARE HUGE AND IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE TO WALK FOR THIRTY MINUTES TO AN HOUR TO GET TO THE CONNECTING GATE. NOWADAYS, I’D ALSO SUGGEST THAT ANYTIME YOU HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN AIRLINES, YOU GIVE A SLIGHT NUDGE TO INTERNATIONAL OVER DOMESTIC CARRIERS. IN THE POST 9/11 PERIOD, AMERICAN CARRIERS HAVE BASICALLY BEEN FORCED TO CUT BACK ON CUSTOMER SERVICE. FORTUNATELY, FOREIGN CARRIERS HAVEN’T HAD TO ADOPT SO MANY CUTS.THE FOLLOWING ARE OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR FINDING THE RIGHT FLIGHT THAT ARE EXPLORED IN MORE DETAIL IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BOOK:IT IS OFTEN WORTH BOOKING A NON-STOP FLIGHT TO AVOID PROBLEMS IN MAKING A CONNECTION IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN YOUR DESTINATION OR DEPARTURE COUNTRY (SEE SECTION ).IF THERE IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN PRICES, IT IS OFTEN BETTER TO CHOOSE A LEGACY CARRIER THAN A BUDGET AIRLINE (SEE SECTION ). I Sometimes Buy Low Cost Airfares and Do Not Use Them If My Plans Change.IF I SEE A REALLY GOOD AIRFARE ON A TRIP THAT I MAY TAKE, I WILL BOOK THAT FLIGHT AND IF MY PLANS CHANGE, I WILL SIMPLY NOT USE THE TICKET. I HAVE OFTEN FOUND IF I WAIT UNTIL MY PLANS ARE FIRM, THE TICKET WILL COST ME A LOT MORE THAN THE INITIAL PRICE. YES, SOMETIMES, I DECIDE TO CANCEL THE TRIP AND END UP EATING THE COST OF THE TICKET. MOST OF THE TIME, HOWEVER, I END UP TAKING THE FLIGHT AND BENEFITTING FROM BUYING THE TICKET AT ITS CHEAPEST POINT.BY DOING THIS, I MAKE THE DECISION TO CANCEL OR CHANGE A TRIP BASED ON THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE TRIP- ACCOMODATIONS, TRANSPORTATION, TOUR FEES, ETC.- RATHER THAN THE AIRFARE. I FIND THIS TO BE GOOD BECAUSE OFTEN IT IS: (1) VERY CHEAP OR FREE, IN THE CASE OF MANY CAR RENTALS AND HOTELS, TO CHANGE NON-AIRFARE ASPECTS OF THE TRIP AND (2) USUALLY THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE TRIP REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE COSTS (PARTICULARLY SINCE I BOUGHT A LOW-COST AIR TICKET). IN THIS CASE, I DON’T EVEN BOTHER TO CALL THE AIRLINE, SINCE I PAID LESS FOR THE TICKET THAN THE AIRLINE CHARGES TO CHANGE THE FLIGHT- OFTEN $200-500 PLUS ANY DIFFERENCE IN PRICE BETWEEN THE TICKET YOU PURCHASED AND THE PRICE OF THE NEW TICKET.EVEN IF I BOUGHT A TICKET THAT COST MORE THAN THE CHANGE FEE, AIRLINES OFTEN IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS-I.E. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE TICKET FOR A FLIGHT WITH A SIMILAR ITINERARY ON A DIFFERENT DATE, ETC.-THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO REUSE. THAT SAID, IT IS WORTH TRYING TO CHANGE TICKETS THAT COST MORE THAN THE CHANGE FEES SINCE SOMETIMES AIRLINES WILL ISSUE YOU A VOUCHER THAT CAN BE USED FOR ANOTHER FLIGHT (WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE DATE OF THE INITIAL TICKET PURCHASE). Easy Tips for Getting Flights at the Best PriceNOTE: WHILE THESE TIPS USUALLY HELP SAVE MONEY, THERE ARE ALWAYS TIMES WHEN THEY WON?T WORK. THEY ARE MEANT TO HELP YOU TO GET STARTED ON YOUR SEARCH FOR THE RIGHT FLIGHT, THEY ARE NOT TO BE HARD AND FAST RULES. USUALLY IT IS BEST TO FLY ON TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS. THE OTHER DAYS OF THE WEEK ARE MORE LIKELY TO ATTRACT EITHER BUSINESS TRAVELERS (MONDAY AND FRIDAY) OR LEISURE TRAVELERS (FRIDAY AND SATURDAY). (THAT SAID, IF YOU HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY ON THE DATE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PICK A DATE AND THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FEATURES ON MOST SEARCH ENGINES AND AIRLINE WEBSITES THAT ALLOW YOU TO CHECK THE PRICE ON VARIOUS DAYS AROUND THE DATE THAT YOU SELECT.) IF YOU WANT TO TRAVEL DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, IF POSSIBLE, FLY BEFORE DECEMBER 18TH AND RETURN AFTER JANUARY 5TH. IF YOU CANNOT DO THIS, IT HELPS TO BUY FLIGHTS ON THE DAY OF THE HOLIDAY (THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THANKSGIVING AND EASTER). IT ALSO IS A GOOD IDEA TO START LOOKING FOR FLIGHTS SEVERAL MONTHS IN ADVANCE. YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE A MARKED INCREASE IN PRICE AS THE HOLIDAY A MONTH OR TWO BEFORE THE FLIGHT.MANY TRAVEL ADVICE SITES SUGGEST THAT YOU BUY FLIGHTS ON CERTAIN TIMES OF THE WEEKS. WHENEVER I HAVE TRIED TO FOLLOW THEIR ADVICE (WHICH IS OFTEN SOMETHING LIKE, BOOK YOUR TICKETS AFTER MIDNIGHT ON A WEDNESDAY), I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REAL DIFFERENCE IN PRICE.YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER BUYING A TICKET RIGHT AWAY IF YOU FIND FARES UNDER THOSE NOTED BELOW: WITHIN THE SAME CONTINENT $200 FOR A DISTANCE OF 1000-2500 MILES: $300 FOR A DISTANCE OF 2500 MILES OR MORE.FOR FLIGHTS BETWEEN CONTINENTS UNDER $400 ONE WAY FROM THE US EAST COAST TO EUROPE, UNDER $500 ONE WAY FROM THE US WEST COAST TO EUROPE OR ASIA, UNDER $500 FROM ANYWHERE IN THE US TO SOUTH AMERICAUNDER $800 FROM THE US TO AUSTRALIA OR AFRICA.YOU SHOULD ALWAYS COMPARE THE COST OF TICKETS BOTH ONE WAY AND ROUND TRIP. SOMETIMES, ODDLY, IT CAN BE CHEAPER TO BUY TWO ONE-WAY TICKETS THAN ONE ROUND-TRIP TICKET. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IF YOU EXPECT TO SPEND MORE THAN A MONTH ON YOUR TRIP. IT IS RARE THAT IT IS WORTH BUYING A ROUND TRIP TICKET IF YOU ARE GOING TO ARRIVE AT AN AIRPORT THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHERE YOU INTEND TO RETURN FROM. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO GO FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS AND RETURN FROM ROME TO NEW YORK, YOU WILL PROBABLY SPEND MORE MONEY TO GO TO PARIS FROM ROME TO DO A ROUND TRIP JOURNEY THAN IF YOU JUST BOUGHT A ONE-WAY TICKET FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS AND ANOTHER ONE-WAY TICKET FROM ROME TO NEW YORK.I WOULD ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU GET A GOOD FARE FROM AN ON-LINE TRAVEL AGENCY LIKE EXPEDIA, ETC., YOU COMPARE THE PRICE OF THE SAME TICKET ON THE AIRLINE?S WEBSITE. IF THE COST IS THE SAME ON THE AIRLINE?S WEBSITE (SOMETIMES IT IS RADICALLY DIFFERENT- I REMEMBER ONE TIME THE CHEAPEST FARE ON TRAVELOCITY FROM MIAMI TO CANCUN WAS $120 ON AMERICAN AIRLINES AND WHEN I CHECKED THE FARE ON THE AMERICAN AIRLINE?S WEBSITE THE SAME FLIGHT WAS $420), THEN YOU ARE BETTER OFF BOOKING THE FLIGHT THROUGH THE AIRLINE?S WEBSITE, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: (1) THE ON-LINE AGENCY WILL CHARGE YOU AN ADDITIONAL FEE IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE FLIGHT; (2) IN THE CASE OF A PROBLEM, IT IS EASIER TO DEAL WITH THE AIRLINE DIRECTLY THAN THROUGH A LARGE, THIRD-PARTY ON-LINE TRAVEL AGENCY AND (3) SOMETIMES THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES DO NOT ADVISE YOU OF CHANGES TO FLIGHTS. (FOR THIS REASON, IF YOU DO BOOK THROUGH AN ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONFIRM THE FLIGHT?S TIME ON THE AIRLINE?S WEBSITE A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THE FLIGHT). Skyscanner is My Favorite Search Engine UNTIL I READ MATT?S TRAVEL HACKING BOOK, I HAD NOT EVER HEARD OF SKYSCANNER, NOW I OFTEN WONDER HOW I EVER LIVED WITH IT. AS MATT INDICATES, IT IS GREAT BECAUSE IT INCLUDES BUDGET AND MAJOR AIRLINES. BUT, I LIKE IT, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE THE FLIGHTS ACCORDING TO THE BEST PRICE (WHICH TAKES IN MIXTURE OF TIME AND COST), THE LOWEST COST FLIGHTS, AND THE QUICKEST FLIGHTS. IT ALSO: (1) IS NOT AN ON-LINE TRAVEL AGENCY. INSTEAD, IT LINKS YOU TO THE AIRLINE SITE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TICKET?S FEATURES AND BUY THE TICKET DIRECTLY FROM THE AIRLINE (NOTE: KAYAK ALSO DOES THIS). AND (2) ALLOWS YOU TO COMPARE EASILY THE COST OF A GIVEN FLIGHT ON OTHER DAYS. OFTENTIMES, THE FIRST FLIGHTS (LISTED BY PRICE) IN TRADITIONAL ON-LINE TRAVEL AGENCIES, LIKE TRAVELOCITY, INVOLVE INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED AND INCONVENIENT ITINERARIES THAT ARE QUITE FRANKLY NOT WORTH THE SMALL ADDITIONAL COST SAVINGS. (I REMEMBER ONE TIME TRYING TO BOOK A TICKET FROM MERIDA, MEXICO TO TUCSON, ARIZONA AND THE FIRST ITINERARY LISTED ON TRAVELOCITY WENT FROM MERIDA TO DALLAS TO MIAMI TO PHOENIX TO TUCSON AND TOOK 34 HOURS. THE ACTUAL FLIGHT I BOOKED, COST ONLY $30 MORE, AND FLEW FROM MERIDA TO HOUSTON TO TUCSON AND TOOK 8 HOURS).WHILE I USE SKYSCANNER, I HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS THAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR PREFERRED SEARCH ENGINE PERIODICALLY BECAUSE EITHER: (1) THE ENGINE ELIMINATES THE FEATURES THAT MAKE IT MY GO-TO WEBSITE (SOMETIMES AFTER BEING CONSOLIDATED WITH A LARGER SEARCH ENGINE OR ON-LINE TRAVEL AGENCY); (2) OTHER SEARCH ENGINES BEGIN TO OFFER THE SAME SERVICES; AND (3) SOME OTHER SEARCH ENGINE COMES ALONG THAT PERFORMS EVEN BETTER THAN MY GO-TO SEARCH ENGINE. IN THE APPENDIX, YOU WILL FIND A LIST OF WEBSITES THAT I RECOMMEND THAT YOU SUBSCRIBE TO. AFTER SUBSCRIBING, CHECK THESE WEBSITES PERIODICALLY FOR THEIR CURRENT SEARCH ENGINE RECOMMENDATIONS. I Have Earned a Lot of Frequent Flyer Benefits by Just Using Two or Three Airline Branded Credit CardI ONLY FOUND MATT?S ARTICLE IN EARLY 2018 AND HAVE NOT HAD MUCH TIME TO TRY A LOT OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS.I INTEND TO USE SOME OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT AM NOT SURE IF I WILL USE SOME OTHERS BECAUSE I DON?T HAVE THE PATIENCE TO WORK AS HARD AS HE DOES FOR POINTS.WHILE I AM SURE THAT IF I HAD FOLLOWED MATT?S HACKING TECHNIQUES, I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF ADDITIONAL BENEFITS (THAT SAID, NOT ALL THE OPTIONS HE EXPLORES WERE EVEN AVAILABLE UNTIL RECENTLY), I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET A LOT OF BENEFITS JUST BY USING TWO AIRLINE BRANDED CREDITS CARDS: CITIBANK AADVANTAGE CARD AND THE MILEAGE PLUS UNITED CHASE CARD. MY UNITED CHASE CARD COMES WITH A $450 ANNUAL FEE THAT ALLOWS ME TO USE UNITED?S AIRPORT CLUBS. IT ALSO GIVES ME 1-1/2 POINTS PER DOLLAR SPENT. I USED TO HAVE A SIMILAR CARD WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES HOWEVER I CANCELED IT BECAUSE: (1) I SELDOM USED THE AIRLINES? CLUBS; (2) IT ONLY GAVE ME A POINT FOR EACH DOLLAR SPENT; (3) I WAS ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE SIGN-UP BONUS WITHOUT RENEWING THE CARD AND (4) I DID NOT WANT TO PAY THE HIGH FEE. (MY CURRENT CITIBANK CARD COSTS ME $95 A YEAR). ONE OF THE BIGGEST BENEFITS OF THE AIRLINE BRANDED CREDIT CARDS IS THAT I DO NOT HAVE TO PAY BAGGAGE FEES ON MOST FLIGHTS. (AS LONG AS I PAY FOR THE TICKET USING THE APPROPRIATE AIRLINE BRADED CARD). ALSO MENTION PRIORITY BOARDING.IF I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN AMERICAN AND UNITED?S CARDS, I WOULD CHOOSE UNITED FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS INCLUDING: (1) I FREQUENTLY FLY TO AND FROM MONTREAL AND AIR CANADA IS A PARTNER AIRLINE FOR UNITED; (2) THE UNITED CHASE CARDS WAIVE BAGGAGE FEES ON ALL FLIGHTS. AMERICAN AIRLINES-CITIBANK CARD ONLY WAIVES THE BAGGAGE FEE ON BUSINESS ORIENTED FLIGHTS. YOU HAVE TO PAY THE BAGGAGE FEE FOR FLIGHTS TO LEISURE DESTINATIONS, SUCH AS CANCUN. (NEITHER WAIVES THESE FEES ON PARTNER AIRLINES); AND (3) THE UNITED WEBSITE ALLOWS YOU TO ACCESS ALL THE FLIGHTS OF ITS PARTNERS WHEN YOU ARE BOOKING A FLIGHT USING FREQUENT FLYER POINTS WHEREAS AMERICAN ONLY LISTS FLIGHTS FOR FREQUENT FLYER AWARDS FROM SOME OF ITS PARTNERS. (NOTE: I HAVE BOOKED FLIGHTS USING FREQUENT FLYER AWARDS ON BRITISH AIRWAYS, FINNISH AIRWAYS, AND SAS ON THE AMERICAN AIRLINES WEBSITE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO THE SAME WITH LAN-CHILE). POINTS FROM CREDIT CARD SPENDING (I USUALLY CHARGE BETWEEN $25-40,000 A YEAR ON THESE TWO CREDIT CARDS), COMBINED WITH BONUSES, HAVE ENABLED ME TO USE FREQUENT FLYER MILES TO FUND AROUND 40% OF ALL MY FLIGHTS OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TRIPS: QUITO- MIAMI; MONTREAL-RIO DE JANEIRO; BUENOS AIRES-MONTREAL; MERIDA, MEXICO-SOFIA, BULGARIA; MONTREAL-VIENNA; LOS ANGELES- PANAMA CITY; VIENNA-MILAN; SAN FRANCISCO-ANCHORAGE; PANAMA CITY-BUENOS AIRES; MONTREAL-LIMA; MIAMI-SAN FRANCISCO; MONTREAL-COPENHAGEN; MONTREAL-PARIS; PRAGUE-MONTREAL; I HAVE A DELTA-AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD AS WELL BUT USE IT VERY SPARINGLY. THE DELTA-AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD HAS A REPUTATION OF REQUIRING LEISURE TRAVELERS, LIKE ME, TO USE THEIR CARD A LOT BEFORE THEY CAN QUALITY FOR AN AWARD TICKET. I ALSO DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF REASONS TO FLY DELTA BECAUSE I DO NOT LIVE OR TRAVEL OFTEN TO AND FROM THEIR HUB CITIES (PARTICULARLY ATLANTA). I KNOW PEOPLE WHO LOVE THESE CARDS AND WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF AMERICAN EXPRESS?S PLATINUM CARD: I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT I EARNED AROUND 80% OF MY POINTS THROUGH CREDIT CARD PURCHASES AND BONUSES AND AROUND 20% FROM MILES FLOWN ON AIRLINES OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. THE PERCENTAGE FROM CREDIT CARD PURCHASES HAS INCREASED MARKEDLY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS (I WOULD GUESS THAT NOWADAYS OVER 95% OF MY POINTS COME FROM CREDIT CARD PURCHASES AND BONUSES). UNTIL THREE YEARS AGO, AMERICAN AND UNITED, GAVE A POINT FOR EVERY MILE FLOWN. TODAY THEY GIVE POINTS BASED ON MONEY SPENT (GENERALLY FIVE POINTS PER DOLLAR SPENT AFTER TAXES AND FEES). I USED TO SOMETIMES CHOOSE FLIGHTS FROM AMERICAN AND UNITED, AND THEIR PARTNERS, OVER FLIGHTS THAT WERE SLIGHTLY LESS EXPENSIVE ON OTHER AIRLINES TO GET POINTS ON AMERICAN AND UNITED AIRLINES. NOWADAYS, I THINK TWICE ABOUT DOING THIS BECAUSE, (1) SOMETIMES, FLIGHTS ON SOME PARTNER AIRLINES LIKE AIR CANADA (A PARTNER OF UNITED AIRLINES), ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO EARN POINTS IF YOU USE THEIR LOW-COST TICKETS AND 2) I ONLY GET BETWEEN 500-1500 POINTS FOR MOST FLIGHTS ON AMERICAN AND UNITED. (I USED TO OFTEN GET 2-3 TIMES THIS MUCH BEFORE THE AIRLINES DETERMINED MILEAGE BASED ON THE DOLLARS SPENT ON THE TICKET). I ALWAYS TRY TO ENTER THE APPROPRIATE FREQUENT FLYER MEMBERSHIP NUMBER WHENEVER I BOOK A FLIGHT ON-LINE. (THE MEMBERSHIP NUMBER YOU ENTER SHOULD BE FROM AN AIRLINE THAT IS A MEMBER OF THE SAME ALLIANCE AS THE AIRLINE. IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU ARE BOOKING A FLIGHT ON BRITISH AIRWAYS YOU WOULD ENTER YOUR AMERICAN AIRLINES MEMBERSHIP NUMBER, SINCE BRITISH AIRWAYS AND AMERICAN AIRLINES ARE BOTH MEMBER OF THE ONEWORLD ALLIANCE. YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ON ALLIANCES IN SECTION__). IF I CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO ENTER THE NUMBER EASILY (THIS IS RARE), I WILL CALL THE AIRLINE AND ASK THAT THEY ENTER THE NUMBER INTO MY PASSENGER RECORD. WHILE YOU WON?T ALWAYS GET POINTS FROM THE PARTNER AIRLINES, MANY TIMES YOU WILL GET SOME POINTS. A FEW OF THE PARTNER AIRLINES EVEN AWARD MILES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MILES FLOWN. (I HAD A PLEASANT SURPRISE IN 2015 WHEN I RECEIVED AROUND 15000 AMERICAN ADVANTAGE POINTS FOR FLYING ON FIJI AIRLINES FROM LOS ANGELES TO SYDNEY).HERE ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT I HAVE EARNED BONUS POINTS. (NOTE: I FOUND OUT ABOUT MOST OF THESE BONUSES THROUGH EMAILS SENT TO ME FROM THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES): CREDIT CARD SIGN UP BONUSES (THIS IS THE MOST COMMON WAY THAT I EARNED POINTS, OTHER THAN CREDIT CARD SPENDING. I WOULD ESTIMATE I EARNED AROUND 150,000 MILES FROM THESE BONUSES) SIGNING UP FOR CREDIT CARDS WHICH INCLUDE ACCESS THE AIRLINES CLUB (AROUND 50000 MILES)USING UNITED CRUISES FOR MAKING CRUISE RESERVATIONS. (NOTE: I HAD TO PAY $100 TO UNITED CRUISES WHEN I HAVE CANCELLED CRUISES). SIGNING UP FOR A CITIBANK BANKING ACCOUNT (MORE ON THIS IN SECTION ).OWNING THESE TWO CREDIT CARDS ALSO MEANS THAT I SOMETIMES GET BETTER SERVICE ON THE FLIGHT AND OCCASIONALLY GET AN UPGRADE WITHOUT ASKING.KEEP IN MIND THAT FREQUENT FLYER TICKETS ARE NOT FREE. I HAVE PAID BETWEEN $5 (FOR SOME DOMESTIC FLIGHTS IN THE USA) UP TO $225 (PRIMARILY FOR CONNECTING IN LONDON) FOR AWARD FLIGHTS. (NOTE: EVEN AIRLINE EMPLOYEES USUALLY PAY THESE FEES).I RECOMMEND THAT YOU KEEP YOUR BOARDING PASS AFTER YOU FINISH A FLIGHT. SOMETIMES (FORTUNATELY THIS IS FAIRLY RARE NOWADAYS) AIRLINES FAIL TO GIVE YOU POINTS FOR A FLIGHT, PARTICULARLY IF, FOR SOME REASON, THE AIRLINES HAVE REBOOKED YOU ON A DIFFERENT FLIGHT AT CHECK-IN. YOU NEED THE BOARDING PASS TO MAKE THE CLAIM (WHICH CAN BE DONE FAIRLY EASILY ON LINE) FOR THE AIRLINES TO CREDIT THESE POINTS.USING FREQUENT FLYER AWARD POINTS FOR FLIGHTS HAS ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OVER CASH: IT IS MUCH EASIER TO CANCEL OR CHANGE A FLIGHT. GENERALLY, IF YOU CANCEL A FLIGHT, YOU CAN JUST REDEPOSIT YOUR POINTS BACK INTO YOUR ACCOUNT ON-LINE FOR A FEE. ($75-125 ON UNITED; $150 ON AMERICAN PLUS $25 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL TICKET THAT YOU CANCEL AT THE SAME TIME. NOTE: YOU MAY NOT HAVE TO PAY THIS FEE IF YOU HAVE SOME EXCLUSIVE- IE EXECUTIVE CREDIT CARDS). YOU CAN ALSO RESCHEDULE MANY FREQUENT FLYERS AWARD FLIGHTS WITHOUT A FEE. LIKE REGULAR FLIGHTS, IF YOU WANT TO GET A TICKET THAT REQUIRES A SMALL NUMBER OF POINTS TO PURCHASE, YOU SHOULD EXPECT THE FLIGHT TO BE INCONVENIENT. I HAVE SEVERAL TIMES ENDED UP SPENDING THE NIGHT IN A CONNECTING CITY AND TAKING AN EARLY MORNING FLIGHT IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A LOW POINT FREQUENT FLYER FLIGHT. THAT SAID, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS LESS TRUE ON LONG DISTANCE, TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHTS AND BUSINESS-ORIENTED FLIGHTS (USUALLY SHORT-HAUL FLIGHTS WITH FREQUENT DEPARTURES THROUGHOUT THE DAY). PLEASE KEEP IN MIND IF YOU ARE BUYING NON-AIRLINE RELATED SERVICES OR PRODUCTS FOR FREQUENT FLYER MILES THAT SOME OF THE PRODUCTS AFFILIATED WITH FREQUENT-FLYER PROGRAMS MAY BE BOUGHT SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR LESS. SOMETIMES, THE HOTELS AND CAR RENTAL COMPANIES FEATURED ON THE AIRLINES? WEBSITES OFFER MORE EXPENSIVE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAN THEIR COMPETITORS. (CAR RENTAL COMPANY MAY EVEN CHARGE YOU A FEE FOR REPORTING YOUR POINTS TO THE AIRLINES). HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE A FAN OF A PARTICULAR COMPANY’S SERVICE OR FIND A COMPANY THAT OFFERS SERVICES AT A COMPETITIVE PRICE, BY ALL MEANS TRY TO GET FREQUENT FLYER MILES. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A GOOD ANALYSIS OF THE AFFILIATE OFFERS CHECK OUT WWW..BE CAREFUL TO PAY YOUR CREDIT CARDS OFF EVERY MONTH. MANY AIRLINE BRANDED CREDIT CARDS CHARGE INTEREST RATES BETWEEN 15-20% A YEAR AND HIGH YEARLY FEE. IF YOU HAVE DECENT CREDIT, IT IS NOT HARD TO FIND A CREDIT CARD WITHOUT A FEE AT MUCH LOWER INTEREST RATES. ASSUMING THAT YOU, LIKE MOST AMERICANS, CARRY A $6,000 BALANCE ON YOUR CARD, YOU WILL PAY APPROXIMATELY $1000-$1500 MORE PER YEAR IN INTEREST AND FEES USING AIRLINE CREDIT CARDS. (NOTE: THE 6000 FREQUENT FLYER MILES THAT YOU WILL GET FROM SPENDING $6000 ON A CARD WILL ONLY SAVE YOU APPROXIMATELY $100 ON A FUTURE FLIGHT.)Airlines Nowadays Change their Schedules all the Time. DON’T BE SURPRISED IF AFTER YOU PURCHASE YOUR TICKET, YOU RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM THE AIRLINE ANNOUNCING THAT THEY HAVE EITHER CHANGED: (1) THE DEPARTURE TIME FOR THE FLIGHT BY SEVERAL HOURS, (2) EXTENDED OR EVEN SOMETIMES REDUCED HOW LONG YOUR TRIP LASTS, OR (3) AND THIS IS MY PET PEEVE, ELIMINATED A NON-STOP FLIGHT AND REBOOKED YOU ON A CONNECTING FLIGHT. AIRLINES SELL TICKETS AS MUCH AS 11 MONTHS IN ADVANCE, BUT RARELY END UP FLYING THE SAME SCHEDULES THEY SOLD. (NOTE: SOMETIMES THE CHANGES ARE FAIRLY MINOR, LIKE A TEN-MINUTE CHANGE IN DEPARTURE TIME). AIRLINES TEND TO MAKE WIDESCALE SCHEDULE CHANGES EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS. AS A RESULT, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER WAITING TO BUY A TICKET UNTIL A COUPLE OF MONTHS IN ADVANCE IF YOU WANT TO ENSURE THAT YOU WILL FLY THE SAME FLIGHT AS THE ONE YOU PURCHASED. YOU ARE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO SEE MAJOR FLIGHT CHANGES ON A ROUTE THAT HAS MANY DEPARTURES EVERY DAY. (I.E. MIAMI-NEW YORK, CHICAGO-LOS ANGELES, ETC.) IF THE DEPARTURE TIME OR FLIGHT DURATION IS CHANGED BY MORE THAN AN HOUR (TWO HOURS IN THE CASE OF DELTA AIRLINES) AND/OR THE ROUTING IS CHANGED, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO CANCEL THE TICKET AND GET A FULL REFUND. (IT TOOK ME A LOT OF PATIENCE AND EFFORT TO GET DELTA TO ISSUE ME A REFUND. IT HAS BEEN EASY WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES). THE AIRLINE CAN ALSO RESCHEDULE YOU ON A DIFFERENT FLIGHT WITHOUT CHARGING ANY ADDITIONAL FARE, EVEN IF THE NEW FLIGHT IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE COST OF THE TICKET YOU BOOKED. I FIND THAT WHEN AN AIRLINE RESCHEDULES MY FLIGHT AND I RECEIVE A REFUND (IT USUALLY TAKES A WEEK OR SO TO RECEIVE THE REFUND), USUALLY I CAN FIND A DECENT ALTERNATIVE FLIGHT ON ANOTHER AIRLINE. HOWEVER, THERE IS ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT THE FLIGHTS WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE WHEN YOU REBOOK THE FLIGHT. THEREFORE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU CHECK THE COSTS OF ALTERNATIVE FLIGHTS BEFORE YOU CALL THE AIRLINE TO ASK FOR A REFUND. IF YOU FIND THAT THE FLIGHTS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE, YOU CAN ASK THE AIRLINE TO BOOK YOU ON AN ALTERNATIVE FLIGHT INSTEAD OF ISSUING YOU A REFUND. (UNFORTUNATELY, AIRLINES WILL ONLY REBOOK YOU ON A FLIGHT THAT THEY OPERATE).I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALWAYS CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE FLIGHT HAS NOT CHANGED AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DAYS AHEAD OF THE FLIGHT. (THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO CHECK YOUR PASSENGER RECORD THE AIRLINES? WEBSITE ON LINE. ALL YOU NEED IS YOUR CONFIRMATION NUMBER TO DO THIS). AIRLINE COMPANIES WILL USUALLY SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH CHANGES. HOWEVER, IT CAN EASILY GET LOST. IN ADDITION, IF YOU BOOKED THE FLIGHT WITH A THIRD-PARTY SEARCH ENGINE YOU CANNOT BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE EMAILS WITH UPDATED FLIGHT INFO. I LEARNED THIS THE HARD WAY WHEN I CHECKED IN FOR A FLIGHT (I BOUGHT THE TICKET ON TRAVELOCITY) FROM MONTREAL TO HALIFAX ON PORTER AIRWAYS ABOUT TWO HOURS BEFORE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT FLIGHT TIME, ONLY TO LEARN THAT THE AIRLINE HAD CHANGED THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE A COUPLE OF MONTHS EARLIER AND THE FLIGHT HAD LEFT THREE HOURS BEFORE I ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT. THE AIRLINE REBOOKED ME ON THE SAME FLIGHT THE NEXT DAY BUT I LOST A DAY OF A TOUR AND HAD TO TRAVEL SIX HOURS BY SHUTTLE TO MEET THE GROUP. BY THE WAY, THE TOUR COMPANY, CARAVAN TOURS, DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF HELPING ME DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM). AS A WHOLE, IF I REALLY WANT TO HAVE A NONSTOP FLIGHT I WILL CHOOSE A ROUTING THAT OFFERS SEVERAL NON-STOP FLIGHTS EVERYDAY. (OFTENTIMES THESE ARE FLIGHTS TO THE ONE OF THE AIRLINES HUB CITIES). THAT WAY, IF THE AIRLINE DECIDES TO CANCEL THE FLIGHT THEY WILL JUST REBOOK YOU ON ANOTHER NON-STOP FLIGHT. (LIVING IN MERIDA, MEXICO, IT SEEMS LIKE AIRLINES LOVE TO SCHEDULE FLIGHTS FROM THE US TO MERIDA AND THEN CANCEL THEM AND FORCE ME TO MAKE A CONNECTION IN MEXICO CITY, WHICH ADDS BETWEEN 5 TO 8 HOURS TO THE TRIP. AS A RESULT, I MAKE ALL MY FLIGHT ARRANGEMENTS TO THE USA FROM CANCUN BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE FLIGHTS FROM THERE TO MOST DESTINATIONS IN THE USA. THAT WAY, IF THE AIRLINES RESCHEDULE MY NONSTOP FLIGHT I WILL BE ABLE TO FIND A NON-STOP ALTERNATIVE). BASED ON THE AIRLINES LOVE OF MAKING SCHEDULE CHANGES, I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER BOOKING FLIGHTS, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, ONE DAY BEFORE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING EVENTS TO AVOID STRESS AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: 1) THE STARTING DATE FOR A CRUISE OR TOUR OR 2) AN IMPORTANT BUSINESS OR PERSONAL EVENT (LIKE A WEDDING).Getting Bumped and UpgradedBumping IF YOU FLY FREQUENTLY, YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT AN AIRLINE WILL GIVE YOU A FREE FLIGHT OR A VOUCHER IF YOU VOLUNTEER TO TAKE A LATER FLIGHT—CALLED “BUMPING” IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY. IT HAPPENS BECAUSE AIRLINES ROUTINELY SELL A FEW MORE TICKETS THAN THEY HAVE SEATS, TO ACCOUNT FOR CLIENTS WHO DO NOT SHOW UP FOR THE FLIGHT.DESPITE THE EXTREMELY NEGATIVE PUBLICITY THAT UNITED AIRLINES RECEIVED FOR INVOLUNTARILY BUMPING A DOCTOR OFF ONE OF ITS FLIGHTS FROM CHICAGO TO LOUISVILLE, MANY TRAVELERS DON’T MIND VOLUNTEERING THEIR SEATS TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT OUT. IN FACT, I HAVE KNOWN PEOPLE WHO WILL TRY TO GET “BUMPED” ON EVERY FLIGHT.I HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO BE BUMPED THREE TIMES AND HAVE RECEIVED EACH TIME A CREDIT TOWARD A FUTURE FLIGHT. ALL THREE TIMES, I HAVE ONLY HAD TO WAIT AN EXTRA HOUR OR TWO FOR THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT. WHILE I HAVE NEVER SET OUT WITH THE INTENTION OF BEING BUMPED HERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THEY DO TO GET BUMPED THIS IS DIRECTLY FROM JOHNNY JET. ASK PERMISSION BEFORE REPRINTING AND IF POSSIBLE GET AN ENDORSEMENT;1. CHECK FLIGHT LOADS. MOST AIRLINES WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE YOUR FLIGHT’S SEATING CHART (GO INTO YOUR RESERVATION ONLINE AND CLICK THE “CHANGE/VIEW SEATS” LINK). BUT IT’S BEST TO TRY BOOKING A TICKET (DON’T PURCHASE) ON YOUR PARTICULAR FLIGHT. IF THEY AREN’T SELLING SEATS THEN THEY ARE FULL OR OVERSOLD. YOU CAN ALSO CALL THE AIRLINE DIRECTLY AND ASK THE OPERATOR IF THE FLIGHT IS OVERSOLD. HERE’S A HANDY LIST OF ALL THE AIRLINE WEBSITES AND THEIR TOLL-FREE NUMBERS.2. VOLUNTEER TO GET BUMPED. AIRLINE REPS LOVE IT WHEN PASSENGERS VOLUNTEER TO GET BUMPED. WHEN I’M PLAYING THE BUMPING GAME, I WILL USUALLY CHECK-IN WITH AN AGENT AT THE TICKET DESK TO LET THEM KNOW. THEN I WILL GO TO THE GATE AND WAIT FOR AN AGENT TO ARRIVE—USUALLY AN HOUR BEFORE DEPARTURE. I THEN ASK POLITELY IF THEY ARE OVERSOLD AND IF THEY NEED VOLUNTEERS. IF SO, I ASK TO BE INCLUDED ON THE LIST. NOTE: MOST OF THE TIME, AGENTS WON’T KNOW IF THEY NEED VOLUNTEERS UNTIL MIDWAY THROUGH BOARDING SO THEY WILL PUT YOU ON A LIST AND HOLD YOUR BOARDING PASS. TIP: DON’T KEEP BUGGING THE AGENT…IT WILL ONLY TICK THEM OFF 3. WAIT CLOSE TO THE GATE. SOMETIMES AGENTS COME TO THE GATE LATE AND JUST GET ON THE PA AND ANNOUNCE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS. THAT IS WHY YOU SHOULD BE STANDING CLOSE TO THE DESK SO YOU CAN BE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO JUMP IN LINE IF THEY ASK.4. BE SURE TO GET ON ANOTHER FLIGHT. BEFORE ACCEPTING A BUMP, FIRST FIND OUT HOW MUCH THEY ARE OFFERING; DOMESTICALLY IT’S USUALLY AROUND $400 AND INTERNATIONALLY IT CAN BE UP TO $1,350. THEN FIND OUT WHEN THE NEXT FLIGHT THEY CAN GET YOU ON IS. IF IT’S AN OVERNIGHT BUMP, THE AIRLINE SHOULD PROVIDE YOU WITH A HOTEL, TRANSPORTATION, MEAL VOUCHERS AND SOMETIMES EVEN A CALLING CARD, THOUGH NOT ALWAYS.5. GET A CASH VOUCHER NOT A FLIGHT. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. DO NOT ACCEPT A ROUNDTRIP FLIGHT BECAUSE THEY COME WITH HEAVY RESTRICTIONS AND BLACKOUT DATES. PLUS, YOU WON’T GET FREQUENT FLIER CREDIT FOR YOUR FLIGHT(S). INSTEAD, ASK FOR A CASH VOUCHER THAT’S USUALLY VALID FOR ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF ISSUE FOR THAT AIRLINE. NOTE: SOME AIRLINES (AHEM, DELTA) WILL EVEN OFFER YOU GIFT CARDS TO STORES LIKE .GOOD TO KNOW: IF THE AIRLINE INVOLUNTARILY BUMPS YOU (MEANING YOU DIDN’T VOLUNTEER TO GET BUMPED), BE SURE TO ASK FOR CASH, NOT A VOUCHER. THIS HAPPENED TO MY SISTER AND HER FAMILY WHEN THEY WERE TRAVELING FROM MIAMI TO BARBADOS BECAUSE THEY WERE THE LAST TO CHECK IN AND THEY EACH RECEIVED $1,350.6. BE NICE. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE GENUINELY NICE TO THE AGENT. I ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THEM AND WILL EVEN BRING THEM CHOCOLATES SINCE MOST PASSENGERS TREAT THEM TERRIBLY.7. ASK FOR A LOUNGE PASS, UPGRADE, HOTEL, AND FOOD. IF THE AGENT IS STRUGGLING TO FIND VOLUNTEERS, THE MONEY USUALLY GOES UP AND SO DO THE PERKS. I NORMALLY WON’T CHANGE MY PLANS FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN $500, EVEN IF IT’S A SHORT BUMP. BUT I WILL ALWAYS SEE IF THEY CAN BUMP ME INTO FIRST CLASS ON THE NEXT FLIGHT OR GIVE ME A PREMIUM ECONOMY SEAT. BEFORE I HAD CREDIT CARDS THAT GOT ME INTO THE LOUNGES, I WOULD ASK FOR A LOUNGE PASS AS WELL. IF YOU DON’T HAVE ONE, ASK FOR LOUNGE ACCESS AND A MEAL VOUCHER (USUALLY $10-$15).8. DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN ON THE NEXT FLIGHT. DURING BUSY PERIODS, YOU CAN GET BUMPED MULTIPLE TIMES THE SAME DAY OR OVER A WEEK. IT’S A GREAT WAY TO GET SOME SERIOUS MONEY TOWARDS FLIGHTS. TIP: WHEN YOU GET BUMPED, TAKE A PHOTO OF THE VOUCHER AND EMAIL IT TO YOURSELF SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. ALSO, SET REMINDERS AS TO WHEN THEY EXPIRE SO YOU DON’T LOSE OUT ON YOUR HARD-EARNED BUMP.9. DON’T CHECK LUGGAGE. YOU WILL HAVE A MUCH GREATER CHANCE OF GETTING BUMPED IF YOU DON’T HAVE CHECKED LUGGAGE SINCE IT’S A PAIN AND VERY TIME CONSUMING FOR THE AIRLINES TO FIND YOUR BAG IN THE CARGO HOLD.GOOD TO KNOW: IF YOU CHOOSE TO VOLUNTEER AND THEY DON’T NEED YOU (THEY LET YOU KNOW AT THE LAST MINUTE), YOU MAY LOSE YOUR OVERHEAD LUGGAGE SPACE AND SOMETIMES AGENTS COULD GIVE AWAY YOUR SEAT AND YOU MIGHT GET STUCK WITH A MIDDLE. OUCH!READ MORE AT: HAVE BEEN FLOWN IN BUSINESS OR FIRST CLASS AROUND TWENTY TIMES IN MY LIFE. ONLY TWICE, HAVE I ACTUALLY PAID SIGNIFICANT MORE THAN I WOULD HAVE PAID FOR AN ECONOMY CLASS TICKET. (BOTH OF THESE TIMES WERE BECAUSE I NEEDED TO BUY A TICKET LAST MINUTE AND THE ONLY AVAILABLE SEATS WERE IN BUSINESS CLASS). PROBABLY FIVE OF THESE TWENTY TIMES, I BOUGHT A BUSINESS CLASS TICKET (A COUPLE OF THESE TIMES I BOUGHT IT WITH FREQUENT FLYER MILES) THAT DID NOT COST MUCH MORE THAN I WOULD HAVE PAID OTHERWISE. ON FLIGHTS TO AND FROM CANCUN (PROBABLY BECAUSE NOT MANY BUSINESSPEOPLE FLY THERE), AIRLINES OCCASIONALLY OFFER BUSINESS CLASS TICKETS FOR ONLY $50-$100 MORE ONE WAY THAN AN INEXPENSIVE ECONOMY TICKET. (I HAVE USUALLY PAID $200-250 ONE WAY FOR A BUSINESS CLASS TICKET FROM MONTREAL TO CANCUN).I HAVE ALSO A FEW TIMES FLOWN BUSINESS CLASS AFTER BEING OFFERED AN INEXPENSIVE UPGRADE AT THE TIME OF CHECK-IN. ONE TIME, FOR EXAMPLE, I HAD ARRIVED EARLY (YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE UPGRADED IF YOU ARE AMONG THE FIRST CUSTOMERS TO CHECK-IN FOR THE FLIGHT AND THE AGENT KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE FREE SPACE IN BUSINESS/FIRST CLASS AND ARE OVERSOLD IN COACH) AND PAID $50 EXTRA FOR A BAG OVER THE WEIGHT LIMIT AND GOT UPGRADED TO BUSINESS CLASS FOR AN ADDITIONAL $50 ON A FLIGHT FROM LOS ANGELES TO PUERTO VALLARTA ON ALASKAN AIRLINES.HOWEVER, THE BULK OF THE TIMES I HAVE FLOWN IN BUSINESS OR FIRST CLASS, I HAVE BEEN UPGRADED BY THE AIRLINE STAFF FOR FEE AFTER CHECK-IN. WHILE MOST OF THE TIME I DO NOT KNOW WHY I WAS UPDATED, I SUSPECT IT WAS USUALLY BECAUSE I USUALLY DRESS APPROPRIATELY (A PAIR OF CHINOS AND A POLO SHIRT IS FINE, NO SHORTS OR HAWAIIAN SHIRTS FOR MEN; A DRESS OR AN ATTRACTIVE PANT SUIT OR BLOUSE AND PANT COMBO, NO SWEATSHIRTS, WILL WORK FOR WOMEN) AND I AM A MEMBER OF THEIR FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM. (ONE TIME, SURPRISINGLY, I WAS UPGRADED BECAUSE I MENTIONED -THIS WAS NOT DELIBERATE- THAT I WAS A VOLUNTEER ENGLISH TEACHER IN RUSSIA AND THE CHECK-IN AGENT DECIDED IN HER WORDS THAT I NEEDED A ¨BIT OF COMFORT¨ BEFORE I STARTED BACK AT TEACHING). HERE A FEW OTHER STRATEGIES THAT EXPERTS RECOUNT CAN HELP YOU TO SECURE AN UPGRADED SEAT:Mention that you’d like to be upgraded for a legitimate reason (such as you need special assistance, you have a medical condition that makes it hard to sit in cramped spaces, etc.). I would only recommend using these reasons if they are true. If they are not and you’re found out, you will forfeit any chance of being upgraded in the future. SPEND LOTS OF MONEY. I THINK ONE TIME I WAS UPGRADED BECAUSE I BOUGHT A FAIRLY EXPENSIVE FLIGHT ($600 ONE WAY FROM PORTLAND, MAINE TO SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA).CHECK YOUR EMAILS. SOMETIMES AIRLINES WILL EMAIL YOU A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE THE DAY OF DEPARTURE OFFERING A CHEAP (NOT FREE) UPGRADE.IF THE AIRLINE HAS DONE SOMETHING THAT HAS CAUSED YOU A LEGITIMATE PROBLEMS (LIKE POTENTIALLY MISSING A MEETING) THAN YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND ASK IN A FIRM, DETERMINED, BUT NOT AGGRESSIVE MANNER, FOR AN UPGRADE. IT IS EASIER FOR AIRLINES TO GIVE YOU AN UPGRADE THAN COMPENSATE YOU FOR YOUR PROBLEMS.BE NICE. I WAS ONCE GIVEN AN UPGRADE TO AN EMPTY ROW OF SEAT WITH EXTRA LEGROOM ON A FLIGHT BETWEEN MEXICO CITY AND SAN FRANCISCO BECAUSE I ASKED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT IF THERE WAS ANYWAY I COULD MOVE SO THAT A YOUNG, VERY SLEEPY GIRL COULD LAY DOWN AND SLEEP.TRY YOUR LUCK. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR AN UPGRADE, OF COURSE THEY COULD ALWAYS SAY NO BUT WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO LOSE? DRESS WELL, BE NICE AND SMILE SWEETLY AND A PLEASE MIGHT JUST DO IT YOU NEVER KNOW.Round-the-World (RTW) TicketsREVISE, UPDATE, ADD YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE PARTICULARLY AFTER YOU DO YOUR TICKETS FOR 2019 TRAVELS. ALSO NOTE THIS WAS WRITTEN IN 2012- NEED TO DO RESEARCH TO CHECK TO SEE THAT THIS IS STILL RELEVANT. MAY BE BETTER TO PUT PART ON AIRLINE ALLIANCES AND BUDGET AIRLINE COMMENTS EARLIER IN THIS SECTION AS THEY APPLIES TO OTHER COMMENTS IN THIS SECTION AS WELL.FROM TRAVEL THE WORLD ON $50 A DAY FROM MATT KEPNES. EACH AIRLINE HAS ITS OWN RULES FOR HOW ITS ROUND THE WORLD TICKETS WORK. FIND A WEBSITE WITH LIST OF BUDGET AIRLINES. ALSO WEBSITES WITH THE RULES OF THE THREE LARGE ALLIANCES. NOTE THAT MATT PREFERS ONE PASS AND SUMMARIZE WHY IF STILL APPLICABLE.BUDGET AIRLINESROUND THE WORLD (RTW) TICKETS CAN BE A CONVENIENT WAY TO FLY AROUND THE WORLD. THEY GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT BOOKING FLIGHTS ALONG THE WAY. YOU PREBOOK ALL YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE, AND BY PURCHASING THEM IN ONE GIANT BULK PACKAGE, YOU CAN OFTEN SAVE MONEY OFF THE TOTAL PRICE OF ALL INDIVIDUAL TICKETS.RTW TICKETS ARE ACTUALLY AIRLINE ALLIANCE PASSES. YOU BUY FROM AN AIRLINE A TICKET THAT CAN BE USED WITH THEM AND ALL THEIR ALLIANCE PARTNERS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU BOOK WITH UNITED AIRLINES (STAR ALLIANCE), YOUR TICKET IS ONLY GOOD FOR AIRLINES UNITED PARTNERS WITH. IF YOU BOOK WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES, YOU CAN ONLY USE THEIR PARTNERS.REFER TO TRAVEL 101 SIDEBARIT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT NONE OF THESE ALLIANCES INCLUDE ANY OF THE WORLD?S BUDGET AIRLINES. ROUND THE WORLD TICKETS COME WITH A NUMBER OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS. GENERALLY SPEAKING, WITH ALL ALLIANCES, A ROUND THE WORLD IS VALID FOR ONE YEAR FROM THE START DATE AND REQUIRES YOU T END IN THE SAME COUNTRY YOU START IN, YOU DON?T NEED TO END IN THE SAME CITY, BUT YOU NEED TO END IN THE SAME COUNTRY.MOREOVER, ALL ROUND THE WORLD TICKETS REQUIRE YOU TO TRAVEL IN ONE DIRECTION AS WELL AS TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS ONLY ONE. WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU CAN?T FLY FROM NEW YORK TO LONDON AND THEN BACK ACROSS THE ATLANTIC TO BRAZIL AND THEN CONTINUE ON TO ASIA AND THEN BACK TO EUROPE AND FINALLY HOME TO NEW YORK. THAT IS NOT ONE-WAY TRAVEL, THAT?S BACKTRACKING, AND TICKETS DON?T ALLOW BACKTRACKING BETWEEN CONTINENTS.ADDITIONALLY, TICKETS REQUIRE A SET NUMBER OF STOPOVERS, EACH OF WHICH IS DEFINED AS A STAY OF MORE THAN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. TICKETS REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE STOPS AND A MAXIMUM OF FIFTEEN. ONE WORLD HAS A TWO STOPOVER MAXIMUM PERMITTED IN THE CONTINENT OF ORIGIN.TRAVELERS CAN CHANGE THE DATES AND THE TIMES ON THEIR TICKETS SO LONG AS THEY DON?T CHANGE THE DESTINATION.RTW TICKETS ARE PERFECT FOR PEOPLE WITH A SET SCHEDULE. IF YOU KNOW YOUR TRAVEL DATES AND DESTINATIONS AND DON?T PLAN ON CHANGING YOUR TRIP VERY MUCH, A RTW TICKET WILL SAVE YOU A LOT OF TIME AND A BIT OF MONEY. BUT THESE TICKETS ARE RIGID, AND THAT IS WHY I DON?T USE THEM. YOUR DATES ARE ALREADY SET, AND THEY CAN BE A PROBLEM TO CHANGE SOMETIMES, AS YOU ARE SUBJECT TO LIMITED AVAILABILITY. IF YOU DECIDED TO CHANGE YOUR DATES AND TIMES, YOU MIGHT FIND THEY DON?T HAVE A FLIGHT FOR YOU. AND WHILE DATE AND TIME CHANGES (AS LONG AS THE DESTINATION REMAINS THE SAME) ARE FREE, OTHER CHANGES ARE NOT. I THINK THIS IS ONLY TRUE WITH THE AIRLINE ALLIANCE TICKETS. SINCE RTW TICKETS ARE VALID FOR ONLY ONE YEAR AND YOU NEED TO FINISH WHERE YOU STARTED, IF YOU DECIDE TO GO AWAY FOR LONGER, YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY THROWING AWAY THE LAST LEG OF YOUR TRIP. ONCE THE YEAR HAS PASSED, ANY FLIGHTS NOT USED BECOME INVALID AND YOU HAVE JUST WASTED A LOT OF MONEY.RTW ALLIANCE ALTERNATIVESWHILE YOU CAN BOOK RTW TICKETS DIRECTLY WITH THE AIRLINES BY CALLING THE RESERVATION LINE LISTED ON THEIR WEBSITE, SOMETIMES YOU CAN FIND A BETTER DEAL BY BOOKING THROUGH A THIRD PARTY SUCH AS AIRTREKS (). AIRTREKS OPERATES DIFFERENTLY THAN THE AIRLINE ALLIANCES. INSTEAD OF CREATING A ROUND THE WORLD TICKET, AIRTREKS PIECES TOGETHER INDIVIDUAL AIRLINE TICKETS BASED ON THE LOWEST AVAILABLE FARES THEY FIND. THEY DON?T JUST DEAL WITH ONE ALLIANCE-THEY MIX AND MATCH FROM ALL AVAILABLE AIRLINES (EXCLUDING BUDGET AIRLINES) TO FIND THE LOWEST PRICE. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE RULES PERTAINING TO ALLIANCE TICKETS DON?T APPLY HERE. YOU CAN FLY ANYWHERE AND IN ANY DIRECTION YOU WANT, AND THE OVERLAND MILEAGE DOESN?T COUNT AGAINST YOUR FLIGHT, BECAUSE THERE IS NO MILEAGE LIMIT.AIRTREKS? FEES RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN $50 AND $250, DEPENDING ON WHAT AIRLINE YOU ARE TRAVELING ON. UNLIKE WITH AIRLINE ALLIANCE TICKETS, YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR CHANGING YOUR DATE AND TRAVEL TIMES. SINCE AIRTREKS BOOKS REGUALRY AIRLINE TICKETS, THOSE TICKETS ARE SUBJECT TO REGULAR AIRLINE TICKET RULES. SO WHILE FARES ARE CHEAPER, BECAUSE AIRTREKS HAS TO ABIDE BY NORMAL AIRLINE RULES, THE CHANGE FEES ARE HIGHER.BOOKING YOUR TICKETS INDIVIDUALLY VS. BOOKING WITH AIRTREKS, ETC.IN THAT SENSE, BOOKING WITH A THIRD-PARTY BOOKING SITE, LIKE AIRTREKS IS A MUCH BETTER OPTION BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED FLEXIBILITY, BUT AS NOTHING IS EVER 100% IN TRAVEL, IT IS IMPORTANT TO PRICE OUT YOUR TICKET USING ALL YOUR OPTIONS.REDO FROM AIRTREKSHERE ARE THE 10 BEST WAYS TO MAKE YOUR TRIP MORE AFFORDABLE…WITHOUT HAVING TO SETTLE FOR A TRIP THAT’S NOT QUITE WHAT YOU WANTED. ?YOU CAN TAKE YOUR DREAM TRIP AND STICK TO A BUDGET.1. CHECK SEASONALITYPROBABLY THE HARDEST THING TO AVOID WHEN PLANNING A LONG TRIP?(YET ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECTS PRICES THE MOST)?IS HIGH SEASON TRAVEL. AFTER ALL, YOU WANNA GO WHEN YOU WANNA GO. BUT TRAVELING DURING BUSY?TIMES FOR A DESTINATION CAN RAISE THE PRICE OF A SINGLE FLIGHT BY 30% OR MORE.HERE’S WHAT SEASONALITY LOOKS LIKE?AROUND THE WORLD:HIGH SEASON: JUNE, JULY & AUGUST. DEC 15 – JAN 10.LOW SEASON: JAN 10 – MARCH 31.SHOULDER SEASON: ALL THE REST.IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, JUNE THROUGH AUGUST IS SUMMER. STUDENTS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL, AND EMPLOYEES ARE OFF WORK, AND LOTS OF THEM SPEND THIS TIME TRAVELING. LATE DECEMBER THROUGH EARLY JANUARY ARE HIGH?SEASON BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S, A TIME WHEN MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD TRAVEL TO VISIT FRIENDS AND FAMILY.?THE SEASONALITY FACTOR IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT TRAVELING TO OR FROM HIGH-TRAFFIC, SEASONAL DESTINATIONS LIKE EUROPE, ASIA, AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC.2.LIMIT YOUR NUMBER OF DESTINATIONSTHE?WORLD’S A BIG PLACE, BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRY TO?SEE IT ALL AT ONCE. HERE’S A FEW REASONS WHY:ROUND-THE-WORLD TICKET FARES?ARE USUALLY BASED ON MILES TRAVELED, SO IT FOLLOWS THAT THE MORE CITIES YOU VISIT THE MORE YOUR TICKET WILL COST, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAPPEN TO CROSS OCEANS. LIMITING YOUR DESTINATIONS WILL SAVE YOU MONEY ON THE TICKET, NOT TO MENTION GIVING YOU MORE QUALITY TIME IN THE PLACES YOU DO GO. BUT SOMETIMES YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE MORE PLACES FOR LESS VIA MULTI-CITY STOPS?(BY TURNING LAYOVERS INTO STOPOVERS)?SO JUST BE FLEXIBLE AND DO YOUR RESEARCH! AND IF YOU’RE WANTING TO UPGRADE TO A BUSINESS CLASS FLIGHT,?YOU CAN STILL USE THESE OTHER TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR VALUE.3.TRAVEL OVERLANDOVERLAND TRAVEL ALLOWS YOU SEVERAL THINGS: A GLIMPSE BEYOND A COUNTRY’S FLASHY COSMOPOLITAN SURFACE, A FIRSTHAND VIEW OF ITS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE, AND A CHEAPER FINAL PRICE FOR YOUR ITINERARY. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT AN AIRTREKS TICKET ALLOWS YOU (THAT?OTHER TYPES OF TICKETS?DON’T) AND TRAVEL OVERLAND?WHEREVER YOU CAN. IT’S NOT AS DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS OR CONFUSING?AS YOU MIGHT THINK.4.BE WILLING TO CONNECTEVERYONE LOVES THE CONVENIENCE OF A BEELINE POINT-A-TO-POINT-B TRIP. BUT FOR JUST THIS REASON, NONSTOP FLIGHTS CAN BE THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONES. NOT EVERY NONSTOP FLIGHT IS A SUREFIRE TRIP TO THE POORHOUSE, BUT IF YOU’RE OPEN TO CONNECTING IN A HUB CITY YOU’LL ALMOST ALWAYS?BE ABLE TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR TICKET.ON THAT NOTE…5.CHOOSE STOPS IN HUB-CITIESCONSIDER ONLY FLYING INTO AIRLINE HUBS (USUALLY THE COUNTRY’S CAPITAL OR BIGGEST CITY) SINCE THAT’S WHERE THE CARRIER WILL CONNECT TO SMALLER CITIES OR TOWNS IN THE COUNTRY. COMPARE PRICES FOR LOCAL GROUND TRANSPORTATION (TRAIN, BUS, CAR RENTAL, FERRY) VERSUS THE COST TO CONNECT VIA PLANE.OR ELSE…6.USE YOUR CITY CONNECTION AS A DESTINATIONIF YOU WANT TO GET THE MOST FROM THE MONEY YOU’RE SPENDING, THINK ABOUT BOOKING A STOPOVER. A STOPOVER CAN INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR TRIP WITHOUT INCREASING THE COST. THERE ARE SEVERAL CITIES THAT OFFER?FREE OR CHEAP OPTIONS FOR STOPPING OVER FOR CERTAIN AMOUNTS OF TIME. HERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS FOR INTERESTING STOPOVER DESTINATIONS:HONG KONGTOKYOFIJIAMSTERDAMSEOUL7.DON’T BACKTRACKUNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO RETRACE YOUR STEPS, DON’T!?WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE ON AN AIRTREKS TICKET, THIS WILL TYPICALLY INCREASE YOUR COST UNNECESSARILY. FOR THE LOWEST FARE, YOU SHOULD SET UP YOUR TRIP TO ROUTE?THE FEWEST MILES TRAVELED POSSIBLE. YOU’LL SAVE SOME CASH?AND?TIME SPENT COOPED UP ON THE PLANE.8.FOLLOW THE EQUATORIAL RULEWHILE SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST ENTICING DESTINATIONS ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUATOR?FROM HOME, THESE LONG FLIGHTS ARE COSTLY. EVERY TRAVEL CONSULTANT AT AIRTREKS WILL TELL YOU: EVERY TIME YOU CROSS THE EQUATOR, YOU ADD BETWEEN $1000 – $1500 TO YOUR TRIP TOTAL. YOU’RE FAR BETTER OFF FOCUSING ON ONE WORLD REGION AND GETTING THE MOST OUT OF IT. IN OTHER WORDS, MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF LONG-HAUL FLIGHTS IN YOUR ITINERARY AND YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT EXTRA MONEY DOING OTHER FUN AND INTERESTING THINGS.9.BOOK 4 –? 6 MONTHS IN ADVANCEWHILE SOME AIRLINES DO OFFER GOOD DEALS ON LAST-MINUTE FARES, IT USUALLY DOESN’T HELP TO WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE (OR EVEN THE LAST MONTH) TO BOOK AN AIRTREKS TICKET. EARLY ACCESS TO THE SEAT INVENTORY HELPS US BOOK YOU THE CHEAPEST TICKET AVAILABLE.FINALLY, IF YOUR TRIP COST IS STILL OUT OF REACH…10. ASK FOR ADVICEWHICH OF YOUR MUST-SEE PLACES ARE MAKING YOUR TRIP COST PROHIBITIVE? OUR TRAVEL CONSULTANTS DEAL WITH COMPLEX MULTI-STOP AND RTW TRIPS EVERY DAY. ASK THEM WHICH STOPS TO GET ADD OR ELIMINATE TO LOWER THE PRICE ?— THEY’LL BE ABLE TO SUGGEST UNEXPECTED WAYS OF ASSEMBLING YOUR ITINERARY SO THAT IT WORKS FOR YOUR BUDGET. SOME AIRLINES OFFER DISCOUNTS FOR TRAVELERS OVER 65 AND STUDENTS, AND MOST OFFER DISCOUNTS FOR CHILDREN, AND INFANTS. RTW WEBSITES (AND ADS THAT YOU WILL SOMETIMES SEE IN NEWSPAPERS AND OUTSIDE SOME TRAVEL AGENCIES) ADVERTISE ROUND THE WORLD ROUTING THAT WILL SEEM LIKE (AND CAN BE) A REALLY GOOD VALUE. These ads feature possible itineraries that are available at low costs. However, you do not have to use these routings. Sometimes you can get different routings for more or less the same fares. For that reason, unless you find an itinerary that matches exactly what you want anyway, you are probably best off deciding where you want to go and then exploring the cost of the trip with a Round-the-World ticket expert. Such a set of tickets permits you to use any number of airlines, to begin and end your trip in different cities, to travel some portions by land or sea, and to backtrack at will.Depending on the route, prices for tickets like this start at about U.S. $2,500 and go up to $10,000. The cheapest tickets (WHICH ARE THE ONES YOU WILL SEE ADVERTISED) often involve traveling to gateways in Western Europe (like London or Amsterdam) then to the Middle East (Dubai is very common), India, Southeast Asia (Bangkok and Singapore) and finally to East Asia (Tokyo or Hong Kong). The most expensive RTW flights can cover as many as 50 different destinations, some of which are off-the-beaten path, like Varanasi, India. You may be able to find cheap round-the-world tickets from agencies in Canada. In addition, there are many round-the-world tickets available for sale in Australia, Asia (particularly Bangkok), and Europe (particularly London).You don’t want to buy RTW tickets through your local travel agency. They specialize in cruises, tours, and resort travel—not RTW fares. .PACKING TIPSONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR ME WHENEVER I HAVE DECIDED TO TRAVEL FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME HAS BEEN PACKING CORRECTLY. I USED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ANALYZING EVERYTHING I PACK TO DETERMINE IF IT WILL BE USED OR NOT. HOWEVER, OVER TIME IT HAS BECOME A ROUTINE THAT SELDOM TAKES VERY LONG. USUALLY I PICK THINGS THAT DO GET USED. BUT, SOMETIME I MAKE MISTAKES -ANY EXAMPLES?. I AS OFTEN IF NOT MORE OFTEN FIND THAT I REGRET NOT PACKING SOMETHING ALMOST AS OFTEN AS I REGRET PACKING TOO MUCH. I FIND IT IS PARTICULARLY HARD TO DETERMINE WHAT I NEED TO PACK IF I KNOW THAT I WILL BE TRAVELING CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT RETURNING BACK TO THE SAME SPOT. IF YOU ARE RETURNING TO THE SAME SPOT, SOMETIMES YOU CAN PUT ASIDE SOME THINGS AND GET THEM LATER- THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IF YOU HAVE CLOTHES FOR ONE CLIMATE THAT YOU CAN LEAVE BEHIND AND PICK UP LATER. HOWEVER, YOU REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CONSIDER ALL THE CLIMATES THAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO GET YOUR CLOTHES. USE TURKEY AS AN EXAMPLE. REVIEW THE TEXT BELOW FROM PREVIOUS EDITION OF BOOK. MAKE SURE YOU PACK FOR ALL THE TEMPERATURES THAT MAY OCCUR AT YOUR DESTINATION: THE MOST CONSISTENT MISTAKE THAT I USED TO MAKE WAS NOT PACKING CORRECTLY FOR THE CLIMATE. I FREQUENTLY HAD TO BUY SHORTS, T-SHIRTS, AND OTHER CLOTHES FOR A HOT CLIMATE AT MY DESTINATION BECAUSE I DID NOT PLAN TO GO TO A WARM-WEATHER DESTINATION (OR FORGOT THAT PART OF MY TRIP WOULD TAKE PLACE IN A WARM-WEATHER LOCATION) WHEN I LEFT HOME. I NOW ALWAYS PACK A FEW CLOTHES FROM WARM AND COLD CLIMATE JUST IN CASE (UNLESS I AM JUST GOING TO ONE PLACE WHERE THE WEATHER IS CONSISTENTLY WARM OR COLD. IE I DON’T PACK SHORTS TO GO TO MONTREAL IN THE WINTER). ALSO MENTION THAT IF YOU WANT TO PACK WARM OR COLD CLIMATE CLOTHES JUST IN CASE, YOU REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU WILL BE GOING. OFTEN YOU MAY BE GOING TO PLACES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT WEATHER THAN THE CLIMATE THAT PREVAILS IN THE AREA WHERE YOU TRAVELING. IE GOING INTO THE MOUNTAINS IN LATIN AMERICA AFTER VISITING THE BEACH. REFERENCE PACK LIGHT: QUICK AND EASY TIPS FOR TRAVELING EVERYWHERE WITH EXACTLY THE RIGHT STUFF BY KAREN MCCANN.PACK LIGHT IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE SEEN ON THE TOPIC. IT IS CONCISE AND I AGREE WITH MOST OF THE SUGGESTIONS. IT ALSO HAS A WOMEN?S POINT OF VIEW ON THE SUBJECT WHICH I DON?T. DISCUSS THE PROS AND CONS IN YOUR MIND OF HER BAGGAGE SELECTION ADVICE. HER ADVICESTART WITH A SINGLE, LIGHTWEIGHT ROLLING SUITCASETWO SMALL BAGS ARE BETTER THAN ONE OVERSIZE BAGHOWEVER, IT LIKE ALL PACKING RELATRF BOOKS ASSUMES THAT ALL TRAVELERS ARE GOING TO BE VISITING MULTIPLE DESTINATIONS, INDEPENDENTLY, USING A LOT OF GROUND TRANSPORTATION (TRAINS, BUSES, ETC). SPENDING ONLY A COUPLE OF DAYS IN ONE PLACE. I FIND THAT I OFTEN DO NOT NEED TO REALLY TRIM WHAT I PACK AS MUCH AS THESE TYPE OF BOOKS INDICATE (TYPICAL ADVICE TAKE ? THE THINGS THAT YOU PLAN AND TRY TO CARRY THE BAGS AROUND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE YOU GO) BECAUSE I USUALLY GO TO FEWER PLACES FOR MORE TIME. I OFTEN GO TO A CITY, SPEND A WEEK OR TWO THERE, AND TAKE TOURS/PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR DAY TRIPS USING THE MAIN CITY AS MY BASE. I ALSO TAKE PLANES AND USE TAXIS TO GET TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT. ALSO I OFTEN TAKE TOURS AND CRUISES – FOR RURAL TRAVEL OR WHEN I WANT TO VISIT MANY PLACES QUICKLY- WHERE THE EMPLOYEES DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES FOR ME. TALK ABOUT EXCEPTIONS IE SOME TOUR COMPANIES LIKE RICK STEVES AND INTREPID THAT OFTEN SELECT HOTELS THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE BY BUSES OR USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. ALSO ALL BOOKS LIKE PACK LIGHT ASSUMES THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO YOUR OWN LAUNDRY. AS A WHOLE, I DO NOT LIKE TO WASH MY OWN CLOTHES. THEY DO NOT GET CLEAN AND I USUALLY CAN NOT WEAR CLOTHES FOR MORE THAN ONE DAY WITHOUT THEM GETTING UNPLEASANT. I PREFER TO BRING ENOUGH CLOTHES FOR ABOUT TEN DAYS AND GET THEM WASHED WHILE I AM THERE. IT IS EASY TO FIND PLACES TO DO YOUR LAUNDRY IN THE THIRD WORLD, HARDER IN THE FIRST WORLD. I DO USE LAUNDROMATS SOMETIMES BUT PREFER TO AVOID THEM IF POSSIBLE. (MORE ON THIS LATER).BECAUSE I DON?T TRAVEL LIKE SHE DOES I USUALLY PREFER TO HAVE ONE BIG BAG, THAT IS HARD SIDED AND A SMALL CARRY-ON BAG (ONLY IF NECESSARY-USUALLY FOR A COMPUTER). HAVING TWO BAGS FOR ME IS UNWIELDY AND MAKES IT EASIER TO FORGET OR LOOSE TRACK OF THE BAG. TOTALLY AGREE WITH HER ADVICE TO RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO USE A BACKPACK OR DUFFLE BAG- BACKPACKS REFER TO NOMADIC MATT TRAVEL UNDER $50 A DAY-. PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF THIRTY SHOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT USING A BACKPACK. FEW PEOPLE OVER FIFTY USE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO DIFFICULT ON THEIR BACKS. HOWEVER, A SMALL BACKPACK OR DUFFLE IS USEFUL TO HAVE WITH YOU. BECAUSE YOU PACK IT IN YOUR BAG AND USE IT FOR DAY TRIPS OR FOR SHORT TOUR (IE THREE/FOUR DAY TRIPS). ALSO IF YOU HAVE A COMPUTER YOU NEED TO HAVE A BAG TO PUT IT IN WHEN YOU ARE AT THE AIRPORT SO THAT IT CAN GO THROUGH SECURITY. (YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO PACK IT IN CHECKED BAG). HER SUGGESTIONS (THAT I AGREE WITH). HOWEVER, SOME I WANT TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR ADVICEAVOID DRESSING IN AN EXOTIC, SLOPPY, OR INAPPROPRIATE MANNER. IT MAKES IT HARD FOR LOCALS TO WARM TO YOU. IT SHOUTS ¨TOURIST¨ AND ROB ME. I ALSO THINK THAT IT SHOWS DISRESPECT PARTICULARLY IF YOU WEAR TRADITIONAL CLOTHES (IE GALLABAYAS, KAFTANS, SARIS, ETC.) WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO WEAR THEM CORRECTLY. (UNFORTUNATELY, MANY TRAVELERS EXPRESS SURPRISE THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD DRESS ALIKE AND LOCALS OFTEN THINK THAT THEIR LOCAL COSTUMES MAKE TOURISTS THINK THAT THEY ARE LESS SOPHISTICATED AND MODERN THAN THEY ARE IN REALITY). ALSO CLOTHING IS OFTEN A WAY OF DISTINGUISHING PEOPLES CLASS. IN A SENSE, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE TOURIST CLASS… INVEST IN EASY CARE, WRINKLE RESISTANT, FAST DRYING TRAVEL GARMENTS. I LIKE THE CLOTHES FROM SIERRA TRADING COMPANY- IE COLUMBIA, POLO SHIRTS, ETC. FAST DRYING IS ALSO USEFUL IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A SUDDEN SHOWER WITHOUT AN UMBRELLA OR RAINCOAT. BUY NEUTRAL, MIX AND MATCH CLOTHING WITH A FEW POPS OF COLOR. DRESS IN LAYERS. PACK CLOTHES THAT CAN BE WORN SEPARATELY OR TOGETHER. I USUALLY BRING A SCARF WITH ME AND SOMETIMES GLOVES IN CASE OF A COLD PLACES. TAKE ONLY CLOTHES YOU ARE PREPARED TO PART WITH. I WOULD EXPAND THIS SUGGESTION TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING YOU PACK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. DO NOT BRING EXPENSIVE JEWELRY, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT/CAMERAS, ETC. AS SHE SAYS, CHANCES ARE SOME GARMENTS WILL BE LOST, STOLEN, LEFT BEHIND, IMPROPERLY CLEANED, ETC. (OFTEN IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES PARTICULARLY CLOTHES ARE HAND WASHED AND BEATEN, WHICH HAS A TENDENCY TO MAKE THEM THREADBARE QUICKLY BUT EXTREMELY CLEAN). IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES I LEAVE CLOTHES FOR THE MAID (AND A TIP). IN MORE DEVELOPED COUNTRY, I LEAVE CLOTHES NEAR A TRASH CAN (UNLESS THEY ARE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE, THEY ARE USELESS). MENTION THAT SOME PEOPLE ALSO BUY THEIR TRAVEL CLOTHES AT A THRIFT STORE AND LEAVE CLOTHES ALONG THE WAY. CAN BE KIND GESTURE IN THIRD WORLD. HOWEVER, I FIND THAT IT IS HARD FOR ME TO FIND ENOUGH CLOTHES THAT ARE COMFORTABLE AND ¨RESPECTFUL¨. I MAY TRY THIS IF I LOOSE WEIGHT AND HAVE A RELATIVELY SHORT TRIP. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A COMFORTABLE PAIR OF WALKING SHOES, PREFERABLY ONES THAT ARE WATER RESISTANT. IF YOU PLAN TO BUY NEW SHOES FOR A TRIP, BUY THEM A WELL AHEAD OF TIME AND WEAR THEM EVERYDAY TIL YOU LEAVE TO AVOID BLISTERS. I BRING TWO CLOSED TOES SHOES AND TWO PAIRS OF SANDALS. BEST TO CHANGE THEM FREQUENTLY. TRAVEL WEARS SHOES DOWN. CAUSES THEM TO GET SMELLY AND CAN CAUSE YOU TO GET FUNGUS PROBLEMS IF YOU WEAR THE SAME PAIR OF SHOES ALL THE TIME. I FIND THAT I AM HAPPY WITH SHOES THAT CAN BE USED IN SEMI FORMAL SETTINGS -- IS THERE A NAME FOR THESE SHOES?- THAT ARE EASY TO SLIP OFF (LIKE BOAT SHOES) INSTEAD OF TENNIS SHOES. THEY CAN BE WORN FOR ALMOST ALL SITUATIONS, ARE EASY TO TAKE OFF IN A PINCH (LIKE THROUGH SECURITY).CARRY SMALL, SAMPLE SIZE CONTAINERS OF ALL PRODUCTS AND REFILL AS NECESSARY. I WILL USUALLY SIMPLY BUY ANOTHER SMALL SIZE CONTAINER OF A SIMILAR PRODUCT IF IT IS AVAILABLE OVERSEAS. IF YOU ONLY FIND LARGE SIZES, LEAVE THE REMAINDER BEHIND WHEN YOU LEAVE. ALSO, MANY HOTELS HAVE SMALL BOTTLES OF SHAMPOO, SOMETIMES ALSO MOUTHWASH, ETC. THAT I WILL TAKE WITH ME FOR LATER… THIS IS NOT ONLY A BENEFIT TO REDUCE WEIGHT BUT ALSO TO AVOID PROBLEMS WHEN THINGS LEAK. IF I WILL BUY SOMETHING LARGE IT IS BEST WHEN IT CAN?T LEAK MUCH, DOES NOT WEIGH MUCH, AND IS HARD TO REFILL- IE TOOTHPASTE. PACK THINGS IN THE SAME ORDER. I AGREE WITH KAREN THAT IT HELPS TO PACK THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL USE FREQUENTLY ON TOP SO THAT THEY ARE EASY TO GET TO AND YOU DO NOT TO REFOLD THINGS. I PACK MY TOILETRY KIT AWAY FROM MY CLOTHES (IF POSSIBLE IN A SEPARATE POCKET) TO AVOID LEAKAGE. USE UNDERGARMENTS AND SOCKS TO TUCK IN GAPS BETWEEN CLOTHES. IF A BAG HAS A ZIPPERED UPPER COMPARTMENT, I USE THAT SPACE FOR DIRTY CLOTHES. I ALSO USUALLY TRAVEL WITH A DIRTY CLOTHES BAG. I ALSO USE DIRTY CLOTHES TO WRAP ANYTHING THAT IS BREAKABLE. KEEP ALL TOILETRIES IN A KIT (WITH MULTIPLE SECTIONS). THIS AVOIDS PROBLEMS WHEN THINGS LEAK. LOOK FOR A KIT WITH A HOOK SO YOU CAN HANG IT UP IF NECESSARY. I ALSO FIND THAT THIS HELP IF YOU NEED TO WASH OUT THE KIT AFTER SOMETHING HAS LEAKED. IT ALSO HELPS IF THE KIT CAN BE WASHED IN THE LAUNDRY OCCASIONALLY. SINCE AFTER A TIME THEY CAN GET DIRTY. KAREN RECOMMENDS BRINGING MANY MORE THINGS IN HER MEDICAL KIT THAN I WOULD EVER USE. I THINK THIS IS PARTLY BECAUSE I AM INCLINED TO TRAVEL IN CITIES BY MYSELF (WHERE MEDICAL CARE AND SUPPLIES ARE USUALLY RELATIVELY EASY TO FIND) AND TRAVEL IN RURAL AREAS IN GROUPS (I CAN GET HELP FROM THE GUIDE TO NEGOTIATE THE HEALTH CARE ISSUES IN THESE AREAS). HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL MEDICAL THINGS THAT I MAKE SURE I HAVE INCLUDING AN ANTIBIOTIC OINTMENT, INSECT REPELLANT, SUNTAN LOTION, ALOE VERA (GREAT IN CASE OF SUN BURN), ANTACIDS, ANTI DIARRHEA MEDICINE, COLD MEDICINE, BANDAIDS, ANTIFUNGAL OINTMENT (LIKE TINACTIN), TIGER BALM/BEN GAY (FOR MUSCLE ACHES). SHE RECOMMENDS IF YOU ACQUIRE ANYTHING NEW, GET RID OF SOMETHING. IT IS OK TO BUY STUFF WITHOUT GETTING RID OF STUFF IF IT IS NOT HEAVY, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE TRAVELING IN A WAY THAT YOU ARE ON THE MOVE CONSTANTLY. DISCOURAGE BUYING ANYTHING HEAVY OR BREAKABLE, AT LEAST UNTIL YOU ARE ABOUT TO GO HOME. TALK ABOUT COMMON SUGGESTION THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS BUY STUFF OVERSEAS. NOT ALWAYS TRUE WHEN YOU NEED SPECIFIC HYGIENE PRODUCTS/ MEDICATIONS ETC. ALSO, NOT TRUE, USE EXAMPLES FROM YOUR OWN LIFE, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SMALL, SHORT, LARGE, ETC.PACKING LISTS FROM TOUR COMPANIES- GENERALLY I FIND THAT I DO NOT USE MOST OF THE THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE CALL FOR ON THEIR LISTS. IF I AM GOING TO A LOT OF NATURAL PLACES, I DO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. I HAVE FOUND OVER TIME THAT IT IS ALWAYS BETTER FOR ME NOT TO BUY SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT BUT INSTEAD TO FIND A SUBSTITUTE THAT WILL SERVE ME IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL. TALK ABOUT USELESSNESS OF WATER SHOES IN CR VS FINDING SANDALS, LIKE TEVA, THAT DRY OUT QUICKLY. THAT SAID I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS WELL WORTH CONSIDERING A FEW THINGS IF THE TRIP HAS SEVERAL NATURE RELATED STOPS.. A HEADLAMP/FLASHLIGHT (SMALL), MOSQUITO SPRAYA FEW POSSIBLE THINGS I CONSIDER DOING TO REDUCE WEIGHTDO NOT TAKE MY LAPTOP NORMALLY USE PHONE INSTEADKINDLE INSTEAD OF BOOKSWEAR MORE THAN ONE PAIR OF SOCKS INSTEAD OF SPECIALIZED WARM WEATHER SOCKS Roll Clothes: The easiest way to pack clothes is to roll them. It saves spaces and minimizes wrinkles. HOWEVER, I AGREE WITH KAREN MCCANN THAT ROLLING CLOTHES HAS AS MANY NEGATIVES AS POSITIVES INCLUDING THE NEED TO REROLL CLOTHES FREQUENTLY.PART SEVEN: SAFETY BE CAREFUL ANYTIME SOMEONE COMES UP TO YOU AND IN ENGLISH TELL YOU THAT SOMEONE JUST SPILLED SOMETHING ON YOU. RESIST THEIR OFFERS TO HELP YOU CLEAN UP. THE ONLY THING THEY WILL CLEAN YOU OUT OF IS YOUR WALLET.TALK ABOUT PROBLEMS FOR MEN-IE RESIST OFFERS TO ACCOMPANY SOMEONE TO A BAR/HELP YOU FIND A WOMEN, INVITING PEOPLE TO OVERCHARGE/SOMETIMES ROB YOU.WOMEN ARE GENERALLY SAFER IF THEY SIT IN THE BACKSEAT OF AN UBER OR TAXI.Trust Your Instinct: Safety expert, Gavin DeBecker’s, well-known book The Gift of Fear recounts dozens of stories of women who despite premonitions that they were in danger allowed strangers into their lives who subsequently raped or victimized them. His basic advice – trust your instincts-applies when you travel as well. That said I’ve noticed that many men, particularly, have really bad instincts on the road. I am always amazed how often travelers will just blithely follow anyone, particularly in tourist areas. Keep in mind that the best place for a scam artist to take advantage of tourist is wherever tourists congregate. So, if you haven’t already, develop a thick skin. If that is hard for you, spend a few days in a big tourist center in the U.S. – like Union Square in San Francisco or Times Square in New York – and learn how to ignore the panhandlers in these areas. If you can ignore them while watching your surroundings in these places in the U.S., you will probably be fine overseas.Don’t Keep Anything that Might Be Attractive to a Thief in a Conspicuous Place: When I was a 15-year old exchange student in the Philippines, my host family told me that my wallet might be stolen because I kept it in my back pocket. So, I started putting in my front pocket and have never had my wallet stolen despite having traveled and lived in some fairly dicey areas. This rule applies to other aspects of life as well. Don’t put anything of valuable in a visible place in your car or leave valuables in a conspicuous place in your room. Out of sight; out of a thief’s reach. (Also keep in mind that in some parts of the world when people put things out in conspicuous places they intend to give these things to the poor.)Probably the single most important safety advice for women is to always dress like local women. Keep in mind that in many parts of the world (particularly the Middle East) women don’t show any skin unless they want untoward, male attention. PART EIGHT: COMMUNICATIONS?BLOGS () AND TOOLS THAT SEARCH BLOGS (), PHOTO-SHARING SITES () AND VIDEO SITES ( HAS A TRAVEL CATEGORY) ARE BECOMING THE PLACES TO GO TO RESEARCH YOUR NEXT TRIP. THEN THERE'S , WHICH HAS USEFUL ORGANISATION TOOLS THAT WILL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH LOCALS AND OTHER SINGLE TRAVELERS. ANOTHER, , AIMS TO CONNECT YOU WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR LIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL PREFERENCES. TRAVELERS HAVE EVEN BEGAN TO BUILDING UP PERSONAL PORTFOLIOS ABOUT THEIR TRAVEL ADVENTURES ().FOR A WHILE, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOWNLOADING AUDIO GUIDES TO DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS THAT YOU CAN LISTEN TO ON YOUR IPOD (TRY AND ). USING A PRODUCT LIKE , YOU SIMPLY DOWNLOAD A BIT OF SOFTWARE AND EACH TIME YOU CONNECT TO THE WEB, IT'LL UPDATE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION ON GOOD PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND SEE IN A RANGE OF DESTINATIONS.IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE MORE "MASH-UPS" - MIXING MAPS WITH REVIEWS, RATINGS, PHOTOS AND SERVICES (CAR RENTAL, HOTELS ETC). MORE APPLICATIONS WILL BE BUILT THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MOBILE PHONEST-MOBILE PHONE/DATA PLAN…. RESTRICTION ON ¨FAIR USAGE?- 20 CENTS A MINUTE CALLS.. CAN ACCESS DATA WITHOUT WI-FI IN MANY PLACES- OTHER SIMILAR OPTIONS?- COSTS ME $70 A MONTH-FREE CALLS US, CANADA, MEXICO… VALUE OF HAVING A HOME COUNTRY PHONE NUMBER? (FOR CALL BACKS, ETC.)COMPLICATIONS IN COMPOSING PHONE NUMBERS… CHECK INTERNET FOR INFO.. 800 NUMBERS OFTEN CHANGE PREFIX OUTSIDE US/CANADAINTERNET- VPN, LISTENING TO PODCASTS, ITUNES, NETFLIX, US TV NOW… DESPITE ALL OF THIS GREAT TECHNOLOGY SOMETIMES YOU WILL FIND THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ACCESS TO THE INTERNET WHEN YOU NEED IT. IN ADDITION, IF YOU TRAVELING A LOT, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND THE RELEVANT INFO IN THE MIDST OF MANY EMAIL. THEREFORE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE A PRINTED PAGE OF ALL YOUR TRAVEL PLANS WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION (I PREFER TO HAVE THIS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER) YOUR FLIGHTS WITH RESERVATION NUMBER AND THE UP TO DATE DEPARTURE TIMES (SEE CHAPTER FOR MORE DETAILS. WHATS APP You can make calls home via the internet through Skype for free or next to nothing (). If you have a computer, you can make these calls easily (if you download free software) anywhere with Wi-Fi (or other internet) access. Skype calls are free to anyone with an account worldwide. They cost from calls to any other phone lines are quite reasonable, typically between $0.01 and $0.40 a minute. You can also buy plans that enable you to make unlimited calls in the U.S. ($2.95), Mexico ($3.95) and to 35 countries worldwide ($9.95). If you have trouble making calls using a cell-phone go outside. In Mexico, Costa Rica, and Italy I’ve found that I could only make calls outside of the homes where I stayed.PART NINE: STAYING HEALTHY AND MEDICAL CARE7 Reasons You Smell Bad When TravelingCaroline Morse Teel E-mail her at cmorse@.See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel cmorse@SmarterTravelNow Playing:7 Reasons You Smell Bad When TravelingXEver been stuck next to that person on the plane who has a powerful body odor? What if that smelly flyer is you?Reasons You Smell Bad When TravelingHere are some of the reasons you may smell bad while traveling, plus tips on what to do about it.DehydrationTraveling—and flying especially—can make you dehydrated. You may be walking more, or simply forgetting to drink the same amount of water you sip when you’re sitting at your desk. Dehydration is not only unhealthy, it is a major cause of bad breath, too. So be sure to drink plenty of water when you’re on the road. (Coffee doesn’t count—caffeinated drinks also contribute to bad breath and dehydration.) Try one of these collapsible water bottles (that way you can easily bring them through security and fill them up once you get through). Your ShoesWearing the same shoes every day (which is common while traveling, due to limited space), can increase foot odor. Try wearing one pair and packing another, so you can switch off and give one pair time to air out. Wearing moisture-wicking socks can also help, as can applying foot powder.Stress SweatTraveling can be stressful. Unfortunately, your body can react to rough situations with sweat. Making matters even worse, stress-induced sweating is smellier than regular perspiration. When you’re anxious, your body produces sweat from the apocrine glands, which attracts more odor-causing bacteria than sweat caused by heat or workouts. Try packing a stronger?deodorant?for your trip, especially if you anticipate stressful situations.You’re SickIt’s easy to get sick while traveling: You can get run down, plus planes are germ factories. If you’ve picked up a cold (or are suffering from allergies), you may find yourself with a stuffy nose and bad breath. That foul breath is caused by post-nasal drip in the back of your mouth. Staying healthy is always the first line of defense, but if you are sick, be sure to up your?teeth-brushing/mouth-washing/gum-chewing?game.Different DietEating a new type of cuisine can mess with your body odor, turning it from sweet to sour. Watch out for bad B.O. culprits like cruciferous vegetables, red meat, fish, and processed junk foods, all of which can cause a bad olfactory turn.Overindulging in Local DrinksThere’s nothing wrong with wanting to try one or two of the special local cocktails or brews while you’re traveling. But if you drink too much alcohol, you might still smell like the bar the next morning. According to?Men’s Health, stouts and other dark alcohols cause more of a stench than clearer spirits, like vodkaSkipping MealsMaybe you’re too busy to eat or just trying to save money by skipping lunch while traveling in an expensive destination. You might wind up with hunger pains and bad breath, as not eating can cause a breakdown in body chemicals known as Ketoacidosis, which results in stinky smells. Beat this?by packing some healthy snacks to bring with you on your trip.FROM JOURNEYWOMEN. REWORK….PERHAPS DO AN INTERVIEW WITH HER:….I'm an older Traveler and my health and safety are now bigger concerns than they used to be ....Now that I'm an older adult I'm often asked if I travel differently today than when I hit the road during my younger backpacking days. My answer is always an emphatic, yes. While I still love a good travel adventure I am very aware of the fact that both my physical abilities and the travel world around me are changing.It's not just me. Canvas any group of savvy seniors and ask what their primary travel concern is and you will probably hear health related issues first. We all fret about accidents and illness on the road.Think ahead. Be prepared for medical issues that could arise while you are on your journey. Jot down your doctor's email address; ask him for the names of trusted colleagues you can consult at your destination. Pack an extra pair of eyeglasses or a copy of your eyeglass prescription so you can easily replace them if necessary. Keep a list of all your medications and dosages along with the phone number and email address of the pharmacy they were filled at.Think back twenty years. It used to be so simple and civilized to fly from one destination to another. Today custom regulations have become more stringent and airlines are charging more while offering less leg room and fewer helpful amenities. It is a tiring exercise that wears us all down and challenges our health.Pack light. Don't risk a bad back or pulled muscles because you insist on traveling with a heavy suitcase filled with your 'what if I need these' items. Having six different T-shirts instead of three are just not worth the schlepping.Standing in long lines at the airport makes you tired before you even begin your flight. Keep your purse or backpack as small and light as possible. Try to wear slip on shoes that come off easily and don't require sitting to put them back on again. Keep your energy up with a snack bag of raisins and almonds.Once on the plane, understand that if you sit in the same position for any length of time it will make you feel stiff and sluggish. Lack of movement can slow down your body's circulation and oxygen will not reach your joints and muscles. Be proactive. Get up during the flight and stretch those arms and legs. This will keep your muscles flexible as you head to your destination. Check your seat pocket for their airline magazine and other instruction cards. They usually contain exercises you can do at your seat to avoid extra stiffness.Hydrate with lots of plain old water during your flight. It's the best thing for you. Avoid dehydrating coffee, tea and wine. Save those beverages for a lovely café in a sunny courtyard or a memorable restaurant experience at your destination. Guaranteed they will taste better and be served with infinitely more grace.Stay healthy everybody!You can also buy travel health insurance that allows you to get emergency medical care in the country and medical evacuation services back to the US or to a high-quality hospital abroad. These policies are available for a wide range of companies and provide coverage for up to a year. (Policies can be bought for small periods of time as well). Most of these coverages are bundled together with other “travel related” insurance products. The costs of these other coverages are usually so small that it is worth the extra money. A million dollars’ worth of health coverage, including trip cancellation and baggage protection insurance (which add about $12 a month to the cost of the coverage), for my four-month trip to Mexico between August and December 2005 cost me $130 a month (and provided me with lower deductibles and fewer exceptions than I have seen in such policies Stateside). If you are over 70, the cost of this insurance can be steep (as much as $1000 a month). Occasionally, US health insurance policies will cover your medical costs overseas (and many US health insurance companies will also cover you for the first month you are overseas). I expect that more and more companies will cover expenses overseas in the future. Keep in mind, however, that some health insurance policies in the US and Canada may be cancelled if you are out of the country for more than a few months. (Canadians, for example, will no longer be covered by the National Health Insurance program if they are abroad for more than six months at a time.) Most of the time foreign hospitals do not bill insurance companies directly like in the States. Therefore, you will often be required to pay for the services up-front (or to provide an up-front deposit) and bill the insurance company later. It's for that reason that we must review our travel insurance policy carefully before each and every trip. Will you be going to a dangerous part of the world? Will you be trying a new sport? If yours is a yearly policy, report any new health issues and medications you are taking. Check on the number of days you are insured per trip, stay within that limit or purchase more time if necessary. Read the small print and be positive that you have adequate coverage. Any mistakes on your part can make your insurance policy null and void.Emergencies (by their very nature) strike without prior warning. A close relative has been rushed to hospital or someone in your immediate family has died and you need to either cancel your upcoming trip or return home as quickly as possible. That's where travel cancellation insurance lessens the already heavy burden of stress. This type of coverage can be invaluable both for changing flight dates or to receive any refunds on hotel or excursions you paid for in advance.By Rick StevesTravel insurance can minimize the considerable financial risks of traveling: accidents, illness, missed flights, canceled tours, lost baggage, theft, terrorism, travel-company bankruptcies, emergency evacuation, and getting your body home if you die. Each traveler's potential loss varies, depending on how much of your trip is prepaid, the refundability of the air ticket you purchased, your state of health, the value of your luggage, where you're traveling, the financial health of your tour company and airline, and what coverage you already have (through your medical insurance, homeowners or renters insurance, and/or credit card).For some travelers, insurance is a good deal; for others, it's not. What are the chances you'll need it? How willing are you to take risks? How much is peace of mind worth to you? Take these considerations into account, understand your options, and make an informed decision for your trip.Insurance BasicsThe insurance menu includes five main courses: trip cancellation and interruption, medical, evacuation, baggage, and flight insurance. Supplemental policies can be added to cover specific concerns, such as identity theft or political evacuation. The various types are generally sold in some combination — rather than buying only baggage, medical, or cancellation insurance, you'll usually purchase a package that includes most or all of them. "Comprehensive insurance" covers all of the above (plus expenses incurred if your trip is delayed, if you miss your flight, or if your tour company changes your itinerary).Companies such as Travelex and Travel Guard offer comprehensive packages that serve as your primary coverage; they'll take care of your expenses regardless of what other insurance you might have (for instance, if you have health insurance through your job). That means they pay first and don't ask questions about your other insurance. This can be a real plus if you want to avoid out-of-pocket expenses.Insurance prices can vary widely, with most packages costing between 5 and 12 percent of the total trip. Age is one of the biggest factors affecting the price: Rates go up dramatically for every decade over 50, while coverage is generally inexpensive or even free for children 17 and under.Travel agents recommend that you get travel insurance (because they get a commission when you buy it, and because they can be held liable for your losses if they don't explain insurance options to you). While travel agents can give you information and advice, they are not insurance agents — always direct any specific questions to the insurance provider.The policies available vary by state, and not all insurance companies are licensed in every state. If you have to make a claim and encounter problems with a company that isn't licensed in your state, you don't have a case.Note that some travel insurance, especially trip-cancellation coverage, is reimbursement-only: You'll pay out-of-pocket for your expenses, then submit the paperwork to your insurer to recoup your money. With medical coverage, you may be able to arrange to have expensive hospital or doctor bills paid directly. Either way, if you have a problem, it's wise to contact your insurance company immediately to ask them how to proceed. Many major insurance companies are accessible by phone 24 hours a day — handy if you have problems in Europe.Types of CoverageFor each type of insurance, I've outlined some of the key legalese. But be warned — these are only guidelines. Policies can differ, even within the same company. Certain companies and policies have different levels of coverage based on whether you purchase the car rental, hotel, or flight directly on your own or through a travel agent. Ask a lot of questions, and always read the fine print to see what's covered (e.g., how they define "travel partner" or "family member" — your great-aunt might not qualify).Trip-Cancellation or Interruption InsuranceFor me, this is the most usable and worthwhile kind of insurance. It's expensive to cancel or interrupt any prepaid travel, and for a small fraction of the trip cost, you can alleviate the risk of losing money if something unforeseen gets in the way.The rugged, healthy, unattached, and gung-ho traveler will probably forego trip-cancellation or interruption coverage. I have skipped it many times, and my number has yet to come up. If it turns out that I need to cancel or interrupt, I'll just have to take my financial lumps — I played the odds and lost. But in some cases it's probably a good idea to get this coverage — for instance, if you're paying a lot of up-front money for an organized tour or short-term accommodation rental (both of which are expensive to cancel), if you or your travel partner have questionable health, or if you have a loved one at home in poor health.Before purchasing trip-cancellation or interruption coverage, check with your credit-card issuer; yours may offer limited coverage for flights or tours purchased with the card.A standard trip-cancellation or interruption insurance policy covers the nonrefundable financial penalties or losses you incur when you cancel a prepaid tour or flight for an acceptable reason, such as:You, your travel partner, or a family member cannot travel because of sickness, death, layoff, or a list of other acceptable reasonsYour tour company or airline goes out of business or can't perform as promisedA family member at home gets sick (check the fine print to see how a family member's pre-existing condition might affect coverage)You miss a flight or need an emergency flight for a reason outside your control (such as a car accident, inclement weather, or a strike)So, if you or your travel partner accidentally breaks a leg a few days before your trip, you can both bail out (if you both have this insurance) without losing all the money you paid for the trip. Or, if you're on a tour and have an accident on your first day, you'll be reimbursed for the portion of the tour you were unable to use.This type of insurance can be used whether you're on an organized tour or cruise, or traveling independently (in which case, only the prepaid expenses — such as your flight and any nonrefundable hotel reservations — are covered). Note the difference: Trip cancellation is when you don't go on your trip at all. Trip interruption is when you begin a journey but have to cut it short; in this case, you'll be reimbursed only for the portion of the trip that you didn't complete. If you're taking a tour, it may already come with some cancellation insurance — ask.Some insurers won't cover certain airlines or tour operators. Many are obvious — such as companies under bankruptcy protection — but others can be surprising (including major airlines). Make sure your carrier is covered.Buy your insurance policy within a week of the date you make the first payment on your trip. Policies purchased later than a designated cutoff date — generally 7 to 21 days, as determined by the insurance company — are less likely to cover tour company or air carrier bankruptcies, pre-existing medical conditions (yours or those of family members at home), or terrorist incidents. Mental-health concerns are generally not covered.Jittery travelers are fretful about two big unknowns: terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Ask your company for details. A terrorist attack or natural disaster in your hometown may or may not be covered. You'll likely be covered only if your departure city or a destination on your itinerary becomes the target of a terrorist incident within 30 days of your trip. Even then, if your tour operator offers a substitute itinerary, your coverage may become void. As for natural disasters, you're covered only if your destination is uninhabitable (for example, your hotel is flooded or the airport is gone). War or outbreaks of disease generally aren't covered.You can avoid the question of what is and what isn't covered by buying a costly "any reason" policy. These offer at least partial reimbursement (generally 75 percent) no matter why you cancel the trip. But the premiums are so hefty that these policies appeal mostly to deep-pocketed nervous Nellies.Medical InsuranceBefore buying a special medical insurance policy for your trip, check with your medical insurer — you might already be covered by your existing health plan. While many US insurers cover you overseas, Medicare does not. Also, be sure you're aware of any policy exclusions such as preauthorization requirements.Even if your health plan does cover you internationally, you may want to consider buying a special medical travel policy. Much of the additional coverage available is supplemental (or "secondary"), so it covers whatever expenses your health plan doesn't, such as deductibles. But you can also purchase primary coverage, which will take care of your costs up to a certain amount. In emergency situations involving costly procedures or overnight stays, the hospital will typically work directly with your travel-insurance carrier on billing (but not with your regular health insurance company; you'll likely have to pay up front to the hospital or clinic, then get reimbursed by your stateside insurer later). For routine care, a visit to a doctor will likely be an out-of-pocket expense (you'll bring home documentation to be reimbursed). Whatever the circumstances, it's smart to contact your insurer from the road to let them know that you've sought medical help.Many pre-existing conditions are covered by medical and trip-cancellation coverage, depending on when you buy the coverage and how recently you've been treated for the condition. If you travel frequently to Europe, multitrip annual policies can save you money. Check with your agent or insurer before you commit.The US State Department periodically issues warnings about traveling to at-risk countries. If you're visiting one of these countries, your cancellation and medical insurance will likely not be honored, unless you buy supplemental coverage.For travelers over 70 years old, buying travel medical insurance can be expensive. Compare the cost of a stand-alone travel medical plan with comprehensive insurance, which comes with good medical and evacuation coverage. A travel-insurance company can help you sort out the options. Certain Medigap plans cover some emergency care outside the US; call the issuer of your supplemental policy for the details.Theft ProtectionTheft is especially worrisome when you consider the dollar value of the items we pack along. Laptops, tablets, cameras, smartphones, and ebook readers are all expensive to replace.One way to protect your investment is to purchase travel insurance from a specialized company such as Travel Guard, which offers a variety of options that include coverage for theft. Before buying a policy, ask how they determine the value of the stolen objects and about any maximum reimbursement limits for jewelry, electronics, or cameras.It's also smart to check with your homeowners or renters insurance company. Under most policies, your personal property is already protected against theft anywhere in the world — but your insurance deductible still applies. If you have a $1,000 deductible and your $700 tablet is stolen, you'll have to pay to replace it. Rather than buying separate insurance, it may make more sense to add a rider to your existing policy to cover expensive items while you travel.Before you leave, it's a good idea to take an inventory of all the high-value items you're bringing. Make a list of serial numbers, makes, and models of your electronics, and take photos that can serve as records. If anything is stolen, this information is helpful to both your insurance company and the police. If you plan to file an insurance claim, you'll need to get a police report in Europe. (If dealing with the police is intimidating, ask your hotelier for help.)Other InsuranceEvacuation insurance covers the cost of getting you to a place where you can receive appropriate medical treatment in the event of an emergency. (In a worst-case scenario, this can mean a medically equipped — and incredibly expensive — private jet.) This is usually not covered by your regular medical-insurance plan back home. Sometimes this coverage can get you home after an accident, but more often, it'll just get you as far as the nearest major hospital — so it may be worth buying if you're planning an adventure in a remote area. "Medical repatriation" — that is, getting you all the way home — is likely to be covered only if it's considered medically necessary. Before purchasing a policy, ask your insurer to explain what exactly what's covered before and after you get to the hospital.Keep in mind that medical and evacuation insurance may not cover you if you're participating in an activity your insurer considers to be dangerous (such as skydiving, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, scuba diving, or even skiing). Some companies sell supplementary adventure-sports coverage.Baggage insurance — for luggage that is lost, delayed, or damaged — is included in most comprehensive policies, but it's rare to buy it separately, and there's a strict cap on reimbursement for such items as jewelry, eyewear, electronics, and camera equipment. If you check your baggage for a flight, it's already covered by the airline (ask your airline about its luggage liability limit; if you have particularly valuable luggage, you can buy supplemental "excess valuation" insurance directly from the airline). Homeowners or renters insurance typically covers your possessions anywhere you travel; the baggage insurance covers the deductibles and items excluded from your homeowners policy. Double-check the particulars with your agent. If your policy doesn't cover expensive rail passes, consider Rail Europe's Rail Protection Plan, which must be purchased when you buy your pass; it covers loss and theft of the pass — but doesn't cover trip interruptions.Flight insurance ("crash coverage") is a statistical rip-off that heirs love. It's basically a life insurance policy that covers you when you're on the airplane. Since plane crashes are so rare, there's little sense in spending money on this insurance.Collision coverage, an important type of insurance for rental cars, may be included in some comprehensive travel-insurance plans or available as an upgrade on others.Some Final Thoughts on Health CareDon’t assume that ambulances will come quickly if you need them. Many countries have ambulance services that are slow but free or low-cost and others that are much faster but cost quite a bit. Some countries like Costa Rica you can pay a monthly fee to ensure that private, rapid services are available if you need them. Some private hospitals also have ambulance services that they will send rapidly to pick you if necessary, at an additional cost.In many parts of the world, including some developed countries, you can buy many drugs that require a prescription in the US directly from the pharmacist. Many people simply go to a pharmacist, describe their symptoms, and let the pharmacist determine the proper medications for them. This is not to say that you shouldn’t go to a doctor. However, it may mean that you can avoid the time and trouble of making a doctor’s appointment for simple medical issues (like a cold, flu, or a recurring medical condition). Medical TourismIn the last couple of years while traveling to Costa Rica, Mexico, and Thailand, I have met dozens of people who have traveled overseas as part of the growing trend of medical tourism.Medical tourism refers to travelers who combine getting a medical procedure done along with a trip overseas.Most of the time the difference in the costs of getting the procedures done overseas versus the United States is sufficient enough so that they end up paying – even with the cost of airfare, accommodations, and even sightseeing tours- less for the surgery than they would at home. One uninsured American that I met in Thailand even saved $40,000 getting his hip replaced in Thailand (even after all his travel expenses were taken into account) over getting it down in the U.S.Experts in medical tourism advise people to be careful to make sure that the people who perform these procedures know what they’re doing. Problems do occasionally occur. However, I have heard dozens of good firsthand stories from Americans who have had medical services overseas while never hearing any bad stories (except in the media).That said it pays to do research ahead of time. Fortunately, there are three books that can help you determine if this will work for you: Medical Tourism in Developing Countries by Milica Z. Bookman. Patients Beyond Borders: Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, World-Class Medical Tourism by Josef Woodman; and Medical Travel Tourism Guide: Your Complete Reference to Low-Cost, High Quality Dental, Cosmetic, Medical Care, and Surgeries Overseas by Paul GahlingerCHAPTERLIVING AS A PERPETUAL NOMADWhen I say extended travel, I am simply referring to people that travel independently (not on a tour) for more than a month in duration. You can be an extended traveler within your own country or you can travel around the world. In contemporary Western society, you can participate in an extended travel experience at any age or situation. Travel agents who sell round-the-world tickets report that their clientele span a wide range of ages, education levels, professions, and incomes. Many have families, careers, and other things that could have kept them at home. Some of the most adventurous, flexible, and enthusiastic travelers I know are over 65 years old. How do these people travel for extended periods? In my travels, I have met people who have discovered dozens of creative ways to make their dreams take flight including: taking a sabbatical from work or a “gap year” between college and work (some high school kids are even taking gap years between high school and college); renting a temporary home for several months on another corner of the planet; traveling for months in a RV, camper, or caravan, or even, manning a yacht; working your way round-the-world by taking small, temporary jobs or teaching English or writing articles (see next chapter); exchanging their home for several months; and volunteering to work on a long-term medical assignment in the EMERGING. That said, the most common places I’ve found people engaged in extended travel was on the backpacking trail. In addition, I’ve also met many people traveling overseas as part of a gap year, sabbatical, or study abroad experience. Minimize Expenses by Taking Longer Trips and Staying in One Place for Awhile Transportation costs are often the most expensive part of your trip. The longer you travel and the more you stay in the same place; the less transportation costs will dip into your budget. The typical round-the-world traveler will spend $4000 for transportation in a year (about $11 a day). Most airfares for a trip overseas vary between $400 and $1000 roundtrip. If you only travel for a week, these transportation costs translate to nearly $60-150 a day! The more time you spend in one place, the more time you have to find out how to travel and live there cheaply. When you are rushing around a place, you will generally have to take expensive tours, eat at tourist-oriented restaurants, and take taxis. When you have time in a place, you will be able to find cheaper transport, restaurants, and other services. You will also reduce your likelihood of being a victim of “the captive tourist syndrome” that I describe in more detail. SIDEBARS: PITFALLS, BENEFITSBUDGET TRAVELRule One: Travel off-season as much as possibleThe travel industry will discount their services markedly when demand is low. Often, a room or seat in the off-season can cost as little as 10% of its cost in the height of the season. In addition to the cost savings, traveling off season has many other advantages. You can negotiate flight upgrades, memberships in exclusive hotel clubs, and other “luxury” products when hotels and airplanes are emptiest. You will almost always get friendlier service when things are slow. Plus, a vacation is most relaxing when you don’t have to fight the crowds.How can you determine when is off-season in your destination? Several books (including the Penny Pincher’s Guide which is mentioned throughout this booklet) list high and low season in destinations throughout the planet. Popular budget guidebook series (like Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Frommer’s, Rick Steves and Let’s Go) always give you this information on their websites and in their guidebooks. In the U.S., one of the best ways to determine the season is to look for publications that list the standard hotel rates (called “rack rates” in the industry) and check out these rates for patterns that indicate when the high and low season exists in a location. Some good sources for hotel rack rates include AAA publications, coupon booklets (available at most rest stop locations in the U.S.) and the booklets issued free by large hotel chains which list their locations worldwide (available at any hotel in the chain).Sometimes these patterns will be very obvious. Look at the hotel rack rates for Las Vegas, for example, and you’ll quickly notice that the “high season” is Friday and Saturday night and the “low season” is the rest of the week (especially during the summer). The typical hotel rate for Friday and Saturday night in Las Vegas varies from $89 to $469; the same rooms during the rest of the week are normally at least half as much. (Note: The low and high seasons that you glean from hotel rates will generally also apply to car rentals and other ground-based travel services as well.) In the past, the high and low seasons were determined primarily by the season. It was expensive to travel in the summer in areas where winters were cold and inexpensive to travel in “cold-weather” destinations during the winter. This is still largely the case overseas and at many ski and beach resorts in the U.S. However, in most of the U.S. the high and low season is primarily determined by the day of the week. Increasingly the high season for hotels in the U.S. occurs during weekends. With the rise of weekend “special interest” conventions (i.e. Sci-Fi, quilters, doll shows, etc.), hotels are increasingly at their fullest-- and, thus, are costliest-- on weekends, even in towns (like Rockford, Illinois) that are traditionally not leisure travel destinations. There are, however, still many destinations where the high season is during weekdays. These include “high tech” corridors like Silicon Valley (San Jose) California and many large city downtowns. However, as these areas become more attractive for special, weekend-based events, you will probably see that the delineation of the high and low season in these areas will increasingly become blurred.Great Tip: Avoid Traveling During the Summer and HolidaysIt is almost always more expensive to travel in the summer than in the winter, particularly outside of the U.S. (Note: the summer in the Southern Hemisphere – i.e. Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia-- occurs from November-April.)International airfares normally cost 20-40 % more from May 15 to September 15. Hotels increase their rentals by 20-50% during the summer in most popular destinations overseas. Even restaurants and tours increase prices in the summer.Generally, the main reason why summer is the high season is that families schedule their vacations around school holidays in the summer. I would discourage you from traveling during the summer for your kids’ benefit alone. Most children, I believe, will be fine if they take a couple of weeks out of school for a vacation. (My parents always took our family vacations in April-May or October-November). Teachers are required—by law in most states—to develop a homework plan for students who will take off time from school for any reason. As a whole, most students, if they are diligent about doing this homework, will not be significantly affected if you take some time off for a vacation. In fact, I found as a youngster that I often learned more on a vacation than I did at school. (Many of my teachers did a commendable job of finding ways—like assigning me to write book report about something I learned during the trip—to give me assignments that integrated/supported my travels.)In addition, the summer is often a really bad time to travel to your destination. Much of Europe is so overcrowded and expensive during the height of summer that I would not choose to travel there during those times unless someone paid all of my expenses. (Florence is so full that it is impossible even to move around.) The Mexican coastal resorts, like Acapulco, from May to October are so hot that I wonder why anyone would go to these areas during those months, anyway.There are some exceptions to this rule, though. The weather in much of Europe and the Northern U.S.A is cold during the low season (typically January and February) and some towns in these places (especially those that are geared toward seasonal travelers) can be virtual ghost-towns off-season. That said, almost all large cities will have plenty to do to keep you busy (and indoors) even on the coldest winter days. In addition, most seasonal resorts are open in May and September when there are fewer tourists and the weather is even better than in the height of the summer season.Holidays are also expensive times to travel everywhere. Even if you are not flying to a place that celebrates a particular U.S. holiday, you’ll probably pay more to fly overseas during our holiday periods (the week before and after Easter; the two weeks around Christmas; and Thanksgiving week. Interestingly, traveling on Easter Day, Thanksgiving Day, New Year’s Day, and Christmas Day can be inexpensive.) And, of course, flying domestically during these holiday periods will almost always cost an arm and a leg.Keep in mind that if they are celebrating a holiday at your destination it may add costs to your travel plans. Traveling to most of East and Southeast Asia during the week of Chinese New Year will result in paying 10-40% more for many tourist services and you’ll also have to pay more for flights from the U.S. during these periods. You should be prepared to pay a lot for hotels and other tourist services if you plan to travel to a particular destination during a special event. Always check guidebooks for the dates of these events. Bad News Can Be Good NewsUnlike most travelers, if I read that some place or travel company has just been besieged by bad news, I immediately think about traveling to that destination or using that company because I know that: 1) they will probably have to reduce their prices to attract tourists or 2) traveling within the “problem” destination will probably become cheap. What type of “bad news” can be “good news” for budget travelers? The three biggest news events are: Currency Devaluations, Terrorism, and Natural Disasters.Currency DevaluationsProbably the best “bad news” for a budget traveler is when a country suffers a devaluation of their currency. In 1997, following the collapse of the Asian currency (followed by subsequent devaluation in Russia and even Mexico), the cost of traveling to Asia became almost laughably cheap. A dormitory-type room in Bangkok cost as little as forty cents a night and even the best rooms in the city at the Orient Hotel (often considered the best hotel in the world) were available for $100 (today the rooms start at around $300).I traveled to Argentina one year after the peso devaluation in 2002 and found the country astonishingly cheap. (In 2000 before devaluation traveling in Argentina was as expensive as in the U.S.). I was able to book 40 hours of Spanish lessons, 12 hours of individual tango lessons, a room in a local’s home with breakfast included for 25 days, several tours, airport pick-up and drop-off all for less than $800. (12 hours of individual tango lessons alone in San Francisco would have cost me more than this.) I was also able to eat six-course steak dinners in some of Buenos Aires’s finest restaurants with a bottle of wine and tip for seven dollars.TerrorismGenerally, news of terrorist attacks can also be good for budget travelers. Why? You can be guaranteed that there will be a heavy police presence which will help reduce the likelihood of petty crimes. Plus, as contradictory as it seems, it is rare that a terrorist would strike in the same place twice. Think about this from the standpoint of a terrorist. There are hundreds of vulnerable places throughout the globe. Once you’ve attacked someplace, what is the first response of the local authorities? To restore order and prevent an attack from happening again. Governments, even in the EMERGING, pour resources and manpower into filling the loopholes that allowed an attack. Wouldn’t it make more sense for terrorists to go after a target that is relatively poorly defended rather than returning to a place that is like an armed fortress?Local people are appreciative of tourists who are brave enough to go to these destinations. Almost everyone I met who traveled to New York City after the terrorist attack told stories about locals going out of their way (including even locals inviting visitors to dinner and even to stay the night)—this in a city famed for treating travelers poorly.The costs of tourist services are dramatically reduced after an attack. The room rates in Bali went down almost 30% within a month of the terrorist attack in January 2003Visiting these places is a potent way of standing up to terrorism and showing support for these beleaguered parts of the globe.Terrorism certainly made traveling in many parts of the U.S. following 9/11 cheaper. The costs of hotels in San Francisco and Hawaii went way down (sometimes by as much as half) because Japanese tourists, who represented about 20-40% of the market in those destinations, stopped coming. That said, interestingly, prices only really go down dramatically for a long time after a terrorist attack in destinations where people would be reticent to travel otherwise. After the attack in London in 2005, prices did not go down much because travel industry providers received so many calls from travelers who wanted to take advantage of the lower costs post attack (that they assumed would be required to bring tourists back to London) that the travel industry soon realized that they did not have decrease prices to attract travelers after all. On the other hand, after the attacks in Bali five years ago, the travel industry has never fully recovered and thus Bali has remained a travel bargain ever since (though it was never a high cost destination in the first place).You may also be able to get discounts if terrorism events apply to companies as well. When Pan Am was involved in Lockerbie, I soon afterward began to scour newspapers hoping that they would give incentives to encourage customers. About three months later, I found an offer I couldn’t refuse; Pan Am sold most of their tickets from the U.S. to Europe for $300 or less roundtrip. I immediately called my parents and we all took advantage of this discount. Unbeknownst to us when we booked the ticket, Pan Am also beefed up their frequent flyer program to keep customers. Thanks to that one flight, my parents were able to get enough miles to go back to Europe the next year for free.Natural DisastersNatural disasters can be a mixed bag for budget travelers. After Hurricane Katrina many of the costs of tourist services went up in New Orleans. Why? Because: 1) the inventory of hotel rooms decreased markedly and 2) there was a high demand for the few available rooms by workers involved in the hurricane recovery efforts. Now, however, tourists are beginning to see lower costs in the area. On the other hand, the tsunami in Southeast Asia did result in reduced costs for many of the resorts for a short time because the demand for trips to that area dried up.A Final NoteSome people may think that the “bad news is good strategy” is mercenary; however, if you take advantage of these situations, you are helping bring business to firms and places that otherwise are skipped by travelers. Argentina’s influx of tourist following its currency devaluation is often cited as one of the most important factors in their economic recovery over the past five years!Spend as Much Time as Possible in Cheaper Places (Particularly in Latin America and Asia)Costs of Travel in Various Parts of the WorldWhile costs vary considerably depending on your standards and needs, you can save a lot of money by traveling primarily in EMERGING countries. (Countries that are less developed economically—primarily located in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.)I estimate that most people traveling in their own car in the U.S. spend between $ for one-person ($2 per couple) on a modest hotel room, three decent (not luxurious) meals in a sit-down restaurant, gas, and miscellaneous purchases. (If you are anything like me, you always forget some toiletries, etc., and end up buying them on the road.) If you end up renting a car or flying around the country, this will bring up this daily expense considerably. If you rely primarily on public transportation, you will find that most of the world is considerably cheaper than the U.S. (Note: The U.S.A., however, is normally the cheapest and easiest place to rent a car. This is discussed more in Chapter 5) Here is a list of what I’d estimate you’ll pay in various parts of the world on a modest hotel room, three decent meals, public transportation, and miscellaneous purchases. (This does not include car rentals or the flight to your destination.)NOTE: These ranges have been developed to reflect the sometimes vast differences in costs for travelers within the same country or region. Generally, the high end of the range reflects the cost of living in a big, urban center and the low end shows the cost of smaller, off-the-beaten-tourist-path communities. More expensive than the US: 100-140% of the costs of traveling in the USA ($ per one person per day)Saudi Arabian Peninsula (particularly the United Arab Emirates), Developed Asian Countries (Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan), and most of the Caribbean: Expensive Western European countries (Western European countries without the Euro such as Switzerland, Scandinavia (except Finland), Australia. 80-100% of the cost of traveling in the U.S.A ($ per one person per day)Expensive Western European countries with the Euro (France, Italy, Germany), other English-speaking developed countries (Canada, UK), 60-100% of the U.S.A ($ per day)Expensive Eastern European Countries (including Croatia, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, excludes most of the Balkan Peninsula), and Belize: 50-90% of the U.S.A ($ per day)Expensive Latin American (Chile, Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Argentina), and moderate cost African countries (South Africa, Kenya): 30-70% of the U.S.A ($ per day)Inexpensive Latin American countries (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador); most Balkan countries (including Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia, Romania). Low-Cost African countries (Ghana, Ethiopia), and most Middle East countries (Turkey, Egypt, Morocco). 20-50% of the U.S.A ($ per day)Inexpensive Asian countries (most of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent)A couple of additional notes:Some countries have currency and visa requirements that can cause different travelers to pay vastly different amounts for travel within the same country. You can sometimes get around these rules by traveling in a different manner than you might otherwise. For example, if you go to Russia as a student or a volunteer and rent a room from a Russian family, Russia will cost about the same as Argentina. If, on the other hand, you use any other type of arrangements you could easily spend as much as if you were traveling around Western Europe. [A decent hotel room in Russia will cost foreigners about $100 a night; renting a room in someone’s home is $20-30 a night. A student in Russia can get Russian prices for admission to a museum (a couple of dollars); whereas, a tourist will pay a foreigner rate ($10-15)]. A couple of countries where how you make your arrangements make a big difference in cost include Iran (if you are a Western European, Iran is one of the world’s great bargain destinations because you can travel independently. Americans are required to be part of a group, which will usually cost around $200 a day); Cuba (if you can find a way to use pesos, Cuba is very cheap. If you need to spend dollars it is about the same cost as Western Europe); and many African countries. (You will be required to exchange money at rates that are five to ten times those on the black market or you’ll find that everything needs to be imported from other places and is thus expensive. To find out the costs of individual countries, read a guidebook before you go.) As a whole, small islands cost considerably more to travel around than mainland destinations. For example, while India is probably the world’s foremost travel bargain; the Maldives, a world-famous diving spot located on a string of Islands about 2000 miles south of India, is expensive. In addition, though Belize is a modest cost destination and Honduras is very inexpensive, the islands off their coast (like Roatan in Honduras and San Pedro in Belize) are not cheap. Large islands, like the Dominican Republic, however, can be quite cheap (around 50% of the cost of the U.S.).One of the best sources for a comparison of costs around the globe is the Economist Magazine’s Big Mac Price Parity Index (. also lists current exchange rates around the Earth.) The Big Mac Index compares the costs in dollars and Euros of Big Macs around the globe. Most of the time, the countries with the lowest cost Big Macs are also the lowest cost places for travelers. The only general exceptions to this rule are formerly (and currently) Communist countries (Russia, China, and Eastern Europe). Often these countries require tourists to pay more for many local services than the Big Mac index indicates.IntroductionOne of the most difficult parts of teaching my seminars is that I need to balance the needs and wants of my students with my desire to impart the different (and sometimes contrary or unpopular) lessons that I’ve learned, and consider most important, during my times traveling and living round-the-world. Nowhere does this balance become more important than in the dichotomy between my favorite parts of the world and where many (if not most) of my students want to visit. Frequently, when I listen and talk to students before my class I get the impression that they are completely obsessed with traveling to Europe and the U.S. and have so many negative images of Latin America, Asia, and Africa that the thought of traveling in those parts of the world seems completely unfathomable. Yet, I must admit that while traveling in Europe, to me, is interesting, pleasant, and worthwhile; it is also expensive, difficult to do on a limited budget, and, perhaps most importantly, not as interesting as traveling in the so-called EMERGING. For the first couple of years of teaching, I spent most of my time visiting the EMERGING and advocating travel in these countries. Yet, over time, I’ve come to see that I need to visit Europe in order to present a balanced course and, thus, recently spent two months in Italy to fill this void. I have also sought out tips and ideas for traveling cheaply in Europe which are sprinkled throughout this book.My time in Italy has helped me to see why Europe is so popular. I’ve grown to love Italy so much that am planning to develop a class on it and to travel frequently throughout rest of Europe into the future. That said, I still can’t help but encourage my students to think outside of Europe. As you’ll see in the discussion below the EMERGING has so much to offer that it is shame not to consider places within Asia, Latin America, and Africa when making your travel plans.If you want to go to Western Europe and the U.S., I would encourage you to investigate your motives for this decision carefully. If you have always dreamed of seeing the great sites of Europe or are entranced by some aspect of European culture (like food or fashion), by all means, go to Europe. (Later on, you’ll discover ways to do so quite inexpensively). If your main reason, though, for wanting to go to Europe is to soak up the ambiance, someplace less expensive may satisfy this desire as well or better than Europe. For example, Buenos Aires costs 30-50% of Barcelona, Paris, or Rome and has every bit as nice cafes, night clubs, and restaurants as these European cities. (In fact, Buenos Aires has probably the world’s best night life.) In addition, there are great colonial towns throughout Latin America that feel like you are in Spain such as Guanajuato, Queretaro, San Miguel de Allende, and Oaxaca, Mexico; Antigua, Guatemala; Granada, Nicaragua; Quito, Ecuador; Cuzco, Peru; and Ouro Preto, Brazil. Just deciding to travel to EMERGING countries is the easiest way to save money. In the U.S. and Western Europe to travel cheaply you have to be willing to explore alternative travel options like volunteering, exchanging, and studying (see Chapter 6 for more details) or you have to plan your vacation so that you implement a variety of cost saving techniques throughout your adventure. Some of these techniques will be easy and comfortable to do. Others, however, may require sacrifices that may be difficult for you to make. (For more on this see Chapter 5). In the EMERGING, you don’t have to make many sacrifices except to travel by public transportation.Why does traveling to the EMERGING work so well? Simply because the best way to reduce your travel cost is to use local services in places where labor is cheap and people need to live cheaply in order to survive. When you use U.S. and European service, people are being paid $10-30 an hour to provide services as a result things; 1) have to be more expensive in order to pay the labor and 2) many services that make life easier and more relaxing for travelers are either out of the pocketbooks of most budget travelers (for example, in Thailand you can get a one-hour massage for $5; the same service in the U.S. or Italy is $100) or are simply not available because no one will pay enough to cover the costs of the labor associated with delivering the service. (It is almost impossible to hire someone to carry your bags, for example, in Europe or the U.S.; whereas, these services are widely available in Latin America and Asia).EMERGING CostsLet’s take a look at what you get for the money in the U.S./Western Europe vs. the EMERGING. For $50-75 a day in the U.S. or Western Europe you can stay in a fleabag motel or a youth hostel, eat meals at fast food restaurants, and take in a couple of sights. In most of the EMERGING, on the other hand, the same $50 will get you an attractive room in a moderately priced hotel; good, multi-course local meals; first class public transportation (even in places like India, first class public transportation is more punctual and attractive than in the U.S.A); access to most sights; entrance to local plays and concerts; and even an occasionally splurge on a souvenir, beer and wine, a fancy hotel room, or a night out on the town. It is also, when you get used to it, easier to travel in the EMERGING than the U.S. and Europe because you can afford so many things that make your traveling life easier. For example, if you have traveled by a train or a bus in the U.S. or Western Europe when you arrive at your destination you will probably need to take a public bus to get to your accommodations unless you are willing to fork out as much as $10 a mile for a taxi (particularly considering that many times you have to pay surcharges for luggage or early/late/weekend trips). Finding the right bus (going in the right direction), lugging your baggage on-and-off the public bus and walking from the stop to your hotel are exhausting particularly after a long trip. In the EMERGING, you could get a taxi to take you to your hotel, relaxed and rested, for a couple of bucks. Look at how reasonable and easy traveling in the EMERGING can be. Here are some comparisons between the EMERGING and the U.S.:A first-class bus ride between cities will cost 1/4 to 1/2 of the cost in the EMERGING than in the U.S.A and, in some countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Thailand, you’ll probably see videos, enjoy free refreshments, and even sometimes get served by a stewardess! (Try to avoid second or third-class transport. Second and third-class buses often have livestock on board, rickety seats, and follow circuitous routes. Note: Most first-class transport leaves less frequently than second and third class.)A set menu featuring a four-course lunch throughout much of Latin America and Asia costs about as much as a small hamburger and a soft drink at a McDonalds in the U.S.A. Even in expensive places like Singapore you can get some wonderful, inexpensive meals for as little as $2.You can enjoy some wonderful meals from street vendors and markets in Asia and Latin America for as little as $1-2 if you follow the locals to the most popular booths. The key to finding safe food is to find vendors that don’t allow food to sit around. The best way to ensure that food is not sitting around is to select busy vendors with quick turnover. Some budget guides also point out established, safe vendors. Many people also swear that adding lemon or lime juice helps forestall nasty bugs. You can also easily find Wi-Fi and internet access cheaply and easily in EMERGING. There are more wireless access points and internet cafes in these countries. Most Wi-Fi spots do not charge and the internet cafes’ costs are negligible ($1-2 an hour).You can get your laundry done, including ironing, folding, and in some case (Mexico is awesome this way) even shrink-wrapped for not much more than it would cost to wash your clothes yourself at a Laundromat in the U.S. and for much less than what it would cost in Europe. (In Italy it cost me nearly $30 to wash and dry a week’s worth of clothes at a Laundromat and my clothes repeatedly turned out soiled and wrinkled.)Decent (clean, simply decorated) hotel rooms range from $10 (Asia) to $25-30 a night (the former Soviet Union and expensive parts of Latin America, like Mexico) in the EMERGING. Similar hotel rooms in the U.S. and Europe are 30-70% more. You do, however, need to see the rooms in the EMERGING first. Check to make sure that the water, toilet, etc. works. Also make sure that the room isn’t located above a restaurant, night club, or Laundromat as these can be very noisy. In addition, check how the room is located in relation to the street. You want to avoid a room on a lower floor with a window facing a busy street unless you bring earplugs (which is not a bad idea anyway). You may, particularly if you’re a woman, check out the room to see how easy it would be for a thief to break into. In my experience, most hotels (particularly those listed in guides like Lonely Planet) are safe; however, it always pays to be careful.Pros and Cons of EMERGING TravelThere are also some wonderful, non-cost related reasons to traveling in the EMERGING. The people are, as a whole, very kind and gentle and many of the world’s best sights are in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Here are some more of my favorite reasons to travel in the EMERGING:Generally, EMERGING locals will go out of their way to help you, particularly if they like you. I am always amazed how willing people are to walk me to where I need to go, make calls to help me find the answers to my questions, and to provide me with a little extra something just out of kindness. In addition, many people seem so genuinely happy to see you once they get to know you a little bit. After you’ve gained the trust of locals, and learned their language reasonably well, EMERGING peoples will be almost eager to tell you their life stories. I treasure these moments because generally their lives are very different from our own and they help to forge friendships.People in the EMERGING are generally much more accepting of others’ faults than we are in the States. I am constantly amazed how easily Americans shun other people for the smallest things – weight, smoking, perfumes, etc. Such shunning, to most third-world residents, is ruder than the actual behavior. Shopping in local marketplaces is a great joy. Most EMERGING countries have markets with an endless variety of handmade crafts and tasty, exotic foodstuffs. You can learn a lot about your new country, just by asking questions about the produce. Many of the world’s best sites are located in Asia, Latin America, and Africa including Machu Picchu (Peru), the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), the Taj Mahal (India), and the Great Wall (China). Visiting these sites may require significant sums of money. The flight to the Galapagos and the tours (note: you are required to take a tour) of the islands can be quite costly. That said, if you spend a fair amount time in cities outside of these sites (Quito, Ecuador and Cuzco, Peru are wonderful places) you’ll find that the low costs of life in the rest of the country makes the overall cost of the trip still fairly reasonable.As more and more travelers visit the EMERGING, the level of services available to take care of these travelers’ needs has grown exponentially. Visit a town like Chiang Mai, Thailand – an established part of the backpacker’s circuit (see Chapter 7 for more info on the circuit) - and you’ll be amazed by the level of services available. There are: over 100 restaurants in the town serving non-Thai food (including good Middle Eastern, Greek, and German cuisine), an astonishing array of day classes (see my “World’s Best Kept Travel Secret” booklet for details), dozens of tours of the Golden Triangle, Muay Thai fights, talks with Buddhist monks, hundreds of legitimate massage parlors, a half dozen or so excellent English-language bookstores, and thousands of souvenir shops selling everything from carved soaps to elaborately carved furniture. In fact, while Chiang Mai gets nowhere near the level of tourism as Florence, Italy, I’d say that the amount of tourist services in Chiang Mai is more numerous than in Florence.While I believe that EMERGING travel is great, I admit there are some things about it that can be trying at times including the following. The EMERGING is generally noisy and dirty. It can be difficult to find a place to stay without animals waking you up early in the morning and occasional loud parties keeping you up into the wee hours. In addition, there are also places that can be smelly and dirty particularly near markets and in poorer neighborhoods. (Nonetheless, these places can be equally as dirty in the U.S. and Western Europe)Driving is costly and requires a lot of skill. Tolls, gas, and car rentals are generally cheaper in the U.S. than in the EMERGING. In addition, driving conditions are worse and most people drive more aggressively than at home.Sidewalks are often non-existent and when they are available they are usually very high, uneven, and full of holes. You need to get used to watching where you walk or else you will tweak your knees and ankles and fall down a lot.You will see a lot of serious poverty. Keep in mind that poverty, when it is more common is not shameful, like it is in the U.S. If it really bothers you, do something to help. There are many avenues to help and most the recipients of your kindness will be very grateful.You will be frequently asked to buy things. In Southeast and East Asia and Latin America, you can avoid getting involved with merchants by simply indicating that you are not interested and walking away. In the Middle East and India, merchants can be very persistent. At first, it may be good to hire a guide simply so that vendors ignore you. After a while, however, you will become inured to their taunts. When I was in Thailand two years ago not a single vendor talked to me for any length of time, unless I was interested in something they were selling. I think after traveling in the world for so long, the merchants could simply intuit that I wasn’t going to buy anything.Crime in most EMERGING countries is becoming more and more a fact of life. (Unlike in the U.S., where the crime rate is rapidly decreasing every year). As these countries become more democratic and economic systems more inequitable, the government’s ability to both prevent and address crime is eroding. Turn on any news program in any EMERGING country and you’ll invariably hear about murders, home invasions, and other crimes. That said, crime against tourists is not very widespread. Most EMERGING governments realize that tourism is an essential economic activity and try very hard (normally successfully) to ensure that travelers are safe. In addition, part of the reason why you’ll hear about crime in many of these countries is that for many years they had such low crime rates that the sudden increase in crime is more noteworthy than it would be in the U.S. (The U.S. was among the world’s most dangerous countries in the 1970s).Bathrooms can be frustrating for some people to negotiate. In most EMERGING places, you have to put used toilet paper in a trash can. In Asia and the Middle East, most homes have squat toilets that can be difficult to use for American women especially at first. (Ironically, many places in Asia have both Western and squat toilets; however, the squat toilets are easy to keep very clean, whereas books have been written describing the terrible conditions of Western toilets in Asia). In addition, many homes and lower cost hotels in the EMERGING have “suicide showers”—electric shower heads that create a current that you can feel while you are bathing – and some even have hot water heaters that have to be ignited with a match before each use.If you take public transportation and taxis, you will often be very uncomfortable if you are a “backseat driver”. I found that I was able to avoid this feeling by repeating the following mantra: The driver also wants to get home tonight. Now, I don’t pay any attention and just enjoy the ride. (Italy and Spain have drivers that are equally as bad or worse.) Despite these troubles, I believe that the EMERGING is the best part of the world for budget travelers. Not only is it significantly less expensive than Europe and the U.S. but it is also endlessly fascinating and we can learn a lot from people who live in these countries if we are willing students. What’s more, if you travel with an open mind and use local services, you can help some deserving people make a little better life for themselves and their families.Picking an “Easy” Emerging CountryAfter talking to my students and giving it some thought, I began to realize two things about their resistance to the Emerging: 1) Many students have the impression that the Emerging Countries are universally difficult to travel in and 2) (I suspect this is the main reason) they fear that something bad will happen to them if they travel to Emerging countries (see the appendix for some great safety related advice). This reluctance is understandable since we almost never hear good news coming from these countries. All we ever hear and see are pictures of poverty, corruption, and war.Yet, like anywhere, emerging countries are diverse. There are many countries that are safe, easy to travel around, and very well-developed for tourism.While I think someone, who is really adventurous could happily travel to almost anywhere in the Emerging Countries that aren’t plagued by a serious political crisis, I realize that some places are simply easier and safer than others.I recommend that, if you are willing to consider travel in Emerging Countries, you start with easy, safe countries and gradually expand into more challenging places. My award for the easiest, safest countries is: Mexico, Thailand, and Argentina. Here are the reasons I’ve selected these countries:Mexico: Mexico to me is the best place for travelers from the U.S. in the world. Why? Simply put, Mexico is:Very close to the U.S. Nowhere is more than 3000 miles from anywhere in the lower 48 United States. In addition, airlines fly from Los Angeles, Miami, and Houston non-stop to almost every major provincial town in Mexico. Non-stop flights to and from Mexico City and Guadalajara are available from many, even fairly small markets in the U.S. (Non-stop flights leave a couple of times a week to Guadalajara and Mexico City from Fresno and Sacramento).Exotic yet in some ways very similar to the U.S. Few countries have so many familiar shops side by side with such old-world values, traditions, and culture.Extremely well organized for tourism. Most tourist centers have a variety of services – from English language bookstores to fantastic craft markets and shops.One of the world’s most interesting and diverse travel destinations. Where else can you go from ancient temples to jungles to colonial towns in just a few hours?Worth seeing because it is ever changing and it is very important to the U.S. (it is our #2 trade partner and it is the birthplace of over 12 million U.S. residents) 90% of Americans who have traveled to Mexico have only visited a few fairly expensive tourist havens like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. They don’t realize that the country also has ancient Mayan and Aztec cities every bit as awesome in scale as the great cities of ancient Europe and the Middle East. Nor are they aware of large number of gorgeous colonial cities (like Guanajuato, Zacatecas, and Oaxaca) which feel like you have been transported to Spain. They also don’t realize that Mexico has a fantastic bus system, extremely friendly people, and one of the world’s richest culinary and cultural traditions. It is also fairly inexpensive. The overall cost of traveling in Mexico (outside of the few tourist bubbles like Cancun where all the U.S. travelers congregate) varies from about 50% of the U.S. (in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas) to about 80% in Northern Baja California.In addition, while the news is filled with stories of drug cartel related violence in Mexico, this is generally limited to a small part of Mexico (next to the border, Mexico City, and a few provincial cities, like Culiacan, Sinaloa), most of which is not particularly attractive to tourists anyway. Many of the countries great tourist attractions are as safe as much of the U.S.Thailand: Thailand is the easiest country for Americans to travel in on a very limited budget. Chiang Mai has restaurants where a multiple course meal can be had for as little as $4 and hotel room that cost as little as $5 for a simple room with a fan to $20 for a comfortable room with cable TV, air-conditioning, and a modern bathroom.Thailand has very friendly people, fantastic temples, great food (even the street side stands serve hygienic and tasty meals for as little as 50 cents), and a wide range of activities. You can snorkel one day on the beautiful beaches of Southern Thailand and then go to backpacking around the Hmong and Karen (local indigenous tribes) communities around Chiang Mai.When I went to Thailand (January and February 2007) I talked to many tourists representing a wide range of ages, nationalities, and economic backgrounds and always asked them if they felt that Thailand was as easy to travel in as I thought. Everyone agreed that the combination of the helpful people, good tourist infrastructure, and interesting activities made Thailand a great destination. In addition, all of the women I talked to felt very safe and did not report that they attracted much, unwelcomed male attention. (Though the attention is almost always innocuous, it can be an issue for unaccompanied females in Latin America, the Middle East, and India).Many of the tourists I met mentioned that they went to Thailand partly to obtain medical or dental treatments there. These tourists also reported universal satisfaction with the quality of the treatments they received in Thailand. Argentina: Many articles have hyped Argentina as the ultimate way to experience European culture at a fraction of the cost.While most of the time I find travel articles overhyped, I concur with these travel articles. Argentina has the ambience of Italy or Spain—outdoor cafes, wines, nightlife, and great food—for anywhere from 1/3 to ? the cost of Italy or Spain. It is also easy to travel around by car, bus, or plane and doesn’t suffer from some of the problems that plague most EMERGING destinations like begging, extreme poverty, and the constant presence of vendors trying to sell you something. Moreover, Argentina’s diverse natural attractions put Europe to shame. Within Argentina’s borders is the world’s largest jungle waterfall by volume (Iguazu Falls), the world’s driest desert (the Atacama), one of the best wine growing regions anywhere (in and around Mendoza), a delta area larger than the Mississippi (where the Rio Plata meets the Atlantic approximately 50 miles outside of Buenos Aires), a region famed for its spectacular geysers, glaciers, tundra, and penguins (Patagonia), and mountain towns reminiscent of the Swiss Alps (Bariloche). There are only two negatives to Argentina. One is that it doesn’t have the extensive history and cultural attractions of Europe (though the Teatro de Colon is as well regarded by opera aficionados as many of the finest opera halls in Europe). The other is that the country is large (the seventh largest in the world) and if you want to see all of its incredible natural diversity you’ll have to spend a lot on airfares or be prepared to travel for long periods on the country’s extensive and extremely comfortable bus system.Yet, these are small problems compared to the many gifts that Argentina offers.AfterwordI think that if you are willing to give traveling around these countries a chance you’ll soon be as addicted to traveling in Emerging Countries as I am.Once you get used to traveling in Emerging Countries, I think you’ll also want to expand out and visit more exotic corners of Emerging Countries. Many seasoned, Emerging Countries travelers swear that the best places to travel are places like Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. I must admit that many of my favorite places are in similar off-the-beaten path locales, such as Guatemala and Nicaragua. While I like Costa Rica (great nature, friendly people, and well organized for tourism), I prefer Nicaragua. I spent two weeks in Granada, Nicaragua and fell in love with its old-world charm, diverse nature (nearby Lake Nicaragua has 365 island and is ringed by several major volcanoes, each of which is located in a completely different natural climate. Mombacho is in a cloud forest; Masaya is desolate) and was impressed by its excellent tourist services (many bars and restaurants, terrific rum, great shopping, multiple language schools, and good museums). In addition, travel in Nicaragua cost one-half of Costa Rica.Backpacker Travel IssuesThe vast majority of extended travelers I’ve met are backpackers. Backpackers got their name after the large backpacks that most of them don while traveling round-the-world. (Note: the word backpacker in the U.S.A. can also mean people who hike and camp as well as backpackers who travel cheaply around the world). While there isn’t a specific definition, backpacking has come to refer to travelers who travel on an established route, usually for several months at a time, spending somewhere between $25 and $75 a day and staying in hostels and other local, local cost accommodations.In the past, there was an assumption that most backpackers were college-aged youngsters; however, nowadays backpackers cover all ages and economic backgrounds. In fact, the HYPERLINK "" Australian National Institute of Tourism conducted a study of backpackers in Australia in 1991. The only common characteristics of the backpackers the study found were that they quit their career to travel around the world (40%) or study in Australia (33%) and that more than half had finished a college education. Otherwise, the backpackers represented a wide range of incomes, ages, and professions. The backpacker trails today extend throughout most of the world. In Latin America, the trail is called the “Gringo Trail.” In Asia, it is the “Hippie Trail.” The trails have become so large that entire cities like Kuta, Bali, Indonesia and Pushkar, India exist primarily to serve the needs of backpackers. In fact, the biggest problem with backpacking is that it is so successful. Backpackers no longer can intimately engage in the daily life of the countries visited on these trails. Nowadays it is possible to follow backpackers around the world without seeing much of the local country. More and more of the businesses that serve the trail are essentially closed to locals. Sometimes this is simply that they are too expensive for locals to frequent. More often than not, though, the businesses evolve over time to meet Western tastes and no longer are popular with the residents. In a way, backpacking now increasingly seems like a cheap, somewhat tiring and dirty way, to follow hordes of tourists as they move from great site to great site. Most backpackers don’t spend enough time in one place to feel like they are part of its daily rhythms. As a result, backpacking is becoming more and more similar to traditional travel. In the same way those beautifully coiffed middle-aged tourists used to follow each other from large Hilton to large Hilton, you can find some of the trappings of the backpacker trails—dreadlocked young men and women with a bandana and groaning backpack and Teva Sandals, eating at Mexican restaurants and 60s style eateries (with banana pancakes and muesli), everywhere. I even once ate at a Mexican restaurant designed for backpackers in Svetlogorsk, a small resort town in the Kaliningrad region of Russia (hundreds of miles from Moscow)—a city that was closed to foreigners until 1991! However, despite some of the commercialism of the backpacker’s trails, the backpacking lifestyle still has a lot to offer. Following the trail is a wonderful way to see most of the planet’s most awesome natural and cultural resources. Spending $25-$75 a day, as most backpackers do, allows you to spend a long time traveling. In addition, now that there are a lot of backpackers, you can get tons of really useful advice from other travelers. Wherever you plan to go, chances are someone of the backpacker’s trail has been there recently. Just ask around anywhere backpackers congregate. One of the best ways to tap into their knowledge is to hang out at a hostel. (If you are thinking of traveling as a backpacker, spend a couple of days in a hostel near your home; you’ll find a lot of useful tips.) Many hostels do not require you to stay at the hostel to use their common areas. In addition, you can also meet backpackers at bars at night. (In many parts of the globe, they hang out in Irish pubs.) Using the backpacker’s knowledge, you can save enough money to travel longer and find short term work assignment to help extend your travels even more Many backpackers—particularly young Europeans and Australians—work in another country for six months a year and travel on the backpacker’s trails for the remaining six months.While following the backpacker’s circuit is no longer a great way to interact with local culture, it remains the best way to meet a fascinating and diverse group of travelers from throughout the globe. (In the past five years, many young people from South America and Asia have discovered the backpacker’s trails.) Best of all, while it is hard to leave an organized bus tour, you can easily get off the backpacker trail at any time. You can elect to try ways that connect to local people and places—including working abroad, exchange programs, homestays, schools, and volunteer experiences—fairly easily while on the road. Ask for Discounts and UpgradesWant to Know More about How to Negotiate Low Cost Travel? Check out The Penny Pincher’s Passport to Luxury Travel: The Art of Cultivating Preferred Customer Status by Joel Widzer. Unlike me, Widzer loves the game and delights in spelling out the (often labyrinthine) rules necessary to play the game to win. The old maxim “it never hurts to ask” goes double for travelers. Since travel is perishable, the travel industry would almost always rather give some extra or a discount to you than lose you as a customer; particularly if they have a legitimate reason to believe that you’ll use their business again or to help you. Still doubt that if you’ll ask, you’ll receive? One time, my parents and I traveled through the Pacific Northwest (in the U.S. and Canada) in November. My father asked for a discount in seven different hotels and got one every time! Once he even managed to score an eleventh-floor suite in a hotel in Vancouver (a $325 a night room) for only $59!The travel industry rewards their most loyal customers handsomely. The suppliers provide these loyal customers with a lot of benefits because they know that they can count on these customers to fill spaces, particularly during the low season. Read the Penny Pinchers’ Passport to learn some of the wonderful upgrades and benefits loyal customers can enjoy. You’ll discover that the benefits are more than are advertised through frequent flyer type programs. If you learn to just ask correctly, you can receive membership in exclusive clubs, free champagne and flowers, and a variety of other niceties. Want to know some of the secrets to getting these benefits from travel providers? Here are few of the most basic rules:Ask nicely. Typically, if you seem like a compassionate, friendly person you’ll be treated well. I was surprised when I volunteered to work as a teacher in Russia that I was always given an upgrade on my flights from the U.S. to Europe. Later I realized that my good fortune came partly because I always, not deliberately, mentioned that I was a volunteer and the staff respected me!Indicate to the staff member, when appropriate, that you may be willing to give them a larger tip if they are willing to give you good service. I must admit that I have never tried this strategy as it feels weird to me; however, many frequent travelers I’ve met swear by it. If it works for you, please send me a note to let me know.Rule Six: Be a Professional Bargainer and TravelerDon’t be afraid to bargain with vendors. Bargaining is an integral part of life in most of the globe. Travel services, based on the product’s perishability, are often negotiable even in the U.S. and Western Europe. They are almost always negotiable in an Emerging country. Read guidebooks to find out how much you should be prepared to bargain in different places in the world (see the Fearless Shopper: How to Get the Best Deals on the Planet by Kathy Borris or check out for good bargaining rules around the globe.) Also, be a professional traveler. Be polite and curious. Dress like the locals. If you treat people well they will be more likely to charge you less than other customers and to give you good advice on where you can find bargains. Don’t forget to also treat your fellow budget travelers well, too. Sometimes they’ll know great budget places that even locals don’t.Negotiating in Emerging CountriesA couple of times when I have taught this seminar, I’ve had participants tell me about how they tried to take advantage of an off-season or a low-travel period in a Emerging country and have not been able to get any special discounts. One student even told me that he was actually charged more when he traveled in Southern Baja during a low-season because as the clerks kept telling him, “We need to charge you more because we need to make up the money we’ve lost during the slow times.”At first, I was a bit perplexed by these stories; however, I now realize that the truth is that every culture views bargaining in a different way. There are legions of stories about Americans who go to an Emrtging country and, find an artisan making something they really like at such a reasonable price that the American starts thinking that it could be a bestselling item in the U.S. When the American asks the artisan how much it would cost to get twenty of the same item made, the per unit cost skyrockets. Surprised, the American says, “Usually when you make more of an item, the per-unit cost goes down.” To which the artisan replies “I enjoy making an item when I need extra money. But making so many would seem like a chore” or “Now that I know that you like it, I think I should make more money off of the sale.”I agree that these replies seem a bit odd by our standards; but, I don’t think that they are dumb, they are just different. One of the joys of travel is discovering new ways of thinking. You need to adjust to the circumstances you find yourself in.Sometimes people will try to charge you amounts that would be high even by U.S. standards. If this is the case, go away and try to buy the product elsewhere. You may find that the overcharging is so pervasive that you can’t do much about it. Usually, though, you’ll find someone who is willing to work with you eventually. Keep in mind that you may underestimate what a product or service is worth, as well. Sometimes locals will assume that you want a higher level of service and charge you more than they would a local simply to recoup the added costs of providing you with excellent service. (This seems to be true particularly for laundry services.) Be aware also that you may (this is particularly true among Germans for some reason) get so enraptured by bargaining that you insist on bargaining more and ultimately refuse to buy things even though the price is very fair. (Sometimes travelers also become so convinced that people are out to rip them off that they lose all perspective.)That said, here are a few effective bargaining strategies that I’ve tried in Emerging countries that have worked well for me:If you want to buy something in a marketplace, try to visit at the beginning or at the end of the day. Many vendors believe that if they make the first and last potential sale of the day, it’ll bring them good luck.Follow behind well-off local residents if you know the language and listen to the prices they paid. If you are quoted a much higher price, tell the vendor that you just heard the price he gave his fellow countryman or woman and that you should receive the same price.Be prepared to spend some time talking to merchants about their lives and then casually mention what you’d like. If the price seems way too high, continue to talk about anything other than the item and wait for them to bring up the price again.You may be able to get a good price if you walk away. This is particularly true if the price seems high. Keep in mind, however, that if a vendor accepts your offer, it is very bad manners (and may even be illegal) not to buy it. For this reason, you should never bargain for something you don’t really want in the first place.Each country has different bargaining rules. In some countries like Egypt, be prepared for long, emotional bargaining if you want something at a reasonable price. The first price quoted will almost invariably be ridiculous. In other countries like Mexico, the merchant’s first price is generally not that off-base except in areas like Tijuana where there are many gullible tourists. Normally you’ll be able to counteroffer most prices in Mexico with a price about 20-40% below the first quoted price and walk away with the item at a reasonable price.Learn to Look at Costs Per Day Whenever I try to determine the costs of any travel related service I always try to break it down to its cost per day.It is very hard to compare the benefits of costs of programs if you don’t break things down to the cost per day. It is also hard to find the best bargains.For example, I think most people when they look at a cruise line brochure don’t notice that every cruise company has a few very cheap cruises. These cruises are called “repositioning cruises.” Repositioning cruises travel one way between the major cruise ports where cruises begin their most popular itineraries. For example, twice a year most cruise lines have one itinerary that begins in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Florida (the most popular beginning point for a Caribbean cruise) and Barcelona or Lisbon (the most popular starting point for many Mediterranean cruises). Repositioning cruises exist because most of the cruise ships’ itineraries operate for one season in one part of the world and for another season somewhere else. If you looked, however, at costs per day, the repositioning cruises would jump out like a red flag. The average cost per day of repositioning cruises is normally $50 (for low-end ships like Carnival) to $100-125 a day (for higher end like Celebrity and Oceania). The other cruises cost three to four times that amount per day.Rule Nine: Be Flexible, Be Flexible, Be FlexibleRealtors always say that price is determined by location, location, and location. I believe that travel costs are determined by flexibility, flexibility, flexibility. Most people pay a lot for travel because they start out by looking for the cheapest option to a specific place at a specific time. You are better off if either you are: 1) looking at bargain travel options (i.e. check internet sites for the bargains, subscribe to bargain sites like , or routinely check for cheap airfares in ads in the Sunday travel section of a major newspaper, etc.) and then selecting the options that fit your interests or 2) identifying a block of time that you may be able to travel to a destination ahead of time and then looking for the best deal during that time.Try not to be specific about when you’ll start your trip. If you have to be in New York on June 3, for example, at 12 in the afternoon, you’ll have few options and will probably have to spend a lot of money. If, on the other hand, you can start your vacation in New York anytime between April 1 and July 1, you’ll almost always find some way to do so relatively cheaply.Despite all of their advertising, there is not a lot of difference in costs from search engine to search engine for most flights. You can pick any site (, , , , etc.) you like. Play around with the sites and choose the one that feels the most comfortable. It is more important in the long run that you be able to easily manipulate your way around the site than that you check more than one site. After you check the search engine, you should also check Southwest Airlines () if you’ll be flying within the U.S. to see if they have any cheaper flights. (Their flights are not included on the major search engine sites.) If you are flying internationally, check the fares against consolidators. (More discussion on consolidators is contained in Chapter 3.) I have found, however, a few simple rules for using these websites to find cheap airfare that I’d like to pass on to you:Check the cost of flights from several different airports near your home. Sometimes you can find tickets for as much as ? the cost by using a less popular airport. Look at the cost of tickets for Oakland if you live in San Francisco; Burbank, Ontario, and San Diego if you live in LA; or Islip and Newark if you live in New York City.Try to be as flexible as possible about the time of the day that you need to leave. You’ll often find that you can save as much as a couple of hundred dollars simply by leaving at a less popular time. Early morning and evening flights have a tendency to be considerably more expensive than late night and afternoon flights. If you fly out of the same airport often, you may want to spend a day at the airport to determine when the high times are during the day. You’ll be amazed how airports buzz at certain times of the day and are ghostly quiet at others. Last-Minute Travel DealsSince the travel industry wants to fill up its hotels and airplanes, one would expect that they would be eager to give out last minute deals; however, that is not always true. In fact, airlines usually charge more for last-minute travel because they are hoping to snag businesspeople that will pay almost anything to get to their appointments on time. In addition, there are not that many great last-minute deals for last-minute leisure travelers either, though last-minute travel may get you a free or next-to-nothing flight if you go as a courier. When I have looked at last-minute travel websites, I have occasionally found some good deals on hotels and airfare, but seldom do they seem to be exceptional. Sometimes, however, last-minute (up to three months in advance) cruise sites can have some great deals. Here are some last-minute travel websites to check out. (Note: Sign up for their email notifications. has particularly good e-mail notifications.): Cruise Lines: ; . ( provides customer and expert reviews of different cruise lines and ships.)Airfare, Hotels, and Hotel/Airfare Packages: (mostly weekend packages to locations near your home), (very comprehensive site.)`Sometimes airlines will have some good last-minute deals (one to two weeks in advance) advertised on their websites. You can access these deals by signing up for e-mail newsletters from the airlines’ respective websites. As a whole, most of these last-minute airfare deals that I’ve seen seem to be about the same cost as tickets offered through consolidators (see discussion of consolidators in Chapter 3). However, the airline deals often have terms that make these tickets less useful than consolidator tickets. (Many airlines require you to complete your trip in less than a week—a really short time if you are going from Los Angeles to London, for example, whereas similar consolidator fares are usually good for travel up to one month long.)One student reported that she is able to get super-cheap cruise deals (sometimes she has paid only the port fees) by showing up at the port several hours before a cruise is going to depart. If you try this out, let me know about your experience (e-mail: travelwithpaul@).Another student told me that she is able to buy airline tickets from tour companies at their cost. She calls tour companies a couple of weeks before a tour is scheduled to depart and asks them if they have any tickets that are unsold. If the company has not sold all of the tours they will often sell them to her at a very low cost. I think this is an inspired idea. Tour companies can cancel hotel rooms, meals, etc. if they can’t sell out the tour; however, in order to get low flight costs (most airlines sell these tickets to the tour companies for 1/3-1/2 of the cost to the public), the tour companies have to agree to buy all the seats ahead of time and therefore would, at least theoretically, be thrilled to sell someone a ticket at their cost rather than eat the total cost. A Final Note: Generosity may pay offContrary to what many travelers assume, locals generally want to go out of their way to help travelers. Often, they do so out of kindness, but sometimes admittedly they are hoping to be remunerated in some way. Remember that most of the globe is poorer than the U.S.A. A small tip can buy a lot of goodwill and access to people who can help you save money. If you feel like someone expects too much, politely tell them that they are being unreasonable. Try to keep your cool when this happens. Remember, in the EMERGING particularly, people can charge you more than the market rate not out of greed but because they believe that you expect (and they want to give you) exceptional service. In addition, the elite in many countries also pay more than lower income folks for the same services.Want to Travel to the U.S. and Western Europe Cheaply?Consider Off-the-Beaten-Path Rural Areas and “Second Cities”Another way to save costs is to consider traveling to lesser known regions and cities than most travelers visit.You can save about 1/3 the cost of traveling to the most popular cities and regions in most countries by visiting a less popular place instead. Here is a list of some cities and regions I’d encourage you to check out in lieu (or in addition to) some of the world’s biggest cities.U.S.: Chicago, Los Angeles (about 20% cheaper than New York or San Francisco) and some of my favorite little-known corners of the U.S. such as southwestern Wisconsin and southeastern ArizonaFrance: Marseilles (cheaper than Provence or Paris)Spain: ValenciaItaly: Umbria (instead of Tuscany), Bologna, Turin, and most of southern Italy (except the Amalfi coast and Capri)In addition to cost savings, you’ll get more of an authentic view of life in a given country and be able to travel in areas that are a little less crowded.TOURS/CRUISESVAYABLE – LOCAL CITY GUIDE WITH EXPERIENCES OFFERED BY LOCALS (RESTAURANTS, CITY TOURS ETC.).Travel Issues for SinglesOne of the most common questions that I get asked by my students is “How do I deal with travel as a single person?”I generally find that the only way I can answer this question is to find out a bit more about the student. For the majority of students what they are really asking is “how can I avoid a single supplement or to reduce travel costs by getting someone to share costs.” However, occasionally, the questioner is a recent widower or divorcee who really needs advice on how to be comfortable traveling alone.Regardless of the real nature of the question, there are usually a couple of suggestion that I can offer to help address the students’ needs including:Many of the options offered in this booklet are very well suited to singles. The volunteer and learning vacations explored in Chapter 7 are basically designed for singles, though they do work as well for couples. Let’s take a look at way they work so well for singles: None of these options have single supplements or other such fees. A couple will usually pay twice as much as a single person.Most of the language, and other, schools have many activities such as optional tours, cooking demonstrations, and informal nights out on the town designed to bring single students together. Since everyone is working together to achieve a common goal, workcamps and other volunteer programs make it easy for singles to form friendships. (In fact, I have that these are the single best programs for forming friendships.) When singles choose to live with families as part of volunteer and language programs, they are able to avoid loneliness and meet locals easily. (I have stayed with twelve families as part of these programs and always found it easy to become friends with the families.)Hospitality Exchanges are also ideal for singles. A wide range of people sign up to host guests in their homes. The majority of hosts, however, usually only have one room (futon or tent) available for guests and most people are uncomfortable hosting more than two people at a time. That said single hospitality exchangers will easily find rooms and friendships, while saving lots of cash, if they participate in hospitality exchanges.Hostels (see Chapter 5) are also set up primarily for single travelers. Few couples stay in hostels because they do not want to sleep in separate dorm rooms. (A limited number of private rooms for couples and families are available at many hostels, though most of the time you have to use a bathroom down the hall.) In addition, hostels are set up to allow singles to meet each other. Most hostels have large common areas well-stocked with reading materials, games, and other things that can help spur conversations between singles. The larger hostels also sponsor free (or low cost) walking tours, evening excursion to nightclubs and bars, video nights, lectures and other activities to bring people together. Less formally, singles naturally start to talk to each other simply because they are in the same room and make arrangements to go out at night or visit the local sights together. There are several websites set up to help single travelers meet each other including: allows you to post very detailed information about your travel needs and goals for other travelers to see and also sends you e-mail when a new member joins that might be a good match for you. (Several years ago, I went on a week cruise to the Mexican Riviera with someone I met through and found that it worked out well. I think it worked out well because my “chum” already had made specific plans for a trip and asked me to join in. It would have been harder to make a connection when if no specific travel plan had been on the table). helps facilitate informal meetings (usually monthly) of single travelers in larger U.S. metropolitan areas. Once you sign up you’ll be notified of meetings in your area. I joined in the East Bay area of San Francisco and attended a couple of meetings where I met an interesting group of travelers, some of whom may have been good travel partners. If you are accustomed to traveling with others and need help to get comfortable traveling alone, I would suggest reading: A Foxy Old Women’s Guide to Traveling Alone: Around Town and Around the World by Jay Ben-Lesser. While this guide is primarily targeted to seniors, its advice is applicable to anyone who needs to get used to traveling alone. Probably the best piece of advice is to just get used to being alone out in the public while at home. See a movie or go out to eat alone. It takes some getting used to being alone in these situations, however, after a while most people begin to enjoy being alone. (In fact, I spend so much time alone that I often crave time alone when I have spent time with other people for an extended period of time.) Join single groups. Many communities have single groups that meet regularly and some even have groups specifically for travelers. I have also attended a singles travel group in San Luis Obispo, California that offered many interesting, travel packages for singles to travel, primarily within the U.S. Check your local newspaper for club meetings and ask your friends for suggestions.Inexpensive Tours and CruisesINTREPIDThe best sources I’ve seen for ads and announcements of inexpensive tours are found in small ads in the Sunday Travel sections of major U.S. papers like the Los Angeles or New York Times, and Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine.While I have not taken these tours myself, I have known several people who have taken tours from companies advertised in the Los Angeles Times to China. Most of them have reported that the tours were well-organized, inexpensive, and professional, though I have heard complaints that the tours spent too much time at gift stores. Keep in mind that inexpensive tour and cruise companies are operating on the same economics as the rest of the travel industry. Make sure that you know what is included and what is optional. Many inexpensive tour companies make their profits from the optional services they provide. Here are a few things to check out when assessing an inexpensive tour or cruise [Note: Many expensive tours are “all-inclusive.” If this is the case, you should not have to pay out of your pocket for gratuities, additional tours, meals, or, in some cases, even alcoholic beverages (this is particularly true on cruise ships)]:Read the descriptions carefully. If the brochure says you will “see” or “view” a site, this does not usually mean that you will actually get out of the bus. Instead, you’ll probably just drive by. If it says you will “visit” a site, this means that you’ll actually get out of the bus and walk around a bit. If it says you’ll “tour” a site, this indicates that someone will actually guide you around.Be careful that you don’t spend most of your time on a tour shopping. Tour guides often make a very small salary from their guiding services. Their main income source is a commission from what you buy from shops. As a whole, this commission is built into the cost of the goods and, as a result, these stores are often more expensive than their competitors.Ensure that you add a gratuity when you are calculating the total cost of the trip. You’ll probably spend $10 a day for gratuities on cruise ships (usually this is automatically added to your bill on cruise ships) and tours.If the brochure says something like: “in your free time you can visit …” this generally indicates that these are optional tours or activities. The tour guide may try very hard to sell you on taking these optional tours/activities because he or she is making a commission. Check out the location of the hotels that are included in the tour carefully. Sometimes tours stay in hotels that are a long way outside of the city. If you will be “on your own” in a city where your hotel is far from the city, you may find yourself taking optional tours simply because it costs so much to get into the city by taxi. (Hotels that are located outside the city are usually indicated by something in a brochure like “we’ll stay the night in a hotel in the (destination) area” rather than naming the city itself.)Travel cancellation insurance generally costs around 6-8% of the total cost of the trip. The insurers generally pay tour companies/travel agencies as much as half as a commission, so they will usually try hard to sell you insurance. That said, I tell people to think about whether there is a 1 in 15 chance (7%; about the average cost of insurance) that they will cancel the trip. I suggest you consider travel insurance when you (or one of your family members, even if they are not traveling with you) have fragile health. Realize that nothing is free, unless you are told it is so in advance. On a recent cruise, I took their welcome aboard cocktail because I thought it was free. It turned out that I ended up paying for it, though I wouldn’t have taken it if I’d known I would have to pay for it. Several small, inexpensive bus and expedition truck tours exist for budget travelers. Some of these include:The cheapest tours are organized through the Green Tortoise The Green Tortoise () takes (usually older) buses and sets them up so that the passengers can sleep on board while the bus is moving. The passengers bring tents for sleeping once they arrive at their destination. The Green Tortoise staff provides food for the passengers which is cooked at the campsite each night. The passengers work with staff to prepare the food. I took a short Green Tortoise trip in September 2002 from San Francisco to the Burning Man festival (Note: The Burning Man festival,, though increasingly commercialized and somewhat expensive ($200 for a ticket), brings together over 30,000 people on Labor Day weekend (mostly artists) who share their interests and passions with other people. If you are not easily offended by some of the odd goings-on (when I was there one of the “art cars” was decorated with a large phallus) it can be a lot of fun) in the Nevada desert (a trip of around 225 miles). The on-board sleeping accommodations were not very comfortable since the passengers are crammed like sardines. The passengers represented a surprisingly wide range of ages and cultural and economic backgrounds. Even though many were leftover hippies; as a whole, they were more conservative than expected. The food was good (mostly vegetarian; a tad on the greasy side) and the staff generally helpful. Green Tortoise provides 14-day cross country tours in the US and Mexico; a week to fourteen-day tours in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Alaska, and Baja California; and short trips from San Francisco to Yosemite and Death Valley. Most of the tours cost around $50 a day (including the food kitty). Similar longer, and more expensive ($75-100 a day) tours exist using expedition trucks. These tours range from a few days to six months long. The expedition trucks are small (8-12 passengers). Many have canvas tops which can be removed so that passengers can see the countryside. The trucks are set high off the ground to ford streams and travel on otherwise impassable roads. Most of these tours are operated by British firms (Guerba, Dragoman). In the USA, a company called the Adventure Center () represents these trips.ACCOMMODATIONSADD COMMENTS ON AIRBNB HEREIN THE HOTEL SECTOR, AIRBNB HAS A WIDE LEAD, WITH 4 MILLION LISTINGS AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE. BUT IT’S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF THE HOME-SHARING MARKET THAT INCLUDES PLATFORMS SUCH AS HOMESTAY AND TURNKEY. HOMEAWAY CORP. HAS BECOME AN UMBRELLA OF COMPANIES, INCLUDING ITS NAMESAKE, AS WELL AS OTHER PLATFORMS SUCH AS VRBO, , AND OWNERSDIRECT.KNOK – A FAMILY TRAVEL NETWORK, HOME EXCHANGE AND APARTMENT RENTAL.TIPS FOR AVOIDING HOTEL FEESDO YOUR RESEARCH: BEYOND TAXES, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT WHICH FEES WILL BE CHARGED AT A PARTICULAR HOTEL OR RESORT BEFORE YOU BOOK. MOST OF THE FEES LISTED ABOVE AREN’T LISTED ON HOTEL BOOKING SITES IN YOUR FINAL BREAKDOWN OF CHARGES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE TRIED BOOKING A STAY AT THE WESTIN ST. JOHN RESORT AND VILLAS ON , TRAVELOCITY, TINGO, AND EXPEDIA. ALL SITES COLLECTED TAXES AND “FEES,” BUT ONLY PRICELINE BROKE DOWN THE COSTS TO REVEAL THE $40/DAY RESORT FEE. THE MORAL OF THE STORY? NO MATTER WHERE YOU FINALLY BOOK YOUR STAY, BE SURE TO CHECK MULTIPLE SOURCES FOR A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT FEES MAY APPLY.ASK AHEAD OF TIME: YOU CAN FIND SOME INFORMATION ONLINE, BUT OFTEN YOUR BEST BET IS SIMPLY TO PICK UP THE PHONE. CALL THE HOTEL AND ASK WHICH FEES WILL APPLY TO YOUR STAY — AND WHETHER ANY OF THEM CAN BE WAIVED AHEAD OF TIME. KEEP IN MIND THAT FEES CAN VARY WITHIN THE SAME CHAIN, SO IT’S BEST TO DIAL THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY DIRECTLY INSTEAD OF CALLING THE 800 RESERVATIONS NUMBER. WRITE DOWN THE NAMES OF ANY STAFF MEMBERS YOU SPEAK WITH AND WHICH FEES THEY AGREE TO WAIVE.DON’T TIP TWICE: BEFORE YOU LEAVE A TIP FOR YOUR HOUSEKEEPER, MAKE SURE THE HOTEL ISN’T ALREADY CHARGING YOU A HOUSEKEEPING GRATUITY FEE. IF IT IS, YOU CAN SKIP THE ADDITIONAL TIP — OR ASK FOR THE FEE TO BE REMOVED SO THAT YOU CAN TIP AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.STOCK UP: BRING YOUR OWN SNACKS AND BOTTLED WATER TO HELP YOURSELF RESIST THE LURE OF THE MINIBAR OR THE EDIBLE “GIFTS” THE HOTEL LEAVES IN YOUR ROOM.WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK: DURING YOUR STAY, DON’T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. BEFORE USING THE GYM OR TAKING AN EXTRA TOWEL AT THE POOL, ASK IF A FEE APPLIES.DITCH THE HOTEL: 10 CHEAPER WAYS TO STAYJOIN A LOYALTY PROGRAM: SOME HOTELS OFFER SPECIAL PERKS — INCLUDING WAIVED FEES — TO MEMBERS OF THEIR LOYALTY PROGRAMS. FOR EXAMPLE, MEMBERS OF OMNI’S SELECT GUEST PROGRAM GET 3 MBS OF COMPLIMENTARY WI-FI; JOINING THIS FREE PROGRAM BEFORE YOUR STAY WILL SAVE YOU MONEY.USE YOUR CELL PHONE: HOTEL TELEPHONE CHARGES CAN BE CONFUSING AND PRICEY, SO AVOID THE HASSLE ENTIRELY BY USING YOUR OWN CELL PHONE.ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME AT CHECK-OUT: MANY TRAVELERS ARE IN SUCH A HURRY TO LEAVE THEIR HOTEL THAT THEY SIGN AND PAY THEIR BILL WITHOUT LOOKING IT OVER — AND THAT’S JUST WHAT HOTELS ARE COUNTING ON. ALLOW YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO SURVEY THE CHARGES AND DISPUTE ANY THAT SEEM UNFAIR. YOU’LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THEM REMOVED FROM YOUR BILL IF YOU NEGOTIATE BEFORE YOU SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE.KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES THAT ALL HOTEL FEES BE CLEARLY DISCLOSED. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS IN THE FINE PRINT — SO READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF YOUR RESERVATIONS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY. IF YOU DISCOVER FEES AT CHECK-OUT THAT WEREN’T DISCLOSED TO YOU IN WRITING, POINT THEM OUT TO THE HOTEL STAFF AND ASK THEM TO BE REMOVED.Negotiating Low-Cost Hotels Increasingly it is best to call a hotel or book it online about a week or so ahead of time. If you are going to use a hotel chain like Motel 6 () where the costs are pretty much set, I’d book online at least 2-3 days ahead of time if possible.If you are dealing with most of the middle- and upper-cost hotel chains and all independent hotels, I’d first use a site like , , or and check to see their best deals. Then I’d call the hotel (use the local phone number instead of an 800 number) and ask if you can get “the lowest rate possible” or “a manager special.” If the clerk can’t give you a cheap price, ask to talk to the manager. Tell the staff if either: 1) you have always wanted to stay at that particular hotel; 2) you frequently stay at other hotels in that chain. About 60% of the time, you’ll find that the hotel will give you the best deal; or 3) you’ll be celebrating a special event while at the hotel. (I even had one student who admitted that she always told the clerks that she was celebrating her honeymoon in order to get discounts and upgrades). If you can’t find a good deal from the desk, ask for an upgrade and/or try to get an AAA or senior discount, if applicable. One of my students makes reservations for hotels ahead of time through a chain (like Super 8) and then tries calling “better” hotels on the day of her arrival to see if they will give her the same deal. She reports that about 70% of the time she is successful. I would suggest that if you try this technique that you ask if there is a penalty for canceling your reservation first. If you are dealing with an independent hotel outside of the U.S., you may not be able to make a reservation in advance. Many hotels don’t really take reservations. If you make a reservation by e-mail, don’t consider it as viable, unless the hotel responds with a confirmation. In many countries, you will get the best hotel deals by showing up, asking for a room, and asking for a discount (I find that simply saying that “I can’t afford that” normally works fairly well, unless it is during the high season). In Europe, you can find relatively inexpensive hotel rooms ($50-100 a night) at fairly nice hotels if you are willing to take a room without a bath. When I was in Bologna, Italy I searched all the hotel rooms listed in Let’s Go and Lonely Planet and found that the cheapest rooms in the city were all rooms without bath. (Note: this was not obvious in the listings.) I stayed at one hotel for a week for $50/night. (I got a 15% discount for staying one week). The room was very small (it reminded me a bit of a college dorm I once lived in) and it was a bit of a pain to have to go to the bathroom down the hall. However, there weren’t any other rooms available at this price in the downtown (the cheapest hotel with a bath was $90/night) and the hotel itself was very clean, attractive, and hospitable. Outside of the U.S., you’ll save a lot of money if you pick a room without air-conditioning. On the average, hotels in Asia, Latin America, and Europe will cost at least one-third less if air-conditioning is not included.If you can get a large group of people, rent a house (or even better exchange a home) and split the cost of the rental. In many places, particularly in off-the-beaten-path locations, you can rent a home that sleeps six or more people for not much more than a hotel room that sleeps two or three people. Not only will you save money by splitting the rental costs, but you’ll also have access to a kitchen which will reduce the costs of eating out. You can find possible rentals on Craig’s List (), Vacation Rentals by Owner () or simply “Googling” rentals in the area you want to visit. Within the U.S. always ask if hotels have any special rates for seniors, children, federal government employees, and AAA members. Keep in mind that you may be required to show proof that fit the right description to get these discounts. (I have, however, when I’ve asked for a discount, occasionally had hotel clerk offer me a discounted rate that did not technically apply to my situation.)You’ll also find that you can save money at hotels without an elevator. In the U.S. most municipalities require that any building three stories or taller has an elevator. In Europe many older buildings have up to six or seven stories without an elevator. Some of the cheapest hotels are in these buildings. The U.S. and Europe have several low-cost hotel chains scattered throughout rural and suburban communities. In the U.S. these chains are Motel Six (), Microtel (; free breakfast included, small but comfortable rooms, many fewer locations than Motel 6), and America’s Best Value Inn (750 locations, decent rooms, ). In Europe, the closest equivalent to these chains is Formule One ( -most locations cost between $45-$60 a night.) Ibis hotels sometimes have some good budget hotel rooms in suburban and rural European locations as well. (Often as low as $70 per night; ). The rooms in most of these chains do not vary much from location to location. For example, almost every Motel Six I’ve stayed at (and I have stayed at almost 50 different Motel Sixes) has almost the exact same furniture and bedspread. The only noticeable differences are whether the motel has an elevator or the rooms have a bath or shower.Yet, most of the rooms are comfortable. About the only complaints I have are: 1) the rooms can sometimes be a bit noisy and 2) the hotels are all located outside large cities.Try to stay overnight as little as possible in high-cost, urban places and spend as much time as you can in low cost rural areas. Two to three times a year I teach on weekends in Las Vegas. I have never found it easy to get a cheap room in the City so I plan my trip so that if I need to teach a class on Saturday morning that I stay overnight in a small, desert town, like Needles, Barstow, Baker, California or Beatty, Nevada and drive into Vegas on Saturday morning. I also try to leave as quickly as possible to save hotel costs.On the other hand, you’d be surprised how cheap hotels in some small, rural centers can be in the U.S. I have stayed in fairly clean and quiet, independently-owned, hotel rooms (though admittedly dated) in places like Needles for as little as $29/night. One of the best ways to save on expenses in Western countries and Mexico is camping. See Mike Church’s books The Traveler’s Guide to European Camping and The Traveler’s Guide to Camping Baja for more details. Even though it is long out of print, I would also recommend getting a copy of The People Guide’s to RV Camping in Mexico as well. Some of the cheapest and best campsites in the U.S.A are maintained by state parks departments, so I'd recommend checking out state park websites for more details. Farmstays, Monasteries, Bed and Breakfasts, and other Travel-like-a-LocalAccommodation ChoicesI frequently stay at Harbin Hot Springs, a spa in Middletown, California (30 minutes North of the Napa Valley). Harbin Hot Springs has a wonderful variety of pools and hot tubs available along with very comfortable accommodations. You can stay in their dorm for $35/night. They show movies nightly and have talks and discussions for free from time to time. The setting is very relaxing. Some people may have problems with the fact that the pools are clothing optional (). Similar options also exist at Breitenbush between Eugene and Portland, Oregon () where you can stay overnight in a dorm and have meals and participate in more activities than at Harbin for $60/night. I have read about a program that includes yoga classes, meals, and a dorm room at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California (about an hour north of Sacramento) for $65/night (). After visiting the sustainable, new age community of Arcosanti in Arizona, I’d love to stay in one of their cheap rooms () or take one of their reasonable workshops about sustainable living ($1350 for a five-week class including meals and accommodations). Findhorn in Scotland provides similar sustainable living classes ( – a week with meals, classes and accommodations costs around $750-$1000.)FOOD. Happy hours are a blessing for dedicated budget travelers. While I was in Bologna, Italy, I noticed that students from the University would walk around the town searching for the bar with the best happy hour spread so I followed them. I ate some very good risottos, cold cuts, and pasta dishes for the cost of a single drink (usually about $5). No one seemed to care how much I ate. Don’t eat where a lot of tourists congregate. Yes, you will find multilingual menus and waiters. However, you will usually also find either high cost, mediocre food or poor quality, lower-cost grub. (Note: In many of these restaurants, you’ll see a professionally prepared sign with pictures of dishes outside a restaurant. Usually this means that the dishes in picture are probably mass-produced, frozen meals. Keep in mind, however, that this often doesn’t apply to Asian restaurants. Many of these restaurants have photos inside their menu to help foreigner visitors identify and order food.) Go a few blocks away and the food choices will be a better value. Or better yet seek out restaurants listed in guidebooks, walk around looking for busy restaurants with many locals, or just ask any locals you meet for suggestions. If you want gourmet food, wait until you visit smaller towns, suburbs, or out of the way, inner-city neighborhoods that don’t get many tourists. One of the best gourmet meals I ever ate was a seven-course extravaganza in Blois, France. While it was certainly not cheap (over $100 for three people in 1990), it would have cost $150 in a similar quality restaurant in Paris.Watch where locals eat within a restaurant. In some countries, like Italy, you’ll notice that a lot of people eat standing up at a bar. Why do they do that? Quite simply, you pay half standing up for food and drink at many establishments there than if you sit down. You may also pay more to sit outside in a plaza with a view than inside the same restaurant!Bars can be a great friend to budget travelers. Many bars serve low-cost and tasty sandwiches, pastries, and other filling dishes. In fact, a truly budget conscious traveler looking to save money in Europe will probably eat more meals at bars than anywhere else.Fast food is also a great tool in the budget traveler’s arsenal. Most Americans think of fast food as McDonald and other chain restaurants. Yet, there are dozens of other fast food places, some are chains, but most are local places. Often this fast food can be quite good. In Italy, for example, most fast food pizza parlors have excellent fare prepared with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Northern Europe is filled with Turkish fast food joints serving good quality doner-kebab (pressed lamb with vegetable and yogurt sauce placed in pita bread) and falafel (a chick pea patty) sandwiches. In Poland, look for milk bars (small cafeterias) which serve good, inexpensive cabbage rolls and other local specialties. The U.S. has many great fast food places. In fact, I think the best part about eating in Chicago and Los Angeles are these city’s fantastic selections of fast food dives. (Check out Johnnie’s for Beef in Chicago or the Apple Pan in West Los Angeles). I am a particular fan of some of the Indian fast food I’ve enjoyed in the developed world. Some of the best food in England (and increasingly in the U.S.) is offered at Indian fast food joints. If possible, search out Southern Indian food. I prefer it over Northern Indian food. The South Indian food sold at hawker’s courts (food courts) throughout Singapore is some of my favorite food on this planet.Buy food from the market and eat it in your hotel room or, better yet, make a picnic out of it. Chances are that if you are traveling in an area known for its good quality food, it won’t be hard to find a great gourmet market, or even a supermarket, with good local grub. When I am in Napa Valley, California, for example, I get all my meals from the local supermarkets. The delis in these markets have amazing well prepared, innovating salads and pastas. In addition, if you have access to a kitchen, you can always save a bundle by buying food at the market and preparing it there. (This is one of the great advantages to home exchanges).One of the great joys of traveling in Europe is the low cost of alcohol in many restaurants. While food in Southern Europe and France is quite expensive, you’ll find that their house wine is usually a good deal. You’ll often spend less for a half-liter of house wine in Italy or France than for a glass of wine in the U.S. and the quality of these house wines can be quite good. (I particularly like some of the house, Lambrusco wines I’ve had in restaurants in the Emiglia-Romagna area of Italy.)Look for inexpensive, set price menus. I have found that the best of these menus are in Latin America. For a couple of bucks, you’ll find some great set meals –sometimes even including a shot of tequila and flan (custard)- in Mexico (called the “Comida Corrida”). The Costa Rican equivalent – called a “Casado” or married man special – feature rice, beans, vegetables, fried plantains, and stewed meats.Avoid eating in places where you are a captive consumer. You’ll always pay a premium to eat food at a game, festival, or other special events and you’ll usually pay more to eat on a train. I even spend $10 for a simple sandwich on a train in Italy. That said, this practice is fairly rare in the EMERGING. I’ve had some good sandwiches, fruit, and snack on board buses (and at roadside stops) and at special events in Latin America for reasonable prices. Check out large supermarkets (often at the bottom of department stores) and large, membership, big box stores (like Price Club and Costco) for cheap, quick (and usually fairly tasty) eats. In the U.S. you can get a hot dog and soft drink at Costco for less than most fast food restaurants charge for the drink alone. Many extreme budget travelers even prowl these stores for free samples of food. I have met some people who even make whole meals out of these samples. I even once read a story of a man who traveled around Japan for a month and ate all of his dinners and lunches from samples! Ask the price of drinks before you order and check your bill carefully. Often, particularly in Southeast Asia, waiters will try to tack an expensive foreign cocktail that you did not order onto your bill. Other times, they will ask you if you want to order water, for example, and then add a gigantic charge for the water to your bill. I have frequently in Europe paid more for a bottle of water in a restaurant than a bottle of local wine or beer. Make sure ahead of time if you have to pay extra for rice, bread, service, taxes, or a cover charge before you order. Once at a Chinese restaurant in Gdansk, Poland I spent more for rice than the rest of the meal (including soup and dessert)! In addition, in many countries you have to pay a cover charge (in Italy for example, you typically have to pay 2-3 Euros cover charge (coppertop) at most restaurants. In many countries you have to pay a service charge in some restaurants and not in others. (In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, the majority of higher quality restaurants charge a service fee. In Italy it is only rarely added to the bill in a few highly touristy restaurants). In a few countries, like Nicaragua, taxes are sometimes extra, like in the U.S. In most countries, however, you don’t have to pay taxes. I have never been to a restaurant outside of the U.S. where you could not find out if you had to pay taxes by reading the menu.Find out what the local tipping traditions are like in your destination. In some countries, like Costa Rica, if tips are not included on the bill, you are still expected to provide one, unless the service is bad. In other countries, like Italy, tips are usually not expected. Most guidebooks indicate the local traditions. In addition, locals will usually be able to tell you about tipping traditions in your location. (In most countries where tips are not included, you still should leave a small amount if you like the service. Usually this extra tip is equivalent to 2-5% of the bill. (Most commonly people just “round up” the tip. In other words, if the bill was $19.00, they’ll leave a $20 bill and let the waiter (waitress) keep the extra $1.) Make it a point to find and try inexpensive, local specialties at your destination. When you look at guidebooks, you’ll find a discussion of the most popular local dishes. Once you’ve found these dishes, look for them on menus and try them out. It’s a fun way to try local flavors and many times the dishes can be found cheaply in market stalls and other fast food like places. I enjoy watching the Travel Channel’s No Reservation show with Anthony Bourdain because the host finds such intriguing, cheap, popular dishes at local “dives”.In much of the world, a menu in a restaurant is merely a list of what the cook and the owner think that they can prepare. If you are outside of the tourist areas ask the waiter “What is there, today?” (in Spanish, Que hay?). Don’t be afraid to ask them, “What do you recommend?” Many times, they will answer honestly. Often, you’ll find wonderful dishes that aren’t even on the menu.In much of Latin America, find busy lunch places offering a comida corrida (a running lunch). The comida corrida is a four to five course meal that usually costs between $2-5. The food is quickly prepared and presented and thus usually quite safe to eat. Even if you visit a fancy restaurant, you’ll find these meals for less than the price of a typical entrée.Go where people of the nationality featured in the restaurant hang out. Almost anywhere you find Chinese people (they are obsessed with good food) will have the best Chinese food in town. One of the best Mexican restaurants I ever ate at was a small Mexican fish restaurant in Chicago. I went there after a tour of the Pilsen neighborhood (an area that in the 1900s was all Czech, but today is half Puerto Rican and half Mexican) with a group of college students. I knew it would be great when we got there and discovered that no one spoke English and the place did not even have an English language menu!SIGHTSEEINGOrientation Tours (such as Hop-on and off, Gray Line, Harbor cruises) are sometime worth the time and money and other times not. Hop-on and off bus tours stop at most of the tourist sites within a city ( provides links to over one-hundred such tours worldwide. I have seen tours in places that are not included on the website, however. Most hop-on hop-off tours cost between $15-$30.). Tickets on these buses are good for an entire day and you can stop whenever you want. There is usually a multi-lingual soundtrack that you can hear using earphones that explains what you are seeing between the stops Hop-on and off bus tours are useful when you have only one day in the city and want to visit a couple of sights along the way (particularly if it is a bit hard to reach otherwise). As a whole they depart only once an hour, so if you get off the bus you need to be sure that the site is worth an hour time to explore. (Since the last trip is usually in the early evening, you also need to board the buses early in the day if you want to make stops along the way). They provide a decent orientation to the city but most of the time the sound track is out-of-sync with what you are seeing at the time. Many hop-on and off buses have more than one route. If that is the case, unless you want to make a lot of stops, take all the routes since it usually doesn’t cost anymore. Most people just stick to the most popular route even though the commentary is usually more interesting on the less popular routes and these less popular routes visit places that you probably would not see otherwise. (Usually the most popular routes have lots of stops in a small downtown area which does not allow you to hear much commentary). I would recommend, however, that you take a bus tour led by a human guide over a hop-on and off type tour. (Gray Line, usually gives a fairly good tour.) It is nice to be able to ask questions and generally you get more useful information for a person than an audio track. In addition to that, you will be able to better see what the guide is talking about. I have never been on a harbor cruise with a sound-track that was worthwhile. The sound-tracks are usually almost impossible to hear over the engine, waves, etc. When you can hear the commentary, it is usually poorly done anyway. I have, however, been on many harbor cruises with human guides that were very informative and fun. (In fact, as a whole, I prefer cruises over bus tours).In several smaller, tourist towns in the U.S., I have taken Pink or Lavender Jeep Tours and enjoyed them all. The commentary is generally given by passionate locals and because there aren’t many other tourists aboard, you are able to ask a lot of questions and get to know the other guests well.As a whole, however, I have found that walking tours provide a better tour experience than any of the bus or harbor cruise tours. Many cities have fantastic short walking tours that will really give you sense of the City’s history and culture better. [I have taken fantastic tours in Bologna (through the Tourist Office), Los Angeles (Red Line Tours, , one to two-hour tours of Downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood, $20, and the Los Angeles Conservancy (), excellent architectural tours of Downtown Los Angeles, San Pedro, and several other LA neighborhoods. $10, though you can get free tours with membership), San Francisco (City Guides, , provides 30 free tours, most offered at least once a week), Chicago (Chicago Architectural Foundation, cost $10-$60, however, you can go on many tours for free if you become a member, Membership is $40 for out-of-town residents. ), Florence (3-hour tours of the history and architecture, ). I have also heard good comments about the 92nd Street YMCA’s walking tours of New York City.]Call small local and regional theatres (not the home of blockbuster plays), movie festivals, conferences, fundraising and other events and ask them if they need ushers or volunteers. Many theaters and associations will give you a free (or almost free) ticket in exchange for your services. Some will even let a friend in free, as well. This is a particularly good idea if you want to go to a conference, since you will almost always get admission for free and will have a great opportunity, through your volunteer work, to meet the conference attendees.Most museums have one day a month (sometimes once a week) where admission is free or substantially reduced. Many cities have a lot of free attractions and tours if you look. Capital cities in Western countries (particularly London and Washington DC) have many free sights. One of my favorite things to do if I can find a cheap airfare (I live in California) is to visit Washington DC because the sightseeing is almost entirely free, the metro makes almost everything easily accessible, and the hostels are cheap. I once spent four days in Washington DC for $130 including accommodations, meals, and sights! One of the best books anywhere for finding a list of free things to do in the U.S. and Europe is You Can Travel Free by Robert Kirk. Kirk lists over 50 free attractions in London and 100 in New York City. Check to find out if your destination has any coupon booklets available. Almost every community in the United States has a coupon booklet, often called an Entertainment Booklet that allows you to get one free meal if you buy one meal at regular price and good hotel and travel discounts. Some booklets have hotel discount coupons that are useful throughout the U.S., most discounts however are locally-based. You can usually find these Entertainment Booklets at banks, bookstores, and schools for around $20 to $30. You can also order them on-line at .Many cities have passes that will allow you to go to any of hundreds of places for one set fee for a particular time frame. In New York the City Pass cost $79. It covers ten different attractions (regularly a $139 value) and transportation and is good for up to nine days. See HYPERLINK "" for more information on some of these programs in the U.S. In Europe, you can find out information at many Visitors’ Bureaus or by reading Rick Steves’ Guidebooks.The best tours are usually the ones that attract the fewest number of participants. Generally, tour companies only keep their least popular tours because the company and their guides are passionate about the topic. In addition, these tours usually attract tour participants who are more worldly and interesting than the rest of the cruise participants. Without a doubt, the best cruise ship tour I ever took was an eight hour highlight tour of the island of Corsica that only had ten other participants. The guide was a native Corsican, who lived in the U.S. for 20 years before returning home. When I talked her after the tour, I told her how much I loved the tour. To which she replied, “I love leading it, too. We don’t make much money off this tour, but, everyone seems to love it.” I had a similar experience on a tour of Elizabeth Taylor’s Puerto Vallarta.Watch out for free and low cost guided tours. I also have a booklet and class about hidden tours of California (Seeing Gold: A Guide to Hundreds of Tours of California's Best Museums, Neighborhoods, Factories, Architecture, Historic Homes and Lighthouses). Researching this book, I have met wonderful people, learned to appreciate the history and culture of my home state, and found dozens of things interesting (including winemaking and molecular physics) that I never thought would interest me at all. Perhaps, more importantly, I’ve found that these tours are one of the best ways to learn a lot about a place in a short period of time. The variety of the tours is astonishing. I have visited everything from salt ponds to neighborhoods to factory to dams to movie studios to lighthouses. (I have been on almost 300 tours over the last eight years.) Almost half of the tours were free. The majority of the rest of these tours were less than $10. Probably one-third of the time I was the only participant on the tours. Seldom have I been on tour with more than ten participants. (Note: I hope to develop similar guidebooks and classes about tours in other parts of the U.S. (maybe even the world). As part of this goal, I have been on several tours, particularly in Oahu, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, and Wisconsin. If you are interested in tour suggestions for these areas, send me an e-mail at travelwithpaul@.) Don’t live (or plan to travel) in California, but want to know about these options in your area? Here are some great ways to find tours on your own: ? Ask the guests on tours for their suggestions. ? Contact Chambers of Commerce, Visitors’ Bureaus, and Tourism Information Offices (excellent resource in Europe). ? Look for tour listings in major guidebooks. I have found Let’s Go, Rick Steves, and Lonely Planet to be particularly useful in this regard. In the U.S. you can find tours by: ? Checking out guidebooks that are written to help parents plan outings for their kids. ? Reading the ample list of attractions in the Insiders’ Guide (Pequot Press) and City Smart (Avalon Publications) guidebook series will help you find many attractions with tours in your area; and ? Picking up brochures at tourist information displays at hotels, motels, and local attractions and look for attractions that include guide tours.LAUNDRY- ADD NEW SECTIONTRAVELING LIKE A LOCAL TRAVEL BETTER, CHEAPER, LONGERR COMMUNITYMEDIA SCHOOLFROM INTERNET, REVISEHOW TO USE THE SHARING ECONOMY TO TRAVEL ON A BUDGETTHE INTERNET HAS CHANGED TRAVEL. THOUGH NOT ALWAYS FOR THE BETTER (ONE JUST NEEDS TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE CHECKING FACEBOOK IN A HOSTEL TO AGREE), IT HAS ALLOWED PEOPLE TO SHARE, CONNECT, AND COLLABORATE IN WAYS THAT HAVEN’T BEEN POSSIBLE – EVEN JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.AND, FOR BUDGET TRAVELERS AND CULTURE ENTHUSIASTS, THIS CHANGE HAS BEEN TERRIFIC. THE RISE OF THE SHARING ECONOMY ON THE INTERNET HAS BEEN A BOON FOR TRAVELERS AS IT ALLOWS US TO SAVE MONEY, CONNECT WITH LOCALS EASIER, GET OFF THE TOURIST TRAVEL, AND SEE THE LOCAL PACE OF LIFE BETTER! IT MAKES THE TRAVEL IDEAL SO MUCH MORE ATTAINABLE.WITH HUNDREDS OF STARTUPS COMING AND GOING IN THE NEW TRAVEL SHARING ECONOMY, HERE ARE SOME TOP-NOTCH SITES AND SERVICES (SOME OLD, SOME NEW) THAT YOU CAN USE TO TRAVEL CHEAP AND CONNECT WITH LOCALS:HOSPITALITY NETWORKSHOSPITALITY NETWORKS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES BUT WERE REALLY POPULARIZED WITH THE CREATION OF COUCHSURFING. FOUNDED IN 2004, THIS OLD STANDBY REALLY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE WEB. IT CONNECTS TRAVELERS WITH LOCALS WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE THEM A FREE PLACE TO STAY (COUCH, ROOM, FLOOR, ETC.) AND GET A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE ON A DESTINATION. IT’S MEANT TO BE USED AS A FORM OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND IS USED BY TRAVELERS OF ALL AGES (AND FAMILIES TOO!). IT POPULARIZED HOSPITALITY NETWORKS AND, WITH 7 MILLION MEMBERS, IS NOW THE BIGGEST. NOT ONLY THAT, IT IS A VALUE RESOURCE TO MEET UP WITH LOCALS (YOU WILL FIND A LOT OF GROUP MEET-UPS ON THE WEBSITE) EVEN IF YOU DON’T PLAN ON STAYING WITH SOMEONE.SIMILAR SERVICES INCLUDE:BE WELCOMEHOSPITALITY CLUBGLOBAL FREELOADERSFOR CYCLISTS, CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE WARM SHOWERS, WHICH IS A FREE HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE FOR CYCLISTS.APARTMENT RENTALSHOTELS ARE EXPENSIVE AND MAYBE HOSTELS AREN’T YOUR THING, SO WHAT’S THE NEXT BEST CHOICE? RENTING SOMEONE’S APARTMENT (OR A ROOM IN IT)! ON APARTMENT SHARING/RENTAL WEBSITES, YOU CAN RENT A ROOM, COUCH, OR WHOLE APARTMENT AT MUCH CHEAPER RATES THAN A HOTEL ROOM. PLUS, YOU’LL HAVE A LOCAL HOST TO SHOW YOU AROUND AND A KITCHEN TO PREPARE MEALS. IT’S THE BEST MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN HOSTELS (AND COUCHSURFING) AND HOTELS. I THINK AIRBNB OFFERS THE MOST ROBUST INVENTORY FOR FINDING A SPOT IN SOMEONE’S HOUSE, AND I PREFER THEM THE MOST, THOUGH IT’S IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS CHECK ALL THE RENTAL SITES, BECAUSE, UNLIKE HOTEL SITES WHERE PROPERTIES APPEAR OVER MULTIPLE WEBSITES, LISTINGS ARE AT THE OWNER’S DISCRETION AND SOME OWNERS LIST THEIR PROPERTY ON ONLY ONE SITE.? (IF YOU’RE NEW TO AIRBNB,?GET $35 OFF?YOUR FIRST STAY!)SIMILAR SERVICES INCLUDE:WIMDUROOMORAMACAMP IN MY GARDENCAMP IN MY GARDEN IS A UK-BASED WEBSITE STARTED IN APRIL 2011 THAT IS SLOWLY EXPANDING AROUND THE WORLD. ITS SIMPLE PREMISE: CONNECT CAMPERS TO PEOPLE WHO LET THEM CAMP IN THEIR BACKYARDS FOR A SMALL FEE. YOU HAVE TO BRING YOUR OWN CAMPING GEAR, BUT MOST PROPERTIES WILL LET YOU USE THEIR FACILITIES (NO PEEING BEHIND A BUSH!). LOCATIONS ARE FOUND PREDOMINANTLY IN THE UK AND EUROPE, BUT THE SITE IS GAINING TRACTION AROUND THE WORLD.GOT AN RV THAT NEEDS PARKING? CHECK OUT RV WITH ME, WHICH FINDS CHEAP PARKING AND OVERNIGHT SOLUTIONS FOR RV OWNERS!EAT WITH LOCALSTHIS RELATIVELY NEW WEBSITE ALLOWS YOU TO EAT HOME COOKED MEAL WITH LOCALS. EATWITH LETS LOCALS POST LISTINGS FOR DINNER PARTIES AND SPECIALTY MEALS THAT PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR. THERE IS A FEE (EVERYONE SETS THEIR OWN PRICE) AND YOU CAN PICK FROM A VARIETY OF MEALS (DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PERSON WANTS TO COOK). THE DINNER PARTIES ARE SMALL AND A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, PICK A LOCAL’S BRAIN, AND MAKE A NEW FRIEND.SIMILAR SERVICES INCLUDE:EAT WITH A LOCALMEAL SHARINGCOLUNCHINGGET A CHEAPER TAXI!NEED A RIDE? CHECK OUT LYFT AND GET LOCALS TO PICK YOU AND DROP YOU OFF WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. IT’S ABOUT 30% CHEAPER THAN A TAXI, THOUGH RATES ARE “SUGGESTED” DONATIONS AND THE COMPANIES TAKE A COMMISSION. I PREFER IT TO UBER SINCE THEY DON’T HAVE AS HIGH SURGE PRICING (I.E., INCREASED RATES DURING BUSY TIMES), IT’S NOT A CAR RENTAL SERVICE, AND IT’S LESS FORMAL – THE DRIVERS ARE MORE INCLINED TO INTERACT WITH YOU AND SHARE WHAT’S GOING ON THE AREA! THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT LYFT IS ONLY BASED IN THE US RIGHT NOW WHILE UBER IS GLOBAL.SHARE SOMEONE’S CARNEED A CAR FOR A FEW HOURS? RENT SOMEONE ELSE’S. GETAROUND ALLOWS YOU TO RENT PEOPLE’S UNUSED CARS BY THE HOUR. RENTERS AND OWNERS ARE VETTED BY THE COMPANY, WHICH ALSO INSURES BOTH PARTIES IN CASE AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS. IT’S A GOOD, CHEAP ALTERNATIVE TO MORE TRADITIONAL CAR RENTAL SERVICES. RATES START AT $7 PER HOUR. THE DOWNSIDE TO THIS WEBSITE IS THAT IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN A HANDFUL OF US CITIES. A MORE ESTABLISHED SERVICE IS ZIPCAR, THOUGH THEY ARE BASED MOSTLY IN US CITIES.SIMILAR SERVICES INCLUDE:CARHOPPER (MOSTLY FLORIDA)DRIVY?(MOSTLY FRANCE)RV SHARE (FOR MOTORHOMES AND RVS)TRAILER MADE (FOR TRAILERS AND CAMPER VANS)SHARE A RIDE!A GROWING TREND IS TO SHARE RIDES WITH PEOPLE. I USED THIS WHEN I WAS IN SWITZERLAND (IT’S SUPER COMMON IN EUROPE THESE DAYS) INSTEAD OF TAKING THE TRAIN. I SHARED A RIDE WITH A FATHER DROPPING OFF HIS SON TO COLLEGE AND JOINED FOR PART OF THE WAY. DRIVERS ARE VETTED AND VERIFIED AND IT’S A MUCH BETTER WAY TO GET OUT OF STUFFY TRAINS AND BUSES, MEET INTERESTING CHARACTERS, AND TAKE A MINI-ROAD TRIP. IT’S ONE OF MY PREFERRED METHODS OF TRAVEL. THE BIGGEST PLAYER IN THIS SPACE IS BLABLACAR, WHICH IS HUGE AROUND EUROPE AND A COUPLE OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. IF YOU’RE TRAVELING, DEFINITELY LOOK THEM (OR A SIMILAR SERVICE) UP. IT WILL SAVE YOU A TON OF MONEY AND YOU’LL HAVE A MUCH MORE INTERESTING TIME!SOME OTHER GOOD RIDESHARING COMPANIES:RIDESTER?(US-BASED)RIDEPOST?(MOSTLY US-BASED)LIFTSHARE (BASED IN THE UK)GUMTREE (UK/AUSTRALIA/NZ)KANGARIDE (CANADA)ROADMATE (NZ)SHARE YOUR RIDE (GLOBAL)RENT ANYTHING YOU NEEDNEED A TENT FOR THE DAY? A BIKE? A LADDER? SKIS? A BEACH CHAIR FOR A FEW HOURS? RENT IT FROM PEOPLE WHO AREN’T USING THEIRS. INSTEAD OF BUYING NEW PRODUCTS, TEMPORARILY RENT PEOPLE’S UNUSED STUFF AT A LOWER RATE. IT’S CHEAPER THAN BUYING SOMETHING YOU MAY ONLY NEED ONCE OR TWICE ON THE ROAD AND CREATES LESS WASTE. WEBSITES THAT FACILITATE THIS SERVICE ALLOW YOU TO TRAVEL A LOT LIGHTER.SOME RENTING SERVICES INCLUDE:?ZILOKRENTOID (AUSTRALIA-BASED)GET A PERSONAL TOUR GUIDEWANT TO TAKE A TOUR WITH A LOCAL EXPERT? CONNECT WITH LOCAL GUIDES AND HIRE THEM FOR UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THROUGH THE WEBSITE VAYABLE. A RATING SYSTEM FOR THE GUIDES ALLOWS YOU TO KNOW IN ADVANCE IF THE GUIDE OR TOUR IS WORTH YOUR TIME. I ENJOY THIS SITE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO EXPERIENCE NICHE, OFFBEAT, AND INTERESTING TOURS THAT BIGGER TOUR COMPANIES MIGHT NOT RUN (LIKE A STREET ART TOUR IN LOS ANGELES). PLUS, THE GROUPS TEND TO BE VERY SMALL, MAKING FOR A MORE INTIMATE EXPERIENCE.SIMILAR SERVICES INCLUDE:RENT-A ADVENTURE LOCALTHE RISE OF “THE SHARING ECONOMY” HAS MADE IT SO MUCH EASIER FOR PEOPLE (ESPECIALLY TRAVELERS) AROUND THE WORLD TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. PEOPLE CAN NOW ADVERTISE AND PROMOTE THEIR LOCAL SERVICES AND KNOWLEDGE THAT ALLOW TRAVELERS BETTER ACCESS TO DESTINATIONS, PEOPLE, AND SERVICES IN A WAY THAT SAVES A LOT OF MONEY AND CREATES A MORE UNIQUE AND INTIMATE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE.If someone were to ask me what I think are the most important rules to traveling cheaply, consistently, I’d say Traveling in Cheap Places (in Latin America, Asia, and Africa; see Rule 3, Chapter 2 for details) and Exchanging, Volunteering, and Studying (also known as “alternative travel”, see Chapter 7 for more details). There are simply no better ways to save money and travel comfortably while experiencing the world and learning a lot about yourself.Nonetheless I realize that many students want to travel to expensive countries, particularly in Europe, and don’t want to participate in alternative travel options yet they need to travel cheaply. How can they do that? The key is making a few changes (some might call them sacrifices) to the way they travel. If one is willing to make some changes, I believe almost anyone can visit even expensive places, like the U.S. and Western Europe, quite inexpensively and comfortably (less than $100 a day, excluding airfare). There is no magic formula which says make this change, this change, and this change, and you’ll be a budget traveler. Some changes will work for some people and not for others. I would encourage you, however, to keep an open mind. Some changes that I thought would be difficult to make in the past seem easier to me now, and vice-versa. However, I think, like me, you’ll find that if you try a couple of cost saving ideas each time you travel, over time, you’ll find the right mixture that works for you.That said, the easiest and most effective way to save serious money is to concentrate on finding cheap or free accommodations. Hotel rooms consume around 30-60% of most travelers’ budgets. That is why, in addition to the changes I suggest you consider in this section, I would encourage you to consider home and hospitality exchanges and homestays (Chapter 7). I like to think of the budget saving techniques like a menu. Sometimes you decide to save on accommodations so that you can spend more on food. Other times, you scrimp and save on transportation so that you can spend more on sightseeing. Still others, you make small changes to every part of your budget, so that you can save moneyAt first some of the changes may seem a bit difficult. You may think things like “I am on vacation, why should I eat fast food or stay in a hostel?” To which I would reply, if one of the main reason you want to travel is to enjoy gourmet food or stay in fine lodgings, do so, and find some other area to save money. If not, make some changes so that you can save your money to travel more often, stay in places longer period of time, or enjoy experiences that matter more to you.I believe that ultimately everyone will find some changes that don’t work for them. For example, I’ve found it hard to scrimp when it comes to sightseeing and easy to take advantage of cheaper accommodation choices. I travel to learn and find that it is worth it to me to pay some money for information that helps me to appreciate what I am seeing. Otherwise, I fall quickly to “Church Overload Syndrome” (discussed later in this chapter). On the other hand, I don’t care that much about where I sleep as long as it is clean.What is traveling-like-a-local?Travel-like-a-local is about the attitude you adopt on the road. It is about being a participant, rather than a spectator, in a new place. It involves slowing down enough to get involved in another way of life, even if it is for a short time. No matter how you travel, you can do it like a local if you take pains to seek out ways to reach out to other people along the way. What are some basic ways to travel-like-a-local? Here are a few suggestions:stay in locals’ homeslearn another language or cultural activity at a school in another country.share your interests and hobbies with locals.volunteer to work in local social service and environmental organizations.visit local marketplaces and craft studios.read local papers (most major cities and tourist communities have English language papers. For a list of these papers, see world-)ride public transportation anduse local services like dry cleaning and hair salons. You can travel-like-a-local independently or as part of an established program. Later, you will learn about many ways that you can study, volunteer, and live for a short period of time in another country through established programs. However, you do not have to join a program to interact with the local environment as long as you travel slowly, use local services, and reach out to people who live in your destination.You do not have to have a lot of time or money to travel-like-a-local. You can travel as a volunteer or student for a couple weeks for $30 a day. You can also stay in luxury and still interact with your environment. It is all up to you.The Traveling-like-a-Local PhilosophyIf you delve deeply into the changes that you can make to save money, you’ll find that they all have one thing in common – they encourage you to travel like the locals do. Americans, as a rule, have more disposable income than anywhere else on Earth. Most people have to do more with less. Ask yourself, how do the Italians or Spaniards live? The average income for these people is generally 20-30% less than the typically America and most of their services cost 30-40% more than in the U.S. Yet, many travelers wax poetically about the Southern European’s seemingly luxurious lifestyle.How do they live so luxuriously on such little disposal income? They do so by adopting the way they live to their economic realities. The good news is that, because these people have to live within their means, there are many options available for you to travel in their countries for less. In addition, you’ll also find that locals will help you discover cost saving tips for traveling in their communities.(Note: Most travelers in the EMERGING will end up using services frequented by locals who are fairly well-off by local standards. The bulk of people will be riding on “chicken” buses and eating at street stalls. I would encourage you to join them sometimes. You’ll meet some great people and see a new way of life. That said, I would only recommend planning your trip around using these services if you are very adventurous. It can quickly become physically and emotionally draining.) The Menu of Budget Travel OptionsAs I mentioned earlier, I think that the key to traveling cheaply is selecting a variety of cost savings ideas from a menu. So, I have formatted the rest of this chapter like a menu. It is divided into six different subsections: Ground Transportation, Food, Sightseeing, Accommodations, Communications, and Money. (Note: See Chapters 3 and 4 for ideas on air transportation savings).Pick and choose the budget saving ideas that work best for you. Advantages of Traveling-like-a-LocalAdvantage #1: Traveling-like-a-Local is one of the Safest Ways to See the Planet.Since traveling-like-a-local allows you to integrate into your environment, you will usually be quite safe during your experience. Think about it for a while and the safety advantages will become clear. Here’s a few that spring to my mind:You don’t stick out like a sore thumb. You live where locals do, use their transportation and services. As you become comfortable in your new “home away from home”, you start to look less and less out of place. Thieves search their environment for people who look out of place or vulnerable. As you look more at home, they’ll pass you on for other tourists who seem more out of the environment. Locals will look out for you. Since you are not confined to spending your time with your fellow travelers, you’ll seem more approachable to local residents. As they get to know you, they’ll help you avoid places and things that may get you in trouble. You’ll be surprised how often even people you don’t know that well, like local store owners, will remember you and help you out particularly if you try to speak their language and seem interested in them. Generally people are proud of their hometown and like to give visitors a good impression.You’ll be more aware of your surroundings. You will find yourself slowly becoming interested in small things that make your new home away from home different (and similar) to life at home. In this process, you’ll become innately aware of what’s going on around you. After awhile, you’ll also find yourself developing the ability to instinctively scan the scene in your neighborhood and notice things that seem out of place and may be potentially troublesome.You’ll stay out of the tourist ghetto. People who are looking to take advantage of tourists work in areas where there are a lot of big hotels and tourist attractions. By living like a local, you are more likely to hang out in local neighborhoods. As a rule, you’ll seldom be bothered by people who are looking to take advantage of travelers in these neighborhoods. If you’re living in someone’s home, your hosts will help you to be a safer traveler. They’ll tell you places and activities to avoid. If God forbid something happens, they’ll try to help you out of a sense of responsibility and friendship. Remember your hosts want you to be safe. They do not want you to get in trouble under their watch. The rest of their society will assume that you are, to some degree, under their care. If something bad happens to you, it may reflect upon them (in some countries, they may even incur some legal repercussions). They are taking a risk by inviting you into their homes. How do they know, after all, that you are not a troublemaker?The Kindness of StrangersDuring New Years in 1989, my parents and I went to Rome, Italy as part of an inexpensive independent package tour.One day, we took a taxi back to our hotel. A few minutes after my mom got out of the cab, she realized that her purse had slipped off her shoulder and that her purse was still somewhere in the cab. Panicking, since the purse contained all of our travel documents, tickets, and money (I would recommend that you put these things in different places), my mother reported her missing purse to our hotel’s concierge. He shrugged and said nonchalantly, “You never know, your purse might show up.” After about ten minutes, the taxi cab driver returned to our hotel with my mother’s purse in tow. Ecstatic my mother reached inside her pocketbook and prepared a tip to the driver for returning the purse. I noticed that she was about to give the driver around a hundred dollars in lira. I said to my mom, “Why are you giving him so much?” My mom replied, “He saved our vacation.” I shut up because I realized my mom was right. He saved us countless hours and a lot of money and he deserved to be compensated for helping us so much. When my mom gave the driver the tip he said, “That’s too much.” My mom answered, “It’s OK.” The driver quickly reached out and gave my mom a big sloppy kiss before departing.Advantage #2: Traveling-like-a-Local is one of the most Comfortable Ways to See the Globe.Most people find traveling-like-a-local to be very comfortable for a variety of reasons including:You don’t have to adhere to a daily schedule established by a cruise ship or tour company. You can decide your own pace. By traveling-like-a-local, you can also avoid continually packing and repacking. Once you’ve reached your destination, you’ll put your things away for awhile. Staying in one place for a while helps you to relax. You are not moving around a lot. You don’t have to pack and unpack bags. You will also avoid the “if it is Tuesday, it must be Belgium” syndrome. The places that you visit will not blend into each other. Plus, you’ll avoid getting overloaded by new images and stimuli.You quickly begin to feel at home in even the most exotic locale. You participate actively in the daily life of your new home. You try out local bakeries, restaurants, and shops. You attend plays, concerts, and shows. You spend time just ambling around and absorbing new sights and sounds. Your hosts will usually go out of their way for you to be comfortable. Even if their primary motivation is financial, chances are they want to learn about the rest of the planet or else they wouldn’t go through the time and trouble to have you in their home. Keep in mind: they have to work to have you as a guest in their home (such as arranging for clean linens, cleaning their homes, etc.). Over time, if they like you, your hosts will start to include you in their life by inviting you to meet their friends and to accompany them to social events or on errands. If you’re living in someone else’s home, you’ll have easy access to cooking facilities, phones and internet connections. Sometimes, particularly if you exchange homes, you may be able to use someone else’s car. You’ll have an opportunity to set a daily routine in a new destination that is completely determined by your own interests and time table. You’ll get to know the locals. People will go out of their way to make your experiences enjoyable if you give them half a chance. If you’re staying in someone’s home you may get to know their friends and neighbors. Sometimes, you will even be invited out to a party or a wedding.If you’re involved in home exchange, you’ll almost always live in a very comfortable home. Most home exchangers have lovely homes and they work hard to ensure that the home is clean and maintained prior to the exchange. In addition, most exchangers make arrangements for you to get to know your new neighbors. Several close friendships have formed between neighbors and home exchangers.On cruises and tours, you spend a lot of money on transportation because you are constantly traveling. You also pay more for everything on a tour or cruise because you are always paying for the overhead in their home office, which is usually located in a high cost, first world location. Even when you are away from the tour or cruise, you pay more for local restaurants and souvenirs because: it is hard to find inexpensive, local places quickly.you are inhibited because you don't know the language and culture so you seek out familiar services.tour guides may take you to places that give them a commission.expensive places are easy to find and well-advertised oryou are rushed so you follow the tourist hordes (even backpackers often pay more than they should because they stay at the same (often overpriced) accommodations as other travelers).Traveling-like-a-local allows you to save money by taking advantage of the local economy. Since you’ll have some time in one place, you’ll be able to get advice from locals about friendly neighborhood restaurants, tours, and entertainment. You’ll also be able to take the time to learn where the best services are located.In many parts of the planet, you can travel-like-a-local for $25-50 a day in comfort easily. For example, in February 2002, I spent three weeks in Argentina including: 12 hours of private tango lessons, 40 hours of small group Spanish instruction, transportation to and from the airport, a couple of city tours, and renting a room (with breakfast and laundry services) for under $800 (less than $40 a day). I ate lunch and dinner in fine cafes that would have been at home in Paris for an additional $10 a day. Twelve hours of private tango lessons in San Francisco alone cost the same as all of these services (including food)!Traveling-like-a-local can save you a ton on accommodations. Almost all of the programs discussed in this book offer you an opportunity to live in someone else’s home for a while. Let’s look at how you can save accommodation costs by traveling-like-a-local:Renting a room in someone’s home costs about half of a comparable quality hotel room. The rooms you’ll rent are usually large, private rooms. In Latin America and Asia, room rental costs as little as $5-8 a day. In Eastern Europe it is usually $20-30 a day. A private hotel room, even with a bathroom down the hall, will cost you between $10-15 a day in Asia and $30-40 in Eastern Europe. You can get free accommodation through hospitality exchanges (see later for more details). Think of how much you’ll save on accommodations in Western Europe and North America where cheap, clean accommodations cost at least $50 a night (unless you stay in a hostel which is usually $15-$20 a night). Anytime you stay in someone’s home you’ll also save food and utility costs since you’ll have access to a kitchen facility, computers, and phones. Traveling-like-a-local, however, is not the exclusive purview of budget travelers. Many higher income people choose these experiences because they: (1) feel comfortable living in a home environment and (2) want to feel as if they are part of the culture. Many home exchangers, for example, have beautiful homes that would cost several hundred dollars a day to rent. (Don’t worry if you have a modest home. Home exchange listings cover a wide range of housing options). Advantage #4: Traveling-like-a-Local is one of the Most Joyful Ways to See the Earth.While traditional travel can be fun, it is seldom joyful.Somehow joy comes alive in the oddest places and times. One of the real roots of joy is surprise. Joy is best when it creeps up on you. Traveling-like-a-local leads to many, usually fun, surprises. You often feel as if you are a lone explorer finding some untouched corners of the planet. One of the main reasons I loved Japan so much was that it was “virgin territory.” Most of the Japanese I met had never seen an American and this allowed me to have a lot of fun with people. For example, not long after I arrived, one of the host families remarked to me, “Your fat.” I was offended but sensed that maybe I didn’t understand the context. I did some research and learned that (at least 25 years ago) fatness was considered something to be admired in Japan (living proof I guess that people want to be what they are not).A couple of days later I looked in a Berlitz phrase book and found a sentence in Japanese which means “I’m pregnant.” I decided to use this expression the next time someone said I was fat. The first time I said it, the guy looked quizzical and then started to laugh. Soon the whole room was rolling with laughter.One of the Best Days of My LifeWhile I was studying Russian in Saint Petersburg, a fellow student named Rachel invited me?to visit a friend of hers in Catching, a small suburb about 30 minutes outside of the city, known for its somewhat modest Czarist-era summer palace.? Since I did not have anything else to do, I decided to accompany Rachel. (Note: Rachel was one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met.? She was a trained nurse from Australia who worked with the Aborigines.? She could speak all six major Aboriginal dialects fluently.? Her ability to learn Russian fast was awesome.) All I knew was that she was invited to spend the day with a young couple who sold small, intricate inlaid wooden boxes outside of the school.? I hadn’t met the couple before and thought it might be nice to meet some locals. When we arrived in Gatchina, the couple told us that they wanted us to meet a friend who would take us on a tour of the palace.? We were then rushed into a room in the basement of the palace which had a table festooned with copious bowls of Russian hors d’oeuvres and vodka. After we enjoyed the lunch, the tour guide?showed us the museum and castle.? About an hour into the tour?the palace closed but we stayed and spent several hours in the palace alone.? We danced in a ballroom with an intricate marble floor and walnut paneled walls to waltz music played on an old cassette player.? Then we visited hidden alcoves in the basement filled with small gold artifacts from the palace that weren’t usually shown to the public.??As we began to leave, the couple invited us back to their home where we ate more wonderful food and --of course-- drank more vodka before we caught the late train back to Saint Petersburg. I realize that many tourists would have spent hundreds of dollars for the chance to see a palace after hours.? Yet, it only cost me fifty cents for?the train tickets and a couple of dollars for a few bottles of wine.? The experience was?even more?valuable because what started out as a simple visit to a new friend ended up being one of the most magical days of my life. Advantage #5: Travel-like-a-Local Can Help Make the Planet a Better Place. The best part of traveling-like-a-local is that you can make a difference. Here are some of the reasons:Instead of paying your money to some faceless corporation, you’ll meet the people who are providing your services directly. By spending time with locals, you’ll help dispel any negative images of your fellow compatriots that linger in locals’ minds.You’ll develop an understanding of how other people live around the globe. When you listen to the news, you’ll find yourself caring much more about what happens in another country if you’ve spent time in that place. You’ll be exposed to other viewpoints about world affairs. For example, after studying at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in 1984, I learned that most Egyptians disliked Anwar Sadat. While many resented his friendship with the USA and Israel, others told me terrible stories about human rights abuses during his regime (particularly toward the end of his life). Some AUC students even told me that he arrested any group of more than five people who gathered together anywhere, out of fear that they were conspiring against him!Issues to Consider before Traveling-like-a-LocalTraveling-like-a-local is not for everyone. It requires flexibility. Unexpected things often happen when you’re traveling-like-a-local. If you’re open, these unexpected things will often be the highlights of your experiences. If you’re not, they can drive you crazy.You should not come into these experiences expecting that things will be organized, clean, and efficient as at home. If you come without high expectations, you’ll usually be pleasantly surprised. Most of the Earth is actually more pleasant, in my mind, than the media leads you to believe. The importance of flexibility can’t be overly emphasized. The advice that veteran home exchangers, Joe and Diane Stevens, give applies to anyone contemplating a travel-like-a-local type of experience:“People... have to be a bit loose and not too obsessive or rigid. Worrier types should not apply. Don’t have preconceived expectations as to exactly what sort of home you are getting… Only so much can be learned through descriptions, photos, etc. Neighborhoods, views, and home layouts cannot be fully understood until you get there. Part of the fun …is the surprise of a new location, house, etc. We have exchanged for a few places that were not quite up to our usual standards and we have exchanged for more that were far above.”Even if you are open, however, you need to take into consideration several issues before you opt to travel-like-a-local, including:There is no guarantee that you’ll be staying in a clean and comfortable place. While I have nearly always stayed in a clean and comfortable place while traveling and living like a local, I have stayed in a couple places that were quite dirty and uncomfortable. I once stayed at someone’s apartment, as part of a hospitality exchange, that was so stuffed to the gills with papers and books that I spent almost forty-five minutes just clearing off the bed to go to sleep. Nonetheless, he was a very interesting and pleasant host. You will not see as many places as on a traditional vacation. Many people say that the main reason that they select traditional travel experiences is that “they want to see a lot of places so they’ll know where they want to revisit later.” While I have seldom known people who actually return later, if you share this conviction take a traditional tour. Reserve your travel-like-a-local experience for a return visit. You may have to do more things yourself than in traditional (particularly luxury vacations) travel. Most of the experiences covered in this book do not include porters to carry your bags or maids to make up your room. You also will have to make your own arrangements for finding food and transportation. However, this is not as hard as it may sound. Since you usually are staying in one place, you don’t have to do a lot of unpacking and repacking. In addition, while the first couple of days can be trying as you find your way around, the rest of the trip wouldn’t be any more difficult than at home once you learn how to get to your home, school, or volunteer position. You may need to do more work to arrange a travel-like-a-local experience. Some travel experiences, like exchanging homes, require a fair amount of work to arrange (see home exchange section later for details). Sometimes, for experiences like volunteer programs, you may need to do considerable research to find the right programs for you.Should You Use Someone to Help You Plan Your Travel-like-a-Local Adventure?Typically, most neighborhood travel agencies will not handle travel-like-a-local adventures because they can’t earn a commission from the service provider. However, there are several organizations that can help you arrange your adventure. Unlike most travel firms, these organizations are both non-profit and for-profit.Several non-profit agencies arrange some specialty tours and work with volunteer programs. For example, Global Exchange () puts together “reality” tours (designed to educate travelers about conditions throughout the world) and World Teach () helps with volunteer placement assistance, counseling, training and office facilities. Some other non-profits (such as Volunteers for Peace; ) serve as a clearinghouse that lists programs and help make arrangements with the program provider.For-profit firms also can help you arrange some experiences. Several agencies (many deal with school placement, such as Amerispan () will help you find the right place for you while putting together packages of services to help make your experience safer and more enjoyable (like insurance and tours). Other companies maintain detailed listings of people who are interested in participating in exchange programs (there are also some non-profits that put together free listings of hospitality exchange opportunities. See later for more details.)Your neighborhood travel agent can help you set up most small, specialty tours (I’ll talk about these tours later. I’ll also point out programs that these travel agents work with throughout the text). It is always possible to create a travel-like-a-local adventure without using an agency or organization. In the case of language schools (which will usually also arrange a homestay as well, if desired), it is easy to find schools on the internet and make arrangements directly with the school. For volunteer and exchange programs, it is hard (but not impossible) to do it yourself. I will give you more information about how to make arrangements and discuss whether it is worth the headaches later.Introduction to Learning VacationsAll travel is educational. If you’re observant about the world around you, you can learn something any time you go anywhere, even in at mundane journey to the store.That said, one of the best ways to travel-like-a-local is through a learning vacation. Learning vacations involve taking classes at schools in a variety of topics away from home. In recent years, many of these schools, mostly for-profit, have been developed around the Earth.The number of schools that offer classes as part of a vacation experience has increased remarkably in the past decade. Whole industries have developed in several towns around the globe such as Cuernavaca, Mexico and Quetzaltenango and Antigua, Guatemala devoted to learning vacations.On learning vacations, you generally spend between 3-4 hours a day in classes. You get more exposure to the subject than you would at a class back home because you can use your learning (this is particularly true with language schools) when you step outside the classroom.Usually, in addition to classes, most schools also will arrange:Homestay placements with local families (see the homestay section for advice). After school, cultural, educational, and nighttime events. Normally, these outings are quite reasonable. Some schools even integrate these outings into their curriculum. I’ve seen schools that, for example, will teach a unit on buying food in the market and then take the students on a field trip to a local marketplace to try out the student’s new skills. Since most schools do not require tests or homework, they do not typically provide academic credit. You may get a certificate from the school that serves as a record of your studies. If your studies will help you gain professional skills, you may get a tax deduction (contact your tax professional for advice) in the USA.Studying is one of the most potent ways to reach out to other people. By learning about another culture, language, or history, you are actively showing interest in other people. In addition, no matter what you study, classes are the ultimate “ice breaker”. All you have to do is share your enthusiasm with your neighbor and you may have the start of a “beautiful friendship.”Language SchoolsNon-Language School ProgramsTake classes at schools where the subject you want to learn is their primary emphasisMany times, language schools offer non-language classes sort of as an aside. As a whole, you’ll be better off taking classes at a school that specializes in that subject. Often classes added as an aside don’t have good quality instruction and knowledgeable instructors. That said, there are times when these classes may be worth taking at a language school if the school:Has a long history teaching these extra classes.Integrates these other topics into the language curriculum. Some schools will offer lectures and activities in many ecological and political courses and then use these activities as a base for the language classes, as well.Questions to ask your schoolWhile most of the advice in this chapter is good at all schools, there are a few special issues for non-language classes that should be discussed with the school beforehand:In what language will the instruction be given? Many dance, art, and other schools have mostly instructors who speak the native language exclusively. You may have a small choice of teachers (sometimes none) who speak English. Learning how to do a sport in another language is challenging even if you know the language somewhat well. It is almost impossible if you don’t have much of the language under your belt.Does the school provide supplies, food (cooking classes), utensils, etc.? Most schools will provide materials as a matter of course. However, I have heard of some classes that require you to bring your own materials. Based on the cost of materials, you should expect to pay more for art and cooking classes than you would for a language class. Cool Classes in the US and AbroadMany people assume that the only subject available for travelers to study abroad is foreign languages. However, you don’t have to study a foreign language, to take a class in another country. Look at some of these cool programs that offer alternatives to language schools. Eco-Maya () provides a combination of Spanish language schools and environmental education/volunteer opportunities in Guatemala. It also offers a chance to live a small, Indian town. The profits go back to the community.Cornerstone Foundation (healing.htm) teaches courses in herbal medicine in Belize.Centro Maya (study_ops) gives classes to learn Quiche (Mayan language) and weaving in Guatemala. It also has some intriguing volunteer opportunities.Crow Canyon (programs.html) gives archaeology classes in Colorado and archaeology tours worldwide.The Chautauqua Institute () in upper New York State has been providing classes, seminars, lectures, presentations by famous entertainers and workshops. If you choose to stay in one of their dorms in the City’s denominational houses (a.k.a. churches), you can stay there for as little as $120 a week. Access to most of the lectures and activities cost between $250-$325 a week. (The weekly cost goes down the longer you stay) Smaller scale Chautauqua-inspired, educational programs are available in many places in the US including Boulder, Colorado and Reno, Nevada.The World Fellowship Center in North Conway, New Hampshire () allows you to stay in a dorm, get three meals a day, and participate in many “progressive” political discussions and lectures for approximately $350 a week.Yemen Language Center () provides classes in Arabic and Arabic culture in one of the planet's most offbeat and intriguing destinations -- Yemen.Learn Shao Lin () (Martial Arts) training in China. Incas Del Peru () provides one-on-one instructions with Peruvian artists involved in dancing, weaving, gourd carving, pan flute and jewelry making, and spinning (in addition to Quechua and Spanish language classes).Finding the Right School for YouRegardless of whether you are using a placement agency or what you intend to study, you should do a bit of research to help you decided on the right school placement for you. The schools offer an amazing assortment of services. Some have highly personalized classes. Others are more impersonal. Some schools emphasize rote, grammatical lessons. Others are more creative.Since there are over 500 schools scattered throughout the planet, selecting the right one for you can be time consuming. While placement agencies can help, you should take some time to discuss these issues with them as well.Here are the most important issues you should investigate before you decide to sign up for a school offering any kind of a class:What are the classroom sizes? Smaller classes not only help you make progress faster, they also allow you to get to know both the teachers and the students quickly. What other services, besides classroom instruction, are provided by the school? Many schools have a lot of fun activities – such as field trips and outings to local night spots – that’ll help you get to know both your teacher and fellow students better. Participating in these activities, if available (even if they cost extra), will help you enjoy your trip more. Some schools integrate culture and language classes together. For example, the school Eco-Maya (see later description) provides ecology classes in Spanish. I have never taken such a curriculum at a school abroad. I think it could be a lot of fun. How does the school determine homestay placements? Do they check out host family’s homes? Do they have some way to monitor host families to determine that the school participants are happy with the experience? What type of instruction is used? Do they emphasize grammar, conversation, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, or writing? Ideally, a curriculum should integrate all these ingredients. In my experience, most schools emphasize grammar more than any other subject. Though, since most classes are small and (at least, above the most rudimentary level) taught in the native language, you can fairly easily ask the teachers to help you practice conversation.Studying AbroadStudying abroad generally refers to programs that allow you to get college credit while taking classes and/or traveling in another country. Universities and colleges sponsor hundreds of programs suited to a wide range of interests and skills. You can study theater in London, animals in Africa, and healing arts in India. Generally, the best place to start if you’re seeking college credit is your school’s study abroad office. The office will help you to determine the right programs for you. They’ll help you to connect with other students who have participated in the programs in the past and provide introductory sessions that will give you a good idea of what to expect from different programs. If you don’t have a study abroad office, it is often OK to visit one at a neighboring school and talk to the advisors. Keep in mind, however, that they can’t give you advice about the trickiest subject – college credit.If you don’t find something to your liking at your college’s study abroad office, Transitions Abroad webzine lists hundreds of study abroad programs offered through schools throughout the US and Canada. If a program is sponsored by another college, you may be able to arrange credit at your school fairly easily. You need to work with your school to ensure that the school will give you credit for your studies. Make sure any assurances that credit will be accepted are in writing and that the study abroad office is also communicating with the school registrar’s office. Occasionally students will not get credit for their adventures despite assurances otherwise. If you’d like useful advice on the study abroad (for credit) process, see Study Abroad for Dummies by Erin Sullivan.You can also simply sign up as a foreign student at a university abroad. Many schools will be reluctant to give you credit for these arrangements, but studying abroad as a foreign student is a great way to see the world and learn relatively inexpensively. Enrolling as a foreign student may be a great idea for a gap year or even a fun experience for a sabbatical. It may even be a great way to get a degree particularly if you want to study something that is hard to enter in the USA, like medicine. If you interested in any of these options, see Study Away: The Unauthorized Guide to College Abroad by Mariah Balaban and Jennifer Shields or visit a college library and ask for reference books about studying abroad programs. These reference books will also provide very useful information about scholarships to travel and study in other countries. As a whole, studying abroad through your home school on an established, university recognized program will cost you more than if you made arrangements to study at the same place on your own. For example, when I went to Saint Petersburg State University (), I met students who paid many times more money to participate in a school sponsored program who basically received no more special services (except occasionally an on-site coordinator) than I did as an independent student.If you are not looking for credit, you can also just sign up for one of the hundreds of language and other special interest classes abroad and study. While most of these programs are designed for short term students (under a month) you can almost always stay for as long as you want. That said, there are many study tours programs (the most famous being University of Pittsburg’s Semester at Sea) that will provide an opportunity to get credit while going on a tour similar to those offered by special interest travel agencies. While these programs may be expensive, some of them are unique enough that you may want to participate even if you are not a student. Even though the descriptions for these programs often mention that you must be a student, you may be able to participate anyway if you are not enrolled in a school (particularly if you already have a degree). Like anything else, these trips often require a minimum number of students and sometimes they need to bend the rules a bit to make the quota.You may also want to try to contact some of the programs and ask if they need adult escorts to accompany the programs. For example, Elizabeth Krupelmann in her useful book Global Citizen tells the story of a woman who went on the University of Pittsburg’s Semester at Sea program as a resident advisor (someone who looks after the student’s needs out of the classroom) on-board. IntroductionAbout eight years ago, the Today Show (a popular morning TV show in the USA) featured a segment on volunteer vacations. According to the show’s producers, this segment received one of the largest number of viewer responses ever.Why? I think it is because mankind is moving toward, as Lyndon Duke, a University of Oregon social scientist notes, a new era in which the predominant question people ask themselves is: “What difference can be made?” The message that everyone should try to make a difference in the world pervades our popular culture. In a planet full of problems, many people realize that one of the most powerful antidotes to the problems that beset our world is to volunteer your time during your vacations to another cause.The diversity of ways you can help is amazing. You can help while living in a relatively comfortable Western style existence or spend years living with locals in remote corners of the globe. The choice is up to you.Why volunteer? Who should volunteer?While the desire to make a difference is admirable, volunteering to work, particularly in another country, during your vacation is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly.Potential volunteers should think about what they want from the experience before they begin researching volunteer vacation programs. In the sage advice of How to Live Your Dream:“Many people considering volunteering abroad begin by looking at the different volunteer programs before taking the time to look at themselves. This often leads them to feel confused and overwhelmed by all the options. Reflecting on why you are interested in volunteering overseas can guide you in deciding if volunteering is really the right option for you… Begin by reflecting on some basic questions about your interests in international volunteer work:Why are you interested in becoming an international volunteer?What life events have sparked this interest?What do you hope to get out of being an international volunteer?What do you hope to contribute?Where are you heading in your life and how does being an overseas volunteer fit into the picture?”Keep in mind that you will not be able to change the Earth single-handedly. You need to be open, flexible, and understanding of locals. You also need to be dedicated enough to show up. Even though at times it may not be clear, the staff of the organization is depending on your assistance. If you don’t feel like you can (or should) give this assistance dependably you need to talk to the agency staff (and/or the director of your volunteer placement agency). Volunteer vacation is a bit of a misnomer. While it is a vacation, you are there also to serve. You shouldn’t just leave because it is not serving your purpose. Remember you don’t know the answers. The people you are “serving” have often been victim of well intentioned “white saviors” who have made their lives worse. Many poor countries have been around for thousands of years and have ways to do things that make sense within the confines of their geography, politics, history, and culture. Your job, as a volunteer, is to learn these ways of doing things and to help relieve the workload for the existing staff. You are not there, particularly in the space of a couple weeks, to change things.Good and Bad Reasons to VolunteerHow to Live Your Dream lists good and bad reasons to consider volunteering:Good reasons to volunteer:Learn a foreign languageGet to know another cultureHave a better firsthand perspective on the impact of wealthy countries in the worldGain experience in a field in which you have studiedPut your concern for others into actionLearn more about yourselfShare your skills and expertise by responding to a specific request from a foreign organizationBe inspired by the efforts of people in developing countriesBecome a more effective advocate for changes at home that will help poor people overseasLive out your faith or religious beliefs through deeds and working for justiceBad reasons to volunteerEscape a bad relationship or other personal problemsSave poor people or lift poor people out of povertyAssuage your guiltTravel or have adventure purely for personal enrichmentUnable to hold a jobUnable to pass your classesEveryone’s doing it or your partner’s doing itMake religious convertsImpress future employersYou have an addiction and think that a change in environment will help youWhat Can You Do as a Volunteer?Volunteers can assist in any number of ways and projects. Some volunteers simply provide labor for construction and reforestation projects. Others use their training to provide intense medical care to people in poor villages. Still others help with office work, grants, teaching and training, computer programming, community activism, and a whole host of other projects.Some volunteer projects send small groups of experienced technicians overseas to provide medical and managerial services. Most, however, are open to anyone. What should you do to be an Effective International Volunteer?While it is difficult to determine what will distinguish a good from a bad volunteer, there do seem to be some traits that most of the best volunteers share. Here are the traits that How to Live Your Dream to be an International Volunteer identifies:Learn the languageListen before you actBe friendlyLive simplyFind alliesDress appropriatelyExercise extreme caution in friendship, sex, dating, and marriageWork for sustainability and local controlShare with people at homeWant an All-Expense Paid, Short Term, Unskilled Volunteer Experiences? Check Out Passport-in-Time and Pueblo InglesPassport in TimeIn May 2006, I participated in a one-week volunteer Passport in Time project. The Passport in Time program is sponsored by the US Forest Service. The US Forest Service allows volunteers in the program to help the service’s archaeologists to prepare exhibits and do research.The US Forest Service has a large variety of interesting projects for volunteers. Following Hurricane Katrina, a number of projects were developed to help archaeologists in the region inventory archaeological damage to the region and devise strategies to restore archaeological sites. One project that I’ve seen listed several times on the Passport in Time website involves recording stories and techniques involved in basket weaving among the Pomo Indians in far northern, coastal California.The Passport in Time project in which I participated involved the preparation of a public information kiosk in the Ventana National Forest between Big Sur and King City, California. Since this particular part of the forest covered a wide range of microclimates (Big Sur is cool and moist and King City is dry and hot), it contained the state’s most pristine and varied collections of oak trees. As a result, many early California Indians populated the area. (Acorns from oak trees were vital to their survival.) The volunteers took photos of the trees and wrote descriptions of the oaks and their use by local Indians that will be integrated into the kiosk.We worked six hours a day for five days. The USFS offered us free use of a campsite in the forest and did not charge us anything for participating in the program. For more information on the program, consult the Passport-in-Time website at Pueblo InglesVaughn Villages in Spain provides free room and board to any native English speaker willing to spend up to sixteen hours a day speaking English to Spaniards. They have designed “Pueblo Ingles” in Spain as a place where Spaniards can go for two weeks and speak non-stop in English to native speakers.While I cannot participate in this program because I speak Spanish, one student reported that the food and accommodation for volunteers was quite good and that the students were really great. (Note: the program does not want Spanish speaking volunteers because if the students learn that the volunteers speak Spanish, the students will not use English as much as they should.)For more info, check out their website at HYPERLINK "" Placement Agencies Most organizations have staff to provide support for volunteers. The level of support varies considerably between organizations. Some will take care of all of the details. Others will serve as a liaison between you and the local volunteer agency. Most volunteer vacations require you to pay for these support services. The only exceptions are a couple agencies that require trained volunteers (like the International Executive Service Corps, which places highly skilled administrators to consult with small and mid-sized businesses overseas). These fees vary a lot.Most volunteer placement programs also arrange homestays for volunteers because: many volunteer placements are in rural areas where hotels may be far away from the placement and homestays offer an inexpensive place for people to stay and experience life in the community where they are volunteering. (See the earlier section on homestays for more information.)Here are some examples of the most prevalent types of volunteer placement programs. Upscale volunteer programs: Upscale volunteer organizations provide three types of volunteer experiences:Global Volunteers (); Global Service Corps (); and Global Citizens Network ( HYPERLINK "" ), Cross Cultural Solutions () send teams of volunteers to work in villages in several countries on a variety of social service and education related projects.Earthwatch () teams volunteers with scientists doing research on a variety of ecological, cultural, and historical projects (including archaeology). Habitat for Humanity (gv) sends teams of volunteers to help build homes throughout the globe for two to three weeks at a time. Upscale volunteer programs take care of all your needs including: internal transportation (other than airfare), housing and food, on site orientation, extensive background materials, evacuation insurance, and day to day assistance. As a result of all this attention, many of these upscale programs are expensive (often as high as $200-300 a day). The projects send delegations of volunteers to the same community together. Group leaders accompany these groups to the site and help ensure that their daily needs are met. Usually, the upscale agencies have a limited number of countries where they operate. If you want to go to a particular country or work on a specific project, you need to have a flexible schedule since the number of delegations is limited.Upscale organizations work hard to find a placement that matches your interests and skills. Most of the participants are older North Americans. The upscale agencies often pay families to put you up in their home. Most of the homes are modest; but they are more likely to have Western-style conveniences than most other volunteer programs. You will stay in a moderate priced hotel for a couple days for orientation and transfers to the site.Workcamps: Other agencies, like Volunteers for Peace ( HYPERLINK "" ), Service Civic International (sci-), and Joint Assistance Center (serves Indian subcontinent; ) place you in organized workcamps. Workcamps are organized by local committees. Typical projects include construction, environmental protection, and social service work. The workcamps organize the volunteer’s accommodations and food. Usually you pay an administrative fee ($100-200) to a central office and an additional on-site fee (usually $10-25 a day) to the local workcamp for local accommodations and food. Often, the accommodations are in dormitories. Many workcamps do not provide a lot of training, pre-departure support, or transportation to and from the workcamp site. Workcamps are available throughout the planet. It is easy to find workcamps throughout the year in many countries. Sometimes, however, if you want to participate in a particular workcamp, you may need to apply early. Do not be surprised if your workcamp is cancelled.Generally, workcamp volunteers, though mostly young, come from varied economic and cultural backgrounds. Many people enjoy the intercultural interaction at workcamps even more than the volunteer activity. Read Somebody’s Heart is Burning: A Woman Wanderer in Africa by Tanya Shaffer for a moving account of her time in workcamps in Africa. The costs, the tasks, and the working environments vary a lot between work camps. When I checked, some of the work camp projects included assisting in the work of a museum and craft center in Zimbabwe, renovating rampart walls in a small village in the French Pyrenees, and working on an organic farm and meditation center in the hills outside of Los Angeles. Most VFP work camps require that participants pay a fee to VFP (usually $250) to support the organizations’ operations in the US. An additional fee (between $0-400; based on my sample of work camps from the VFP website) is often required to help the local nonprofit who organizes the work camp in the country you’re visiting. Work camps are designed to include representatives from several countries. The local nonprofit sets a maximum number of participants from a certain country. Usually there is a limit of two people from the USA. From what I can tell, however, since Americans seldom participate in work camps, you usually will not have problems getting the camp you select.The camps are also designed to encourage the participants to get to know each other’s cultures and interact with the local population. Toward that end, the group leaders are expected to develop activities outside of the volunteer work for the volunteers to do. Short term informal placements. Many organizations accept volunteers for a couple weeks to a month. These organizations send a few volunteers a year to work on specific projects in EMERGING countries. Unlike the upscale and workcamp projects, volunteer placement is a small part of these organizations’ workload. Often, you may be the only volunteer on-site for these projects.Many of these informal placements require trained volunteers. Some are involved in complex managerial and administrative projects like the International Executive Service Corps (). A lot of these organizations provide medical care such as Interplast (Plastic Surgery; website: ) and Flying Doctors (provides medical care in rural Mexico; website: ).Only a few informal volunteer projects, such as the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC)/Ladakh (India) Farm Project (.uk) are open to short term volunteers without specialized skills. Agencies are more likely, because of the work involved, to take on non-skilled volunteers who are willing to spend six months or more on-site.You can also make informal placements with organizations on-site throughout the globe. Since making these arrangements usually takes time, I would not recommend this strategy for short term volunteers. Long Term Volunteering AbroadLong volunteer assignments are often arranged either through a support agency (like World Teach or the Peace Corps. World Teach is described in the sidebar below called Life on the Other Side of the Moon) or through direct application to the place you’d like to volunteer. Most of the support agencies require a fee, usually around $4000-8000 a year. Some will make arrangements to provide college credit. Most of the assignments through private support agencies require a commitment of three months to year, though, of course, there is no penalty if you decide to leave early.Joining the Peace Corps () is one of the few ways that you can get all your expenses paid for as a volunteer. The Peace Corps will also provide you a stipend to help set up your life upon return to the USA (usually equivalent to $500 or so per month for the length of service). There are several things to consider if you want to join the Peace Corps, however, including:The Peace Corps requires a two-year commitment. Sometimes these assignments can be cut short depending on the political realities within the country. That said, I don’t know of any penalty, per se, if you fail to complete the commitment. Applying for the Peace Corps is competitive. Only about 15% of all applicants are accepted. Your chances of being accepted if you are newly out of college are less than 10%. The chances do improve considerably for older volunteers, however.The training for the Peace Corps is very intense. Usually you study the language, culture, and learn the appropriate skills for eight to ten hours a day for several weeks. A sizeable number of volunteers will decide not to complete the training.You will not have much choice where you will be assigned. I have heard of Spanish teachers being sent to French speaking countries and other seemingly bizarre mismatches between skills and assignments. Non-profit agencies are more likely, because of the work involved, to take on non-skilled volunteers who are willing to spend a six month or more on-site. How to Live Your Dream contains a detailed list of organizations that are prepared to deal with long term volunteers. Most of these organizations require that you pay for your living expenses (usually only a couple hundred dollars a month) and transportation to and from the site. However, some are willing to pay your expenses for you.You can also make informal placements with organizations on-site throughout the planet. Since making these arrangements is not as easy as it might seem (remember dealing with volunteers takes work for the organization. They also have to learn to trust you. As sad as it may seem, some organizations have been burned by volunteers), I would not recommend this strategy for short term volunteers. If you plan to just show up somewhere and find an assignment, plan on a month or two to find an assignment for you and carefully read the chapter of How to Live Your Dream devoted to finding a placement on-site first. Generally, the best volunteer experiences are longer term. It takes a month to get used to your organization and to begin to see how you fit into the organization. As time goes on, you begin to make friendships and to become an integral part of your new community.Travel AgenciesA knowledgeable travel agent can help you find the tour that is right for you if you are looking for a traditional tour or cruise of modest (but not cheap) costs – usually$200 or more per day (though they can come up with some cheaper packages as well). The agent should be able to match you well to the right product for you based on the average age of your fellow travelers and the type of facilities featured on the tour (luxurious, modest, family oriented, etc.). In addition, since agencies often deal with a few select providers, you will have some guarantees about the quality of your experience if you select to book a tour through one of the agency’s preferred tour or cruise companies. (For example, several years ago, I talked to an agency in Antioch, California, a middle class, Bay Area suburb of San Francisco, about their business. They reported that almost 90% of their business was selling inexpensive package tours through an organization called Sun Trips. If I knew someone who was interested in a Sun Trips who lived in that area, I’d recommend that they use that travel agency. Based on their longstanding relationship, the agency could deal with any problems that came up with Sun Trips easily).Unless you are planning to go on one of these tours, select a travel agent that deals with the location and the type of travel experience you want. You can find these travel agencies on-line and by looking for ads in most travel magazines.You can save a lot of money, however, by using travel agencies to plan tours and activities at your destination, particularly if you plan to travel in Asia, Latin America, or Africa, rather than using agents in the U.S. With the advent of the internet, you can easily find and communicate with agencies around the globe. Overseas agencies are often able to put together good packages of services (schools, homestays, volunteer programs, etc.) that are often more inexpensive than you can get at home. (They do not have to pay as much overhead as do agencies in the U.S. or Europe.) For example, I took a trip to Argentina arranged through Alojargentina, a travel agency in Buenos Aires (). Whenever you use a travel agency, check to find out if they are reputable. If you decide to use an agency in another country, read guidebooks to the destination for referrals. You can also find up-to-date referrals to good agencies overseas on the various online bulletin boards maintained by large guidebook publishers like Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree (lonelyplanet. com) or Rough Guide’s (travel.).In addition, the Student Travel Agency, , can help anyone of any age find good deals. You can access their offices near many universities and in several tourist centers. ALTERNATIVE TRAVELHome Exchange Introduction:Of all the travel-like-a-local programs listed in this booklet, home exchanges are the best options for families (particularly those with children). During high school and college, my parents participated in home exchanges with me. They found that home exchanges were a fabulous way for us to save money, get to know the areas, and also feel at home in a community. They also have fond memories of shopping in local stores and markets and cooking meals in an exotic setting. We exchanged three times (Poissy, France, a mid-sized Parisian suburb, Kingston-upon-the-Thames, England, a fashionable London suburb, and Victoria, British Columbia). We had no problems though we do have some funny stories including:When we came home from our exchange in England, we discovered that a lot of small decorator items appeared to be missing; however, when we looked closer we noted that the exchangers had placed these items on any ledge they could find to keep their seven-year-old son from accidentally breaking our stuff.On our exchange to Paris, our exchange partners were a friendly, but somewhat fastidious couple. When we arrived, they picked us up at the airport and took us to the penthouse apartment we would call home for the next couple of weeks. For about an hour, the gentleman instructed us on how to take care of the place (it did not thankfully turn out to be that hard) including showing up several flimsy, antique chairs. My mother, conscious of my father and my propensity to break wobbly chairs, went around and put a string on every antique chair to keep us from accidentally sitting down. Though we only had a few pieces of furniture left to sit on, we loved the apartment’s view and size.What is a Home Exchange?Simply put, home exchanges occur when people swap their homes. Home exchanges enable both parties to stay in their counterpart’s home for a pre-arranged time frame, usually for free.Home exchanges are not limited to homes. Most home exchanges also exchange cars. Some even make arrangements for outside cleaning services and gardening services for the exchange party (usually both parties pay for their own maid or gardener during their vacation). Exchanges do not have to be simultaneous. Many people (especially if they have two or more homes) let home exchangers stay in their vacation home in exchange for permission to stay in the other exchanger’s home at a later date. Most home exchanges last for less than a month. However, I have heard of people arranging home exchange for as long as a couple of years. If you are interested in a longer term exchange, I suggest that you investigate home exchange listing services – like Teachers’ Home Exchange ( HYPERLINK "" ) and Senior Home Exchange Service ()– which are geared toward populations that are more likely to be able to engage in longer exchanges.Home Exchange Listing Services Usually home exchanges are arranged through listing services which provide detailed information about people who are interested in exchanges. The listings usually feature:Contact info (name, address, phone, e-mail)Location (nearest big city, distance from city, nearby attractions)Number of guests the home can accommodateHome and neighborhood features (appliances, internet and phone access, access to golf clubs, etc.)Transportation (will cars be exchanged, how accessible is public transportation)Exchange requirements (available dates, places you want to exchange, number of previous exchanges, photos, smoking permitted in house)Generally, it costs somewhere between $35 and $125 a year to belong to these listing services. Most services post their listings on the internet. Some for an additional fee print catalogues as well. The home exchange listing services can be open or closed. Open organizations charge you to list your home. Any visitor can access your listing for free without becoming a member (visitors may be required to sign up for the service, however). Closed organizations require you to become a member before you can view the listings. Both closed and open listing services may allow visitors to see parts of a listing (excluding contact information). Closed services will only provide contact information if you become a member. Some open listing services will require visitors to tell the service that they are interested in contacting a particular listing. Once the service receives the request, they will send the contact person a message telling them that the visitor is interested in getting in touch. The primary benefit of an open listing is that you can preview the listings before you become a member. If you want to go to a less popular part of the world this is a big plus, because you can select the service with the most number of listings in your area. The majority of the homes listed by all services are in North America, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. You may occasionally find some homes in Latin America (particularly Mexico and Brazil), Africa (mostly South Africa) and Asia. However, it will be much easier to arrange a hospitality exchange (or a homestay) than a home exchange in these parts of the globe.You may even want to consider a small, closed listing service if you want to go to somewhere very popular like Paris or London. Some of the larger clubs have hundreds (sometimes thousands) of listings in these areas, and a smaller club with fewer listings may save you the time and trouble of culling through the mountains of listings.Want to Know More about Home Exchanges?Websites: () features good advice on home exchanges. HYPERLINK "" Global Home Exchange () (a home exchange listing service) provides good, basic information on home exchanges offered by home exchange services (see visitor’s section of the website). HYPERLINK "" Home Base Holidays () (another home exchange listing service) has an excellent newsletter that addresses many common questions/concerns for home exchangers and profiles real home exchangers.() Transitions Abroad lists home exchange companies and features an article with useful tips about home exchanges.Mega-net has the most complete list of home exchange programs. The list is however a bit hard to read. The author mixes hospitality, home exchanges, and vacation rentals. () You do not have to use a paid home exchange listing service. Some exchanges are arranged by putting an ad in a paper in the place you want to visit. In addition, some exchange listing services are free. I would recommend using a paid listing service, however, for several reasons:You will feel more comfortable trusting your home to someone who was willing to pay money to be part of a club. Your home is your largest investment. It seems “pound wise, penny foolish” not to pay $50 or so to learn more about the person you’ll trust with this investment.You’ll save time. The paid listing services require quite a bit of information about their listings. This information allows you to easily weed out listings that aren’t right for you. Most ads just don’t give enough information for your potential exchanger to determine if you are a right match. Therefore, you may have to respond to a lot of people before you find what you are looking for.Choosing among the numerous home exchange listing services can be a chore. Many people choose to join several organizations. Frankly, it is somewhat hard to distinguish between companies. However, if you do some research, you will find that there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to all programs. Here is a short summary of some of the advantages and disadvantage of home exchange listing services that I have researched:The Big Three: Intervac (), Home Link (), and . Home Link and Intervac both maintain that they are the largest listing services around. They both feature many listings outside of the USA (mostly Europe and Australia) and list exchangers both in print catalogues and websites. ($49.95) is a bit cheaper but has fewer members outside the USA and does not issue any paper catalogue. Smaller home exchange listing services: Numerous smaller home exchange listing services exist. Typically, you will get more personal attention from these services than the big three. However, you will have fewer choices. Several of these firms (including Digsville, ) will also help you arrange vacation rentals.Some exchange services also exist to serve specialized groups. For example, Purple Roofs ( HYPERLINK "" ) serves gay and lesbian exchangers and seniors can join the Senior Home Exchange Service ().Most home exchange listing services also list some (not many) hospitality exchanges, homestay, and student exchange possibilities. The home exchange listing services may be a good way to arrange these exchanges informally. However, traditional exchange programs offer more screening and will help you find the best experience for you.SafetyWhenever I’ve suggested that anyone consider home exchanges, they immediately express concern about the safety of their home during the exchange. However, your home is SAFER during a home exchange than any other type of vacation. Let’s look at the facts:As Diane and Joe Stevens, veteran home exchangers note (read the section on home exchanges in Chapter 3 to learn more about the Stevens), no one will rob you during an exchange because: “You are not exchanging with…complete strangers as you have gotten to know them a bit by emails, phone calls, photographs, letters, etc. before the exchange takes place. It would be rather circuitous for a thief to think: ‘I know what I’ll do, I’ll join this exchange club for a certain number of dollars per year, then I’ll give these folks I’m going to rob my name, address (after all, one needs the address to know where in heck you are going to exchange) and let them stay in my own house for a week or two or three, then I’ll rob them and when they get back home and find that everything is gone including all the jewelry, the dishes, and the beautiful bib-and-apron set that Aunt Sadie crocheted them....they’ll never expect it was me’. I mean, after all, you are going to be in their house while they are in yours. Theft just isn't going to happen.”The other party will ensure that your home is safe while you’re away. Their mere presence in your home will help keep thieves away that prey on vacant homes. In addition, the partners will keep an eagle eye on your place. The last thing they want is something bad to happen to your belongings. After all, they:want you to show the same respect for their possessions and home; don’t want to be responsible for damage to your belongings; andwant to maintain a good reputation so that they can enjoy future home exchanges. Arranging a Home ExchangeAfter reading the descriptions in the home exchange listing services, potential exchangers contact each other and discuss their expectations and the conditions. During the course of your communications you’ll need to take the following steps to set up a good exchange for both parties:Setting up an exchangeBe prepared to take some time and effort to find the right exchange for you.Write a letter (including photos) about your home and send it to several potential exchangers. Tell them about your location (including how close you are to major tourist attractions and your area’s main city) and time requirements (when and how long you want to exchange). Be persistent. Check for new listing periodically and send them your letter. Follow up on responses quickly. If it becomes hard to find a partner, try contacting a few listings in your destination who have indicated that they wanted to go somewhere other than your area.Discuss your expectations regarding cleanliness. Most home exchange listing services report that difference in cleaning standards is their #1 issue.Once you think you’re ready to enter into an exchangeBe very specific. Ensure that the number of bedrooms and beds is adequate for the number people that will be involved in the exchange. Make sure that both parties can drive the cars involved in the exchange (most cars outside of the US have manual transmissions). Find out if there are restrictions on the use of water and electricity (many places in Europe do not have water for several hours a day). Clarify issues involving animals, computer use, smoking, paying for home and car repairs, telephone use, and any special apartment or condominium association rules.Check with your insurance provider about insuring your home and car during the exchange. Most insurance providers treat home exchanges as if you are letting a friend or relative use your car. If something happens, you are covered. If your insurance carrier will not cover the exchange, contact your home exchange listing service for advice.Right before the exchange:Prepare a two or three-page information sheet about the house and the local area, restaurants, etc. Include information about how to use the household appliances, passwords and codes, areas that are off-limits in your home to the exchangers.Ensure that you make arrangements for emergency contacts, retrieving mail, newspapers and phone messages, keys before and after the exchange.Many people worry that their home is not adequate for a home exchange. This should not deter you. Most listing services cover a wide range of possible living arrangements including apartments, condos, and even boats. Some are extremely luxurious (Joe and Diane Stevens profiled later in this book once stayed in a mansion in Puerto Vallarta that would have been worth upwards of $10 million in California!) Others are more modest. The most important factor in determining your success in the exchange is the location of your home. Someone in San Francisco or New York City will have no trouble finding people who want to exchange. If, on the other hand, your home is off-the-beaten-tourist-track, you may need to “sell” it a little more aggressively than if it were located in a more popular destination. While you need to be honest about your location, you may be able to get people interested in your location by saying things like it is in a “typical American town” or that your neighbors are extremely friendly. In addition, take a closer look at your hometown, you’ll probably find several tourist attractions that you didn’t know about that will interest potential exchangers in coming to your area.These are the top issues to be considered in making an exchange. If you’d like more information, refer to the resources listed in the Want to Know More about Home Exchanges? sidebar above.Hospitality and Student ExchangesHospitality Exchange Programs: HYPERLINK "" SERVAS () is the granddaddy of all hospitality exchange organizations. They have, by far, the largest listing of hosts throughout the world. They have a particularly impressive list of hosts in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. SERVAS also has membership meetings for hosts worldwide. SERVAS costs between $25 and $85 to join for US residents (see HYPERLINK "" for details) as a traveler. You can join as a host without paying (though SERVAS does encourage you to submit a $45 contribution). You will have to go through an interview and submit a reference in order to join as a host or a traveler. If you want to be both a host and a traveler, you may have to go through two different interviews. Once you join as a traveler, you’ll get an introduction form that you are expected to provide to your hosts. You will also have to provide a deposit to get lists of hosts in the area you want to visit. As a whole, because of the process necessary to join, SERVAS members feel a strong sense of security. Most SERVAS hosts have more comfortable accommodations available than other hospitality exchange programs. HYPERLINK "" () has a short article about hospitality exchange programs in Japan. HYPERLINK "" Hospitality Club () is non-profit, free hospitality exchange organization. HYPERLINK "" One World, One Family () provides a gay/lesbian home and hospitality exchange club. The Open Directory Project links to all hospitality clubs with short descriptions. () HYPERLINK "" Women’s Travel () for a thorough, basic guide to hospitality exchanges (repeated several places on web). HYPERLINK "" () provides a well-organized, free hospitality listing service. The site also features a short discussion of one hospitality club participant’s experience. HYPERLINK "" Amerispan () features a thorough article about staying in Latin American homes. Other Exchange Opportunities Goodwill Guides (Day Hosts): Provide tours and hospitality for a day in: HYPERLINK "" Japan () HYPERLINK "" Korea ( HYPERLINK "" /introduction.asp?konum=1&kosm=m4_7) HYPERLINK "" New York City ()Day hosts are also available through HYPERLINK "" and HYPERLINK "" .Clubs and Professional Exchange ProgramsPeople to People International () offers the opportunity for hundreds of professionals to meet their counterparts throughout the world. HYPERLINK "" The US State Department’s International Visitors Program () helps arrange for international visitors to meet American citizens in the same profession.Major international clubs like HYPERLINK "" Toastmasters (), HYPERLINK "" Kiwanis (), and HYPERLINK "" Rotary () offer the opportunity for members to get to know each other around the planet.Hospitality ExchangesIntroductionHospitality programs maintain lists of people who are willing to open their rooms, spare beds, tents, cots, or couches to travelers for free. The usual stay lasts from one to three days, though longer stays can be arranged. You do not have to open your home to participate in a hospitality exchange. You do have, however, to be willing to share some of your interests, life stories, and friendship. Unlike home exchanges, hospitality exchanges can be arranged without a lot of advance notice. While most hosts prefer at least three days’ notice (usually the listing tells how much notice the host prefers) it is possible to make arrangements up until the eve of your arrival.Many people will arrange several hospitality exchanges prior to their vacation and stay in each home for a couple days. By making multiple arrangements, travelers not only save the cost of accommodations throughout the trip, but also get exposed to a wide range of lifestyles in their destination.Hospitality exchange arrangements are relatively easy to arrange. You consult a directory of other members, and then phone or write to learn if they are available to host you. Most hospitality exchanges are intended to be similar to receiving a relative in your home. Guests are expected to help with light chores and/or share in some of the costs. Hosts usually will try to set aside some time to spend to show their guests around their community. The majority of hospitality exchange programs are free. A couple like Hospitality Exchange ( HYPERLINK "" ) require a small yearly fee for a listing. Many hospitality exchange organizations specialize in connecting small communities of people together including Rotarians, teachers, artists, gays and lesbians, and seniors. Three clubs exist that are free and open to anyone: , Global Freeloaders (), and Hospitality Club (). A few clubs like Welcome Traveler ( HYPERLINK "" ) do require guest to provide a small sum of money to the host to help defray the costs of hosting guests. These fees vary from country to country and also may be deferred if you host people in your home.A Profile of and its Founder, Casey FeltonCasey Felton, a 26-year-old political consultant and computer programmer in Anchorage, Alaska, set up in February 2004. has nearly 5000 members worldwide who agree to provide hospitality. Usually (approximately 70% of all members) the hospitality takes the form of providing a bed for a few days stay to other members. However, some hospitality is limited to offers by hosts to spend some time showing guests around their community. The majority of the members come from the US and Canada, though, there are a number of members in Europe and East Asia. also has several members throughout the EMERGING. Casey has put in a lot of thought and time into the site. He has succeeded in getting a lot of press interest (including articles in the New York and Los Angeles Times and several major European papers) and developed a site that allows members to post a lot of information to help “break the ice”. also has excellent tip sheets, useful member profiles, and an intuitive, easy to use design.In October 2004, I interviewed Casey for this book. Here is a short summary of that interview:Paul: When did you start developing ?Casey: I started planning four years ago. It started after I spent time traveling throughout the globe and thought it would be great to get to know people by staying in their homes. In Egypt, I was invited by a young boy to stay with his family. His family offered me a dirty blanket and put me on a bed outside, but they also taught me that the Earth was full of hospitable people. In order to see how receptive people would be to , I sent e-mails to the entire student population of a University in Iceland before I went on a trip there. I was met at the airport by an Icelandic pop star and received a really wonderful welcome from people throughout Iceland. Paul: How has become so popular, so quickly?Casey: I think the name has attracted a lot of attention. I also believe that many people are attracted to because of its non-profit status. I also encourage members to get in contact with their local press to let them know about our service. It has worked well. I expected to have 3000 members at the end of 2004 and it looks like we’ll have around 5000 instead.Paul: Is most of your membership young?Casey: Our average age is 29. Last week, I hosted a pair of nurses who were both in their 60s. We have members in their 80s. Paul: How do you deal with safety issues?Casey: We recommend that members refuse to host people if they don’t feel comfortable with the exchange. We have two ways that we help to establish trust. One is that we give members the option of becoming verified. “Verification” requires $25 payable by credit card. This enables us to establish that the person is at least creditworthy enough to have a credit card. We also verify the member’s name and address by sending them a letter. We also offer members the option of “vouching” for each other. Hosts who have enjoyed a guest can “vouch” for the guest by posting their remarks on the website. So far, I have not received any comments about any significant problems with any guest. One host did complain, however, that a guest was not interested in spending much time with the host. This, however, is a question of good guest-host communication rather than safety.SafetyWhile I have never read of any serious problems with hospitality exchanges, many people are reluctant to join out of fear for their safety. They don’t want strangers in their homes or they are afraid of their safety in someone else’s home. While this concern is understandable, it isn’t really justified. You have to remember that most people involved in hospitality exchanges are also opening their homes to travelers. They have opened themselves up to risk because they are both trustworthy and open to trusting other people.That said if you are extremely concerned about safety you should consider joining SERVAS since they require that all travelers must go through an interview. However, rest assured that you will be safe with any organization you choose.Regardless of which hospitality exchange program you choose, there are things you can do to help ensure safety. has an excellent list of safety precautions including: After contacting a person, get their telephone number and make a telephone call. Make sure you get a photograph, and an address. Ask as many questions as you need. No one who is offering their couch to visitors should be afraid to provide this information. Leave a copy with friends or family, next to your passport copy, with the date, address, and telephone number you are staying at. If you are traveling in a remote or dangerous area, you might consider registering with your embassy. You can usually do this via phone or email. Keep a backup plan. Perhaps your host has a family emergency and has to leave, or maybe you've found that you don't get along well. Don't worry. Get a telephone number for a hotel or youth hostel ahead of time, just in case. Know how to get downtown from where you are staying, by foot, taxi, auto, bus, or metro. This means that you should get a map. Mark your embassy on it. Your embassy is there to help you. Make a telephone list with the numbers for the police, your embassy, a taxi, an ambulance, and your host. Find out how to use the local telephones ahead of time so that you can make calls easily in the event of an emergency.CostsWhile Hospitality Exchanges are primarily, and appropriately, touted as a great way to forge intercultural friendships, there is no way of denying they are also a great way to save money. In fact, I believe, hospitality exchanges are the best way to travel inexpensively in the developed world (the US, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, and Western Europe).I had one student who traveled around Western Europe for a year for only $8000 (including airfare) through hospitality exchanges. She joined Women Welcoming Women Worldwide ( HYPERLINK "" ; 35 Pounds membership fee) and stayed in over one hundred different homes. She reported that she met a fascinating group of people who showed her a different side of Europe than she would have seen any other way. I can’t think of any other way – even camping across Europe—as cheap as her experience.Friendship ForceFriendship Force () arranges hospitality exchanges between different communities worldwide. Groups of people from the same community host groups from other countries. Generally, hosts in a community arrange group activities for visitors coming from another community worldwide. In one of my classes, a student from San Diego was about to embark on a Friendship Force exchange in Tbilisi, Georgia. The group from San Diego traveled together to Georgia and the Georgian provided two weeks of activities for the San Diegan. The group does pay some costs to Friendship Force and the host group, though the costs seem to be rather rmal Hospitality ExchangesYou can also ask friends, relatives, and acquaintances for suggestions for people to stay with while you are traveling. You will be surprised how often people know people who would be willing (and often surprisingly eager) to let you spend a couple days in their home.I have also found that many people will simply offer hospitality to travelers that they meet on the road. While I was traveling in Bali, Indonesia for three weeks in 1991 (at the time a very popular seaside destination for Australians), I received over fifteen addresses from Australians who offered to host me in their homes should I ever get to Australia. Some of the best hospitality I’ve been offered has come through informal means. In 1992 I decided to visit Guatemala. I told my parents who told me that they were a bit apprehensive about the trip. My mother mentioned this apprehension to one of her co-workers who hailed from Guatemala. The co-worker told my mother not to worry since I could stay with her cousin in Guatemala City. When my mother told me about the offer, my first response was reluctance borne out of the usual child-like response that adults have whenever parents “interfere” in their lives. However, after a few minutes, I thought it could be fun to stay in someone’s home there. So, I agreed. The cousin of my mother’s co-worker turned out to be one of the kindest people I have ever met. She and her family introduced me to all of their relatives, held a couple of parties in my honor, showed me around the town, and even took me out nightclubbing. Being a Good GuestThe success of hospitality exchange programs depends entirely on the quality of the membership. It is your responsibility as a guest to be as helpful and appreciative with your hosts as possible. Here are a few things to keep in mind. Bring a gift to your hosts. Most people suggest bringing gifts from home such as postcards, souvenirs, etc. I think the appropriate gift depends on your destination. In most of the planet, a gift from home is great. In Eastern Europe, I’d recommend buying a practical gift on site such as alcoholic beverages, flowers, or candy. Always bring photos to show people your home. I also usually bring a large cache of postcards, coins, stamps, and other small trinkets to break the ice. I give these away whenever locals show an interest in the item.Offer to pay the cost of any extras like phone calls or a ride to the airport.Read ahead of time and find what is appropriate at your destination. For instance, find out about local customs about clothing, removing shoes, eating etiquette, diet, alcohol, and non-married couples sleeping in separate beds. Respect local traditions. Unless you’ve established that more “liberal” behavior is OK with your host, I’d be conservative. As a whole, the best advice is to be prepared to act as if you’re at your grandmother’s house and to adjust accordingly.If you like to cook, ask your host ahead of time if kitchen facilities are available for your use. Bring your own food and be prepared to share with your host. Try to pick an easy meal which doesn’t require a lot of pots and pans or spices and is easy to clean up and not time consuming to prepare (some ideas: stew, spaghetti).Never ask if your host will cook for you. If someone cooks for you, offer to pay for the food and/or help with preparation or cleanup.If your host invites you out to eat, be prepared to pay for your own meal. Make offers to pay for both meals if you can. Make your bags as inconspicuous as possible. Do not keep your hygiene products in the bathroom. Put your bags out of the way of traffic. If possible, don’t bring a lot of luggage. Your hosts may have a small home. Keeping all of your things in a small bag allows you to hide them away easily.Check the space around you before you leave your host’s house. You don’t want to leave anything in plain view if possible. Be careful to keep your areas clean and neat.Respect your host’s schedule and expectations about your visit. Before arranging your stay, ask your host about their schedule. Find out when you should arrive. Keep in mind that many hosts work or study during the day. Usually, you’ll be expected to keep yourself entertained during the day and your host will show you around town at night and on weekends. When you arrive find out if your host will be able to spend some time with you. Some hosts may only want to provide a place for you to stay without spending much time with you. Many hosts (me included) expect to spend time with their guests. To them, the main reason to join a hospitality exchange is because they enjoy showing people around their town and meeting new people. In some cases, the hospitality exchange organizations may have rules to encourage hosts and guests to spend time together. SERVAS, for example, has hosts and guests sign that they will respect the agency’s rules, including the expectation that both hosts and travelers will spend time together. For this reason, keep a schedule flexible enough to spend some time with your hosts.Send a "Thank-You" postcard or note from home when you return (a letter or card is better than an e-mail, but an e-mail is better than nothing)! I would recommend sending a note even if you are paying to stay in someone’s home, particularly if you stay for more than a couple of days.If you are visiting for more than a couple of weeks, let the hosts have a few days alone in their home.Don’t plan to be at your host’s home when he or she returns from work. In fact, many hosts will be happy to have at least an hour alone after work to relax. Let your hosts know when you’ll be returning. You don’t want them worrying about you. If you are more than fifteen minutes late, give them a call to let them know when you’ll be returning. Ask your host about things to do in town. Even if they have no time to go out with you, they will want to help you to discover their town. Find out how to respond if your host wants to pay for your drinks or dinner. In some countries, there are rituals regarding who’ll pay (for example, some Asian countries the host is expected to offer to pay and the guest is supposed to refuse three times. If the host offers a fourth time, the guest is supposed to accept). If you think the host is serious about paying, accept graciously. Many hosts admire you for getting out of the rat race and want to help you. If you can afford it, offer to reciprocate later. If you want to help your host, do the dishes. Everyone likes to have a clean kitchen. Cleaning the living room may be insulting and you can easily put things away in places where the hosts will never find them again.Keep in mind that in poor countries your hosts will be fearful that you’ll run up their phone bill. Unless you are making local calls, don’t use their phone. It could end up costing them a month’s rent to pay for your five-minute call to mom. Nowadays, it is easy to find cheap public phones almost everywhere in the world. If you want to make a local call, ask your hosts first. You may want to ask your hosts for assistance. It’ll help allay their fears that you are making a long-distance call and ensure you get connected to the right person. HomestaysHomestays are similar to hospitality exchanges except that travelers pay families to put them up in a room in the host's home. The term homestay, as used in this booklet, generally implies that there are no more than two rooms available for rental in a home and that the owner of the home lives on the premise. In Latin America and Eastern Europe almost, all learning and volunteer vacations offer homestays as part of their programs. The majority of the time these homestays include two to three meals a day.Language schools usually encourage students to participate in homestays because staying with a local family gives you an opportunity to practice the language in a real-life setting. Sometimes, people stay in these homestays for several months at a time while they are volunteering or studying in another country. Some Cool Homestay ProgramsMost volunteer and learning opportunities listed in this handbook also arrange homestays. However, there are several homestay programs that operate independently from volunteer and learning vacation programs including: HYPERLINK "" American International Homestays ( HYPERLINK "" ) arranges homestays with families who also provide guide tours, in China and the former Soviet Union for around $100 a day. They will also assist you in getting visa support for Russia. HYPERLINK "" Earthfoot () lists organizations that provide eco-tours with homestay components (one particularly intriguing option includes living with Indigenous people in Guyana) around the world. HYPERLINK "" Himalayan Homestays (himalayan-) provides homestay and tours in the Ladakh region of India. Homestay Options around the WorldI have stayed in ten different homestays in Latin America and Eastern Europe. The rooms are usually very comfortable and, especially in Latin America, the food is ample. I have met and become friends with all these families.In Asia homestays, like the ones described in this section, are difficult to arrange. Occasionally homestays are only available in Asia with tribal groups for a couple of days. In some countries, like Japan, you may also be able to do a homestay as a part of a language program. However, when I studied Thai, I could not find any schools that offered homestays in Thailand. (In addition, the term homestay in Asia does not have the same meaning as in this booklet. You will see signs throughout Asia advertising homestays. These signs are usually referring to small inns and bed-and-breakfast establishments where there are several guest rooms available.)In Western Europe and the US, homestays are also not that common. Only about one-third of all language schools and volunteer programs in Western Europe include a homestay option. Most of these homestays do not include meals and it is not uncommon for there to be more than one student per house. In the US and Western Europe many people do offer an opportunity for a guest to stay in a “home-like” environment; however, most of these situations have several rooms for rent available and the owners do not live on the premises. Sometimes, there are so many rooms for rent in these facilities that they seem like hotels. (There are many different names for these types of situations in the US and Western Europe. The most common name is a bed-and-breakfast. I will talk about these options in more depth in Chapter 11). You Never Know who you’ll MeetOne day in Tallinn, Estonia, I went to a homestay agency to find a place to stay the night. After a couple minutes of interviewing me to help determine the best place for me to stay, she said, “I have the perfect place for you. They are an older Estonian couple with a lovely apartment in central Tallinn. I don’t often place people there, because they don’t speak any English or German and they are uncomfortable with guests they can’t talk to. However, since you speak good Russian, they’ll be happy to have you there.”Armed with their address, I went to visit this couple. The apartment was lovely. The room was the most comfortable room I had stayed in during my four months (up to that point) in that part of the Earth. The arrangement included a breakfast which the couple put in a lot of time and expense to make. I even went with them to their dacha in the countryside.Toward the end of my stay, I looked at the bookshelf in their front room (Hint: looking at bookshelves is a great way to learn about people). I noticed a tourist book to Pyongyang, North Korea. I asked them about it and they told me that when they were in the Russian military they were stationed in North Korea for two years. I was excited; I had never met anyone who had ever spent any time in North Korea before. I asked them what it is like. The woman replied “It was the worst place I have ever been and I was in Angola in the middle of a war zone. I never met any Koreans the whole time I was there. No one would talk about anything other than their love and admiration for Kim Il Sung (North Korea’s president). Even in the depths of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, people talked about things like where to find cheap bread or gossiped about who was sleeping together. In two years, I never had a normal conversation with anyone. I was even afraid to talk to my husband about life since we were probably wiretapped. It was awful.”In Eastern Europe homestays are also a normal option for accommodations for short term travelers as well. You will frequently be greeted by locals at train stations who will offer you the opportunity to stay at their home for a fee. (Most of the time these homestays only include a continental breakfast). As a whole these people are reputable, however, there are few things you should ask before agreeing to rent a room through these touts:Find out how you can get from the homestay to tourist attractions easily. Unfortunately, many homestays, particularly in Eastern Europe, are offered in homes that are a long way by public transportation from the city center. Expect to pay more for convenient locations.Ask to see the place beforehand. That way, you’ll see if the place is clean and comfortable. In my experience, particularly in Eastern Europe, the homestays are meticulously clean and as comfortable if not more so than a mid-range hotel room. However, you don’t know. If the tout appears to be reluctant to show you the place, try to go to someone else. It usually means that the place is either in bad condition or (more common) way out in the middle of nowhere. If the tout says that the place is not ready, ask them when it will be ready and make arrangements to go with them, if possible, to see the place later.In Eastern Europe you will also find agencies that make arrangements for tourists to set up a homestay in their city. I recommend that you use these agencies instead of the touts at a train station. Even though these agencies are slightly more expensive, they will be able to help you find a place that meets your needs and personality. Most guidebooks list the locations of these homestay agencies. Rick Steves does an excellent job of pointing out these agencies in Eastern Europe. Some tours also include homestays. A few even specialize in putting together vacations that feature a string of homestays. You can find a complete listing on homestay agencies in the links section of my website: Chapter Two:Advantages of Traveling-like-a-LocalA good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopherAdvantage #1: Traveling-like-a-Local is one of the Safest Ways to See the Planet.Since traveling-like-a-local allows you to integrate into your environment, you will usually be quite safe during your experience. Think about it for a while and the safety advantages will become clear. Here’s a few that spring to my mind:You don’t stick out like a sore thumb. You live where locals do, use their transportation and services. As you become comfortable in your new “home away from home”, you start to look less and less out of place. Thieves search their environment for people who look out of place or vulnerable. As you look more at home, they’ll pass you on for other tourists who seem more out of the environment. Locals will look out for you. Since you are not confined to spending your time with your fellow travelers, you’ll seem more approachable to local residents. As they get to know you, they’ll help you avoid places and things that may get you in trouble. You’ll be surprised how often even people you don’t know that well, like local store owners, will remember you and help you out particularly if you try to speak their language and seem interested in them. Generally people are proud of their hometown and like to give visitors a good impression.You’ll be more aware of your surroundings. You will find yourself slowly becoming interested in small things that make your new home away from home different (and similar) to life at home. In this process, you’ll become innately aware of what’s going on around you. After awhile, you’ll also find yourself developing the ability to instinctively scan the scene in your neighborhood and notice things that seem out of place and may be potentially troublesome.You’ll stay out of the tourist ghetto. People who are looking to take advantage of tourists work in areas where there are a lot of big hotels and tourist attractions. By living like a local, you are more likely to hang out in local neighborhoods. As a rule, you’ll seldom be bothered by people who are looking to take advantage of travelers in these neighborhoods. If you’re living in someone’s home, your hosts will help you to be a safer traveler. They’ll tell you places and activities to avoid. If God forbid something happens, they’ll try to help you out of a sense of responsibility and friendship. Remember your hosts want you to be safe. They do not want you to get in trouble under their watch. The rest of their society will assume that you are, to some degree, under their care. If something bad happens to you, it may reflect upon them (in some countries, they may even incur some legal repercussions). They are taking a risk by inviting you into their homes. How do they know, after all, that you are not a troublemaker?The Kindness of StrangersDuring New Years in 1989, my parents and I went to Rome, Italy as part of an inexpensive independent package tour.One day, we took a taxi back to our hotel. A few minutes after my mom got out of the cab, she realized that her purse had slipped off her shoulder and that her purse was still somewhere in the cab. Panicking, since the purse contained all of our travel documents, tickets, and money (I would recommend that you put these things in different places), my mother reported her missing purse to our hotel’s concierge. He shrugged and said nonchalantly, “You never know, your purse might show up.” After about ten minutes, the taxi cab driver returned to our hotel with my mother’s purse in tow. Ecstatic my mother reached inside her pocketbook and prepared a tip to the driver for returning the purse. I noticed that she was about to give the driver around a hundred dollars in lira. I said to my mom, “Why are you giving him so much?” My mom replied, “He saved our vacation.” I shut up because I realized my mom was right. He saved us countless hours and a lot of money and he deserved to be compensated for helping us so much. When my mom gave the driver the tip he said, “That’s too much.” My mom answered, “It’s OK.” The driver quickly reached out and gave my mom a big sloppy kiss before departing.Advantage #2: Traveling-like-a-Local is one of the most Comfortable Ways to See the Globe.Most people find traveling-like-a-local to be very comfortable for a variety of reasons including:You don’t have to adhere to a daily schedule established by a cruise ship or tour company. You can decide your own pace. By traveling-like-a-local, you can also avoid continually packing and repacking. Once you’ve reached your destination, you’ll put your things away for awhile. Staying in one place for awhile helps you to relax. You are not moving around a lot. You don’t have to pack and unpack bags. You will also avoid the “if it is Tuesday, it must be Belgium” syndrome. The places that you visit will not blend into each other. Plus, you’ll avoid getting overloaded by new images and stimuli.You quickly begin to feel at home in even the most exotic locale. You participate actively in the daily life of your new home. You try out local bakeries, restaurants, and shops. You attend plays, concerts, and shows. You spend time just ambling around and absorbing new sights and sounds. Your hosts will usually go out of their way for you to be comfortable. Even if their primary motivation is financial, chances are they want to learn about the rest of the planet or else they wouldn’t go through the time and trouble to have you in their home. Keep in mind: they have to work to have you as a guest in their home (such as arranging for clean linens, cleaning their homes, etc.). Over time, if they like you, your hosts will start to include you in their life by inviting you to meet their friends and to accompany them to social events or on errands. If you’re living in someone else’s home, you’ll have easy access to cooking facilities, phones and internet connections. Sometimes, particularly if you exchange homes, you may be able to use someone else’s car. You’ll have an opportunity to set a daily routine in a new destination that is completely determined by your own interests and time table. You’ll get to know the locals. People will go out of their way to make your experiences enjoyable, if you give them half a chance. If you’re staying in someone’s home you may get to know their friends and neighbors. Sometimes, you will even be invited out to a party or a wedding.If you’re involved in home exchange, you’ll almost always live in a very comfortable home. Most home exchangers have lovely homes and they work hard to ensure that the home is clean and maintained prior to the exchange. In addition, most exchangers make arrangements for you to get to know your new neighbors. Several close friendships have formed between neighbors and home exchangers.Learning Another LanguageOne of the best ways to travel-like-a-local is to learn a little bit of the local language before you leave for your vacation.You’ll enjoy yourself a lot more if you can talk to locals. Plus you’ll show people that you have interest in their lives.Most of the time travelers assume that learning the language is difficult; however, while it does take work, learning a foreign language can be fun. Here are my suggestions for making it fun:Look at learning as if it is a game. For example, rather than being exasperated by learning the Russian alphabet, I looked at it as if it were an anagram. Some letters were the same as English; others looked like the letters but had a different sound in Russia (for example, our letter “p”= our letter “r” in Russian) and still others looked like familiar English letters written backwards (for example a backward English letter N in Russian acts like our double e like in see). Only six letters have no resemblance to English. By treating the Russian alphabet like an anagram, I could look at a basic list of Russian cognates (words that are similar to English) and read them quickly. If you are trying to learn a Romance language (like Spanish, French, or Italian) brush up on your English vocabulary. Many obscure “college level” English words are similar to common words in Romance languages. For example, the word for kind in Spanish is amable, which is similar to the English word amiable (which also means kind). Try to find ways to associate new words with something in English. For example, I immediately learned the Russian word for work: rabotat. I pictured robots tatting away on a machine. To my surprise, I later learned that the English word robot comes from the Czech word (which is closely related to Russian) for worker. For hints on how to develop associations, read How to Learn Any Foreign Language by Barry Faber.Don’t emphasize learning grammar at first, unless you have a special skill or passion for grammar. Schools emphasize grammar too quickly. You’re best to start trying to learn vocabulary and pronunciation. As a whole, grammar is frustrating and vocabulary is fun.When you’ve learned some vocabulary, phrases, and begun to get a feel for the pronunciation, move on to grammar. The best way to learn grammar is through a good exercise book with an answer key at the back. You’ll be surprised how much you can communicate without good grammar if you have a decent vocabulary and pronunciation. When I went to Guadalajara to study Spanish after two years of High School Spanish (and a summer as an exchange student in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico), I met an older Spanish teacher from Ohio. A couple times we visited places around Guadalajara together. She would try to speak to locals and draw a strange stare. I’d talk and the natives always seemed to understand. I could tell that she spoke more proper Spanish than me; but, I had better pronunciation and knew more everyday Spanish expressions than she did!Try several different ways to learn the language including:A couple of conversational courses. I recommend Pimsleur (I like their emphasis at the beginning level on building languages a step at a time; however, after the beginning level, I grow tired of their approach and want more grammatical explanations and yearn for a written text. In addition, their advanced level courses are expensive, $200) and Living Language (livinglanguage). (They do a good job of teaching grammar and useful everyday conversations.) A vocabulary building exercise book. I like the 10 minutes a day (Bilingual Books) () series. Their selection of vocabulary is useful and their methodology is easy to do on your own. When you reach a more advanced level, you may want to invest in the VocabuLearn products. For some reason, they select an odd assortment of terms which befuddles beginners but is helpful for more advanced level students.A phrase book. The best phrase books to European languages are from Rick Steve’s (). His phrases are more conversational and natural than Berlitz. For non-European languages, I’d recommend Lonely Planet () phrasebooks. They are not quite as conversational as Rick Steve’s, but they are an improvement over Berlitz.A local newspaper or magazine from a country that speaks the language you’re learning. Keep a dictionary close and select articles that seem to be written for ordinary people (I think local travel stories are great!). Be patient—it takes awhile to read. (Plan on spending at least 30 minutes per article for a Western language.) If you read a few articles, the subsequent ones will be easier to read as you become accustomed to the publication’s tone and vocabulary. I would not recommend learning a difficult language, like Russian, this way. As a whole, you can’t get the gist of difficult languages easily through translation. The languages are simply too arcane. It took me almost four hours to read one article in Russian even after I’d studied the language for several months. Some Tips for More Advanced Language LearningKeep in mind that it takes about 200 hours of intensive language instruction or study to get to the point that you will be able to converse in most situations. And, sadly, that is not the end of work by a long shot. True fluency takes years. However, fluency is possible. Don’t give up! Here are a few tips for getting more fluent once you can converse fairly well:Try to get hooked to a local soap opera.? Ask locals about the storyline and then try to watch the serial every day.? You’ll learn a lot of new vocabulary and find out a lot about the culture at the same time.Watch your favorite shows from the US in English?with subtitles. (Most satellite dishes carry some English language stations.)??US shows (like ER) tend to use words that you would not come in contact with in daily life over and over again.? After awhile, you’ll start to take notice of these words. While watching these shows in Mexico, I learned a lot of words in Spanish concerning the justice system (from shows like NCIS and CSI) and parts of the body (ER and other medical shows). If you can, try to take a language class in a country that speaks your target language. If it is at all possible, you’ll learn faster either by yourself or with just one other person in the class. (Most classes have 3-5 students in Latin America, Asia, or Eastern Europe and 15-20 students in Western Europe.)? Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to help you fill any gaps in your learning.? I asked one of my Spanish teachers in Mexico to teach me more slang and idiomatic expressions.? I learned many interesting things about Spanish and increased my fluency markedly.I also have found that, as I get more advanced in the language, I get frustrated when people attempt to speak to me in English, particularly when I speak their language better than they speak English. I must admit my first reaction to someone speaking English to me is to be insulted. However, over time, I have come to realize that some people just want to practice their English. In that case, I will usually allow them to speak to me in English and respond to them in their language. That way, we both get to practice the language and if I don’t understand what they are saying to me in English, I can ask them questions in the language to make sure that I understand what they were trying to say to me in English.A Note for those who Feel Perplexed by Learning Foreign Languages:A lot of people maintain that they can’t learn another language. I have found that most of these people can learn with individual, local tutors. However, some people will not engage these services because they don’t have the patience or confidence to learn a language or they had a really hard time learning a language in the pastI would recommend that if you are one of these people that you learn some communication shortcuts. One that I have seen used well is to mix the words you know in the language along with using English for words that you don’t know in the language. The result will sound funny, but most people (particularly if they have a little English under their belt) will understand you. Another shortcut I’ve seen used successfully is to forget about grammar all together when you talk. You can do this by forgetting about conjugating verbs and ignoring the gender of nouns in your new language. For example, if you wanted to speak Spanish, most people would understand the following sentence: Ayer (yesterday) yo (I) ir (to go) a tienda (to store), instead of the more correct: Ayer fui a la tienda (Yesterday I went to the store). If you construct sentences in this form, all you have to do is learn vocabulary, which is much easier than learning grammar for most people.While I feel strange talking to people in this manner, it never fails to amaze how much locals seem to appreciate the effort. Sometimes, I think the locals think that people who speak this “baby talk” type language are cute and endearing. In addition, expatriates (foreigners who live in another country) often find that locals also will generally be less afraid to try to use English with you when they see you struggling with their language.Advantage #3: Traveling-like-a-Local is Inexpensive. On cruises and tours, you spend a lot of money on transportation because you are constantly traveling. You also pay more for everything on a tour or cruise because you are always paying for the overhead in their home office, which is usually located in a high cost, first world location. Even when you are away from the tour or cruise, you pay more for local restaurants and souvenirs because: it is hard to find inexpensive, local places quickly.you are inhibited because you don't know the language and culture so you seek out familiar services.tour guides may take you to places that give them a commission.expensive places are easy to find and well advertised oryou are rushed so you follow the tourist hordes (even backpackers often pay more than they should because they stay at the same (often overpriced) accommodations as other travelers).Traveling-like-a-local allows you to save money by taking advantage of the local economy. Since you’ll have some time in one place, you’ll be able to get advice from locals about friendly neighborhood restaurants, tours, and entertainment. You’ll also be able to take the time to learn where the best services are located.In many parts of the planet, you can travel-like-a-local for $25-50 a day in comfort easily. For example, in February 2002, I spent three weeks in Argentina including: 12 hours of private tango lessons, 40 hours of small group Spanish instruction, transportation to and from the airport, a couple of city tours, and renting a room (with breakfast and laundry services) for under $800 (less than $40 a day). I ate lunch and dinner in fine cafes that would have been at home in Paris for an additional $10 a day. Twelve hours of private tango lessons in San Francisco alone cost the same as all of these services (including food)!Traveling-like-a-local can save you a ton on accommodations. Almost all of the programs discussed in this book offer you an opportunity to live in someone else’s home for awhile. Let’s look at how you can save accommodation costs by traveling-like-a-local:Renting a room in someone’s home costs about half of a comparable quality hotel room. The rooms you’ll rent are usually large, private rooms. In Latin America and Asia, room rental costs as little as $5-8 a day. In Eastern Europe it is usually $20-30 a day. A private hotel room, even with a bathroom down the hall, will cost you between $10-15 a day in Asia and $30-40 in Eastern Europe. You can get free accommodation through hospitality exchanges (see later for more details). Think of how much you’ll save on accommodations in Western Europe and North America where cheap, clean accommodations cost at least $50 a night (unless you stay in a hostel which is usually $15-$20 a night). Anytime you stay in someone’s home you’ll also save food and utility costs since you’ll have access to a kitchen facility, computers, and phones. Traveling-like-a-local, however, is not the exclusive purview of budget travelers. Many higher income people choose these experiences because they: (1) feel comfortable living in a home environment and (2) want to feel as if they are part of the culture. Many home exchangers, for example, have beautiful homes that would cost several hundred dollars a day to rent. (Don’t worry if you have a modest home. Home exchange listings cover a wide range of housing options). Advantage #4: Traveling-like-a-Local is one of the Most Joyful Ways to See the Earth.While traditional travel can be fun, it is seldom joyful.Somehow joy comes alive in the oddest places and times. One of the real roots of joy is surprise. Joy is best when it creeps up on you. Traveling-like-a-local leads to many, usually fun, surprises. You often feel as if you are a lone explorer finding some untouched corners of the planet. One of the main reasons I loved Japan so much was that it was “virgin territory.” Most of the Japanese I met had never seen an American and this allowed me to have a lot of fun with people. For example, not long after I arrived, one of the host families remarked to me, “You’re fat.” I was offended, but sensed that maybe I didn’t understand the context. I did some research and learned that (at least 25 years ago) fatness was considered something to be admired in Japan (living proof I guess that people want to be what they are not).A couple of days later I looked in a Berlitz phrase book and found a sentence in Japanese which means “I’m pregnant.” I decided to use this expression the next time someone said I was fat. The first time I said it, the guy looked quizzical and then started to laugh. Soon the whole room was rolling with laughter.One of the Best Days of My LifeWhile I was studying Russian in Saint Petersburg, a fellow student named Rachel invited me?to visit a friend of hers in Gatchina, a small suburb about 30 minutes outside of the city, known for its somewhat modest Czarist-era summer palace.? Since I did not have anything else to do, I decided to accompany Rachel. (Note: Rachel was one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met.? She was a trained nurse from Australia who worked with the Aborigines.? She could speak all six major Aboriginal dialects fluently.? Her ability to learn Russian fast was awesome.) All I knew was that she was invited to spend the day with a young couple who sold small, intricate inlaid wooden boxes outside of the school.? I hadn’t met the couple before and thought it might be nice to meet some locals. When we arrived in Gatchina, the couple told us that they wanted us to meet a friend who would take us on a tour of the palace.? We were then rushed into a room in the basement of the palace which had a table festooned with copious bowls of Russian hors d’oeuvres and vodka. After we enjoyed the lunch, the tour guide?showed us the museum and castle.? About an hour into the tour?the palace closed but we stayed and spent several hours in the palace alone.? We danced in a ballroom with an intricate marble floor and walnut paneled walls to waltz music played on an old cassette player.? Then we visited hidden alcoves in the basement filled with small gold artifacts from the palace that weren’t usually shown to the public.??As we began to leave, the couple invited us back to their home where we ate more wonderful food and --of course-- drank more vodka before we caught the late train back to Saint Petersburg. I realize that many tourists would have spent hundreds of dollars for the chance to see a palace after hours.? Yet, it only cost me fifty cents for?the train tickets and a couple of dollars for a few bottles of wine.? The experience was?even more?valuable because what started out as a simple visit to a new friend ended up being one of the most magical days of my life. Advantage #5: Travel-like-a-Local Can Help Make the Planet a Better Place. The best part of traveling-like-a-local is that you can make a difference. Here are some of the reasons:Instead of paying your money to some faceless corporation, you’ll meet the people who are providing your services directly. By spending time with locals, you’ll help dispel any negative images of your fellow compatriots that linger in locals’ minds.You’ll develop an understanding of how other people live around the globe. When you listen to the news, you’ll find yourself caring much more about what happens in another country if you’ve spent time in that place. You’ll be exposed to other viewpoints about world affairs. For example, after studying at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in 1984, I learned that most Egyptians disliked Anwar Sadat. While many resented his friendship with the USA and Israel, others told me terrible stories about human rights abuses during his regime (particularly toward the end of his life). Some AUC students even told me that he arrested any group of more than five people who gathered together anywhere, out of fear that they were conspiring against him!Issues to Consider before Traveling-like-a-LocalTraveling-like-a-local is not for everyone. It requires flexibility. Unexpected things often happen when you’re traveling-like-a-local. If you’re open, these unexpected things will often be the highlights of your experiences. If you’re not, they can drive you crazy.You should not come into these experiences expecting that things will be organized, clean, and efficient as at home. If you come without high expectations, you’ll usually be pleasantly surprised. Most of the Earth is actually more pleasant, in my mind, than the media leads you to believe. The importance of flexibility can’t be overly emphasized. The advice that veteran home exchangers, Joe and Diane Stevens, give applies to anyone contemplating a travel-like-a-local type of experience:“People... have to be a bit loose and not too obsessive or rigid. Worrier types should not apply. Don’t have preconceived expectations as to exactly what sort of home you are getting… Only so much can be learned through descriptions, photos, etc. Neighborhoods, views, and home layouts cannot be fully understood until you get there. Part of the fun …is the surprise of a new location, house, etc. We have exchanged for a few places that were not quite up to our usual standards and we have exchanged for more that were far above.”Even if you are open, however, you need to take into consideration several issues before you opt to travel-like-a-local, including:There is no guarantee that you’ll be staying in a clean and comfortable place. While I have nearly always stayed in a clean and comfortable place while traveling and living like a local, I have stayed in a couple places that were quite dirty and uncomfortable. I once stayed at someone’s apartment, as part of a hospitality exchange, that was so stuffed to the gills with papers and books that I spent almost forty-five minutes just clearing off the bed to go to sleep. Nonetheless, he was a very interesting and pleasant host. You will not see as many places as on a traditional vacation. Many people say that the main reason that they select traditional travel experiences is that “they want to see a lot of places so they’ll know where they want to revisit later.” While I have seldom known people who actually return later, if you share this conviction take a traditional tour. Reserve your travel-like-a-local experience for a return visit. You may have to do more things yourself than in traditional (particularly luxury vacations) travel. Most of the experiences covered in this book do not include porters to carry your bags or maids to make up your room. You also will have to make your own arrangements for finding food and transportation. However, this is not as hard as it may sound. Since you usually are staying in one place, you don’t have to do a lot of unpacking and repacking. In addition, while the first couple of days can be trying as you find your way around, the rest of the trip wouldn’t be any more difficult than at home once you learn how to get to your home, school, or volunteer position. You may need to do more work to arrange a travel-like-a-local experience. Some travel experiences, like exchanging homes, require a fair amount of work to arrange (see home exchange section later for details). Sometimes, for experiences like volunteer programs, you may need to do considerable research to find the right programs for you.Should You Use Someone to Help You Plan Your Travel-like-a-Local Adventure?Typically, most neighborhood travel agencies will not handle travel-like-a-local adventures because they can’t earn a commission from the service provider. However, there are several organizations that can help you arrange your adventure. Unlike most travel firms, these organizations are both non-profit and for-profit.Several non-profit agencies arrange some specialty tours and work with volunteer programs. For example, Global Exchange () puts together “reality” tours (designed to educate travelers about conditions throughout the world) and World Teach () helps with volunteer placement assistance, counseling, training and office facilities. Some other non-profits (such as Volunteers for Peace; ) serve as a clearinghouse that lists programs and help make arrangements with the program provider.For-profit firms also can help you arrange some experiences. Several agencies (many deal with school placement, such as Amerispan () will help you find the right place for you while putting together packages of services to help make your experience safer and more enjoyable (like insurance and tours). Other companies maintain detailed listings of people who are interested in participating in exchange programs (there are also some non-profits that put together free listings of hospitality exchange opportunities. See later for more details.)Your neighborhood travel agent can help you set up most small, specialty tours (I’ll talk about these tours later. I’ll also point out programs that these travel agents work with throughout the text). It is always possible to create a travel-like-a-local adventure without using an agency or organization. In the case of language schools (which will usually also arrange a homestay as well, if desired), it is easy to find schools on the internet and make arrangements directly with the school. For volunteer and exchange programs, it is hard (but not impossible) to do it yourself. I will give you more information about how to make arrangements and discuss whether it is worth the headaches later.Chapter Three: An Introduction to Travel-like-a-Local Adventures and Traveling-like-a-Local at HomeI have wandered all my life, and I have also traveled; the difference between the two being this, that we wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.Hilaire Belloc, English writer11430015494000The next several chapters address many travel-like-a-local options including exchange programs (home exchange, hospitality exchange, homestays, and people-to-people exchanges), learning vacations (short term classes you can take at schools around the globe) study abroad programs (long term classes designed for college credit), short and long-term volunteer programs and work camps, specialty tours (small scale tours geared toward people with a common interest) and independent travel experiences that allow you to feel like you’re part of another way of life temporarily. All these sections will define the terms of the industry, explain the mechanics of arranging these adventures, outline useful resources for more information, and reveal many insider secrets that I’ve learned about how to select and enjoy the experience.Travel-like-a-Local in your Own Backyard You don’t have to go to some exotic foreign land to travel-like-a-local. All you have to do is get out in your community. You’ll find that it is a great break from your daily routine.If you work fulltime, you can travel-like-a-local at home by volunteering, studying, or simply set aside some time to get to know the people and places in your own backyard. You can also act like you’re a traveler by going out and seeing the local sights. You’ll inevitably find out that your hometown is more interesting than you ever thought possible.Here are some of my favorite ways to travel-like-a-local in my own backyard:Participating in small tours. Hundreds of organizations offer free or low cost guided tours. These tours are usually not well known in their community (I have been the only person on about 30% of the 300 or so tours I’ve taken in California). However, the tour guides are very passionate about their area of expertise (more often than not, they are volunteers) and eager to share their knowledge with you. After taking many different types of tours, you’ll develop both an intimate view of the inside workings of your community and a wonderful appreciation of your region’s history and people.Here are some tips for finding tours:If you live in California, see my publications and seminars about tours there entitled: An Insider’s Guide to Hidden California Tours.If you don’t live in California, scour guidebooks for information about attractions in your community. The two best local guidebook series are the City Smart Guidebooks by John Muir Press and Insider Guides by Globe Pequot Press. I would also suggest reading guidebooks for traveling with kids in your area. (These guidebooks are often not available at your local bookstore. However, they are easy to find on and are often available at Publisher Warehouse stores in outlet malls.)Check out websites (particularly those organized by Chambers of Commerce or Visitors Bureaus) for local universities, factories (sadly many of these tours were curtailed after 9/11), wineries, museums, neighborhood organizations (especially historical societies), and significant landmark buildings that offer tours.Taking adult education classes gives you the opportunity to learn about a subject of interest in a relaxed environment. You’ll meet other students with similar interests and the instructors are usually very approachable. Many organizations offer adult education classes. Most adult education courses are short (many classes meet one time for three hours) and are not offered for credit (there are no exams). Here are some places that offer adult education classes: Large, private adult education centers offer a very diverse course selection. The Learning Annex in San Francisco, for example, has offered the following courses: Travel the World for Free or Next to Nothing, How to Disappear, Starring in Adult Movies, and How to Work a Room. Some of these adult education centers include:Learning Annex (San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York City, Minneapolis, and Toronto) ()Learning Exchange (Sacramento). ( HYPERLINK "" )Learning Connection (Providence) ( HYPERLINK "" )Knowledge Network (Albany) ( HYPERLINK "" )Boston Center for Adult Education ( HYPERLINK "" )Intervillage, Ardsley, NY ( HYPERLINK "" )The Learning Studio, Malvern, PA ( HYPERLINK "" )Leisure Learning, Houston, TX ( HYPERLINK "" )Many community colleges and local universities have short, non-credit classes in non-academic subjects such as travel, crafts, writing, and personal growth. These courses are non-graded. Most cost between $29 (for a three hour course) and $100 (for an 8 week course). Unfortunately, these courses are not always easy to find because every school calls these classes something different. Most colleges send out course schedules to local residents. If you do not get a schedule, look for community education, community programs, continuing education and/or emeritus college classes (for seniors) on the website for your local college.Hundreds of organizations offer weekend and week long courses in many self-help and new age topics. These courses, which often include accommodations and food, typically cost between $300 (a weekend course without lodgings) to $5000 (for a couple weeks in luxurious lodgings with meals). Several books list these courses. The best comprehensive listing I’ve seen is in a book published in 1996 called Vacations that Can Change Your Life: Adventures, Retreats, and Workshops for the Mind, Body, and Spirit by Ellen Lederman. Arthur Frommer’s website and () daily newsletter also profile a lot of these programs. Staying in the homes of hospitality exchange members (see the section of this chapter on hospitality exchanges for more details) rather than a hotel when you go on short, weekend trips. Most of the club members are eager to show you their area and meet fellow travelers. Visit the local meetings of international social clubs (like Toastmasters or Rotary) in other cities. Usually, members are eager to meet fellow club members from other places and sometimes they may even offer to put you up in their homes for the night. Seek out ethnic clubs, churches, and international organizations in your neighborhood. These organizations will help you forge friendships with people from other countries, make connections for places to stay when you travel abroad, and give you insight into new values and ways of life. You will also help give people from a different land the impression that they are valued by the people in your community.Create a vacation environment in the comfort of your home and invite your friends and neighbors to your “mini vacation” at home: Read the book: Weekends Away: Without Leaving Home for creative ideas on how you can plan weekends at home which put you in the mood of various travel hot spots around the globe. Want to feel like you’re taking a romantic weekend fling in Paris or a cruise around the Greek Islands without leaving the comfort of your bedroom? Read this book.Host people in your home through a hospitality exchange program (see later for details): You’ll have a good excuse to escape the drudgery of daily life. After all, you can always cancel boring engagements because you have a visitor in town. Plus, you’ll get out and see your hometown. Sometimes seeing our towns through the eyes of visitors is a great way to revitalize your enthusiasm for your town. Even if you don’t have much time with your visitors, helping someone plan their adventure will bring back memories of your favorite places around town. You can get paid to host foreign students who are studying intensive English at many venues throughout the U.S. Many universities and colleges throughout the US have Intensive English Language Institutes. In addition, many private companies offer such classes in many towns nationwide. Most of these programs will pay hosts somewhere between $400 and $600 a month. Some schools will expect you provide just a room. Others expect hosts to provide meals and even transportation. I had one student in my classes who hosted students through these programs for over twenty years and upon retirement went around the world visiting her favorite students.Many student exchange programs need host families. Sometimes these organizations will provide hosts a stipend, some will expect you to host students as a volunteer. Some organizations will bring a group of students from overseas from a specific country for a couple of weeks. Others will expect you to host students for as long as an entire year. Be aware that most of these students will be high school aged and, thus, will require more patience and work to host than adults. However, I have met many host families who have developed really close relationships with these students and some that have played a major role in a student’s life. If you are willing to host students, ask the organization what type of support they will offer if you have problems with the students. Ideally, the organizations should have on-call psychologists and counselors to help with these issues. Learn a few words of several foreign languages and practice these words on foreigners you meet in your hometown. You’ll be amazed at the doors you’ll open, particularly if very few people study that language in your home. When I was in graduate school, I rode a bus in Los Angeles every day to and from the University of Southern California. One of the major problems on that bus line was that many new immigrants stood at the front of the bus and never moved to the back, which made it hard for passengers to pay the fare and caused a potential safety hazard. One of the bus drivers, a kind, heavy set African American woman with a wide, gentle smile solved the problem by learning how to say “Please move to the back of the bus” in 22 languages. Anytime people congregated at the front of the bus, she’d start saying the phrase in all 22 languages. Invariably, the passengers would move to the back. One day, I told her that I thought she came up with a brilliant solution to this problem. She replied, “It’s fun too. Asking passengers how to say “Move to the back of the bus” helped me to meet some really nice people. I also realized that I liked learning foreign languages. I’m taking Spanish at Los Angeles Community College now. I don’t think I’d have taken the class before.”Chapter Four:Home ExchangesThe border means more than a customs house, a passport officer, a man with a gun. Over there everything is going to be different, life is never going to be quite the same again after your passport has been stamped.Graham Greene 04953000Introduction:Of all the travel-like-a-local programs listed in this booklet, home exchanges are the best options for families (particularly those with children). During high school and college, my parents participated in home exchanges with me. They found that home exchanges were a fabulous way for us to save money, get to know the areas, and also feel at home in a community. They also have fond memories of shopping in local stores and markets and cooking meals in an exotic setting. We exchanged three times (Poissy, France, a mid-sized Parisian suburb, Kingston-upon-the-Thames, England, a fashionable London suburb, and Victoria, British Columbia). We had no problems though we do have some funny stories including:When we came home from our exchange in England, we discovered that a lot of small decorator items appeared to be missing; however, when we looked closer we noted that the exchangers had placed these items on any ledge they could find to keep their seven year old son from accidentally breaking our stuff.On our exchange to Paris, our exchange partners were a friendly, but somewhat fastidious couple. When we arrived, they picked us up at the airport and took us to the penthouse apartment we would call home for the next couple of weeks. For about an hour, the gentleman instructed us on how to take care of the place (it did not thankfully turn out to be that hard) including showing up several flimsy, antique chairs. My mother, conscious of my father and my propensity to break wobbly chairs, went around and put a string on every antique chair to keep us from accidentally sitting down. Though we only had a few pieces of furniture left to sit on, we loved the apartment’s view and size.What is a Home Exchange?Simply put, home exchanges occur when people swap their homes. Home exchanges enable both parties to stay in their counterpart’s home for a pre-arranged time frame, usually for free.Home exchanges are not limited to homes. Most home exchanges also exchange cars. Some even make arrangements for outside cleaning services and gardening services for the exchange party (usually both parties pay for their own maid or gardener during their vacation). Exchanges do not have to be simultaneous. Many people (especially if they have two or more homes) let home exchangers stay in their vacation home in exchange for permission to stay in the other exchanger’s home at a later date. Most home exchanges last for less than a month. However, I have heard of people arranging home exchange for as long as a couple of years. If you are interested in a longer term exchange, I suggest that you investigate home exchange listing services – like Teachers’ Home Exchange ( HYPERLINK "" ) and Senior Home Exchange Service ()– which are geared toward populations that are more likely to be able to engage in longer exchanges.Home Exchange Listing Services Usually home exchanges are arranged through listing services which provide detailed information about people who are interested in exchanges. The listings usually feature:Contact info (name, address, phone, e-mail)Location (nearest big city, distance from city, nearby attractions)Number of guests the home can accommodateHome and neighborhood features (appliances, internet and phone access, access to golf clubs, etc)Transportation (will cars be exchanged, how accessible is public transportation)Exchange requirements (available dates, places you want to exchange, number of previous exchanges, photos, smoking permitted in house)Generally it costs somewhere between $35 and $125 a year to belong to these listing services. Most services post their listings on the internet. Some for an additional fee print catalogues as well. The home exchange listing services can be open or closed. Open organizations charge you to list your home. Any visitor can access your listing for free without becoming a member (visitors may be required to signup for the service, however). Closed organizations require you to become a member before you can view the listings. Both closed and open listing services may allow visitors to see parts of a listing (excluding contact information). Closed services will only provide contact information if you become a member. Some open listing services will require visitors to tell the service that they are interested in contacting a particular listing. Once the service receives the request, they will send the contact person a message telling them that the visitor is interested in getting in touch. The primary benefit of an open listing is that you can preview the listings before you become a member. If you want to go to a less popular part of the world this is a big plus, because you can select the service with the most number of listings in your area. The majority of the homes listed by all services are in North America, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. You may occasionally find some homes in Latin America (particularly Mexico and Brazil), Africa (mostly South Africa) and Asia. However, it will be much easier to arrange a hospitality exchange (or a homestay) than a home exchange in these parts of the globe.You may even want to consider a small, closed listing service if you want to go to somewhere very popular like Paris or London. Some of the larger clubs have hundreds (sometimes thousands) of listings in these areas, and a smaller club with fewer listings may save you the time and trouble of culling through the mountains of listings.Want to Know More about Home Exchanges?BOOKS:There are only two reasonably up-to-date books on home exchanges out there. Unfortunately, none of them are really comprehensive. However, the two books together serve as a decent discussion of the subject:The Home Exchange Guide: How to Find Your Free Home Away from Home by M.T. Simon and T.T. Baker. The Home Exchange Guide is a thorough, up-to-date guide if you have already decided that you want to do an exchange and need to know the mechanics of setting up the experience. On the other hand, if you want to decide if home exchanges are right for you, I would not recommend this guide. It may scare you away unnecessarily. It tells you all of the potential pitfalls without much information about the advantages of home exchanges. The book desperately cries out for real life stories to illustrate and add life to its otherwise dry text.Trading Places: The Wonderful World of Vacation Home Exchange by Bill and Mary Barbour. Trading Places suffers from the exact opposite problems as the Home Exchange Guide. It needs updating (the last edition was in 1997) and more practical advice. However, it does a good job of making you want to participate in an exchange and profiling inspiring examples of real life home exchangers.Websites: () features good advice on home exchanges. HYPERLINK "" Global Home Exchange () (a home exchange listing service) provides good, basic information on home exchanges offered by home exchange services (see visitor’s section of the website). HYPERLINK "" Home Base Holidays () (another home exchange listing service) has an excellent newsletter that addresses many common questions/concerns for home exchangers and profiles real home exchangers.() Transitions Abroad lists home exchange companies and features an article with useful tips about home exchanges.Mega-net has the most complete list of home exchange programs. The list is however a bit hard to read. The author mixes hospitality, home exchanges, and vacation rentals. () You do not have to use a paid home exchange listing service. Some exchanges are arranged by putting an ad in a paper in the place you want to visit. In addition, some exchange listing services are free. I would recommend using a paid listing service, however, for several reasons:You will feel more comfortable trusting your home to someone who was willing to pay money to be part of a club. Your home is your largest investment. It seems “pound wise, penny foolish” not to pay $50 or so to learn more about the person you’ll trust with this investment.You’ll save time. The paid listing services require quite a bit of information about their listings. This information allows you to easily weed out listings that aren’t right for you. Most ads just don’t give enough information for your potential exchanger to determine if you are a right match. Therefore, you may have to respond to a lot of people before you find what you are looking for.Choosing among the numerous home exchange listing services can be a chore. Many people choose to join several organizations. Frankly, it is somewhat hard to distinguish between companies. However, if you do some research, you will find that there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to all programs. Here is a short summary of some of the advantages and disadvantage of home exchange listing services that I have researched:The Big Three: Intervac (), Home Link (), and . Home Link and Intervac both maintain that they are the largest listing services around. They both feature many listings outside of the USA (mostly Europe and Australia) and list exchangers both in print catalogues and websites. ($49.95) is a bit cheaper but has fewer members outside the USA and does not issue any paper catalogue. Smaller home exchange listing services: Numerous smaller home exchange listing services exist. Typically, you will get more personal attention from these services than the big three. However, you will have fewer choices. Several of these firms (including Digsville, ) will also help you arrange vacation rentals.Some exchange services also exist to serve specialized groups. For example, Purple Roofs ( HYPERLINK "" ) serves gay and lesbian exchangers and seniors can join the Senior Home Exchange Service ().Most home exchange listing services also list some (not many) hospitality exchanges, homestay, and student exchange possibilities. The home exchange listing services may be a good way to arrange these exchanges informally. However, traditional exchange programs offer more screening and will help you find the best experience for you.SafetyWhenever I’ve suggested that anyone consider home exchanges, they immediately express concern about the safety of their home during the exchange. However, your home is SAFER during a home exchange than any other type of vacation. Let’s look at the facts:As Diane and Joe Stevens, veteran home exchangers note (read the section on home exchanges in Chapter 3 to learn more about the Stevens), no one will rob you during an exchange because: “You are not exchanging with…complete strangers as you have gotten to know them a bit by emails, phone calls, photographs, letters, etc. before the exchange takes place. It would be rather circuitous for a thief to think: ‘I know what I’ll do, I’ll join this exchange club for a certain number of dollars per year, then I’ll give these folks I’m going to rob my name, address (after all, one needs the address to know where in heck you are going to exchange) and let them stay in my own house for a week or two or three, then I’ll rob them and when they get back home and find that everything is gone including all the jewelry, the dishes, and the beautiful bib-and-apron set that Aunt Sadie crocheted them....they’ll never expect it was me’. I mean, after all, you are going to be in their house while they are in yours. Theft just isn't going to happen.”The other party will ensure that your home is safe while you’re away. Their mere presence in your home will help keep thieves away that prey on vacant homes. In addition, the partners will keep an eagle eye on your place. The last thing they want is something bad to happen to your belongings. After all, they:want you to show the same respect for their possessions and home; don’t want to be responsible for damage to your belongings; andwant to maintain a good reputation so that they can enjoy future home exchanges. Arranging a Home ExchangeAfter reading the descriptions in the home exchange listing services, potential exchangers contact each other and discuss their expectations and the conditions. During the course of your communications you’ll need to take the following steps to set up a good exchange for both parties:Setting up an exchangeBe prepared to take some time and effort to find the right exchange for you.Write a letter (including photos) about your home and send it to several potential exchangers. Tell them about your location (including how close you are to major tourist attractions and your area’s main city) and time requirements (when and how long you want to exchange). Be persistent. Check for new listing periodically and send them your letter. Follow up on responses quickly. If it becomes hard to find a partner, try contacting a few listing in your destination who have indicated that they wanted to go somewhere other than your area.Discuss your expectations regarding cleanliness. Most home exchange listing services report that difference in cleaning standards is their #1 issue.Once you think you’re ready to enter into an exchangeBe very specific. Ensure that the number of bedrooms and beds is adequate for the number people that will be involved in the exchange. Make sure that both parties can drive the cars involved in the exchange (most cars outside of the US have manual transmissions). Find out if there are restrictions on the use of water and electricity (many places in Europe do not have water for several hours a day). Clarify issues involving animals, computer use, smoking, paying for home and car repairs, telephone use, and any special apartment or condominium association rules.Check with your insurance provider about insuring your home and car during the exchange. Most insurance providers treat home exchanges as if you are letting a friend or relative use your car. If something happens, you are covered. If your insurance carrier will not cover the exchange, contact your home exchange listing service for advice.Right before the exchange:Prepare a two or three page information sheet about the house and the local area, restaurants, etc. Include information about how to use the household appliances, passwords and codes, areas that are off-limits in your home to the exchangers.Ensure that you make arrangements for emergency contacts, retrieving mail, newspapers and phone messages, keys before and after the exchange.Many people worry that their home is not adequate for a home exchange. This should not deter you. Most listing services cover a wide range of possible living arrangements including apartments, condos, and even boats. Some are extremely luxurious (Joe and Diane Stevens profiled later in this book once stayed in a mansion in Puerto Vallarta that would have been worth upwards of $10 million in California!) Others are more modest. The most important factor in determining your success in the exchange is the location of your home. Someone in San Francisco or New York City will have no trouble finding people who want to exchange. If, on the other hand, your home is off-the-beaten-tourist-track, you may need to “sell” it a little more aggressively than if it were located in a more popular destination. While you need to be honest about your location, you may be able to get people interested in your location by saying things like it is in a “typical American town” or that your neighbors are extremely friendly. In addition, take a closer look at your hometown, you’ll probably find several tourist attractions that you didn’t know about that will interest potential exchangers in coming to your area.These are the top issues to be considered in making an exchange. If you’d like more information, refer to the resources listed in the Want to Know More about Home Exchanges? sidebar above.Meet the Stevens: Veteran Home Exchangers ExtraordinairePaul notes: Joe and Diane Stevens divide their time between their home in Cambria CA (a small resort, beach town roughly half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles near Hearst Castle) and an apartment in New York City. Diane is a writer with several published stories and books under her belt. Joe is a semi-retired psychiatrist. They have three grown children. One is a French translator; another is a psychiatrist and the third, a television critic. How many exchanges have you done and where have you gone?Joe: We have done 42 exchanges in the past 15 or so years; I counted them yesterday. 12 of those were in foreign countries, 21 in New York City, 7 in California. The remaining exchanges took place in other U.S. states.What is your most memorable exchange?Diane: We exchanged a home in Devon, England. The home was a cottage with a thatched roof, the type that would not be allowed to be built again in England today. The exchange partners suggested that we talk to their neighbors. The neighbors were out of an old time Hollywood movie. They lived in a large, brick Georgian style mansion. When we entered, we met the couple, a retired army officer and his wife. They sat next to a massive, crackling fire. Two large English hound dogs lay on both sides of the couple. They gave us sherry from a crystal decanter. He smoked a pipe. When we left, they offered to take us on a fox hunt. We agreed to come, because it was a great chance to see a bit of old England. When we showed up, we saw a group of animal rights activists out front. The fox hunt itself was just like you see in the movies. Everyone wore jodhpurs and a bugle was blown to start the race. It was certainly the type of experience you could only find in a home exchange. What is your favorite place to exchange?Diane: Half of our exchanges have been to New York City. Through our 21 exchanges there, we have learned that New York City residents are, contrary to popular myth, very friendly people. By living in so many different parts of the City, we have gotten to know New York City even better than some locals who often tend to stick to their own neighborhood. We have grown to love New York City so much, and have made so many good friends there through exchanging, that we have decided to live there part of the year.What is the strangest thing that has happened on one of your exchanges?Joe: One time when arranging for an exchange in New York City (NYC), the woman said as we were finalizing the final bits, “Oh yes, there is one other thing. Would you mind if our two teenage children are still here in my home during the two week exchange?” I am not kidding. We got some more information, decided to do it and the kids and the exchanger were wonderful folks. We have gotten to be good friends with them and see them each time we are in NYC. And, by the way, the exchange home was/is unbelievable. On Central Park West and if you know NYC, that ain’t bad. We’ve exchanged with them more than once (helped with the kids both times) and they are terrific.Diane: The kids were amazingly self-sufficient. We only knew that they were there when we heard their alarm clocks go off in the morning. The son was an accomplished musician and the kids were both more than willing to give us advice about New York City when we asked.Tell me a little about your first exchangeDiane: Our first exchange was to London in 1990. Our exchange partner was an interior decorator with a very attractive and well-located flat. Since he was connected to the London Opera, he gave us tickets to some of the best seats for an opera at Covent Gardens. When he came back to California, a couple years later, he invited us down to San Diego and took us out to an opera there. In fact, it was him who gave us a love for the opera. Prior to those tickets, we did not know much about the opera.Have you had any bad experiences?Diane: We only had one disappointing exchange. We ended up staying at the apartment of one of our exchange partner’s son in New York City. The apartment was just like you’d expect for a young college student: small, cramped, and dirty. However, it was only two weeks so Joe and I made the best of the situation. Joe: We have always had the house left perfectly clean as we leave the exchanger's house when we return home. Often exchangers leave flowers or a bottle of wine. We let the exchangers use our car and there has never been any problem though I would check with your car insurance company. Aren’t you afraid that one of the home exchangers will steal your stuff or trash your home?Joe: Everyone, including us, who considers doing an exchange always asks at first: “What? You expect me to let a complete stranger come into my house and not steal stuff, learn all my secrets and trash the place?” The answer is yes. When I joined our exchange club (Homelink) 15 years ago, I asked the manager of the club how often they had theft reported. They had been going for a number of years and though it was impossible to know exactly, they thought there had been perhaps 50,000 exchanges through their exchange book/website by that time and they had not had ONE report of any theft. I asked him the same question this last year, 15 years later, and he said that after all these years and thousands more exchanges there had been ONE report by a woman who “thought” an exchanger had taken a half dozen books. So, we don’t worry about theft. Obviously if you have a million dollar diamond I wouldn’t leave it out on the porch but other than that, forget it.Diane: One time, we did get stuck paying for a phone bill of over a hundred dollars left by one of our exchange partners. I guess we should have suspected that this could be a problem. When we got to the exchanger’s home in Ireland, we noticed that we had to unlock the upstairs phone and that the phone downstairs was, believe it or not, a pay phone.What is the best part about exchanging?Joe: Diane and I have had great fun with exchanges and have made really good friends through the process. In fact, other than a few friends in our home town, our best friends are folks we’ve exchanged with.Diane: I met my best friend, Carol, through a home exchange. Our friendship began over a clothes swap. After Carol arrived at our home, she discovered that it was colder than expected. She looked in my closet and noticed that we wore the same size and that I had a lot of clothing that she liked. She called and asked me if she could borrow my clothes. I said yes and asked if I could borrow her clothes. One day, a few months after our exchange, Carol sent me some clothes she was tired of. Since that time, we have visited each other hundreds of times. When Carol’s husband became sick, Joe and I got our apartment in New York City to help Carol.Chapter Five:Hospitality and Student ExchangesI am going away with him to an unknown country where I shall have no past and no name, and where I shall be born again with a new face and an untried heart.Colette, French writer25405270500Hospitality Exchange Programs: HYPERLINK "" SERVAS () is the granddaddy of all hospitality exchange organizations. They have, by far, the largest listing of hosts throughout the world. They have a particularly impressive list of hosts in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. SERVAS also has membership meetings for hosts worldwide. SERVAS costs between $25 and $85 to join for US residents (see HYPERLINK "" for details) as a traveler. You can join as a host without paying (though SERVAS does encourage you to submit a $45 contribution). You will have to go through an interview and submit a reference in order to join as a host or a traveler. If you want to be both a host and a traveler, you may have to go through two different interviews. Once you join as a traveler, you’ll get an introduction form that you are expected to provide to your hosts. You will also have to provide a deposit to get lists of hosts in the area you want to visit. As a whole, because of the process necessary to join, SERVAS members feel a strong sense of security. Most SERVAS hosts have more comfortable accommodations available than other hospitality exchange programs. HYPERLINK "" () has a short article about hospitality exchange programs in Japan. HYPERLINK "" Hospitality Club () is non-profit, free hospitality exchange organization. HYPERLINK "" One World, One Family () provides a gay/lesbian home and hospitality exchange club. The Open Directory Project links to all hospitality clubs with short descriptions. () HYPERLINK "" Women’s Travel () for a thorough, basic guide to hospitality exchanges (repeated several places on web). HYPERLINK "" () provides a well-organized, free hospitality listing service. The site also features a short discussion of one hospitality club participant’s experience. HYPERLINK "" Amerispan () features a thorough article about staying in Latin American homes. Other Exchange Opportunities Goodwill Guides (Day Hosts): Provide tours and hospitality for a day in: HYPERLINK "" Japan () HYPERLINK "" Korea ( HYPERLINK "" /introduction.asp?konum=1&kosm=m4_7) HYPERLINK "" New York City ()Day hosts are also available through HYPERLINK "" and HYPERLINK "" .Clubs and Professional Exchange ProgramsPeople to People International () offers the opportunity for hundreds of professionals to meet their counterparts throughout the world. HYPERLINK "" The US State Department’s International Visitors Program () helps arrange for international visitors to meet American citizens in the same profession.Major international clubs like HYPERLINK "" Toastmasters (), HYPERLINK "" Kiwanis (), and HYPERLINK "" Rotary () offer the opportunity for members to get to know each other around the planet.Hospitality ExchangesIntroductionHospitality programs maintain lists of people who are willing to open their rooms, spare beds, tents, cots, or couches to travelers for free. The usual stay lasts from one to three days, though longer stays can be arranged. You do not have to open your home to participate in a hospitality exchange. You do have, however, to be willing to share some of your interests, life stories, and friendship. Unlike home exchanges, hospitality exchanges can be arranged without a lot of advance notice. While most hosts prefer at least three days notice (usually the listing tells how much notice the host prefers) it is possible to make arrangements up until the eve of your arrival.Many people will arrange several hospitality exchanges prior to their vacation and stay in each home for a couple days. By making multiple arrangements, travelers not only save the cost of accommodations throughout the trip, but also get exposed to a wide range of lifestyles in their destination.Hospitality exchange arrangements are relatively easy to arrange. You consult a directory of other members, and then phone or write to learn if they are available to host you. Most hospitality exchanges are intended to be similar to receiving a relative in your home. Guests are expected to help with light chores and/or share in some of the costs. Hosts usually will try to set aside some time to spend to show their guests around their community. The majority of hospitality exchange programs are free. A couple like Hospitality Exchange ( HYPERLINK "" ) require a small yearly fee for a listing. Many hospitality exchange organizations specialize in connecting small communities of people together including Rotarians, teachers, artists, gays and lesbians, and seniors. Three clubs exist that are free and open to anyone: , Global Freeloaders (), and Hospitality Club (). A few clubs like Welcome Traveler ( HYPERLINK "" ) do require guest to provide a small sum of money to the host to help defray the costs of hosting guests. These fees vary from country to country and also may be deferred if you host people in your home.A Profile of and its Founder, Casey FeltonCasey Felton, a 26 year old political consultant and computer programmer in Anchorage, Alaska, set up in February 2004. has nearly 5000 members worldwide who agree to provide hospitality. Usually (approximately 70% of all members) the hospitality takes the form of providing a bed for a few days stay to other members. However some hospitality is limited to offers by hosts to spend some time showing guests around their community. The majority of the members come from the US and Canada, though, there are a number of members in Europe and East Asia. also has several members throughout the third world. Casey has put in a lot of thought and time into the site. He has succeeded in getting a lot of press interest (including articles in the New York and Los Angeles Times and several major European papers) and developed a site that allows members to post a lot of information to help “break the ice”. also has excellent tip sheets, useful member profiles, and an intuitive, easy to use design.In October 2004, I interviewed Casey for this book. Here is a short summary of that interview:Paul: When did you start developing ?Casey: I started planning four years ago. It started after I spent time traveling throughout the globe and thought it would be great to get to know people by staying in their homes. In Egypt, I was invited by a young boy to stay with his family. His family offered me a dirty blanket and put me on a bed outside, but they also taught me that the Earth was full of hospitable people. In order to see how receptive people would be to , I sent e-mails to the entire student population of a University in Iceland before I went on a trip there. I was met at the airport by an Icelandic pop star and received a really wonderful welcome from people throughout Iceland. Paul: How has become so popular, so quickly?Casey: I think the name has attracted a lot of attention. I also believe that many people are attracted to because of its non-profit status. I also encourage members to get in contact with their local press to let them know about our service. It has worked well. I expected to have 3000 members at the end of 2004 and it looks like we’ll have around 5000 instead.Paul: Is most of your membership young?Casey: Our average age is 29. Last week, I hosted a pair of nurses who were both in their 60s. We have members in their 80s. Paul: How do you deal with safety issues?Casey: We recommend that members refuse to host people if they don’t feel comfortable with the exchange. We have two ways that we help to establish trust. One is that we give members the option of becoming verified. “Verification” requires $25 payable by credit card. This enables us to establish that the person is at least creditworthy enough to have a credit card. We also verify the member’s name and address by sending them a letter. We also offer members the option of “vouching” for each other. Hosts who have enjoyed a guest can “vouch” for the guest by posting their remarks on the website. So far, I have not received any comments about any significant problems with any guest. One host did complain, however, that a guest was not interested in spending much time with the host. This, however, is a question of good guest-host communication rather than safety.SafetyWhile I have never read of any serious problems with hospitality exchanges, many people are reluctant to join out of fear for their safety. They don’t want strangers in their homes or they are afraid of their safety in someone else’s home. While this concern is understandable, it isn’t really justified. You have to remember that most people involved in hospitality exchanges are also opening their homes to travelers. They have opened themselves up to risk because they are both trustworthy and open to trusting other people.That said if you are extremely concerned about safety you should consider joining SERVAS since they require that all travelers must go through an interview. However, rest assured that you will be safe with any organization you choose.Regardless of which hospitality exchange program you choose, there are things you can do to help ensure safety. has an excellent list of safety precautions including: After contacting a person, get their telephone number and make a telephone call. Make sure you get a photograph, and an address. Ask as many questions as you need. No one who is offering their couch to visitors should be afraid to provide this information. Leave a copy with friends or family, next to your passport copy, with the date, address, and telephone number you are staying at. If you are traveling in a remote or dangerous area, you might consider registering with your embassy. You can usually do this via phone or email. Keep a backup plan. Perhaps your host has a family emergency and has to leave, or maybe you've found that you don't get along well. Don't worry. Get a telephone number for a hotel or youth hostel ahead of time, just in case. Know how to get downtown from where you are staying, by foot, taxi, auto, bus, or metro. This means that you should get a map. Mark your embassy on it. Your embassy is there to help you. Make a telephone list with the numbers for the police, your embassy, a taxi, an ambulance, and your host. Find out how to use the local telephones ahead of time so that you can make calls easily in the event of an emergency.CostsWhile Hospitality Exchanges are primarily, and appropriately, touted as a great way to forge intercultural friendships, there is no way of denying they are also a great way to save money. In fact, I believe, hospitality exchanges are the best way to travel inexpensively in the developed world (the US, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, and Western Europe).I had one student who traveled around Western Europe for a year for only $8000 (including airfare) through hospitality exchanges. She joined Women Welcoming Women Worldwide ( HYPERLINK "" ; 35 Pounds membership fee) and stayed in over one hundred different homes. She reported that she met a fascinating group of people who showed her a different side of Europe than she would have seen any other way. I can’t think of any other way – even camping across Europe—as cheap as her experience.Friendship ForceFriendship Force () arranges hospitality exchanges between different communities worldwide. Groups of people from the same community host groups from other countries. Generally, hosts in a community arrange group activities for visitors coming from another community worldwide. In one of my classes, a student from San Diego was about to embark on a Friendship Force exchange in Tbilisi, Georgia. The group from San Diego traveled together to Georgia and the Georgian provided two weeks of activities for the San Diegan. The group does pay some costs to Friendship Force and the host group, though the costs seem to be rather rmal Hospitality ExchangesYou can also ask friends, relatives, and acquaintances for suggestions for people to stay with while you are traveling. You will be surprised how often people know people who would be willing (and often surprisingly eager) to let you spend a couple days in their home.I have also found that many people will simply offer hospitality to travelers that they meet on the road. While I was traveling in Bali, Indonesia for three weeks in 1991 (at the time a very popular seaside destination for Australians), I received over fifteen addresses from Australians who offered to host me in their homes should I ever get to Australia. Some of the best hospitality I’ve been offered has come through informal means. In 1992 I decided to visit Guatemala. I told my parents who told me that they were a bit apprehensive about the trip. My mother mentioned this apprehension to one of her co-workers who hailed from Guatemala. The co-worker told my mother not to worry since I could stay with her cousin in Guatemala City. When my mother told me about the offer, my first response was reluctance borne out of the usual child-like response that adults have whenever parents “interfere” in their lives. However, after a few minutes, I thought it could be fun to stay in someone’s home there. So I agreed. The cousin of my mother’s co-worker turned out to be one of the kindest people I have ever met. She and her family introduced me to all of their relatives, held a couple of parties in my honor, showed me around the town, and even took me out nightclubbing. Being a Good GuestThe success of hospitality exchange programs depends entirely on the quality of the membership. It is your responsibility as a guest to be as helpful and appreciative with your hosts as possible. Here are a few things to keep in mind. Bring a gift to your hosts. Most people suggest bringing gifts from home such as postcards, souvenirs, etc. I think the appropriate gift depends on your destination. In most of the planet, a gift from home is great. In Eastern Europe, I’d recommend buying a practical gift on site such as alcoholic beverages, flowers, or candy. Always bring photos to show people your home. I also usually bring a large cache of postcards, coins, stamps, and other small trinkets to break the ice. I give these away whenever locals show an interest in the item.Offer to pay the cost of any extras like phone calls or a ride to the airport.Read ahead of time and find what is appropriate at your destination. For instance, find out about local customs about clothing, removing shoes, eating etiquette, diet, alcohol, and non-married couples sleeping in separate beds. Respect local traditions. Unless you’ve established that more “liberal” behavior is OK with your host, I’d be conservative. As a whole, the best advice is to be prepared to act as if you’re at your grandmother’s house and to adjust accordingly.If you like to cook, ask your host ahead of time if kitchen facilities are available for your use. Bring your own food and be prepared to share with your host. Try to pick an easy meal which doesn’t require a lot of pots and pans or spices and is easy to clean up and not time consuming to prepare (some ideas: stew, spaghetti).Never ask if your host will cook for you. If someone cooks for you, offer to pay for the food and/or help with preparation or cleanup.If your host invites you out to eat, be prepared to pay for your own meal. Make offers to pay for both meals if you can. Make your bags as inconspicuous as possible. Do not keep your hygiene products in the bathroom. Put your bags out of the way of traffic. If possible, don’t bring a lot of luggage. Your hosts may have a small home. Keeping all of your things in a small bag allows you to hide them away easily.Check the space around you before you leave your host’s house. You don’t want to leave anything in plain view if possible. Be careful to keep your areas clean and neat.Respect your host’s schedule and expectations about your visit. Before arranging your stay, ask your host about their schedule. Find out when you should arrive. Keep in mind that many hosts work or study during the day. Usually, you’ll be expected to keep yourself entertained during the day and your host will show you around town at night and on weekends. When you arrive find out if your host will be able to spend some time with you. Some hosts may only want to provide a place for you to stay without spending much time with you. Many hosts (me included) expect to spend time with their guests. To them, the main reason to join a hospitality exchange is because they enjoy showing people around their town and meeting new people. In some cases, the hospitality exchange organizations may have rules to encourage hosts and guests to spend time together. SERVAS, for example, has hosts and guests sign that they will respect the agency’s rules, including the expectation that both hosts and travelers will spend time together. For this reason, keep a schedule flexible enough to spend some time with your hosts.Send a "Thank-You" postcard or note from home when you return (a letter or card is better than an e-mail, but an e-mail is better than nothing)! I would recommend sending a note even if you are paying to stay in someone’s home, particularly if you stay for more than a couple of days.If you are visiting for more than a couple of weeks, let the hosts have a few days alone in their home.Don’t plan to be at your host’s home when he or she returns from work. In fact, many hosts will be happy to have at least an hour alone after work to relax. Let your hosts know when you’ll be returning. You don’t want them worrying about you. If you are more than fifteen minutes late, give them a call to let them know when you’ll be returning. Ask your host about things to do in town. Even if they have no time to go out with you, they will want to help you to discover their town. Find out how to respond if your host wants to pay for your drinks or dinner. In some countries, there are rituals regarding who’ll pay (for example, some Asian countries the host is expected to offer to pay and the guest is supposed to refuse three times. If the host offers a fourth time, the guest is supposed to accept). If you think the host is serious about paying, accept graciously. Many hosts admire you for getting out of the rat race and want to help you. If you can afford it, offer to reciprocate later. If you want to help your host, do the dishes. Everyone likes to have a clean kitchen. Cleaning the living room may be insulting and you can easily put things away in places where the hosts will never find them again.Keep in mind that in poor countries your hosts will be fearful that you’ll run up their phone bill. Unless you are making local calls, don’t use their phone. It could end up costing them a month’s rent to pay for your five minute call to mom. Nowadays, it is easy to find cheap public phones almost everywhere in the world. If you want to make a local call, ask your hosts first. You may want to ask your hosts for assistance. It’ll help allay their fears that you are making a long distance call and ensure you get connected to the right person.Student ExchangeIf you know a young person who wants to see the world, I would encourage you to talk to them about student exchange programs.I started my world travels as a High School Exchange Student with Youth for Understanding ( HYPERLINK "" ) in Japan and the Philippines and with Experiment in International Living ( HYPERLINK "" ). The costs, itineraries, and terms for these programs vary by the country. Some programs feature five to six week summer sessions that include a month with a family and two weeks touring around the country. Other programs allow students to enroll in a High School in a foreign country for an entire academic year. The summer programs usually cost around $6000 and the academic year programs usually run around $9000-10,000. These costs include insurance, airfare, activities, and sometimes orientations. (When I went to Japan, we had a three day pre-departure orientation at Stanford University and follow-up weekends for three years).I think that teenagers benefit from exchange programs even more than adults. Teenagers are still trying to understand themselves and I have seen several cases (including myself) where participating in these experiences have made significant life changes for teenagers. Most High Schools have American Field Service, AFS, ( HYPERLINK "" ) and Youth for Understanding clubs on campus. I would encourage students, however, to check out both organizations and the Experiment in International Living, EIL, programs to see which fits their needs best. Taakasan Omiyage (Many Gifts)Like most men, I seldom cry. I cry at soppy movies or following the death of a relative or a friend. Only once, I have cried at something different than a movie or death. It was a warm summer day on a plane bound for my home in August 1979. I sobbed uncontrollably for almost two hours because I didn’t want to go home.I did not want to go back to being picked on by mean spirited students who reveled in making me feel stupid, gawky, and fat. I dreaded struggling to understand algebra and chemistry. Even though I loved my parents, I yearned to spread my wings.I wanted to stay in Yaizu, Japan, a small town located half way between Tokyo and Nagoya where I’d spent the previous two months as an exchange student. I was fourteen years old and this was the first time I’d ever left the country for such a long and life changing experience. In Yaizu, I always met new friends, learned about a different way of life, and received generous gifts and attention. I didn’t feel fat, clumsy, stupid, or bored. Instead, I felt alive and treasured.I was the first American most of the Japanese in Yaizu had ever met. When I walked down the street little kids stopped to feel my skin and my hair. On the third day there, when I accompanied my host brother, Hideshi, to his high school, the students lined the hallway to gawk at me. Every day for the next three weeks until school let out for the summer break, the students would bring in little gifts like antique silver coins. Even though I was younger than most of the students, I led them in English conversation classes. I loved telling the students about the USA and learning, even though they were painfully shy, about their families and lives. The English teachers sought my advice on grammar and conversation questions. At the end of my stay, the teachers gave me a yukata (a male kimono), a gold embossed certificate of appreciation (which still hangs above my desk), and feted me with copious amounts of sake and platters filled with artfully arranged sashimi and teriyaki at a four-hour luncheon held in a large, tatami (a woven grass floor covering) clad private room perched above Yaizu’s busy fishing harbor. After the school session finished, I followed my host mother, Yukiko, on her daily chores for the rest of my stay. Yukiko taught piano to students of all ages. When I arrived at her students’ or colleagues’ homes, they would set out intricately arranged plates of sumiko, a square shaped watermelon that cost about $25 a pound. Her students and friends took me on tours of the city, invited me to visit their clubs, and even entertained me with elaborate, sake drenched dinners. One day, I looked around Satchiko’s, one of my host mother’s friends, home and innocently remarked that I liked a hand made doll with a small cloth, reversible face draped in an intricate paper kimono. She gave me the doll. After trying to refuse, I accepted the gift and casually noted that the doll’s face was blank. Satchiko then painstakingly tried to draw a face on the doll and smeared ink all over the face in the process. My host mother took the doll from her hands and turned the face around so that it was blank. I left with the gift, embarrassed yet touched by Satchiko’s kindness. After about two weeks, Yukiko came to me and said that Satchiko had dropped off another gift for me–a beautiful pair of kimono clad, samurai dolls that now sit above my television set. When I left Japan, I stumbled through the downstairs departure area of Narita Airport in Tokyo trying to grapple with two luggage carts overloaded by three heavy boxes and two bulging suitcases. The Japanese host families gathered in the gallery above the departure area pointed at me and muttered taakasan omiyage (many gifts). For these families, my excessive baggage was a point of pride – a subtle indication of their fellow citizens’ hospitality. Never in my life have I felt so special as my stay in Yaizu. It is no wonder that I was moved to tears. Every time I look at reminders of that time that grace my home, such as Satchiko’s dolls, I see living symbols of mankind’s innate goodness. I feel so blessed that I was able to feel the loving embrace of the people of Yaizu when I needed it most.Chapter Six: HomestaysThe whole object of travel is not to set foot on a foreign land; it is to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.GK Chesterton, British WriterIntroduction457202667000Homestays are similar to hospitality exchanges except that travelers pay families to put them up in a room in the host's home. The term homestay, as used in this booklet, generally implies that there are no more than two rooms available for rental in a home and that the owner of the home lives on the premise. In Latin America and Eastern Europe almost all learning and volunteer vacations offer homestays as part of their programs. The majority of the time these homestays include two to three meals a day.Language schools usually encourage students to participate in homestays because staying with a local family gives you an opportunity to practice the language in a real life setting. Sometimes, people stay in these homestays for several months at a time while they are volunteering or studying in another country. Some Cool Homestay ProgramsMost volunteer and learning opportunities listed in this handbook also arrange homestays. However, there are several homestay programs that operate independently from volunteer and learning vacation programs including: HYPERLINK "" American International Homestays ( HYPERLINK "" ) arranges homestays with families who also provide guide tours, in China and the former Soviet Union for around $100 a day. They will also assist you in getting visa support for Russia. HYPERLINK "" Earthfoot () lists organizations that provide eco-tours with homestay components (one particularly intriguing option includes living with Indigenous people in Guyana) around the world. HYPERLINK "" Himalayan Homestays (himalayan-) provides homestay and tours in the Ladakh region of India. Homestay Options around the WorldI have stayed in ten different homestays in Latin America and Eastern Europe. The rooms are usually very comfortable and, especially in Latin America, the food is ample. I have met and become friends with all these families.In Asia homestays, like the ones described in this section, are difficult to arrange. Occasionally homestays are only available in Asia with tribal groups for a couple of days. In some countries, like Japan, you may also be able to do a homestay as a part of a language program. However, when I studied Thai, I could not find any schools that offered homestays in Thailand. (In addition, the term homestay in Asia does not have the same meaning as in this booklet. You will see signs throughout Asia advertising homestays. These signs are usually referring to small inns and bed-and-breakfast establishments where there are several guest rooms available.)In Western Europe and the US, homestays are also not that common. Only about one-third of all language schools and volunteer programs in Western Europe include a homestay option. Most of these homestays do not include meals and it is not uncommon for there to be more than one student per house. In the US and Western Europe many people do offer an opportunity for a guest to stay in a “home-like” environment; however, most of these situations have several rooms for rent available and the owners do not live on the premises. Sometimes, there are so many rooms for rent in these facilities that they seem like hotels. (There are many different names for these types of situations in the US and Western Europe. The most common name is a bed-and-breakfast. I will talk about these options in more depth in Chapter 11). You Never Know who you’ll MeetOne day in Tallinn, Estonia, I went to a homestay agency to find a place to stay the night. After a couple minutes of interviewing me to help determine the best place for me to stay, she said, “I have the perfect place for you. They are an older Estonian couple with a lovely apartment in central Tallinn. I don’t often place people there, because they don’t speak any English or German and they are uncomfortable with guests they can’t talk to. However, since you speak good Russian, they’ll be happy to have you there.”Armed with their address, I went to visit this couple. The apartment was lovely. The room was the most comfortable room I had stayed in during my four months (up to that point) in that part of the Earth. The arrangement included a breakfast which the couple put in a lot of time and expense to make. I even went with them to their dacha in the countryside.Toward the end of my stay, I looked at the bookshelf in their front room (Hint: looking at bookshelves is a great way to learn about people). I noticed a tourist book to Pyongyang, North Korea. I asked them about it and they told me that when they were in the Russian military they were stationed in North Korea for two years. I was excited; I had never met anyone who had ever spent any time in North Korea before. I asked them what it is like. The woman replied “It was the worst place I have ever been and I was in Angola in the middle of a war zone. I never met any Koreans the whole time I was there. No one would talk about anything other than their love and admiration for Kim Il Sung (North Korea’s president). Even in the depths of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, people talked about things like where to find cheap bread or gossiped about who was sleeping together. In two years, I never had a normal conversation with anyone. I was even afraid to talk to my husband about life since we were probably wiretapped. It was awful.”In Eastern Europe homestays are also a normal option for accommodations for short term travelers as well. You will frequently be greeted by locals at train stations who will offer you the opportunity to stay at their home for a fee. (Most of the time these homestays only include a continental breakfast). As a whole these people are reputable, however, there are few things you should ask before agreeing to rent a room through these touts:Find out how you can get from the homestay to tourist attractions easily. Unfortunately, many homestays, particularly in Eastern Europe, are offered in homes that are a long way by public transportation from the city center. Expect to pay more for convenient locations.Ask to see the place beforehand. That way, you’ll see if the place is clean and comfortable. In my experience, particularly in Eastern Europe, the homestays are meticulously clean and as comfortable if not more so than a mid-range hotel room. However, you don’t know. If the tout appears to be reluctant to show you the place, try to go to someone else. It usually means that the place is either in bad condition or (more common) way out in the middle of nowhere. If the tout says that the place is not ready, ask them when it will be ready and make arrangements to go with them, if possible, to see the place later.In Eastern Europe you will also find agencies that make arrangements for tourists to set up a homestay in their city. I recommend that you use these agencies instead of the touts at a train station. Even though these agencies are slightly more expensive, they will be able to help you find a place that meets your needs and personality. Most guidebooks list the locations of these homestay agencies. Rick Steves does an excellent job of pointing out these agencies in Eastern Europe. Some tours also include homestays. A few even specialize in putting together vacations that feature a string of homestays. You can find a complete listing on homestay agencies in the links section of my website: . Living in a Mexican Soap Opera (Telenovela):? A Semi True Story While I was in Mexico between September and December 2005, I became addicted to a Mexican soap opera (telenovela) called Amor en Custodia (Love on Hold). Telenovelas, unlike US soap operas, are shown five nights a week (every weekday) for a three-to-four month period and then they end and a new series starts. The plots are all somewhat similar: A rich family concocts intricate plots to keep elaborate secrets from each other and get access to power and money. Many of these schemes and secrets revolve around the patriarch of the family who has had so many extramarital relations that, by the end of the series, we find out that everyone is related somehowOver the past 25 years I’ve lived with eight Mexican families. I have been blessed to get to know these families well enough so that they shared their family history – and sometimes secrets – with me. Watching telenovelas, I realized that collectively these families’ stories could be weaved into a great soap opera. So I decided to create my own outline for a telenovela partially using these stories. Keep in mind that like all good soap operas these stories, though based on real life, have been embroidered considerably. I have changed family relationships, names, and stories, and added fictional elements (from real telenovelas) to enhance the story and protect the identity of the participants. So here goes my first telenovela: La Clase Media Tambien Llora (The Middle Class also Cries) by Paul Heller Note: The title is a play on words. Approximately 15 years ago, Mexican TV aired one of its most popular telenovelas ever: Los Ricos Tambien Lloran (The Rich also Cry). This program received worldwide airplay. I saw a couple of episodes in, of all places, Russia (dubbed, of course, in Russian).The story opens as Do?a Marta is packing up her belongings into her small white Toyota B-210 to move from Mexico City to Tepic, a small provincial capital where she was born and raised. Do?a Marta is a well-dressed, attractive, university educated woman. She has her three boys with her, Carlos, age 15; Rodrigo, age 12; and Pedro, age 8. She is leaving a modest but comfortable three-bedroom house without any real plans except to live with her sister, Do?a Amalia, and her mother, Do?a Magda.As she is driving, she is thinking about that terrible week a couple of months before when she found out that her husband had had extra-marital relations with twelve girlfriends and acquaintances. She was devastated. She had relied on these girlfriends for emotional support during the 20 tumultuous years of marriage to her husband, Don Jose. They had helped her live with Don Jose’s excessive drinking and frequent bouts of anger. Yet now she can’t rely on her friends anymore. She is crying softly to herself, out of sight of her children.When she arrives in Tepic, she and her boys begin to get used to life with her sister and mother. The kids start to attend school and she and her sister decide to set up a small restaurant near her house. It is 1976 and she can’t legally own a business or a home without a man’s name on the lease nor can she legally divorce her husband. The restaurant proves successful and everything is going fairly well until four years later. Don Jose learns about her success and comes from Mexico City to demand that she gives him ownership of the business since he is her legal husband. He is drunk the whole time he is there and begins to threaten her life unless she signs over the business.One day, in a drunken rage, he tells the boys that Do?a Marta is not their real mother. They were all conceived with different mothers. He has had so many extramarital affairs that he is not sure who are the mothers of Rodrigo and Pedro but knows for sure that Do?a Amalia is the mother of Carlos. Everything in Do?a Marta’s world comes to a halt. She does not know what to do. She has been close with Do?a Amalia her whole life and is even living in her home. Her kids are angry and start to drink and take drugs. She can’t fight for her right to own the restaurant so she doesn’t know how she will make a living. Do?a Magda keeps telling Do?a Marta to forgive her sister, but she can’t. She and Do?a Magda begin to fight daily and make everyone’s lives miserable.One day she is talking to a friend who tells her that she can make money by taking in foreign students at the new language school that is opening up in the center of town. She is a good cook, housekeeper, and host and she decides to try it out. Six months later an attractive middle-aged French businessman, Andre, comes to Tepic to learn Spanish for his newest business venture in Mexico. He comes to live with Do?a Marta and they fall in love. He offers to take her boys and her to live with him in Guadalajara. Since the laws have changed and she can divorce her ex-husband, she accepts Andre’s proposal and marries him six months later.She moves into a nice house with Andre and her kids start a new school. All is well until two years later when the country’s economic crisis makes Andre’s business go bankrupt. Do?a Marta and Andre lose their home and are forced to live in a small government built home far from the city. Her kids become playboys. Within a few months, they have all had a child out of wedlock. Carlos decides to marry his kid’s mother, Arnalda. Rodrigo abandons his girlfriend, Maria, and her child, Petra. Pedro has four children with two separate women and abandons them all and moves to Mexico City. All three of Do?a Marta’s children continue to have drinking or drug problems.After a couple of years of marriage, Carlos decides to leave Arnalda, Rodrigo comes back to live with Maria and Pedro returns back to Guadalajara. Without anywhere else to go after Carlos leaves, Arnalda and her child, Rosa, move in with Do?a Marta and Andre. Carlos, Rodrigo, and Pedro all enter into Alcoholics Anonymous and begin to take more responsibility for their lives.Life finally becomes fairly normal. Do?a Marta and Andre open a French restaurant which proves wildly successful. Pedro decides to marry Giselda, the mother of two of his children. Rodrigo and Maria get married. They and their children all move into Do?a Marta and Andre’s home. Arnalda and Rosa continue to live with Do?a Marta and Andre, even though Carlos has left for good to live with another woman in a nearby town. The story ends…A new telenovela starts…Chapter Seven:Learning Vacations Travel, in the younger sort, is part of education; in the elder, a path of experience. He that travelleth into a country before he hath some entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travelFrancis BaconWant to Know More about Learning Vacations?Sadly, there aren’t any good general references about learning vacations. As a whole, the resources profiled in this chapter do an excellent job of listing schools. However, I’ve never found any good source of information to help travelers determine the quality of instruction and services at the different learning vacation schools throughout the globe. -1672590-149606000MAGAZINE: Probably the single best resource for information on learning vacations is Transitions Abroad webzine () magazine which profiles schools throughout the planet where travelers can study. It also contains tons of useful advice on selecting and enjoying these adventures.BOOKS: Cooking in Paradise: Culinary Vacations around the World by Joel and Lee Naftali. Want to learn how to cook the perfect sate in Thailand, pozole (hominy soup) in Mexico, or feijoada (black bean casserole) in Brazil? Read this book to find out about over a hundred cooking schools throughout the Earth. The book is spiced with recipes and detailed descriptions (including costs and features) of schools round the globe. All-in-all, Cooking in Paradise is an excellent addition to any travel or food addict’s library.Websites: HYPERLINK "" Shaw Guides () presents an excellent listing of learning vacations throughout the world. Each listing has some good background information to help you choose the right experience for you. These summaries seem to be written by firms providing the courses. HYPERLINK "" () contains some interesting learning vacations options in the USA and a couple decent articles about learning vacation experience (the pop-up ads are annoying, however). Studying a Language Abroad HYPERLINK "" Language School Guides () (part of a network of guides to learning and volunteer experiences worldwide) presents the most complete listing of language courses anywhere. Language School Guides is the only place to find information about schools with less popular languages like Georgian and Amharic. HYPERLINK "" Latin America links () has another good list of Spanish schools. There is not much supporting information however, you can access links to the member schools’ websites easily. HYPERLINK "" () contains another list of Spanish schools. Planeta has a particularly strong emphasis on schools in Mexico. The site doesn't have a lot of information: just address and contact info – however, it has easy access to member websites for more information. HYPERLINK "" \l "multi" Travel Quest () features a small list of language classes around the world. HYPERLINK "" Europe for Visitors features a good basic discussion of what to expect at a language school abroad and what language school agencies do. Although the site is written for studying in Europe, it contains useful advice for everywhere. () HYPERLINK "" Language school and homestay () programs in Europe. HYPERLINK "" Study Russian () in Russia. Cooking Schools HYPERLINK "" Shaw Guides () provides a thorough listing of cooking schools. Sports and New Age Classes HYPERLINK "" Adventure Sports Holidays () lists sports classes throughout the world. Most of their listings are for hard-core sports (like kite surfing and hang gliding). However, the list does have some more traditional sports like surfing and skiing. This is comprehensive though the listings can be a bit hard to follow at times. HYPERLINK "" Dance with Me () lists Latin dance classes in Western countries. HYPERLINK "" Om Place () has a comprehensive (even somewhat daunting) directory of new age classes/experiences in the USA. HYPERLINK "" Yoga Everywhere () highlights hundreds of yoga classes around the world. Introduction to Learning VacationsAll travel is educational. If you’re observant about the world around you, you can learn something any time you go anywhere, even in at mundane journey to the store.That said, one of the best ways to travel-like-a-local is through a learning vacation. Learning vacations involve taking classes at schools in a variety of topics away from home. In recent years, many of these schools, mostly for-profit, have been developed around the Earth.The number of schools that offer classes as part of a vacation experience has increased remarkably in the past decade. Whole industries have developed in several towns around the globe such as Cuernavaca, Mexico and Quetzaltenango and Antigua, Guatemala devoted to learning vacations.On learning vacations, you generally spend between 3-4 hours a day in classes. You get more exposure to the subject than you would at a class back home because you can use your learning (this is particularly true with language schools) when you step outside the classroom.Usually, in addition to classes, most schools also will arrange:Homestay placements with local families (see the homestay section for advice). After school, cultural, educational, and nighttime events. Normally, these outings are quite reasonable. Some schools even integrate these outings into their curriculum. I’ve seen schools that, for example, will teach a unit on buying food in the market and then take the students on a field trip to a local marketplace to try out the student’s new skills. Since most schools do not require tests or homework, they do not typically provide academic credit. You may get a certificate from the school that serves as a record of your studies. If your studies will help you gain professional skills, you may get a tax deduction (contact your tax professional for advice) in the USA.Studying is one of the most potent ways to reach out to other people. By learning about another culture, language, or history, you are actively showing interest in other people. In addition, no matter what you study, classes are the ultimate “ice breaker”. All you have to do is share your enthusiasm with your neighbor and you may have the start of a “beautiful friendship.”Profile of Several Learning Vacations Around-the-WorldOf all of the types of options explored in this booklet my favorite is learning vacation. I have participated in over a dozen of these programs in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Argentina, Russia, and Thailand.The following is a series of profiles of some of the programs I’ve attended:Learning about Mexican Identity, Culture, and Politics in Tepoztlan, MexicoOctober 2005 I spent two weeks participating in a special program offered by CETLALIC () called “Cultural and Popular Resistance in Mexico” in Tepoztlan. The course took place during El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). CETLALIC is one of the most unusual language schools anywhere. It offers many special programs with progressive political and cultural themes. It also provides Spanish language classes (which, like most language schools, you can enroll in on any Monday and take for as long as you want) using a more progressive methodology (based on Paolo Freire, a Brazilian educational theorist) than most other schools.All of CETLALIC’s special programs (which cover gay and lesbian studies, labor and women’s movements, and language and culture for healthcare workers and ministers) combine discussions, field trips, and intense language study. To the best of my knowledge, CETLALIC is the only language school in Latin America with these programs.CETLALIC’s special programs are typically two or three weeks long. They cost between $1025 and $1600. The language classes, by themselves, cost $170 per week for group lessons and $300 for private classes. It costs $25-30 a day (depending on whether it is a shared or private room) for CETLALIC to arrange a home-stay with a Mexican family (which includes three meals a day). This is a little more expensive than a more run-of-the-mill Spanish school (about 10% more); however, I think the school’s specialized programs and unique methodology make the courses worth the additional cost.The “Cultural and Popular Resistance” course combines several two- to three-hour discussion sessions (which usually take place every other day) and field trips along with three to five hours every weekday of Spanish language classes (three hours daily of grammar and two hours of conversation every other day). The two-week course including full room and board costs $1025.Most of CETLALIC’s classes are held in Cuernavaca. However, the “Cultural and Popular Resistance” course is taught in Tepoztlan. My “Cultural and Popular Resistance” class consisted of only two students: Marisa, a high school teacher from San Francisco and myself. Marisa was recently assigned a Spanish class and decided to take a hiatus from her work to participate in CETLALIC’s internship program (which provides participants who have signed up for at least five weeks with free classes in exchange for working in CETLALIC’s office) to improve her Spanish language skills. Marisa and I were taught primarily by Roberto, a 30-year-old Tepoztlan native, who served as a walking encyclopedia of the town’s unique history, culture, and people. Roberto and Agus, the conversation teacher, provided us with the best language classes I have ever taken. (I have studied Spanish in seven different schools over the past 20+ years). Since Marisa and I were at a fairly similar level in Spanish (she was a bit better than I), Roberto developed a class that successfully combined a solid review of some of the trickier Spanish grammatical concepts, an active discussion of Mexican slang, idioms, and double-entendres, and a useful look at some of the most common mistakes that Americans make unknowingly in speaking Spanish because of cultural differences. (Tip: Breaking Out of Beginning Spanish by Joseph J. Keenan provides a good analysis of some of these mistakes.) Agus created a forum for spirited political discussions between the two of us about politics, culture, and economics in the US and Mexico. While we frequently saw America from a different viewpoint, I will always treasure these discussions with Marisa because they showed me that Americans (including me) are in many ways as class conscious as Mexicans.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Profile of Cooking and Art Classes in Oaxaca, MexicoNovember 2005One of the best parts of traveling to Oaxaca is the extensive cultural and educational opportunities geared toward tourists. Tourist opportunities cover everything from cooking (there are four cooking schools in Oaxaca) to yoga (especially in the beach resort towns of Puerto Escondido and Zipolite) to hikes into the countryside to visit the region’s rich natural history (Oaxaca is famed for its ferns and mushrooms) and indigenous villages. (You can stay in little tourist-oriented native huts, called Yu’u, for as little as 70 pesos a night, $7 US).I participated in two short classes while I was in Oaxaca. I hope to go back to Oaxaca in two years and go on hikes into the countryside and do volunteer work there.One class was taught by a local artist named Armando Ruiz Mu?oz at his Ishuakara Gallery (Garcia Vigil #406, Oaxaca, HYPERLINK "" ) and the second was a cooking class (more accurately called a demonstration) at the Casa Sagrada ( HYPERLINK "" ), a Bed & Breakfast (B&B) and resort center located in Teotitlan del Valle, a small town famed for its weaving about twenty miles outside of Oaxaca.The art classes involved coming to Armando’s gallery and having him give you individualized instruction and guidance for nine hours (three hours, three times a week). Armando was a very patient teacher and a kind man. He taught a variety of art mediums, including papier mache, pottery, sculpture, silk screening, drawing, and painting. The classes cost 500 pesos for the first week – around $47 US (and 350 pesos for each week afterwards). He is able to speak some English, but I think you’ll get more out of the classes if you speak some Spanish. Materials are included in the cost.I enjoyed the classes. I studied a bit of papier mache and ceramics. I always considered myself as having “two left thumbs.” But, I discovered that I probably could be a decent artist if I decided to spend some time and effort. I also found that I liked forming objects with clay. I’m glad I decided to take the class in Oaxaca. One of the best things about travel is that you can try new things inexpensively and in a more comfortable setting than at-home. (I find it hard to learn things that I am not comfortable with in the US. Somehow daily life and fears of negative comments of friends and family keep me from trying out new things.)The cooking class takes place every Friday. They include transportation from a restaurant called La Cocina Magica in Oaxaca (Alcala 203) to Teotitlan, a four-course meal, a cooking demonstration, a tour of the local marketplace, and a visit to the B&B. The whole experience takes about six hours and cost $75 US. On the day I took the class, the leader was Shoshana Sadow. Shoshana is an expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine who lived in China for two years in the early 1990s. She has lived in Oaxaca for three years and has plans to marry a local acupuncturist and set up her life in Mexico. She sets up classes in new age topics for the B&B and gives tours when the owner, Mary Jane Gagnier de Mendoza, is busy. The B&B has an extensive garden, a traditional religious alcove, a sweeping vista of the surrounding mountains, and beautiful weavings made by the husband of the Canadian who runs the place. Shoshana toured us (there were two other people on the tour) around the place and explained the traditional significance of the religious icons, plants, herbs, and crafts. We also got to see the inside of a couple of the beautifully decorated rooms. The chef, Reyna Mendoza, showed us each step of how she prepared the delicious four-course meal (featuring green chicken mole enchiladas, cactus salad with an avocado dressing, a variety of salsas and chips, and a home made banana ice cream). Shoshana provided comments about the history and significance of the foods that Reyna prepared. We also got recipes for the meal to take home.Studying Traditional Medicine in Cuernavaca, Mexico August 2005 I took a ten day course in August 2005 entitled Traditional Mexican Healing from the CICE, a small school in Cuernavaca ( HYPERLINK "" , look for the link on the site to courses other than Spanish). The class was taught by Estela Roman, a traditional medicine practitioner who studied for two years at Notre Dame University and speaks English fluently. Estela has spent nearly twenty years studying traditional medicine from local curanderos (healers). These healers, who are often elderly, use a combination of herbs, sobadores (intense massage), temezcales (steam baths), and limpias (spiritual cleansings) to help cure people of their physical and psychological maladies. While I expected the class to be primarily dedicated to studying different types of cures and explaining the cultural basis for the cures, Estela’s class emphasized helping the participants to cure their own ailments. At first, I must admit, I found this approach a bit off-putting. Part of me did not want to confront my own demons. Instead, I just wanted to find out about the cures as an intellectual pursuit.However, over time, I came to realize that Estela’s approach made a lot of sense. I learned a lot about cultural beliefs just by participating in the different activities. And I found out some interesting things about myself.This is not to say that Estela’s course did not provide information about different cures. I met five curanderos who generously shared recipes for both common ailments and specific medical issues based on questions from the students. Estela also gave several informative and interesting short lectures about the Mesoamerican belief systems that formed the basis for these cures. The class had three other participants. Monica, a Reiki healer and newly minted Spanish teacher originally from Colombia who has been living in Los Angeles for twenty years, and Alberto and Liz, a formerly married couple from California and Arizona, who drove to Mexico in a camper. Monica and Liz both knew Estela from classes they had taken with her in California.All of the classes, except several field trips, were conducted in Estela’s home. Alberto and Liz stayed in Estela’s home. Monica and I rented rooms in the home of one of Estela’s neighbors, Dona Maty.The course costs $450. The fees included field trips to Tepoztlan (to climb to Tepotztlanelco, a pyramid hidden in the jungle) and Xochicalco Estela provided several meals, temezcales, massages, and other services. We had to pay extra fees for services from the curanderos, including massages and herbs. The courses are offered two to three times a year in the summer.Estela designed the course to accommodate the needs and interests of the students. As such, each class would be different. Estela was very willing to spend extra time with us after the class ended. Studying, Living, and Tangoing in Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFebruary 2003Every traveler, for some inexplicable reason, has a part of themselves tied to another place. For me, that place is Buenos Aires. Since childhood, I felt destined to visit Buenos Aires someday. The only question was: When? The Argentine economy is so volatile that the cost of living there swings wildly. Sometimes, Buenos Aires is the most expensive places to travel on earth. At other times, it’s among the cheapest destinations. In February 2003, following the country’s economic malaise, I decided to take advantage of the low cost of living and visit Buenos Aires before it got expensive again. (at the time it was one of the ten cheapest places on Earth according to a HYPERLINK "" Runzheimer International () cost of living survey) While looking on-line for a cheap airfare to Buenos Aires, I stumbled upon a website for a local travel agency called HYPERLINK "" Aloja Argentina ( HYPERLINK "" ) (Aloja in Spanish means lodging). There I discovered the perfect travel package. Three weeks accommodations with a local family (with a small breakfast), transportation to and from the airport, 12 hours private tango lessons, a tour of the city, a night at a tango club, and 40 hours of small group Spanish language classes for $800 US. It had just what I wanted: an inexpensive price combined with a real chance to immerse myself in Buenos Aires’s culture and life.I wasn’t disappointed. My host family, Juan and Georgina, a young brother and sister who lived in their family’s apartment in Buenos Aires while studying at the local university, were attractive, vivacious, and accommodating. They let me into their lives by introducing me to family and friends and sharing their life stories and dreams. We became friends and occasionally went out on the town together. The apartment, though not large, was comfortable and the location couldn’t be beat - an attractive Art Deco style building in a stylish neighborhood reminiscent of New York City’s Central Park (the City’s Palermo district).My Spanish instructors at the language school, CEDIC Maria Luisa and Laura cared about my progress and enjoyed sharing their culture and language. Maria Luisa’s eyes danced with enthusiasm whenever we spoke something that sounded vaguely like Spanish. Laura, a statuesque young lady of Slovakian heritage like many Argentine women, could easily have graced the catwalks in New York City or Milan. My fellow students were eclectic, fun-loving, and enthusiastic: Saara, a young Finnish geography graduate student; Eric, a 30ish recently laid-off investment banker from New York City; Tara, an attractive recent refugee from the marketing business in San Francisco; and Stefan, a wild eyed and talented Swiss young student. The school once a week scheduled a night out on the town for the students (at additional cost). We boogied and drank these nights away like real Porte?os (the nickname for local residents) into the wee hours of the morning.The tango classes were also terrific. My instructor, Anita, had endless patience with my two left feet. The staff at the Centro Cultural Konex tried valiantly to help Anita teach me to tango (sadly, to limited avail). As an added bonus, the Centro had walking tours of the City’s neighborhood led by an extremely knowledgeable pair of guides who became quick friends, Valeria and Maria Elena. These vivacious young women enthusiastically pointed out Buenos Aires’s stunning Art Nouveau buildings and explained the history of the City’s romantic San Telmo and La Boca Italian neighborhoods.I am glad I followed my destiny to Buenos Aires. The people made me feel comfortable immediately. I loved my classes, tours, and host family. I wish I could have stayed longer, but, I’m sure that my destiny will send me back there soon._______________________________________________________________________________Studying Digital Photography, Surfing, and Yoga in Jacò, Costa RicaJanuary 2008 While I love learning vacations in general, I must admit I felt like a fish out of water at the School of the World ( HYPERLINK "" ) in Jacò, Costa Rica. Most of the time when I feel this way about any travel experience, I simply don’t mention it in any of my materials or classes. That said, I have decided to include the School of the World in this description because I think the school could be very well suited to other students, it just didn’t work well for me.Why didn’t it work for me? Well, quite frankly, though the school told me when I registered that their classes were suited to all skill levels, every class I took was not well not suited to my beginner level skills and knowledge. The beginning surfing class required more physical stamina than I have to paddle out into the waves. The yoga class was taught at a very advanced level simply because all the other students possessed experience in yoga before joining the class. (The second class I tweaked my toe trying to keep up with the class and found that I only could attempt to do about five minutes of the one and a half hours of exercises). Even the digital photography class was designed for people who already had quite developed skills and equipment (most of the students had $3000 cameras with lenses and tripods when I just had a basic camera). When I complained about the class levels, I was patronized and basically ignored. This would have not have bothered me so much if the classes were not so expensive. I paid $850 for approximately 25 hours of classes (almost $35 an hour) in a country where I could have easily have received two to three times the number of hours of Spanish instruction for the same cost at a different school (though I will admit that the specific classes are hard to find elsewhere). I feel that, for this cost, the school should have been able to afford to have a teacher for beginning students, even though it turned out that there was only one student at a beginning level.That said, I think the instruction would have been good if I had been at the right level. The teachers were knowledgeable, easily understandable, and skilled. Most of the students seemed to enjoy the school’s classes and environment. Despite the skill issue, I did learn a fair amount about digital photography. In addition, the other students in the digital photography class (there were four students per teacher) reported that they thought the school’s mixture of field trips (accompanied by the instructor) to various photographic locations and in-class editing sessions proved to be a very practical and useful way to improve their photographic skills. I also may have felt more comfortable if I stayed in the well-appointed, on-site rooms like most of the other students. I chose instead to live with a great host family, the Corraleses, about a thirty minute walk from the campus. This was great for practicing Spanish and getting to know more about Costa Rican culture (it didn’t hurt that Ana, the host mother, was also a good cook), but it did make me feel like an outsider at the school. That said, renting a room on-site may have been a bit of a challenge since most of the students were Americans in their late teens and early twenties and seemed mostly interested in partying anyway. (Most of the time the other students I’ve studied with in Latin America have been mostly young Europeans. It is amazing how much more mature they seem than their American contemporaries.)Studying Spanish in Granada, NicaraguaDecember 2007Participating in a language school/homestay program is a great travel bargain in Nicaragua. Three hours of daily instruction and a homestay with three meals included typically costs $150-200 a week.I attended the Casa Xalteva ( HYPERLINK "" ) in Granada, Nicaragua for the week after Christmas in 2007. The class was fun. I enjoyed talking politics, history, and culture with the instructor, Maria, and the other student, Andrea. Andrea was studying at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. (The school, which provides Masters Degrees in international topics, is associated with the Experiment in International Living, a group I did an exchange student program with in Mexico when I was in High School). The Casa Xalteva uses the proceeds from the class to sponsor a program which provided a room, board, and social services to several street children from Granada. One of the older boys arranged trips for the Spanish students. I went on two of these trips and would really recommend that anyone take the trip to the eerily desert-like Volcan (Volcano) Masaya.Granada is one of the best places in Central America. The town has a lot of history (it is the second oldest city in Central America), lovely colonial buildings with tiled roofs and elegant courtyards, a surprisingly well-developed tourist infrastructure (including several good restaurants and hotels), and a very romantic, old-fashioned ambience (I was very taken with the town’s horse-drawn funeral processions which featured etched glass display cases and intricately-carved, wooden coffins). Granada also has lots to do, particularly if you take into account the surrounding countryside. Within an hour, you can visit four very different volcanoes, travel to a series of over 365 islands (many of which have mansions) in Lake Nicaragua, and see Lake Apoyo, a large azure colored lake in the crater of a volcano, I liked the family I stayed with, the Mirandas, very much. Winston and Maria Jose have a lovely colonial home with antique furniture and a sunny interior courtyard. Winston was considered to be one of Nicaragua’s best up and coming artists and many of his paintings (and those of his friends) hang throughout the house. I particularly enjoyed visiting their family and friends on New Year’s Eve. Seemingly the entire town was out on their porches, playing with fireworks, drinking rum (Nicaragua’s Flor de Cana rum is the best I’ve ever tasted), and chatting happily with friends. Studying Italian in Siena, ItalyJune 2008For three weeks, I took an excellent course in Italian at Saena Iulia, a small school in Siena, Italy.While the course was not cheap, it was one of the best travel bargains in Italy. For a little over $100 a day, I received three to four hours of high quality, Italian lessons a day (for five days a week) and the best homestay experience I’ve even seen. (To Saena Iulia’s credit, they added a FREE extra hour of instruction whenever the class reached four or more students).The instruction was very thorough. The classes were smaller than most of the competing schools in Italy offer. My intermediate beginning level class had three to five students per week. (Like most schools, the attendance varied from week to week.) Elisa, the instructor, was very patient, prepared, friendly, and professional. She took my obsessive questions about differences between Spanish and Italian with stride. She encouraged students to try to speak Italian without ever making us seem foolish or incompetent. In just a three week period, I began to be able to understand and speak about many subjects in Italian, though sometimes my conversations and comprehension was fleeting. As a whole, I think it was helpful that I spoke Spanish before I took the class, but I must admit sometimes Spanish got in the way to learning Italian. Perhaps, more than anything else, though, my Spanish caused frustration because I kept thinking (erroneously) that I should be able to master Italian quicker because it is so similar to Spanish. My only (relatively minor) criticism of the instruction is that it is a bit grammar heavy. I had to ask Elisa at times to teach me some basic conversational themes (i.e. how to pronounce words, tell time, and learn colors) that most basic classes should have covered automatically.The school did an excellent job providing optional activities for its students. Once a week, they provided us with a free lecture about Italian culture, music, art, or history. (One of these lectures about the Italian Republic Day was very educational and professionally prepared.) Every Thursday afternoon the school also organized a trip into the Tuscan countryside for students (at a 30 Euro, $50, additional fee—well worth it). Wisely, they always chose to take us to place that could not be reached easily without a car (since none of the students had a car) and were relatively off the beaten path for the typical tourist. I particularly loved visiting Monte Oliveto and Massa Maritima. Mauro, the school director, provided such a thorough explanation of the amazing frescos at Monte Oliveto, that I felt like I had taken a short course about life and art in monastic Italy.I can’t give enough praise to the homestay that the school provided me. Maria Luisa Toglioli is a born host. My room was very large, comfortable, and well appointed (including free cable TV and wireless internet access). Maria Luisa even hand-painted flowers on the doorways and provided her guests with a separate kitchen. Maria Luisa’s home is also ideally located – only about four block from Il Campo, Siena’s main square. Though it was a bit of a slog to reach her home (on the fourth floor. Tuscany is not for anyone who can’t climb stairs easily!), her guests are rewarded with a picture postcard view of the Tuscan countryside from her balcony. (It was a great joy to sit out on the balcony, eat breakfast or dinner, and soak up the view).Every evening the two other students who stayed with me in her home (I particularly liked Maria, a young lady from Switzerland who was doing an internship in Siena) and Maria Luisa would sit down together over dinner and spend at least an hour discussing everything (in Italian, of course) from soccer (Maria Luisa’s obsession) to Italian family relations. The food was also outstanding. I still rhapsodize over Maria Luisa’s groaning table of antipasti, lovingly prepared main courses, and ample and tasty wine.(Note: Maria Luisa’s home is famed among the students at the school. It can be hard to get a room in her home at busy times. No wonder since a similar room in a pension with board in Italy would probably have cost more than I paid for the class, the room, the board, and even the school’s tours all together.)Strangely, of all the schools I’ve attended, I felt the least comfortable with the other students at Saena Iulia. I think this is attributable to two things: (1) Most of the students rented an apartment rather than use a homestay and thus did not share many of my experiences or schedule. (Saena Iulia arranges apartment stays at a fairly modest fee. In Latin America, almost everyone does a homestay); and (2) A lot of the other students, a surprisingly large number from the U.S., did not seem nearly as adventurous or friendly as the students I’ve met elsewhere (Ironically, most of the students I’ve met in Latin America and Asia were younger Europeans). Nonetheless, I did meet several nice students there and felt that the friendliness of the school’s staff (and Maria Luisa) made up for some of the issues I felt with the other students.For more information about Saena Iulia, check out their excellent website (which even includes info about other schools in Italy and modest cost, on-line Italian lessons) at HYPERLINK "" saenaiulia.it.Studying Tuscan Gardens and Villas at the British Institute in Florence, ItalyMay 2008While it was a bit expensive (almost $200 a day) I enjoyed and would recommend this course to anyone interested in learning about Tuscany, its architecture and history, or anyone who loves gardening.In the course of a week, the class visited ten different off-the-beaten tourist path, villas in Tuscany representing a wide arrange of epochs, styles, and philosophy. I particularly enjoyed learning about landscape during the period in the 19th century when the Brits (and to a lesser degree, Americans) began to flock to establish lush villas in Tuscany. (In fact the British influence in Tuscany remains so strong that some pundits even call the Chianti area of Tuscany, Chiantishire).Nancy Leczinski, the instructor (a native Detroiter) has lived in Tuscany for over a decade and become a well-regarded expert on Tuscany landscape architecture. Prior to taking the class, I must admit that I knew next to nothing about landscaping. After the class, I developed a real interest in how gardens reflect and relate to architecture and history. Thanks to Nancy, I’ll never look at gardens the same way again!I liked the other students (primarily from the U.S. and England) but did not get to know them that well. They were very convivial and enthusiastic.As part of the class, I took advantage of the British Institute’s homestay program. I stayed in a very comfortable room with two meals a day for a modest 30 Euro a day fee. (The dinners were ample and tasty! I had the best roast beef and vegetables there I’ve ever tasted.) At the time, I did not speak much Italian and, thus, was not able to get to know the family that well, but, I still enjoyed my stay with them nonetheless. (My only criticism was that while the home was not that far away from downtown Florence. It was just far enough, particularly since the home was looked on a hill, to be a bit of a slog.)For more information, check out the British Institute’s website at HYPERLINK "" britishinstitute.it. (Note: The British Institute also has classes on Renaissance Art and Architecture and Italian language. I’ve heard good things about these classes as well).Language SchoolsMost schools that specialize in learning vacations are dedicated to teaching languages, particularly Spanish. Nearly all language schools have classes for students at all levels, from beginners to advanced students. Students attend these language classes for a variety of purposes. Some take them for self-improvement; others for professional purposes. Most schools have classes available (in many languages) specifically for businesspeople. A few schools in Latin America have classes in Spanish for North Americans health care professionals. Several schools combine language and cultural studies.Students come from a wide range of backgrounds. Typically, you’ll find about half to two-thirds of the students are young Europeans and Australians. The rest come from all over including several young Japanese and many young and middle aged North Americans (a few year ago some unemployed, American refugees entered these schools because they could gain a skill while riding time while waiting for the job market to improve at home).You'll find language schools all over the planet. In Latin America, for example, you can find schools in major cities, university towns, and even sleepy seaside resorts. Schools vary in size and atmosphere. A few, like the Alliance Fran?aise in Paris () have hundreds of students and offer a wide array of courses. Others cater to a couple dozen students at a time. (In Latin America most schools are small.) Some schools offer classes for kids as well. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Language ProgramsHow Long Should You Study at a Language School?Generally you can enroll in most schools for as little as a week and you can stay for as long as you want (particularly at private language schools). The only limitation is that you normally have to enroll on a Monday. Programs are offered year round.A few programs, usually associated with colleges and universities, have set programs that begin on specific dates.While it is impossible to tell you how long you should enroll in a program, here are a couple of benchmarks of typical success levels achieved by students enrolled in these schools (Note: This assumes that you are starting from the beginning and have fairly average language learning skills):LanguageBasic, Survival Basic ConversationCompetenceEasy (Romantic and Germanic Languages) 3 weeks6 weeks12 weeksMiddle (Slavic Languages)5 weeks10 weeks20 weeksDifficult (Arabic, all Asian languages, Indigenous American languages, Turkish, Finnish, and Hungarian)8 weeks14 weeks30 weeksBasic, Survival skills: You are able to tell time, ask and understand directions and numbers, colors, and some basic adjectives. You can also say some simple sentences like I like, I want, I need. etc. You will be able to understand the response to questions that you ask about these topics, as well.Basic Conversation: You will sometimes be able to carry on intelligent conversations; but at other times you’ll have difficulty communicating simple ideas. You will probably be able to use around 1000-2000 words easily and make basic sentences with many grammatical errors. You will need to use a dictionary for any complicated petence: You will almost always be able to talk easily to other people. They will usually understand everything you say. You will be able to read a news article fairly quickly though you will probably have to occasionally look a couple of words up in the dictionary. You will also be able to understand the gist of most TV programs, though you may miss some details.How much will the schools cost?CountryClassCost# of pupils Homestay costHomestay TermsCheap Latin American countries; China and Thailand (instruction only)$3-8/hr1$8-12/day2-3 meals a day; you are the only student in the home. (Homestays are often not available in Asia)Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Russia$7-10/hr3-5$20-30/day2-3 meals a day; you are the only student in the homeEurope$9-15/hr5-20$40-60/dayBasic breakfast; you will not be the only student in the home (usually you will have your own room, though). Many schools will also not have homestay options available in Europe.Choosing a Good Quality Language SchoolHere are some questions you should think about when you are choosing a language school:How does the school determine what level to place you? Is it by exam or catch as catch can? Typically schools have several different levels of classes (beginning, beginning intermediate, intermediate, intermediate advanced, and advanced) going on simultaneously. In some smaller schools, if a teacher is on vacation, a whole level may be cancelled. Therefore, you may need to be persistent about being placed in a classroom that is appropriate for your level. Otherwise, you may be placed in a classroom simply because there is space.Do I want to take a class in a city with a lot of schools geared toward other language vacation travelers? If you’re going to take a class somewhere like Cuernavaca or Antigua you will have a lot of language students in one place which can make it hard to learn the local language. On the other hand if you want to get to know other students it can be a benefit. If you decide to take classes in these locations, you may want to make it a point to set aside a couple hours a day from the beginning to use the native language (even if it is only with other language students) outside of the classroom.Do I want to live with a family who speaks English? As a whole, you’ll enjoy talking to your family more in English. However, you won’t learn the language as fast. In addition, you’ll probably find that families will warm up to you faster if you speak their language. Language School Placement AgenciesSeveral agencies will help you find the right school for your interests. These agencies have worked hard to develop a relationship with different reputable schools around the globe. Usually these agencies know a lot about the schools including student body characteristics (age, learning skills, etc.), school programs (after school activities, etc.) and instructional methodologies. In addition to placement assistance, language vacation agencies also help clients handle business details (like payments) and provide any additional services, such as health insurance, that may be needed. Some even help clients arrange for volunteer and internship placements as well.Finding a Language Placement Agency:There are several agencies available to help you. This list is by no means comprehensive. Some of the larger placement agencies include: Amerispan (), Language link ( HYPERLINK "" ), and Spanish Abroad ().Here are some questions to ask the agencies:How do you ensure that your clients are satisfied with the results of their training? Do you ask clients for an evaluation of the school? How do you check the schools? Do you check to make sure that instructors are trained properly? Do you visit the schools?Can I get references from other students? If so, follow up to ask if they were satisfied with the experience.You can also find schools through major guidebook series like Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and Let’s Go and by “googling” language schools in your destination.While you can make arrangements with schools directly, placement agencies offer several advantages including:Familiarity with the schools. The agencies only select schools that meet their standards for quality of instruction, financial stability, etc. Agencies occasionally visit the schools to check on their quality. They also have the benefit of consistent feedback about the school’s quality from their clientele to help them ensure that they are representing schools that meet their standards.The ability to find the right school for you. They should be able to find schools where you’ll be matched with students with similar needs, skills, preferences, and even ages based on the agency's knowledge and reports from previous students.An easy way to pay for the schooling. Many language schools don't accept credit cards or personal checks from abroad. These agencies, on the other hand, do accept these payments from you directly, saving you transfer or bank draft fees.Special arrangements that the agencies have with the school that can be to your advantage. Some agencies have been able to arrange reduced costs for students with the schools to attract new students. Other agencies are able to work out arrangements to secure their prime homestay assignments for their clientsInterview with Liz Petter, Director of Solexico Language SchoolsIn November 2005, I spent three weeks studying Spanish at Solexico Language School () in Oaxaca, Mexico; I talked to the school’s director, Liz Petter about her experiences establishing the language school, her life in Mexico, and her philosophy behind the school.I picked her to interview because I thought it would be interesting to capture the impressions and ideas of an American who was fully integrated into Mexican society. I also hoped to gain some insight into how the school teaches Spanish.Liz, perhaps more than any other gringo (Note: gringo is, contrary to most American’s belief, not an insult. It is merely a word used to describe foreigners. In my experience, Mexicans are quite tolerant of foreigners except politically) I’ve ever met, speaks Spanish fluently. She is also fully integrated into the society by her marriage to a Mexican, the school co-founder and director, Oscar. She has also raised a child in Mexico for the last several years.Here is a rough transcript of our conversation:Paul: Tell me a bit about the time you’ve spent in Mexico.Liz: I have been here for more than eight years. I came here first as a student in Cuernavaca. While I was a student, I met Oscar and we decided to work together to establish a language school in Playa del Carmen, near Cancun. Oscar was an instructor and administrator of a school in Cuernavaca. We worked for four years in Playa del Carmen and then decided to establish a second school here in Oaxaca. We have been here for four years.We are currently working on establishing another school in Puerto Vallarta (Paul’s note: the school is up and running now) and hope someday to have established enough schools so that our students can travel around Mexico and take classes at Solexico throughout their stay. As a whole, like most small business people I have not been able to get a lot of pay for my work here because Oscar and I are constantly investing money into our business. At this point, I don’t get much more money than my Mexican employees.Paul: How are Playa del Carmen and Oaxaca different? (NOTE: the school’s Puerto Vallarta campus was just about to open at the time of this interview)Liz: It was fairly easy for Oscar and me to be accepted into Playa del Carmen. The population is transient and thus open to new people. Oaxaca is a bit more traditional. While people are friendly, it has taken us a bit more time to feel accepted here. When we established the school, we thought that the labor conditions would be similar between the two cities. Though Oaxaca is fairly similar (at least in the center of the City) in cost as Playa del Carmen, we have discovered fairly late in our stay here that people generally earn less money than in Playa del Carmen. However, since we pay higher wages here than many other schools, we have not had many problems finding and keeping good teachers.Paul: What are the students like? Is it typical that most of your students are from Europe? (Paul’s Note: I’d estimate that at the time I was there in November, the student body was more than 70% European.)Liz: In the summer we get more Americans than now. I have heard from some Europeans who want to avoid coming here in the summer because they don’t want to study with Americans. During college winter and spring terms (from January until May or so) we get a number of groups of students from US colleges and universities. As a whole about five percent of students have difficulty adapting to the school and life in Mexico. We will occasionally get a student who comes in crying and upset about everything here. This is quite rare, however. One of the best parts of working here is that most of the students are open and accepting. Schools such as ours, as a whole, attract people who are able to adjust easily to new cultures (Paul’s Note: I think one of the best parts of language schools is the ability to meet a diverse, interesting student body who are all working together to learn how to communicate and understand another environment). Paul: What is it like to establish a business in Mexico? How is working and living here different than in the States?Liz: It is hard for me to give much advice to someone looking to set up a business here since Oscar is a Mexican and I think my experiences are different than they would be if I tried to set up a business as an American here by myself. Mexicans have a different attitude toward work than we do. While they work hard, they do not live to work the same way we do in the States. They have a clear sense that home and work are separate. I probably spend more time making sure that things run fluidly here than I would in the States, even though the people who work with me doing administrative work here are quite efficient. Paul: Do you have anything you miss from the States?Liz: I wish that my daughter would be able to have more exposure to a more diverse group of class backgrounds than she can here. Mexicans have a tendency to spend time, based on the schools they go to and activities that they participate in, exclusively with their own class. When she was younger she was able to spend more time with our maids and was able to get exposed to the reality of life for lower income people here. (Paul’s Note: I think this is becoming more and more the same in the USA.)Paul: I have noticed that the school does not really spend much time on pronunciation and think it may be something that should be added.Liz: We cover pronunciation in our beginning level classes. Since we get students at various levels, some of them don’t have much practice in pronunciation. I don’t want, however, to repeat pronunciation in the more advanced levels, since we do have several students who start with us in beginning class and stay long enough to finish at an advanced level. Paul: I noticed that Solexico has a lot of cultural and social opportunities available to their students. I imagine that that helps you market your classes.Liz: I don’t have much trouble marketing the classes. We have arrangements with a number of agencies in the US and Europe that send students to us for a commission. Even though there are several schools here in Oaxaca, our school manages to always get enough students to keep us going.I think the main purpose of the cultural and social events is to help students feel comfortable here. Most of our students come here by themselves and these activities help them to get to know each other. Non-Language School ProgramsTake classes at schools where the subject you want to learn is their primary emphasisMany times language schools offer non-language classes sort of as an aside. As a whole, you’ll be better off taking classes at a school that specializes in that subject. Often classes added as an aside don’t have good quality instruction and knowledgeable instructors. That said, there are times when these classes may be worth taking at a language school if the school:Has a long history teaching these extra classes.Integrates these other topics into the language curriculum. Some schools will offer lectures and activities in many ecological and political courses and then use these activities as a base for the language classes, as well.Chiang Mai, Thailand: The World’s Capital for Learning Vacations for DilettantesHave you ever wanted to just try out a lot of different classes for a day or two?If so, you have got to go to Chiang Mai, Thailand. During a month there I took classes at seven different schools in five different subjects. All, but one, of the classes cost me around $30 a day for eight hours of instruction with all the materials included. Every class was conducted in English and professionally presented. Most of the classes also gave out a cookbook or a booklet so that students could use the instruction at home. (Some of the cookbooks were very nicely done with photos, pictures of ingredients, and clear recipes.)Here is a list of the classes that I took in Chiang Mai:Lek Chaiya Massage School (). I enrolled for a week at this school. Most of the students were professional massage therapists looking to add Thai massage to the repertoire. I, on the other hand, had never studied massage. I found it hard to do most of the massages since they involve many steps and considerable physical strength, however, I discovered that I could easily give herbal massages (which involves applying packs of steam herbs wrapped in cheesecloth on a client’s back to relieve stress). Since I could not easily give massages, I spent most of my time as a practice client. As a result, I learned how to distinguish an effective massage from a poor one. I also discovered about what type of touch is pleasant to me and what is not. I really enjoyed the instructor (who came to see me as the school’s mascot) and the other students who hailed from Argentina, South Africa, Canada, the USA, and Greece.The Elephant Conservation Center’s Mahout Training Camp (): I spent three days in Lampang (about an hour outside of Chiang Mai) learning how to be a mahout (elephant trainer). While a true mahout would need to spend many years with an elephant to establish a relationship with the animal, I learned a lot about elephants from the class. I was amazed at how intelligent, loyal, and graceful elephants can be. Under the guidance of a mahout, they can learn how to paint, play a musical instrument, and carry teak logs for hundreds of miles. They also grow so attached to the mahout that if the mahout leaves them they will go into mourning for a month. I was particular astonished how quickly and easily the elephants worked with the mahout. At night, the mahout would put the elephants on a really long chain (so that the elephants would not run away and eat all the preserve’s vegetation—elephants can easily eat a hundred bamboo stalks a day). In the morning they would give the elephants instructions (go right, left, up and down) so that the elephants could free themselves from their chains. The elephants could make these moves in about half the time it would take a professional truck driver to make similar maneuvers. All the mahout would have to do is make a sound and the elephants would immediately react.One of the most moving things about the training camp was the visit to the Center’s hospital. There I was angered and shocked by the site of an elephant whose leg was blown off by a landmine. I was also surprised to learn that about ten percent of all male elephants develop musth, a disease that causes elephants to go insane when they go through heat. (Note: The Elephant Conservation Class cost $200 for three days including accommodations and several meals).I also enjoyed the mahouts and the program coordinator immensely. One evening the students played a game with the mahouts called “drink water”. It was a simple card game and if you did not follow the rules carefully, you’d have to take a drink of water. While the game was not terribly amazing by Western standards, I marveled at the mahout ability to make something so simple into a real sanuk (fun) experience by continually laughing and joking with the students. I also found the young female coordinator to be very sweet. At one point I mentioned that it was hard to get up and stay on the elephant (we rode the elephant for about two hours a day). To which, she replied, “don’t worry, Mister Paul, many students can’t get up on the elephant as well as you can.” (I don’t know if this is true, but the way she said it was very comforting).Cooking Schools. During my stay in Chiang Mai, I attended three different cooking schools. All of which had totally different approaches to teaching. The Thai Cookery School ( HYPERLINK "" ) featured demonstrations, given in a classroom with an overhead mirror, taught by a Thai professional chef with a good sense of humor (not easy to do since the class was in English) who has been featured on several cooking shows in the US and England. The instructor, Sampan Nabnian, spent considerable time showing us how to make the green curry paste and other sauces that formed the basis of Thai cooking. As a result of the teacher’s style and emphasis on the foundation of Thai cooking, I’d say his class was the best I took if you wanted to seriously learn how to cook Thai food and had a fair amount of cooking experience. Since I am not much of a cook, and the class had over thirty students, I found the school’s instruction to be a bit too complicated and hard to follow and, as a result, my dishes did not turn out to be as tasty as those I prepared at the other schools. The Thai Chocolate Cooking School (no website) emphasized teaching home recipes developed by the school’s matriarch. The instruction was not nearly as detailed as the Thai Cookery School but it was very relaxed and enjoyable. I found the recipes easy to follow and as a result the final dishes that I prepared turned out to be the tastiest dishes I prepared at any school in Thailand. The other students seemed to enjoy this school (which was also the cheapest I found in Chiang Mai) more than the other schools I attended.The Thai Farm Cooking School ( HYPERLINK "" ) was held out in the country about ten miles outside of Chiang Mai. The school was surrounded by a farm which the instructors used to demonstrate what Thai ingredients looked like in their natural state. Before we left for the farm, the instructors took us to the market and showed us how to select the ingredients and what they cost. The instruction was a bit more detailed than at the Chocolate Cooking School, but it was fairly easily to follow even for a novice chef, like myself. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to learn about and see the herbs and grasses that make Thai food such a culinary delight.Batik School (no website). I spent a day studying batik at this school in a comfortable home on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. The instructor was very patient and kind and, even though I have little artistic ability, I came to enjoy batik very much. The class included a well prepared lunch.Batik is a great art to take up if you are not very artistic. It seems to almost welcome imprecision. Errors can easily end enhancing rather than detracting from the beauty of your final work. In addition, it is fun playing with wax and the elegant copper goblet that was used to apply the wax is enchanting.Nova Jewelry School (). I enjoyed learning all the steps for making a piece of jewelry. There is something magical about the process from melting the silver to measuring your ring size to engraving a design, and finally smoothing out the ring. It takes a lot of patience and practice but somehow or another every student seemed to enjoy the process immensely. In a day you can only make a very basic ring. However, there were students who had been at the school for a couple of days who produced some lovely silver necklaces with gemstones.Questions to ask your schoolWhile most of the advice in this chapter is good at all schools, there are a few special issues for non-language classes that should be discussed with the school beforehand:In what language will the instruction be given? Many dance, art, and other schools have mostly instructors who speak the native language exclusively. You may have a small choice of teachers (sometimes none) who speak English. Learning how to do a sport in another language is challenging even if you know the language somewhat well. It is almost impossible if you don’t have much of the language under your belt.Does the school provide supplies, food (cooking classes), utensils, etc.? Most schools will provide materials as a matter of course. However, I have heard of some classes that require you to bring your own materials. Based on the cost of materials, you should expect to pay more for art and cooking classes than you would for a language class. Cool Classes in the US and AbroadMany people assume that the only subject available for travelers to study abroad is foreign languages. However, you don’t have to study a foreign language, to take a class in another country. Look at some of these cool programs that offer alternatives to language schools. Eco-Maya () provides a combination of Spanish language schools and environmental education/volunteer opportunities in Guatemala. It also offers a chance to live a small, Indian town. The profits go back to the community.Cornerstone Foundation (healing.htm) teaches courses in herbal medicine in Belize.Centro Maya (study_ops) gives classes to learn Quiche (Mayan language) and weaving in Guatemala. It also has some intriguing volunteer opportunities.Crow Canyon (programs.html) gives archaeology classes in Colorado and archaeology tours worldwide.The Chautauqua Institute () in upper New York State has been providing classes, seminars, lectures, presentations by famous entertainers and workshops. If you choose to stay in one of their dorms in the City’s denominational houses (a.k.a. churches), you can stay there for as little as $120 a week. Access to most of the lectures and activities cost between $250-$325 a week. (The weekly cost goes down the longer you stay) Smaller scale Chautauqua-inspired, educational programs are available in many places in the US including Boulder, Colorado and Reno, Nevada.The World Fellowship Center in North Conway, New Hampshire () allows you to stay in a dorm, get three meals a day, and participate in many “progressive” political discussions and lectures for approximately $350 a week.Yemen Language Center () provides classes in Arabic and Arabic culture in one of the planet's most offbeat and intriguing destinations -- Yemen.Learn Shao Lin () (Martial Arts) training in China. Incas Del Peru () provides one-on-one instructions with Peruvian artists involved in dancing, weaving, gourd carving, pan flute and jewelry making, and spinning (in addition to Quechua and Spanish language classes).Finding the Right School for YouRegardless of whether you are using a placement agency or what you intend to study, you should do a bit of research to help you decided on the right school placement for you. The schools offer an amazing assortment of services. Some have highly personalized classes. Others are more impersonal. Some schools emphasize rote, grammatical lessons. Others are more creative.Since there are over 500 schools scattered throughout the planet, selecting the right one for you can be time consuming. While placement agencies can help, you should take some time to discuss these issues with them as well.Here are the most important issues you should investigate before you decide to sign up for a school offering any kind of a class:What are the classroom sizes? Smaller classes not only help you make progress faster, they also allow you to get to know both the teachers and the students quickly. What other services, besides classroom instruction, are provided by the school? Many schools have a lot of fun activities – such as field trips and outings to local night spots – that’ll help you get to know both your teacher and fellow students better. Participating in these activities, if available (even if they cost extra), will help you enjoy your trip more. Some schools integrate culture and language classes together. For example, the school Eco-Maya (see later description) provides ecology classes in Spanish. I have never taken such a curriculum at a school abroad. I think it could be a lot of fun. How does the school determine homestay placements? Do they check out host family’s homes? Do they have some way to monitor host families to determine that the school participants are happy with the experience? What type of instruction is used? Do they emphasize grammar, conversation, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, or writing? Ideally, a curriculum should integrate all these ingredients. In my experience, most schools emphasize grammar more than any other subject. Though, since most classes are small and (at least, above the most rudimentary level) taught in the native language, you can fairly easily ask the teachers to help you practice conversation.Chapter EightStudying AbroadNo one travelling on a business trip would be missed if he failed to arrive.Thorstein Veblen, US economist & social philosopher (1857 - 1929)A Life Lesson Learned While Studying at the American University in CairoIn 1984, I was a student for a semester at the American University in Cairo (AUC) as part of my college's study abroad program.? I was scheduled to stay there for a year.? I decided to come back after a semester and regret it to this day.-1873885-142176500I was tired of Egypt and thought if I came home all would be better.? I did not want to fight cab drivers to go to school cheaply (Egyptians, at least then, had a tendency to charge foreigners five to ten times as much as Egyptians) and?never really learned to feel comfortable with Egyptians.? I found the people to be very aggressive and difficult to understand. Yet, I also looking back, frequently experienced considerable hospitality, including an invitation to attend a wedding from a complete stranger, offered as I walked past the wedding. (By the way, the food and dancing was a lot of fun.)I did not do very well?academically because I?traveled rather than?studied and?thought, erroneously, that?I?could get by without much work. As it turned out, the Egyptian students were probably as well, if not better, prepared academically than?me and their teachers were quite academically demanding.? When I came back, I almost immediately knew I'd made a mistake.? The moment I got off the plane in Saint Paul, Minnesota (where my college was located), I was depressed by the snow outside and yearned to return to the warmth of Cairo.? I did not feel comfortable with American culture anymore and most of my friends had made new friends.?I began to realize that I had met some really wonderful?students from all over the world at?AUC and would miss them terribly.? I still occasionally think about Richard, at that time, a very bright and kind-hearted recent graduate from Notre Dame who I met in Egypt, while he was studying Arabic after already mastering French, Italian, and Spanish. Even though some days were frustrating in Egypt. I also had two of the best days of my life there, including:Christmas Eve with Richard and his girlfriend in an elegant French restaurant on the top floor of an elegant hotel looking over the Nile, followed by a late night drink (with dancing) at a bar at another hotel with an even better view of the Nile. Before dinner we went on a one-hour camel ride around the pyramids, the surrounding village (where I recall seeing a mural depicting the homeowner’s recent pilgrimage to Mecca), and the verdant, palm fringed Nile River, all enshrouded in a beautiful rosy hue at sunset. We also hired a felucca (a small sailboat) for a short journey on the Nile.Another day by myself I decided to visit the Coptic (Christian) section of Cairo. Instead of taking the bus there (the buses at the time were nicknamed by tourists the Leaning Buses of Cairo because so many people hung outside the bus that the bus did lean slightly), I took a river taxi which provided a fairly leisurely, not so crowded, pretty (I loved the view of the Nile’s islands and the Cairo cityscape), yet cheap public transportation alternative. (By the way, water taxis are great everywhere I’ve been – they are a fun way to see Bangkok as well.) Once I got there, I walked past a coffee house where a man smoking a hookah (a water pipe used for tobacco) asked me to join him and his friends for a smoke and a drink of heavily sugared, mint tea. We talked for an hour or two in baby English and then he offered to take me on his trash cart as he collected garbage from the neighborhood. (All the trash collectors in Cairo were Copts. They would use the food scraps to feed pigs which Egyptian Moslems did not raise because they are forbidden from eating pork). Then after drinking a couple more cups of tea at his home, I left and went to the Coptic Museum where I hired a very knowledgeable guide to tell me about the Coptic religion and their artifacts. The guide really opened up his culture to me. I ended the day by taking a bus home, which, in keeping with the magical feel of day, was nearly empty. I regretted not taking AUC seriously.? It also began to dawn on me that most of my "problems" in Egypt were the result of culture shock, which probably would have passed if I had given it more time.My semester back in the US was a disaster.? I now know that I would have been better staying in Egypt.? I look back at my time in Egypt fondly today.? I know that it was a hard time, but it was also really interesting and challenging.Studying abroad generally refers to programs that allow you to get college credit while taking classes and/or traveling in another country. Universities and colleges sponsor hundreds of programs suited to a wide range of interests and skills. You can study theater in London, animals in Africa, and healing arts in India. Generally, the best place to start if you’re seeking college credit is your school’s study abroad office. The office will help you to determine the right programs for you. They’ll help you to connect with other students who have participated in the programs in the past and provide introductory sessions that will give you a good idea of what to expect from different programs. If you don’t have a study abroad office, it is often OK to visit one at a neighboring school and talk to the advisors. Keep in mind, however, that they can’t give you advice about the trickiest subject – college credit.If you don’t find something to your liking at your college’s study abroad office, Transitions Abroad webzine lists hundreds of study abroad programs offered through schools throughout the US and Canada. If a program is sponsored by another college, you may be able to arrange credit at your school fairly easily. You need to work with your school to ensure that the school will give you credit for your studies. Make sure any assurances that credit will be accepted are in writing and that the study abroad office is also communicating with the school registrar’s office. Occasionally students will not get credit for their adventures despite assurances otherwise. If you’d like useful advice on the study abroad (for credit) process, see Study Abroad for Dummies by Erin Sullivan.You can also simply sign up as a foreign student at a university abroad. Many schools will be reluctant to give you credit for these arrangements, but studying abroad as a foreign student is a great way to see the world and learn relatively inexpensively. Enrolling as a foreign student may be a great idea for a gap year or even a fun experience for a sabbatical. It may even be a great way to get a degree particularly if you want to study something that is hard to enter in the USA, like medicine. If you interested in any of these options, see Study Away: The Unauthorized Guide to College Abroad by Mariah Balaban and Jennifer Shields or visit a college library and ask for reference books about studying abroad programs. These reference books will also provide very useful information about scholarships to travel and study in other countries. As a whole, studying abroad through your home school on an established, university recognized program will cost you more than if you made arrangements to study at the same place on your own. For example, when I went to Saint Petersburg State University (), I met students who paid many times more money to participate in a school sponsored program who basically received no more special services (except occasionally an on-site coordinator) than I did as an independent student.If you are not looking for credit, you can also just sign up for one of the hundreds of language and other special interest classes abroad and study. While most of these programs are designed for short term students (under a month) you can almost always stay for as long as you want. That said, there are many study tours programs (the most famous being University of Pittsburg’s Semester at Sea) that will provide an opportunity to get credit while going on a tour similar to those offered by special interest travel agencies. While these programs may be expensive, some of them are unique enough that you may want to participate even if you are not a student. Even though the descriptions for these programs often mention that you must be a student, you may be able to participate anyway if you are not enrolled in a school (particularly if you already have a degree). Like anything else, these trips often require a minimum number of students and sometimes they need to bend the rules a bit to make the quota.You may also want to try to contact some of the programs and ask if they need adult escorts to accompany the programs. For example, Elizabeth Krupelmann in her useful book Global Citizen tells the story of a woman who went on the University of Pittsburg’s Semester at Sea program as a resident advisor (someone who looks after the student’s needs out of the classroom) on-board. Chapter Nine:Short and Long-TermVolunteer Vacations and ProgramsTraveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.Cesare Pavese, Italian Author0-889000IntroductionAbout eight years ago, the Today Show (a popular morning TV show in the USA) featured a segment on volunteer vacations. According to the show’s producers, this segment received one of the largest number of viewer responses ever.Why? I think it is because mankind is moving toward, as Lyndon Duke, a University of Oregon social scientist notes, a new era in which the predominant question people ask themselves is: “What difference can be made?” The message that everyone should try to make a difference in the world pervades our popular culture. In a planet full of problems, many people realize that one of the most powerful antidotes to the problems that beset our world is to volunteer your time during your vacations to another cause.The diversity of ways you can help is amazing. You can help while living in a relatively comfortable Western style existence or spend years living with locals in remote corners of the globe. The choice is up to you.Want to Know More about Volunteering?As a whole there are not a lot of good resources (at least in one place) for travel-like-a-local programs. As you’ll see throughout this book, I’ve developed several handbooks (and will be writing a book later) to fill in some of the gaps I’ve seen in the existing resources.That said, you could not find a more useful resource than the book: INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher. This book not only provides tons of useful advice to help you to plan a volunteer vacation, it also has useful reviews (based on input from past participants) of over 130 volunteer programs in third world countries. Several other useful books and websites exist that list various specific volunteer programs that aren’t covered in How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas. If you are looking for a volunteer program in the US or Europe or want to volunteer for an academic posting (How to Live Your Dream does not cover archaeological digs, for example, because they are primarily academic), I’d suggest that you look at the resources listed in the book picks and links sections of my website.Why volunteer? Who should volunteer?While the desire to make a difference is admirable, volunteering to work, particularly in another country, during your vacation is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly.Potential volunteers should think about what they want from the experience before they begin researching volunteer vacation programs. In the sage advice of How to Live Your Dream:“Many people considering volunteering abroad begin by looking at the different volunteer programs before taking the time to look at themselves. This often leads them to feel confused and overwhelmed by all the options. Reflecting on why you are interested in volunteering overseas can guide you in deciding if volunteering is really the right option for you… Begin by reflecting on some basic questions about your interests in international volunteer work:Why are you interested in becoming an international volunteer?What life events have sparked this interest?What do you hope to get out of being an international volunteer?What do you hope to contribute?Where are you heading in your life and how does being an overseas volunteer fit into the picture?”Keep in mind that you will not be able to change the Earth single-handedly. You need to be open, flexible, and understanding of locals. You also need to be dedicated enough to show up. Even though at times it may not be clear, the staff of the organization is depending on your assistance. If you don’t feel like you can (or should) give this assistance dependably you need to talk to the agency staff (and/or the director of your volunteer placement agency). Volunteer vacation is a bit of a misnomer. While it is a vacation, you are there also to serve. You shouldn’t just leave because it is not serving your purpose. Remember you don’t know the answers. The people you are “serving” have often been victim of well intentioned “white saviors” who have made their lives worse. Many poor countries have been around for thousands of years and have ways to do things that make sense within the confines of their geography, politics, history, and culture. Your job, as a volunteer, is to learn these ways of doing things and to help relieve the workload for the existing staff. You are not there, particularly in the space of a couple weeks, to change things.Good and Bad Reasons to VolunteerHow to Live Your Dream lists good and bad reasons to consider volunteering:Good reasons to volunteer:Learn a foreign languageGet to know another cultureHave a better firsthand perspective on the impact of wealthy countries in the worldGain experience in a field in which you have studiedPut your concern for others into actionLearn more about yourselfShare your skills and expertise by responding to a specific request from a foreign organizationBe inspired by the efforts of people in developing countriesBecome a more effective advocate for changes at home that will help poor people overseasLive out your faith or religious beliefs through deeds and working for justiceBad reasons to volunteerEscape a bad relationship or other personal problemsSave poor people or lift poor people out of povertyAssuage your guiltTravel or have adventure purely for personal enrichmentUnable to hold a jobUnable to pass your classesEveryone’s doing it or your partner’s doing itMake religious convertsImpress future employersYou have an addiction and think that a change in environment will help youWhat Can You Do as a Volunteer?Volunteers can assist in any number of ways and projects. Some volunteers simply provide labor for construction and reforestation projects. Others use their training to provide intense medical care to people in poor villages. Still others help with office work, grants, teaching and training, computer programming, community activism, and a whole host of other projects.Some volunteer projects send small groups of experienced technicians overseas to provide medical and managerial services. Most, however, are open to anyone. What should you do to be an Effective International Volunteer?While it is difficult to determine what will distinguish a good from a bad volunteer, there do seem to be some traits that most of the best volunteers share. Here are the traits that How to Live Your Dream to be an International Volunteer identifies:Learn the languageListen before you actBe friendlyLive simplyFind alliesDress appropriatelyExercise extreme caution in friendship, sex, dating, and marriageWork for sustainability and local controlShare with people at homeWant an All-Expense Paid, Short Term, Unskilled Volunteer Experiences?: Check Out Passport-in-Time and Pueblo InglesPassport in TimeIn May 2006, I participated in a one-week volunteer Passport in Time project. The Passport in Time program is sponsored by the US Forest Service. The US Forest Service allows volunteers in the program to help the service’s archaeologists to prepare exhibits and do research.The US Forest Service has a large variety of interesting projects for volunteers. Following Hurricane Katrina a number of projects were developed to help archaeologists in the region inventory archaeological damage to the region and devise strategies to restore archaeological sites. One project that I’ve seen listed several times on the Passport in Time website involves recording stories and techniques involved in basket weaving among the Pomo Indians in far northern, coastal California.The Passport in Time project in which I participated involved the preparation of a public information kiosk in the Ventana National Forest between Big Sur and King City, California. Since this particular part of the forest covered a wide range of microclimates (Big Sur is cool and moist and King City is dry and hot), it contained the state’s most pristine and varied collections of oak trees. As a result, many early California Indians populated the area. (Acorns from oak trees were vital to their survival.) The volunteers took photos of the trees and wrote descriptions of the oaks and their use by local Indians that will be integrated into the kiosk.We worked six hours a day for five days. The USFS offered us free use of a campsite in the forest and did not charge us anything for participating in the program. For more information on the program, consult the Passport-in-Time website at Pueblo InglesVaughn Villages in Spain provides free room and board to any native English speaker willing to spend up to sixteen hours a day speaking English to Spaniards. They have designed “Pueblo Ingles” in Spain as a place where Spaniards can go for two weeks and speak non-stop in English to native speakers.While I cannot participate in this program because I speak Spanish, one student reported that the food and accommodation for volunteers was quite good and that the students were really great. (Note: the program does not want Spanish speaking volunteers because if the students learn that the volunteers speak Spanish, the students will not use English as much as they should.)For more info, check out their website at HYPERLINK "" Placement Agencies Most organizations have staff to provide support for volunteers. The level of support varies considerably between organizations. Some will take care of all of the details. Others will serve as a liaison between you and the local volunteer agency. Most volunteer vacations require you to pay for these support services. The only exceptions are a couple agencies that require trained volunteers (like the International Executive Service Corps, which places highly skilled administrators to consult with small and mid sized businesses overseas). These fees vary a lot.Most volunteer placement programs also arrange homestays for volunteers because: many volunteer placements are in rural areas where hotels may be far away from the placement and homestays offer an inexpensive place for people to stay and experience life in the community where they are volunteering. (See the earlier section on homestays for more information.)Here are some examples of the most prevalent types of volunteer placement programs. Upscale volunteer programs: Upscale volunteer organizations provide three types of volunteer experiences:Global Volunteers (); Global Service Corps (); and Global Citizens Network ( HYPERLINK "" ), Cross Cultural Solutions () send teams of volunteers to work in villages in several countries on a variety of social service and education related projects.Earthwatch () teams volunteers with scientists doing research on a variety of ecological, cultural, and historical projects (including archaeology). Habitat for Humanity (gv) sends teams of volunteers to help build homes throughout the globe for two to three weeks at a time. Upscale volunteer programs take care of all your needs including: internal transportation (other than airfare), housing and food, on site orientation, extensive background materials, evacuation insurance, and day to day assistance. As a result of all this attention, many of these upscale programs are expensive (often as high as $200-300 a day). The projects send delegations of volunteers to the same community together. Group leaders accompany these groups to the site and help ensure that their daily needs are met. Usually, the upscale agencies have a limited number of countries where they operate. If you want to go to a particularly country or work on a specific project, you need to have a flexible schedule since the number of delegations is limited.Upscale organizations work hard to find a placement that matches your interests and skills. Most of the participants are older North Americans. The upscale agencies often pay families to put you up in their home. Most of the homes are modest; but they are more likely to have Western-style conveniences than most other volunteer programs. You will stay in a moderate priced hotel for a couple days for orientation and transfers to the site.Workcamps: Other agencies, like Volunteers for Peace ( HYPERLINK "" ), Service Civic International (sci-), and Joint Assistance Center (serves Indian subcontinent; ) place you in organized workcamps. Workcamps are organized by local committees. Typical projects include construction, environmental protection, and social service work. The workcamps organize the volunteer’s accommodations and food. Usually you pay an administrative fee ($100-200) to a central office and an additional on-site fee (usually $10-25 a day) to the local workcamp for local accommodations and food. Often, the accommodations are in dormitories. Many workcamps do not provide a lot of training, pre-departure support, or transportation to and from the workcamp site. Workcamps are available throughout the planet. It is easy to find workcamps throughout the year in many countries. Sometimes, however, if you want to participate in a particular workcamp, you may need to apply early. Do not be surprised if your workcamp is cancelled.Generally workcamp volunteers, though mostly young, come from varied economic and cultural backgrounds. Many people enjoy the intercultural interaction at workcamps even more than the volunteer activity. Read Somebody’s Heart is Burning: A Woman Wanderer in Africa by Tanya Shaffer for a moving account of her time in workcamps in Africa. The costs, the tasks, and the working environments vary a lot between work camps. When I checked, some of the work camp projects included assisting in the work of a museum and craft center in Zimbabwe, renovating rampart walls in a small village in the French Pyrenees, and working on an organic farm and meditation center in the hills outside of Los Angeles. Most VFP work camps require that participants pay a fee to VFP (usually $250) to support the organizations’ operations in the US. An additional fee (between $0-400; based on my sample of work camps from the VFP website) is often required to help the local nonprofit who organizes the work camp in the country you’re visiting. Work camps are designed to include representatives from several countries. The local nonprofit sets a maximum number of participants from a certain country. Usually there is a limit of two people from the USA. From what I can tell, however, since Americans seldom participate in work camps, you usually will not have problems getting the camp you select.The camps are also designed to encourage the participants to get to know each other’s cultures and interact with the local population. Toward that end, the group leaders are expected to develop activities outside of the volunteer work for the volunteers to do. Fun on a Wooden Slat BedIn September 2005 I participated in a three week workcamp in Colola, Mexico concerning sea turtle conservation. The following is a summary of my experienceProgram Description Where is Colola?Colola is located on the coastline of the state of Michoacan, approximately midway between Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta (both of which are approximately eight hours by bus. The beach at Colola is long and sweeping. The beach is almost deserted. In nearly three weeks in Colola, I only saw a couple of tourists (who came to see the turtles) in Colola. While Colola itself has little or no tourism, there are several towns with some basic tourist infrastructure. While none of these towns could be called a resort, they are regarded by aficionados as some of the best surfing spots on the Pacific coast. The Colola Work CampThe Colola sea turtle work camp for Americans is organized through Volunteers for Peace (VFP; HYPERLINK "" ). When I checked the VFP website, they had 149 work camps available in 29 countries (including the US and Western Europe) available between September 2005 and the end of the year. I paid $545 in total for the work camp for nineteen days ($27/day). $250 went to VFP (if I complete a report about the work camp and send it VFP, I will be eligible for a $100 refund from the VFP organization). The remaining $295 went to VIVE Mexico, the local nonprofit program sponsor. I understand that about half of the VIVE Mexico fee is directed toward paying for the food and activities of the volunteers while they are participating in the work camp. The remaining half goes to fund VIVE Mexico’s programs.Approximately ten times a year, a group of volunteers from around the world, usually ranging from seven to fifteen people, come to Colola to participate in the work camp. Our campsite participants were from Germany (3), France (2), England (2), Japan, and the USA. (I was the only American). The camp leader, Mario, was from Italy The CampsiteThe campsite consists of three palapas – native, beach houses handmade from palm fronds. One houses the volunteers’ dormitory, a breezeway, and a large common room with an eating area and a kitchen. Another houses the tortugeros (turtle keepers) whenever they weren’t working during their rounds (often there are no turtles or it rains so hard that the tortugeros could not work). The third palapa is used for overfill in case there are too many volunteers to stay in the main structure. The volunteers’ dormitory features bunk beds made from wooden slats. There is no bedding provided. The floor is made of sand, which infiltrates everything you own no matter what you do. There was no refrigerator in the kitchen (although a couple of coolers were available). Since everyone sleeps and eats in the same small palapa; if you want any privacy, forget it. The breezeway between the common room and the dormitory leaked whenever it rained. The palapa did have an electric light bulb in the common room, but not the dormitory. The toilet is housed in an outdoor concrete structure, approximately 200 feet away from the palapas. The toilets do not have a door. Privacy is afforded by a sheet hung outside the toilet. Most of the time, the toilet was quite clean, because the volunteers took good care to keep it so.A separate area, about four hundred feet away from the palapa, is set aside for showering. The water for the shower, which is always cool, is stored in a concrete basin. You must pour the water over yourself as there is no showerhead or faucet. As you can see the showering area also does not allow for any privacy. The campsite has a pump that supplies running water to the kitchen sink and keeps the shower water from becoming stagnant. The pump stops fairly frequently, making it hard to wash dishes and/or take a shower.Everyone seemed to be in good health throughout the work camp. The volunteers took care to ensure that food was washed in purified water before eating. In addition, while I don’t have any proof that this is true, I think that most Mexican food today is much safer than in the past. The WorkEvery weekday night starting at around ten or eleven the volunteers separated into groups of two and accompanied the tortugeros on their rounds. In the night, the turtles would come ashore for sometime between thirty minutes and two hours to lay eggs and then return to the sea soon thereafter. The turtles found their way back to the sea by following the light given off by waves crashing. If there was too much light, the turtles would get distracted and not go ashore. I went out on my rounds with Kohei, a twenty-two-year-old, pre-law student from Tokyo. Every night our assignments and the group of tortugeros we accompanied would rotate. That way we were able to get to know almost every tortugero somewhat during our stay.We watched and assisted the tortugeros as they scanned the beach with their flashlights looking for turtle tracks. Once the tracks were identified, the tortugeros would follow them to see if they could find the holes that the turtles dug to sequester their eggs. Then we’d try to dig up the eggs. Sometimes we’d have to wait to dig up the eggs until the turtles finished laying them and then help the turtles get out of the holes (which were about fifty feet wide and a couple of feet deep) so that they could begin their trip back to the water. Other times, we’d start digging eggs from holes that were already abandoned after the turtle had begun the trip back to the sea. As soon as they dug up the eggs, the tortugeros would note the number of eggs, the sea conditions, date, time, and type of turtles on a report. The reports are used by the University of Michoacan in Morelia to track the village’s conservation progress (The village was quite good at conservation. The leader of the tortugeros, Jose Luis, had been invited to go to several conferences to discuss the group’s successes. According to Jose Luis, the number of turtle eggs and fully grown turtles on the beach is now about ten times what it was fifteen years ago). After collecting and noting the eggs, the tortugeros would put them in the nursery in front of the palapas. There the eggs could be hatched without interference from local poachers or birds. Once the turtles were hatched, the tortugeros would release them into the sea. Supposedly, because of predators and natural conditions, only about one percent of the hatchlings would survive until adulthood.El Pollito (The Little Chicken), Mr. Italy, and the Rest of the Gang of Merry VolunteersWhile we did not have much in common (I was fifteen years older than any of the volunteers and twelve years older than Mario, the camp leader); I felt surprisingly close to the group and will miss them, and think about them, often.I was genuinely pleased to see how well everyone fit together. It would have been hard to put together a more fun-loving, kind, and adaptable group of people. The group very seldom complained about anything, performed their tasks without problems, and quickly become good friends. In fact, they were such a good group that some of them even helped change some of the negative stereotypes I’ve had about their countries. The TortugerosWhile Kohei and I accompanied the tortugeros on their rounds, I would ask the tortugeros questions about their lives. They were very open about telling me about their lives and obligingly answering my questions about turtles.I quickly discovered that, like most Mexicans, the tortugeros almost all had some connection to the United States. All but one of the tortugeros had relatives living in the USA. Many of the relatives worked on apple farms near Moses Lake, Washington. However, they also had relatives scattered throughout other parts of the USA, including a couple in rural Maine and Tennessee.Probably about half of the tortugeros had at some time or another lived and worked in the States. While most left Colola to make a living in the USA, a couple of tortugueros ventured North because they were bored with life in Colola.Every tortugero I met grew up in Colola. I did meet one Cololan (not a tortugero) who had lived in the USA for twenty years and spoke English complete with every American slang and idiom imaginable. I almost fainted when he ran up to me in the town one day and asked me: “How are they hanging, bro?” The tortugeros, who were all men, ranged in age from about 19 to 65. As near as I could tell the tortugeros received no compensation for collecting the eggs. The eggs could sell on the black market for up to ten pesos a piece. They are supposedly used to help ensure virility. I heard rumors that turtle meat is still available for sale in other parts of Mexico, though I don’t think there is any for sale in Michoacan. The local people for hundreds of years have eaten turtle meat. I remember eating it in several restaurants in Baja California when I was a kid.Pulire and Lavare (to Clean and Wash) Life at a Multicultural Festival Workcamp in Collechio, ItalyJune-July 2008Though I did not enjoy it as much as the Sea Turtle Camp, I still am glad I attended the multicultural festival workcamp in Collechio, Italy and feel comfortable recommending it to others as long as they know in advance what they are getting into.For a modest $300 fee, I spent 14 days at this camp and received room and board. The room was in a hostel. (I shared the room, which was comfortable except for the excessive heat, with two other volunteers). The food was generally good (particularly during the days of the festival, when we were able to eat some of the food prepared for the festival).Collechio, the town that hosted the festival, is a modest sized, seemingly fairly prosperous and tolerant suburb of Parma (in the agricultural and industrial center of Northern Italy called Emiglia-Romagna). It was fun walking around Collechio because it was not used to tourists and had the relaxed and friendly vibe found in most small, semi-rural, off-the-beaten path communities worldwide.The group of volunteers (from Mexico, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Italy, and Russia) got along and worked well together. Though, I must admit that those of us who did not come with friends (the Mexicans, Bulgarian, and Russians came with friends) sometimes felt a bit isolated from the others. We got a chance to meet and become friends with a group of recently arrived refugees, mostly from Afghanistan, who worked along side us for the duration of the festivals. The stories they told us about their long journey to get to Italy (one of them walked most of the way and took under the table jobs in Iran and Turkey to pay for the trip) were harrowing and fascinating. In addition, it was interesting to learn about the differences between the Italian government’s policies toward refugees and those in the U.S. (Italy seems more willing than the U.S. to take in refugees, but less willing to integrate them into the country once their accepted. Of course, like anywhere, it is not easy for them to get asylum in Italy, all the same).While generally workcamps are not supposed to be much work, this one did require us to work quite a bit particularly on the days of the festival itself. (I worked almost twelve hours washing and cleaning tables and trays for five days during the festival. By the end, when I’d get tired, I’d sing a song of my own creation called “Pulire and Lavare” (Cleaning and Washing) set to the tone of “Volare”).As usual I was the oldest volunteer. However, while I did tire faster than the other volunteers from the work, I relished the opportunity to be a father figure to some of the volunteers. I particularly grew fond of the two very young Italians (age 16 and 18) who participated. I will always treasure the memory of singing and dancing down the street with Leonardo, the 18 year old, to the tune of “Singing in the Rain”. (Only in Italy can you find a studiedly, “cool” young man, complete with a cigarette and baggy pants, who would admit that he shares my love for Broadway musicals.) I will also remember fondly when Sergio, the 16 year old bought me a gin and tonic after I’d worked all day at the festival because as he said, “You need this.”The group did, however, take some time off. One day we visited Monterosso, one of the beach communities that forms part of Cinque Terre (5 Lands) section of Liguria. In addition, one of the camp leaders put together a really magical Sicilian-style barbeque (complete with singing and ample wine) one night and we were treated to a very pleasant going-away dinner. At the end of the workcamp, though tired, I must admit that I was sad to leave the other volunteers and look back on the experience with some fondness.NOTE: At the end of the festival, the organizers told us that in the future they did not plan on making the volunteers work so hard. I also don’t think that this level of work is very typical of other European workcamps. The two Mexicans who participated in the group traveled to Europe with a larger group, several of whom participated in other workcamps in Italy, France, and Spain. All of their friends reported that they worked a lot less than we did. Sergei, the young volunteer from Slovakia, also reported that he had participated in five other workcamps in Western Europe and never did half as much work as he did during this workcamp.Short term informal placements. Many organizations accept volunteers for a couple weeks to a month. These organizations send a few volunteers a year to work on specific projects in third world countries. Unlike the upscale and workcamp projects, volunteer placement is a small part of these organizations’ workload. Often, you may be the only volunteer on-site for these projects.Many of these informal placements require trained volunteers. Some are involved in complex managerial and administrative projects like the International Executive Service Corps (). A lot of these organizations provide medical care such as Interplast (Plastic Surgery; website: ) and Flying Doctors (provides medical care in rural Mexico; website: ).Only a few informal volunteer projects, such as the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC)/Ladakh (India) Farm Project (.uk) are open to short term volunteers without specialized skills. Agencies are more likely, because of the work involved, to take on non-skilled volunteers who are willing to spend six months or more on-site.Humanitarian Foundation of Costa RicaI am not easily impressed by people. Many times I’ve had friends tell me about people that they admired and when I met these people, while they seemed like good people, I haven’t found them particularly admirable.However, once in a while, I meet someone who really manages to impress me. One such person is Gail Nyquist. Gail was a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica thirty years ago who has never, despite life’s ups and downs, lost her enthusiasm and innate hopefulness that she can change her own little corner of the world through dedication, goodwill and hard work.For one week, I had the opportunity to follow this remarkable woman as she managed her varied humanitarian projects in Costa Rica (particularly in the La Carpio neighborhood of San Jose). I never ceased to admire her way of bringing out the best in her volunteers, employees, and the people she tried to help.Many people, in her position, can become cynical. They develop a sense that no one really cares about poverty (at one point, I told her that I was always amazed that anti-poverty programs are not a high priority for the US and European Union governments, to which she replied, “I realized years ago that I could not change the world, but I could do something here and now by building homes and helping improve the poor’s education and skills”) and that the people they help in a sense deserve their poverty because of some innate flaw in their character. Gail oozes love and respect for Costa Rica, its poorest citizens, and any volunteer who crosses her path. As a result she manages to use limited resources in a remarkable way. She is directly involved in over twenty projects throughout rural and urban Costa Rica.I spent one week in a before and after school program she ran and created for the residents of La Carpio, a neighborhood, primarily composed of Nicaragua immigrants, of 50,000 low income residents. I taught her staff some basic English expressions and taught the kids words in English related to plants which they were studying that week. Most of the kids oozed enthusiasm and the staff was well prepared, professional, and dedicated despite a myriad of personal issues.I also spent one day with Gail as she hosted a Christmas party (where she gave away boots, blankets, and other necessities) for a group of indigenous people living in the jungle near Limon. In a short period of three years, Gail and her impressive volunteers had built a bridge across the river (by the way, if you ever meet Gail ask her about how she got money to build the bridge, it is a fun story) and developed a clinic and a school for the people. She even has bought and will resell a variety of handsomely crafted artworks by the local women made out of yuca fiber (a tuber, somewhat like a potato, that is an integral part of the Costa Rican diet).As part of the volunteer program, I lived for two weeks in a homestay she arranged with Dona Magda. Gail truly found another remarkable woman as a host for her volunteers. Dona Magda worked with the Department of Protocol for the Sandinista government in Nicaragua in the 1980s. Listening to her stories of both her enthusiasm and passion for Sandinismo (the Sandinistas’ political ideology) and her eventual disillusionment with the movement was one of the great joys of my stay in Costa Rica. At age 70, Dona Magda still cooks meals (she was at one time also a cook for the Sandinistas before they came to power) for large groups of Gail’s volunteers and makes the world’s best ceviche (fish cocktail). Her cooking has even won her awards from the Costa Rican government.Gail has a lot of volunteers come to work with her. The majority come from school and church groups from the US. She also coordinates a large group of expatriates in Costa Rica, called Helping Hands, who collect goods for the people served by her projects. Most volunteers provide a small contribution to the program that helps Gail run her program. If you give to Gail, she will be able to tell you exactly how the money will be used and will open her (extremely well organized) financial records without any hesitation.For more information about volunteering or contributing to her project, send Gail an e-mail at gnystrom@racsa.co.cr.Through Gail, I met another woman named Donna Tabor ( HYPERLINK "mailto:donnatabor@" donnatabor@) in Granada, Nicaragua who runs a similarly impressive group of social service programs there. IF you ever find yourself in Granada, check out her Café Cavalos, one of the country’s best restaurants, where all the staff are residents of the city’s poorest barrio who have been trained by some of America’s best chefs (who volunteer to come there to teach). You can also make informal placements with organizations on-site throughout the globe. Since making these arrangements usually takes time, I would not recommend this strategy for short term volunteers. Long Term Volunteering AbroadLong volunteer assignments are often arranged either through a support agency (like World Teach or the Peace Corps. World Teach is described in the sidebar below called Life on the Other Side of the Moon) or through direct application to the place you’d like to volunteer. Most of the support agencies require a fee, usually around $4000-8000 a year. Some will make arrangements to provide college credit. Most of the assignments through private support agencies require a commitment of three months to year, though, of course, there is no penalty if you decide to leave early.Joining the Peace Corps () is one of the few ways that you can get all your expenses paid for as a volunteer. The Peace Corps will also provide you a stipend to help set up your life upon return to the USA (usually equivalent to $500 or so per month for the length of service). There are several things to consider if you want to join the Peace Corps, however, including:The Peace Corps requires a two year commitment. Sometimes these assignments can be cut short depending on the political realities within the country. That said, I don’t know of any penalty, per se, if you fail to complete the commitment. Applying for the Peace Corps is competitive. Only about 15% of all applicants are accepted. Your chances of being accepted if you are newly out of college are less than 10%. The chances do improve considerably for older volunteers, however.The training for the Peace Corps is very intense. Usually you study the language, culture, and learn the appropriate skills for eight to ten hours a day for several weeks. A sizeable number of volunteers will decide not to complete the training.You will not have much choice where you will be assigned. I have heard of Spanish teachers being sent to French speaking countries and other seemingly bizarre mismatches between skills and assignments. Non-profit agencies are more likely, because of the work involved, to take on non-skilled volunteers who are willing to spend a six months or more on-site. How to Live Your Dream contains a detailed list of organizations that are prepared to deal with long term volunteers. Most of these organizations require that you pay for your living expenses (usually only a couple hundred dollars a month) and transportation to and from the site. However, some are willing to pay your expenses for you.You can also make informal placements with organizations on-site throughout the planet. Since making these arrangements is not as easy as it might seem (remember dealing with volunteers takes work for the organization. They also have to learn to trust you. As sad as it may seem, some organizations have been burned by volunteers), I would not recommend this strategy for short term volunteers. If you plan to just show up somewhere and find an assignment, plan on a month or two to find an assignment for you and carefully read the chapter of How to Live Your Dream devoted to finding a placement on-site first. Generally the best volunteer experiences are longer term. It takes a month to get used to your organization and to begin to see how you fit into the organization. As time goes on, you begin to make friendships and to become an integral part of your new community.Life on the Other Side of the Moon NOTE: In 1994, I spent a year and a half in Russia as a volunteer English instructor partially under the auspices of a nonprofit volunteer placement program called World Teach ().??I worked with World Teach for nine of the eighteen months.? I also lived in Kaliningrad in the home of my future wife for six months after the placement and spent three months studying Russian in Saint Petersburg before my World Teach assignment. World Teach provides volunteers with a range of support services including transportation from New York to the placement site, a month of teacher training (and follow-up training classes), a library with teaching materials, assistance with visas, teacher placement, and housing, access to a full time coordinator who helps volunteers with any issues that arise during their placement, medical insurance, and an extensive pre-assignment information packet.? World Teach has a variety of programs available for a summer or a year abroad.? Its programs to Ecuador, Namibia, and Costa Rica cost between $5000-6000 for a year and $3500 for a summer.??There is also?a free program to the Marshall Islands and?low cost programs ($1000-$1500) to China and Guyana for a year placement.? The services are the same for all programs.? World Teach no longer has a program in Russia.? It may, however, have programs in Poland from time to time.? World Teach is also currently working to develop a program in Chile. The majority of the volunteers are recent college graduates, though World Teach accepts volunteers of all ages. ?While I think World Teach provides a lot of useful support for its volunteers, you need to understand why you are using their services in the first place. Some volunteers join the agency primarily because they want help to find a suitable placement. This is a lot of money to spend for just this service.? You can find a job teaching English almost anywhere in the world if you are persistent.However, World Teach is helpful if you want support to be a good teacher and if you feel uncomfortable about living and working abroad for whatever reason. ?It is nice to have someone from the USA to fall back on when necessary.? It also provides a lot of support (if you take advantage of it) to help you become a more skilled teacher. During my placement, I taught at a small business college called Kaliningrad Commercial College. The student body was 90% female of?ages 17-19. (Most males of that age in Russia have to do army service).? The students took courses in a variety of subjects including restaurant management (which, literally translated from Russian,?is mass nutrition), pre-law, computers, and commerce. Teachers (who received only $60?pay per month) had to work additional jobs to make a living.? As a result, the school was unable to maintain a stable schedule.? Everyday, I would find out what classes I would teach the next day.? The school had a surprisingly advanced computer lab financed by a grant from Sweden. ?My classes had between 8 and 35 students each. The following story is about my experience during this placement. About three months after I returned to the United States from my stay in Russia, I was invited to a 40th wedding anniversary dinner for an older couple who recently immigrated to the United States from Russia.? In typical Russian style, the table groaned under the weight of hundreds of skillfully arranged plates of potato and meat salads, stewed vegetable appetizers (called ikra, meaning caviar) dripping with oil and garlic, salami, bread, champagne bottles and--of course-- copious?vodka. After awhile, in accordance with tradition, the host started to call on the guests to give a toast.?They elected to have?the two Americans present?start off the toast as a sign of respect.??The?other American gave his speech in English and said essentially that the Russians must have been glad to live in such a free and rich country as the US.? He was pleasantly but lukewarmly received.? I said in Russian that I admire the people at the table because it was hard to live in another country.? I told the guests how weird it was that Russia at first seemed fairly normal and gradually over time began to seem odder and odder to me. After my speech,?several people came up to me and said how happy they were to have someone voice the way they felt about the US.??They frequently felt like they live on the “other side of the Moon”.? I immediately told them that I understood.? Russia to me felt like the other side of the Moon throughout much of my stay. Why did it feel so different? It is hard to pinpoint. However,?several short anecdotes leap to?mind that demonstrate?some of the contrasts that I noted?between the US and Russia.??During?my first month of teaching I gave the students several short paragraphs to write. The best student in each class, invariably named Natasha, would turn in the paragraph on time.? Her paper usually required several corrections.? As time went on over the next month, I’d get the rest of the students' papers. As sure as clockwork, the papers got better and better as time went on.? Usually, the best paper came from the worst student.? After?a couple of assignments, I asked the other teachers why this happened.? They told me that during communist times it was essential that teachers could show the authorities that all of their students were capable of mastering every topic (most students had 25 classes or more per semester) and?the only way to do so was to allow one or two students to do all the work for the rest of the class.? Those students would be paraded in front of the authorities during inspections to show how skilled everyone was.? As a result, most students early on developed one or two subjects where they excelled and the rest of the time they sort of slid by.?Russian men and women acted totally different from each other in the classroom.? Even though 90% of my students were female, my male students did most of the talking in the class.? One day one of the other American volunteers, Kelly, invited me to visit her seventh grade English class.? All throughout the class the boys talked and fidgeted and the girls?remained still.? The moment Kelly asked the class a question, every boy raised?his hand to answer.? Most of their answers were wrong.? After one of the boys tried to answer the question, Kelly asked one of the girls if she knew the answer.? Without fail, the girl student knew the answer.?One day I was talking to one of my students who worked as a waitress in a restaurant for businessmen. She told me that she hated her job because her customers were always grabbing?her in inappropriate places. A couple of days later I told this story to one of the American volunteers who had been in Russia for two years and spoke nearly fluent Russian.? She told me that?young Russian girls were?often groped. Then she said that most ads for employees even requested employees “without complexes,” which, according to the volunteer, was?code for “willing to sleep with the boss.”?A couple of months later I got a part time job teaching English to a young computer guru who worked for this very wealthy man. We met for his classes in one of the nicest apartments in the City.? I noticed after awhile that the apartment looked unlived in and asked the student about?it. ?He told me that Russian businesses often kept apartments around the city where men could take their mistresses and that it was necessary to maintain such an apartment to attract clients to the business.? After awhile, the young man’s boss asked to meet me. He asked me to set up an account in the USA to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.? I declined, even though he promised to pay me several thousand dollars a month for what he said was no real work.?One of my male students, Sasha, invited me to his home one day to go to a séance where he would call up the spirit of Marilyn Monroe.? When I went there he told me that he had practiced the séance and met Marilyn and she told him that she never wanted to see him again and so he couldn’t call her up for me.?On the first day of class I asked the students what?they like to do in?their free time. ?One of my students, Tanya, tested me by answering to “have sex.”? A bit perplexed by this response, I replied that most women prefer to “make love” since “having sex” referred to the physical act while “making love” was more romantic with champagne and roses.? She replied, OK, I like to make love. While I was proud of my response, I often asked myself would an American girl have made this comment.?Russians on the very first day of school have a special party to open the year. During this celebration, the teachers are introduced to the students.??Nina Mitrofanovna, the headmistress of the school,?introduced me by saying that “Paul is from America, he is single and I hope he finds a wife here.”? When I married one of her students nine months later, the headmistress was interviewed on the radio and advised potential students to come to her school because they might be able to marry an American.?About a month after I started teaching, I went into the small cafeteria in my dorm to order something to eat, and when I went to leave the restaurant, I found that I could not open the door.? I looked around and noticed that one of my students (Nina, who later became my wife) was holding the door so that I could not leave.? Nina, who I think was a little drunk at the time, told me that it was her birthday and that she wanted to introduce me to an old man, Alexei Nikolaivich.? Alexei?was a?78-year-old blind man who Nina took care of.??Born in 1917, his parents, minor royalty in Siberia, were put under house arrest for the first four years of?his life.? Alexei Nikolaivich’s father was a scholar.? He talked to his son every day in a different language.? One day he’d speak English, the next French, the following day Russian, then German, and finally the local Siberian language. As a result, Alexei could speak?14 languages almost fluently.? The odd thing was, since he had never spoken?English to a native speaker,?he could talk to me very clearly and intelligently, but?could only understand about 50% of what I said in response!?Whenever I had students act out a scene in English, it always had funny results.? In one of my classes, I had the students play-act a crime. One of my male students played the criminal and at the end of the class one of the other students asked him as part of the skit, “Why did you commit the crime?” His response: “Because I am a hopeless victim of society.”? Another time I had students act as if they were famous people in history.? One student picked the name of Lenin.? The other students had to ask her questions and she was to reply as Lenin. One of the students asked her, “Why did not you (Lenin) have any children?”? Her response: “I don’t have time for such bourgeoisie things.”?When I first went to Russia, our group of volunteers sat in on a class?taught by a local English teacher.??She spent the whole time gently chiding her students.? We all thought she was too harsh. However,?we often found ourselves criticizing our students at some point during our teaching.? My turn took place about three months into my assignment.? It was a cold, dreary day and I was just beginning to get a bit of a culture shock.? I had one class where the students did not seem to respond to anything I did.? Exasperated,?I finally?said, “You are all a bunch of babies.? I am tired of teaching you. I will get the school director to talk to you unless you shape up.”? The next time the students met with me, they were all energetic and pleasant.? I thought it was weird that after so little prompting they were so easily docile and loosened up.A couple of days later I asked them what they wanted to learn from the class. ?They replied that they’d like to learn about holidays in the USA and Russia.? So I started a lesson.? It seemed to be going well?so I asked them to write a paragraph about the holidays to be read aloud two weeks later.? I realized this was a mistake when all but the best two or three students started reading paragraphs from text books. (They wrote them out so that it wasn’t obvious.)?? Many of these students did not read the text first.? As a result, they read paragraphs that were written before the fall of communism. ?(Almost all the textbooks were really old). So several students started reading texts about the joys of celebrations on collective farms and how young people throughout the Soviet Union wanted to act just like “Uncle Lenin.” ?I listened to these texts and decided to let it go and use this as a reading out loud exercise. (Generally this is good for pronunciation development).? However, the brighter students in the class all started to have fun with these texts.? In the midst of the reading the brighter students would make comments in Russian like “I didn’t know that we still have Pioneers in Russia” and “I am surprised that you still love Lenin so much.”? The students reading the paragraphs at first looked amazed and then asked, “Is that what I read?”? To which, I said, yes, and then they?sat down with?embarrassed looks on their faces.I was in Russia on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.? I turned on a popular TV talk show, called Mbi (Us) hosted by Vladimir Posner.?? He interviewed many young people who said that they wished that the Germans had won the war because Germany was so wealthy and Russia today is so poor.? Most of them had no idea that Hitler would have made them into slaves and when the elders in the audience expressed this sentiment, the young people just shrugged their shoulders.? I felt sorry for the older people in the audience. Russia in many ways literally saved the world from the worst dictator in history.? Millions of people died in the war and the young peoples’ reactions flew in the face of the tremendous sacrifice made by Russian people.? However, I can’t be sanctimonious about the anniversary either. On the anniversary, my?girlfriend Nina?and I got in a little spat in front of an older woman who was selling fruit. ?The vendor said, “How can you act this way on?such an important day.? Do you realize how much we suffered in the war?”? Justifiably chastised, I demurred and stopped arguing with Nina.?Russia (when I was there at least) had a double pricing structure for foreigners and local residents.? While this pricing system is common in many countries, it is nowhere near as prevalent and unfair as Russia.? It cost 20-40 times as much for a foreigner as for a Russian.? The fees for Russians were among the lowest in the world. For foreigners these fees were probably the planet’s highest fees.? This discrepancy angered me to no end.? One day I went with Nina to a church in the Kremlin.? She paid 40 cents and I was charged $7.50.? I blew up at the little old lady ticket taker.? I told her that this was not fair. ?I’d lived there for a year, made a Russian wage, etc.? She would not budge.? Nina looked at me and said, “Paul, calm down, there is nothing you can do about it.? It may be unfair, but you are making a fool of yourself.”? I thought about it for a few minutes and realized that she was right.? After that day I tried to negotiate with vendors and accepted whatever they said.? Most of the time I paid the Russian fee.? Yet, I will never get angry at the double standard again. The cumulative effect of these little vignettes was a strong awareness that I truly did live on the other side of the Moon for awhile. Truth be told, while some of these experiences were frustrating, I wouldn’t have traded them for anything.? I was given a unique opportunity to pierce the soul of another country?---one that was only available at that particular time and place.??I’m glad that?I seized it with both hands and was willing to take some risks to get into Russia’s skin. What did I learn about Russia?? It is hard to put into words.? Russia is complex.? It evokes powerful, conflicting emotions that test the boundaries of the soul and intellect.? Somehow Russia leaves an indelible mark that cannot be erased. ?Ultimately, if you spend enough time to get to know the country, you feel indebted to her humanity and intensity.? You know that while there are few places on the planet that can drive you insane as Russia can, you will become a more complete, kinder, and better person for having spent time there. Chapter Ten:Specialty Tours When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.Clinton Fadiman025400000IntroductionOver the past fifty years, the nature of foreign travel has changed markedly. Fifty years ago, travel was seen as something that required a lot of money to enjoy. Very few options existed beyond expensive tours, cruises, and resorts. The only major guidebook series – Fodors and Fieldings –listed expensive, tourist-oriented hotels and restaurants.Over time, travelers have demanded more from the tourist industry. A plethora of guidebooks have been written to help people travel independently and inexpensively. Thousands of small, specialty tours and cruises have popped up to provide travelers with more intellectually and physically challenging vacations. Travel, once again, is undergoing another transformation. Travelers are increasingly seeking experiences that help them to experience life in another part of the world. They want to travel to make a difference, discover more about themselves and the world around them, and to learn.Travelers can make a lot of positive differences if they take a little time to plan their adventures with this thought in mind. They can break down barriers between people, help sustain and revitalize other ways of life, and pump cash into otherwise beleaguered economies. Unfortunately, travelers can also wreak havoc. Many countries and companies have done horrible things to help spur tourism. Hundreds of thousands of local residents have been forcibly evicted to make way for tourist facilities; western tourists have introduced local youth to lifestyles that spawn delinquency and crime; ecological wanders have been destroyed to make way for tourist facilities; and tourist facilities have been developed that take away, rather than spur, economic development opportunities from local residents. Selecting a Specialty TourThe word tour usually evokes an image of a group of Bermuda short clad tourists with heavy (almost phallic) cameras slung across their necks emerging from a large bus led by a local guide. The local guide, perfectly coiffed holding a red flag, recites the history of some ancient site into short, simple sound bites before escorting the group to a large, expensive restaurant.Yet, tours don’t have to fit this stereotype. Hundreds of small scale tours, usually called specialty tours by the tourism industry, are available that encourage travelers to learn about and participate in life in a different part of the globe. Want to Learn More about Small Specialty Tours?Check out these magazines for listings and reviews of specialty tours:International Travel News () contains hundreds of travelers’ reports about their experiences with various tours around the planet. Many of these tours emphasize an educational component.The Specialty Travel Index () lists thousands of unique small-scale tours, cruise, and other group adventures worldwide, many of which are educational in nature. It also has occasional features with more detailed information and reviews of specific tours.Travel Learn () has a lot of intriguing educational tours worldwide. Large established guidebooks (Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, Rick Steves, Moon, etc.) list local tour companies throughout their books. Usually, the tours that are recommended in these guidebooks are worth considering. Tour companies stay in business for a while; therefore, the information about tour companies in guidebooks does not age that fast. In addition, since thousands of tourists read these books, the guidebooks will probably hear about really bad tour companies from travelers and put advisories in their guidebooks. A bad tour can put your safety and health in jeopardy.These small-scale tours come in a variety of guises:Many are offered by tour companies in the United States (easily arranged through your corner travel agent) like Mountain Travel Sobek () that take care of the details for you. These companies offer guided, small scale (usually 6-12 participants) trips to remote parts of the globe. Some even visit tribal areas giving you the opportunity to interact with tribes like the Dogon (in West Africa) in some of the world’s remote places. Many of these tours are “soft adventure” tours which provide luxurious, gourmet meals. They typically cost (excluding airfare) between $200-500 a day).In more popular areas (like the Inca Trail in Peru and the mountain areas north of Chiang Mai, Thailand) you can arrange low cost walking tours with travel agencies at your destination, either beforehand through the internet or on-site. You need to be careful to find an agency that arranges tours that allow you interact with locals and respects the local culture and environment.Small scale educational cruises. Several companies such as Cruise West ( ) offer very intimate, expensive, educational cruises (100-150 passengers) that can be arranged through your local travel agent. These cruises do not feature many of the programs that appeal to mass market cruisers (casinos and nightlife), but instead provide high quality lectures, led by trained naturalists, that allow you to learn more about the wildlife in your destination. These cruises typically visit a variety of small ports otherwise inaccessible A few other companies like Swan Hellenic () feature small scale cruises (Swan Hellenic has about 300-600 passengers) that provide extensive on-board lectures led by world renowned experts on the culture and history of the places you’ll be visiting. Museums particularly the Smithsonian () and the American Museum of Natural History () offer highly specialized, expensive tours that offer the following benefits: glimpses of places that are otherwise usually off-limits, tour guides selected for their exceptional expertise (professors, scientists), and intimate accommodations. Several small, inexpensive bus, bicycle, and expedition truck tours exist for budget travelers. The cheapest tours are organized through the Green Tortoise (). The Green Tortoise takes (usually older) buses and sets them up so that the passengers can sleep on board while the bus is moving. The passengers bring tents for sleeping once they arrive at their destination. The Green Tortoise staff provides food for the passengers which is cooked at the campsite each night. The passengers work with staff to prepare the food. I took a short Green Tortoise trip in September 2002 from San Francisco to the Burning Man festival (Note: The Burning Man festival, , though increasingly commercialized and somewhat expensive ($200 for a ticket), brings together over 30,000 people on Labor Day weekend (mostly artists) who share their interests and passions with other people. If you are not easily offended by some of the odd goings-on (when I was there one of the “art cars” was decorated with a large phallus) it can be a lot of fun) in the Nevada desert (a trip of around 225 miles). The on-board sleeping accommodations were not very comfortable since the passengers are crammed like sardines. The passengers represented a surprisingly wide range of ages and cultural and economic backgrounds. Even though many were leftover hippies; as a whole, they were more conservative than expected. The food was good (mostly vegetarian; a tad on the greasy side) and the staff generally helpful. Green Tortoise provides 14-day cross country tours in the US and Mexico; a week to fourteen-day tours in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Alaska, and Baja California; and short trips from San Francisco to Yosemite and Death Valley. Most of the tours cost around $50 a day (including the food kitty). Similar longer, and more expensive ($75-100 a day) tours exist using expedition trucks. These tours range from a few days to six months long. The expedition trucks are small (8-12 passengers). Many have canvas tops which can be removed so that passengers can see the countryside. The trucks are set high off the ground to ford streams and travel on otherwise impassable roads. Most of these tours are operated by British firms (Guerba, Dragoman). In the USA, a company called the Adventure Center () represents these trips.Tips for Finding Restaurants and Accommodations that Enable You to Travel-like-a-local Throughout this handbook, I have discussed travel options that allow you to travel-like-a-local. I haven’t given much space to ideas on how you can find restaurants, entertainment, and accommodations that are frequented by locals rather than tourists.In this appendix, I offer the following suggestions for finding services that enable you to take advantage of the local economy while introducing you to new people, places, and customs:Get outside of the tourist regions as much as possible. People are friendlier and more honest. You’ll get a better idea of how people dress and act. Spend some time just watching people. One of the best places to watch people is in a large city park on a Sunday. Somehow people are most interesting when they are “at play” rather than working.Go to local establishments and, if possible, ask people how they do whatever it is they do. When I was in Cairo, for example, I found the way that people did things like clean clothes (Egyptians iron clothes with their feet), bake breads and pastries, collect trash (trash was collected by Coptic Christians who rode in donkey carts) endlessly interesting. Even if you don’t speak the language, there is a good chance that someone will step in and try to translate for you. In addition, you’d be surprised how much you can communicate via pantomime. If you can, visit a local school. It is interesting to watch how schools operate in various parts of the world. Check out what the conditions of the school room are like. I visited a school in Mexico and was surprised to discover that it offered two sessions of classes. One from 8 am – 2 pm and another from 4-10 pm, to allow kids who worked the chance to go to school. It also allowed some adults and older kids to attend the same classes.In much of the world, a menu in a restaurant is merely a list of what the cook and the owner think that they can prepare. If you are outside of the tourist areas ask the waiter “What is there, today?” (in Spanish, Que hay?). Don’t be afraid to ask them, “What do you recommend?” Many times, they will answer honestly. Often you’ll find wonderful dishes that aren’t even on the menu.In much of Latin America, find busy lunch places offering a comida corrida (a running lunch). The comida corrida is a four to five course meal that usually costs between $2-5. The food is quickly prepared and presented and thus usually quite safe to eat. Even if you visit a fancy restaurant, you’ll find these meals for less than the price of a typical entrée.Go where people of the nationality featured in the restaurant hang out. Almost anywhere you find Chinese people (they are obsessed with good food) will have the best Chinese food in town. One of the best Mexican restaurants I ever ate at was a small Mexican fish restaurant in Chicago. I went there after a tour of the Pilsen neighborhood (an area that in the 1900s was all Czech, but today is half Puerto Rican and half Mexican) with a group of college students. I knew it would be great when we got there and discovered that no one spoke English and the place did not even have an English language menu!If you can, go on small, locally designed guided tours (which are often offered in English) or, in Europe and the US, rent an audio-tour. This will help you to appreciate what you are seeing a lot more. Sometimes, the guides can be so good that they make otherwise mundane places come alive for you.Occasionally pick a bus or train route and take it to the end of the line. You’ll almost always see a very different view of the city. You’ll see places where ordinary citizens live. Take the next bus or train back. Try to make sure when (and if) the return bus arrives before you start this adventure. Make sure that you know how to buy and use the tickets. In Eastern Europe, for example, you need to buy the tickets from a kiosk and then put the tickets into a machine on board which prints a series of holes into the ticket. Supposedly each bus has a slightly different imprint and the ticket collectors can tell the pattern if you are using an old ticket or not.Fun Times at McDonalds and Disneyland Overseas While most people seek out the exotic when they travel, sometimes seeing how mundane institutions run in another country can be as interesting as visiting the great sites of yore. I enjoy visiting McDonalds worldwide just to see how they integrate local tastes and cultural values into their food. In Bangkok, I have seen statues of Ronald McDonald wai’ing (wai is a form of respect in which people gently place the palms of their hands together while making a slight bow to another person). I have ordered shrimp congee (a type of Chinese porridge) at McDonalds in Hong Kong. I have eaten gallo pinto (rice and beans) for breakfast at McDonalds in Costa Rica. I have even had pork burgers with buns made from rice in Thailand. I read that McDonalds in Malaysia has renamed the hamburger into a Prosperity Burger because of the religion’s prohibition of eating ham and that McDonalds in India serve hamburgers made of lamb because of the Hindu reverence for cows. (By the way this info came from an article about McDonald’s round-the-world. The article, which is probably the best travel article I’ve read in years, won an award at the Book Passage, , Travel Writer’s Conference in 2004. Yet, I can’t seem to find it on the web anywhere now.) On Chinese New Year in 2007, I found myself in Hong Kong when no tourist attractions were open except Disneyland. While, at the time I wasn’t much excited about visiting Disneyland, I thought it might be kind of interesting to see how Disneyland turned out in China. So, I went and interesting it definitely was. First off almost everyone arrives at Disneyland by train. There is even a special train spur from one of the major train lines that runs specifically to Disneyland. The cars of this train have windows throughout that look Mickey Mouse’s ears. In addition, the park had a totally different look and feel than Disneyland in California. There were almost no roller coasters. Fantasyland type rides (based on children’s fairy tales) were all over the park. The Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck characters were spread throughout the park and the most popular attraction was the opportunity for kids to have their picture taken with these characters. Even Space Mountain was toned down to not excite kids too much. There were several Broadway-like shows based on Disney films that, conversely, seemed much more sophisticated than their US equivalents. Interestingly, I went to a special exhibit there about the building of Disneyland Hong Kong which explained that this park’s design was carefully based on Walt Disney’s original plans for Disneyland. In the US and Europe people thought his original designs were clever but too child-oriented and subdued. However, the Chinese loved the quieter and subtle original Disney touches. So, did I. And it didn’t hurt that I was able to enjoy a hot, Chinese custard tart and dim-sum dumplings (infinitely better than a hot dog and fries any day) at Sleeping Beauty’s castle. It seems strange that Disney’s original vision only really plays in Hong Kong. Yet, discoveries such as these are the fun part of checking out the mundane in different corners of the world.Try to build in sometime to do things that you’d do at home in your new destination. Go see an English language movie. I’ve always found this interesting. In Russia, for example, they always dubbed the movie with the same person’s voice (I think sometimes they even had the person in falsetto when the character on the screen was female) and show news clips and cartoon before the movie started. In Singapore, all the scenes were characters were in the same bed were cut from the films. Check out the concession stands. In Singapore, they featured samosas (fried Indian dumplings) and fried octopus. Go to a supermarket. Check out the prices of food and goods. Compare the cost of familiar brands with home. Look carefully for differences in how things are sold and marketed. When I was in Russia, for example, you could not simply walk around, pick up what you wanted to buy, and take it to the cashier. Instead, you had to go to the counter where that good was sold, check out the price of the good which was displayed behind the counter, tell the salesperson at the counter what you wanted, go to the cashier, tell the cashier to make out a receipt for the price of the item, pay for the thing, and then take the receipt back to the counter and finally pick up your precious item.Go to the parts of local markets where residents buy food. Many tourists visit the craft part of these markets, but not nearly enough travelers visit the other parts of the markets. It is always interesting to see the food that locals eat (many people eat grasshoppers) and to watch how foods are prepared. A lot of food can be wonderful. The best orange juice on this planet is offered at stalls in Latin American marketplaces. Ask herb merchants what the various herbs are used for. Or better yet, tell them that you have a malady and see what they would prescribe. Be prepared to buy something. Merchants the world over will be much more helpful if you seem like a real customer not a tourist.Take a slum tour to see how the poor live. In recent years several tour companies have developed tours of poor communities throughout the world. The idea started with tours of the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro about a dozen years ago. Since then it has expanded into many cities worldwide. Here is a list of a few of these tours that I have found.Mumbai, India: Rio: Hurricane Katrina Tours: Similar tours exist in Johannesburg, South Africa, but I can’t find a website for any of them.In Mazatlan, a church group gives weekly tours, along with a food distribution program, to the town’s dump. For more info, see New YorkIn Jerusalem, a tour by the Coalition of Women provides a brief glimpse into the reality of Arab/Israeli relations: home/english/activities/reality_toursvIn Italy check out Home Food (homefood.it). Home Food maintains a list of families throughout the country who for 40 Euros will prepare a traditional Italian feast for travelers. Home Food is part of a growing food movement call Slow Food, that is dedicated to preserving traditional foods. CHAPTERLIVING ABROAD NOMADDespite our reluctance to be modern-day nomads, most people who make the change are happy with the results. In over three hundred interviews I have conducted with modern-day nomads, I have known only a small number of people who regretted their decision. Even most of the ones who seem unhappy, I suspect were people who were unhappy at home. In fact, much more often, I’ve heard expats say that their only regret is that they didn’t move earlier. The reasons modern-day nomads cite for their happiness abroad vary immensely. Yet, almost everyone agrees that many of the things that they treasure most about living abroad are things that they haven’t expected when they left home. Probably the single most common benefit they site is that they have learned to view the world and themselves in a different way. They also report that they also have developed a variety of personality traits – especially flexibility and patience—that they did not have before. Many modern-day nomads, particularly women, even report that they feel that now that they have managed to adapt and enjoy life as modern-day nomads they could accomplish almost anything in their life. Most modern-day nomads have been surprised at the quality relationships that they have developed after leaving home. Almost everyone I’ve interviewed has developed a sense of respect and sometimes genuine affection for their new culture and they have also found some of the closest relationships of their lives with other modern-day nomads. What Does It Take to Successfully Transition Abroad?Though there are many benefits to living abroad, it is not easy to make the decision to take to the road. Most people take the logistics into account (how will we move, where will we move, what will do once we arrive – I’ll talk about these issues later in this booklet) without taking any of psychological motivations into account. However, most experts on living abroad agree that one’s psychological readiness is the primary ingredient of success. While there is no magic recipe for ensuring success living abroad, I’ve found in interviewing over 300 expats in a variety of countries and reading dozens of books on the topic, that certain psychological traits seem to pop up over and over again. These are: flexibility, openness, patience, a sense of humor, and an adventurous spirit. Without a good mixture of these traits, the daily trials and tribulations of life in another county may tire you out quickly. In addition, I also found some common factors among the few people (less than 10% of all the people I’ve interviewed) I’ve met who have not succeeded in making their new lives abroad work out as they had hoped. These are:Keep in mind that living in the US is very difficult for new immigrants to our country as well. Spend some time talking to people who have lived in the US for less than three years and you will find that they’ve had a hard time. It is very difficult for new immigrants to obtain permission to immigrate to the US. We expect new immigrants to become part of our system – learn our language and culture – very quickly. In fact, it is so difficult to live in the US that I am convinced that if I created a class about living in the US, most of the students would decide that it wasn’t worth the time and trouble to come here to live after all. (Almost every US immigrant comes here for financial reasons. Very few people live in the US for a lifestyle related reason).Living in another country is a lot like buying a new house in the US. By the time most Americans have gone through all the time and effort to buy their first house in the US, they wonder if they were about to make the worst decision of their lives. And, yet, if you asked these same buyers five years later if they regretted buying their house, probably 95% would say it was a great decision. Why? Things seem difficult when you are looking at them for the first time. Yet, when you look at them after the passage of time, they don’t look so difficult after all. They tried to forge a life abroad that was completely different than that they enjoyed at home, without being prepared for the consequences. Many people who do not successfully transition abroad try to do things abroad that would have been challenging for them to do in the US. The three most common examples of this that I’ve seen are:(A) Couples who retired to another country immediately after spending their lives in the US working and raising children. Many of these people have spent so much time in the US just getting through their daily routines; they haven’t really gotten to know each other well before they moved abroad. When these people move abroad, they not only have to adjust to a new culture but also to learn how to live together all the time too. The combination of these two adjustments together often causes so much friction that either the couple decides to move back home or to separate,(B) Americans who try to build a house in a new corner of the world without ever having done so in the US. Unless you’ve worked in the construction trades in the US, the process of building a house in the US is emotionally draining. Add to this, the cultural complexities of trying to build a home in another country, and you have a recipe for frustration. (That said, most people like the homes that eventually get built overseas).(C) Expats who put together a business abroad in a field that they know nothing about. I’ve heard several stories of people investing their life’s savings in business that they knew nothing about, only to lose their shirts. (One particularly vivid story is about a pair of sociologists from the US who went to Costa Rica to invest a half million dollars in an organic pineapple farm, which failed. How they think that they could have succeeded in a business as complicated as a farm with no previous experience or training, is a mystery.)They acted way too quickly. Stories of people who were so captivated by the dream of living abroad, that they did something extremely impetuous and stupid are legion throughout the expat world. It is almost impossible to share a drink with any expat and not hear about some hapless expat fraud victim story. One of my favorites involves the story of some American tourist to Costa Rica who paid his taxicab driver $10,000 for a plot of land on the basis of a contract written on a paper napkin that did not even have the name or contact information of the seller. While most people are not as clueless as this man, there are hundreds of Americans who have bought properties in beach communities throughout Latin America after attending one presentation or looking at a website. Most of these people are told that they could make a fortune by renting the property out and that they are getting in on the ground floor and that if they don’t act right away, they would lose the opportunity of a lifetime. While sometimes these developments do turn out to be legitimate (and many people make money in these projects), buying a property sight unseen or after a tequila filled sales dinner is a risky proposition that I could not recommend. Even if the development turns out to be legitimate, how do you know that you would enjoy living there and that you are ready for the trials and joys of living in another country? You also have no recourse if it turns out that you are being sold a bill of goods.For these reasons, every book and expert about expat life recommends that people spend some serious time in the place you want to live abroad before they invest in a property or pull up your stakes in the US. The amount of time necessary varies from person to person and depends on where you decide to live. I’ve heard of people who successfully transitioned to a new life and bought a nice home in Lake Chapala, Mexico after only spending two weeks there. (Most of these people did a fair amount of research before they got there, however). I also met people who lived in Oaxaca, Mexico who spent nearly a year exploring the area before they decided to commit to their new life there and felt that every day spent researching the place paid off in the long run. While I don’t think there is a magic rule of thumb, I think that at a minimum you should live in a place with a significant expat community for at least a month before you commit to it psychologically or financially. And, you should spend at least three months before committing to any place without a significant expat presence. (Note: this doesn’t have to be all at the same time. Though, in an ideal world, it is better if it is so.) This is a minimal suggestion; for most people, I would recommend spending three times this amount of time, particularly if they have never lived abroad before. It is impossible to get the necessary information to carve out a new life overseas from the US. This booklet, and the many resources that I recommend, will help you. But, the only way to really find out what you need to know to buy/rent property, create a happy, successful life in a new community, set up a business, or anything else you want to do abroad, is to go there, spend some time, and talk to a lot of people about their experiences. While you are doing this type of research, you will probably find that every expat has different opinions and experiences and that collectively these experiences and opinion seem contradictory. Some people find it hard to deal with a variety of perspectives or the relative lack of clear answers to specific questions that this type of research entails. In my experience, if you can’t deal with this type of ambiguity, you probably should stay in the US anyway. They weren’t very functional people in the US before they left. Living in another country tests your psychological, financial, and physical mettle. It is not a good idea to live abroad if you aren’t able to function fairly well at home. It simply takes too much out of you. On the other hand, many functional people report that one of the best benefits of living abroad is that by testing their mettle, living abroad has helped them grow as a person.Adjusting to Returning HomeIronically sometimes the worse culture shock occurs when you return home after spending time abroad. You should expect it to be as hard –or harder- to return to the US after three years abroad as it was to move overseas in the first place. Probably the worst cases of culture shock occur after people have lived overseas more than ten years. You have changed; your new country has changed; and America has changed so much that you may find it impossible to readapt. As an example of this, every small village in the state of Michoacan, Mexico – an area that has sent large numbers of migrants to the US for several decades- has beautiful homes that are virtually unoccupied. These homes were built by Mexicans who migrated to the US and were successful here and wanted to retire in their hometown. Most of these migrants – almost entirely men – found that, after they built their dream home, they and their family could not adapt to Mexico because, for all intents and purposes, they had become American. There are many reasons for return culture shock, some of the most common are:Idealizing life in the USA while you’re away and returning home to find things are not as rosy as they seem. In fact, it is not unusual for some modern-day nomad to move back to the USA and become so disillusioned that they try to set up another overseas experience as quickly as possible.Failure to anticipate any problems with the move and finding yourself traumatized by reverse culture shock. Many of these problems can occur because they move from being a “big fish in a small pond” to being a “small fish in a big pond.” When you are overseas, you can get a lot of attention. Both modern-day nomad and locals seek you out for advice and counsel. You are part of small, usually tightly knit community and then you are just hoi-polloi (everyday people) in the USA. Forgetting that the USA did not stand still while you were away. Remember styles, popular culture, and people change. Don’t be surprised to find yourself in dinner parties where everyone is talking about such and such a trend that you have never heard of before. You can minimize this by keeping up on current events while abroad. (Note: In my experience one of the joys of living abroad is that you can avoid some of the crap that happens in the USA. One of the best consequences of living in Russia, in my mind, is that I managed to completely avoid all the pandemonium that occurred in the USA over the OJ Simpson trial.)Forgetting about change at home, in my experience, is a bigger problem for people who move abroad on an assignment than for modern-day nomads. People on assignments often find that their work experience has changed markedly when they get home and that their old coworkers act as if the former expatriate worker is no longer part of the team. While this can cause trauma, I’ve heard of many cases where workers actually find that their repulsion against this attitude (coupled with their new skills earned abroad and the newfound sense of self-confidence gained from adjusting to another way of life) gave them the ammunition to create a new life (new job, etc.) that makes them much happier than they were before they left their home country.Getting Used to a New EnvironmentAfter reading many books on culture shock the best description I’ve seen of the process comes from a somewhat unexpected source: Teresa Kendrick’s book () Mexico’s Lake Chapala and Ajijic: The Insider’s Guide to the Northshore for International Travelers which describes the process of cultural adaptation in Mexico (I think these words could apply to anyone) in the following beautifully crafted paragraphs:Traveling to Mexico is like having a fling, a stunning romance, a love affair so intense that everything seems washed in a radiant and benevolent mist. Senses are heightened, feelings revived, and travelers find themselves newly innocent and unfettered by the constraints of their own society. We find ourselves so profoundly moved that, depending upon our temperament, we live on oxygen alone or gorge ourselves at an endless table of sensual feasts. Our deepest longings find a voice to express the stirrings of our hearts, the range of our feelings, and the sleeping voices of our souls. Magic is rediscovered.Moving to Mexico, however, is not unlike getting married. Perhaps we’ll marry Mexico for romance, for adventure, or to elevate our spiritual or economic status, but once the honeymoon is over we begin to notice that the language and customs of our beloved are strikingly dissimilar to our own. The informal intricacies of our native interactions clash with the formality of Mexican decorum (Paul’s note: most of the world is more formal, like Mexico, than the US). When once all we saw were bougainvillea-covered walls and cobblestone streets, we now see different attitudes toward ecology, animals, consumerism, democracy, and in much of the country, huge differences in technology, education, and prosperity. For all the genuine beauty Mexico offers, there are considerable differences between the societies of “northern” North America and Mexico. And so, the real work of compromise begins, as it does in all marriages, and it must be noted that divorce is an honorable option.…Those who enter into their nuptials with Mexico armed only with childish dreams can expect frustrations and possible irreparable disappointments. Those who bring mature, accepting, and flexible talents to the task will assimilate well and flourish. Once we move past the romantic vision, the sentimental outlook, our conceit as experts, and our insistences that Mexico be “our way,” we can move on to really living within the reality of the country. It is from there that we can choose to love it.How the Rest of the World Sees the USAIt is important to remember that the US is the most powerful empire that the world has ever known. We are very reluctant to be an empire. We don’t know how to deal with our own power and as a result we send a mixed message both to ourselves and the rest of the world. On one hand, we are generous and democratic; on the other, we meddle in the affairs of other countries and support cruel dictatorships. We profess our allegiance to individual economic freedom, yet our economic policies can make it hard for foreign companies to sell goods on our soil. Stereotypes of America (and Americans) reflect these mixed messages. Some are kind; some are negative. Yet, like many stereotypes, they contain a grain of truth.Here are some of the stereotypes about Americans that I’ve encountered while traveling overseas. I think you should be prepared to understand that these stereotypes exist and to figure out how you’ll deal with these images. (Note: I believe that the best way to address these generalizations is to avoid criticizing other countries while you’re on foreign soil. Try to look at your adventure as if you are studying another way of life rather than promoting our American way-of-life.)Loud: We dress (with large, almost phallic, cameras, Hawaiian shirts, and ill-fitting Bermuda shorts) and talk loudly. If we don’t think we are being understood rather than acknowledging that we are talking to someone who is learning English (in other words, slowing down, enunciating clearly, and using more simple terminology, free from idioms) we simply talk louder as if the locals are deaf.Generous: We leave good tips. We care about the poor. We are willing to put ourselves into wars (admittedly often misguidedly) in order to, as Woodrow Wilson so well expressed it, “save the world for democracy.” We give to other countries in the event of a serious disaster. (Note: on a per capita basis, the US government is one of the LEAST generous countries in the Western world. As the 2004 tsunami disaster showed, the Europeans and Japanese are almost always more generous than we are, particularly if you take into account that we are the third most populated country on Earth.)Free: Our economic and political systems allow us to make our own decisions. We care about preserving the rights of individuals in our own country. This freedom enables people from around the world to prosper if they immigrate or study between our shores. (Note: Most Americans assume that it is easy to immigrate to the USA. The truth is that it is almost impossible for someone to immigrate here from Eastern Europe or the EMERGING unless they have family ties, including a marriage to a US citizen, or a very highly sought-after skill.)Overly friendly at first but cold and impersonal once you get to know us: Much of the planet is surprised how willing we are to talk to strangers and to even offer to put people up in our homes. They are surprised that we often don’t act on our promises. They also find that we are hard to get to know because we have short attention spans. Imperialistic and arrogant: Our companies and government are often believed to use the local people to their benefit without adding anything of value to the country. Most of the world does not understand how we can say that we are involved in Iraq for humanitarian reasons and yet we virtually ignore crises in Sudan, Liberia, and Ethiopia. They suspect that our main reason for involvement is economic (oil) and political (domination of the Middle East). American travelers are also known for openly holding the rest of the planet in contempt. We are famous for reminding locals continuously that we are richer and smarter than they are. We also are known for proselytizing the benefits of our way of life before we take any time to learn about foreign cultures.Dedicated to forcing the world to adopt our economic and political system: Over the past 30 years, the US has used the World Bank and other international lending institution to force countries (or so it seems to many people worldwide) to move from a neo-socialist to a neo-liberal (meaning without governmental restrictions and with open free trade with other countries) economic policy. In 1980 almost 60% of the world’s economy was controlled by governments or state-owned enterprise (semi-public, private companies that were partially run by government agencies, like Amtrak in the USA). In 2005, governments/state-owned enterprises controlled somewhere between 30% and 40% of the world’s economy. We also have used these instruments to force people to adopt democracies. Though democracy generally allows many of the vital ingredients for a dynamic economy to develop—such as creativity and the free interchange of ideas—it is not always seen as a force for good to many people. Many countries have experienced a marked increase in crime since democracy came into being. (Mexico, for example, has gone from being a country with a very low kidnapping rate 30 years ago into the country with the second largest number of kidnappings in the world.) In addition, just because someone is democratically elected does not mean that they will support institutions that allow a dynamic economy or society to develop.While these economic and political changes may help people in the long run, the demise of the state has caused massive economic heartache for much of the world. Many people overseas welcome the opportunities to get rich that this economic liberalization has set into motion. However, more people than not have become poorer than they were in the past (such as in Africa, Latin America, and the former Soviet Union). This is particularly true in countries, like Argentina, which dramatically did an about-face in the 1990s from a neo-socialist to extreme neo-liberalism and ended up in an economic freefall in the early days of the 20th century. (Note: In the 1980s the government was responsible for most of the country’s infrastructure including phones, water systems, etc. In the 1990s, Argentina privatized its entire infrastructure, including things like toll roads and post offices which are run by the government or state-owned enterprises in almost every other country.)As a result of this gradual impoverishment (particularly in the number of people and quality of life for the middle class in many countries), many countries are seeing the rise of neo-socialistic governments. DISCUSSION OF RISE OF POPULISM WORLDWIDE- Regardless of whether this is a good trend or not, you should expect to see an increase in anti-American, neo-socialist governments in the next decade.Unsophisticated: Many people are astonished by how little the average American seems to know about the world. I have even heard foreigners complain that they “know more about American history and culture than the average American.” Much of the world’s elite are shocked by our poor manners and sloppy dress. They don’t understand how rich people can look and act like paupers. Na?ve. Much of the planet faults us for believing that most people are innately good. They believe that this is a na?ve perception. All of these stereotypes have some truth in fact. I have seen many Americans who conform to these stereotypes particularly overseas. However, I’ve also meet some very intelligent, sophisticated, worldly, and sensitive Americans on the road.Want a different perspective on American culture than the standard media image?The Culture Shock Guide to the USA is one of the most thorough and thought-provoking editions of that series. Buy it to discover a well-balanced view of our foibles and strengths.One of the most enjoyable looks at American culture I’ve read in a long time is Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas. Firoozeh, an Iranian-American (Note: I knew the author vaguely in high school. We attended the same school in Newport Beach, California) captures a lot of funny stories about her family’s integration into American society that present a kind, yet revealing, portrait of both life in the United States and the beauty of the Iranian culture.Chapter Three:Choosing the Right Home for You Abroad: A Comparison of the Top Expat CountriesNatives who beat drums to drive off evil spirits are objects of scorn to smart Americans who blow horns to break up traffic jams.Mary Ellen KelleyA Note on Costs-1931035-32258000One of the hardest things to tell someone is what it costs to live in another country. I have wracked my brains trying to come up with an effective way to explain the cost of living in another country and determined that the best way to look at it is to compare the costs based on a percentage of the costs in the US. While I like this comparison method generally, you need to understand that these costs vary a great deal. Here are a few reasons why:The costs depend a lot on what you are doing while abroadNowhere illustrates this point better than Saint Petersburg, Russia. In 1994, Runzheimer International (a cost of living survey company out of Wisconsin which determines the “per-diem” rates given to employees by companies and government agencies for business travel, ) considered Saint Petersburg the eighth most expensive city in the world. They recommend providing employees on business trips there with a daily allowance (per diem) of $445. Runzheimer had a point. At that time there were very few hotels or apartments that provided a level of comfort similar to that found in the US or Western Europe, and these places commanded a high cost. A night in the Grand Hotel cost $375 and a monthly rental of a fully appointed apartment on Nevsky Prospect (the City’s equivalent of Fifth Avenue) cost upwards of $2,000 a month. Using radio taxis, especially as a foreigner, was more expensive and dangerous than flagging a New York cab. (Taxi cab drivers at the time were infamous for charging tourists $200 to go from the airport to the center city, if they did not first drive-off with your luggage.) The $445 per diem that Runzheimer recommended was, in contrast, sufficient to keep me when I was a student there for more than two weeks. I rented a spacious and comfortable room in an apartment owned by a Russian woman in a tired neighborhood about 40 minutes by subway and bus from the center called Kupchino. She cooked my meals (mostly simple chicken dishes) and did my laundry for $8 a day. About once or twice a week I ate in a fancy restaurant. I studied Russian for 25 hours a week in a class with two other students. I also traveled around the city on a combination of the efficient, inexpensive (15 cents) and extensive metro system; overcrowded and uncomfortable but frequent buses and trams; and occasionally hitchhiked a ride in a car owned by a local. (Many Russian drivers at that time would accept hikers in exchange for a fee, usually less than 20% of the cost of a cab in the Big Apple.)The cost of real estate varies dramatically depending on where you want to live abroad. When I say that real estate in x country costs x% of the costs in the US, I am trying to compare houses within similar communities and common construction techniques in both countries. The comparisons are entirely subjective since it is hard to define what constitutes a similar community and what makes up comparable construction quality.Construction and communities vary dramatically. Just like in the US (where a house in rural Michigan can cost 10% of a comparable house in Santa Barbara, California), all countries—even small ones like Ireland—have tremendous variations in real estate and other costs. While living in a central city in Western Europe, for example, costs more than San Francisco or New York, there are many relatively undeveloped regions (yet delightful areas) like County Sligo in Ireland or Puglia in Italy that are only slightly more expensive (though perhaps a bit more expensive) than a nice suburban community in the Southeast or the Midwest of the US.While real estate costs within a country vary tremendously, the cost of most other things – food, transport, etc.- do not vary as much within a given country as real estate. That said, the costs of some goods and services can be very expensive abroad (even when life in a given country overall is inexpensive). Generally, because of globalization you’ll be able to find that many of the familiar brands and services you use in your daily life in the US will be widely available abroad if you are willing to pay as much or more than you would in the US. You will also find that locally produced food staples like fruits, vegetables, etc. (for example, fruits in Latin America), may be considerably cheaper than at home (10-35% of the cost of the US in Latin America, for example). Other staples, like meat, in many parts of the world tend to be as or more expensive than at home Coming up with an estimate of a cost of living abroad overall is also highly subjective. The ultimate cost will depend on what you buy. While, for example, the cost of living at Lake Chapala in Mexico is 65-80% of the US, these guidelines are totally off base for some residents. If a resident hires a lot of labor-intensive services—for example maid or handyman (or woman) service—he or she will think that Lake Chapala is a bargain, since these services run 10% to 15% of the costs of the same services in the US. If they eat mostly meals in a gringo friendly restaurant Lake Chapala will seem reasonable, but not cheap, since these meals cost about 10-20% below similar experiences in the States. On the other end of the scale, if someone needs electronic goods, imported wines, and gourmet foods they’ll find Lake Chapala expensive, since most of these products cost 10-40% more than in the US.Costs are also a matter of how you view the community you want to live in another country in comparison with the US. Let’s go back to the Lake Chapala example again. A house in Lake Chapala is roughly equivalent in cost to a typical house in the USA (around $200,000). If that is true, how does the cost of living in Lake Chapala compare with an average community in the US? The answer is it depends on what you use as a point of comparison. If you view Lake Chapala as a community with one of the best climates in the world, located within half an hour of a major, world-class city (Guadalajara) with architecturally significant homes, many of which have sweeping panoramic views of the lake, you may decide that it is “equivalent” to a place like Santa Barbara, California where homes have a median cost of $1,000,000. If this is the case, the real estate in Lake Chapala is 20% of the cost of an equivalent place in the US. If, on the other hand, all you see in Lake Chapala is the area’s lack of unified planning (houses and businesses are often just mixed willy-nilly on the streets), poor or nonexistent sidewalks, quirky architecture, and Mexican-styled chaos, you may actually think that it is less appealing than a typical community in the US and thus costs more than buying a typical home in the States. What is the Cost of Living in Various Countries Around the World?Even with all these caveats, most of the world is cheaper to live in than the US if you don’t expect an identical lifestyle to that you enjoyed at home. The following chart describes the cost of overall cost of living in comparison to US, as close as I can figure, in several of the more popular countries for US expatsExpensive Western European countries [France, UK, Germany, the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, etc.), Switzerland, Scandinavia, Italy], other English speaking countries (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England) 80-110% of the USA Less Expensive Western European countries (Portugal), and most of the Caribbean: 70-100% of the USA Eastern Europe and Belize: 50-80% of the USA Expensive Latin American nations (Mexico, Chile, Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Argentina): 40-75% of the USA Inexpensive Latin American countries (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador): 25-50% of the USA Most of Southeast Asia (particularly Thailand): 20-40% of the USA Note: Over the next several years, I plan to visit every country on this list in order to develop this section more. I am also planning to develop classes on living/traveling in Costa Rica/Panama and Italy. At this point, this section is under construction. Some countries are well covered, others less so. I think, however, that many of the precepts of living abroad discussed in the other chapters of the book (i.e. culture shock and logistics) will provide you a good framework for creating and enjoying your new life abroad.IntroductionThe world is big and there may be many places that could fit you like a glove. Unfortunately, I can’t cover everywhere in the world, so I’ve decided to focus my commentaries on countries that meet at least one or more of the following criteria:The cost of living and setting up a household is lower than in the US. The cost of living is a major motivation for people to choose to live (as opposed to being assigned to work) in another country. Many, if not most, of my audience are looking to live abroad to retire or at least to slow down. Stretching your dollars helps you achieve that goal. The cost of living, as you’ll see, in Asia and Latin America can be 1/3-2/3 of the cost of the US. A pensioner in the US can live a life of modest luxury in a country like Mexico where their income is above average for the native population. (Probably more than half of all Americans who move abroad for reasons other than a new job go to Mexico (or to a lesser extent, Central America). They encourage immigration and investment. Many Western countries don’t really encourage immigrants, even if they are from the US. New Zealand, for example, makes it very difficult to acquire permanent residency (you can’t live there and leave the country frequently for visa renewal) unless you are young and skilled. EMERGING countries, in contrast, want your money. In Panama, the government even extends significant discounts to American retirees. Mexico, though it does require you to jump through some bureaucratic loops, grants permanent residency status to most people who have an income over $1200 a month (this may go up soon).Americans want to live in a particular place. Though as you’ll see Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are more expensive as the US and it’s not that easy to establish residency in these places, they offer a very attractive way of life (pace, culture, and countryside) for many Americans. Some Notes on the Hottest Countries to Set Up a New Life AbroadWhile I can’t give you a great deal of detail about every country on this planet in this short space, here are some highlights of living in several countries that I have gleaned in my research. Latin America MexicoApproximately half of all Americans who move abroad for a lifestyle changes end up in Mexico and who can blame them? Mexico is close to the United States (at its farthest extreme it is no more than five hours away from almost any place in the US), has an ideal climate (the Lake Chapala region is considered to have the best weather in the world!), diverse and dramatic landscapes and cities and warm, friendly people. Mexico also has one of the richest cultures on Earth. The food is one of the world’s great cuisines – mixing exotic ingredients (look for squash blossoms in the summer), terrific sauces (I am endlessly amazing at the variety of Mole sauces Mexican conjure up), and artistic presentation. The culture and folkways are an alluring mixture of Indigenous and European societies (try to spend some time in Mexico during the Day of the Dead on November 2 and the Posadas leading up to Christmas). Plus, there is always so much to see in Mexico. From its fantastic Aztec and Mayan ruin (Palenque – a temple complex ensconced in the midst of a jungle- is one of my favorite places anywhere) to its stunning colonial towns (Guanajuato, Queretaro, Oaxaca, Puebla, and San Cristobal de las Casas are my favorites), it is hard to be bored in Mexico. Contrary to most Americans’ beliefs, you can own property in Mexico. Your rights, as a foreigner are fairly similar to those in the US, in most of the interior of Mexico. Within thirty miles of the water and sixty miles of the border, you need to buy properties through a fideocomiso. Fideocomisos are bank-held trusts (not a lease) usually lasting either fifty and ninety-nine years. When fideocomisos are properly executed, they are relatively straight forward documents which spell out the terms of the trust’s renewal, the responsibilities and cost for the bank to maintain the trusts (the costs are usually minimal), and the rights of your successors to inherit the property. The rules of fideocomisos are constantly changing, so you are advised to do some additional research into current laws before buying your property. (A good notario, or attorney, is essential in all real estate transactions and should be knowledgeable about the current laws). Mexico is a generally easy place for foreigners to get permission to live in. While you are required to have $1,000 a month to get a FM-3, the definition of what constitutes this income varies from place to place. (Almost every town with any tourist presence has a migration office which can handle the FM-3 application). I have never heard of any American expat who had any real problems in meeting these income requirements in Mexico. And, unlike Costa Rica, most FM-3s are issued fairly quickly and you can, though I’d advise most people not to, apply for the FM 3 without the help of an attorney or visa service. The majority of Americans who move to Mexico congregate in a few places that I call “expat havens”: Puerto Vallarta, Lake Chapala, Guadalajara, San Miguel de Allende, and parts of Baja California, particularly between Tijuana and Ensenada (which is slowly evolving into an affordable suburb of San Diego) and around Tijuana. Most Americans in these communities want to enjoy the pace and style of Mexico along with the comforts of home. There are also vital small American enclaves – which I call locally-oriented, expat centers--throughout the country in places like Cuernavaca, Merida, Morelia, Colima, Mazatlan, Acapulco, Cancun, Oaxaca, Guanajuato, Queretaro, and the Valle de Bravo, some exurban suburbs of Mexico City. Generally, most of these communities have a lot to offer in terms of atmosphere (there is probably nowhere in North America, for example, as romantic as Guanajuato), indigenous culture (the area in and around Oaxaca offers great native arts and crafts and cultural events), and location (the mountains and valley around Tepoztlan, only 45 minutes from Mexico City, are reminiscent of Santa Fe). However, they don’t have much to offer in terms of the comforts of home. Increasingly Mexico is seeing more and more exclusively gringo developments (which I call Gringo Ghettoes) occurring along the seashore, particularly in Baja and the Sea of Cortez in Northern mainland Mexico. Some of the larger developments are taking places outside San Felipe, Loreto, and La Paz in Baja and Puerto Penasco and San Carlos on the mainland. Most of the developments are scheduled to house five to ten thousand people, almost exclusively Americans. Many books extol the virtues of living in Mexico for $600-$1000 a month (roughly 20-40% of the cost of living a similar lifestyle in the states). However, that is misleading. You can live like a Mexican on this amount (the average Mexican family makes about $500-$800 a month and supports a couple of kids) by eating Mexican foods exclusively (and cooking on your own), buying locally made goods (exported goods cost about the same, if not slightly more, than in the USA), living in a modest home with bare light bulbs and basic plumbing, and buying or renting a place outside of the large American enclaves. (Note: houses in Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende, both popular American retirement communities, cost twice as much as similar homes in less popular expat enclaves, like Mazatlan or Merida, and four times as much as a place in a small, Mexican rural town.) “Going Mexican,” however, is not for everyone. It is harder to adapt to the country if you don’t have many of the trappings of homes. (Lake Chapala has several options for social life for Americans—including a local English language playhouse—and San Miguel de Allende has one of the best English language libraries in Latin America.) Many Americans also will find it hard to live comfortably in the conditions of a typical Mexican home. Most Americans, who live in expat havens like San Miguel de Allende, Lake Chapala, and Puerto Vallarta spend about 70-85% of what they would if they lived a typical American lifestyle in the States (eating out at non-Mexican restaurants a couple of times a week, buying some familiar American products, renting or buying a more finished home, owning a car, having a maid come clean a couple of times a week). Generally, their rent or housing costs are fairly similar to the states, while the costs of daily goods and services are 60-80% of the US. Choosing Your Ideal Place AbroadUnderstanding the Pluses and Minuses of Expat Havens, Locally-Oriented Expat Centers, Off-the Beaten Path Places, Gringo Ghettos, and Business HavensNOTE: I have made up these classifications in order to help you frame your decision on where to live. I am sure that like most efforts to classify places demographically, people can argue about whether these categories are accurate and what category a given community falls into.Most of my audience is composed of people who are planning to live in another country because they want a change in lifestyle as opposed to people who leaving the US for work-related purposes. I have chosen to call those seeking a new lifestyle, lifestyle-expats, to distinguish them from other expats.Types of expat communities:In addition to determining what country you want to live in, you also need to spend a lot of time determining what type of community within that given country best suits your personality. Different people have different needs and choosing a community that meets your needs is an important part in being happy abroad. Many books, classes, and websites only concentrate on only two types of communities abroad: expat havens and gringo ghettoes. While I believe that these communities are the best choice for about 60% of my students, I have met many of my students who will be happier outside of these communities and therefore I think it is important to include a discussion of other types of communities as well.I classify most places into five categories: expat haven; locally-oriented, expat centers; off-the-beaten path places; gringo ghettos; and business havens. Throughout this chapter, I will talk about places that fit these classifications in various countries worldwide. Some of these categories will get more attention in this text than others. Since most of my students will not be sent overseas by an employer, I will only mention briefly business havens. In addition, since most of my students have not lived overseas before (and therefore should seek places with at least a small American community), I will not talk a lot about off-the-beaten-track places. The following is a description of the five categories:Expat Havens. An expat haven usually has around 10-30,000 Americans out of a total population of usually 50-200,000 people (there are a few exceptions like Northern Baja, that have a larger population). Most of the Americans and Canadians who populate these havens (the Southern European equivalent of these expat havens are occupied by similar populations of Northern Europeans) are there for a lifestyle related change as opposed to a job-related assignment. (Most commonly these residents are on some form of retirement, though increasingly many people migrate to these areas are middle aged).Many people are concerned that living in an expat haven separates them for the local population entirely, though that is seldom the case. Almost always, since these communities have significant local populations, there are several, established neighborhoods where you’ll find a mixture of locals and expats. Most of these hybrid neighborhoods still retain both the charms and annoyances associated with living in a local neighborhood. 2) Locally Oriented, Expat Centers: These expat-centers usually have between 500-2000 American residents, out of a population of 200,000-5 million people. Most of the Americans who chose to live in these places are really interested, and willing to get involved in, the culture of their new home (including learning the language). Typically, these towns have a lot of culture, architecture, and history. Many of the Americans (and other foreigners) who discover these places are usually people who have traveled to the towns and fallen in love with the local culture.3) Off-the-beaten places: Off-the-beaten places are characterized by having fewer than 500 Americans living in them; though most of these places have almost no Americans at all. (Somehow or another I have always managed to find at least a couple of Americans everywhere in the world, though more often than not they are Mormon missionaries). Off-the-beaten path places are where the majority of the world’s population lives. These places are found in small, rural communities; middle sized regional hubs, and a variety of middle and lower-class neighborhoods in most large cities worldwide. 4) Gringo Ghettos: Typically found in beach areas (especially in Latin America), gringo ghettoes are large, typically gated communities with up to a couple of thousand units, usually condominiums, that are largely marketed at and occupied by Americans (though in Southern Europe, most of these communities are aimed toward Northern Europeans). Most of these communities are at least five miles away from a local-oriented town; and have very few residents from the country where the gringo ghetto is located.5) Business Havens: (95% of all expats live in business havens). Almost all Americans who live in these communities are sent there by a company or government agency. Most business havens are found in elite areas of large cities (these areas range from Lomas de Chapultepec in Mexico City to Ma’adi in Cairo to Regent Park in London). The pluses and minuses of each of the five major categories:Expat HavenAdvantages:You will usually find several (at least twenty) American or Canadian realtors in expat havens. Not only will these realtors speak English natively; but, they will also be very familiar with the type of questions and issues raised by American and Canadian clients. While many people assume that these realtors-because they are compatriots-will look after their interest, this should not be assumed. Keep in mind that: 1) the only way to make a living for many people in expat communities is Real Estate; 2) real estate does not have a tendency to attract the most honest of businesspeople, anyway even in the US and 3) the US has fairly strict rules governing Real Estate that do not apply in most other countries.In communities where Americans own a large percentage of the properties, the majority of listings for rental properties and sales will be available through Real Estate firms. Outside of expat havens, most of the locals will sell or rent properties by owner. In addition, only in large American centers, like Lake Chapala, Mexico, will Realtors generally share listings. Therefore, in order to really get a handle on the inventory available in most of the world, you will need to visit multiple realtors and also to check out the informal for-sale by owner market. (The best ways to access the for sale by owner market are: 1) to pick up free Real Estate magazines; 2) walk around the streets looking for “for sale” or “for rent” signs and 3) talk to everyone you meet about places for sale or rent).Once a community reaches a vital threshold of lifestyle expats – usually around 5,000 people—it will start to develop a whole slew of businesses that help expats with their daily needs. These businesses provide: moving services, consultant to help you sign up for and get the most out of national health care services; attorneys and paralegals to help you file residency visa applications; accountants to help ensure that taxes and business reporting forms are filed on-time and accurately; property management and rental services; companies that will pay your bills and manage your accounts; mail services; high speed internet access at home; financial services; etc. The quality of these services varies and it is recommended that you talk to a few expats in the community before selecting your service provider.You will have access to an extensive social network in English. Most expat communities have a lot of expat clubs for a wide range of interests. In the Central Valley of Costa Rica, for example, some of these clubs cover: wine and food lovers, cooking, an active woman’s club; several charitable organizations; Hash House Harriers; a club for expats under the age of 40; and a bridge club.You will be able to live comfortably in an Expat Haven without knowing much of the language. Restaurants and businesses in Expat Havens usually have people who can speak English fairly well and menus (and other similar business literature) are usually available in English, as well. Many of the locals you meet on the street speak fairly good English. In addition to this, based on the significant population of expats, you will both be able to have an active social network exclusively in English and have enough of an active expat network to answer questions you have in English. (Often the best answers to your questions come from other expats because: 1) they are less likely to have a vested outcome in the answer and 2) they understand what you are looking for easier than locals).DisadvantagesThe cost of living in an Expat Haven is higher than in most of the other communities. This is particularly noticeable with real estate, where the cost of renting or buying a home in these communities will be two to five times as high as other communities in the country. While the cost differences will not be as dramatic in restaurants, stores, etc., you should be prepared to pay 10-40% more for these services in an expat community as well.Living in an expat community does not allow the same level of personal growth as living in a more locally-oriented place. In other communities, because you are forced to deal with locals daily, often in their own language, you will come to understand and appreciate the native way of life and values. Locally-Oriented Expat CentersAdvantagesYou will spend most of your time talking to locals in their language. As you come to learn the language, you will find yourself better able to understand the local people’s culture and values. To me there is no greater thrill than being able to carry on a meaningful conversation with someone in their own language. It also helps to establish a sense of trust and respect among the local population.If you are patient, you will find some very cheap ways and places to live in these communities. Locals will help you learn how to get the best bargains in their local supermarket; ride public transportation; and even find the best and most inexpensive properties for purchase or rental.Most of the locally-oriented expat centers are generally cultural centers. You will have a lot of interesting things to see in your free time and ample opportunities to learn about the folklore, history, and society where you live. DisadvantagesIt will be harder to settle into your new environment, particularly in the first few months. Finding the right place to live will take more time (since it depends on who you know more than finding the right realtor). As will everything from communicating with the US to paying your bills.You need a lot of patience, flexibility, and desire to live in a place with such a small expat community. While you will quickly meet, and may form close friendships, with the few expats who do live in your community, you will have to get to know a wide range of locals to get anything done efficiently, in addition, I have met people in those communities who feel very lonely and isolated at first. Some expats in these communities report that they feel trapped both by the “small town mentality” that develops in communities within the very small expat community and by the long time it takes to make friendships with local residents.Off-the-Beaten Path PlacesAdvantages/DisadvantagesThe advantages and disadvantages listed in the above discussion about Locally-Oriented, Expat Centers all apply, only more so in Off-the-Beaten Path Places. Expect it to take a lot of effort, patience, and desire to settle into your new environment in the Off-the-Beaten Path Places. In addition, particularly if you decide to live in a rural area, you should expect to be the center of attention in Off-the-Beaten-Path places. In many of these communities everything you do will be analyzed by both the few expats in the area and the locals. While this may sound daunting, many people enjoy it because if the locals like and grow to accept you, you will really be able to participate actively in the life of your new communityGringo GhettoesAdvantages/DisadvantagesSince most of these developments are new, you need to be very careful about the quality and reputation of the project developer. Most of the horror stories you hear about expats being scammed in real estate occur in these communities.That said, many of these developments are legitimate and gringo ghettoes are the closest thing you can get to living in the US abroad. Since 90-95% of the residents are other expats, you will have instantaneous contact with other Americans. In addition, legitimate developers have often thought of everything necessary to make it easy to settle into these communities. Many of these communities have financing available with terms fairly similar (though seldom as advantageous) as stateside.I think you are usually better off waiting until these projects are finished before buying a property in a Gringo Ghetto. That way, you know that the project has been completed and have an opportunity to talk to other expats who have lived in the development for a while.To me, the biggest disadvantage of these communities is that they are so separate from the mainstream society. I have a hard time with the idea of living in a foreign country and only interacting with other gringos. To me, getting to know, understand, and appreciate another way of life is probably the greatest joy of expat life. Business HavensAdvantages and DisadvantagesWhile the majority of expats live in business havens, most of the students in my classes will have very little in common with these expats. Most of these expats in these communities will have the logistics of settling into and moving to their new home taken care of by their workplaces. Usually these workplaces will pay upwards of $100,000 to settle these people into their new digs. The services that the businesses use are generally very expensive and oftentimes not as efficient as the firms found in expat havens. (Many times, they use large, corporate service providers simply because the firms are US based).In addition, just because business havens have a large population of expats, does not necessarily mean that you will form easy friendships in these communities. Many times, expats in these communities have a tendency to form cliques with other people in the same company or industry. Also, many of the people in these communities are simply abroad to make more money than in the States, and thus have little interest in their newfound, temporary home.All these caveats aside, I have heard of active expat social organizations in these business havens – particularly in cities with a large American expat community like Paris and Rome-- that are extremely supportive of the needs of all expats, including the lifestyle-expats. A Note on How these Communities Differ WorldwideThe definitions of these communities are based on my observations in Mexico. Since Mexico is large in size and has attracted a large population of different types of foreigners, these different communities are easily identifiable.These communities differ somewhat by country. For example, based on the compact size of Costa Rica and the differing nature of US immigrants there (many live in off-the-beaten places because they are married to Costa Rican women from those communities), the distinction between these communities is less profound than in Mexico.In addition, while in Europe, there are many large communities of lifestyle-expats throughout Southern Europe (i.e. Provence (France), Tuscany and Liguria (Italy), Costa del Sol and Costa Brava (Spain), and the Algarve (Portugal)), the bulk of the expats are from Northern European countries and, therefore, may not be that helpful as a source for information about logistics as American expats. (Keep in mind that with the coming of the European Union, it is easy for Europeans to live and work legally in other European countries, whereas it is getting harder and harder for Americans to live and work in Europe). . Costa RicaTwo Great Resources for Living in Costa Rica Vicki Skinner, a transplanted Californian who has lived in Costa Rica for three years, seems to know just about every expat in the Central Valley. I stayed at her guesthouse for a nearly a month and through her met everyone from Gail Nystrom (a thirty-year resident of Costa Rica who after finishing the Peace Corps has founded and nurtured an astonishing array of self help projects throughout Costa Rica) to several people who were using Vicki’s places as a center to help them explore the option of moving to Costa Rica. (I talk about Gail Nystrom and her projects in my “World’s Best Kept Travel Secret” booklet). Vicki keeps extensive list of resources (everything from English speaking taxicab drivers to gay friendly businesses) for the expat community in Costa Rica for no charge. She has no affiliation with any realtors, etc., and therefore her information is unbiased. She loves “to connect people together” and works hard to help her guests get anything they need. Though Vicki is a true Californian (read “new age” disciple), she manages to make friends with almost everyone who comes into her path. Her guesthouse is very comfortable (her beds get raves from American travelers), attractively decorated, and extremely well located in a quiet, verdant oasis located in the heart of the closest thing Costa Rica has to an expat haven – Escazù, a fashionable San Josè suburb where you could find almost anything, though at a high price, to make your life in Costa Rica comfortable. Her rates, which vary depending on the season and rooms, run from approximately $50-$100 a night. The Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) puts together the best seminar I’ve seen anywhere for expats contemplating moving to another country. The two-day seminar – reasonably priced at $50 including lunch – covers everything from learning Spanish to telecommunications to visa and real estate requirements. Most of the seminar is taught by various businesspeople engaged in providing services through the Association. While I wholeheartedly recommend the seminar, I would recommend that you ask around the expat community before contracting with any of the businesses that help put on the seminar. Some of the people I’ve talked to who used their services had strong praise and others did not. The Association doesn’t provide for as many social gatherings as other such expat organizations I’ve seen elsewhere. (Thailand has amazingly social expat organizations). You should also be aware that ARCR is associated with a for-profit, real estate and business services firm called Casa Canada.Until a few years ago, Costa Rica was an almost ideal retirement destination. Properties were inexpensive and Costa Rica was the most stable country in Latin America. Costa Rica also enacted laws (which have been largely rescinded) that encouraged foreigners, particularly retirees, to live there. (Note: Panama has adapted many of the same laws that Costa Rica used to have).Over time, many of the benefits of living in Costa Rica have eroded somewhat. Costa Rica has sadly seen a dramatic increase in crime. So much so that I met one couple in Jacó, a coastal expat haven, who have been robbed five times-and sexually violated once- in a year. (Note: Jacó is a high crime rate area and though crime is bad in Costa Rica, the case of this poor couple is thankfully rare in Costa Rica).Today, it costs approximately 70-80% of the cost of the US to live in Costa Rica. The country has expensive taxes on imported goods (cars cost two to three times more than in neighboring Panama) and the costs of goods, services, and particularly prime real estate is increasing in Costa Rica rapidly. Life in neighboring countries like Nicaragua can cost a little more than half of Costa Rica.Costa Rica also has scant cultural attractions compared to most other Latin American countries. If you like colonial architecture and history, you have to cross the border into Panama and, particularly Nicaragua, to find it. (One of the best colonial cities in North America- Granada, Nicaragua- is located only one hour north of the Costa Rican border). There are virtually no major archaeological finds in Costa Rica, though the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), National Museum, and the Museo de Jade (Jade Museum) in San Josè do present some interesting exhibits about pre-Colombian, Costa Rican society. (Costa Rica does charge foreigners relatively high fees for foreigners – as much as $8—to enter these museums).While Costa Rica does have several indigenous groups and a definite folklore, it is not as culturally vibrant as most other Latin American countries. (San Josè does have an excellent national symphony and a lot of other low cost, cultural events). In addition, Costa Rica, like most Central American countries, does not have a particularly exciting, local cuisine. While gallo pinto (beans and rice) and casados (which translates as “married men’s” meal – gallo pinto; fried cheese; a small portion of meat, fish, or chicken; and either fried yucca, which to me has almost no taste, or plantains) are nutritious, filling, and sometimes quite tasty, it is easy to get bored by the lack of variety. Thankfully, Costa Rica does have some of the world’s tastiest juices and fruits, and some areas, like San Josè, have an abundance of decent restaurants representing every major world cuisine.Costa Rica has more bureaucracy for foreigners to navigate than most Latin American countries. You are required to have a cedula (a residency card) even to get a telephone line and since Costa Rica was not a signatory to the Hague Convention (if a country participated in the Hague Convention its documents are recognized , as long as they are notarized by the appropriate state or municipal authority, throughout the globe), you are required to go through an unusually convoluted process – which can involve multiple visits to US state and municipal government agencies-- to establish your identity should you decide to become a resident of Costa Rica.Costa Rica also has the most stringent laws concerning residency that I’ve found in Latin America. (It is still infinitely easier than anywhere in Western Europe). Generally, you are required to prove that you have $600 a month for a consistent source (i.e. social security, annuities, or pensions) for a pensionado visa or to put $50,000 in a bank account to meet the income requirements for a rentista visa. (Note: All applications for residency are handled in San Josè. There is a constant backlog of applications and it can take months to get your residency, though I have heard of several cases where the applications were handled quickly and with a minimal amount of fuss, particularly when all the paperwork required from the US to establish your identity was properly notarized).Many long-term residents of Costa Rica who do not fit into either the pensionado or rentista categories live in Costa Rica on a string of three-month tourist visas. (Note: You get a three-month tourist visa automatically when you arrive in Costa Rica. You do not have to apply for them). These “tourists” leave the country every three months for at least 72-hours at a time in order to get a new tourist visa. Five years ago, the Costa Rican government, for a year and a half long period, began to stop issuing tourist visas to anyone who went across the border for 72-hours to get a new tourist visa. However, the current government does not seem as concerned about this issue today. Despite the problems detailed above, Costa Rica continues to attract the second largest number of American lifestyle-related expats of any country on Earth. Why? Quite frankly, because there is still a lot to recommend Costa Rica including:A large friendly and involved expatriate community representing a wide range of economic, political, and social backgrounds. Expats have been attracted to Costa Rica for over thirty years for a wide range of reasons. Some people see it is a place to invest in real estate (the cost of coastal real estate has increased ten to twenty-fold in the past two decades because before many gringos came to the shoreline, Costa Ricans couldn’t really understand why people would want to live by the coast). Others treasure the country’s relaxed pace of life and many still see it as a good place to retire on a limited income. As the population of expats grows, the level and quality of support for the community – from attorneys to help with residency papers and corporation formation to moving services – is also growing by leaps and bounds. (Though like any industry experience growth, you need to be careful to find qualified and honest professionals).Most of these expats are really committed to Costa Rica. Time and again, I heard Americans commend the country for its decision to eradicate the army, commitment to environmental protection, and efforts to provide social services to its residents. Some of the most spectacular and accessible natural landscapes anywhere on Earth. In just a matter of an hour one can experience an impressive range of distinct ecosystems (from volcanoes to dusty plains to tropical jungles), each with their own plants and animals (there are more species of plants and animals in tiny Costa Rica than in the mainland USA). Most of the best landscapes are preserved within national parks, most of which are fairly accessible by car and even public transportation. (The entrance fees for foreigners at these parks, however, are fairly steep). In addition, Costa Rica has developed a very active eco-tourism program which provides ample opportunities for anyone who is interested to learn about and enjoy Costa Rica’s varied natural offerings. (Though some of the programs designed to help enjoy nature, like canopy tours, according to some experts, can do serious environmental damage). In addition, few countries have so many opportunities for people to enjoy water sports and activities. Costa Rica is world famous for its surfing and sports fishing and has a really well-developed infrastructure –stores, schools, and tours-- to help people enjoy these activities throughout the country.Friendly people. Costa Ricans, commonly referred to as ticos, are well-known for their warm and ingratiating nature. They are very willing to talk to and help foreigners (I have never had so many people go out of their way to talk to me in English) and are better educated than most other Latin Americans (with the notable exception of the residents of the Southern Cone countries – Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile).Since Costa Rica has little indigenous influence, Costa Ricans are more European than most other Latin Americans. Over 90% of the population is Caucasian and as a result many expats feel more comfortable with ticos than other Latin American countries. (I sometimes wonder, however, if racism is one of the reasons Costa Rica is so popular).This is not to say that Costa Ricans are that different from other Latin Americans. Like most Latin Americans, you should expect: 1) to pay slightly more for services than ticos, particularly if your Spanish is limited. 2) to be better received if you dress and act more formally than you are used to at home and 3) to spend a lot of time and effort if you intend to form close relations with locals. (Tico and tica (female equivalent) are the nickname for Costa Ricans used throughout Latin America. Tico, by the way, refers to the tendency of Costa Rica to use tico instead of tito to change words into the diminuative form. For example, instead of saying un momentito (a short minute) like Standard Spanish, the Costa Ricans say un momentico). The country ‘s stability. Since the country abolished the army in 1948 it has had a non-stop record of democratically elected government. (Ironically the army was abolished following a coup d’état). Even before that, the country had a long record as a free and progressive (San Josè was the third city after New York and Paris to get electricity) nation. (In the 19th century there were so few people in Costa Rica that the government gave every family a plot of land to grow coffee). Costa Rica has also been one of America’s staunchest regional allies and as a whole the people are more pro-American than most Latin Americans. (That said, Costa Rica’s residents just barely passed the US Free Tree Agreement in 2007). Costa Rica Exceptionalism: Truth and Fiction Many Americans are attracted to Costa Rica because of what historians have called “Costa Rica’s Exceptionalism”. Exceptionalism refers to the observation that since Costa Rica is committed to maintaining stability, democracy, social equality, and environmental protection, it is an exceptional place in a region historically characterized by war, dictatorships, and environmental destruction. While it is true that Costa Rica does have a unique historical commitment to these ideals, one can’t help but wonder if they study the region in any detail if Costa Rica is unique in these regards today. Let’s take a look at a few of the factors that makes me wonder if Costa Rica is as exceptional as it used to be:Today nearly every Latin American country is a democracy. Very few Latin American countries seem to be heading toward a military takeover. Despite incredible crime related problems, every country in Central America has remained a democracy for the past fifteen to twenty years and there are no insurgent armies ready to wrest control away from the democratically-elected governments.Until recently, Costa Rica stopped investing much in social service programs. By the late 1990s, Costa Rica had one of the lowest per capita expenditures per student in Latin America and the result was noticeable reduction in student’s aptitude. (In 2001, Mexico invested nearly 50% more per student than Costa Rica and was beginning to see better student results than in Costa Rica).There is a lot of controversy about the effects of Costa Rica’s rapid economic changes on the country’s fragile and diverse environment. In recent year, a lot of the country’s virginal forests have been abandoned for pineapple and cattle farms. Yet, the country reserves 1/3rd of the land for parks and other reserves. Since most Central American countries have not attracted as much attention from investors, there is more virginal land available in other Central American countries than in Costa Rica. That said Costa Rica still has more land set aside for reserves than most developed countries worldwide. In addition, there is unfortunately little assurance that as other Central American countries develop more, their virginal lands will not become spoiled.Costa Rica’s peaceful climate, however, is clearly reflected in many of the ticos’ unique mannerism and traditions. People shutter at the sound of slammed doors or an angry voice (conflict is to be avoided and politeness is obligatory. Nowhere else in Latin America is “usted” used in all conversations, including those between a parent and a child. (Usted is a formal way to say “you”. In most Spanish speaking countries, usted is used only to address strangers and senior citizens. The informal word for “you” is tu.) In addition, Costa Ricans, even more than most other Latin Americans, are willing to go to extremes, sometimes excessive (and counterproductive), to help each other get what they need done. In addition, Costa Rica may very well regain some of the exceptionalism that it lost in the future. The country is beginning to see a reduction in poverty. (The current government has adopted the policy of paying the poorest citizens a fee to keep their kids in school. This policy has worked well in Brazil and Mexico). The government is also rapidly developing more and more preserves and parks. If you’d like to learn more about these issues, check out: The Ticos by the Biesanz family and The History of Costa Rica by Steven Palmer and Ivan Molina. Traditionally, most Americans have lived around San Josè, the capital city, and the surrounding Central Valley. San José has a very pleasant climate and a lot of big city attractions (multiple ethnic restaurants, well stocked stores, good museums); however, it is not known as a particularly attractive city. (Guidebooks often tell people to spend as little time as possible in San Josè. However, I think this is a mistake). I like the City’s cultural institutions, restaurants, shopping, and think many interesting sites – like ZooAve, La Guacima Butterfly Farm, Café Doka, and InBioParque—are only an hour away from the City. Many parts of San José, particularly around the downtown, are dodgy at night and the City doesn’t have much of a colonial heart like most large cities in Central America. (If you want big city life, I’d recommend Buenos Aires, or even Mexico City.) Increasingly Americans are choosing to live further outside of San Josè and its environments, particularly in places like Tirol (known for its pine trees and mountains), Atenas (considered to have the best weather in Costa Rica), Naranjo, Alajuela, Heredia, and Cartago. Many other towns scattered throughout Costa Rica have a small population of Americans, many of whom are American men with tica wives.However, the most noticeable increase in the population of Americans in Costa Rica is occurring near the Pacific coastline, particularly around Jacó, Tamarindo, and various places throughout Guanacaste province. Properties by the ocean are not cheap. (A modest home costs upwards of $200-300,000 and a condo costs $150,000+); however, there are no restrictions on ownership by foreigners, except for properties right along the coast. (Properties right on the coast can be owned by foreigners subject to some complicated regulations).Developments aimed at gringos similar to the Gringo Ghettoes, described in my earlier sidebar “Choosing Your Ideal Place Abroad”, are proliferating throughout the coast line. In Jacó alone enough projects are under construction that if they are all occupied the projects will provide new housing for over 5000 residents. The weather on the coast is hot and humid year-round, though the level of heat and humidity does vary considerably between different places on the coast. Some people enjoy the rainy season – June through late September – because the rain has a tendency to make things feel cooler. In addition, many people extol the virtues of the trade winds that cool things down throughout most of the year (except the dry season, which lasts from November to March). That said, April-May and September-October can be grueling hot along most of the Pacific coast.PanamaInternational Living magazine recently named Panama as the best place to retire or live abroad. They wax poetic about the country’s extensive benefits for retirees (including significant discounts—up to 50%—on everything from airfares to medical care) and its well-developed infrastructure. Panama operates on the United States dollar, the economy is robust, and Panama City is the most sophisticated (Panama has become an offshore banking capital) community in Central America. (International Living reports that Panama City is more like Miami than Central America. Panama City has one of the most impressive Old Towns in the Americas, an impressive range of ethnic eateries, and high-quality condominium towers.)One of the cities in Panama, Boquete, located high in the mountains, has slowly morphed into a haven for expatriates because of its ideal climate and stunning vistas of an extinct volcano and wildflowers. Panamanians call this area “the Valley of flowers and eternal spring.” The weather stays around 65-80 degrees year round. Unfortunately, the rest of the country including Panama City is extremely tropical—hot and humid. The cost of property here is roughly equivalent to Mexico. You can buy a nice 3-bedroom apartment for $100,000-200,000 in downtown Panama City or a small home in Boquete for $80,000. The cost of other goods and services are a little less expensive than Mexico (Panama overall is somewhere between 60-75% of the cost of living in the US) and Costa Rica. Belize and HondurasMost Americans are attracted to beachfront, island communities like San Pedro, Belize and Roatan, Honduras, which are nearly idyllic tropical paradises complete with a relaxed atmosphere, palm fringed beaches, and sands that look (and feel) like flour. In addition, the natives in both places use English as their mother tongue. (Though most of Honduras speaks Spanish, the Bay Islands are English speaking.)Unfortunately, the world has caught up with these beautiful communities. Homes and condos on these islands are not cheap any more (upwards of $250,000 for a home; $175,000 for a small condo). In addition, since these are islands, the cost of living is also not cheap. Expect to pay about what you would in the states for a meal in a restaurant.Belize real estate varies tremendously depending on where you decide to live, however, it is quite possible to get decent beachfront homes for $100,000 or less in more remote parts of the country (including Corozal which has the advantage of being near Chetumal, Mexico with all of its urban amenities) and decent modern homes in jungle towns like San Ignacio for $50,000.Outside of the islands, real estate in Honduras is quite inexpensive—30% to 50% of comparable properties in the US. Expect to pay about half of what you would for restaurant meals, groceries, and other local goods and services and 5-10% of what you’d pay in the US for maid and construction labor. Overall, the cost of living in Honduras is about 40-60% of the US except in the Bay Islands.Goods and services in Belize, on the other hand, are not very cheap. Many foodstuffs and products have to be imported from other countries and are subject to high taxation. Labor is still less than 30% of the cost of the US. The overall cost of living in Belize is about 10 to 20 percent more than Mexico (80-90% of the US). Expect, however, many things to be more expensive in Belize than the US.Pluses and Minuses of Living in The Coast Vs.The Interior of Mexico And Central AmericaI must admit that, like most Latin Americans, I cannot imagine living in a tropical beach locale in Central America and Mexico. I realize, however, that many, if not most of my students/readers dream about living on a tropical beach. Please keep this in mind when you read the pluses and minuses of living on the coast listed below. I have tried to keep my own personal prejudices down to a minimum, and apologize, in advance, if my preferences are apparent belowCoastal EnvironmentsPluses:Tropical beaches are the stuff of people’s dreams. Ninety percent of American tourists in Mexico and Central America spend most of their time on the beach. Though the interior has much to offer, the beaches in Latin America capture most Americans’ imaginations. Seemingly every travel publication is filled with pictures of the region’s white sand beaches with palm trees and azure seas. (This is such a part of travel writing and photography that anyone engaged in the business is bound to get tired of writing about and shooting photos in these locales). Generally, beach communities have a very relaxed vibe. While in most of Latin America locals generally dress and act more formally than in the States, relaxed dress and comportment is acceptable- and even encouraged- along hot, tropical beaches. In addition, though Latin Americans are generally laid-back, the most laid-back people in Latin America live by the beach. Living by a tropical beach is a great joy for water-sport and activity enthusiasts. In the US, many beach communities are too cold, and the waves are too large, for water-sports enthusiast to enjoy their pastimes very often. In addition, living by a beach in the US is generally prohibitively expensive for many of these enthusiasts.Many who live in expat-havens by the coast, really enjoy their fellow expats. Generally, the expats in these communities are younger, more party-oriented than those who chose expat digs in the interior. In addition, the shared love of the relaxed, beach vibe and water-activities often allows for more easy and comfortable friendships than in other expat communities. (Read Gringos in Paradise by Barry Golson,).Many beach communities are great places for people who love night life and socializing. Some of the most enjoyable club scenes in the world are in places like Puerto Vallarta and Cancun. Many of these places have enough variety of restaurants, stores, and entertainment venues that you could spend every night exploring new places.Some of Latin America’s most beautiful flora and fauna are found along the beach areas. The variety of animal life and plants – caimans, alligators, iguanas, geckos, dolphins, and some of the world’s most colorful fish -- found in many of the mangroves, rivers, and beaches along the coast is amazing. MinusesMost of the beach communities with substantial expat communities attract tons of ugly foreign tourists and locals. If you ever want to see Americans (and Mexicans-particularly during Semana Santa, Easter Week) at their most obnoxious, check out the Mexican beach scene in places like Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cancun, or Cabo San Lucas. Tons of drunken, lascivious, loud, and insulting tourists –particularly teenagers- line these beaches and often make locals dislike Americans. (By the way, Americans are not the only offenders, probably the worst beach behavior I’ve seen is from Australian tourists in Kuta on the island of Bali in Indonesia)Something about living the tropical beach dream attracts both Latin America’s best scam-artists and expat victims. I have almost never heard of someone who was sold a serious bill of goods about a property in Latin America in the mountains. However, stories of people who get ripped off by unscrupulous real estate developers and realtors in beach communities abound. Somehow, the expats who are attracted to the interior are the types who will do their homework and have the patience to get the right place and lifestyle for them. Whereas, some expats who fantasize about living by the water are prone to throwing caution into the wind and buy their dream places virtually sight unseen after a few drinks and a persuasive sales pitch by an aggressive huckster.Most of the development by the beach is environmentally destructive. Since Mexican and Central Americans (except in Panama) have mostly lived inland, the development of Coastal resorts and towns is almost entirely a recent phenomenon. Look at a map of Costa Rica or Mexico from forty years ago and you’ll be hard pressed to find Cancun or Puerto Vallarta (Mexico) or Jacò or Tamarindo (Costa Rica). Traditionally, the only beach towns to attract many residents in Latin America have been ports (like Veracruz, Acapulco, and Mazatlan in Mexico). Until gringos showed their love of these tropical resorts, most of the best-known beach communities were virtually pristine small fishing villages. Today, the beaches are crowded with hotel rooms, condominiums, and shopping centers that are not planned with the sensitive, beach ecology in mind. As gringo ghettos take hold throughout coastal Latin America, one can expect more serious impacts on the water supply and abundant plants and animals in more of Latin America’s most pristine fishing villages. It is hot and humid by most beaches in Latin America for many months a year. In most of Mexico, the beaches are hotter and more humid than those in Southern Florida, from April to November. (The worst months are often September and May). Along the coast in Costa Rica and Panama, in most places, the hot weather never really lets up much. That said, I have heard expats extol of the virtues of some of the micro-climates along certain beach areas in Latin America. So, I encourage you to ask around and see if you can find a place that suits your climate needs. (I have only experienced what I consider pleasant beach weather in Mexico and Central America in Northern Baja California (since the temperature is like San Diego, though admittedly the beaches are cold) and on the Pacific coast of Mexico from December to March).Many beaches in Latin America are plagued with bugs and mold. Probably the most common of these insects are called no-see-ums because though they are so small you can’t see them they cause a lot of irritation. In addition, many places by the water are subject to serious mold problems during the rainy seasonsThe cost of air-conditioning a house, particularly a large one, can get expensive during the worst summer months. I have met people in Puerto Vallarta who have paid as much as $500 for air conditioning in the height of the summer.Interior AreasPlusesThe weather, in the interior, especially at 3000 feet, is better than on the coast. Experts consider that areas in and around Guadalajara, Mexico and San Josè, Costa Rica have some of the world’s most pleasant climates. It seldom gets colder than about 55 degrees in the winter (at night) and 90 degrees in the day. Some people, though, have trouble with the large deluges of rain in some of these areas during the height of the summer. (Note: The weather at higher elevations can get cold particularly in Mexico and Guatemala during the winter – snow sometimes even occurs. The weather in the interior lowlands- which include two of my favorite Mexican and Central American cities Granada, Nicaragua and Merida, Yucatan – shares more or less the same climate as the coastal regions).With the exception of Panama, most of the history, culture, politics, economics, sociology, and architecture in Central America and Mexico occur in the interior of the countries. The vast majority of the region’s folk traditions, Mayan and Aztec ruins, historic monuments, and colonial towns are found away from the beach. You cannot really get to know the culture of these countries without at least spending some time in the interior.MinusesYou can’t participate in water sports in the interior or sit on the beach daily. Interior areas are less relaxed than the coast.These are the only real minuses I can see to choosing to live in the interior versus the coast. Most of the pluses of living on the coast also apply (though sometimes to a lesser degree) to the interior of Mexico and Central America. The interior areas also have active, friendly (though a little less party oriented) expat scenes and the flora and fauna found in the mountainous areas of Central America and Mexico is as varied and worth seeing as that you’ll see on the coast. NicaraguaWhenever I mention Nicaragua as an expat option in my classes, almost invariably someone will ask, “Aren’t the politics there anti-American?” The answer is not really. Even with the recent return to power by the Sandinista government, there have been no noticeable changes in the way that foreigners are treated in the country. There are several reasons for this: 1) the Sandinistas returned to power primarily is result of the opposition party’s decision in the 2006 election to split into two camps. Thus, even though the Sandinistas only won 37% of the vote, they received the most votes of any party in the country. 2) as a result of this situation, the Sandinistas have limited power because the opposition still controls the country’s national assembly; 3) when the Sandinistas were last in power, the country was seized by a terrible civil war (the opposition almost completed funded and supported by the Reagan administration) that killed over 50,000 people and created a national animosity toward anything that wreaks of war.Ironically, in the years before the Sandinistas returned to power, Nicaragua actively began to recruit expat investment. It was the first Central American country to sign a free trade agreement with the US. And it openly welcomed new foreign investment – and still does – by enacting a legal provision that allows retirees (who are over 45 years old and have a guaranteed monthly income of at least $400 a month) to pay no income tax on out-of-country earnings and to import household goods duty free.I spent two weeks in Granada, Nicaragua in January 2008 and talked to probably a dozen different expats there. No one seemed to think that the Sandinistas return to power affected their lives very much. Some expats did withdraw money following the election and some others are less willing to invest there than in the past. The steady rise in real estate values in Granada that characterized the town from 2000-2006 waned – partly due to the government change and partly – as in much of Latin America- based on the declining US real estate market. The main difference that expats noted with the change in the government is that there are more electric and water stoppages than before. (This is partly due to a destructive hurricane that hit the country in 2007). While I can understand investors’ reluctance to go to Nicaragua, I think that Granada could be a great place to live for an adventurous expat. The City has a wonderful, colonial center filled with century old adobe homes, many recently lovingly restored, with elegant tile roofs. Its location is also stunning –perched on the edge of Lake Nicaragua, with its impressive islands—and the area around the City is filled with volcanoes, each representing a totally different microclimate. In addition, Granada has a beautiful town square, is well organized for tourism (with a great assembly of restaurants and nightclubs), produces some of Central America’s finest cigars, and has a lot of old fashioned charm that you can’t see elsewhere (like horse-drawn funeral processions featuring elegant caskets made of leaded glass encased in intricately carved wooden exteriors).Living in Nicaragua is also very reasonable. A nice home can be purchased in the center of Granada, Central America’s finest colonial city, for $150-200,000. You can still buy small, attractive homes within walking distance of the beach for less than $150,000. (I’ve heard that some of the beaches are beautiful but have not visited them myself). The cost of services, groceries, restaurants, native arts and crafts, and other local products generally are between 30-50% of those in the US. The country has some of the safest streets in Central America, though one is advised to be careful like everywhere in the region. This is not to say that Nicaragua is for everyone. Following its wild political roller coaster during the last 60 years, the country’s economy has faltered (Nicaragua is now the second poorest country, after Haiti, in the Western hemisphere) and the infrastructure is falling apart. Many Nicaraguans – almost ? of the population have migrated to other countries (most prominently Costa Rica) in search of work. Nicaraguans, as a whole despite the country’s love affair with poetry, are often poorly educated.Argentina With the demise of the once hot Argentine economy in 2002, suddenly Argentina emerged as one of the world’s best tourist destinations. Argentina is blessed with some of the world’s most impressive landscapes ranging from glaciers in the south to Iguazu Falls located smack dab in the middle of the jungle in the north. It is also home to my favorite city, Buenos Aires—often called Paris at ? the price—which is home to some of the globe’s most beautiful people; an extremely hot nightlife; great, cheap red wine; the tango; and many sophisticated neighborhoods (Palermo, Retiro, and Recoleta) reminiscent of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. While life is not as cheap as it was in 2002, it is still a bargain destination. A fine 2,000 square foot apartment in Buenos Aires’s best neighborhood can be had for $250,000 (a modest, small apartment in a good neighborhood can be as low as $50,000). Many celebrities have bought major chunks of land in Patagonia for under $1 million. In addition, you can still get a good five course meal with wine at a fine restaurant in Buenos Aires for under $30 (including tip—a similar meal would cost $40-50 in San Francisco), inexpensive luxury bus service, hotel accommodations, and other tourist services for 2/3rds of the US price (with more comfort). EcuadorEcuador is one of Latin America’s most hidden treasures. Beautiful colonial properties in need of some restoration in Old Quito, a UNESCO heritage site, or Cuenca can cost as little as $50,000. Homes in the Andean market towns like Otavalo go for $60,000. Lovely condominiums with ocean views on uncrowded beaches are available for $60,000 or less.The cost of living is half of the United States. The economy of Ecuador is now tied to the US dollar. (The dollar is even the currency for the country.) Nowhere else on Earth has so many incredibly inexpensive Andean arts and crafts for sale. Ecuador does have problems with crime and the beaches are considered rustic. No great nightlife or resorts there; instead just miles of quiet, tropical, remote beaches.Some Blessings and Curses of Being a Modern-Day Nomad in a EMERGING Country Living in a “EMERGING” countries is not for everyone. “EMERGING” countries are generally more relaxed, people-oriented, and colorful than the US. However, they also have certain things that can drive some Americans a little crazy at times. (Countries that are less developed economically—primarily located in Latin America, Asia, and Africa- are called “EMERGING” countries. “First world” countries have more “developed” economies include the US, Canada, Western Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. “Second world” countries refer to places that used to be part of the Communist bloc, including Russia and the former Soviet Union countries, Eastern Europe, Cuba, Vietnam, etc.).Here are some of the joys and frustrations that many expats have told me about in EMERGING countries. (By the way, many of these same observations apply in Southern and Eastern European and so-called second world countries as well).JoysSince labor is cheap, you will be able to afford maid, gardening, and handyman services. (Usually only $2 to $5 an hour). Often, once you find the right help, these people can be a great resource to help you adjust to your new life and to get things done. That said, many people find that it takes a while to find the right people to provide these services. Though thievery is rare, many expats complain about their problems of “finding good help” so much that it becomes a cliché. In my experience, there are several reasons for these problems: 1) some expats place unattainable demands on their help and then complain about the results (Read the book Mai Pen Rai Means Never Mind by Holloway for humorous, yet enlightening tales about expats and servants), 2) generally most help in these countries expect their bosses to watch them and tell them exactly what needs to be done and expat employers are not either aware of, or willing to, act accordingly; and 3) some American who have problems with servants in EMERGING countries are the types who are so fussy that they have similar problems with these service providers in the US.If you need to, you can live very cheaply. Most of the locals live on less than $10,000 a year and are able to support a whole family. So, can you if you are willing to live like the locals do. While this may mean, living with other people in cramped conditions, raising some of your own food, or going without imported goods, it is possible to stretch if necessary much easier than in the States.It is easy for most expats to live without a car. You can also live easier without internet access in your home than in the US. There are more wireless access points and internet cafes in these countries. Most Wi-Fi spots do not charge and the internet cafes’ costs are negligible ($1-2 an hour).If you use the private medical care system, you will be able to get attention much faster than in the US, for much less cost, and the doctors will be more attentive to your needs Generally, locals will go out of their way to help you, particularly if they like you. I am always amazed how willing people are to walk me to where I need to go, make calls to help me find the answers to my questions, and to provide me with a little extra something just out of kindness. In addition, many people seem so genuinely happy to see you once they get to know you a little bit. After you’ve gained the trust of locals, and learned their language reasonably well, people will be almost eager to tell you their life stories. I treasure these moments because usually their lives are very different from our own and they help to forge friendships.Small pushcarts and kiosks abound in the EMERGING, often selling some of the best food you’ll ever eat for next to nothing. If you see a line in front, just follow the people and the food will be good and safe (partly because food that turns over quickly, usually doesn’t attract bacteria).You can get your laundry done, including ironing, folding, and in some case (Mexico is awesome this way) even shrink-wrapped for not much more than it would cost to wash your clothes yourself at a Laundromat in the US.People in the EMERGING are generally much more accepting of others’ faults than we are in the States. I am constantly amazed how easily Americans shun other people for the smallest things – weight, smoking, perfumes, etc. Such shunning, to most third-world residents, is ruder than the original behavior. Almost anything can be done in a third-world country if you are patient, creative, and determined. In the US, if a law or a policy stands in the way of getting something done (even when said policy or law is completely stupid and unfair), you simply have to accept that you won’t get what you need done. In the EMERGING, there is always some way to get it down. Some of the best strategies include: appealing to everyone’s sympathy (this particularly works well with women); bribery (think of it – and call it- a fine or a fee for service) and finding and getting to know the right person to solve a problem.Shopping in local marketplaces is a great joy for most expats. Most EMERGING countries have markets with an endless variety of handmade crafts and tasty, and exotic, foodstuffs. You can learn a lot about your new country, just by asking questions about the produce. I have also met expats who have formed some of their closest friendship with local merchants. AnnoyancesThe EMERGING is generally noisy. It is almost impossible to find a place to live without animals waking you up early in the morning and occasional loud parties keeping you up into the wee hours.Driving requires a lot of skill and owning a car can be very expensive. Tolls, gas, parts, license plates, etc. are cheaper in the US than overseas. In addition, driving conditions are worse and most people drive more aggressively than at home.You don’t have much recourse if something bad happens to you. EMERGING legal systems usually assume that it is the responsibility of every one to watch out for their own interests. That said, if you do get involved in a legal issue, you may be able to find people (and ways) to help get you out of the trouble, through informal means.Sidewalks are often non-existent and when they are available they are usually very high, uneven, and full of holes. You need to get used to watching where you walk or else you will tweak your knees and ankles and fall down a lot.You will see a lot of serious poverty. Keep in mind that poverty, when it is more common is not shameful, like it is in the US. If it really bothers you, do something to help. There are many avenues to help and most the recipients of your kindness will be very grateful.You need to learn to avoid conflict at all costs and try to defer blame for things that go wrong onto yourself. If you anger someone or offend their pride, you will not only have more difficulties getting what you need accomplished, but you may also have an enemy for life who will be determined to wreak havoc on your life. In Thailand, it is even illegal to get angry in front of a government official.Bureaucracy in a EMERGING country can be a real pain. Offices close and open seemingly at random for often only a couple of hours a day. And, often the employees seem more interested in sharing comments about last nights’ love affair or soccer game with each other, than helping their clients. Plus, the rules that you have to follow to get something done are usually incomprehensible to Americans. (Keep in mind that most things in the EMERGING depend on your reputation, and most of the rules are designed to ensure that you are who you say you are).Homes, often look and feel like fortresses, from the outside. You will frequently see glass shards along fence tops, bars on the windows, and gates along the entire outside circumference of homes. This does not necessarily mean that the area is high crime.Crime in most EMERGING countries is becoming more and more a fact of life. (Unlike in the US, where the crime rate is rapidly decreasing every year). As these countries become more democratic and economic systems more inequitable, the government’s ability to both prevent and address crime is eroding. Turn on any news program in any EMERGING country and you’ll invariably here about murders, home invasions, and other crimes. No matter how secure your life seems, it will always be a bit more precarious than in the US. You are guest of your new country and, as such, your rights can be taken away at random. While this is extremely rare – and getting even more rare with the advent of globalization – I have never seen an expat community in a third-world country that does not sometimes display a sense of paranoia about everything being taken away from them by a sudden change in political or economic realities. That said most of the real-life problems that expats have with their new country usually stem from the expats getting involved with scam artists or unsavory types (sometimes other Americans) abroad.Bathrooms can be frustrating for some people to negotiate. In most EMERGING places, you have to put used toilet paper in a trash can. In Asia and the Middle East, most homes have squat toilets that can be difficult to use for American women especially at first. (Ironically, many places in Asia have both Western and squat toilets; however, the squat toilets are easy to keep very clean, whereas books have been written describing the terrible conditions of Western toilets in Asia). In addition, many homes (mostly occupied and designed for locals) in the EMERGING have “suicide showers”—electric shower heads that create a current that you can feel while you are bathing – and some even have hot water heaters that have to be ignited with a match before each use.If you take public transportation and taxis, you may be uncomfortable if you are a “backseat driver”. I found that I could avoid this feeling by repeating the following mantra: “The driver also wants to get home tonight”. Now, I don’t pay any attention and just enjoy the ride.Asia, Oceania, and AfricaThailandThough Thai laws make it impossible for foreigners to own property in Thailand, you can get an ownership interest in some lovely beachfront condominiums (1 bedroom for $40,000) with a view of tropical beaches inexpensively. You can also rent an apartment in some of the country’s lovely hill towns like Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai for as little as $100 a month. Luxurious apartments, with a view, in the best parts of Bangkok can be had for $600-$1200/monthNo EMERGING country has better healthcare. The king is dedicated to building first class hospitals. Most of the doctors are trained in the US and Europe. Many Americans without insurance coverage go to Thailand for surgeries. In fact, some hospitals have even set up wings that look and feel like five-star hotels for foreigners!The costs of goods and services are 20-40% of the cost of the US. Labor (like maid and construction services) is 15%-20% of the US. Overall, the cost of living in Thailand is probably the lowest of any country on the expat circuit. Meals from street carts cost under $1 and even fairly fancy meals in high class restaurants usually cost under $10 with all the trimmings. A train ticket from Bangkok to Chiang Mai costs $15 (about 400 miles) and a two-hour, Thai massage is less than $3. A cheap hotel room is available for less than $5 and nice-Western style room in modest hotels cost $15-20. Thailand is extremely well-suited for expat life and tourism. A large number of Thais speak some English, particularly those associated with the tourist industry. Trains and buses run efficiently and inexpensively all over the country. Despite its reputation as a gridlocked mess, Bangkok today has such a well-developed public transportation system – including one of the most up to date Subway and Skytrain systems anywhere in the world – that it is fairly easy to avoid the gridlock. American businesses –from Starbucks to McDonald to Ethan Allen furnishings- are available in most tourist and expat centers. There is also an astonishing array of tourist services available in tourist/expat centers. In Chiang Mai for example there are probably over 100 travel agencies that can arrange tours anywhere, fifteen cooking schools, hundreds of souvenir shops, and restaurants offering inexpensive, and mostly tasty, food from every corner of the world.Thailand also has one of the most vital and helpful expat communities I’ve ever seen. The expat associations in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket are the most eager to help new members I’ve seen anywhere in the world. Yet, the expat community is very unique. Probably about half of all expats are men – usually older- married to young, Thai wives. Frequently, these marriages garner negative comments from female expats. However, in my experience, a surprisingly large number of the couples seem happy and functional. (Probably the single most important ingredient to the success of these marriages is that the expat understands that he is responsible for the maintenance of the Thai woman and all her family. If you would like to know more about the relationship, read Thailand Fever: a Road Map for Thai-Western Relationships by Chris Pirozzi and Vitida Vasant – which is written in Thai and English). The expat community is also multicultural. Members come from all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the US. However, it is probably 90% male and tales of the strange, colorful exploits of the expat population abound. As a result of some of the problems caused by these expat colorful characters, the Thai government has become strict about issuing and requiring permanent residency from expats. To get a permanent residency, you are required to show that you have $1800/month in income from a reliable source. You also can’t take many trips outside of the country to renew your tourist visa without being refused re-entry into Thailand. You can only stay in Thailand for one month without a visa. A visa that allows you to stay for two months is easy to acquire at a Thai Consulate in the US. After that, you will probably need to have a permanent residency to stay legally in Thailand.The Thai culture is very different from your own. Even long-term expats will always be regarded as farang-foreigners- even when they speak Thai fluently. The Thai language is extraordinarily difficult to learn because it has five tones (that are hard for us to distinguish) and very unique grammar and vocabulary. While learning the language in schools in Thailand is worthwhile, it is not as effective as learning other languages in schools in other countries. It is almost impossible to arrange to rent a room from a Thai family as part of a language program. Classes are usually only offered for one hour a day. You will also find that the moment you try to use Thai someone will immediately respond in English (or find someone who can). I found the only way to practice Thai was to tell Thais that I wanted to practice the language before I spoke to them in Thailand. New Zealand While New Zealand until recently was one of the hottest real estate markets in the world, properties are still available for about the cost of the United States.Americans who live in New Zealand say that it is like living in the USA in the 1950s. The pace is still slow and people have time to spend with each other. The crime rate is low. New Zealand has some of the most varied and stunning landscapes on Earth. The North Island is filled with hot springs and volcanic landscapes. The South Island has glaciers and temperate rainforestsThe only problem is that it is hard to get residency in New Zealand. The government, with its high quality socialized healthcare system, discourages retirees from other countries. It is easier to immigrate if you are young and have specific skills, such as construction or nursing, which the government has decided are in short supply. However, if you have a lot of money you may be able to get residency here as a retiree.EuropeNOTE: When I started this business, I expected that most of my audience would be interested in living, working, and retiring in Latin America because of the low cost, beautiful colonial and beach cities, relatively easy entry requirements, and the great pace of life. Well, I was wrong. Many of the questions that I get are about Europe, particularly Italy and France. Over the next several years, I will spend three to six months a year in Europe for the next four to five years, paying particular attention to living in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. Even though I am not as much as an expert on living, working, and retiring in Western Europe as I’d like to be, I have done some research on the topic and can offer you some of my findings:Establishing residency in Europe, while more difficult than in Latin America or Asia, is not impossible. You can retire there fairly easily if you have a modest monthly allowance and, while it is difficult to fill out all of the paperwork, people from a variety of economic backgrounds and age groups have established residency there. I will discuss some of the basics of this process in my later section called Establishing Residency Abroad.You can easily find an active expatriate community like that in Lake Chapala in many popular areas of Europe. The expat communities in big cities like Rome and Paris are incredibly active. In smaller, popular areas like the Costa del Sol in Spain and the Algarve in Portugal, you’ll find an active expat community geared primarily toward the British, German, and Dutch residents.The cost of real estate in Western Europe is generally about 20% above the US and Canada. Just like in the US, you can find inexpensive, attractive homes in some remote areas like Sicily in Italy and County Sligo in Ireland for $150-400,000. On the other hand, you could easily pay up to a million dollars for a nice townhouse in a fashionable neighborhood in central London or Paris. (Note: Rome, Madrid, and Barcelona cost about 25-30% less than London and Paris but you won’t be able to find much to rent for less than $1000 a month or sale for under $400,000 in these places.) As far as I can tell there are no areas of Western Europe (with the possible exception of Portugal) where real estate cost less than in the US in general. It is possible, however, if you live in a high cost part of the US, like California or the Northeast, to find some very attractive areas of Europe where the overall cost of housing is less than in your hometown. You will be able to find some real estate in Eastern Europe and the Southern Mediterranean, particularly in Romania, Poland, Malta, and Cyprus that is slightly cheaper (approximately 80%) than in the United States. Keep in mind that Eastern Europe and the Southern Mediterranean do not have the excellent healthcare, great social services, and excellent infrastructure of Western Europe and that Eastern Europe is still quite a bit more expensive than Latin America or Asia. The cost of foodstuffs and most other necessities of life vary quite a bit between European countries. In Portugal, Greece, and much of Eastern Europe you may actually save up to 20% of the cost of these products in comparison with the US. In France or Italy, you’ll spend 10-20% more than in the US, but many of these products will be of better quality than in the US. Expect the most dramatic differences in cost between Europe and the US in utilities and public transportation. Public transportation costs as much as 50% more (though it is better quality) than in the States; utilities cost 10-50% more than in the US depending on the country. Gas is about 40% more than in the US, though most American expats report that either they don’t need a car in Europe or they drive less there than in the States. Five years ago, many rural properties were available in France and Italy inexpensively (as little as $50,000) if you were willing to do some refurbishing. Between the fall of the US dollar and the hot European real estate market, the costs of these properties have more than doubled in the past couple of years. However, you can still find cheap, true fixer-uppers (keep in mind, though, you could easily spend several hundreds of thousands of dollars repairing these rambling wrecks) in many parts of Europe. You’ll generally find that most Western Europeans are friendly toward Americans though you’ll have a hard time finding people who agree with our foreign policies. The French, Germans, and Brits may appear a bit standoffish, but most Americans who live there find that the people are friendly and helpful. It just takes longer to get to know them. It is very difficult to find work in Western Europe for Americans. Many of the jobs that work well to help tide us over in Latin America and Asia, like teaching English and journalism are closed to Americans because, with the advent of the European Union, Brits can go anywhere in the European Union and get these jobs legally without any difficulties. That said, many Americans do make a living in Western Europe through entrepreneurial pursuits or by working in traditional jobs under the table. The main benefit of living in Western Europe, particularly in France, Italy, and Spain, is the quality of life. I think the words of Terry Link in his book Living Abroad in France about the quality of life in France apply throughout Western Europe: The attraction (of France), just as it has been for generations, is the extraordinary quality of life the ordinary person can enjoy. France is both modern and old-fashioned. French science and technology rival those of any nation, yet the country appreciates fine food, a slow pace, and the good things in life. Indeed, a French phrase describes it best: joie de vivre (joy of living).If you are interested in a European lifestyle but can’t afford the cost or if you want to live somewhere where it is easier to find work or establish residency, consider living in Latin America (particularly Argentina).Researching Your New Home and Making the MoveIN EUROPE, AMERICANS AND CANADIANS WILL HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY HAVE THE MEANS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NOT A CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT QUALIFIES AS SUFFICIENT INCOME. IT IS UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE PEOPLE PROCESSING THE APPLICATION AND CAN VARY DEPENDING WHERE YOU APPLY TO BE A LEGAL RESIDENT. (NOTE: YOU USUALLY HAVE TO APPLY IN PERSON AT THE CONSUL THAT SERVICES YOUR HOMETOWN. IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK AND WANT TO BECOME A LEGAL RESIDENT OF FRANCE, YOU WILL HAVE TO APPLY TO THE FRENCH CONSULATE IN NEW YORK CITY). IT MAY NOT BE THAT DIFFICULT TO GET A RESIDENCY VISA IF YOU PLAN TO STAY IN THE EUROPEAN COUNTRY FOR MORE THREE MONTHS, BUT LESS THAN A YEAR, ONE TIME ONLY. (FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT A TAKE A FRENCH COURSE FOR SIX MONTHS IN FRANCE). HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO RETIRE TO A EUROPEAN COUNTRY, YOU SHOULD ANTICIPATE THAT THE INCOME AND BUREAUCRATIC REQUIREMENTS WILL BE HONEROUS AND MAY MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GET A RESIDENCY VISA TO LIVE IN THAT COUNTRY. UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN IF YOU GET A RESIDENCY VISA, YOU ALSO HAVE TO GET PERMISSION TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY ONCE YOU GET IN THAT COUNTRY. THIS PROCESS REQUIRES A LOT OF PAPERWORK AND TIME. (THERE ARE SOME LOOPHOLES TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN CHAPTER___).MOST COUNTRIES WHERE ENGLISH IS THE NATIVE LANGUAGE (THE US, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND) DO HAVE SPECIFIC INCOME REQUIREMENTS FOR A RESIDENCY VISA. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE PROHIBITIVE FOR MOST PEOPLE. MOST REQUIRE THAT PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF FIFTY INVEST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN A BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY (OVER A MILLION DOLLARS) BEFORE THEY CAN BECOME A LEGAL RESIDENT. COMMENTARY ON SEEING THINGS THROUGH IMMIGRATION AGENT EYES- RELATION BETWEEN ANTI-IMMIGRANT FEELINGS AND EXPAT EXPERIENCES…. ALSO DISCUSS WHY YOU WOULD DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM BECOMING AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AND EXPECTATION OF INCREASING SURVEILLANCE (IE MY EXPERIENCE IN EUROPE).Banking and Money IssuesDealing with money related issues is probably one of the biggest challenges in expat life. Some of the typical frustrations that expats deal with include:Many banks, even those associated with U.S. or internationally known institutions, are reluctant to cash U.S. checks. When they do cash a check, they will place a hold on the money often for a month or two to ensure that the cash is cleared. Many people, especially when they are buying a house overseas, try to wire money from their US account. However, due to US government regulations, in order to wire large sums of money overseas you are required to present yourself in person at the US bank where you hold the account.Some countries make it difficult for foreigners, particularly those without permanent citizenship, to set up an account, sometimes people get around these regulations by setting up a corporation for their accounts. However, this can also present issues as well.Most people end up with accounts in both their new country and the US. Usually they end up having some bills that they need to pay in the US. In addition, it is easy to get social security, pension, and other regular US income sources to direct deposit funds into your account (and hard to get the money sent abroad).Some countries, like Costa Rica, may require that, under some circumstance, you to set up an account in the country if you decide to get permanent residency.Most people end up using ATM machines abroad to transfer their income from the US to another country based on the ATMs speed (you can withdrawal money as soon as it hits your account) and ease (you can find ATM machines also everywhere). That said ATMs do present some issues:Residency VisasIn most “developed” countries (Western Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) you will probably need a residency visa to stay beyond the time limit imposed by the initial tourist visa (usually three months). Most of the time, you can find the regulations for these residency visas on the website for that country’s consulate in the US. Some of the most common of these requirements include proof that you have: 1) an address in your host country (and/or access to a home or a rental there), 2) a clean police record, and 3) medical insurance. In addition, you must: 1) apply for these visas usually in person at the nearest consulate in your home country (for most of my readers this will be the US or Canada) and 2) get additional permission from the police to live in Western Europe after you arrive in your new country as well. Some countries may require you to submit copies (often translated into the language of that country) of birth, wedding, divorce and other such certificates. (In Italy this is called a permesso di soggiorno, or permission to stay permit. In France, it is called a carte de sejour). Typically, resident visas can take from one to six months to acquire depending on the country. Probably the most difficult requirement to get a residency visa in a “developed” country is that you must prove that you have sufficient income to live in the country during your stay. Most Western European countries require you to write an essay (and provide substantiation in the form of bank statements, etc.) that proves that you have sufficient funds to be self-sufficient. Typically, the interpretation of what is “sufficient funds” is left to the discretion of the immigration offices. I have heard of vastly different interpretations of “sufficient income” between different Italian and French consulates in the US. Don’t expect the consulate to help you to determine if you have everything in order. Come over-prepared and make copies. Also ensure that documents are properly notarized or apostiled. (Apostiled documents have a stamp that can usually only be obtained in person from the city or county clerk/recorders’ office where the document was issued. This means that you could have to travel around your home country to get these documents, particularly if you have the misfortunate to be married and born if different parts of your home country). Keep in mind that in a few cases you will probably not be able to get a residency visa regardless of your income or efforts. For example, it is almost impossible to get a residency visa to retire in New Zealand, Canada, and the UK unless you have family there already. (Note: It is also virtually impossible for anyone to retire in the US without family ties as well.)You can, however, in most cases, spend six months a year in most developed countries without getting a residency visa, provided that you never spend more than three months there at one time.CANADA-EXCEPTION In other words, you can spend three months there as a tourist. Then leave for three months and enter as a tourist again for three months. It is important to remember, however, that if you do this in countries that are part of the European Union (most of Western Europe except Switzerland. Note that Eastern Europe will subject to these same rules), you have to leave the entire European Union for three months to reenter as a tourist. Some Americans find that they can go around some of this rigmarole in Western Europe by proving that their ancestry is rooted in their host country. STILL TRUE? ALSO HOW ABOUT RESIDENCY FOR SALE REQUIREMENTS? Both Ireland and Italy can grant residency based on proof of Irish or Italian ancestry. Establishing that you have ancestry in these countries can be rather difficult. (You need to provide paperwork that shows that your parents or grandparents came from Italy or Ireland.) If you are seeking either citizenship or a residency visa in developed country, I would suggest that you “Google” to see if there are any firms that will help you do the paperwork. These firms will also be able to tell you if you can realistically meet the government’s requirements and make sure that your paperwork is filled in properly. (One student told me that she got her Italian citizenship through a firm called the Italian Citizenship Assistance Program) You should also check to see if there are any on-line message boards for expats living in your destination and send them a request for information about the success of other Americans in getting permission to live in that country.In most EMERGING countries residency visas will require more paperwork but will be easier to get than those for Western Europe countries. (In EMERGING countries, for example, it is not uncommon to be required to make a copy of every page of your passport, have the passport translated into the native language, and have someone provide legal assurance that the passport is valid.) You will be able to get visas, particularly in Latin American countries, while living in your host country. IS THIS TRUE ANYMORE? IT IS NOT TRUE IN MEXICO You can also get around these requirements in many cases fairly easily (particularly in Latin America) by going on “visa run”. (See discussion in next section).Be aware, however, that some countries may require you to have been in the country for a period of time before applying for permanent residency. And in still other countries, you may have problems renewing your residency if you spend the majority of the time outside of the country.The single most important and common requirement for all residency visas will be proof of income. Generally, if you are planning to retire in the country you will be required to show a level of income that will be roughly equivalent to the minimal amount required to provide a fairly modest but comfortable life in that country. STILL TRUE? --In some countries, like Panama, retirees get access to a lot of benefits including discounted services and products that are not available to non-retirees.Though, I’ve also heard of people who had to go through more complicated proof of income procedures, as well. However, some EMERGING countries can be strict about income requirements. Costa Rica (which only has one national migration offices) requires that expats prove that their income sources are steady (through a pension plan, social security, or an annuity) or put $50,000 in a Costa Rican bank account to ensure that they have enough income to live in the country. The income requirements for residency visas can be more stringent for non-retirees than retirees.The best ways to find out what you need to do to get residency in a given country are: 1) hire someone to do the application for you and ask them for advice. (Be careful to ask around for references from other expats); 2) ask other expats what they needed to do to get the process down (check to make sure, however, that they applied recently as rules change quickly). 3) check out -FACEBOOK-GOOD WEBSITES?-MESSAGE BOARDS?- for expats in a given country; and 4) subscribe to local, expat newspapers and newsletters. While I would recommend reading the books about living abroad, I don’t find them very useful when it comes to residency requirements. Most of them have a tendency to merely parrot what the country’s consulate says are the requirements. Unfortunately, most of these descriptions are hard to read and don’t really reflect the reality of the residency visa situation for most expats.If you do get residency you will be required to get frequent renewals (usually annually for the first couple of years, then bi-annually or every 3-5 years afterwards). Other VisasTrying to get a visa that allows you to work in another country will be difficult. You generally will need to have a company sponsor you before you leave. In order to sponsor you, the company usually will need to demonstrate that you possess skills that they could not find easily among the native population. However, you may be able to get a visa as a temporary worker or an intern through certain special visa categories available in many “developed” country, provided you are under 25-30 years old. You may also be able to get an investment visa that allows you to set up a business abroad if you can demonstrate that the idea is viable and that you have sufficient start-up capital. The requirements for these investments are usually stringent enough so that very few people are able to get this type of a visa unless they have a lot of money. As a whole, most people who start businesses overseas have a residency or tourist visa. Visa RunsMany expats in EMERGING countries avoid ever applying for a residency visa by getting a series of tourist visas. In order to do this, these expats leave the country before their tourist visa expire and return after a given period of time, usually three days. I have met people in Mexico, for example, who have lived in Mexico for many years without ever getting a residency visa by leaving the country every six months. (This process is referred to in expat circles as “a visa run”). COSTA RICA-STILL SIX MONTHS?Keep in mind, however, that you will have very few rights in a country if you are always a tourist. Among some of the things you won’t be able to do (most likely) without becoming a resident include: you can’t get access to the national health system, have any regress through the court’s system if you are wronged. The rights that you won’t have vary from country to country. (In Mexico, for example, you can import personal goods duty free once if you have a FM-3, residency visa). Most expats will apply for permanent residency at some point to get these rights unless they can’t meet the country’s requirements for permanent residency. Sometimes you may be refused reentrance into the country when you do a “visa run”. Many European countries will refuse reentry if they suspect you are using “visa runs” to circumvent their residency visa process. Some EMERGING countries get sticky from time to time about people doing “visa runs”. (Expats who do multiple runs are referred to pejoratively as “perpetual tourists”). Generally, if you do a “visa run” you need to be careful to leave the country before your tourist visa expires and to always stay away for the right period of time. (Though, you can always stay away longer. Note, however, that if you ever decided to apply for residency, you may have problems if you spend more time away from the country than in it.) Tourist VisaIntroductionYou’ve found a place you love and know you’re ready to determine if you can live there. Here are several things you can do to make sure that your new home will be a place of your dreams rather than a nightmare.Researching another Destination while you are at HomeMany people find themselves in love with a particular place while they are on vacation. Impetuously they go to a real estate agent or apartment rental firm and decide to move abroad without much preparation.Most experts recommend that you go home, do some research, and then return to your beloved potential new home and look at it with new eyes.Later in this book, I’ll outline some of the things you should look at before you make a serious investment in a new home (such as buying a house or moving your belongings). However, in the meantime, I’ll give you a few steps you can take while at home to learn about your new target home:Read books about your new country’s culture, history, and society. Watch movies from your new country and read popular literature for clues about difference between your destination and the USA.Study the language. Take classes about your country. If you can find classes about doing business and/or living in your new country, take them. These classes will help you know what to expect. If possible, talk to the instructors and ask them if you can send them an occasional e-mail with questions, etc.Try to meet locals from your new country who live in your hometown. Ask them about what to expect. Don’t be afraid to ask them if they know anyone in your new town who you can visit. This will be a good way to establish some possible social ties in your new community.Investigate clubs that may have branches in both your hometown and your destination such as the Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, or Toastmasters. Attending these meetings in your new town (especially if you’re a member already in your hometown) will help you to establish social ties in your new community. Since these clubs are fairly similar worldwide, belonging to these clubs in your hometown will also help you understand their protocol so that you don’t have to spend time in your destination learning about the organization as well.Subscribe to any newsletters, newspapers, and magazines from your destination and/or frequently read articles on the internet. Deciding Whether to Make the MoveSo, you know where you want to live and have done some original research. Now you are ready to move, right? Hold on. One of the biggest mistakes you can make in deciding to live or retire abroad is haste. It is a big decision. Too many people decide to move just after they’ve spent a couple of days basking in the beauty of a destination. As Teresa Kendrick said, “Moving to Mexico (or any place, especially abroad) is not unlike getting married.” Therefore, just like in marriage, you shouldn’t rush into anything if you’re moving overseas. You need some time to date and get to know each other before marriage. Judy King, publisher of the Mexico Insights (mexico-) says, “Many people come here and buy a property after a few days. Realtors always try to rush people into purchasing homes. Yet I recommend that people rent for six months or so, before they buy. You need some time to get acclimated and to decide if this is really the right place for you.”Here are some of the questions that modern-day nomad recommend that you research and think about while you are living as a temporary resident in your dream location for a couple of months. Only after answering these questions should you consider making a serious commitment to your new home:How far is your new town from an international airport? How easy is it to fly to visit your family and friends in the USA?Will you be able to live away from your friends and family?Can you engage in the same cultural, social, political, and recreational activities that you like at home? If not, are there activities in your community that will hold your interest? Do you speak the language? If you don’t, are there many people there that speak English? Are you willing to learn another language?How can you get things fixed at your destination? How easy will it be to access utilities? What do you need to do if you have problems with your utilities at your destination? How do you need to pay bills? Will you have access to good quality medical services? If not, can you get access at home? How much bureaucracy will be involved in setting up your new life at your destination? Will you be able to establish permanent residency eventually? How difficult will it be to do banking in your community?Do you want to live among other modern-day nomad, near an expatriate community, or would you rather live more like local residents?Will you enjoy learning about your destination? Are you interested in its culture, history, folklore, etc.?Do you make friends easily? Do you feel comfortable with the economic and age backgrounds of the majority of people in your new community? (Note: Many expatriate communities have a lot of retirees. This can make it difficult for younger people to make friends, particularly of the opposite sex, in their new town.) How close are familiar shopping facilities? How willing are you to shop at local stores?What are the local attitudes towards time? Will you be able to adapt to the pace of life at your destination?Are there are a lot of opportunities for a social life in your destination? Will you be able to find people who share your idea of a good time? Are there any legal or moral obstacles that will keep you from enjoying yourself?How easy is it to buy favorite products at home? (That way when you move, you can only pack or move products that are hard to find.)Where will my kids go to school? At a local school? Or a special school for expats? Local schools will generally enable your kids to adapt quickly to their new environment and offer a great way to learn about another country. However, it can be difficult for your kids to work in another language and many kids find big differences in the curriculum between the local school and the one they attended in the US. These curriculum differences may cause them to be held back for a grade or be bored to tears.Most experts recommend that you put your kids in a school organized through the International School System, ISS, if you don’t intend to relocate abroad for several years. That way their credits will be easily transferable and they will be educated with other modern-day nomad, many of which, by the way, will not be Americans. Keep in mind, however, that these schools can be expensive and hard to reach. Regardless what you decide to do, visit the schools (if possible with your kids) before you leave the US. That way you can determine if they will fit your kid’s personality and needs.Here are a few small suggestions for some unusual ways to help you do your research that you won’t find elsewhere: Try to stay in a local person’s home or participate in something that will allow you to “travel like a local” during this period. Arrange a home exchange, hospitality exchange (a free stay in someone’s home usually arranged through a hospitality exchange listing service), homestay (a paid stay in someone’s home) or a volunteer or school stay. This will allow you to get a more authentic feel for living in your community and will help you to have some acquaintances if you decide to move there later. (Note: if you’d like more information on these options consult my handbook: The World’s Best Kept Travel Secret: Volunteering, Learning Vacations, and Exchanging Abroad or check out my website: .)Take any orientation classes for modern-day nomad if available. Several newsletters (such as Judy King’s Mexico Insights) have short classes available at a minimal fee taught by seasoned modern-day nomad. Guidelines for Making the Move SuccessfullyYou’ve done the research and decided that you are ready to live abroad. What do you do now? How do you make the move? Find a place to live?The answer depends a great deal on where you decided to live and whether you want to rent or buy a place overseas. However, there are some guidelines that remain fairly consistent from place to place which are detailed below: Carefully Decide Whether You Want to Move Your Goods Abroad: Once you decide to make the move from the US to your new country, take stock of whether you want to move your belongings or not. Probably around half of all the lifestyle-expats (who move on their own) decide not to move their belongings because: It is a lot of trouble and expense. It can easily cost several thousand dollars to move your stuff abroad. Once it is moved there, what can you do with it if you get tired of it or you decide to move back in the US? Many retirees at Lake Chapala told me that they regretted moving their furniture to the Mexico because they could not easily give it to their children.You can buy nice furniture in many parts of the world for less or the same as in the US. In some cases, you may find that this native furniture looks better than American style furniture in your new home. (I talked to several expats at Lake Chapala that regretted moving furniture from the US to Mexico for this reason.) In other cases, you will be able to find it in familiar department stores like IKEA and Sears for the same price as in the US, making the cost and trouble of moving the furniture unnecessary.I have met many expats who find that one of the greatest joys of living in their new home is buying locally-made furnishings. They enjoy talking, and bargaining, with the local craftspeople that made the furniture. Many expats also enjoy visiting the villages where the furniture and crafts are made,You may not need furniture abroad. Many expats find it hard to find unfurnished homes overseas. (Many, if not most, rentals and houses abroad in Latin America, for example, include furniture.) However, another half of expats not only move their stuff to their new home but are glad that they did so. Some of the reasons they give for their decision include the following:Setting up a household takes a lot more work and expense than you anticipate. If you don’t move your stuff, you may have to spend a lot of time and money replacing things like sheets, pots and pans, tools, and other household incidentals that you usually don’t think about needing until they become imperative to get something done Many experts note that when you take all these incidentals into account, a household can cost between $15-50,000 to set up.Sometimes it is hard to find furniture and electronic goods that are comfortable for you abroad. The handcrafted furnishing of many countries, particularly in the EMERGING, may be very attractive but clunky and poorly cushioned. In addition, many people move electronics, partly because they know how to use their old equipment and don’t want to have to learn how to use new stuff. (It is important to keep in mind also that sometimes it may be hard to buy equipment with English-language manuals and keyboards in another country and that is very rare that you will find equipment abroad that is as cheap as in the US).It is not always easy to find furnishings abroad that are easily color coordinated and attractive together as in the US. Sometimes if you buy locally made furniture, you’ll end with a hodge-podge that doesn’t go well together. Other times, you may find that the only furniture suites available overseas are either too formal for most American taste- think Louis XIV- or are very pricey. (On the other hand, many places – particularly in Europe- have such small rooms that American furniture will not fit well into the rooms).The Decision about Whether You Decide to Move Your Stuff Will Vary a Lot Depending on What Country You Decide to Move to.In Mexico, most expats I met do not move their furniture (though it is relatively easy to do so, since the goods doesn’t have to be shipped and you can transport your belongings duty-free if you get a FM-3, residency visa, from a Mexican consulate in the US) because 1) it is fairly easy to buy new, locally produced furniture or to get a place that is fully furnished in the first place; 2) you can move some of your belongings in your car whenever you go back to visit the states (you only have to cross one border and, though you may have to pay a bribe to move some stuff, it is rare that you are hassled much).However, in most other countries in Latin America, the majority of expats ship their belongings all at one time to their new destination using a large container. Why? They can’t take their belongings in dribs and drabs from the US during their trips back home by car easily like in Mexico. This is because it is very difficult to cross borders with your belongings in your car without getting things confiscated or paying large bribes. (If you wanted to bring some of your stuff overland to Costa Rica, for example, you’d have to cross two borders each in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua before getting to Costa Rica). Occasionally you may get through without problems, but it is big risk.Even if you only want to move a relatively small amount of goods from the US, you will probably decide to move a lot of stuff to Central and South America, simply because it is more cost effective. Since you can’t move goods easily across borders, you will need to ship your belongings. When you ship belongings, you are required to pay for the use of a large container anyway. It doesn’t make sense to pay the same to move a few goods than a whole household. Many people, therefore, ship everything they think they might ever use and give away whatever proves superfluous to local charities. A lot of household goods, particularly in smaller Latin American countries, must be imported from the US or Europe. Generally anything that has to be imported will be very expensive (especially in a country like Costa Rica with high import duties) and, therefore, will be easier to bring from the States. Some Additional Thoughts on Moving Your Goods AbroadWhen making the decision about whether or not you want to ship your goods abroad, you may want to visit your intended new home country and investigate the cost of the things you need to furnish your household in your new country. That way, you can easily compare the costs of moving vs. the cost of setting up a new home abroad.If you have a lot of furniture that you want to move abroad, investigating the price of things in your destination can also help you determine what you will ship abroad vs. what you will keep at home or sell. That way, you can ship those things that will be expensive to replace in your new destination and go shopping for those things that are as cheap, or cheaper, at your destination. (Generally, ship containers are very large. I have more stories of people having a hard time filling a container, than the opposite. That said, I have also heard of stories of people who have so many goods that they had to get more than one container to ship it all). Be careful about selling all your belongings before you move abroad. If you don’t decide to move your goods, one of the most important decisions you need to make is what you want to do with what you have in your home. I would advise you to think twice before selling everything. Remember that if you come back someday you may want these belongings to help you set up your house in the USA (unless you need a lot of expensive storage at home). If you’ve sold these belongings, you may have to pay more money to buy new goods in the US than it would have cost you to keep and store what you had. Twice I’ve sold my belongings, usually at pennies on dollars, and ended up spending several times as much to reestablish myself as I received from the sales of goods. (Keep in mind the cost of storage however.) I particularly regretted selling my cars because I always sold them at a loss and ended up buying much worse cars when I returned. (Though admittedly I would have had to store and pay for the cars while I was away.) If you do decide to move your belongings realize that it can take a long time for your belongings to arrive. Be prepared to either move out your belongings several weeks before you leave the US so that they’ll be there when you arrive or to live without your belongings for a long time once you arrive. Either way plan on spending several weeks without your belongings and be sure that you don’t pack things you’ll need immediately upon arrival. Realize that you may have to pay duty to move your goods. Ask your mover, if there are things that may not be worth moving because of the customs duties. Also, ensure that your goods are described in the proper manner to avoid paying unnecessary customs. Pay particular attention to ensuring that you have your paperwork and documents on you when necessary. Even though it does add cost, most modern-day nomads recommend that you hire someone who deals with overseas moves to help you plan out the move. If you are moving to a large expat community like Lake Chapala, relocation firms are usually easy to find and reliable. If you are not, call a couple of large multinational companies in your new country and ask them for referrals. You can also get advice from expats who are sent abroad for work. You can find them in the richest neighborhoods in the largest cities abroad. Here are few things to consider if you decide to move your belongings. (Note: Even if you won’t be moving your belongings, consider some of these ideas when you pack your luggage, anyway.)Be especially careful in packing up your children’s belongings since many children will be traumatized by the combination of living in a new country and going without the familiar trappings of home (especially toys). Ensure that your electronic appliances work abroad before packing them. Nowadays electronic products are fairly inexpensive almost everywhere, therefore unless you have some particularly expensive or treasured electronic equipment, I’d recommend waiting to buy electronic goods when you arrive in your new home. This is particularly true since electronic equipment has a tendency to be less useful in other countries than at home. I, for example, got a fairly expensive radio for a Christmas gift before going to Russia that was supposed to be useful abroad. However, once I arrived, I discovered that since my radio broadcasted at odd frequencies (101.3 for example) and broadcasts in Russia are at even frequencies, I couldn’t use the radio to pick up local radio shows.Pack a few familiar trappings of home, particularly holiday decorations and foods (peanut butter). These products, which are often hard to find and expensive abroad, will help you during your fits of culture shock.Don’t take more personal toiletries, etc., than you would normally take for a two-week vacation, unless they are only available in specialized stores in the USA or you are moving to a really off-the-beaten-path destination. Most toiletries that you can buy in the grocery store are available in other countries, often at a similar price. In addition, these products are bulky, hard for natives to use (if you’ll have a maid), and prone to leakage.During the first couple of days (or even weeks, if possible) abroad take it easy. Allow yourself time to get acclimated. If one of you will be working abroad, ensure that the whole burden for setting up your life does not fall on the “unemployed” partner. Adjust your expectations downward. Try to relax, get a good night’s rest, and take care of yourself. One of the best benefits to living abroad is the slow pace. Take advantage of it rather than fight it. Most bills in EMERGING countries are delivered to your door. If you are not there when the bill delivery person come, the bill will be placed on the doorstep where it may fly away in the wind. (I’ve heard of people finding their bills years later when they uproot a bush). As a result, you should be aware of the date that the bills are delivered and if you don’t see a bill, call or visit the office (in many countries you can pay bills at many larger stores) to get your bill. Some people opt to have money taken directly from their bank accounts overseas to pay their bills. However, almost everyone I have met has problems paying bills this way. (The most common problem seems to be: 1) many companies take more than one months of bills simultaneously or 2) some companies turn off services by mistake even though they’ve received proper payment). Resolving problems like this takes patience. Since bills will always be in the language of your country, you should make sure that you have one of the bills translated into English so that you understand the bills’ content. I’ve heard stories of expats getting their services disconnected simply because they misunderstood when the bills were due. Keep in mind that many companies will cut off your service more quickly than they would in the US for lack of payment. There are no restrictions against obtaining Social Security or pensions while you are abroad. The only problem could be getting the funds to your account. (The best way is to get them sent by direct deposit to a US bank account).Adjusting to Your New Life Abroad Common Short-Term Jobs FROM VICKI SKINNER-- NOTE IT IS A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD. CHECK AND MAYBE GIVE HER CREDITI’m sharing a list of sites, articles, etc. on where to find jobs online - be it a permanent job or freelancing. This is by NO means anything complete - just things I’d find as I come across them. I haven’t updated this list in a while & don’t have time to do it now so if you have things to add, or better yet - if you have time to go through & update this list - MANY would REALLY APPRECIATE it!! Do YOU know of any sites to add or some good articles explaining it &/or with links? Please “SHARE” in “COMMENTS” below! HOW TO FIND ONLINE JOBS? I Googled - freelance online job sites - or - online jobs ARTICLES: “Top 20 places to find a remote job online” = “71 Great Websites to Find Freelance Jobs” - “The 15 Best Freelance Websites to Find Jobs” - "Income From Outside" = FACEBOOK GROUPS: Telecommuting for Expats (941 members) = = BE CAREFUL as there are MANY that are scams to get your money or get you to work & don’t pay you so do a search on the company!!! ? - biggest freelance online marketplace? - the best jobs board for flexible work. While I normally advise steering clear of sites that charge for access to their postings, I think this one is worth it (cost: a minimum of $14.95 a month). Flex Jobs is fastidious about checking the legitimacy of its listings before posting. As a result, the site boasts an unusually high percentage of flexible professional jobs. (I experienced its rigorous screening process firsthand a few months ago while helping my congregation search for a new assistant; FlexJobs carefully evaluated us before agreeing to post our listing.)? Out of all the types of flexible job listings, finding quality and legitimate work-from-home gigs tends to be the most problematic. They screen all its listings and compiles them into a free daily e-newsletter. You’ll find a variety of jobs, including customer-service, administrative, technical and writing projects. Most are on the lower end of the pay scale — often in the under $20 an hour range. But as a subscriber to their newsletter, I’ve seen see a smattering of higher-paid opportunities, some of which even offer benefits? - NOW owned by UpWork - removes a lot of the hassle that comes with freelancing. You’ll be able to make a profile right away without jumping through any hoops, enjoy payment protection to ensure you’re always paid for the hours you work and more. ? - over 19,000,000 registered, over 9,030,000 jobs posted. Freelancer takes a 10% fee, which can be reduced with paid monthly membership, with a minimum fee of $5. Unlike most other platforms, in addition to offering millions of projects, Freelancer allows you to compete with other freelancers in contests to prove your skills. If you’re competitive and confident in your expertise, it’s a great way to showcase your abilities and attract more clients. ? - they even break it down by city/area.? - For seasoned, talented freelancers. Passing Toptal's screening process gives you unparalleled access to meaningful projects with great clients (JPMorgan, Zendesk, Airbnb, etc.) & fair compensation (no low-bid contests). ? - This site lets you easily showcase your past work experience and offers a daily job-matching feature to make sure you don’t miss out on any good opportunities. The Guru Work Room lets you easily manage all your work.? - A platform for freelance designers, 99designs lets you compete in design contests and get feedback as clients choose the best ones. It’s a great way for talented designers to prove their talents.? - This is a great platform, focusing on freelancing for web projects. If you’re a designer, web developer, SEO specialist? - Whether you’re a writer, editor, blogger, publisher or any combination of those, Freelance Writing Gigs is a great option for freelancers who have a way with words.? - platform for creative types, including writers, filmmakers, producers, photographers and more. You work with the site to create unique content, engage audiences and promote your talents.? While this site has a decidedly young vibe, many of its advertised positions are equally attractive for boomers looking for meaningful short-term jobs. specializes in “short-term job adventures” in the U.S. and overseas. It includes opportunities to teach abroad, work on farms and help provide what’s known as wilderness therapy (using expeditions for therapeutic intervention).? This site features seasonal and part-time “jobs in great places” and is designed to be as appealing to boomers as it is for their kids. CoolWorks even has a job page called Older & Bolder, targeted at retirees or soon-to-be retirees, where you’ll find a variety of part-time and seasonal posts. Its current listings for seasonal jobs include Guest Services Manager at a world-class resort, Dining Room Manager at a national park and line cooks for a cruise Thankfully, there are several common jobs (most of which involve working for other people) that Americans do while abroad including English language jobs (such as travel writing), importing/exporting, and hospitality industry jobs. Here is a short discussion of some of these options:TeachingAs an English teacher you will not make a lot of money in most countries. The typical wages provide, as Conrad Haynes, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (T.E.F.L.) instructor at Saint Gilles School in San Francisco notes, “enough to get by in most of the world. You’ll live an equivalent lifestyle to an entry level teacher in the U.S.A.” [Some typical wages: Mexico $500-800 a month; China $800-1500 a month (often with accommodations); Japan $3000-4000 a month; South Korea $1500-2000.] While this is not the road to riches, it is one of the best ways to get an intimate insider’s view of life in another country. You’ll experience the joys of life in another country (including being invited into your students’ homes) and the tribulations (some directors are corrupt and the bureaucracy can be stifling). Don’t take a job at an English school overseas unless you plan on spending at least one semester teaching at a school. Far too many travelers sign up for a teaching job in another country and decide to hit the road before the conclusion of their term (most schools require you to sign up for a semester or academic year). As a result, more and more schools require you to demonstrate that you have some specialized training in these topics (and thus are serious about the career) before they’ll hire you. If you want more earning opportunities you can supplement your job with private tutoring assignments. (Often students will suggest clients or you can place ads on bulletin boards.)How difficult is it to find a job? In many countries, you can just show up and find a job with a few weeks of asking around. A good place to start is a youth hostel. In some places, like Tokyo, there is enough demand for teachers so that they have dormitories primarily set aside for prospective teachers and extensive website and books about teaching English there.Finding a job in Europe can be very difficult because you must distinguish yourself from the Brits and Irish. With the advent of the European Union, employers in Italy, Spain, or Greece can easily hire English teachers from the United States. These same employers must fill out oodles of forms justifying why they can’t find a good teacher from anywhere within the European Union. In some countries you will find it easier to find a job if you get a certificate in TEFL. The certificates require you to take an intensive, one-month training course. The course typically costs between $2000-$5000. Schools offering the certificate are available in most large cities in the U.S. (You can find schools on the Transitions Abroad website. Most private schools that teach English to foreigners also have teacher training courses.)Taking such a course is a good idea if you think you’d like to make teaching English overseas a career. The schools will help you find work and the certificate makes it easier to find good jobs in the future. Teaching English can be lucrative for experienced teachers who either: 1) teach in the Arabian Peninsula or 2) specialize in teaching accent reduction classes. Before embarking for your teaching adventure abroad, you should make sure you bring your diploma, resume, and teaching certificate from home. Keep in mind the academic calendar in the country where you’ll teach. You’ll find a job much easier if you start looking just before the start of the semester or academic year.Some countries like China (which otherwise is one of the easiest places to find a job) may require you to have a job lined up before you get a visa to travel there. Even if you don’t need a job for visa reasons, you may want to try to line something up before you leave. (This is supposedly really difficult in some countries like Mexico where they value face-to-face contact.) Otherwise you should be prepared to bring enough money to sustain you during the job search. (Experts recommend planning for a two-month search.) Journalism A surprising number of famous reporters (including Walter Cronkite) became well known by working as freelance journalists while abroad. While it is difficult to get a job as a foreign correspondent, most large media firms (particularly now that American news is more insular and consolidated) rely on freelancers to report the news from other countries. In addition, I’ve known people without a journalism degree, who have made a modest living (similar to teaching English) working on English-language (like the Buenos Aires Herald) abroad. Travel Writing Most travel writers do not make much money. It takes time and perseverance to get a story published. (Most budding writers could paper their walls with rejection slips.) Moreover, you have to maintain a thick skin. Editors sometimes destroy your work and no one likes to be rejected over and over again.That said many Americans make a living as travel writers. Here are some of the ways they succeed:Specialize in a topic or a destination. Pursue a passion or specialized skill while on the road and tell your readers about your adventures. If you love golf or gourmet food then perhaps you can develop these passions into a slant for your stories (i.e. maybe an article about great golf courses near gourmet restaurants). If you become an expert in a specific topic after a while editors will start to look for you to cover these niches for their magazine.Find a unique angle for a story. No one will accept a story on your trip to Paris since there are more articles written about the City of Lights than any other place on the globe. However, maybe you can find something unusual about Paris that will capture an editor and a reader’s attention.If you can take good photos, you’ll double (maybe triple) your earning capacity. Photos will help you sell your articles, particularly to newspapers and they’ll help you get some more income as well. Probably the single easiest tip for being a good photographer is to take advantage of natural light. In most of the planet the best times to take a photo are in the morning or early evening.Work on honing your writing skills. Nowadays the majority of newspaper and magazine editors want stories that “show, don’t tell.” They want to tell a story rather than simply report facts. Take classes and read books about marketing your articles. See my book picks in the below sidebar. Check listings for courses at local travel bookstores, community colleges, online, and at adult education centers. If possible, attend the four-day travel writing conference at the Book Passage () in August in Corte Madera, California (about 20 miles north of San Francisco).Importing/ExportingThe key to success in importing and exporting is to find the right product. To be successful, you need to find products that are hard to find, expensive, and in demand in the U.S. and/or your destination.One of the best ways to find a good product is to start looking for things that are unusual in your destination and to bring them home to friends and relatives and visit local stores to gauge their reactions. After you get back to your overseas home, you may also want to go through the same process with goods you bought in the U.S.The process of shipping and buying large quantities of goods can be complicated. Do a lot of research before you take the plunge. Travelers often discover that importing/exporting makes a good source of additional income on a small scale, but it isn’t worth the hassle on a scale large enough to earn a living exclusively as an importer/exporter.If you are traveling overseas and anybody tries to sell you something with a promise that you can make good money exporting to the U.S., run the other way. This is one of oldest scams in the book.Check the price of similar goods in the U.S. before you buy a lot of stuff to export to the U.S. Nowadays many exporters can buy large quantities of goods (particularly from Asia), export the goods, and still make the goods available for not much more than they’d cost you to buy at your destination. Being a successful importer/exporter also requires a lot of understanding of tariff regulations, shipping costs, and other regulations. You can get some idea of the issues involved by taking classes from the federal government on these topics.Importing/exporting can, however, provide a good way to make a little extra pocket change. As long as you can fit goods in your suitcase and don’t have so many goods that a customs official thinks that you will try to sell the goods, you can sneak a couple of things to sell when you get home. Working AbroadIntroductionVery few expats are able to find professional level work in their chosen field in their new home unless they have a very unique or sought-after specialty. Most expats who work in professional positions abroad, are brought overseas by US or European countries after these employees have worked successfully for that company in the US. These companies send these people abroad based on the companies’ needs for specific, specialized expertise. Since this relocation is very expensive ($100,000 or more per employee) and most foreign governments require that such companies prove that they can’t find locals to fill these spots, very few overseas positions come available for expats without special skills or experience within a given company. Most of the jobs that are available from in-country employers for expats without specialized skills are reserved for people with good English skills. These jobs include English teaching and journalism. Most of these jobs do not pay well, but many expats find these jobs to be worthwhile anyway.That said thousands of expats make a living overseas without being employed in this matter. How? Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship: The Best Way to Make a Good Living AbroadWhile most people who work abroad are sent on assignments by their employers, many travelers have found intriguing and creative ways to finance their new life abroad through working in another country.Most countries require foreign workers to demonstrate that they are filling a position that can’t be filled by native workers. A few, like Australia and New Zealand, welcome workers for short term assignments like carpentry, agriculture, and bartending. That said, you are usually not able to find non-skilled work in another country, particularly in the EMERGING. Often these countries have high unemployment rates and tons of unskilled labor.Probably the best way for an American to make a living is to work as a freelance, telecommuting consultant in their current field for an American employer. This way you can live in a place where the cost of living is low while gaining American wages. Many Americans find ways to do this for their current employer. Others work for a variety of clients. Some find that they need to go back to the US for some time in order to do assignments or drum up new clients. One of the keys to successfully doing freelance work from a foreign country is to act legally as if you are doing all your work from the U.S. Yes, you’ll have to pay, and file, U.S. taxes but you won’t attract the attention of bureaucrats in your new home. In addition, by keeping a U.S. phone number, your client will feel like they are dealing with a U.S. based consultant. Americans are also blessed with many opportunities to earn a living in another country through entrepreneurship. As a whole, entrepreneurship is by far the easiest way for Americans to earn a living that will allow us to live an American lifestyle in another country. While it is almost impossible to tell you what would be the perfect entrepreneurial path for you in your new home, I can help to get your creative juices flowing by showing you some of the advantages Americans have in establishing businesses overseas. Want Some Ideas for Making a Living Overseas? Many times when I teach this class, students have a hard time imagining what type of businesses they could start overseas. I have even had some, skeptically, tell me that they found it hard to believe that setting up a business overseas was common. Yet, it is. I’d say 95% of people I’ve met who needed to make a living while living overseas (who were not sent there by a US company or government on assignment) developed their own business. The rest found work with other people in some very unusual businesses. Here are some of the ways that I encountered that Americans made a living in Costa Rica during my three month stay in Costa Rica and Nicaragua in the Winter of 2008.A Massage Therapist who also worked part-time for a call center providing interpretation services for Spanish speaking patients at U.S. hospitals.A long term expat resident who opened up her own company making hand-painted dresses for sale at upper end boutiques in Costa Rica mostly in expensive resorts and hotels.Another long term expat who taught economics at the University of Costa Rica for twenty five years and then opened up her own shop selling high quality linens imported from the US and Europe,A three year, Costa Rica resident who made money selling real estate and cell phones to the expat communityA ten year resident of Costa Rica who set up a butterfly farm and B&B near Volcan ArenalA long term resident who put together specialized tours of Costa Rica covering everything from fishing to popular places to live in Costa Rica’s Central Valley.A sixteen-year old, bilingual son of a long-term expat who made extra money (about $6 an hour, very good for this type of work in Costa Rica) working at an on-line betting company.A thirty-year resident of Costa Rica who provided financial advice to the expat communityAn expat who provided high quality pies to Auto Mercado supermarkets. (Her passion fruit pie is probably the best pie I’ve ever tasted).Our language: English is the closest thing the world has ever had to a universal language. More than 2/3rd’s of the Earth’s websites and almost ? of the publications are in English. (For example, most students abroad who take a medical or scientific course of study have textbooks in English.) If you can teach, write, or speak English fluently, you can find work almost anywhere.Our nationality: We can make a good income providing skills and services to other modern-day nomad who live overseas. Modern-day nomad (particularly those who live in large colonies of fellow Americans) provide a range of services to the countrymen such as real estate, relocation, computer and medical services. They also set up businesses geared toward their fellow modern-day nomad and tourists including hotels and bed & breakfast inns, restaurants, English language publications and bookstores, and other related services.The ability to do our work anywhere in the world: Often Americans find that thanks to the advent of the internet and telecommunications, they can work at the same job they had at home from anywhere on Earth. For example, I once worked with a company which had a long-term employee who provided consulting services (she helped local governments plan homeless services) who lived in La Paz, Bolivia.While I don’t know how much she made, it seems to me that she had the best of all worlds. She could live in another country for 1/3-1/2 the cost of the United States, work fewer hours (since the cost of living is less), have the same lifestyle as at home, and make a US style wage. Let’s say hypothetically that she lived on $1500 a month (which would provide a good lifestyle in Bolivia, one of the cheapest places on Earth) and earned $50 an hour as a consultant. She could pay for all of her expenses by working one day a week (30 hours a month; $50/hr x 30 hrs. = $1500) and playing the other six days!Access to the United States: It used to be easy to make a living exporting goods from the United States to another country when many countries imposed high tariffs on exported goods. However, with globalization, the cost of goods from the US overseas often costs what you’d pay at home. This does not mean, however, that you can’t make money importing/exporting. If you are observant, you may find either high demand goods from the US that you can’t buy in another country or conversely something from overseas that would sell well in the US. Just be careful to investigate the market thoroughly. 20 years ago, many entrepreneurial travelers made a fortune selling jeans in Eastern Europe and Russia. Today, jeans in these lands cost about the same as they do in the US. Nonetheless, even 15 years after the fall of communism, you still occasionally read stories of American travelers stuck with pounds of jeans that they can’t sell in Russia!All you need to make a living overseas is creativity. You may not find it easy to take your current job and translate it onto foreign soil. You need to look at your skills, passions, and interests carefully to determine if they might result in a profitable undertaking on another shore or look into ways of maintaining your new career from overseas.That said, I’ve talked to many modern-day nomads who have created the perfect career for themselves on a foreign shore more easily than they could have if they stayed at home because: (1) they are more adventurous and open to new ideas abroad than in the US and (2) they are not as tied down (by bureaucracy, family commitments, fears, and the high cost of living) as at home.Supporting Your Wanderlust One of my favorite people is Barbara Winter (). ?Barbara runs a small company that helps people discover the joys of being an entrepreneur. She is also author of the book Making a Living without a Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work that You Love and a new book entitled Jumpstart Your Entrepreneurial Spirit.? I first met Barbara at a series of seminars she taught at the Learning Annex in San Francisco. The seminars were (are) called Making a Living without a Job, Establish Yourself as an Expert, and How to Support Your Wanderlust.Barbara exudes contagious enthusiasm in her zeal to get ordinary Americans to realize that they have the power to forge a life and a career that engages their passions rather than just earns them a living (to her the word job is a three-letter expletive). She is also a very generous person who has given her time and energy to help me set up my business. In January 2005, I interviewed her by telephone for this sidebar because I think she has a lot of creative ideas for financing your way around the world.Paul: How can you support your wanderlust? Barbara: In my book, Making a Living without a Job, I map out six ways to earn money without a job. I think three of these possibilities exist for people who want to travel. These are: personal services, information packaging, and marketing a product or service. Personal services are easy to transfer anywhere. They do not cost much to start. All you need to do is look at your current set of skills and passions and find a way to fill a need in the market. One of my favorite stories about someone who used personal services to create a new job overseas happened to a woman I met at one of my seminars. She started a computer business several years ago in the US specializing in a specific technology. In the US, she found that she had to work really hard to keep her business afloat. One day, eight or so years ago, she got an assignment for working in Britain. When she got there, she discovered there was less competition than in the US and, as a result, she has been able to string together several long-term assignments without working as hard as in the US. Sometimes a good personal service business just combines several of your skills and passions together in a creative way. I once had a man at a seminar in Atlanta tell me about his days as a yacht sitter. He loved to travel and sail. He realized that many yacht owners kept their boats vacant for most of the year. He started to establish trust with the owners and asked them if he could live aboard the yachts when they weren’t occupied. It was not hard for him to string together several yacht sitting experiences since they helped the yacht owners while they were away and provided him a free place to stay. Caretaking, by the way, is a great personal service. When I decided a few years ago to take a sabbatical from my business to travel I found several people who allowed me to take care of their homes while they were gone. I enjoyed spending time in other people’s homes, but found that I got territorial about my new home. I felt upset when the owners returned. I learned, though, that I did not need much money to survive. (Paul’s note: Caretaking is so popular that there is a newsletter called the Caretaker’s Gazette ()?that advertises positions around the globe (mainly in the US) and profiles interesting caretakers. As a whole, most of the positions listed required a lot of work—such as taking care of a hotel, farm, or business—however, sometimes they have “low maintenance” positions available.) Another good example of a creative business is from Ian Hewitt, author of book on Teaching English as a Foreign Language. He owned a health food company in Australia and found that he had to work so hard that it was endangering his health. On a lark, he went to Japan to teach English. Over time, he began to look at websites there and realized that they needed someone who could help them write in clear English. I also had a student who traded her English skills for free accommodations in Asia. Whenever she got to a new city, she went to a university and posted an announcement that she would trade English lessons for accommodations. She never had a hard time finding a position and met a lot of wonderful people. You don’t have to go through a formal program to teach. There are a lot of excellent resources for teachers available from state literacy programs throughout the US. In addition, there are lots of websites with detailed information about teaching in many countries complete with country specific lesson plans. I think that some trendy personal services in the US, like personal organizers, may do well in another land where they are just beginning to discover some of these new services. Paul: What about information packaging? Barbara: One of the best ways to package information is to give a tour. When I was in Rome, I heard about an American who was a classical scholar who earned $300 a day giving private historic tours of ancient Rome. I have a friend, Jan, who runs a business called Murder Most Cozy that gives small, specialized tours of the sites of famous cozy mystery stories in England. She changes the tour annually and ends up with many of the same guests year after year. She ran a newsletter with the same name until a couple of years ago. A cozy mystery, by the way, features an amateur sleuth who solves a crime. The crime does not have to be a murder. The main attraction to the stories is that the sleuths are usually eccentric. Paul: I’ve thought about doing tours, but, I am afraid it’ll be a lot of work. Barbara: When I started doing research for my How to Support Your Wanderlust seminar, I thought the same thing. However, Jan says it is like hosting a slumber party. She has a travel agent do most of the arrangements for the tour. She just prepares the tour itinerary and presentations. I once listened to a story on the Today Show about a man who specializes in taking photos of the sights of Washington DC. At first, I didn’t think much about it. However, I looked at his website and was surprised how many interesting ways you can capture well known sights. Seeing all those exposures surely helped him sell his photo tours. Paul: Now tell me about marketing services and products. Barbara: One of the most common ways to market services and products while traveling is importing and exporting. The US Department of Commerce gives extensive, inexpensive seminars detailing what you need to do to export products from the US overseas. It is harder to get useful information about importing goods from other countries to the US. Whenever you market a service or products you will be most successful if you find a specific niche. In one of my classes, a man decided he wanted to work as a translator of medical documents in France. It seemed like a great idea. He was a medical professional who spoke fluent French. I think if he just to wanted to be a translator, it would have been hard for him to find work. There are a lot of French people who speak English fluently. However, by adding the medical part to the equation, I thought he’d be successful since these combined skills are rare. Common Traditional Jobs AbroadWhile the best way to make money while traveling is often to be entrepreneurial, not everyone wants to pursue these types of options. It is often faster to get a job working for someone else (or in a specific well trod path) than to create a new business. In addition, some people just like working for others.Thankfully, there are several common jobs (most of which involve working for other people) that Americans do while abroad including English language jobs (such as travel writing), importing/exporting, and hospitality industry jobs. Here is a short discussion of some of these options:TeachingPeople in every corner of the globe want to learn English from a native speaker. Other travelers have made a career using English as a journalist (both as a freelancer for US papers and a staff journalist for an English language paper overseas) or as an advertising or website copy editor.Unfortunately many travelers have exploited these skills in ways that make it harder than it is used to be for Americans who seek work abroad. Far too many travelers sign up for a teaching or journalism job in another country and decide to hit the road before the conclusion of their term (most schools require you to sign up for a semester or academic year). As a result more and more schools require you to demonstrate that you have some specialized training in these topics (and thus are serious about the career) before they’ll hire you.In addition, occasionally Americans assume that they can teach (or write) English well; but can’t. If you intend to use your English skills take some classes in teaching and/or journalism beforehand. Or volunteer to help tutor immigrants in your community. Better yet, invest $2000-$3000 for a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate through a college extension program (in which case the classes will be part-time and take an academic year to complete) or a private teaching school (most of these classes take place over a very full one-month term). Look for classes leading up to a recognized certificate (like an RSA or C-TESL). In the US, St. Giles, New World Teachers, and several universities have these classes in large American cities. You can also take these classes (sometimes for less money) abroad.As an English teacher you will not make a lot of money in most countries. The typical wages provide, as Conrad Haynes, a TEFL instructor at Saint Gilles School in San Francisco notes, “enough to get by in most of the world. You’ll live an equivalent lifestyle to an entry level teacher in the USA.” (Some typical wages: Mexico $500-800 a month; China $800-1500 a month (often with accommodations); Japan $3000-4000 a month; South Korea $1500-2000.) While this is not the road to riches, it is one of the best ways to get an intimate insider’s view of life in another country. You’ll experience the joys of life in another country (including being invited into your students’ homes) and the tribulations (some directors are corrupt and the bureaucracy can be stifling). If you want more earning opportunities you can supplement your job with private tutoring assignments. (Often students will suggest clients or you can place ads on bulletin boards.) One of the best ways to distinguish yourself is to study pronunciation. English learners are frustrated by pronunciation and most teachers don’t really know how to teach pronunciation well. It may be worthwhile to take a class in English pronunciation designed for foreign learners and copy some of the techniques shown. I have also heard people recommend taking classes for radio or TV broadcasting since both skills require careful enunciation.How difficult is it to find a job? In many countries, you can just show up and find a job with a few weeks of asking around. A good place to start is a youth hostel. In some places, like Tokyo, there are enough teachers so that they have dormitories primarily set aside for prospective teachers. You should make sure you bring your diploma, resume, and teaching certificate from home. Keep in mind the academic calendar in the country where you’ll teach. You’ll find a job much easier if you start looking just before the start of the semester or academic year.Finding a job in Europe can be very difficult because you must distinguish yourself from the Brits and Irish. With the advent of the European Union, employers in Italy, Spain, or Greece can easily hire English teachers from the United States. These same employers must fill out oodles of forms justifying why they can’t find a good teacher from anywhere within the European Union. Some countries like China (which otherwise is one of the easiest places to find a job) may require you to have a job lined up before you get a visa to travel there. Even if you don’t need a job for visa reasons, you may want to try to line something up before you leave. (This is supposedly really difficult in some countries like Mexico where they value face-to-face contact.) Otherwise you should be prepared to bring enough money to sustain you during the job search. (Experts recommend planning for a two-month search.)You can find out a lot of information about finding a job, teaching conditions, and other issues for English as a Foreign Language teachers (including good and bad schools) on-line. One of the best sources for this information is Dave’s ESL café (). There are also several country-specific websites and newsletters for ESL instructors. The best regarded such site is which addresses ESL teachers in Japan. One of the benefits of getting a certificate is that the school will help you find a job in another country. In addition, some programs like the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program; (JET; ), Western Washington University China Teaching Program (), World Teach () and Colorado China Council () will provide services to help you find a job, enjoy your stay, and become a better teacher. Some of these programs are free, others require a fee. Check Transitions Abroad webzine (a webzine is an internet-based magazine; ) for a thorough list of these programs.Once you have started working, you may have issues getting a work visa. Teachers often avoid these issues by leaving the country before their tourist stamps expire (many countries give you up to a three month stay as a tourist without a visa) and returning to the country on another tourist stamp. Some countries will let you do this almost indefinitely. Others are stricter. To find out the specifics of finding and keeping a job in a country, talk to English teachers. One of the best ways to do research is to check out the various teachers’ websites for modern-day nomad in the country. I maintain a thorough list of these websites in the links section of my website: .Experienced teachers can find good jobs in the International School System (), a network of schools set up for modern-day nomad throughout the planet. They can also find good jobs working at universities in the Arabian Peninsula. These jobs usually pay an equivalent wage to that offered in an American public school. Some teachers love these jobs because they can live well on these wages in a less expensive country.Journalism A surprising number of famous reporters (including Walter Cronkite) became well known by working as freelance journalists while abroad. While it is difficult to get a job as a foreign correspondent, most large media firms (particularly now that American news is more insular and consolidated) rely on freelancers to report the news from other countries. If you happen upon a good story and maintain a reputation for accuracy, you may find yourself as many reporters who were in the Soviet Union during glasnost (1988-91) on a career path that saves you several years as a cub reporter. (Note: Most journalism majors get their first job in the US reporting local news, particularly city council meetings, for sometimes near poverty wages.) Some reporters have also found that they can parlay expertise in a particular business-related topic into a good career. I once met a fellow who made good money reporting on developments in the copper industry in Chile for a small, specialty newsletter for copper executives in the US.Travel WritingIn a recent survey, Americans reported that their second most common dream job (after being a celebrity) would be as a travel writer.Travel writing has a lot of benefits: a chance to see the planet, opportunities to stay in some of the finest hotels and eat at gourmet restaurants for free (though increasingly media outlets will not accept stories if you have accepted any type of freebies), plus a lot of personal freedom.However, it also has many downsides. Most travel writers do not make much money. It takes time and perseverance to get a story published. (Most budding writers could paper their walls with rejection slips.) Moreover, you have to maintain a thick skin. Editors sometimes destroy your work and no one likes to be rejected over and over again.That said many Americans make a living as travel writers. Here are some of the ways they succeed:Specialize in a topic or a destination. Pursue a passion or specialized skill while on the road and tell your readers about your adventures. If you love golf or gourmet food then perhaps you can develop these passions into a slant for your stories (i.e. maybe an article about great golf courses near gourmet restaurants). If you become an expert in a specific topic after a while editors will start to look for you to cover these niches for their magazine.Find a unique angle for a story. No one will accept a story on your trip to Paris since there are more articles written about the City of Lights than any other place on the globe. (For a couple of years, I collected magazine articles on different parts of the world. I ended up with almost 500 articles on Paris—more than my entire collection of clippings for Latin American and Asia combined.) However, maybe you can find something unusual about Paris (like a list of unusual accommodation options that cost $50 a day or less) that will capture an editor and a reader’s attention.If you can take good photos, you’ll double (maybe triple) your earning capacity. Photos will help you sell your articles, particularly to newspapers and they’ll help you get some more income as well. Nowadays, it is possible if you know how to compose a good photo to do so with simple photographic equipment. (One of David Luna’s best photos of the Washington monument was taken with a disposable camera.) Probably the single easiest tip for being a good photographer is to take advantage of natural light. In most of the planet the best times to take a photo are in the morning or early evening.Work on honing your writing skills. Nowadays the majority of newspaper and magazine editors want stories that “show, don’t tell.” They want to tell a story rather than simply report facts. The best way to develop a good story is to concentrate on using exciting, active verbs. Most beginning writers use too many useless (like beautiful and wonderful—what does that mean?) and clichéd adjectives and expressions. (Most travel editors bemoan the use of phrases like “the trade winds caressed the shore.”)Take classes and read books about marketing your articles. See my book picks in the below sidebar. Check listings for courses at local travel bookstores, community colleges, online, and at adult education centers. If possible, attend the four-day travel writing conference at the Book Passage () in August in Corte Madera, California (about 20 miles north of San Francisco).Nowadays more and more American travel writers are basing themselves in other countries. With the advent of instantaneous communication, they can live in a cheaper corner of the planet while they set up their career. Sometimes this also enables them to make a living as the resident travel expert on such and such a location. This can be a real plus if you find yourself in a place that becomes trendy (like Argentina today, which is being discovered as a sophisticated bargain destination). It also can help if you want to write a guidebook since increasingly the large travel publishers are searching for regional experts rather than generalists to research their guides.Importing/ExportingThe key to success in importing and exporting is to find the right product. To be successful, you need to find products that are hard to find, expensive, and in demand in the US and/or your destination.One of the best ways to find a good product is to start looking for things that are unusual in your destination and to bring them home to friends and relatives and visit local stores to gauge their reactions. After you get back to your overseas home, you may also want to go through the same process with goods you bought in the US.The process of shipping and buying large quantities of goods can be complicated. Do a lot of research before you take the plunge. Travelers often discover that importing/exporting makes a good source of additional income on a small scale, but it isn’t worth the hassle on a scale large enough to earn a living exclusively as an importer/exporter.If you are traveling overseas and anybody tries to sell you something with a promise that you can make good money exporting to the US, run the other way. This is one of oldest scams in the book.Check the price of similar goods in the US before you buy a lot of stuff to export to the US. Nowadays many exporters can buy large quantities of goods (particularly from Asia), export the goods, and still make the goods available for not much more than they’d cost you to buy at your destination. Being a successful importer/exporter also requires a lot of understanding of tariff regulations, shipping costs, and other regulations. You can get some idea of the issues involved by taking classes from the federal government on these topics. Hospitality Industry JobsMany travel addicts naturally assume that jobs in the travel industry are the perfect ticket to traveling the globe. Sometimes they are right; sometimes not.The travel industry is notoriously fickle. They frequently reduce staffs to cut costs. In today’s environment, they’ve become so cutthroat that the pay and benefits are not very good. You can still get free and low-cost accommodations if you work in the industry, but these benefits are eroding over time. Yet, as with anything, if you commit yourself to the industry, work hard, and are creative, you may come out ahead. (A good ability to handle details helps too.) Many of the sources of employment in the industry nowadays for Americans require a specialized skill. It is almost impossible, for example, for Americans to make a living off menial jobs on a cruise ship (such as waiters and maids). These jobs are almost entirely taken by Eastern European and EMERGING country citizens. However, you can earn a reasonable salary as a performer or a cruise director on a ship. You can also arrange free, or substantially reduced, passage in exchange for port lectures or serving as a guest host. (Guest hosts dance and talk with single, mostly elderly, guests. Most guest hosts are 50-year-old men (though there are some women) who are skilled dancers and graceful hosts. Most of these jobs are arranged through professional talent agents. You can also from time to time find good work with some of the subcontractors of a cruise ship in spas, fitness centers, etc. (Note: Most cruise ships rent space to a variety of companies who provide services to the cruise lines.)I think there is a lot of room for creativity in the travel business. There are many small niches looking for creative people. The travel industry is the single largest business on the planet, and it is also sadly one of the least creative. The business is far too geared toward families earning $100,000 or more (less than 10% of the US). The level of service provided on airlines and some hotels in the US is increasingly poor. The industry doesn’t recognize the nearly two million Americans who have taken advantage of alternative tourism offerings (such as learning vacations, volunteer vacations, home and hospitality exchanges, etc.). I am thus somewhat reluctant to endorse jobs in the field. However, I think it is worth exploring. I would encourage you to take classes, particularly through community college (the private schools are sometimes biased), on the travel industry. You’ll learn a lot about the industry and how it works. Even if you don’t decide to work in the industry, you’ll become a better consumer.The hospitality industry does provide a good way to make some extra money while on the road. You can work as a bartender, a ski instructor, or other such hospitality industry job for a short term in many parts of the developed world (US, Canada, Europe, Australia/New Zealand) as a source for extra money. A lot of these jobs don’t require a lot of skill (note: many overseas teaching and journalism jobs require a BA, hospitality jobs don’t), are easy to get, and while they don’t pay well, are a great way to meet people and help you get money to extend your trip round the world.Hospitality Industry JobsMany travel addicts naturally assume that jobs in the travel industry are the perfect ticket to traveling the globe. Sometimes they are right; sometimes not.The travel industry is notoriously fickle. They frequently reduce staffs to cut costs. In today’s environment, they’ve become so cutthroat that the pay and benefits are not very good. You can still get free and low-cost accommodations if you work in the industry, but these benefits are eroding over time. Yet, as with anything, if you commit yourself to the industry, work hard, and are creative, you may come out ahead. (A good ability to handle details helps too.) Many of the sources of employment in the industry nowadays for Americans require a specialized skill. It is almost impossible, for example, for Americans to make a living off menial jobs on a cruise ship (such as waiters and maids). These jobs are almost entirely taken by Eastern European and EMERGING country citizens. However, you can earn a reasonable salary as a performer or a cruise director on a ship. (For more information, check out the booklet: Cruise for Free by Daniel Hall, ).You can also arrange free, or substantially reduced, passage in exchange for port lectures or serving as a guest host. (Guest hosts dance and talk with single, mostly elderly, guests. Most guest hosts are 50-year-old men (though there are some women) who are skilled dancers and graceful hosts. Most of these jobs are arranged through professional talent agents. You can also from time to time find good work with some of the subcontractors of a cruise ship in spas, fitness centers, etc. (Note: Most cruise ships rent space to a variety of companies who provide services to the cruise lines.)One of the best ways to work in the hospitality industry may be to put together your own tours. Often established companies will allow you to go on a trip for free if you can get a group of people together to go on the tour. The minimum number of participants for a free trip varies considerably between 8 and 20 people. You can find a thorough list of existing tours by looking at the Specialty Travel Index. Gina Henry () offers excellent classes and materials about this option.The hospitality industry does provide a good way to make some extra money while on the road. You can work as a bartender, a ski instructor, or other such hospitality industry job for a short term in many parts of the developed world (U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand) as a source for extra money. A lot of these jobs don’t require a lot of skill (note: many overseas teaching and journalism jobs require a BA, hospitality jobs don’t), are easy to get, and while they don’t pay well, are a great way to meet people and help you get money to extend your trip round the world.SabbaticalsSabbaticals are extended absences arranged with your employer. Your employer guarantees that you’ll have a job after returning from sabbaticals and you agree to come back to work.Typically, American employers (outside of academic circles) are reluctant to arrange for a sabbatical; however, a surprising number of large employers have instituted policies to facilitate sabbaticals. Several employers see sabbaticals as a good employee benefit. (They usually don’t pay you during your time away, however.)If you think you’d like to have a sabbatical, here are a few things that you should take into account before broaching the idea to your employer:Make some arrangement for someone to take over your work while you’re gone. Offer to train someone else to do your job (if you can suggest a specific person). Your absence can be a great way for other employees to expand their job-related knowledge and skills.Make it easy for your employer to contact you while you’re away. Check in with your employer often throughout the trip. If possible, emphasize skills or relationships that you may be able to build while you’re away. Some sabbatical takers have found creative ways to help their company while they’re gone. I’ve heard of employees who help their employers develop vital contacts during their sabbaticals.Assure your boss that the sabbatical is not a response to your unhappiness at work. They need to feel comfortable that you’ll stick to your commitment to return at the end of your sabbatical.Emphasize the benefits you’ll get from the sabbatical. If you’ve been working really hard, you may want to mention that the sabbatical will help you be more rested and mentally alert when you return.Gap YearThe British recognize the power of travel better than Americans. It is common—and even often encouraged—for young people just out of college to take a “gap year” to travel between college and working full-time. Many British employers believe that a gap year gives their workers a better ability to deal with other cultures and helps build more resourceful employees. In Europe and Australia, many young people spend this year traveling around the world.While the U.S. is slow to adopt the gap year concept, it is gaining popularity. Until ten years ago, gap years were considered a bad career move. Now more employers are beginning to see the year as a benefit like the Brits. In addition, young people often find that the year helps them gain contacts that help them find a job when they return. (Job hunting involves networking. You meet many more people on the road than at home. Best of all, you’re more relaxed with others on the road. A lot of people report that they can really connect to potential employers and explore options while away.)MAKING MONEY ON THE ROADCOMBINE THIS WITH PREVIOUS SECTIONSIntroductionSeveral experts teach classes and write materials about traveling for free. While I have also taught a seminar with this name, I think the title is a bit misleading.Travel, as you’ve seen in this booklet, can be done for less than maintaining even a barebones existence in the U.S. You can’t travel for free, however, unless you work, barter, or volunteer your services. The work does not have to be hard or time consuming, but it needs to be work nonetheless. Even when people finance their trips by renting or selling their homes or liquidating assets, they are, to my mind, doing some work.You can make good money overseas IF you decide to stay in one place for a while and set up roots by: 1) serving as a consultant in your current field for U.S. based customers by telecommuting; 2) working in a well-paying seasonal job in the U.S. (the most common jobs are in the hospitality or construction industry), save up your money during the season, and live in a cheaper part of the world during the off-season; or 3) setting up your own business abroad or becoming a freelance realtor. However, most of these options are only feasible for people who will live in one place overseas for a while or have a job in the U.S. that allows substantial flexibility or freedom. And, even when these options are portable, not everyone has the skills or desire to follow one of these paths. Fortunately, there are a lot of other ways to help extend your trip. Some ideas for working overseas such as teaching English, setting up a business, writing travel articles, working as a journalist, and working in the hospitality industry are explored later in this chapter.Some Unusual Short-Term Ideas to Extend Your Travels Not everyone needs to find a serious, full-time, career type job to fund their travels. Many travelers just need ways to make some money to help keep them going. Still other travelers want to work, volunteer, or barter to meet new people, explore new job options, or even to just keep busy.To me one of the great potential benefits of a life on the road is that you get to explore lots of different ways to create a life. Here are a few short-term ways to barter, work, and volunteer your way round the world that seem interesting to me and my students:U.S.A. Based IdeasSome nomads have made a good living through providing copywriting services to companies, governmental agencies, and nonprofit firms. These services help these companies with fundraising and brochures. A complete course on copywriting is available from Michael Masterson ().If you are in the U.S. and need to make money for a short term, check out (it doesn’t really matter if you are an RVer) Support Your RV Lifestyle: An Insider’s Guide to Working on the Road for some great earning ideas. Among some of the jobs detailed are Christmas tree lot attendants, Santa Claus jobs, and seasonal positions at national parks.A lot of Americans make money as mystery shoppers. Mystery shoppers visit stores, act as if they want to buy something, and report their observations to a specialized shopping firm. Experienced mystery shoppers sometimes receive free flights, accommodations, and other travel benefits. Searching , I was surprised to find almost 20 books on the topic. Both Gina Henry and Jim Poynter give excellent classes on the topic at adult education centers throughout the U.S.A.Travelers occasionally pay for their wanderlust by participating in medical trials. Sometimes you can earn a couple hundred dollars a day as part of an experiment. If you’re interested, contact a large research medical university.One of the best sources for information about short-term unusual jobs (coupled with interesting cost-saving ideas) is Time Off: the Upside of Downsizing by Dean LeTorneaux. Among some of the odd jobs covered in the book on San Francisco are balloon maker, sperm donor, dog walker, cigarette and candy girl, and blood donor.Check out The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures by Michael Landis for an excellent compendium of places you can find short-term work in the hospitality industry. While most of these jobs do not pay that well, they often include room and board so you are able to save up money for your future trips. I have met many young men at hostels who work for three to six months a year at these type of jobs and spend the rest of the year traveling cheaply around the U.S.A.A Few Ideas that Will Work Only Outside of the U.S.Trade one or two hours of English lessons a day for room and board in someone else’s house. Write up an ad for the trade and post it at places where people congregate. I have heard that some people have really good luck with posting these ads in English departments at local schools.Look for websites with really poor English translations. Contact the website owner and ask if you can help him rewrite his website in exchange for a small sum.Ideas that Will Work in Both the U.S. and AbroadI have heard anecdotes about people who travel all expenses paid as companions for wealthy older widows. I would encourage you to look through want ads (particularly for single and senior oriented travel clubs) if you are interested in this type of travel arrangement. Let me know if you have ever done this. I’d love to know more.Exchange caretaking services for room and board (or get paid for taking care of someone’s home or business). If you are just looking for an easy caretaking assignment in exchange for a place to stay (with tasks like taking care of a dog and watering the plants) check out or ask around the place you want to live for caretaking opportunities. (Also look at and post ads offering your services.) If you are willing to do some more involved work (like running a bed and breakfast or managing a farm) in exchange for a salary and a place to stay check out the extensive list of caretaking opportunities at HYPERLINK "" .Barter your skills for room and board. I once met a person who was able to get free room and board for an entire year by providing one-hour long massages with dozens of people she met around the world I have also heard of people who traveled around the world by helping yachters on their trips or offering to yacht-sit while the owners are out of town. I assume you could use this strategy for many other skills as well. You can work on a farm in exchange for room and board through WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) and kibbutz programs. Working on a WWOOF (a.k.a as “woofing”) farm, usually involves spending a couple of hours a day working on an organic farm in exchange for room and board (). Kibbutzes are communal farms in Israel. These kibbutz allow volunteers to work with them and participate in their community in exchange for several hours a day of work. Some kibbutz also offer summer programs that combine volunteering and classes in Jewish studies. These programs cost around $2000 for 6 weeks. The Kibbutz Program Center () helps to arrange these volunteer experiences for $200-$300.The Daily Joys of Living AbroadIn almost every interview I’ve conducted with expats, the things they like best about living abroad are reflected in the small, daily rhythms of their new lives abroad. Most people don’t wax poetic about the quality, pace, or cost of life abroad, instead they talk about the people and places that together weave their daily existence. Here are some of the many examples of the daily experiences that some of the interviewees treasure most:One interviewee in Lake Chapala reported that his biggest joy was listening to the church bells calling people to prayer daily and watching uniformed kids and their parents happily going to and from school every day.In Costa Rica several people recounted that their greatest joy was the friendliness and helpfulness of locals they interacted with on a daily basis. Most of these expats even returned time after time to the same banks, restaurants, and taxi drivers simply because these people become friends.Expats report that one of the most common benefits of living abroad is the level of close friendships that they make with other expats in their community. Many people feel that the closest friendships that they have ever made are with other Americans in their newfound homes. Some people find these friendships through various social and charitable organizations. Others simply find friendships by hanging out in bars and restaurants frequented by expats. I have also met many expats, mostly men, who love living in EMERGING beach communities where they can engage in their favorite water sports during the day and drink the night away with fellow expats. My favorite parts of living abroad--particularly in Latin America – are a variety of small things including: long, friendly discussions with locals about their lives in Spanish; and walking through markets and looking at the herbs, medicines, and fruits. Somehow, even though, living abroad can be frustrating, these small things—when accompanied by a flexible and patient nature-- outweigh the inconveniences for most people Some Thoughts to Keep in Mind Now that you’ve settled abroad, you need to become comfortable and well adjusted. Apart from adjusting to another way of doing things and dealing with culture shock (see Chapter 2), many of the steps necessary for successful transferring to another country (making friends, learning your way around, finding places to shop, seeking out entertainment and recreational opportunities) are fairly similar to moving within the United States. There are, however, some important differences between the US and abroad to keep in mind, including:To some degree, you’ll be moving to a small town even if you live in a big city abroad. Generally, even though you may try hard to avoid it, to some degree you will become part of whatever expatriate community (note: this may not be limited just to Americans) that exists in your new town. Even in a city as large as Tokyo or Mexico City, you’ll find yourself becoming part of this expat community. Connecting to these expats is not necessarily bad; particularly through activities like volunteering, it can be a wonderful way to adjust to your new life abroad.I remember in college (at a small school in Minnesota called Macalester College, which had one of the largest communities of foreign students, percentage wise, of any school in the US) being critical of the fact that foreign students hung out together. However, when I was a foreign student at the American University of Cairo, I found myself hanging out with other foreigners (many of which were from other African countries). Why? For one thing, most of the Egyptians lived at home, while the foreign students lived in dormitories. For another thing, I had something in common with the foreign students. We were all trying to adjust to a different way of life and thus even though we came from vastly different backgrounds had something to talk about.It is not unusual for this small community of modern-day nomad to quickly resemble a small town in the United States. They get into each other’s business and can be very political in the affairs of their expatriate community. (Usually they can’t get very involved in the politics of the town because they are not citizens, are not part of the communities’ political elite, and don’t speak the language fluently.) Many Americans who choose smaller communities overseas (particularly ones where only a few foreigners live), also find themselves embroiled in the local affairs as well. On the positive side, they get to know their local neighbors and find themselves invited into the locals’ lives for graduations, etc. On the negative side, they not only find themselves under the microscope for violations of American morays but also under the scrutiny of locals for not conforming to their behavioral norms. This can become particularly complicated when American and foreign standards conflict. You (and your family) will have more opportunities for growth (and problems) by living abroad than you would get if you moved within the US. Many families and couples (if they are relatively functional in the US) find that living abroad brings them closer together. Successfully adjusting to another country can be a powerful force for family unity. Living abroad also separates you from familiar routine and the powerful distraction of our consumer driven society (like TV). This separation often helps you to find more time to spend with your loved ones. Families with kids often remark that living abroad has given their kids valuable skills and perspectives that they could never get at home. Often modern-day nomads find little traditions in their host countries that continue to celebrate when they return home. In addition, people find that their stint abroad gives them a wonderful opportunity to reexamine their priorities, a boost to their self-esteem, and even serves as an excellent career move. You meet more people when you live abroad and sometimes you find an excellent business partner or boss that you’d never have found at home.If you have marital or family strife, however, living abroad often has the opposite effect. Since you are free of the distraction of life in the United States (which unhappy people often use to help escape from a bad relationship), you are forced to deal with your issues in some way. Unfortunately, the result is often divorce, separation, alcoholism, and other destructive behaviors. Be very careful about making life changing decisions especially during the first year of your stay abroad when almost everyone suffers some form of culture shock. Make sure that your partner (or kids or job) is the problem, not your new environment.All of these comments aside, I think it is important to realize that some Americans even experience culture shock just moving between regions of the United States. I have even heard of people who adjusted easily to life abroad who found that moving from the Northeast to the Southeast was hard!Globalization and Living AbroadOver the past twenty years the world has become more and more like the United States. Every day we read articles about the newest Wal-Mart in China or the opening of a new McDonald’s in some far-flung corner of the world like Georgia (the Caucasian Republic). Hollywood movies (and Bollywood movies, made in Bombay) are shown in the smallest towns in Afghanistan. Globalization is both a blessing and a curse for the expat. In many of my seminars, when I point out that there are now over 700 Wal-Marts in Mexico (it is, by far, the largest retail chain in the country), the universal response (and I must admit my initial response to this was the same as my students) is exasperation. Almost all of the students seem saddened to hear that they can’t escape from the highly commercial American spirit anywhere. They yearn for a corner of the world that seems exotic and fresh.While this exasperation is understandable, I have come to see globalization as more of a blessing than a curse for expats. Here’s why:American stores provide a good place to find familiar goods at competitive prices (the Wal-Marts in Mexico offer as much variety as they do in the States) and you feel like you’ve returned back to the US when the trials of living in another culture strike. In addition, they make it easy to find products from the US and Asia, particularly electronic goods, in places (like Mexico) where previously these goods were very expensive if they could be found at all. Globalization has created a strong demand overseas for high quality goods and services. As more and more people visit and live in the US or Europe (or, as in the case of Mexico and Central America, have lived in the US), they’ll demand local services and products that are competitive with what that they find abroad. Global companies will continue to expand their markets to serve this need. (Note: The percentage of people who are able to afford a Western lifestyle ranges from 20-25% of the population in a poor country to 80-90% of the populace in Western Europe. This is a huge market even in a poor country. Consider, for example, 20-25% of Mexico’s population (the total population is around 110 million people) is 22-28 million people, a market roughly equivalent to the state of Texas.)The general level of knowledge and skills overseas is expanding rapidly, particularly in the EMERGING and former communist nations. The quality of complex goods and services, such as medical care and high-tech industries will be more and more competitive overseas. More and more EMERGING professionals are educated in places like the US and Western Europe and they often elect to return to their native countries. In addition, there will be a day when some of the finest schools will be in EMERGING countries. I expect that someday Americans may go to schools like the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi as much as Indians elect to go to schools here. In the near future Americans will be taking advantage of this increased level of skill in new, and previously unimaginable ways. I predict, for example, that insurance companies will request that many surgeries and other medical procedures be done overseas both as a cost saving measure and because the quality of these services will be comparable to (if not better than) what Americans will be able to find at their local medical facilities.It is easy to find in other countries many of the goods and services that make our life convenient in the US, including: high speed internet access; well qualified doctors (many of whom are educated in the US or Europe); good quality, inexpensive phone services (many expats have access to free worldwide calls through the internet via a technology called Voice over Internet Protocol, VoIP); and restaurants serving ethnic foods from the far corners of the planet. As globalization takes hold, I think in the next couple of decades, Americans will discover that living overseas is actually easier than living in the US. Expats will be able to enjoy many of the advantages of life overseas: the lack of “customer service hell,” convenient public transportation systems (it is amazingly easy to find a taxi, for example, even in small towns in much of the world), easy access to the internet through ubiquitous internet cafes, and shopping at local stores (many people worldwide do not have to get in their car to buy a loaf of bread). All the while, they will concurrently be able to find familiar US style goods and services at competitive prices.Daily Life OverseasEven though the world is getting smaller, living in the US is, at least for now, more convenient in many ways than in most countries in the world. Here are some of the conveniences you may miss abroad:You are much less likely to find large, box stores (like Wal-Mart) in smaller towns abroad than in the US. In most small towns, even ones that are popular with expats (like those around Lake Chapala, Mexico), you’ll have to buy your bread in one store, wine in another, meat in another, and vegetables and fruit in yet another. This takes more time and effort. Many expats grow to enjoy shopping like this. They get to know the merchants and find the quality of the products offered superior (though sometimes more erratic) than those found in the US (or at big box stores in their new hometowns).A Look at the Shopping Opportunities Available in Larger Cities WorldwideI am always amazed at the worldwide reach of many multinational firms. You can find familiar companies and services smattered throughout the large cities of almost every country on Earth. In fact, some places have so many international recognized firms that it is almost difficult to distinguish certain suburban communities overseas from those in the US.Take, for example, Escazù, a recently developed expat and business haven (fifteen years ago, Escazù was just a small village clustered around a typical plaza) about five miles from San Josè, Costa Rica. Today it is a sprawling, suburb with an astonishing range of multinational recognized businesses. I spent a month in Escazù, in the winter of 2008, and noted all of the following firms: Outback Steakhouse, Tony Roma’s, TGIF, Denny’s, Hooters, and other similar US restaurant chains;Office Depot;CIMA, a private hospital (said to be like a luxury hotel) affiliated with Baylor University in TexasEPA (a local, Home-Depot like hardware chain); PriceSmart (a large, membership warehouse store, which even features a little café with the same polish sausage dogs and chicken wraps that we eat at Costco in the US);DryClean USA; Payless Shoe SourceA wide range of international banks including HSBC and Scotia bank. (In addition, many banks with local names are owned by big international banks. For example, Banco Cuscutlan, an expat favorite, is owned by Citibank).AutoMercado, a chain of high end supermarkets featuring almost every product you’d find at a large market in the US, and SuperSony (which sells a large range of Ethnic and vegetarian foods); A couple of multiplex, Cinemark Movie Theaters (showing several American movies with English subtitles);Dozens of fast food outlets including McDonalds, KFC, Quiznos, Burger King, Subway, and Pops (a chain of ice cream parlors); Ethnic restaurants representing Italian, Peruvian, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Asian vegetarian, French, Argentinean, and Thai cuisines. Regional and national headquarters for major US and European based financial and administrative firms such as Price/WaterhouseCentury 21 and Re-Max Realtors.A huge World GymSeveral large chain hotels including Quality Inn, Day’s Inn; and Best WesternA wide range of imported furniture and gardening stores; spa and beauty shops; and upper end auto dealers (in fact, I saw a Ferrari in the window of one dealership). Escazù is typical of similar communities clustered in large metro areas throughout Latin America and Asia. (Many areas have even more international firms because San Josè, Costa Rica is relatively small- 1.5 million people- compared to places like Mexico City with nearly 18 million people). If you can’t find something you want in a place like Escazù, wait awhile. It will probably come soon. Asia and Latin America has witnessed an amazing proliferation of these firms. Both of these parts of the world are poised to have every chain you’ll find in the US in the future. (Keep in mind, that many of the locals in communities like Escazù have lived or traveled in the US and, thus, are familiar with our chain stores). In addition, many of these chains are found in smaller, regional cities as well. For example, in Colima, a community of approximately 200,000 in Mexico, I found two Wal-Marts, one Centro Commercial Mexicana (similar to Costco), and a Home Depot. Generally, businesses keep more irregular hours than in the States. Many stores close in the afternoon for a two to a three-hour break. Often stores do not keep the hours posted on their entrance very religiously. Many places in the world virtually close down on weekends or holidays. I once arrived in Jerusalem at 5 on a Friday at the beginning of Sabbath. Everything in the Jewish section of town was closed. I felt as if I could hear a pin drop. I even had to walk three miles to the Arab section of town to find a place to stay, since no buses or trains were running in the Jewish section.You will need to spend more time dealing with bureaucracies and paperwork abroad. As a citizen in the US, you don’t have to think about complying with visas and residency requirements. Many countries, particularly in Europe, will require you to get licenses and pay taxes (most of these are the same for locals as well) for a myriad of services, like trash service and televisions. Setting up electrical and phone connections will take more time. Even setting up a bank account, particularly for foreigners, can be a challenge. In Chapter 6: “The Logistics of Living Abroad”, you’ll find out even more of the differences that you’ll encounter Meeting PeopleOne of the most commonly expressed blessings of living an expat life is the ease in which people form lasting friendships. Most expats find it hard to feel lonely in their new community. In fact, rather than complaining about lack of opportunities to meet people, I have heard many people complain that they have such a hard time learning to say ‘no’ to invitations, that they wish they could just be alone once in a while.However, sometimes it takes time to find expats in a community. Here are some of ways to find and develop friendships in expat communities:Almost every place I’ve ever been with more than 100 expats has a couple of circuits of expat restaurants and bars that people frequent almost daily. Usually there are two basic circuits: one is for men who seek out drinking partners (and sometimes local female companionship) and another is for couples and single women who congregate in places where the food is good and ambience comfortable. Hanging out in these circuits can be a good way to get useful information about living in a community. Many expat centers have a local center for expats. In Oaxaca, Mexico, it is the American Library in Lake Chapala, Mexico it is the Lake Chapala Society. In Oaxaca the American Library sponsors a couple of expat social clubs; whereas the Lake Chapala Society sponsors about one-hundred such clubs.In my experience, probably the single best way to connect to other expats is through volunteering with an American-run charitable organization. These organizations provide great social opportunities, along with an opportunity to interact with the local people. Every expat community I’ve seen – even very small ones like Granada, Nicaragua-- have great charitable organizations. Read guidebooks and newspaper: Almost any good tourist guidebook (i.e. Lonely Planet, Moon Handbook, and Let’s Go) will mention expat-friendly restaurants and nightlife options. In addition, if there is a local English language paper, they will list social clubs and activities throughout the community. Once you go to a couple of these social clubs and expat hangouts, you’ll quickly find people there will refer you to the other expat organizations and will be more likely to invite you to their homes than they would be in the States.If your city has an Irish bar, chances are it will attract many expats. I have found such bars to be excellent places to meet expats in some of the most unexpected corners of the world including Tallinn, Estonia.Most schools that specialize in learning vacations are dedicated to teaching languages, particularly Spanish. Nearly all language schools have classes for students at all levels, from beginners to advanced students. Students attend these language classes for a variety of purposes. Some take them for self-improvement; others for professional purposes. Most schools have classes available (in many languages) specifically for businesspeople. A few schools in Latin America have classes in Spanish for North Americans health care professionals. Several schools combine language and cultural studies.Students come from a wide range of backgrounds. Typically, you’ll find about half to two-thirds of the students are young Europeans and Australians. The rest come from all over including several young Japanese and many young and middle aged North Americans (a few year ago some unemployed, American refugees entered these schools because they could gain a skill while riding time while waiting for the job market to improve at home).You'll find language schools all over the planet. In Latin America, for example, you can find schools in major cities, university towns, and even sleepy seaside resorts. Schools vary in size and atmosphere. A few, like the Alliance Fran?aise in Paris () have hundreds of students and offer a wide array of courses. Others cater to a couple dozen students at a time. (In Latin America most schools are small.) Some schools offer classes for kids as well. Learning Another LanguageOne of the best ways to travel-like-a-local is to learn a little bit of the local language before you leave for your vacation.You’ll enjoy yourself a lot more if you can talk to locals. Plus, you’ll show people that you have interest in their lives.Most of the time travelers assume that learning the language is difficult; however, while it does take work, learning a foreign language can be fun. Here are my suggestions for making it fun:Look at learning as if it is a game. For example, rather than being exasperated by learning the Russian alphabet, I looked at it as if it were an anagram. Some letters were the same as English; others looked like the letters but had a different sound in Russia (for example, our letter “p” = our letter “r” in Russian) and still others looked like familiar English letters written backwards (for example a backward English letter N in Russian acts like our double e like in see). Only six letters have no resemblance to English. By treating the Russian alphabet like an anagram, I could look at a basic list of Russian cognates (words that are similar to English) and read them quickly. If you are trying to learn a Romance language (like Spanish, French, or Italian) brush up on your English vocabulary. Many obscure “college level” English words are similar to common words in Romance languages. For example, the word for kind in Spanish is amable, which is similar to the English word amiable (which also means kind). Try to find ways to associate new words with something in English. For example, I immediately learned the Russian word for work: rabotat. I pictured robots tatting away on a machine. To my surprise, I later learned that the English word robot comes from the Czech word (which is closely related to Russian) for worker. For hints on how to develop associations, read How to Learn Any Foreign Language by Barry Faber.Don’t emphasize learning grammar at first unless you have a special skill or passion for grammar. Schools emphasize grammar too quickly. You’re best to start trying to learn vocabulary and pronunciation. As a whole, grammar is frustrating and vocabulary is fun.When you’ve learned some vocabulary, phrases, and begun to get a feel for the pronunciation, move on to grammar. The best way to learn grammar is through a good exercise book with an answer key at the back. You’ll be surprised how much you can communicate without good grammar if you have a decent vocabulary and pronunciation. When I went to Guadalajara to study Spanish after two years of High School Spanish (and a summer as an exchange student in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico), I met an older Spanish teacher from Ohio. A couple times we visited places around Guadalajara together. She would try to speak to locals and draw a strange stare. I’d talk and the natives always seemed to understand. I could tell that she spoke more proper Spanish than me; but, I had better pronunciation and knew more everyday Spanish expressions than she did!Try several different ways to learn the language including:A couple of conversational courses. I recommend Pimsleur (I like their emphasis at the beginning level on building languages a step at a time; however, after the beginning level, I grow tired of their approach and want more grammatical explanations and yearn for a written text. In addition, their advanced level courses are expensive, $200) and Living Language (livinglanguage). (They do a good job of teaching grammar and useful everyday conversations.) A vocabulary building exercise book. I like the 10 minutes a day (Bilingual Books) () series. Their selection of vocabulary is useful and their methodology is easy to do on your own. When you reach a more advanced level, you may want to invest in the VocabuLearn products. For some reason, they select an odd assortment of terms which befuddles beginners but is helpful for more advanced level students.A phrase book. The best phrase books to European languages are from Rick Steve’s (). His phrases are more conversational and natural than Berlitz. For non-European languages, I’d recommend Lonely Planet () phrasebooks. They are not quite as conversational as Rick Steve’s, but they are an improvement over Berlitz.A local newspaper or magazine from a country that speaks the language you’re learning. Keep a dictionary close and select articles that seem to be written for ordinary people (I think local travel stories are great!). Be patient—it takes a while to read. (Plan on spending at least 30 minutes per article for a Western language.) If you read a few articles, the subsequent ones will be easier to read as you become accustomed to the publication’s tone and vocabulary. I would not recommend learning a difficult language, like Russian, this way. As a whole, you can’t get the gist of difficult languages easily through translation. The languages are simply too arcane. It took me almost four hours to read one article in Russian even after I’d studied the language for several months. Some Tips for More Advanced Language LearningKeep in mind that it takes about 200 hours of intensive language instruction or study to get to the point that you will be able to converse in most situations. And, sadly, that is not the end of work by a long shot. True fluency takes years. However, fluency is possible. Don’t give up! Here are a few tips for getting more fluent once you can converse fairly well:Try to get hooked to a local soap opera.? Ask locals about the storyline and then try to watch the serial every day.? You’ll learn a lot of new vocabulary and find out a lot about the culture at the same time.Watch your favorite shows from the US in English?with subtitles. (Most satellite dishes carry some English language stations.)??US shows (like ER) tend to use words that you would not come in contact with in daily life over and over again.? After a while, you’ll start to take notice of these words. While watching these shows in Mexico, I learned a lot of words in Spanish concerning the justice system (from shows like NCIS and CSI) and parts of the body (ER and other medical shows). If you can, try to take a language class in a country that speaks your target language. If it is at all possible, you’ll learn faster either by yourself or with just one other person in the class. (Most classes have 3-5 students in Latin America, Asia, or Eastern Europe and 15-20 students in Western Europe.)? Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to help you fill any gaps in your learning.? I asked one of my Spanish teachers in Mexico to teach me more slang and idiomatic expressions.? I learned many interesting things about Spanish and increased my fluency markedly.I also have found that, as I get more advanced in the language, I get frustrated when people attempt to speak to me in English, particularly when I speak their language better than they speak English. I must admit my first reaction to someone speaking English to me is to be insulted. However, over time, I have come to realize that some people just want to practice their English. In that case, I will usually allow them to speak to me in English and respond to them in their language. That way, we both get to practice the language and if I don’t understand what they are saying to me in English, I can ask them questions in the language to make sure that I understand what they were trying to say to me in English.A Note for those who Feel Perplexed by Learning Foreign Languages:A lot of people maintain that they can’t learn another language. I have found that most of these people can learn with individual, local tutors. However, some people will not engage these services because they don’t have the patience or confidence to learn a language or they had a really hard time learning a language in the pastI would recommend that if you are one of these people that you learn some communication shortcuts. One that I have seen used well is to mix the words you know in the language along with using English for words that you don’t know in the language. The result will sound funny, but most people (particularly if they have a little English under their belt) will understand you. Another shortcut I’ve seen used successfully is to forget about grammar all together when you talk. You can do this by forgetting about conjugating verbs and ignoring the gender of nouns in your new language. For example, if you wanted to speak Spanish, most people would understand the following sentence: Ayer (yesterday) yo (I) ir (to go) a tienda (to store), instead of the more correct: Ayer fui a la tienda (Yesterday I went to the store). If you construct sentences in this form, all you have to do is learn vocabulary, which is much easier than learning grammar for most people.While I feel strange talking to people in this manner, it never fails to amaze how much locals seem to appreciate the effort. Sometimes, I think the locals think that people who speak this “baby talk” type language are cute and endearing. In addition, modern-day nomad (foreigners who live in another country) often find that locals also will generally be less afraid to try to use English with you when they see you struggling with their language. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Language ProgramsHow Long Should You Study at a Language School?Generally you can enroll in most schools for as little as a week and you can stay for as long as you want (particularly at private language schools). The only limitation is that you normally have to enroll on a Monday. Programs are offered year round.A few programs, usually associated with colleges and universities, have set programs that begin on specific dates.While it is impossible to tell you how long you should enroll in a program, here are a couple of benchmarks of typical success levels achieved by students enrolled in these schools (Note: This assumes that you are starting from the beginning and have fairly average language learning skills):LanguageBasic, Survival Basic ConversationCompetenceEasy (Romance and Germanic Languages) 3 weeks6 weeks12 weeksMiddle (Slavic Languages)5 weeks10 weeks20 weeksDifficult (Arabic, all Asian languages, Indigenous American languages, Turkish, Finnish, and Hungarian)8 weeks14 weeks30 weeksBasic, Survival skills: You are able to tell time, ask and understand directions and numbers, colors, and some basic adjectives. You can also say some simple sentences like I like, I want, I need. etc. You will be able to understand the response to questions that you ask about these topics, as well.Basic Conversation: You will sometimes be able to carry on intelligent conversations; but at other times you’ll have difficulty communicating simple ideas. You will probably be able to use around 1000-2000 words easily and make basic sentences with many grammatical errors. You will need to use a dictionary for any complicated petence: You will almost always be able to talk easily to other people. They will usually understand everything you say. You will be able to read a news article fairly quickly though you will probably have to occasionally look a couple of words up in the dictionary. You will also be able to understand the gist of most TV programs, though you may miss some details.How much will the schools cost?CountryClassCost# of pupils Homestay costHomestay TermsCheap Latin American countries; China and Thailand (instruction only)$3-8/hr1$8-12/day2-3 meals a day; you are the only student in the home. (Homestays are often not available in Asia)Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Russia$7-10/hr3-5$20-30/day2-3 meals a day; you are the only student in the homeEurope$9-15/hr5-20$40-60/dayBasic breakfast; you will not be the only student in the home (usually you will have your own room, though). Many schools will also not have homestay options available in Europe.Choosing a Good Quality Language SchoolHere are some questions you should think about when you are choosing a language school:How does the school determine what level to place you? Is it by exam or catch as catch can? Typically, schools have several different levels of classes (beginning, beginning intermediate, intermediate, intermediate advanced, and advanced) going on simultaneously. In some smaller schools, if a teacher is on vacation, a whole level may be cancelled. Therefore, you may need to be persistent about being placed in a classroom that is appropriate for your level. Otherwise, you may be placed in a classroom simply because there is space.Do I want to take a class in a city with a lot of schools geared toward other language vacation travelers? If you’re going to take a class somewhere like Cuernavaca or Antigua you will have a lot of language students in one place which can make it hard to learn the local language. On the other hand, if you want to get to know other students it can be a benefit. If you decide to take classes in these locations, you may want to make it a point to set aside a couple hours a day from the beginning to use the native language (even if it is only with other language students) outside of the classroom.Do I want to live with a family who speaks English? As a whole, you’ll enjoy talking to your family more in English. However, you won’t learn the language as fast. In addition, you’ll probably find that families will warm up to you faster if you speak their language. Language School Placement AgenciesSeveral agencies will help you find the right school for your interests. These agencies have worked hard to develop a relationship with different reputable schools around the globe. Usually these agencies know a lot about the schools including student body characteristics (age, learning skills, etc.), school programs (after school activities, etc.) and instructional methodologies. In addition to placement assistance, language vacation agencies also help clients handle business details (like payments) and provide any additional services, such as health insurance, that may be needed. Some even help clients arrange for volunteer and internship placements as well.Finding a Language Placement Agency:There are several agencies available to help you. This list is by no means comprehensive. Some of the larger placement agencies include: Amerispan (), Language link ( HYPERLINK "" ), and Spanish Abroad ().Here are some questions to ask the agencies:How do you ensure that your clients are satisfied with the results of their training? Do you ask clients for an evaluation of the school? How do you check the schools? Do you check to make sure that instructors are trained properly? Do you visit the schools?Can I get references from other students? If so, follow up to ask if they were satisfied with the experience.You can also find schools through major guidebook series like Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and Let’s Go and by “googling” language schools in your destination.While you can make arrangements with schools directly, placement agencies offer several advantages including:Familiarity with the schools. The agencies only select schools that meet their standards for quality of instruction, financial stability, etc. Agencies occasionally visit the schools to check on their quality. They also have the benefit of consistent feedback about the school’s quality from their clientele to help them ensure that they are representing schools that meet their standards.The ability to find the right school for you. They should be able to find schools where you’ll be matched with students with similar needs, skills, preferences, and even ages based on the agency's knowledge and reports from previous students.An easy way to pay for the schooling. Many language schools don't accept credit cards or personal checks from abroad. These agencies, on the other hand, do accept these payments from you directly, saving you transfer or bank draft fees.Special arrangements that the agencies have with the school that can be to your advantage. Some agencies have been able to arrange reduced costs for students with the schools to attract new students. Other agencies are able to work out arrangements to secure their prime homestay assignments for their clientsInterview with Liz Petter, Director of Solexico Language SchoolsIn November 2005, I spent three weeks studying Spanish at Solexico Language School () in Oaxaca, Mexico; I talked to the school’s director, Liz Petter about her experiences establishing the language school, her life in Mexico, and her philosophy behind the school.I picked her to interview because I thought it would be interesting to capture the impressions and ideas of an American who was fully integrated into Mexican society. I also hoped to gain some insight into how the school teaches Spanish.Liz, perhaps more than any other gringo (Note: gringo is, contrary to most American’s belief, not an insult. It is merely a word used to describe foreigners. In my experience, Mexicans are quite tolerant of foreigners except politically) I’ve ever met, speaks Spanish fluently. She is also fully integrated into the society by her marriage to a Mexican, the school co-founder and director, Oscar. She has also raised a child in Mexico for the last several years.Here is a rough transcript of our conversation:Paul: Tell me a bit about the time you’ve spent in Mexico.Liz: I have been here for more than eight years. I came here first as a student in Cuernavaca. While I was a student, I met Oscar and we decided to work together to establish a language school in Playa del Carmen, near Cancun. Oscar was an instructor and administrator of a school in Cuernavaca. We worked for four years in Playa del Carmen and then decided to establish a second school here in Oaxaca. We have been here for four years.We are currently working on establishing another school in Puerto Vallarta (Paul’s note: the school is up and running now) and hope someday to have established enough schools so that our students can travel around Mexico and take classes at Solexico throughout their stay. As a whole, like most small business people I have not been able to get a lot of pay for my work here because Oscar and I are constantly investing money into our business. At this point, I don’t get much more money than my Mexican employees.Paul: How are Playa del Carmen and Oaxaca different? (NOTE: the school’s Puerto Vallarta campus was just about to open at the time of this interview)Liz: It was fairly easy for Oscar and me to be accepted into Playa del Carmen. The population is transient and thus open to new people. Oaxaca is a bit more traditional. While people are friendly, it has taken us a bit more time to feel accepted here. When we established the school, we thought that the labor conditions would be similar between the two cities. Though Oaxaca is fairly similar (at least in the center of the City) in cost as Playa del Carmen, we have discovered fairly late in our stay here that people generally earn less money than in Playa del Carmen. However, since we pay higher wages here than many other schools, we have not had many problems finding and keeping good teachers.Paul: What are the students like? Is it typical that most of your students are from Europe? (Paul’s Note: I’d estimate that at the time I was there in November, the student body was more than 70% European.)Liz: In the summer we get more Americans than now. I have heard from some Europeans who want to avoid coming here in the summer because they don’t want to study with Americans. During college winter and spring terms (from January until May or so) we get a number of groups of students from US colleges and universities. As a whole about five percent of students have difficulty adapting to the school and life in Mexico. We will occasionally get a student who comes in crying and upset about everything here. This is quite rare, however. One of the best parts of working here is that most of the students are open and accepting. Schools such as ours, as a whole, attract people who are able to adjust easily to new cultures (Paul’s Note: I think one of the best parts of language schools is the ability to meet a diverse, interesting student body who are all working together to learn how to communicate and understand another environment). Paul: What is it like to establish a business in Mexico? How is working and living here different than in the States?Liz: It is hard for me to give much advice to someone looking to set up a business here since Oscar is a Mexican and I think my experiences are different than they would be if I tried to set up a business as an American here by myself. Mexicans have a different attitude toward work than we do. While they work hard, they do not live to work the same way we do in the States. They have a clear sense that home and work are separate. I probably spend more time making sure that things run fluidly here than I would in the States, even though the people who work with me doing administrative work here are quite efficient. Paul: Do you have anything you miss from the States?Liz: I wish that my daughter would be able to have more exposure to a more diverse group of class backgrounds than she can here. Mexicans have a tendency to spend time, based on the schools they go to and activities that they participate in, exclusively with their own class. When she was younger she was able to spend more time with our maids and was able to get exposed to the reality of life for lower income people here. (Paul’s Note: I think this is becoming more and more the same in the USA.)Paul: I have noticed that the school does not really spend much time on pronunciation and think it may be something that should be added.Liz: We cover pronunciation in our beginning level classes. Since we get students at various levels, some of them don’t have much practice in pronunciation. I don’t want, however, to repeat pronunciation in the more advanced levels, since we do have several students who start with us in beginning class and stay long enough to finish at an advanced level. Paul: I noticed that Solexico has a lot of cultural and social opportunities available to their students. I imagine that that helps you market your classes.Liz: I don’t have much trouble marketing the classes. We have arrangements with a number of agencies in the US and Europe that send students to us for a commission. Even though there are several schools here in Oaxaca, our school manages to always get enough students to keep us going.I think the main purpose of the cultural and social events is to help students feel comfortable here. Most of our students come here by themselves and these activities help them to get to know each other. Learning Another LanguageLearning the local language will make your stay in another country at lot more pleasant. You’ll be more able to get things fixed, go shopping, and to get to know other people. I would suggest that unless you are already fluent, you plan to take classes to learn the language. Many modern-day nomads find tutors who can help them study. Others attend schools for foreigners taught by native speakers. Finding the Right Tutor or Class for YouIf you’d like a tutor, ask around the expatriate community for suggestions and look in the local English language paper for ads. In addition, you may be able to arrange individual tutoring through a school and if you find a tutor you like, set up tutoring sessions outside of the school for a lower hourly rate. One-on-one tutoring in EMERGING countries will cost between $5-20 an hour through a school (about ? that amount if you make arrangements directly with the tutor). In a Western country count on paying 2-3 times that amount. Be careful to check that your tutor is qualified. One good way to find out is ask them to do a sample lesson on a complicated grammar point (if you are learning Spanish at a beginning level I’d suggest the difference between por and para (2 different ways to say “for”) or estar and ser (the verb “to –be”)—to see if you understand their explanation. Oftentimes, modern-day nomad mistakenly assume that any native speaker can teach a language; however, good teaching requires preparation and knowledge.If you decide to take a class, you should do a bit of research to help you decide on the right class for you. The schools offer an amazing assortment of services. Some have highly personalized classes. Others are more impersonal. Some schools emphasize rote, grammatical lessons. Others are more creative.Since there are over 500 schools scattered throughout the planet, selecting the right one for you can be time consuming. If you’d like more tips on selecting the right school, refer to my handbook: The World’s Best Kept Travel Secrets: Volunteering, Exchanging, and Learning Vacations Abroad or check out my website: .Learning a Foreign Language on Your Own (and/or Before You Go)Most of the time modern-day nomad assume that learning the language is difficult; however, while it does take work, learning a foreign language can be fun. Here are my suggestions for making it fun:Look at learning as if it is a game. For example, rather than being exasperated by learning the Russian alphabet, I looked at it as if it were an anagram. Some letters were the same as English; others looked like the letters but had a different sound in Russia (for example, our letter “p”= our letter “r” in Russian); a few letters seemed like our letters written backwards represent a sound in Russian (for example a backward English letter N in Russian acts like our double e like in “see”). Only six letters have no resemblance to English. By treating the Russian alphabet like an anagram, I could look at a basic list of Russian cognates (words that are similar to English) and read them quickly. If you are trying to learn a Romance language (like Spanish, French, or Italian) brush up on your English vocabulary. Many obscure “college level” English words are similar to common words in Romance languages. For example, the word for kind in Spanish is amable, which is similar to the English word amiable (which also means kind). Try to find ways to associate new words with something in English. For example, I immediately learned the Russian word for work: rabotat. I pictured robots tatting away on a machine. To my surprise, I later learned that the English word robot comes from the Czech word (which is closely related to Russian) for worker. For hints on how to develop good associations, read the book How to Learn Any Foreign Language by Barry Faber.Don’t emphasize learning grammar at first, unless you have a special skill or passion for grammar. Schools emphasize grammar too quickly. You’re best to start trying to learn vocabulary and pronunciation. As a whole, grammar is frustrating and vocabulary is fun.When you’ve learned some vocabulary, phrases, and begun to get a feel for the pronunciation, move on to grammar. The best way to learn grammar is through a good exercise book with an answer key at the back. You’ll be surprised how much you can communicate without good grammar if you have a decent vocabulary and pronunciation. When I went to Guadalajara to study Spanish after two years of high school Spanish (and a summer as an exchange student in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico), I met an older Spanish teacher from Ohio. A couple of times we visited places around Guadalajara together. She would try to speak to locals and draw a strange stare. I’d talk and the natives always seemed to understand. I could tell that she spoke more proper Spanish than me; but I had better pronunciation and knew more everyday Spanish expressions than she did!Try several different ways to learn the language including:A couple of conversational courses. I recommend Pimsleur. I like their emphasis at the beginning level on building languages a step at a time; however, after the beginning level, I grow tired of their approach and want more grammatical explanations and yearn for a written text. (In addition, their advanced level courses are expensive, $200) and Living Language (randomhouse/livinglanguage). (They do a good job of teaching grammar and useful everyday conversations.) A vocabulary building exercise book. I like the 10 minutes a day (Bilingual Books) () series. Their selection of vocabulary is useful and their methodology is easy to do on your own. When you reach a more advanced level, you may want to invest in the VocabuLearn products. For some reason, they select an odd assortment of terms which befuddles beginners but is helpful for more advanced level students.A phrase book. The best phrase books to European languages are from Rick Steve’s (). His phrases are more conversational and natural than Berlitz. For non-European languages, I’d recommend Lonely Planet () phrasebooks. They are not quite as conversational as Rick Steve’s, but they are an improvement over Berlitz.A local newspaper or magazine from a country that speaks the language you’re learning. Keep a dictionary close and select articles that seem to be written for ordinary people (I think local travel stories are great!). Be patient—it takes awhile to read. (Plan on spending at least 30 minutes per article for a Western language.) If you read a few articles, the subsequent ones will be easier to read as you become accustomed to the publication’s tone and vocabulary. I would not recommend learning a difficult language, like Russian, this way. As a whole, you can’t get the gist of difficult languages easily through translation. The languages are simply too arcane. It took me almost four hours to read one article in Russian even after I’d studied the language for several months. Some Tips for More Advanced Language LearningKeep in mind that it takes about 200 hours of intensive language instruction or study to get to the point that you will be able to converse in most situations. And, sadly, that is not the end of work by a long shot. True fluency takes years. However, fluency is possible. Don’t give up! Here are a few tips for getting more fluent once you can converse fairly well:Try to get hooked to a local soap opera.? Ask locals about the storyline and then try to watch the serial every day.? You’ll learn a lot of new vocabulary and find out a lot about the culture at the same time.Watch your favorite shows from the US in English?with subtitles. (Most satellite dishes carry some English language stations.)??US shows (like ER) tend to use words that you would not come in contact with in daily life over and over again.? After awhile, you’ll start to take notice of these words. While watching these shows in Mexico, I learned a lot of words in Spanish concerning the justice system (from shows like NCIS and CSI) and parts of the body (ER and other medical shows). If you can, try to take a language class in a country that speaks your target language. If it is at all possible, you’ll learn faster either by yourself or with just one other person in the class. (Most classes have 3-5 students in Latin America, Asia, or Eastern Europe and 15-20 students in Western Europe.)? Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to help you fill any gaps in your learning.? I asked one of my Spanish teachers in Mexico to teach me more slang and idiomatic expressions.? I learned many interesting things about Spanish and increased my fluency markedly.I also have found that, as I get more advanced in the language, I get frustrated when people attempt to speak to me in English, particularly when I speak their language better than they speak English. I must admit my first reaction to someone speaking English to me is to be insulted. However, over time, I have come to realize that some people just want to practice their English. In that case, I will usually allow them to speak to me in English and respond to them in their language. That way, we both get to practice the language and if I don’t understand what they are saying to me in English, I can ask them questions in the language to make sure that I understand what they were trying to say to me in English. A Final Note for those who Feel Perplexed by Learning Foreign Languages:A lot of people maintain that they can’t learn another language. I have found that most of these people can learn with individual, local tutors. However, some people, will not engage these service because they don’t have the patience or confidence to learn a language or they had a really hard time learning a language in the pastI would recommend that if you are one of these people that you learn some communication shortcuts. One that I have seen used well is to mix the words you know in the language along with using English for words that you don’t know in the language. The result will sound funny, but most people (particularly if they have a little English under their belt) will understand you. Another shortcut I’ve seen used successfully is to forget about grammar all together when you talk. You can do this by forgetting about conjugating verbs and ignoring the gender of nouns in your new language. For example, if you wanted to speak Spanish, most people would understand the following sentence: Ayer (yesterday) yo (I) ir (to go) a tienda (to store); instead of the more correct: Ayer fui a la tienda (Yesterday I went to the store). If you construct sentences in this form, all you have to do is learn vocabulary which is much easier than learning grammar for most people.While I feel strange talking to people in this manner, it never fails to amaze how much locals seem to appreciate the effort. Sometimes, I think the locals think that people who speak this “baby talk” type language are cute and endearing. In addition, expats often find that locals also will generally be less afraid to try to use English with you when they see you struggling with their language. Chapter SixThe Logistics of Living Abroad: Buying and Renting a Home, Medical Care, Establishing Residency, Retirement, Communications, Pets, Taxes, Cars/Public Transportation, Banking/Money, Legal Issues, and SafetyI can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.Bill Bryson, American travel writer If not, Should You Rent or Buy a House Abroad?Every teacher has an “aha” moment that changes the way they look at their topic.One of my “aha” moments came when I read Barry Golson’s excellent book- Retirement without Borders: How To Retire Abroad in Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, Panama and Other Sunny Foreign Places (and the Secret to Making it Happen without Stress). In the book, Golson recommends that anyone thinking about retiring overseas rent rather than buy a property.Until I read this book I always thought that I had to gear my classes toward students who wanted to buy a house and set up a whole new life like the one they left behind in the US—complete with a car, picket fence, and garage. Most of the books on expat life are written toward this audience and many students have asked me questions that indicated that this was their desire.For me, Golson’s advice was a simple yet radical departure from conventional wisdom. It led me to explore other ways that my students could make the transition easy for themselves (hence the genesis of this chapter).Until I read Golson’s advice, I always felt a little odd every time I taught this class. I never had a desire to buy a property overseas, but I always knew that I would live overseas for much of my life. Whenever, I’d talk about the process of dealing with all the logistics outlined in Chapter Seven, I could not avoid the feeling that my students would simply replace one rat race with a new one consisting of daily barrages of paperwork, inefficient bureaucracies, and a struggle to get anything done. The simple fact is that dealing with the exigencies of life overseas is daunting, requires a lot of patience, and a strong stomach for ambiguity. Getting and keeping visas; buying, renting, (and particularly building) a home; keeping up with foreign currency fluctuations; setting up bank accounts; paying bills; getting mail; making a living; importing pets; moving furniture, etc. can easily become its own rat race.My experiences living abroad have, however, always been really easy. (In fact I’d say I find trying to live the “American Dream” to be the most stressful part of my life”). How do I keep my life simple? The answer –I avoid most of the logistical issues by renting rooms from people overseas (including food and sometimes even laundry) and living as a perpetual tourist (I’ll talk about this later in this chapter) rather than a full-time expat overseas. Golson’s advice made me go over some of the experiences I’ve heard from students/expats. I realized that more students than I thought previously were interested in living abroad part time, renting rather than buying, and moving abroad to simplify their lives. His advice also made me reflect on the experiences of students and expats that I’ve interviewed that have lived abroad. The people who seem to have had the most difficult experiences tried to create an American style life (including buying, or worse, building a large home) in a place off-the-beaten path while those who seemed the happiest with their experiences did not choose to recreate their lives abroad like the ones they left behind in the US.I acknowledge that not everyone can, or should, simplify their lives to make their transition abroad easier. Many expats want to move abroad for reasons that have nothing to do with creating a simpler life – i.e. making money off real estate investments, living a lifestyle they could not afford in the US, etc. Some people even enjoy the challenge of dealing with these rat-race-like daily issues. I don’t want to discourage these people, merely to make sure that they have considered the alternativesI do, however, believe that too many people just replicate their lives in the US because they haven’t really given much thought to what they want from their life abroad. CHANGE TO REFLECT MY FEELING ABOUT MERIDA- LIKE THE CITY AND LIFESTYLE- BUT AM NOT SURE THAT RETIRING THERE IS FOR ME. BUT WANT TO KEEP A HOME BASE, USE IT FOR EARNING EXTRA $/EXCHANGING HOMESI like living abroad, for example, because I need to be constantly learning in order to feel alive. Living abroad always enables me to learn about myself, find out how other cultures survive and thrive, and discover the mysteries and beauties of past civilizations. I don’t care about living extravagantly. I merely want to keep my brain occupied. For that reason, I’ve decided to keep my life overseas very simple and to live with locals (who serve as my teacher and informants) as much as possible.Thinking back, I realize one of the best things about living abroad is that it can be as stressful or as stress free as you want it to be. It is just a matter of setting up your new life in the right way for you. Barry Golson’s advice comes from his experience buying a house in Sayulita, a small but upcoming expat haven north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. (Note: Golson’s experiences in building a house are detailed in his book: Gringos in Paradise. Interestingly, while he did suffer a fair amount of angst building his home in Sayulita, I was struck by his general good luck with builders. I have heard many worse horror stories than his!)While building a house is much more difficult than buying a home (particularly if it doesn’t need any repairs), buying a home does involve a lot more logistical issues than just slapping down enough money to buy a home. It also induces a lot of anxiety among a lot of people because it ties them into a society that they don’t necessarily understand or feel comfortable in. Golson’s book provides an excellent checklist of the benefits of renting vs. the pitfall of buying a home. Here is what he says (and my comments) are some of the reasons renting is better than buying:As a renter, you no longer have to do all that research. (My comments: Most potential home purchasers don’t even realize that a real estate ad may not be talking about what you think it is. In most of the world, the square footage (usually measured in meters. There are a little over ten square meters in a square foot) includes anything under a roof including balconies, patios, and garages. In much of Europe and parts of South America an unfurnished home could mean that there are no cabinets, countertops, floor coverings, and light fixtures. (A furnished place, on the other hand, will be what we consider “unfurnished”.) These same issues can arise between landlords and tenants as well. Also keep in mind, as discussed in Chapter Seven, that you may have to do more research than you would in the US to find a place to buy or rent in the first place.) You don’t have to figure out if the price is right (My comments: you may at least initially, however, be overcharged for rent. See chapter 7 for details.)You don’t have to worry if real estate goes bust. (My comments: This a great reason to be a renter since as we’ve learned over the last couple of years, even the most “secure” seeming markets can go bust.)You don’t have to distrust everyone (My comments: Almost everyone who builds or buys a house overseas at some point thinks that people are ripping them off. Renters usually don’t have these worries, though they may have to be careful in how they deal with their landlord.)You don’t have to take a crash course in titles, deeds, permits, taxes – the whole twisty, unknowable, foreign, bureaucratic nine yards. (My comments: Basically true, though you should be aware of rental law because most countries allow landlords to kick out tenants at the end of their lease in order to move their family into an apartment).You won’t be responsible for floods, hurricanes, robbery, raging bulldozers, toppling trees, new boilers, and the rest. In fact, you won’t care about any of it, other than getting out of the way of the flood and the hurricane (My comments: you may have to assume the loss, however, of your own belongings – and improvements). You won’t have to worry about not having the right documents, leading to a knock on the door. (My comments: I’m not sure what this means. I think Golson is referring to the fear that you won’t have the right documents to live in your home or reside in the country. It is true that as a renter you will lose a lot less if you get into trouble with documents. )You don’t have to worry about property taxes. And owner’s insurance. (My comment: In many EMERGING countries property taxes are minimal, though it can be hard to find out where to pay the bills. In addition, most countries require you to spend more than in the US on transfer taxes, mortgage origination fees, and real estate commissions, etc.)You won’t have to learn who are the best builders, masons, painters, and carpenters in town –that’s mostly up to your landlord (My comments: Realize, however, that you may pay for repairs as a renter, see chapter 7).No big deal if you don’t speak the language. (My comments: If you are going to live in a “local place” you should learn the language rather or not you are a renter or homeowner. However, you will have to learn a lot of specialized language as a homeowner--- i.e. plumbing and electrical terms—that you can avoid as a renter.) You don’t have to figure out how mortgages work. (My comment: that is if you can find a mortgage at all, see chapter 7 for details). In many countries, if a dispute arises, the law favors the renter. (My comment: in addition, more places overseas also have rent control than in the US). You pay far less in fees to lawyers, brokers, accountants, local government. You don’t – and this is a big one- put your savings at risk. No big down-payment or all-cash purchase. You keep your principal. (My comments: That said: (1) you can buy a cheap place and minimize the risk; and (2) in some places in the world, so few people can afford to buy a home that the rents are high and cost of real estate is low) (Keeping your principal) has these effects:The interest from the principal will boost your retirement income.You can have a higher standard of living (My comment: keep in mind, however, that over time, your rent will go up and may eat into the principal and lower your standard of living)You can go out moreYou can travel moreYou can see your friends and family more oftenYou don’t have to worry about currency fluctuations. You keep most of your principal in a bank in the US. (My comment: This is a particularly good reason to keep your principal when, in times like now, the dollar is strong).You’ve burned no bridges; all you will have is a lease.You don’t have to worry that it will be harder to sell than it was to buy. (My comments: Keep in mind that if you are living in an expat haven, the ease or difficulty of selling a house will reflect the US market as well as the local one).You can-and this is a big one-move on.(Moving on) will have these effects:You’ll have the time and freedom to see where the best rentals are. (My comments:1) I would recommend that you try to avoid keeping things in an expensive storage locker in the US t until you find a new home abroad. Keeping things in storage has a tendency to make people move faster than they should and 2) if you are going to buy a place off-the-beaten-path you should be prepared to spend a lot of time looking for a home, as long as a year, to buy. Almost all of the good deals will be found through word-of-mouth and will take a while to buy because most people- who have lived in the same place for their entire life- are not in a hurry to sell their home). You can find out if the living is easier (somewhere else)You’re not stuck forever with neighbors from hell. (My comment: you also don’t have to be that nervous about future developments in your neighborhood). (Renting) will let you look at retirement (living) abroad in a whole new way:You don’t have the existential angst of thinking “I’m stuck! I’ve made the mistake of my life.”You’re not stuck anywhere. You can go back home.You can retire somewhere else altogether on short notice – you still have all that principal, no sale necessary.You can ignore all the advice intended to get you through the rigors of a permanent moveAgainst all that the thrills of ownershipPossible appreciation. Or not. (My comments: The majority of people I’ve met who bought a home overseas made a fair amount of money. That said, however, you should be aware that capital gains overseas, even in countries with low property taxes, can be high).Rent can’t be recoupedPossible rent increases (long-term leases are the way to go).Possible unavailability of cheap rentalsBragging rightsBuying a Home Abroad Buying a home, from a consumer standpoint, is more secure and simple in your home country (I know it doesn’t seem that way after you signed the hundredth disclosure form, though) than anywhere else in the world. Here are some common things that make it more difficult to buy a home abroad than in your home country.Most of the World’s Real Estate Markets are Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware): Realize that most of the world’s real estate markets are based on the concept of caveat emptor (buyer beware). Seldom do other countries have the disclosure laws, required appraisals, and formal title search and insurance programs that exist in the U.S. You should thus be prepared to have someone knowledgeable about local construction take a look at the home to ensure that it is sound and, if possible, hire an appraiser to check to see if the house is fairly priced. It is common for locals, once they hear that an American is looking at a property, to inflate the value. (Remember, we are considered rich and naive by their standards.) You should also do careful research to ensure that the title will be yours. Sometimes you may be able to get title insurance and sometimes this will be established by an attorney. (Residents in Lake Chapala suggest that one good way to ensure that the title is yours is to buy a property from a foreigner, since chances are that the previous owner has been there for awhile and would have encountered and dealt with any problems with title before reselling the property.)Few real estate agents in the world are required to have a license or take any classes prior to hanging up a shingle. Therefore, even if they seem honest, they may simply not know all the skinny about buying homes in the area.Ask everyone, particularly modern-day nomad, before selecting a realtor. Don’t assume that just because the realtor is from the US or Canada that they are necessarily more honest than a local realtor. Things to Research when Buying a Property AbroadMost expats seem, justifiably, concerned that they have the right to own property abroad; but, most problems occur for other reasons that sometimes get lost in the excitement of buying a property. Therefore, I’ve developed a list of some common questions that you should ask (and double check the verity of the answers) before buying a property abroad:What are the future plans for the neighborhood? I have heard stories of people finding a great deal on properties in France, only to find out that the government planned to build a nuclear reactor down the street, for example.How well is the property constructed? Sometimes the most attractive houses hide construction defects under beautiful fittings. Just because the property is in a fancy area and expensive, doesn’t mean that it is well constructed. If you can get a couple of local construction people to check out the house or, if they are available, hire a property inspector.How well is the house connected to the electric grid, water and sewage system, and garbage collection? Many communities, particularly in the EMERGING, have poor connections to these services. Pick up a local paper and chances are you’ll read about communities where trash has not been collected for months, sinkholes have developed because of poor runoff collection systems, etc.Does the seller have the right to sell you the property? Do they actually own the property? Most of the time these questions will be answered by a reputable, property attorney. (Most countries require an attorney to be involved in the sale of the home). However, to be sure that you are aware of your ownership of the property, most experts recommend that you have the documents translated into English and, that once you do so, you ask the attorney questions to determine your rights to own the property. (Most of the time, problems do not occur because you don’t have the right as a foreigner to own a property, instead they occur because the sellers think that they can “pull the rug under you” because you are a foreigner).Probably the single best piece of advice I can give you is to heed the old refrain: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If, for example, you see a property that seems unusually cheap or has sat on the market for awhile, there is a good chance that there is something wrong with it that is not readily apparent. This does not mean that you should nix the property entirely, but instead that you should be cynical.In addition, ask other expats if they know of any problems with the area/properties as well as neighbors.It is not as easy to find available houses for sale as it is in the USA: Very few places, even in Western Europe, maintain something like our Multiple Listing Services (MLS). MLS list all the properties for sale by realtors in a given geographical area.Since MLS is rare, if you want to have a good idea of the inventory available, you’ll need to visit many realtors to see the properties by their firms individually. Even then many of the best properties in many parts of the world are not listed by realtors at all. You need to ask around to find them through friends of a friend. While this may be the best way to find a good priced property, take care before buying a house from the owner since no one is representing your interests in the deal. Be careful to hire high quality personnel to help you inspect and appraise the house and ensure that the property transfer is fully legal.Financing is usually more difficult to acquire abroad than in the US. In many countries, the biggest obstacle may be the lack of financing for your home. Many countries still require that you pay for the property in cash (or check). Often banks are reluctant to extend mortgages to foreigners because: 1) they are unable to determine your creditworthiness easily; 2) most modern-day nomad are highly mobile and do not have an established work history in that country; 3) you don’t know their market and may be subject to “walk away” from a home after you find that it does not meet your standards.However, there are more options to finance a home abroad than ever before. Several countries (including sometimes in Mexico) have 20 or 30 year mortgages available at a fairly low interest rate. Many countries have a mortgage that requires you to put up 1/3 or ? in advance; finance a 1/3 or so over the next 5-15 years; and pay the remainder as a balloon payment at the end of the loan. (The US had the same financing mechanism until the Federal Housing Administration worked with banks to allow easy financing in the 1930s.) Don’t assume that these mortgages will be available to you as a foreigner if you see them advertised. Many times they are tied to specific government subsidized developments designed to stimulate low-income homeownership. Establishing your legal rights to buy a property can be tricky. You will probably need an attorney to help you with every transaction: Your legal rights to own a property abroad vary from country to country and also change over time. However, as a whole, with the gradual liberalization of the world’s economy, it is getting easier to own property as time goes on. (For example, for years in Mexico it was hard for Americans to own property by the beach. Now through the fideocomiso process you can own property (through a trust with a bank) there without an excessive amount of legal entanglements.)Be prepared to do research into your legal rights. Don’t trust your realtor. Talk to modern-day nomad who own property in your location. Buy books and magazines (see my resource listing) about living, working, and investing in the country where you want to live. Chances are you’ll need to find a local lawyer and a title search company (if they exist at all). Generally the costs of the lawyer will be high because, in effect, the attorney is the only person who functions in your interest throughout the entire transaction. The lawyer may search the title, record the deed, and do many of the functions performed by title and escrow companies in the States. To every rule there is an exception: A good reason you may want to get a home fast: While experts recommend that you wait some time before you buy a home (usually at least six months) in most of the world, there are times when you may want to act faster than others. Currently with the US dollar in a tailspin against many currencies, you may want to invest in some countries before the dollar gets even weaker. In addition, there are times in certain places in this globe (for example, New Zealand and Portugal in 2003, at least) which have highly heated housing markets. The combination of a weak dollar and a hot market can make a lot of difference particularly in Western countries. Real Estate in New Zealand five years ago was about 50-60% of the US market. Now it is as expensive as in the US. In that same period, the US dollar lost 30% of its value against the Euro making rural France and Italy no longer a bargain (though you can still live in a small town there for only slightly more than you’d pay in the USA).To me this is one of the pluses of investing in EMERGING country real estate. While realtors there may try to talk you into acting quickly, most of the time the currencies are fairly stable against the US dollar and the real estate market is not increasing as fast as it has in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.The Pluses and Minuses of Building a Home Overseas: I have heard several stories of people buying land and building homes overseas. Many times this is a great way to save money, design significant, unique architecturally pleasing homes, and/or ensure that your home meets your standards. This is particularly true in countries where labor is inexpensive, and people tend to inflate the value of existing properties for the expatriate market (in Mexico, for example).Unfortunately for everyone who gets the house of their dreams inexpensively using this method, there is probably someone else who rues the day they ever decided to build their own house. Many are the stories of people who get a beautiful house built only to discover that it is defective in some major way (I have even heard stories of people who had beautiful houses built that lacked indoor plumbing!) or that it cost twice what they expected.I would only recommend considering building your own home if you know something about construction and are able to oversee the construction. In many parts of the world, you are expected to carefully watch the workmen to ensure that it meets your standards and avoid major headaches. That said, you also have to walk a fine line in watching over the construction. On one hand, you want to show that you expect the workmen to be professional; on the other hand, you don’t want to be too demanding. If you ask workmen to do something that they don’t understand or think won’t work, most likely they won’t do what you want. In addition, since construction techniques vary from country to country, there are often very legitimate reasons why something you think is necessary may be completely inappropriate in another country.Buying a home in a new development: Most of the horror stories that one hears about buying a home abroad involve new developments. Generally most of these stories involve something like this scenario: Someone buys a home from a developer after listening to this wonderful presentation (usually accompanied by a steak dinner with free-flowing booze) while they are in port from a cruise ship. The buyer has acted impulsively and soon finds that the development is either a scam or that many of promised features are mere pipe dreams. Even when these developments are built as promised, the owners sometimes have problems later on because they were built on land that the developer did not own legally in the first place. Sometimes it takes years (and somehow it is always just when the market is at its peak) before the proper owner attempts to take away the property back from the new “owner.”This is not to say that only impulsive buyers have had problems with new developments. However, these problems will be less frequent if you’ve done your homework. You’ll probably, with some diligence, be able to find out if the developer has a good reputation in the community and whether the land may be owned by someone else. Even when everything is on the up-and-up, new developments are a bit of a gamble. It is not uncommon to discover construction defects after you’ve purchased a property. Homes have a way, even in a market like the US, of developing unexpected problems during the first couple of years of occupancy. (These problems are so common with condominiums in the US that most developers nowadays first rent out condominium projects as apartments for five years in order to avoid lawsuits from new owners over construction defects. (Note: Construction warranties are usually only good for five years in the US.)Looking for Real Estate Listings You can find links to realtor listings of thousands of homes and apartments worldwide through . also has a growing list of homes and apartments in different parts of the world. Many of listings (particularly of apartments) are offered by private parties rather than realty agencies. You can also find real estate listings for homes throughout the world by simply using (or a similar search engine like or ) and putting in the term “real estate in (the name of the city)” and by looking in local papers. You’ll find real estate sites in English in most of the world’s most popular big cities and expat havens. Keep in mind that most sites and newspapers in English (outside of English speaking countries, of course) will have a lot of pricey homes geared toward expats with ample pocketbooks. A Final Note on Buying a Home Abroad:While these potential caveats all sound rather daunting, to some degree, you just have to have faith before you invest in real estate anywhere, even in the USA. Real estate markets vary widely from place to place and time to time. California, for example, has more diligent requirements for realtors, appraisers, disclosures, and title and escrow companies than most other states. Hundreds of buyers have been taken in real estate schemes over the years in the US; in fact, that is the reason why many states have strict requirements in the first place.In addition, as the recent reduction in prices in the US has shown, you can lose your shirt in the States just as easily in a busted market as in another country. Between 1996 and 1998, I worked as a housing coordinator for the city government of a mid-sized Los Angeles suburb. For the first year, I got calls daily from people almost in tears who had to sell their homes at a substantial loss (which they often could not figure out how to cover) in order to get a job (often after a year or more of unemployment) in some far flung corner of the US.Renting a Home or Apartment AbroadFinding a Good PlaceFinding a place to rent can take time in another country. As a whole, most of the world’s landlords find tenants through “word of mouth.” It takes time for you as a foreigner to be tied into this information grapevine.That said, you’ll often find that it is easier to rent an apartment in many countries than it would be if you were a resident. Modern-day nomad have a reputation for paying their rents on time and, perhaps most importantly, many countries have laws that make it very difficult for landlords to expel delinquent or problematic native tenants that don’t apply to foreigners.Even though word of mouth plays the main role in finding tenants, you will find listing services and apartment rental firms in most popular expat communities. That said, be prepared to do more legwork to find the right place for you than you’d do in the US. Perhaps the best directions for how to do this legwork that I’ve seen come from Don Adams in his book Head for Mexico: The Renegade Guide:First find a place you can rent for one month or on a month-to-month basis. If you come down in the off-season you should be able to get a good rate at a B&B or small hotel. If you take a few days to look around you might be able to find an ad posted by a snowbird owner of a rental property. Lots of them want to rent out their places for short periods, around three months, when they’re out of the country. Now, use this short-term rental as your headquarters to conduct a serious search for the long-term rental that really works for you. (Paul’s note: I’ve heard several stories of people who have been able to arrange to take care of someone’s home in exchange for free rent.)Start checking any place that allows flyers to be posted on bulletin boards. The first place to look is the local grocery store where most gringos (modern-day nomad) shop. There will probably be more than one. Just ask someone—the lady at the next table, the guy eating ice cream in the plaza, the desk clerk at your hotel. (Paul’s note: Some desk clerks, particularly in areas with a lot of foreigners, receive referral fees from realtors, so be careful). There are gringos or English-speaking Nationals almost everywhere, even in the smallest town. Talk to EVERYBODY.Now check bulletin boards at the post office…restaurants… internet cafes… and then do like the encyclopedia salespeople and Mormon missionaries do. Go door to door. Seriously. Many really good rentals will never be advertised except for a small sign on a building or door.…I know that your Spanish is not that good and chances are the person who answers the phone won’t be proficient in English either. Ask for help. Ask the desk clerk at your hotel, or the waiter at that little place you like so well, or that nice gentlemen or lady you met near the plaza (…remember to tip him or her).After spending some time talking to EVERYBODY and trudging the streets looking for rental signs take a little advice: Slow down…Exhilarated or worried, you will probably be under a lot of stress (and more likely to make a bad decision).Issues to Consider when Renting a PropertyMake sure that you understand which appliances and appurtenances are included in the rent. In many countries, particularly in Europe (though I’ve heard the same exists in Argentina), anything that can be moved out of the apartment, will be. This includes things that most Americans would never have thought of including carpet, curtains, countertops, and even lighting fixturesLearn about the local laws for rentals. Some countries have laws that you would not expect. For example, in Costa Rica, landlords may not, with some exceptions, increase rents when you pay in dollars rather than colones (the local currency). Don’t expect landlords to make repairs. In many countries, the tenants are expected to make repairs to the place. Realize that you may be asked to leave (sometimes with little or no notice), if the landlord needs to use the apartment for a family-related reason. This is the most common and legally acceptable reason, for landlords to ask tenants to leave, particularly in Latin America.Establishing Residency AbroadProbably the single most common question I am asked in my seminar about living, working, and retiring abroad is: “How can I live legally in another country?” The answer to this question, quite frankly, is it depends on why you are going to live in the host country and which country you are going to live in. Healthcare AbroadThe Quality and Availability of Medical Care Probably the most common fear about living abroad is healthcare. Yet it needn’t be a worry. Most of the planet has a high level of medical care available. In fact, if you are able to pay for services out of pocket, most of the time services will be better than they would be in the US. Many Americans are pleasantly surprised both by the competence of medical staff overseas and the high level of care available. A lot of doctors –particularly those likely to provide services to the expat community and the country’s elite– are educated in the US or Europe. In addition, many foreign medical schools are considered to be very good by worldwide standards. (For example, La Universidad Autonomia de Guadalajara, UAG, in Mexico is so generally accepted to have a US quality educational system that it is accredited by US medical programs). Time and again, I’ve met modern-day nomad who prefer their care in another country to what they had at home because doctors have more time to talk to their patients and take more of a personal interest in their clients. (House calls are still available in most countries.) In addition, many people report that they feel like the careful attention that they get from nurses in other lands helps them to heal faster than they would have at home!I have also heard many stories of people getting better results from surgeries overseas than from those available in the US. One friend was able to avoid a lot of the negative effects of lap band surgeries by having an experimental process done in Mexico that is not available in the US. Several people have told me that they got much better results from plastic surgeries done in other countries than those done in the US, because foreign doctors were willing and able to request that their patience change their diet and routines before surgery in order to facilitate a quicker and more effective recovery from the procedure.You also don’t have to wait nearly as long for appointments for procedures (if they are paid for out-of-pocket) done overseas as in the US. I have met people who called for an appointment with a new doctor in Costa Rica and Mexico who were able to see the doctor that same day. Something that is unheard of in the US.Many hospitals overseas are affiliated with American institutions. In addition, some of the best care available for specific medical problems is available in medical institutions in places you’d never expect (Managua, Nicaragua, for example, has a hospital that is known widely for its burn ward.) All these positives aside, there are some important things to keep in mind if you want to avoid problems with care received overseas:Cultural differences can affect the quality of your health care. While almost everyone raves about the high quality and low cost of private sector care in Thailand, I’ve heard some complaints that Thai doctors are so used to be held in position of high respect that the doctors don’t know how to deal with questions that sound like the patient doubts the doctor’s competence. I’ve also heard expat women complain that some male doctors in Latin America don’t really recognize their problems as being as important as those of male patients.You should also be very careful to investigate the quality of hospitals and services available overseas. As more and more, Americans and Europeans seek out medical services overseas, there will probably be more and more illegitimate services that advertise for American clients, since we represent a rich source of potential clients. In addition, you will have less recourse if something goes wrong while you are overseas than you would in the USA.Most of these comments are based on the quality of private-sector doctors and hospitals abroad. The level of care that I’m talking about is not readily available through government sponsored medical programs in other countries (except those in Western Europe). That said, the generally quality of medical care even for the poor in many EMERGING countries is improving. Life expectancies in EMERGING countries are going up dramatically because many countries have seen major improvements in their medical care system and lifestyle changes (I’m surprised how few people in Latin America smoke, as opposed to twenty years ago). Countries like Thailand and Costa Rica now have life expectancies at or near those in the US and Western Europe. Getting Health Care Needs Resolved AbroadThere seems to be as many ways to address health care needs as there are people. Here are some of the ways expats deal with careSome expats elect to keep healthcare in the US through private insurance and Medicare (using the address of a friend or relative in the States. Check to ensure the legality of this before you do it) and get travel insurance to cover their needs while abroad. This can be quite expensive, but it does help give many people a sense of security that their health needs will be adequately taken care of. You also may have problems with getting care covered (particularly through private insurance) if you spend the majority of time overseas.Other expats (probably the majority, at least in EMERGING countries) take care of most, if not all, their daily health care needs in their country out of pocket and buy insurance that covers more of their serious, emergency care through private sector doctors and hospitals. Though this is less expensive than trying to keep care in the US, it still can cost a fair amount of money particularly as you get older. However, it is usually not that cost prohibitive, because the overall cost of health care provided in EMERGING countries is usually between 25-60% of the US. Still other expats get some (or all) of their needs taken care of through their new country’s national health care system. In the sections that follow, I will discuss some of the typical advantages and disadvantages of each of these options. However, since the world is too big for all these generalizations to apply everywhere, I suggest that you all ask both middle class and upper middle-class residents and modern-day nomad for their opinions about healthcare. Health and Travel InsuranceYou can also get insurance in most countries that will help you pay for private sector doctor and hospital visits overseas usually at lower cost and deductibles than those available in the US. (These policies in Thailand cost 20-30% of similar policies in the US. In Western Europe the costs are similar to those in the US). Usually the costs of these policies, particularly in EMERGING countries, is reasonable enough so that expats can afford them fairly easily, However, sometimes the costs can be quite high for expats over the age of 70. National Health Care SystemsIn many countries, foreigners are allowed to participate in the country’s socialized medical programs if they become permanent residents. In many countries, you can get access to these programs for free or for a modest sum through your employer if you are legally able to work in that country. The rules, costs, and restrictions vary depending on the country. The cost of the national health system member varies tremendously. In France, it costs upwards of $6,000 a year; in Mexico, it is around $500 a year. If you do decide to become part of the national health care system, keep in mind the following:Many times, you will have to wait for services. Sometimes even necessary surgeries require waits of up to a year to get. It can be difficult to join the National Health Care System. Many times, you are required to fill out extensive forms prior to joining. You may be disqualified for many reasons, the most common of which is pre-existing conditions. Some expat communities, have people who you can hire to fill out all the paperwork and help get you accepted by the national health care system. You need to do research about the quality of the national health insurance in your community. It varies a lot between countries and even communities within the same nation. Many expats in Mexico, for example, have found that it is fairly good in large expat communities and poor in more native locations. Many things that you assume are part of regular health care may not be provided through the national health care system, particularly in the EMERGING. Many public hospitals will not provide their patients with linens, towels, TV sets, and sometimes even food. The patients’ families usually take care of these needs. You may, particularly in some expat havens, be able to hire someone to help you apply to join the National Health Care System and to help you negotiate the system if you get sick.While most likely your doctor will speak English, you will probably not find many nurses, etc., in government facilities who speak English. Since most of the medical textbooks and materials worldwide are published in English, doctors worldwide will probably at least know some English. However, the same is not true for other support personnel.Many times, the doctor who takes care of you in the public system may be the same who one provides you with services through his or her private practice. Most doctors, particularly in EMERGING countries, work in the national health care system half the day and the private sector the other half the day. Many times, they use the national system to take care of their patient’s surgical and other high cost needs and charge patients for smaller services provided through their private practice.US MedicareUsually Medicare will not pay for services provided outside of the US (and to a limited degree, Canada). However, just because you live overseas, Medicare will not deny coverage as long as you are receiving these services in the US. Therefore, many American expats live abroad and come back to the US periodically to attain Medicare provide medical services.There are some supplemental Medicare policies that may cover some expenses overseas. In addition, some states use private insurance companies to provide Medicare services. Some of these providers may cover medical care abroad.. Retiring AbroadMany classes, books, and materials are dedicating to retiring to various countries abroad. Yet few talk about just living abroad.I really don’t think that there is any significant difference between living and working abroad for most of my readers and therefore I don’t devote a lot of attention to retirement issues. Retirees do sometimes find it easier to establish residency in a new country and do have more medical issues than the rest of the population. When I can think of specific differences between retirees and residents abroad they are noted in the text of this handbook. All retirement means is taking a new path—one different from the two cars, picket fence, nice house in the suburbs, and a “career” job life that has come to characterize American life in twenty-first century—that allows you to enjoy a slower pace of life. By taking advantage of the lower cost of living abroad you can “retire” or “semi-retire” years before you can in the United States, particularly if you are willing to look for opportunities to extend your income by working abroad (please see next chapter).Retirement is, thus, just a state of mind. Thousands of people have retired to another country long before retirement age in the USA. So can municationsToday it is easier than ever to keep in touch with anyone fairly easily through the internet, cell phones, faxes, and lower cost phone services. Gone are the days twenty years ago when expats had to pay three dollars a minute to call the States as the only means to keep in touch with business associates or family. Instead, you’ll find many technologies that will help you keep easy contact with your home including:Voice of Internet Protocol (VOIP). If you set up a separate telephone line, you can use VOIP in your home to make calls to the US (and other foreign countries) for free. (Domestic calls using VOIP are either forbidden or high cost). Please note that many phone companies are fighting VOIP and that it is possible that it will be prohibited in the future. (Mexico tried to cut off VOIP a couple of years and found that their efforts also resulted in the elimination of other internet based phone technologies, like video conference calls).Skype phones: With a Skype phone connected to your laptop computer, you can use your computer to make calls to the US via the internet for very small cost. This allows you to make calls from anywhere there is a wireless connection available. The cost of these phones is minimal ($8 a month).Fax 2 Mail, Mail 2 Fax (): These services convert faxes into PDFs that you can access by e-mail. That way, you can receive and send faxes through e-mail without a fax machine.Through celtrak (), you can buy a card that allows you to make calls at a substantially reduced cost using a US phone number. (The costs vary a lot depending on country. It is only thirty cents a minute for calls from Costa Rica and Nicaragua. But, over $1 a minute for calls from Mexico and Panama. Note: If your cell phone is unlocked you may be able to buy these cards without needing to buy a new phone).You can also buy phone cards at small convenience stores worldwide that allow you to make low-cost international calls (and within the country) using a PIN number from any phone. (As a whole, it is cheaper to make these calls from a home phone than a public phone).Most internet cafes worldwide also have booths where you can make international calls. I have made calls using these cafes to the US for very small costs. It cost me only five cents a minute to make calls to the US from Nicaragua, for example.You can also use the internet to access radio and TV programs from home. One of my great joys is listening to KQED, a public radio station from San Francisco, while I am overseas via the internet.That said, like everything else, setting up and keeping the machines running that provide this instant access can be frustrating at times overseas. You will have to learn some tricks, which unfortunately don’t seem to apply universally, to keep communication systems functioning properly. Here are few tips that I’ve discovered:Sometimes you have to go outside to an area with some open space to be able to use a cell phone in Latin America. I recently bought a phone and plan that allows me to make cell phone calls for around a third of the regular costs overseas using a phone and plan from the US. For several weeks, I did not think I could use the phone, until I asked a couple of locals and they told me that many phones only work outside of homes in Costa Rica. (This phone also does not make calls directly. Instead, I have to stop it from dialing the number and then wait for the phone to call me back). Often times, your electric cords will not work overseas because most countries work on a 220 rather than a 110-voltt current. (Note: All of North America, including Mexico and Central America work on a 110-volt current).You will need a powerful surge protector to insure that your computers, etc., keep running. Electrical currents are inclined, particularly in EMERGING countries, to have sudden changes in currents that cause them to run improperly.It can be hard to get computer parts and equipment abroad. While there are many people who can help you fix technology related problems, parts can be hard to find The World’s Most Expensive Electric CordFor the first time, in the winter of 2008, I took my laptop with me during my trip to Costa Rica/Nicaragua. While it was fairly easy to find wireless internet access and I was able to carry the computer around with me relatively safely and comfortably, I had one big problem of my own making – I forgot to bring the cord and adapter with me from home.I tried two different ways to help me make up for this problem. I bought a “universal” cord/adapter for $100 from Office Depot in Escazù, Costa Rica and had my parents send the old cord to me via Federal Express. Neither of these methods worked out very well. (In retrospect, I may have been better off trying to call the Dell office in Costa Rica and asking for their help).The cord served me somewhat well. It came with a dozen different plugs, one of which did fit into the hole reserved for the cord on the computer. This allowed me to connect the computer to an electrical outlet without a problem. However, the “universal” adapter did not fit my computer. As a result, I was not able to use the cord to recharge the battery. Twice the battery lost its charge and I had to find someone else with a similar Dell computer and borrow their cord to recharge the computer. (By the way, I was able to find people fairly easily by posting a request for help on the Yahoo Costa Rica Living Message Board).The cord sent to me by my parents is, to the best of my knowledge, sitting somewhere in customs in the airport office of Fed Ex in the San Josè, Costa Rica airport. The cord arrived from the US after only two days. It cost $52 to ship the cord from the US. The cord was intercepted by customs in order to determine if I owed any duty for importing the cord into the country. The cord was assessed a $7 duty after only a couple of days. (Later I found out that if I had had my parents write down in Spanish – which, of course, they don’t know - that the cord was used, that I left it at my home by error, and that I was mailing it to Costa Rica to be able to use it while I was on vacation, then it would have been able to avoid going to customs in the first place).Now here comes the problem. I had to go to the airport to take it out of customs. Unfortunately, I was in another part of Costa Rica at the time and decided to wait two weeks to pick up the cord. As a result the custom’s office would have charged me an additional $50 storage fee before they’d release the cord. In addition, I had to get to a far out part of the airport that was really only practical to reach by taxi (an additional $50) to pick up the cord or to pay $75 for Fed Ex to pick up the cord and deliver it to my guesthouse. That, plus I was told: 1) it could take up to three hours to get the cord once I got to the custom’s office and 2) I had to get to the office at least an hour before the office opened to ensure that I would be serviced that day.By the time, I took all these costs and time issues into account, I decided to let the custom officials keep the cord and ordered a new cord to be delivered to my home in the states so that I had a cord when I returned home. (This cost me $80). I also found ways to ensure that while I was in Costa Rica, once I got the battery recharged I could keep the computer going by making sure that it was always connected to an electrical source. (This is not as easy as it sounds because outlets don’t always work consistently in Costa Rica; therefore, I frequently had to move the computer around to find a plug that worked).MailMost EMERGING countries (and even some Southern European countries like Italy) do not provide anywhere near the quality of postal services that we are used to. As a whole, you will only receive letters about 85-90% of the time in most Latin American countries and it will take up to a month to receive mail from the US if it arrives at all. In many places you will receive a note saying that you received mail from the post office (like our Post Office does with most boxes) and you will have to go to the office to retrieve your mail. Once you get to the office, you may have to pay a small fee to pick up the letter.If you need to mail a box to the States, you may have “a story to tell your grandchildren” type experience. I have frequently read very funny stories (many of which occurred in Italy) featuring hapless expats who spent days trying to get their packages properly wrapped. I have also heard horror stories involving finding and filling out the proper customs forms (In many countries if you make a mistake on a form, you have to start all over again. You can’t just cross the mistake out),This is not universal. The German post office, for example, delivers mail twice a day and is famed for its ability to deliver most letters within the country the next day.Most expats who live in expat havens or business centers work around this problem by opening up a mail box at a private mail delivery service like Mailbox, Etc. Once you open up a mailbox, people can send mail to you from the US using the address of a US post office box. The firm picks up this mail daily from the post office box in the US and delivers it to their offices in another country usually within a couple of days. I have heard that you can get mail delivered to these offices even if you don’t have a PO Box for a fee if you make arrangements in advance. Unfortunately, these types of firms only work efficiently for letters, boxes are subject to detention by customs in another country. PetsPets usually can be imported into most countries fairly easily. Usually you need to visit a veterinarian before sending the pet overseas to get a certificate that the animal is healthy. These certificates technically last for a month, though I have heard stories of people having problems getting animals across the border into Mexico because the certificates were not up-to-date, even though the certificates were issued well within the month period. Pets may be required to be put into quarantine before being imported into some countries. Most of the countries and places that require quarantine seem to be islands like the UK and Australia. (I know that this used to be required, at least, when animals were imported into Hawaii). Some airlines place animals into the cargo hold of the airplane. Sometimes they will allow animals into the cabin of planes, if they are placed in cages. The cages have to be able to fit beneath the seat. Keep in mind that things may happen during the flight that cause you to be concerned about your animal’s well being. I know someone who tried to import their dog by plane to Costa Rica and became extremely frightened when the plane ended up being re-routed to San Salvador for a night. . Once you get the animals into the country, you need to be aware that many locals may be frightened of your pets. In many countries, particularly in the EMERGING, wild dogs used to run the streets and attack people. Therefore, don’t be surprised if locals who come to your house are reluctant to pet your animal. (Sadly, dogs can sense the person’s fear and often act badly). The idea of dogs and cats as pets is becoming more and more common, however, particularly among wealthy families. (Keep in mind, however, that as crime rates grow in many countries, more and more rich people also have attack dogs). Many expats also take street dogs as pets. This can work out well, since these dogs are more used to people’s fear than our dogs. In addition, many expats after learning about the condition of animals in many countries start pounds and rescue societies. TaxesGenerally, you have to pay taxes where you earn the income. If you make money from a business or job overseas you’ll have to pay income taxes for that country (usually you don’t have to pay US taxes unless you make over $80,000 overseas). If your income comes from pensions, business or work related sources that are located in the US, expect to pay US taxes.Normally most expat communities have local accounting firms that will prepare the tax forms and ensure that you are meeting the country’s tax requirements. Often expats earn money outside of the regular channels in a country and don’t pay local taxes. (Sometimes this is because they can’t earn money legally in their new home. Other times, it is simply to avoid taxes. Tax evasion is more common overseas than in the US). That said keep in mind that if you do so: 1) you are putting yourself in danger of being expelled from the country; 2) you will be more likely to be caught than locals who evade taxes, simply because your activities are more obvious, and 3) countries are, in response to World Bank and other international financial institutions’ demands, getting stricter about tax collection.In some fairly rare cases, you may be required to pay taxes in the country even on income earned in the US. This is particularly likely in a country, like France, where the tax rate is higher than the US.Keep in mind that you have to report all foreign income to the IRS, even if you don’t have to pay taxes on that income. You also have to file reports whenever you transfer large sums of money overseas from the US. In addition, when you sell a house you may have to pay capital gains to both the US/foreign country. The above paragraphs are intended to just give you some idea of some of the tax issues you may have to address. I don’t, in any way, feel that I am an expert of this topic and therefore advise you to consult a tax advisor about US and foreign tax laws.Cars and Public TransportationDo you need a car?In most of the world, you don’t need a car as much as you do in the US. In the US only about ten percent of the population (almost exclusively poor, except in a few dense metropolitan areas like N.Y.C.) lives without a car. In Western Europe, around 30-40% of the population does not have a car, and most people who do have a car use it primarily for vacations and moving things. In most EMERGING countries, the majority of people do not have a car, though this is changing rapidly. In EMERGING countries, buses and taxis are plentiful, inexpensive, and go almost everywhere. (I went from one end to the other of San Josè, Costa Rica, for example, by bus for less than seventy-five cents. And it only took me about twenty minutes longer than it would have using a taxi). The long distance buses are also surprisingly comfortable –many show movies and provide snacks- and efficient, most leave and arrive on time. (Note: it can take a while to learn a bus system, however, since maps and guides can be hard to find). The only expats who need cars generally in EMERGING countries are: 1) those that need cars to do their job (most commonly real estate agents) 2) people who chose to live in neighborhoods that are exclusive occupied by expats. (Since most of these expats have cars and there aren’t any locals to patronize public transportation, taxis and buses can be few and far between), and 3) people who live and like to travel to “off-road” places. One of the best examples of this is Southern and Central Baja California, most of which is very lightly populated and has a lot of natural attractions often found miles off the main road.In Europe public transportation and taxis are expensive by US standards. Most trains and buses charge based on the distance you travel. Based on this system, it can cost as much as $25 to go across a metro area by train. Long distance travel (like from London to Athens) can cost upwards of $300 one-way. That said the trains and buses are usually very fast, plentiful, comfortable, and almost always on time. In addition, considering the high cost of cars, European trains and buses are a relative bargain. Owning a Car OverseasThat said as often as not expats have cars overseas. If you plan to be one of these expats keep in mind the following:You may have to pay much higher taxes on cars than you are used to paying. In many countries, particularly in Europe, taxes can as much as double the cost of a car. In addition, you may not avoid paying these taxes by importing your car from the US. (In Mexico you can import your car without paying any tax from the US if it is for your personal use only, however, you will have to pay if the car is sold), Driving requires a lot of skill. The roads are slim and potholed and the other drivers aggressive. Street signs can be non-existent and addresses convoluted. (Costa Rica and Nicaragua give directions based on landmarks, some of which have disappeared years ago, rather than addresses. I lived once with an ambulance driver in Costa Rica who told me many interesting, and sometimes poignant, stories about his difficulties in finding patients). If you spend time with American expats overseas, chances are you’ll hear all sorts of stories about the crazy things that they’ve seen on local roads. (My favorite: One time, in Cairo, I watched a camel seated in the trunk of a small, Toyota truck stand up and cause the car’s suspension to become so weak that the cars wheels were completely submerged). That said one expat in Costa Rica actually told me that after driving there for many years, it was hard for her to keep from falling asleep on the “easy” American freeways.Tolls can be very high. It cost more just in tolls to drive from the border to Mexico City, for example, than it would to fly from a border city to Mexico City (up to $200 one way). It is not unusual to pay $15 every time you pass a toll box in France. London even charges cars a special fee for traveling into the City during busy business periods.In a EMERGING country, if you own a car, chances are at some point or another that you will have to pay a bribe or else risk legal problems. Most officials make very little money and see bribery as a way to enhance their income. Cars are attractive targets because no matter how carefully you drive you will probably at some point or another disobey a law. (On the other hand, I’ve traveled for almost four years of my life in the EMERGING and have never been even presented with a situation where I needed to pay a bribe).Accidents are much more frequent overseas than in the U.S. The U.S has half the car accidents per mile traveled as any European countries. In Egypt, the accident rate is fifty times the US. If an accident occurs, it will be settled onsite in many EMERGING countries. If you have insurance, the agent will often come to the accident site to work on a settlement right there and then. Insurance is seldom cheaper than the US and as a result most drivers, particularly in the EMERGING, will not have insurance. (Though, a few countries like Costa Rica are strict about insurance).Mechanics can be much cheaper than in the US, especially in the EMERGING, however, you will have to buy high cost, imported parts. And these parts can be hard to find.Gas for a car is seldom much cheaper than in the US. In many countries like Nicaragua and Thailand, where most things are inexpensive, you’ll spend more for gas than in the US. In Europe, you’ll spend as much as twice as much per gallon of gas as in the US.Legal IssuesMost of the world’s legal systems are based on the Napoleonic Code. Unlike the English system, the Napoleonic code assumes that people are guilty and that it is their job to prove to the courts that they are not guilty before being released.While it is doubtful that you will need to interact with the criminal system overseas, you may need to interact with the law in civil matters. As a whole it is best to avoid dealing with the legal system if at all possible. The Napoleonic code also assumes that most people who are scammed or hurt should have been careful to avoid these problems in the first place. Therefore, it is rare that courts will award anything to “victims” in these cases. Usually if you end up in court, it will be a very long and drawn out process. Seldom will it end up to your advantage therefore it is almost always better to try to resolve things out of court. This said I’ve never met an expat who had to deal with a foreign legal system either in a criminal or civil case. However, I’ve read about such cases several times. Most of the time there was probably cause for these accusations. (I have read many stories of Americans escaping abroad to avoid criminal proceedings at home). That said I have heard of times when locals accuse expats of crimes in retribution for something the expat did or as a means to get rid of business competition. SafetyMany expats feel safe in their new communities. Why? I think it is because they select safe communities to live and have learned how to blend into their environment. Let’s look closer at why expats feel safe. Here are a few reasons that spring to my mind:They don’t stick out like a sore thumb. They live where locals do, use their transportation and services. As they become comfortable in their new “home away from home,” they start to look less and less out of place and become less and less a target. Remember, thieves search for people who look out of place or vulnerable. If you don’t look vulnerable, they’ll pass you by. They let locals look out for them. Once they are part of the community, locals and other modern-day nomad help them avoid places and situations that may get them in trouble. They are often surprised how even people who don’t know them well, like local store owners, will help them out particularly if they try to speak their language and seem interested in local life. Generally locals admire foreigners who are willing to spend some time to get to know their hometown and want them to like living in their community.They become aware of your surroundings. They slowly become interested in small things that make their new home away from home different (and similar) to life at home. After awhile, they find themselves developing the ability to instinctively scan the scene in their new neighborhood and notice things that seem out of place and maybe potentially troublesome.They stay out of the tourist ghetto. Criminals who are looking to take advantage of tourists work in areas where there are a lot of big hotels and tourist attractions. They don’t hang out in local neighborhoods where modern-day nomad live. This aside crime rates, particularly in the EMERGING, are increasing and more and more expats are feeling uneasy about safety issues when they are abroad. Therefore I offer some pieces of advice that should help you to avoid problems:Always pay attention to the way locals act and dress at your destination. Try to follow their steps. Ask locals on advice about how to act as much as possible.In some parts of the world, women may want to wear a wedding ring and indicate to local men that you are waiting for your husband to arrive.In the rare event that something bad happens to you, contact your consulate. They may be able to arrange for health care, psychological counseling, and they can loan you money to get home.If you are a woman, watch your surroundings to make sure that you haven’t inadvertently entered a male only zone. In many parts of the world, men and women are much more segregated than in the US and Western Europe. Bars are often exclusively reserved for men and any women inside are considered prostitutes. In the Middle East and even in Greece, coffee shops are reserved for men only. If you think someone is trying to sexual assault you, scream help at the top of your lungs. In many parts of the world (particularly the Middle East) your assailant will run away because he will be attacked by hordes of people trying to come to your defense.Vary the places that you pick up taxis so that your route is not too predictable to taxi cab drivers.Don’t have taxi cabs drop you off in front of your destination. Pick a corner nearby. Check to find out the best way to select taxis in your destination. In most of the world, you want to avoid taxis that are not marked. However, this is not always the case. For example, in Russia, many taxis are not marked and it is relatively safe to simply put out your thumb and get in a cab. Keep watch on your possessions at bus stations, train stations, and anywhere tourists congregate en-masse. These destinations attract the most organized and professional thieves because tourists are easily distracted and will not report crimes to authorities.Check to see if you can buy tickets for buses and trains somewhere other than the train or bus station. In many parts of the world, you can buy these tickets (often with no commission) at a travel agency. This will save you from becoming a target of thieves that hang out at bus stations.If you have to put down baggage to go to the bathroom, place the luggage against the back wall and if possible select the stall that abuts the wall. That way, thieves will not be able to see your baggage or snatch it quickly.Take as few valuables as possible with you. Use older, less conspicuous luggage and purses if possible. Thieves will be less likely to want to open the bags. Develop a habit of keeping anything of value out of plain view. It is too much of a temptation especially to poor people. I have come, over time, to believe that if something is stolen from me which is out in plain view it is as much my fault as the criminals.Learn some of the common scams and pitfalls in your new home. Protect your money and passport in a money belt. Men should stop putting theirs wallet in their back pocket. It is much harder for a thief to get your wallet from your front pocket. Buy pants with buttons or zippers to discourage thieves. WBOOKS, WEBSITES, AND OTHER RESOURCESGUIDEBOOKSWhen I talk to students, I often get the impression that they don’t know how to use guidebooks well. Many of them don’t know much about the advantages and disadvantages of different guidebooks. (Sometimes they haven’t even heard of some of the guidebook series.) In addition, occasionally, I get asked questions that are better answered by guidebooks.I am amazed at the quality and quantity of information contained in guidebooks (particularly Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Moon Booklets, and Let’s Go). When I lived in Kaliningrad, Russia (hardly the tourist capitol of the world) even long term residents would tell me that they were amazed by the places I found in their town that they did not know existed. In addition, often students in my classes will remark that they are surprised how I found out about some of the experiences I discuss. Yet, I must admit I’ve never had to do a lot of research to find these resources. All I had to do to get this info: use a guidebook. (In fact, I am so fond of guidebooks and other travel resources that I’ve thought about developing a class on how to use guidebooks and other travel resources to plan a trip.) In addition, there are also dozens of other great resources out there including some great TV series, maps, and magazines. In addition, there are also dozens of great memoirs about traveling and living throughout the world. (See my website: for hundreds of book reviews).Using these resources, you will find out a lot about how to travel cheaply anywhere. However, they aren’t always easy to use. Lonely Planet’s country guides, for example, often contain almost 1000 pages of information, in fairly small type.Therefore, I’ve developed the following suggestions to help you to learn how to use guidebooks (and other travel planning resources) effectively:If you don’t know where you want to travel next, purchase used guidebooks to every place you would like to visit whenever you see them in either used bookstores or better yet a library book sale (where they can be bought for less than $1). Use these guidebooks to determine where you might want to visit. Use old guidebooks to help you to determine which guidebook series and authors you like. Once you have favorite series and authors, you’ll know what books to buy at your local bookstore and avoid spending hundreds of dollars on guidebooks that don’t meet your needs.Get used to using guidebooks for more than just restaurant, hotel, and sightseeing suggestions. In my opinion the most useful parts of guidebooks are not these parts. Guidebooks are great places to learn about sightseeing tours, classes, activities, history, culture, geography, climate, and lots of other things.Samantha Brown’s Passport series on the Travel Channel is a great resource for deciding where you want to travel. She has done a series on traveling in the U.S., China, Latin America, and Europe. Her episodes cover a lot of places that are not widely known to most travelers. (She turned me on to Granada, Nicaragua and Bologna, Italy – now two of my favorite places). Her accommodation and restaurants are all a little rich for my blood. But, I know of no better way to get a sense for whether a destination is appealing to you or not. (Besides, you can’t help but like her.)Guidebook companies will often give you free guidebooks in exchange for your notes about the accuracy of their information. Some travelers even send guidebooks marked up with their comments directly to the guidebook companies in exchange for new guidebooks (it doesn’t have to be the same guidebook). Guidebooks are great places to get a basic thumbnail sketch of the history, culture, and natural environment of a given place. In addition, they normally contain a good bibliography to use to get more detailed resources, if desired. However, occasionally the authors have a political axe to grind about a particular place and therefore do not provide an unbiased opinion of a place. The reader reviews on HYPERLINK "" will help you identify these authors (be careful—sometimes the reviewers have axes to grind as well).One of the best ways to find out if you like the guidebook writer’s style is to take a look at how they describe a very popular place in the country. Comparing, for example, several guidebooks’ descriptions of the Louvre in Paris can give you a real feel for whether you like the guidebook as a whole.Typically, most of the information in guidebooks—even if they are brand new—is at least one year old. In many parts of the world, one year can make a big difference. Many of the places profiled in the guidebooks have either gone out of business or are overrun with other tourists by the time you get there. In addition, particularly in a country undergoing dramatic change such as China and Southeast Asian countries, you will miss quality new businesses that have opened up since the guidebooks were published. (When I was in Bali in 1991, the economy was so dynamic that most of the places I stayed were not even open when the guidebooks were researched.) A year can also make the price information obsolete. When I went to Argentina in 2003, every guidebook I purchased said that Argentina was the most expensive place in all of Latin America; however, with the currency crisis in 2002, this was far from the truth in 2003. In fact, everywhere I went in Argentina, I encountered South American tourists who decided to go to Argentina to take advantage of the low cost of travel there!I have generally found that guidebooks have adequate enough maps to get you around for a couple of days. If you are going to be in another country for more than a week, I’d buy a map at home. Oddly, it is often hard to buy a good map outside of U.S.A and Western Europe, except for Great Britain, which is a great place to buy maps.The quality of guidebooks within a series can vary a lot between editions and countries. Sometimes the guidebook series hires great researchers and occasionally the researchers leave a lot to be desired. There are some guidebook authors that I would encourage you to read no matter where they publish. For Latin American guidebooks, I trust HYPERLINK "" Christopher Baker, Bruce Whipperman, and HYPERLINK "" Wayne Bernhardson because they have become experts in their respective regions. There are reviews of some of the most common guidebook series in the Book Picks section of my website: .Pay attention to guidebooks’ advice about local tour companies. Usually, established tour companies stay in business for a while, therefore the information about tour companies in guidebooks does not age that fast. In addition, since a bad tour company can put your safety and health in jeopardy, guidebooks hear about nightmarish tours and report these finding in their books.Sometimes the best travel literature is available primarily at your destination. The best guidebooks to Cairo, for example, are written by local modern-day nomad and published by the HYPERLINK "" American University in CairoHYPERLINK "" (). You can also get good travel information by reading local English language papers. (Many of these papers are available online.) Sadly, many of these papers are folding and those that survive are using more and more stories from AP and UPI instead of local stories.Most traditional travel magazines and newspaper articles will help you get a sense of whether you want to visit a place but provide little in the way of concrete travel advice. They are mostly written for well-off travelers on short vacations. They create the illusion that travel is expensive when in fact it is staying at home that is really expensive! There are, however, some notable exceptions including HYPERLINK "" Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel () and HYPERLINK "" Transitions Abroad website ().National tourist offices are good places to get specific questions about a place answered but most of their information is only geared toward people with unlimited funds and limited time. They are often swamped with requests for information and thus may not be terribly useful. Sometimes the best tourist offices are from the most unlikely places. Oddly, the best tourist brochures I’ve seen are from HYPERLINK "" Japan () and HYPERLINK "" India (), both of which are somewhat outside of the usual beaten tourist path.Check internet bulletin boards and list servers for up-to-date travel information. Some of the most useful bulletin boards are posted on the major guidebook websites. I particularly like Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree. (Note: The information in most guidebooks is two years old. This can make a big difference. When I was in Argentina in 2003 every guidebook (based on 2001 research) made the country seem expensive; however, I found Buenos Aires to be incredibly cheap when I arrived).The AAA (Automobile Association of America) has great guidebooks and maps that cover locations throughout the U.S. If you are a member ask for these materials. I particularly like their hotel and sightseeing suggestions. Their overseas guides are less useful.The Pluses and Minuses of Traveling with Rick Steves:America’s European Travel GuruIf you travel to Europe chances are you’ll notice that almost every American sports a Rick Steves” Guide. I don’t blame them. Rick Steves has probably done more to help Americans feel comfortable traveling in Europe for less money than anyone else. He has also taught hundreds of Americans how to interact comfortably with Europe’s people and places. Several of the most common questions I get asked in my classes are probably best answered by saying, “Read Rick Steves’ guidebook.” That said, while I use his guidebooks myself, the books do have some serious drawbacks as well.I am always a little nervous describing these drawbacks because many people feel so fond of his books. Five years ago I went to hear him speak at the Book Passage bookstore in Marin County, California and was shocked at the level of enthusiasm he engendered among the audience. After hearing many middle age mavens say things like, “I am so happy to meet Rick; I feel like I traveled with him on my recent trip to Italy, I almost felt like I was at rock concert rather than a bookstore.Yet, I feel obliged to point out these drawbacks because I don’t think his books are good for many travelers. In addition, I don’t agree with everything he does.So here is a list of the strengths and the weaknesses of his booksStrengthsBy carefully paring down hotel and sightseeing options (and assigning ratings to each City’s sites), he makes it easy for travelers to quickly find and enjoy their vacations. While most guidebooks (particularly Lonely Planet) are much more comprehensive, it takes time and effort to determine the best options for you. His descriptions of the sights of Europe give you enough detail so that you can understand what you are seeing. Most guidebooks just give you some basic facts about the sights. In addition, he peppers his commentary with enough detail and facts so that the places come to life more than with other guidebooks.While much of the research is done by other people, when you read his books you feel as if you are traveling with him. One student told me that she loved his guidebooks because she could almost smell the cookies that he described at a bakery in Scotland. Most guidebooks almost completely avoid having a sense of the author, his books reflect his voice.He tries hard to find hotels and restaurants that reflect the best that the country has to offer at a fair price. Unfortunately, however, since the guidebook is so popular sometimes the places are spoiled before you get there.He does a good job explaining how to use public transportation, order foods from a menu, etc. so that you can easily and inexpensively get around. Most guidebooks assume that travelers can figure these things out for themselves. Yet, even after traveling in the world for years, I have saved money and time by reading some of his pieces of advice. (That is part of the reason I’ve added these types of tips into this booklet).WeaknessesHe does not list any exchange, volunteer, and study programs (see Chapter 7 for a discussion of why I am such a big fan of these options). His books are limited only to a few areas of each country. Most of the places he covers are integral parts of the established tourist path. When I was in Italy, I liked Emiglia-Romagna as much or more than Tuscany. Yet his guide contained a hundred pages on Tuscany and not one on Emiglia-Romagna. Worse still his guidebook did not include Sicily at all even though it is one of the most important tourist centers of Europe. (I suspect this is because he perceives that Sicily is too exotic for most of his readers.) On the other hand, I am kind of glad that his books don’t cover these areas because otherwise the areas might get as many tourists as Tuscany.He only covers Europe. I would love to see him do a guidebook on EMERGING countries, particularly Mexico. I think he could make these great countries seem accessible to his female, upper middle class, audience in a way that no other guidebook can. (Strangely when someone asks him what is his favorite place to travel in the world his reply is usually India. One of his early books was called Asia through the Back Door). His guidebooks are geared toward tourists who intend to travel to a lot of places and stay only a couple of days in each place. You will run out of options for sightseeing using his guide if you spend more than a couple of days in one city. In fact this has become such a part of his approach that I once heard him say on his radio show (on PBS stations through the U.S., check for his schedule. He also has a TV series that covers traveling in many different parts of Europe, including Eastern Europe and Turkey.) “Now that it has been cleaned up for the Olympics, Athens is worth three days.” I almost drove of the road. I have been to Peoria, Illinois four times now and feel that I could spend a week or two there sightseeing and not even see all the interesting things that are there. I suspect that I could spend many months (or even years) in Athens and still have great things left to see. NOTE: All the books, websites, and other resources listed in this guide are listed on my website: .Throughout this handbook, I’ll point out some great resources geared toward people who have decided that they want to either live, work or retire abroad. Yet I realize that not everyone has made the decision about which of these types of experiences they want to explore. The Global Citizen: A Guide for Creating an International Life and Career for Students, Professionals, Retirees, and FamiliesElizabeth KruempelmannIf I could write a textbook on creating a new life abroad, the Global Citizen would be it. Kruempelmann has created the most comprehensive guide to living, working, studying, and retiring abroad. My only qualm is that the information is not very qualitative. It will do little to help you determine which of the hundreds of alternative travel programs are best for you. Reinventing Yourself Overseas: New Opportunities to Live, Work, and Do Business AbroadScott McDonagh Reinventing Yourself Overseas contains the most interesting tips on finding opportunities to live, work, or do business abroad anywhere. Use this book to get you thinking about what you might want to do. Then, use the references contained in Reinventing Yourself combined with the other books listed throughout this handbook to help you find your perfect niche abroad. It is not as hard as it seems!Transitions Abroad Website and Verge Magazine: Transitions Abroad has an excellent webzine (an internet only magazine) that every month profiles hundreds of interesting and creative programs that allow you to work, study, or retire abroad. Their website, , is undoubtedly the most comprehensive listing of opportunities abroad anywhere. Unfortunately a lot of the descriptions are a bit dry.Verge ( HYPERLINK "" vergemagazine.ca) is the Canadian equivalent of Transitions Abroad. Verge produces a good quality, regular magazine for about $25 a year.Book Picks: Extended Travel AbroadRound-the-World TravelThe Practical NomadEdward HasbrouckNo book anywhere offers such a comprehensive yet approachable discussion of the intricacies of global airfare, such a comprehensive bibliography of travel resources, and so many relevant tips for being a culturally sensitive traveler. All in all, if you are thinking about traveling on a round-the-world trip, this book is for you.A Journey of One’s Own: Uncommon Advice for the Independent Woman TravelerThalia ZepatosIt is a shame that men are traditionally turned off by woman’s books. For, like most travel books written for women, a Journey of One’s Own contains superlative advice on integrating your love of travel into an extended trip round the world for both sexes. The Journey of One’s Own contains so many stories and is so compellingly written that it is one of those rare travel trip books that is also fun to read even if you never plan on leaving home. A great companion book to The Practical Nomad.Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term TravelRolf Potts While Vagabonding covers a lot of the same ground as other books about round-the-world travel, Potts’s enthusiasm and spirit set this book apart. Potts entertains, informs, and is even provocative in spots. If you’re not ready to hit the road after reading Vagabonding, then you’re immune to the travel bug.Been Where? Done What?Roland Watson While some of the specific travel tips are a bit dated, Been Where? Done What? is a fabulous resource for getting you mentally prepared for travel. Watson discusses a gamut of issues barely touched elsewhere such as developing a caring, compassionate outlook and preparing oneself mentally for evolution through travel.Globetrotter Dogma: 100 Canons for Escaping the Rat Race and Exploring the WorldBruce Northam Globetrotter Dogma is the most entertaining, thought provoking, and exciting travel advice book anywhere. Northam is the consummate traveler—perceptive, gentle, generous, and clever. He also spices his wonderfully perceptive travel tips with lyrical prose and touching reminiscences gathered from the road. If this book can’t make you get out of your armchair and see the world, nothing can!Sabbatical and Gap Year Travel AdventuresCreating a SabbaticalSix Months Off: How to Plan, Negotiate, and Take the Break you need without Burning Bridges and Going BrokeHope Dlugozima, James Scott, and David SharpSix Months Off is a comprehensive guide to creating a sabbatical and getting your employer to buy off on your plans. Dlugozima et al. provide a clearly written and rational explanation of the value of sabbaticals that should be required reading by bosses throughout North America. My only wish is that the book contained more information to help people seeking a break decide if they want to return to their jobs. I think most people would be better off using the break time to decide on a new career path. Gap Year (year after college)Before You Go: Gap Year Advice—Tips and Hints for First-Time TravelersTom GriffithsI think every high school and college student should be required to read this book before graduating. Griffiths has a great way of speaking to young people in a compelling yet non-preachy way. He has just the right mixture of practical advice to make a parent happy and tongue-in-cheek humor to make a young graduate take the advice. He also knows exactly what to say to make anyone—age 15 to 95—want to get out there and hit the road. I wish Griffiths had been around when I was 20! World Stompers: A Guide to Travel ManifestoBrad OlsenWhile some may complain that Olsen spends too much time describing his search for the ultimate drug induced party, World Stompers contains a lot of useful advice and an insightful discourse on the value of traveling to change young people’s lives. Before we criticize Olsen too quickly, we need to keep in mind the context in which World Stompers was written. In the U.S.A, anyone who takes off more than the requisite two weeks to see the world is almost subversive. So it’s no wonder that the only young people willing to consider the trip are also outside the mainstream. Bravo, Brad, for presenting an exit from the rat race for hundreds of young American people. I hope they’ll follow in your footsteps.Extended Family TravelOne Year Off: Leaving it all Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with our ChildrenDavid Elliot CohenOne Year Off is a well-written and intelligent view of the challenges, joys, and pleasures of traveling around the world with your family. Cohen avoids excessive sugar-coating while also making the adventure seem accessible to legions of everyday Americans. Written in a friendly conversational tone, the book is recommended reading to anyone contemplating such a trip with their family. There are many ways to find accommodations that allow you to have more interactions with locals. Rick Steves spends considerable time in his guidebooks teaching Americans how to access and enjoy these more homespun accommodation choices in Europe. Yet, his books aren’t the only great sources for this info. Here are few that I recommend: HYPERLINK "" Good Night and God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe by Trish Clark, Janet Hutchinson, Gabiann Marin, and Stuart Gibson HYPERLINK "" Europe's Monastery and Convent Guesthouses by Kevin J. WrightGuide to Lodging in Monasteries (different editions for France, Spain, and Italy) by Eileen BarishYoga Vacations: A Guide to International Yoga Vacations by Annalisa Cunningham: Yoga Vacations provides a thorough summary (including participant comments) about various yoga retreats available throughout the world. The listings are overly geared toward vacations in the U.S.; however, other than that, I can't really think of too many suggestions for improvements. Healthy Escapes: 242 Retreats Where Yon Can Get Fit, Feel Good, Find Yourself, and Get Away from it All by Fodor's: Healthy Escapes does a great job summarizing (though it does lack any qualitative analysis) hundreds of spas, fitness resorts, and cruise ship programs that will help you become a fitter, trimmer, and more balanced person. The listings, as too often is the case, are geared overwhelmingly toward programs in the U.S. and Canada (though there are more options in Mexico and the Caribbean than many other such books). From Here to Nirvana: The Yoga Journal Guide to Spiritual India by Anne Cushman and Jerry Jones: Have you ever wanted to chuck it all and go to India to live in an ashram or a temple? If so, read this book to discover everything you need to know to plan your journey. If not, read this book anyway. It is a wonderfully entertaining and informative look at India’s spiritual side. If you’re not careful, you’ll want to pack your bags and join Cushman and Jones on their journey. HYPERLINK "" AA Bed & Breakfast in France 2004: Over 3500 B&Bs Inspected and Rated by Gites de France (AA Bed and Breakfast in France): by AA Publishing HYPERLINK "" Italian Farm Vacations: The Guide to Countryside Hospitality (Dolce Vita): by Touring Club of Italy: Talks about intentional communities (formerly known as communes), some of which allow short term visitors to stay there for next to nothing in exchange for chores or other labor.Budget Travel Books and WebsitesThe Frugal GlobetrotterBruce Northam The Frugal Globetrotter thoroughly and concisely lays out all of the details travelers need to know to take advantage of several little known budget travel options, including air couriers and round-the-world airline tickets. It also showcases Northam’s quirky, but ultimately highly compassionate, view of travel and its meaning in the modern world. Read the Frugal Globetrotter’s poignant chapter on Endangered Travel Paradises before these places become tourist traps. The World’s Cheapest Destinations: 21 Countries Where Your Dollars are Worth a FortuneTim Leffel Want to know the cheapest place to buy beer on the globe? If so, the World’s Cheapest Destinations is written just for you. If not, Leffel’s book is useful nonetheless. Nowhere else can budget conscious travelers find so much concise and well organized information about traveling costs in foreign lands. This book will also help the frugal traveler determine the best place for their next adventure. Pay Nothing to Travel Anywhere You Editors Pay Nothing is a succinct and simple guide with budget travel tips for travelers who want to embark on short-term, mass market vacations (primarily in the U.S.A). It also contains a few unusual ideas for free travel that make it worthwhile reading for culturally adventurous. travelers. The Frugal Traveler: How to See More of the World for LessCaroly Jones While the Frugal Traveler does not contain any Earth-shaking new budget travel tips, it does an excellent job of summarizing and explaining the ins and outs and the joys of several exotic low budget travel options to middle–class, middle–aged Americans. Read Jones’s entertaining anecdotes of her experiences on the road. Travel Bargains Insider’s GuideJustin Wizard Many people may be turned off from buying this guide by the book’s homespun appearance. That’s a shame. Wizard fills this booklet with tons of useful—often little known—tips to creating truly inexpensive and sometimes free travel options such as air courier, cruise ship lecturing, discounted timeshare, and cheap language schools. The Cheapskate’s Guide to Vacations: How to Save Thousands of Dollars No Matter Where You’re GoingStephen Tanenbaum This is the ultimate guide to saving big bucks on mass market travel. Tanenbaum has scoured the globe for low-cost, high-value tours, cruises, resorts, restaurants, and lodging so you won’t have to. While you could save more money with the more off–the–wall tips in the Travel Bargains Insider’s Guide or The Frugal Globetrotter, if you want a cheap two-week cruise or resort stay, you couldn’t do better than the Cheapskate’s Guide. You Can Travel FreeRobert William Kirk Now a bit dated, You Can Travel Free is the best book anywhere if you want ideas on how to extend your travel through work, hospitality exchange, and inexpensive and free transportation options. Read this book if you believe that you need a lot of money for travel. It’ll change your perspective.Luxury Travel on a Beer BudgetThe Travel Detective: How to Get the Best Deals from Airlines, Hotels, Cruise Ships, and Car Rental Agencies Peter Greenberg While The Travel Detective purports to be a general travel advice guide, it doesn’t address the needs of shoestring travelers at all. That said, if you want to find ways to make a high-cost travel experience more affordable, safe, and enjoyable this book is for you. Greenberg is an expert on the ins and outs of the traditional travel industry. What’s more, he writes about the complex inner workings of the industry in a clear, intelligent, and consumer friendly manner. Hitchhiking, Sofa Surfing, and Other Extreme Budget Travel AdventuresThe Hitchhiker’s BookletJames MacLaren Of course you shouldn’t hitchhike; however, should you choose to try it someday, MacLaren has written a great guidebook to help ensure that you are as successful and safe as possible. Even if you never hitchhike, the book is also an interesting peek into another way of life. The Sofa Surfing Booklet: A Guide for Modern NomadsJuliette Torrez Want to be a perpetual freeloader? Want to find out what it is like to live in your car and float from friend to friend’s house? Then The Sofa Surfing Booklet is a must read. Even if none of these apply, the book is fun and educational in a quirky way.Websites features very complete free, noncommercial information for extreme budget travelers. contains numerous articles about traveling on the cheap and entertaining travelogues. highlights hundreds of often informative articles about living, working, retiring, and traveling abroad usually for an extended time period.Most guidebooks maintain thorough websites chock-filled with useful budget (and other) travel ideas. Check out Let’s Go (), Rough Guides (travel.), Frommer’s (), Lonely Planet (), and Rick Steves ().A Great Magazine and WebsiteArthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine () is the best guide anywhere for budget travel. Frommer not only covers a lot of inexpensive conventional travel options, but also does a better job than any other large publication in addressing the type of nontraditional travel options addressed in Chapter 5 of this booklet.Transitions Abroad and Arthur Frommer The very best places to find listings of travel-like-a-local type travel activities are:Verge magazine and website ( HYPERLINK "" vegemagazine.ca) and the Transitions Abroad webzine (), which comes out 8-10 times a year, lists hundreds of volunteer, study, and exchange programs. More than anything else, Transitions Abroad emphasizes study abroad programs (for-credit programs from colleges and university). These programs are not limited, however, to college-aged students. Each edition also profiles several programs and ideas for off-the-beaten-path travel alternatives. The website provides hundreds of links to these programs.Arthur Frommer: Throughout the 1990s Arthur Frommer produced the best guidebook to travel-like-a-local options ever. It is called A New World of Travel. The book details over one hundred great travel-like-a-local options that are not well-known by most travelers. Frommer stopped producing the guide and placed the same information on his website. The problem: There is no easy way for you to navigate his website to find this information. My solution: Buy the old book from (last time I checked you could buy it used for under a dollar) and use his website () to update the information or check out the websites listed in his 1996 edition. When I have checked the websites from the 1996 edition, I’ve found ninety (or more) percent of the sites are still operative today.Book Picks: Working AbroadTravel Writing and JournalismThe World on a String: How to Become a Freelance Foreign CorrespondentAl Goodman and John Pollack The World on a String offers budding (and established) journalists a refreshing alternative to covering city council meetings—freelancing around the world. (After working in city government for 14 years, I would sooner have a dentist do nonstop root canal surgery than report on city council meetings.) Sadly, the North American press coverage of the rest of the world has dwindled since The World on a String was published in 1997 reducing the need for freelancers. However, the World on the String remains a comprehensive and surprisingly entertaining primer to a great alternative to the traditional journalistic career.The Travel Writer’s Handbook: How to Write and Sell Your Own Travel ExperiencesLouise Purwin Zobel Most people feel that travel writing is about as easy to get into as acting. Sure, it is not easy. But it is also not impossible—especially if you follow Zobel’s advice. The Travel Writer’s Handbook is the most comprehensive guide to travel writing in the marketplace. Zobel offers very useful advice on framing, researching, writing and marketing travel stories.Travel Writing: A Guide to Research, Writing, and SellingL. Peat O’Neill This is the perfect companion guide to The Travel Writer’s Handbook. O’Neill covers some of the same ground as Zobel. However, she presents the information with a different spin and shares several little known secrets (particularly about researching and writing an effective travel story).Working Your Way Round the World with Short-Term Jobs Working Abroad: The Complete Guide to Finding a Job OverseasEdited by Clay Hubbs (Transitions Abroad magazine) Working Abroad, written by Transitions Abroad magazine, is a thorough compendium of job opportunities that are available to recent college graduates and other people without experience in a lucrative, professional career. My only complaint: the book is dry. Suggestion: Use more real life stories (just like the magazine) of people successfully making a new life abroad.Vacation Work’s Work Your Way Around the World: The Authoritative Guide for the Working TravelerSusan Griffith In my mind there are two ways to work your way around the world. One way is to select your travel destinations first and then try to find worthwhile work experiences at that destination. Another is to pick a career and then try to find the best position for you abroad. This book is a bible for you if you want to find ways to make money at your destination. Many of the jobs listed, like picking fruit and bartending, sound to me like drudgery regardless if they are in Sydney or Poughkeepsie. However, there are a lot of internships, trading opportunities, and other ways to make money including traveling around the world that sound more interesting to me. The Back Door Guide to Short Term Job AdventuresMichael Landes Whether you want to intern for a political cause, learn organic farming, work at a ski resort, crew a boat, or study the theater, The Back Door Guide will have something for you. It also contains a wealth of tips, stories, and anecdotes to give you the inside skinny on a variety of alternative work experiences while motivating you to try something new. Use this book to plan your escape from the rat race. I wish I would have the gumption to try out some of these alternative jobs before I settled down. Nonetheless, it is never too late. One caveat: The Back Door Guide only offers a few ideas for jobs outside of USA, however.Teaching English as a Foreign LanguageTeaching English Overseas: A Job Guide for Americans and CanadiansJeff Mohamed Teaching English Overseas presents a thorough and well researched overview of the opportunities, joys, and challenges of teaching English outside of the USA. It could use more information about job opportunities in specific countries and provide more information about the day to day life of teachers abroad. Fortunately, both of these topics are well covered by a score of internet sites (particularly Dave’s ESL Café: ).Positions in the Hospitality IndustryHow to Get a Job with a Cruise LineMary Fallon Miller Miller has written a very good introduction to getting and keeping a job in a complex industry. She presents a balanced view of the profession and a well-researched analysis of the needs of cruise lines. Around the World in the Middle Seat: How I Saw the World (and Survived!) as a Group LeaderJoyce BrooksAround the World in the Middle Seat is an entertaining and informative look at Brooks’s career as a tour leader to some of the Earth’s most far flung corners. Brooks drops into her text, which is mostly a memoir, many interesting tidbits about the history, culture, and societies she encountered. She also provides readers a ton of useful information about becoming a group leader.Importing/Exporting Building an Import/Export BusinessKenneth D. Weiss Weiss presents a thorough analysis of the prospects for developing a small import/export business that is poised for success in the future. Read this book before investing funds in this type of business especially if you want to develop an import/export business as your primary (or only) means of income.How to be an Importer and Pay for your World TravelMary Green There are a myriad of ways to extend your travels around the world without spending money from home. Importing/exporting is one of the popular ways that travelers have used for decades to pay for their trips around the world. How to be an Importer is the classic guide (first published in 1979) to this potentially fun and lucrative income source. I only wish that a similar guide existed to establishing other types of businesses Want to find out More About Why Americans Live Abroadand What they Get Out of the Experience?There is surprisingly very little writing about what makes Americans want to live abroad. There are many memoirs written by Americans living abroad- particularly in Southern Europe- that talk about one particular person’s motivation for (and the subsequent benefits and pitfalls of) living abroad. Yet, very few resources attempt to discuss this topic on a wider basis.Thankfully, there are two excellent resources out there that talk about why Americans live abroad:Lost and Found in Mexico (; review at ): A fantastic short documentary about one resident in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico’s – named Caren Cross- attempts to come to grips with her uncharacteristic decision (after a seemingly happy life of measured decisions) to move impulsively to San Miguel de Allende. She does this by comparing the motivation, and the result of her move, with other expats in San Miguel de Allende. She finds a surprising number of people – seemingly happy in their lives in the US – who packed up their bags for San Miguel de Allende because they were enchanted by the City’s beguiling charms and slow pace. Lovingly producing and thought-provoking. Before watching this movie, I believed that every expat should approach moving abroad in a slow, deliberative manner. Now, while I still think that the taking the move slowly is the best policy, I realize that something acting impulsively can work out well.Leaving America: The New Expatriate Generation by John Wennersten. A somewhat academic yet enlightening look at American expats living abroad. It presents profiles of a wide range of expat communities – from African American jazz musicians in Japan to retirees in Mexico. The book also argues that increasingly a large population of America’s best and brightest Baby Boomers will decide to leave the crass commercialism and hustle-and-bustle of America for a new, slower, more human-scaled life abroad Some Great Resources about Living AbroadWant to Know More about Volunteering?As a whole there are not a lot of good resources (at least in one place) for travel-like-a-local programs. As you’ll see throughout this book, I’ve developed several handbooks (and will be writing a book later) to fill in some of the gaps I’ve seen in the existing resources.That said, you could not find a more useful resource than the book: INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET INCLUDEPICTURE "" \* MERGEFORMATINET How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher. This book not only provides tons of useful advice to help you to plan a volunteer vacation, it also has useful reviews (based on input from past participants) of over 130 volunteer programs in EMERGING countries. Several other useful books and websites exist that list various specific volunteer programs that aren’t covered in How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas. If you are looking for a volunteer program in the US or Europe or want to volunteer for an academic posting (How to Live Your Dream does not cover archaeological digs, for example, because they are primarily academic), I’d suggest that you look at the resources listed in the book picks and links sections of my website.Fortunately there are some great guidebooks, reviewed below, to help you manage the logistics of your transition to another country. Unfortunately, very few of these guides are geared to travelers who have chosen to move abroad to pursue a new life. Instead, they focus on people who are moving abroad for a new assignment in diplomatic corps or for their company. In reading these books, keep in mind that they assume that you: 1) have money; 2) have a family (rather than singles and couples); and 3) will not be living and working on the local economy. This handbook is an attempt to make up for these shortfalls.That said, these books do an excellent job of outlining the steps necessary to move your household to another country and to adapt (particularly if you are part of a family) to another country.Books:Living and Working Abroad: A Survival HandbookDavid Hampshire Living and Working Abroad is the single most complete guide to the cost of living and availability of jobs for professional people abroad anywhere. In seemingly endless (sometimes a bit dry) detail, Living and Working Abroad provides modern-day nomad with a thorough analysis of what they can expect in their new country. The Grown Up’s Guide to Running Away from HomeRosanne KnorrThe Grown Up’s Guide is a thorough overview of the issues you need to think about if you want to live outside of the USA—even if for only a couple of months—including how to choose the right new home, prepare your finances, and, if applicable, keep your home in the USA. It is also surprisingly entertaining and well written.Expert Expatriate: Your Guide to Successful Relocation AbroadMelissa Brayer Hess and Patricia LindermanIf I had to write a book about living abroad (for people who are relocating for a new assignment, at least) it would be the Expert Expatriate. Hess and Linderman’s writing is clear, approachable, and intelligent. They sprinkle the book with great sidebars based on their lives that illustrate their points effectively. Moving Your Family OverseasRosalind Kalb & Penelope WelchMoving Your Families Overseas does an excellent job of discussing all the aspects of transferring your family to another country from the physical logistics of the move to making successful cultural and psychological adjustments.Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among WorldsDavid C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van RekenThird Culture Kids, though a bit academic, is a worthwhile primer if you are going to move your kids abroad for a long period of time. It discusses both the challenges and the benefits of moving back and forth between different countries for children. This book could also be an excellent resource if you are thinking about working as a teacher or businessperson working with expatriate children in another country.Overseas Americans: The Essential Guide to Living and Working AbroadWilliam BeaverThough dry, I would recommend this book highly to help you deal with the legal and bureaucratic issues involved with moving abroad including taxes, security, and doing business abroad.I have only found two books that talk about living abroad for people who actually make the decision to move abroad (without having decided where they want to move) without a job overseas settled in advance. A Family Year Abroad: How to Live Outside the BordersChris WestphalI like this book! It does a great job of combining practical advice with a well written story of one family’s effort to establish a new life in Prague without the backing of a company or government. A Family Year Abroad holds no punches (it is hard to move a family abroad especially without the safety net of a US company) yet also gives you a valuable look at the benefits of transitioning abroad for enhancing family togetherness and developing a multicultural sense of awareness.Live and Work Abroad: A Guide for Modern NomadsHuw Francis and Michelyne CallanThe only book I’ve found that addresses all of the issues of moving abroad for both people who are sent abroad by companies and those who choose a new life abroad. Live and Work Abroad is very thorough (though a bit overly British) and well written, though a bit dry in spots.Internet Resources: Here are a few of the best resources:Check out locally published English language newspapers. (A list of newspapers round the world is available at HYPERLINK "" .) They are an excellent source of information if you live, or are planning to move, work for Living Abroad () has a comprehensive list of links for information about living abroad. Transitions Abroad () features articles and links for information about living abroad. Escape Artist () contains a very thorough list of links. Tales from a Small Planet () highlights an excellent list of resources and articles for modern-day nomad.Resources to Help You Decide: “Where Do You Want to Live?”Magazines and WebsitesInternational LivingProbably the single best resource for deciding where you want to live is International Living magazine. Though a bit pricey ($69 a year), International Living does a good job profiling various places to live on the planet. They also publish a lot of useful though expensive handbooks on specific countries. I’d only recommend buying these booklets if you are fairly sure that you may want to live in a specific country, like Argentina, where you can’t find any other book about living there written for Americans. The books listed later in this sidebar seem more complete and consumer-friendly than International Living’s booklets. International Living also does seminars and trips to help show people the ropes of relocating to another part of the world. (Most of these seminars cost $300-$400 a day for 14 or so days. Due to their high cost, I have never participated in the seminars or the trips, though I may in the future. I do, however, think that if you have the time, you may be better off saving your money and investing it into living in a place for a couple of months instead.)International Living also has an excellent free (almost daily) postcard that contains a lot of interesting articles about various places to live around the world (though they are also filled with ads that often over promote their products) . Plus, International Living has established offices throughout many countries to help modern-day nomad connect with the resources (such as attorneys, realtors, etc.) needed to explore (and to realize) their dream of starting a new life in another country. (Though I wonder to what degree, International Living serves as a conduit for bringing clients to these resources, instead of helping connect readers with truly consumer-friendly services.)Contains thousands of (mostly) useful articles written by and for modern-day nomad who have chosen to live in another country. You will have to surf quite a bit to find the best articles about living and retiring abroad (there are more travelogues than articles about living abroad). However, nowhere else will you find so much information in one place. Best of all, it’s free. In addition, has hundreds of links to real estate companies around the world (this is how they earn their income). These links can give you a good idea of the cost of property in many parts of the Earth and get your imagination flowing about establishing yourself in a distant land.Retiring Outside the United StatesA special report from Where to Retire magazineRetiring Outside the United States is an insightful, carefully researched and intelligent guide to all you need to know about retiring in various corners of the globe. I would recommend this pamphlet to anyone who is thinking about setting off for another part of the world (regardless of whether you are retiring or not).Books about the Logistics of Living AbroadGuidebook Series about Living AbroadOnce you’ve identified a country, try to find a book about living, working, retiring, and/or investing in your new homeland. There are several guide series out there including the following:Cashing in on a Second Home (in Mexico and Central America) by Tom Kelly and Mitch Creekmore While I have mixed emotions about the idea of cashing in on real estate overseas, I think this book is still worth reading for anyone thinking about buying a property in Mexico and/or Central America. It gives good, practical, and easy to understand information to help guide you through the purchase process. The books also give useful, up-to-date information about other legalistic issues such as establishing residency.Living Abroad (in Ireland, Mexico, Belize, Spain, France, Italy, and Costa Rica)This review is based on an overall impression of all of the editions covered in the series. I like this guide so much that I have decided to read each book from cover to cover.These recently published guides (most are so new they were not in the previous edition of this handbook) are, in my opinion, the best guidebooks for living abroad on the market today. They do an excellent job of both answering logistical questions and giving you a sense of the joys and pitfalls of living in a particular country. I particularly like the parts of the books where they talk about the costs of real estate and living in various towns and regions throughout the country. I also enjoy the way that the authors give good concise information about daily living in their respective countries. (I find this to be a fault of most of the other books on this list.) I think these guides serve as an excellent adjunct to this booklet. They do not cover, as this booklet does, the types of issues—like culture shock—that everyone who lives abroad should think about; but, instead, they provide a useful compendium of information presented in a highly readable, clear, and concise matter to guide you through the logistics of your transition to another country. Living and Working in (Australia, Britain, Germany, New Zealand)These books merit the word “encyclopedic.” Instead of giving you the basics of immigrating, living, and working in another country, they provide a wealth of details to help guide you through the process.They are, however, a bit dry and hard to follow. In addition, they are overly geared toward British and European markets to serve the needs of Americans as well as the Living Abroad in… series detailed above. Adapter Kit: A Traveler’s Tools For Living Like a Local (Belize, Mexico, France, and Ireland)(note this review is largely based on the guide to Mexico written by Ken Luboff)Adapter Kit does an excellent job of simply and concisely addressing some of the cultural issues you need to expect and address when you move abroad and (perhaps its best feature) describing the pros and cons of moving to various (including a few that are off the beaten expatriate trail) places in the country. Its discussion of the practical issues involved in moving is decent but more thoroughly done elsewhere.Living and Investing in the New (Nicaragua, Panama, and Cuba) and the Golden Door to Retiring in Costa RicaChristopher Howard(note: this review is largely based on the Living and Investing in the New Panama and Nicaragua guides)Living and Investing provides a thorough, seemingly well-researched and accurate view of the legal, political, and social issues involved in moving and setting up a business in these countries. (In my opinion, one of the best features of this guide is its discussion of working in these nations.) Though Howard does provide sketches of Americans living in these countries, I would like to see more of that type of information.Living Overseas: Follow Your Dreams to Affordable Living (Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize, the Dominican Republic and Living Overseas: What You Need to Know)(Note: This review is based on Living Overseas Mexico. All the books are by Robert Johnson)This is the best book available if you want to work (or set up a business) in another country. It also does a good job of profiling real life expatriates and helping you understand the logistics involved in moving, living, and retiring in another country. The only real fault: the book doesn’t give you a good sense of the people, history, or culture. (Arguably this is done well by other books. I’d check out the Culture Shock series and look at all the books listed in the book picks section of my website: ).Buying a Property (from the Sunday Times in England) in Spain, Florida, France, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus, Greece, Abroad (in general), and Retiring Abroad(note: this review is based on Buying a Property in Portugal)These very thorough guides are printed primarily for a British audience. They clearly spell out all the legal issues and processes involved in buying a home. They do not offer any sketches of real expatriates or talking about renting a home. They do a good job of profiling various regions of the country and a reasonable job of explaining the cultural, political, and historical background of the nation under question.Choose Mexico (and Costa Rica): Travel, Investment, and Living Opportunities for Every BudgetJohn Howells (Note: John Howells has also written several guides exclusively for retirees in the US)(note: this review is from Choose Mexico)Choose Mexico does the best job of any guide listed here in describing life in various cities around the country. It is also the only guidebook in this series that could be useful (except the People’s Guide to Mexico) to anyone planning to travel around the country for an extended period of time. It is not a great guide for making a living in Mexico and its discussion of cultural differences is mediocre.Guidebooks about Living Abroad (Country Specific)MexicoHead for Mexico: The Renegade Guide Don AdamsThis is the best guide for anyone who wants to live in Mexico bar none. Unfortunately, it isn’t all that easily available (though you can order it through ). Head for Mexico is well written, researched, comprehensive, and very approachably written. Best of all, it is the ONLY book of this type I’ve ever read that caters to people who really want to be an integral part of their new country rather than a mere expatriate. People’s Guide to MexicoCarl Franz The People’s Guide is the only traditional travel guidebook that belongs on this list. Thirty years after its first publication, it remains the ultimate travel guide to any country ever written anywhere. Better yet, it is entertaining to read cover to cover. The People’s Guide, unlike most guides, doesn’t recommend hotels or restaurants. Instead, it tells you how to live like a native and how to really appreciate the Mexican soul. Funny, well written, compassionate. A classic that I hope will continue to be updated until the end of time. The People's Guide also has an excellent website ( HYPERLINK "" ) filled with tons of useful information about Mexico. Live Better South of the Border in Mexico: Practical Advice for Living and Working“Mexico” Mike Nelson An excellent introductory text. Many of the guides listed here have specific strengths and weaknesses. This is the only guide that covers all the ingredients necessary for a useful guide concisely and simply. Nelson is truly a master of all trades; yet, he does leave one wanting more detail and that, fortunately, is easy to find in many of the excellent guides listed here. If you’d like to read more about living, working, and retiring in Mexico, you may also want to purchase my booklet: The Ultimate Guide to Living, Working, or Retiring in MexicoItalyLiving, Studying and Working in ItalyTravis Neighbor Ward and Monica LarnerI wish every country had as good a guide for potential expats as Ward and Larner have developed for Italy. No other book (with the possible exception of the People’s Guide to Mexico) is so highly readable. Ward and Larner make living and working in Italy come alive while giving you the details you need to successfully transition to life there. If you haven’t thought of living in Italy, you may even find yourself wanting to live there (at least, I did) after reading this useful and well-written book.ThailandRetiring in Thailand Sunise W. Terlecky and Philip BryceRetiring in Thailand contains a lot of useful information for expats contemplating a new life in this quirky and compelling land. I like the fact that while this guide talks clearly and concisely about most of the standard issues facing expats creating a new life in Thailand – i.e. visa requirements, health care, etc.—it also goes into considerable detail about the cultural issues necessary to live in Thailand as well.Memoirs about Living AbroadThailandExpat Days: Making a Life in ThailandSteve RosseAn entertaining and instructive series of article written by a long term American resident of Phuket. Expat Days shows you what it is like to forge a life – complete with a Thai wife and family – in the “land of smiles”. Mai Pen Rai Means Never Mind: An American Housewife’s Honest Love Affair with the Irresistible People of ThailandCarole HollingerI love this book. Though written more than forty years ago by a wife of American businessman in Thailand, you can’t help but be charmed and fascinating by Hollinger’s love and affection for her adopted country. I defy any to read this book and not be infatuated with Hollinger’s open and, yet extremely perceptive nature. Hollinger should be a model for all expats. (Hollinger also has some interesting comments about the US and expat life as well).Bangkok Babylon: The Real Life Exploits of Bangkok’s Legendary Expatriates are Often Stranger than FictionJerry HopkinsOne theme that comes up time and again with interviews that I’ve done with American expats is that they really enjoy the mixture of Americans who live in their newly adopted homelands. No book captures this sentiment better than Bangkok Babylon. The expats interviewed on these pages are some of the most colorful people I’ve ever encountered. While not all (though most) are people I’d like to have as friends, you can’t help but admire the diverse characters that life in Bangkok attracts. A fun read!MexicoGringos in Paradise: An American Couple Builds their Retirement Dream House in a Seaside Village in MexicoBarry GolsonOne of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read about the process of setting up a new life abroad. Barry Golson deals honestly with the trials and tribulations of finding the land and building his dream house north of Puerto Vallarta, without ever making you feel that he regretted his decision for one minute. The book oozes with Golson’s love of his new life and of Mexico in general, even while he deals honestly with the quirks and difficulties his new life evokes. A fun read that really demonstrates why most people end up loving their new lives overseas.On Mexican Time Tony CohanOn Mexico Time is the best of a compendium of recently written memoirs written by Northerners about setting up a second home in Southern climes (such as Peter Mayle’s A Life in Provence and Frances Mayles’ Under the Tuscan Sun). I must admit I’m a bit prejudiced. I will follow anyone, like Cohan, who clearly loves Mexico as much as I do. Why do Cohan and I love Mexico so much? Read the book and you’ll discover the answer- the indelible vibrancy and humanity of Mexican life.Costa RicaButterflies in the CityJo StuartButterflies in the City is a compilation of articles written by Jo Stuart, a senior citizen who has lived in Costa Rica for nearly fifteen years. Her articles capture a deep-seated admiration and fondness for her adopted country while also revealing some of the dark side of living in Costa Rica. PanamaDon’t Kill the Cow Too Quick: An Englishman’s Adventure Homesteading in PanamaMalcolm HendersonWhile Henderson is clearly one of the most eccentric people to write a memoir about living in another country (he buys his house in minutes after arriving and sets up an organic plantation in order to be secure from future worldwide chaos), you can’t help but admire his skill in capturing the people and places that enrich his newfound life in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Since his book covers a time when Bocas was still off the expat circuit, he makes Bocas del Toro sound more exotic than it is today, while also making it clear why Bocas is becoming a well-established part of the expat haven circuit.EnglandMy Love Affair with England: A Traveler's MemoirSusan Allen TothMy Love Affair with England is an elegantly written, compassionate look at how the author's relationship with England has both mirrored and changed her life. While overall the book is an unapologetic paean to all of Britain's charms, Toth skillfully avoids becoming too "rah-rah". She tells us with great honesty about the times she had a roller coaster relationship with Britain. By the end of the book, you find Toth's Britain loveable and picturesque. In fact, Toth gave me an urge to go back to Britain that didn't exist before I read the book. I can't give a book higher praise than that!FranceA Year in ProvencePeter MayleA Year in Provence launched a movement. Mayle's deft and endearing description of the French people and countryside ignited a movement in the US and Britain. Thanks to Mayle thousands of tourists have discovered this corner of France, other authors have been inspired to write literary memoirs extolling the joys (and trials) of living abroad, and some inspired souls have even decided to set up a new life in this beautiful, rich corner of Europe. Who can blame them? Mayle's descriptions of the region's gourmet meals and lavender fields are enough to get anyone packing.ItalyUnder the Tuscan Sun Frances Mayes Ever wanted to chuck it all and live in the romantic Italian countryside? If not, you will after you read this book. Despite of (or maybe because of) all the difficulties that Mayes experiences in renovating her Tuscan villa, you can't help but fall in love with Tuscany. I will never forget Mayes descriptions of the food and sights of Tuscany. My mouth waters just thinking about the Mayes' Tuscany (and I read the book six years ago)!As the Romans DoAlan Epstein This book is awesome! Never before have I read such an informed, yet passionate view, written by foreigner (Epstein is an American professor) of another culture. By the end of this extremely well written and gentle book, you’ll both admire and love the Italians while understanding their culture’s foibles and faults. I guarantee it!The Reluctant Tuscan: How I Discovered My Inner TuscanPhil DoranAn entertaining story about how a Type-A, Hollywood screenwriter is gently goaded by his wife into restoring – amidst a myriad of funny, and at times very revealing setbacks—a Medievel Tuscan cottage. In the end he succumbs to the asundried charms of Tuscan life and yet he never loses his ascorbic wit. Books about Culture in other CountriesCultural Guidebook SeriesCulture Shock SeriesThe Culture Shock series manages to convey a lot of useful information about the habits and beliefs of different people worldwide in a simple, entertaining, and ultimately very informative format. I particularly enjoy, and benefit, from the short quizzes at the end of the books asking readers how they would react to a given situation in that culture.Intercultural PressIntercultural Press produced an excellent series of books about understand and adapting to other countries worldwide. Well written, thought provoking, and at times entertaining, these are vital resources if you intend to live – and particularly work – in another culture.Country Specific Cultural GuidesItalyLa Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian MindBeppe SeverginiA very cleverly written and astute guide to the culture, politics, history, and society of Italy. After reading this book, you’ll understand why almost everyone is enchanted – and somewhat repulsed- by Italy. Extremely thought provoking and entertaining at the same timeThe Italians: A Full Length Portrait Featuring their Manners and MoralsLuigi BarziniThough written in the early 1960s this book is fresh, compelling, and illuminating portrait of the Italian people. By intricately showing how Italian culture was formed by the country’s turbulent past and rich cultural identity, The Italians has become one of the classic studies of any culture.MexicoThere is a Word for It in MexicoBoye Lafayette deMente One of the most entertaining and unique books about cultural differences ever written. DeMente expands on the definition of approximately one hundred words widely used in Mexico to help gringos decipher this complex country. While many such books seem condescending and ethnocentric, this book does a laudable job of explaining the Mexican culture and mentality in an approachable and ultimately sympathetic manner.Opening Mexico: Making of a DemocracyJulia Preston and Samuel Dillon Preston and Dillon present an encyclopedic, thoroughly researched, and compelling look at the changes that led to one of the most interesting and underreported events of the late twentieth century -- the fall of the PRI's (Partido Revolucion Institucional) stronghold on Mexican politics. A must read for any student of modern Mexican life. I hope someone will follow this book up with a look at Mexico since the election of Vicente Fox in the near future.True Tales from Another MexicoSam Quinones When they are done well, I love books that attempt to profile a culture by compiling interviews with different people from a cross section of society. No other author has done a better job compiling this type of a book than Quinones. He gives a moving, and fascinating, voice to everyone from smugglers to gays in Mexico. Very well written and researched. A must read for any student of modern Mexican life and cultureCosta RicaThe Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa RicaMavis and Richard BiesanzThe Ticos does a great job of explaining how Costa Rica’s unique history (sometimes it helps to be a backwater), geography, and ethnic makeup helped forge the country’s justifiable reputation as the “Switzerland of Latin America”. The book also fairly, and comprehensively, details the environmental and political changes that threaten to take away the country’s reputation as a peaceful alternative to Latin America’s bloody history.ThailandBlending in: Farang Reflections on Living in ThailandGray RobertsProbably the best compendium of articles written about the process of adjusting to life as an expat in any country. Written from a variety of expats’ perspectives, the book poses any interesting question: “Can any farang (a foreigner from a Western country) ever be accepted as a Thai?” While the answer to the question appears to be a resounding “no”, the book provides a really thought-provoking look into the expat reality in a very exotic and different land.Local Guidebooks for ExpatriatesWhenever you find yourself overseas investigating the possibility of living in another corner of the world for awhile, check out the local English language newspapers (you can find a list of newspapers with world-) and bookstores for materials written by and for local expatriates. In my travels around the world, I’ve found some really good resources this way including the Practical Guide to Cairo (from the American University of Cairo press), Bangkok Survivor’s Handbook, and the annual Exploring Costa Rica by the Tico Times.Television ShowHouse Hunters International (House and Garden Cable TV) I like this show because it shows what three homes look like at different price points in localities throughout the world. It serves as an excellent way to compare what you would get for your money in different parts of the world. I don’t like the fact that it doesn’t discuss in any way the psychological and logistical issues necessary for Americans to successfully transition abroad. I think, without this information, it makes the process look too easy and too similar to the USA.Farmstays, Monasteries, Bed and Breakfasts, and other Travel-like-a-Local Accommodation ChoicesThere are many ways to find accommodations that allow you to have more interactions with locals. Rick Steves, a European travel guru, has built up a surprisingly devoted audience of middle age, female, American travelers by creating guidebooks and videos dedicated to teaching Americans how to access and enjoy these more homespun accommodation choices. Yet, his books aren’t the only great sources for this info. Here are few that I recommend:Good Night and God Bless: A Guide to Convent and Monastery Accommodation in Europe by Trish Clark, Janet Hutchinson, Gabiann Marin, and Stuart GibsonEurope's Monastery and Convent Guesthouses by Kevin J. WrightGuide to Lodging in Monasteries (different editions for France, Spain, and Italy) by Eileen BarishYoga Vacations: A Guide to International Yoga Vacations by Annalisa Cunningham: Yoga Vacations provides a thorough summary (including participant comments) about various yoga retreats available throughout the world. The listings are overly geared toward vacations in the US; however, other than that, I can't really think of too many suggestions for improvements. I wish that other books covering travel like a local experiences were as thorough as this imminently useful guide.Healthy Escapes: 242 Retreats Where Yon Can Get Fit, Feel Good, Find Yourself, and Get Away from it All by Fodor's: Healthy Escapes does a great job summarizing (though it does lack any qualitative analysis) hundreds of spas, fitness resorts, and cruise ship programs that will help you become a fitter, trimmer, and more balanced person. The listings, as too often is the case, are geared overwhelmingly toward programs in the US and Canada (though there are more options in Mexico and the Caribbean than many other such books). From Here to Nirvana: The Yoga Journal Guide to Spiritual India by Anne Cushman and Jerry Jones: Have you ever wanted to chuck it all and go to India to live in an ashram or a temple? If so, read this book to discover everything you need to know to plan your journey. If not, read this book anyway. It is a wonderfully entertaining and informative look at India’s spiritual side. If you’re not careful, you’ll want to pack your bags and join Cushman and Jones on their journey.AA Bed & Breakfast in France 2004: Over 3500 B&Bs Inspected and Rated by Gites de France (AA Bed and Breakfast in France) by AA PublishingItalian Farm Vacations: The Guide to Countryside Hospitality (Dolce Vita) by Touring Club of Italy. Talks about intentional communities, some of which allow short term visitors.I frequently stay at Harbin Hot Springs, a spa in Middletown, California (30 minutes North of the Napa Valley). Harbin Hot Springs has a wonderful variety of pools and hot tubs available along with very comfortable accommodations. You can stay in their dorm for $35/night. They show movies nightly and have talks and discussions for free from time to time. The setting is very relaxing. Some people may have problems with the fact that the pools are clothing optional (). Similar options also exist at Breitenbush between Eugene and Portland, Oregon () where you can stay overnight in a dorm and have meals and participate in more activities than at Harbin for $60/night. I have read about a program that includes yoga classes, meals, and a dorm room at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California (about an hour north of Sacramento) for $65/night () Want to Know More about Playing the Frequent Flyer Game to Win?The single best source of information about frequent flyer programs is available at . Gary Steiger offers a nonbiased, consumer oriented analysis of hundreds of frequent flyer programs that allows you to beat the airlines at the frequent flyer game. Using the methods described on this site, Gary has generated over 750,000 frequent flyer miles and flown many free trips over the past six years. Some of the more interesting ways Gary suggests for gaining miles include signing up to receive and open advertising e-mails and setting up online bank accounts. Gary also compares and contrasts various frequent flyer programs. Alternative travel optionsFun on a Wooden Slat BedIn September 2005 I participated in a three week workcamp in Colola, Mexico concerning sea turtle conservation. The following is a summary of my experienceProgram Description Where is Colola?Colola is located on the coastline of the state of Michoacan, approximately midway between Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta (both of which are approximately eight hours by bus. The beach at Colola is long and sweeping. The beach is almost deserted. In nearly three weeks in Colola, I only saw a couple of tourists (who came to see the turtles) in Colola. While Colola itself has little or no tourism, there are several towns with some basic tourist infrastructure. While none of these towns could be called a resort, they are regarded by aficionados as some of the best surfing spots on the Pacific coast. The Colola Work CampThe Colola sea turtle work camp for Americans is organized through Volunteers for Peace (VFP; HYPERLINK "" ). When I checked the VFP website, they had 149 work camps available in 29 countries (including the US and Western Europe) available between September 2005 and the end of the year. I paid $545 in total for the work camp for nineteen days ($27/day). $250 went to VFP (if I complete a report about the work camp and send it VFP, I will be eligible for a $100 refund from the VFP organization). The remaining $295 went to VIVE Mexico, the local nonprofit program sponsor. I understand that about half of the VIVE Mexico fee is directed toward paying for the food and activities of the volunteers while they are participating in the work camp. The remaining half goes to fund VIVE Mexico’s programs.Approximately ten times a year, a group of volunteers from around the world, usually ranging from seven to fifteen people, come to Colola to participate in the work camp. Our campsite participants were from Germany (3), France (2), England (2), Japan, and the USA. (I was the only American). The camp leader, Mario, was from Italy The CampsiteThe campsite consists of three palapas – native, beach houses handmade from palm fronds. One houses the volunteers’ dormitory, a breezeway, and a large common room with an eating area and a kitchen. Another houses the tortugeros (turtle keepers) whenever they weren’t working during their rounds (often there are no turtles or it rains so hard that the tortugeros could not work). The third palapa is used for overfill in case there are too many volunteers to stay in the main structure. The volunteers’ dormitory features bunk beds made from wooden slats. There is no bedding provided. The floor is made of sand, which infiltrates everything you own no matter what you do. There was no refrigerator in the kitchen (although a couple of coolers were available). Since everyone sleeps and eats in the same small palapa; if you want any privacy, forget it. The breezeway between the common room and the dormitory leaked whenever it rained. The palapa did have an electric light bulb in the common room, but not the dormitory. The toilet is housed in an outdoor concrete structure, approximately 200 feet away from the palapas. The toilets do not have a door. Privacy is afforded by a sheet hung outside the toilet. Most of the time, the toilet was quite clean, because the volunteers took good care to keep it so.A separate area, about four hundred feet away from the palapa, is set aside for showering. The water for the shower, which is always cool, is stored in a concrete basin. You must pour the water over yourself as there is no showerhead or faucet. As you can see the showering area also does not allow for any privacy. The campsite has a pump that supplies running water to the kitchen sink and keeps the shower water from becoming stagnant. The pump stops fairly frequently, making it hard to wash dishes and/or take a shower.Everyone seemed to be in good health throughout the work camp. The volunteers took care to ensure that food was washed in purified water before eating. In addition, while I don’t have any proof that this is true, I think that most Mexican food today is much safer than in the past. The WorkEvery weekday night starting at around ten or eleven the volunteers separated into groups of two and accompanied the tortugeros on their rounds. In the night, the turtles would come ashore for sometime between thirty minutes and two hours to lay eggs and then return to the sea soon thereafter. The turtles found their way back to the sea by following the light given off by waves crashing. If there was too much light, the turtles would get distracted and not go ashore. I went out on my rounds with Kohei, a twenty-two-year-old, pre-law student from Tokyo. Every night our assignments and the group of tortugeros we accompanied would rotate. That way we were able to get to know almost every tortugero somewhat during our stay.We watched and assisted the tortugeros as they scanned the beach with their flashlights looking for turtle tracks. Once the tracks were identified, the tortugeros would follow them to see if they could find the holes that the turtles dug to sequester their eggs. Then we’d try to dig up the eggs. Sometimes we’d have to wait to dig up the eggs until the turtles finished laying them and then help the turtles get out of the holes (which were about fifty feet wide and a couple of feet deep) so that they could begin their trip back to the water. Other times, we’d start digging eggs from holes that were already abandoned after the turtle had begun the trip back to the sea. As soon as they dug up the eggs, the tortugeros would note the number of eggs, the sea conditions, date, time, and type of turtles on a report. The reports are used by the University of Michoacan in Morelia to track the village’s conservation progress (The village was quite good at conservation. The leader of the tortugeros, Jose Luis, had been invited to go to several conferences to discuss the group’s successes. According to Jose Luis, the number of turtle eggs and fully grown turtles on the beach is now about ten times what it was fifteen years ago). After collecting and noting the eggs, the tortugeros would put them in the nursery in front of the palapas. There the eggs could be hatched without interference from local poachers or birds. Once the turtles were hatched, the tortugeros would release them into the sea. Supposedly, because of predators and natural conditions, only about one percent of the hatchlings would survive until adulthood.El Pollito (The Little Chicken), Mr. Italy, and the Rest of the Gang of Merry VolunteersWhile we did not have much in common (I was fifteen years older than any of the volunteers and twelve years older than Mario, the camp leader); I felt surprisingly close to the group and will miss them, and think about them, often.I was genuinely pleased to see how well everyone fit together. It would have been hard to put together a more fun-loving, kind, and adaptable group of people. The group very seldom complained about anything, performed their tasks without problems, and quickly become good friends. In fact, they were such a good group that some of them even helped change some of the negative stereotypes I’ve had about their countries. The TortugerosWhile Kohei and I accompanied the tortugeros on their rounds, I would ask the tortugeros questions about their lives. They were very open about telling me about their lives and obligingly answering my questions about turtles.I quickly discovered that, like most Mexicans, the tortugeros almost all had some connection to the United States. All but one of the tortugeros had relatives living in the USA. Many of the relatives worked on apple farms near Moses Lake, Washington. However, they also had relatives scattered throughout other parts of the USA, including a couple in rural Maine and Tennessee.Probably about half of the tortugeros had at some time or another lived and worked in the States. While most left Colola to make a living in the USA, a couple of tortugueros ventured North because they were bored with life in Colola.Every tortugero I met grew up in Colola. I did meet one Cololan (not a tortugero) who had lived in the USA for twenty years and spoke English complete with every American slang and idiom imaginable. I almost fainted when he ran up to me in the town one day and asked me: “How are they hanging, bro?” The tortugeros, who were all men, ranged in age from about 19 to 65. As near as I could tell the tortugeros received no compensation for collecting the eggs. The eggs could sell on the black market for up to ten pesos a piece. They are supposedly used to help ensure virility. I heard rumors that turtle meat is still available for sale in other parts of Mexico, though I don’t think there is any for sale in Michoacan. The local people for hundreds of years have eaten turtle meat. I remember eating it in several restaurants in Baja California when I was a kid.Pulire and Lavare (to Clean and Wash) Life at a Multicultural Festival Workcamp in Collechio, ItalyJune-July 2008Though I did not enjoy it as much as the Sea Turtle Camp, I still am glad I attended the multicultural festival workcamp in Collechio, Italy and feel comfortable recommending it to others as long as they know in advance what they are getting into.For a modest $300 fee, I spent 14 days at this camp and received room and board. The room was in a hostel. (I shared the room, which was comfortable except for the excessive heat, with two other volunteers). The food was generally good (particularly during the days of the festival, when we were able to eat some of the food prepared for the festival).Collechio, the town that hosted the festival, is a modest sized, seemingly fairly prosperous and tolerant suburb of Parma (in the agricultural and industrial center of Northern Italy called Emiglia-Romagna). It was fun walking around Collechio because it was not used to tourists and had the relaxed and friendly vibe found in most small, semi-rural, off-the-beaten path communities worldwide.The group of volunteers (from Mexico, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Italy, and Russia) got along and worked well together. Though, I must admit that those of us who did not come with friends (the Mexicans, Bulgarian, and Russians came with friends) sometimes felt a bit isolated from the others. We got a chance to meet and become friends with a group of recently arrived refugees, mostly from Afghanistan, who worked along side us for the duration of the festivals. The stories they told us about their long journey to get to Italy (one of them walked most of the way and took under the table jobs in Iran and Turkey to pay for the trip) were harrowing and fascinating. In addition, it was interesting to learn about the differences between the Italian government’s policies toward refugees and those in the U.S. (Italy seems more willing than the U.S. to take in refugees, but less willing to integrate them into the country once their accepted. Of course, like anywhere, it is not easy for them to get asylum in Italy, all the same).While generally workcamps are not supposed to be much work, this one did require us to work quite a bit particularly on the days of the festival itself. (I worked almost twelve hours washing and cleaning tables and trays for five days during the festival. By the end, when I’d get tired, I’d sing a song of my own creation called “Pulire and Lavare” (Cleaning and Washing) set to the tone of “Volare”).As usual I was the oldest volunteer. However, while I did tire faster than the other volunteers from the work, I relished the opportunity to be a father figure to some of the volunteers. I particularly grew fond of the two very young Italians (age 16 and 18) who participated. I will always treasure the memory of singing and dancing down the street with Leonardo, the 18 year old, to the tune of “Singing in the Rain”. (Only in Italy can you find a studiedly, “cool” young man, complete with a cigarette and baggy pants, who would admit that he shares my love for Broadway musicals.) I will also remember fondly when Sergio, the 16 year old bought me a gin and tonic after I’d worked all day at the festival because as he said, “You need this.”The group did, however, take some time off. One day we visited Monterosso, one of the beach communities that forms part of Cinque Terre (5 Lands) section of Liguria. In addition, one of the camp leaders put together a really magical Sicilian-style barbeque (complete with singing and ample wine) one night and we were treated to a very pleasant going-away dinner. At the end of the workcamp, though tired, I must admit that I was sad to leave the other volunteers and look back on the experience with some fondness.NOTE: At the end of the festival, the organizers told us that in the future they did not plan on making the volunteers work so hard. I also don’t think that this level of work is very typical of other European workcamps. The two Mexicans who participated in the group traveled to Europe with a larger group, several of whom participated in other workcamps in Italy, France, and Spain. All of their friends reported that they worked a lot less than we did. Sergei, the young volunteer from Slovakia, also reported that he had participated in five other workcamps in Western Europe and never did half as much work as he did during this workcamp.Humanitarian Foundation of Costa RicaI am not easily impressed by people. Many times I’ve had friends tell me about people that they admired and when I met these people, while they seemed like good people, I haven’t found them particularly admirable.However, once in a while, I meet someone who really manages to impress me. One such person is Gail Nyquist. Gail was a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica thirty years ago who has never, despite life’s ups and downs, lost her enthusiasm and innate hopefulness that she can change her own little corner of the world through dedication, goodwill and hard work.For one week, I had the opportunity to follow this remarkable woman as she managed her varied humanitarian projects in Costa Rica (particularly in the La Carpio neighborhood of San Jose). I never ceased to admire her way of bringing out the best in her volunteers, employees, and the people she tried to help.Many people, in her position, can become cynical. They develop a sense that no one really cares about poverty (at one point, I told her that I was always amazed that anti-poverty programs are not a high priority for the US and European Union governments, to which she replied, “I realized years ago that I could not change the world, but I could do something here and now by building homes and helping improve the poor’s education and skills”) and that the people they help in a sense deserve their poverty because of some innate flaw in their character. Gail oozes love and respect for Costa Rica, its poorest citizens, and any volunteer who crosses her path. As a result she manages to use limited resources in a remarkable way. She is directly involved in over twenty projects throughout rural and urban Costa Rica.I spent one week in a before and after school program she ran and created for the residents of La Carpio, a neighborhood, primarily composed of Nicaragua immigrants, of 50,000 low income residents. I taught her staff some basic English expressions and taught the kids words in English related to plants which they were studying that week. Most of the kids oozed enthusiasm and the staff was well prepared, professional, and dedicated despite a myriad of personal issues.I also spent one day with Gail as she hosted a Christmas party (where she gave away boots, blankets, and other necessities) for a group of indigenous people living in the jungle near Limon. In a short period of three years, Gail and her impressive volunteers had built a bridge across the river (by the way, if you ever meet Gail ask her about how she got money to build the bridge, it is a fun story) and developed a clinic and a school for the people. She even has bought and will resell a variety of handsomely crafted artworks by the local women made out of yuca fiber (a tuber, somewhat like a potato, that is an integral part of the Costa Rican diet).As part of the volunteer program, I lived for two weeks in a homestay she arranged with Dona Magda. Gail truly found another remarkable woman as a host for her volunteers. Dona Magda worked with the Department of Protocol for the Sandinista government in Nicaragua in the 1980s. Listening to her stories of both her enthusiasm and passion for Sandinismo (the Sandinistas’ political ideology) and her eventual disillusionment with the movement was one of the great joys of my stay in Costa Rica. At age 70, Dona Magda still cooks meals (she was at one time also a cook for the Sandinistas before they came to power) for large groups of Gail’s volunteers and makes the world’s best ceviche (fish cocktail). Her cooking has even won her awards from the Costa Rican government.Gail has a lot of volunteers come to work with her. The majority come from school and church groups from the US. She also coordinates a large group of expatriates in Costa Rica, called Helping Hands, who collect goods for the people served by her projects. Most volunteers provide a small contribution to the program that helps Gail run her program. If you give to Gail, she will be able to tell you exactly how the money will be used and will open her (extremely well organized) financial records without any hesitation.For more information about volunteering or contributing to her project, send Gail an e-mail at gnystrom@racsa.co.cr.Through Gail, I met another woman named Donna Tabor ( HYPERLINK "mailto:donnatabor@" donnatabor@) in Granada, Nicaragua who runs a similarly impressive group of social service programs there. IF you ever find yourself in Granada, check out her Café Cavalos, one of the country’s best restaurants, where all the staff are residents of the city’s poorest barrio who have been trained by some of America’s best chefs (who volunteer to come there to teach). Profile of Several Learning Vacations Around-the-WorldOf all of the types of options explored in this booklet my favorite is learning vacation. I have participated in over a dozen of these programs in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Argentina, Russia, and Thailand.The following is a series of profiles of some of the programs I’ve attended:Learning about Mexican Identity, Culture, and Politics in Tepoztlan, MexicoOctober 2005 I spent two weeks participating in a special program offered by CETLALIC () called “Cultural and Popular Resistance in Mexico” in Tepoztlan. The course took place during El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). CETLALIC is one of the most unusual language schools anywhere. It offers many special programs with progressive political and cultural themes. It also provides Spanish language classes (which, like most language schools, you can enroll in on any Monday and take for as long as you want) using a more progressive methodology (based on Paolo Freire, a Brazilian educational theorist) than most other schools.All of CETLALIC’s special programs (which cover gay and lesbian studies, labor and women’s movements, and language and culture for healthcare workers and ministers) combine discussions, field trips, and intense language study. To the best of my knowledge, CETLALIC is the only language school in Latin America with these programs.CETLALIC’s special programs are typically two or three weeks long. They cost between $1025 and $1600. The language classes, by themselves, cost $170 per week for group lessons and $300 for private classes. It costs $25-30 a day (depending on whether it is a shared or private room) for CETLALIC to arrange a home-stay with a Mexican family (which includes three meals a day). This is a little more expensive than a more run-of-the-mill Spanish school (about 10% more); however, I think the school’s specialized programs and unique methodology make the courses worth the additional cost.The “Cultural and Popular Resistance” course combines several two- to three-hour discussion sessions (which usually take place every other day) and field trips along with three to five hours every weekday of Spanish language classes (three hours daily of grammar and two hours of conversation every other day). The two-week course including full room and board costs $1025.Most of CETLALIC’s classes are held in Cuernavaca. However, the “Cultural and Popular Resistance” course is taught in Tepoztlan. My “Cultural and Popular Resistance” class consisted of only two students: Marisa, a high school teacher from San Francisco and myself. Marisa was recently assigned a Spanish class and decided to take a hiatus from her work to participate in CETLALIC’s internship program (which provides participants who have signed up for at least five weeks with free classes in exchange for working in CETLALIC’s office) to improve her Spanish language skills. Marisa and I were taught primarily by Roberto, a 30-year-old Tepoztlan native, who served as a walking encyclopedia of the town’s unique history, culture, and people. Roberto and Agus, the conversation teacher, provided us with the best language classes I have ever taken. (I have studied Spanish in seven different schools over the past 20+ years). Since Marisa and I were at a fairly similar level in Spanish (she was a bit better than I), Roberto developed a class that successfully combined a solid review of some of the trickier Spanish grammatical concepts, an active discussion of Mexican slang, idioms, and double-entendres, and a useful look at some of the most common mistakes that Americans make unknowingly in speaking Spanish because of cultural differences. (Tip: Breaking Out of Beginning Spanish by Joseph J. Keenan provides a good analysis of some of these mistakes.) Agus created a forum for spirited political discussions between the two of us about politics, culture, and economics in the US and Mexico. While we frequently saw America from a different viewpoint, I will always treasure these discussions with Marisa because they showed me that Americans (including me) are in many ways as class conscious as Mexicans.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Profile of Cooking and Art Classes in Oaxaca, MexicoNovember 2005One of the best parts of traveling to Oaxaca is the extensive cultural and educational opportunities geared toward tourists. Tourist opportunities cover everything from cooking (there are four cooking schools in Oaxaca) to yoga (especially in the beach resort towns of Puerto Escondido and Zipolite) to hikes into the countryside to visit the region’s rich natural history (Oaxaca is famed for its ferns and mushrooms) and indigenous villages. (You can stay in little tourist-oriented native huts, called Yu’u, for as little as 70 pesos a night, $7 US).I participated in two short classes while I was in Oaxaca. I hope to go back to Oaxaca in two years and go on hikes into the countryside and do volunteer work there.One class was taught by a local artist named Armando Ruiz Mu?oz at his Ishuakara Gallery (Garcia Vigil #406, Oaxaca, HYPERLINK "" ) and the second was a cooking class (more accurately called a demonstration) at the Casa Sagrada ( HYPERLINK "" ), a Bed & Breakfast (B&B) and resort center located in Teotitlan del Valle, a small town famed for its weaving about twenty miles outside of Oaxaca.The art classes involved coming to Armando’s gallery and having him give you individualized instruction and guidance for nine hours (three hours, three times a week). Armando was a very patient teacher and a kind man. He taught a variety of art mediums, including papier mache, pottery, sculpture, silk screening, drawing, and painting. The classes cost 500 pesos for the first week – around $47 US (and 350 pesos for each week afterwards). He is able to speak some English, but I think you’ll get more out of the classes if you speak some Spanish. Materials are included in the cost.I enjoyed the classes. I studied a bit of papier mache and ceramics. I always considered myself as having “two left thumbs.” But, I discovered that I probably could be a decent artist if I decided to spend some time and effort. I also found that I liked forming objects with clay. I’m glad I decided to take the class in Oaxaca. One of the best things about travel is that you can try new things inexpensively and in a more comfortable setting than at-home. (I find it hard to learn things that I am not comfortable with in the US. Somehow daily life and fears of negative comments of friends and family keep me from trying out new things.)The cooking class takes place every Friday. They include transportation from a restaurant called La Cocina Magica in Oaxaca (Alcala 203) to Teotitlan, a four-course meal, a cooking demonstration, a tour of the local marketplace, and a visit to the B&B. The whole experience takes about six hours and cost $75 US. On the day I took the class, the leader was Shoshana Sadow. Shoshana is an expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine who lived in China for two years in the early 1990s. She has lived in Oaxaca for three years and has plans to marry a local acupuncturist and set up her life in Mexico. She sets up classes in new age topics for the B&B and gives tours when the owner, Mary Jane Gagnier de Mendoza, is busy. The B&B has an extensive garden, a traditional religious alcove, a sweeping vista of the surrounding mountains, and beautiful weavings made by the husband of the Canadian who runs the place. Shoshana toured us (there were two other people on the tour) around the place and explained the traditional significance of the religious icons, plants, herbs, and crafts. We also got to see the inside of a couple of the beautifully decorated rooms. The chef, Reyna Mendoza, showed us each step of how she prepared the delicious four-course meal (featuring green chicken mole enchiladas, cactus salad with an avocado dressing, a variety of salsas and chips, and a home made banana ice cream). Shoshana provided comments about the history and significance of the foods that Reyna prepared. We also got recipes for the meal to take home.Studying Traditional Medicine in Cuernavaca, Mexico August 2005 I took a ten day course in August 2005 entitled Traditional Mexican Healing from the CICE, a small school in Cuernavaca ( HYPERLINK "" , look for the link on the site to courses other than Spanish). The class was taught by Estela Roman, a traditional medicine practitioner who studied for two years at Notre Dame University and speaks English fluently. Estela has spent nearly twenty years studying traditional medicine from local curanderos (healers). These healers, who are often elderly, use a combination of herbs, sobadores (intense massage), temezcales (steam baths), and limpias (spiritual cleansings) to help cure people of their physical and psychological maladies. While I expected the class to be primarily dedicated to studying different types of cures and explaining the cultural basis for the cures, Estela’s class emphasized helping the participants to cure their own ailments. At first, I must admit, I found this approach a bit off-putting. Part of me did not want to confront my own demons. Instead, I just wanted to find out about the cures as an intellectual pursuit.However, over time, I came to realize that Estela’s approach made a lot of sense. I learned a lot about cultural beliefs just by participating in the different activities. And I found out some interesting things about myself.This is not to say that Estela’s course did not provide information about different cures. I met five curanderos who generously shared recipes for both common ailments and specific medical issues based on questions from the students. Estela also gave several informative and interesting short lectures about the Mesoamerican belief systems that formed the basis for these cures. The class had three other participants. Monica, a Reiki healer and newly minted Spanish teacher originally from Colombia who has been living in Los Angeles for twenty years, and Alberto and Liz, a formerly married couple from California and Arizona, who drove to Mexico in a camper. Monica and Liz both knew Estela from classes they had taken with her in California.All of the classes, except several field trips, were conducted in Estela’s home. Alberto and Liz stayed in Estela’s home. Monica and I rented rooms in the home of one of Estela’s neighbors, Dona Maty.The course costs $450. The fees included field trips to Tepoztlan (to climb to Tepotztlanelco, a pyramid hidden in the jungle) and Xochicalco Estela provided several meals, temezcales, massages, and other services. We had to pay extra fees for services from the curanderos, including massages and herbs. The courses are offered two to three times a year in the summer.Estela designed the course to accommodate the needs and interests of the students. As such, each class would be different. Estela was very willing to spend extra time with us after the class ended. Studying, Living, and Tangoing in Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFebruary 2003Every traveler, for some inexplicable reason, has a part of themselves tied to another place. For me, that place is Buenos Aires. Since childhood, I felt destined to visit Buenos Aires someday. The only question was: When? The Argentine economy is so volatile that the cost of living there swings wildly. Sometimes, Buenos Aires is the most expensive places to travel on earth. At other times, it’s among the cheapest destinations. In February 2003, following the country’s economic malaise, I decided to take advantage of the low cost of living and visit Buenos Aires before it got expensive again. (at the time it was one of the ten cheapest places on Earth according to a HYPERLINK "" Runzheimer International () cost of living survey) While looking on-line for a cheap airfare to Buenos Aires, I stumbled upon a website for a local travel agency called HYPERLINK "" Aloja Argentina ( HYPERLINK "" ) (Aloja in Spanish means lodging). There I discovered the perfect travel package. Three weeks accommodations with a local family (with a small breakfast), transportation to and from the airport, 12 hours private tango lessons, a tour of the city, a night at a tango club, and 40 hours of small group Spanish language classes for $800 US. It had just what I wanted: an inexpensive price combined with a real chance to immerse myself in Buenos Aires’s culture and life.I wasn’t disappointed. My host family, Juan and Georgina, a young brother and sister who lived in their family’s apartment in Buenos Aires while studying at the local university, were attractive, vivacious, and accommodating. They let me into their lives by introducing me to family and friends and sharing their life stories and dreams. We became friends and occasionally went out on the town together. The apartment, though not large, was comfortable and the location couldn’t be beat - an attractive Art Deco style building in a stylish neighborhood reminiscent of New York City’s Central Park (the City’s Palermo district).My Spanish instructors at the language school, CEDIC Maria Luisa and Laura cared about my progress and enjoyed sharing their culture and language. Maria Luisa’s eyes danced with enthusiasm whenever we spoke something that sounded vaguely like Spanish. Laura, a statuesque young lady of Slovakian heritage like many Argentine women, could easily have graced the catwalks in New York City or Milan. My fellow students were eclectic, fun-loving, and enthusiastic: Saara, a young Finnish geography graduate student; Eric, a 30ish recently laid-off investment banker from New York City; Tara, an attractive recent refugee from the marketing business in San Francisco; and Stefan, a wild eyed and talented Swiss young student. The school once a week scheduled a night out on the town for the students (at additional cost). We boogied and drank these nights away like real Porte?os (the nickname for local residents) into the wee hours of the morning.The tango classes were also terrific. My instructor, Anita, had endless patience with my two left feet. The staff at the Centro Cultural Konex tried valiantly to help Anita teach me to tango (sadly, to limited avail). As an added bonus, the Centro had walking tours of the City’s neighborhood led by an extremely knowledgeable pair of guides who became quick friends, Valeria and Maria Elena. These vivacious young women enthusiastically pointed out Buenos Aires’s stunning Art Nouveau buildings and explained the history of the City’s romantic San Telmo and La Boca Italian neighborhoods.I am glad I followed my destiny to Buenos Aires. The people made me feel comfortable immediately. I loved my classes, tours, and host family. I wish I could have stayed longer, but, I’m sure that my destiny will send me back there soon._______________________________________________________________________________Studying Digital Photography, Surfing, and Yoga in Jacò, Costa RicaJanuary 2008 While I love learning vacations in general, I must admit I felt like a fish out of water at the School of the World ( HYPERLINK "" ) in Jacò, Costa Rica. Most of the time when I feel this way about any travel experience, I simply don’t mention it in any of my materials or classes. That said, I have decided to include the School of the World in this description because I think the school could be very well suited to other students, it just didn’t work well for me.Why didn’t it work for me? Well, quite frankly, though the school told me when I registered that their classes were suited to all skill levels, every class I took was not well not suited to my beginner level skills and knowledge. The beginning surfing class required more physical stamina than I have to paddle out into the waves. The yoga class was taught at a very advanced level simply because all the other students possessed experience in yoga before joining the class. (The second class I tweaked my toe trying to keep up with the class and found that I only could attempt to do about five minutes of the one and a half hours of exercises). Even the digital photography class was designed for people who already had quite developed skills and equipment (most of the students had $3000 cameras with lenses and tripods when I just had a basic camera). When I complained about the class levels, I was patronized and basically ignored. This would have not have bothered me so much if the classes were not so expensive. I paid $850 for approximately 25 hours of classes (almost $35 an hour) in a country where I could have easily have received two to three times the number of hours of Spanish instruction for the same cost at a different school (though I will admit that the specific classes are hard to find elsewhere). I feel that, for this cost, the school should have been able to afford to have a teacher for beginning students, even though it turned out that there was only one student at a beginning level.That said, I think the instruction would have been good if I had been at the right level. The teachers were knowledgeable, easily understandable, and skilled. Most of the students seemed to enjoy the school’s classes and environment. Despite the skill issue, I did learn a fair amount about digital photography. In addition, the other students in the digital photography class (there were four students per teacher) reported that they thought the school’s mixture of field trips (accompanied by the instructor) to various photographic locations and in-class editing sessions proved to be a very practical and useful way to improve their photographic skills. I also may have felt more comfortable if I stayed in the well-appointed, on-site rooms like most of the other students. I chose instead to live with a great host family, the Corraleses, about a thirty minute walk from the campus. This was great for practicing Spanish and getting to know more about Costa Rican culture (it didn’t hurt that Ana, the host mother, was also a good cook), but it did make me feel like an outsider at the school. That said, renting a room on-site may have been a bit of a challenge since most of the students were Americans in their late teens and early twenties and seemed mostly interested in partying anyway. (Most of the time the other students I’ve studied with in Latin America have been mostly young Europeans. It is amazing how much more mature they seem than their American contemporaries.)Studying Spanish in Granada, NicaraguaDecember 2007Participating in a language school/homestay program is a great travel bargain in Nicaragua. Three hours of daily instruction and a homestay with three meals included typically costs $150-200 a week.I attended the Casa Xalteva ( HYPERLINK "" ) in Granada, Nicaragua for the week after Christmas in 2007. The class was fun. I enjoyed talking politics, history, and culture with the instructor, Maria, and the other student, Andrea. Andrea was studying at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. (The school, which provides Masters Degrees in international topics, is associated with the Experiment in International Living, a group I did an exchange student program with in Mexico when I was in High School). The Casa Xalteva uses the proceeds from the class to sponsor a program which provided a room, board, and social services to several street children from Granada. One of the older boys arranged trips for the Spanish students. I went on two of these trips and would really recommend that anyone take the trip to the eerily desert-like Volcan (Volcano) Masaya.Granada is one of the best places in Central America. The town has a lot of history (it is the second oldest city in Central America), lovely colonial buildings with tiled roofs and elegant courtyards, a surprisingly well-developed tourist infrastructure (including several good restaurants and hotels), and a very romantic, old-fashioned ambience (I was very taken with the town’s horse-drawn funeral processions which featured etched glass display cases and intricately-carved, wooden coffins). Granada also has lots to do, particularly if you take into account the surrounding countryside. Within an hour, you can visit four very different volcanoes, travel to a series of over 365 islands (many of which have mansions) in Lake Nicaragua, and see Lake Apoyo, a large azure colored lake in the crater of a volcano, I liked the family I stayed with, the Mirandas, very much. Winston and Maria Jose have a lovely colonial home with antique furniture and a sunny interior courtyard. Winston was considered to be one of Nicaragua’s best up and coming artists and many of his paintings (and those of his friends) hang throughout the house. I particularly enjoyed visiting their family and friends on New Year’s Eve. Seemingly the entire town was out on their porches, playing with fireworks, drinking rum (Nicaragua’s Flor de Cana rum is the best I’ve ever tasted), and chatting happily with friends. Studying Italian in Siena, ItalyJune 2008For three weeks, I took an excellent course in Italian at Saena Iulia, a small school in Siena, Italy.While the course was not cheap, it was one of the best travel bargains in Italy. For a little over $100 a day, I received three to four hours of high quality, Italian lessons a day (for five days a week) and the best homestay experience I’ve even seen. (To Saena Iulia’s credit, they added a FREE extra hour of instruction whenever the class reached four or more students).The instruction was very thorough. The classes were smaller than most of the competing schools in Italy offer. My intermediate beginning level class had three to five students per week. (Like most schools, the attendance varied from week to week.) Elisa, the instructor, was very patient, prepared, friendly, and professional. She took my obsessive questions about differences between Spanish and Italian with stride. She encouraged students to try to speak Italian without ever making us seem foolish or incompetent. In just a three week period, I began to be able to understand and speak about many subjects in Italian, though sometimes my conversations and comprehension was fleeting. As a whole, I think it was helpful that I spoke Spanish before I took the class, but I must admit sometimes Spanish got in the way to learning Italian. Perhaps, more than anything else, though, my Spanish caused frustration because I kept thinking (erroneously) that I should be able to master Italian quicker because it is so similar to Spanish. My only (relatively minor) criticism of the instruction is that it is a bit grammar heavy. I had to ask Elisa at times to teach me some basic conversational themes (i.e. how to pronounce words, tell time, and learn colors) that most basic classes should have covered automatically.The school did an excellent job providing optional activities for its students. Once a week, they provided us with a free lecture about Italian culture, music, art, or history. (One of these lectures about the Italian Republic Day was very educational and professionally prepared.) Every Thursday afternoon the school also organized a trip into the Tuscan countryside for students (at a 30 Euro, $50, additional fee—well worth it). Wisely, they always chose to take us to place that could not be reached easily without a car (since none of the students had a car) and were relatively off the beaten path for the typical tourist. I particularly loved visiting Monte Oliveto and Massa Maritima. Mauro, the school director, provided such a thorough explanation of the amazing frescos at Monte Oliveto, that I felt like I had taken a short course about life and art in monastic Italy.I can’t give enough praise to the homestay that the school provided me. Maria Luisa Toglioli is a born host. My room was very large, comfortable, and well appointed (including free cable TV and wireless internet access). Maria Luisa even hand-painted flowers on the doorways and provided her guests with a separate kitchen. Maria Luisa’s home is also ideally located – only about four block from Il Campo, Siena’s main square. Though it was a bit of a slog to reach her home (on the fourth floor. Tuscany is not for anyone who can’t climb stairs easily!), her guests are rewarded with a picture postcard view of the Tuscan countryside from her balcony. (It was a great joy to sit out on the balcony, eat breakfast or dinner, and soak up the view).Every evening the two other students who stayed with me in her home (I particularly liked Maria, a young lady from Switzerland who was doing an internship in Siena) and Maria Luisa would sit down together over dinner and spend at least an hour discussing everything (in Italian, of course) from soccer (Maria Luisa’s obsession) to Italian family relations. The food was also outstanding. I still rhapsodize over Maria Luisa’s groaning table of antipasti, lovingly prepared main courses, and ample and tasty wine.(Note: Maria Luisa’s home is famed among the students at the school. It can be hard to get a room in her home at busy times. No wonder since a similar room in a pension with board in Italy would probably have cost more than I paid for the class, the room, the board, and even the school’s tours all together.)Strangely, of all the schools I’ve attended, I felt the least comfortable with the other students at Saena Iulia. I think this is attributable to two things: (1) Most of the students rented an apartment rather than use a homestay and thus did not share many of my experiences or schedule. (Saena Iulia arranges apartment stays at a fairly modest fee. In Latin America, almost everyone does a homestay); and (2) A lot of the other students, a surprisingly large number from the U.S., did not seem nearly as adventurous or friendly as the students I’ve met elsewhere (Ironically, most of the students I’ve met in Latin America and Asia were younger Europeans). Nonetheless, I did meet several nice students there and felt that the friendliness of the school’s staff (and Maria Luisa) made up for some of the issues I felt with the other students.For more information about Saena Iulia, check out their excellent website (which even includes info about other schools in Italy and modest cost, on-line Italian lessons) at HYPERLINK "" saenaiulia.it.Studying Tuscan Gardens and Villas at the British Institute in Florence, ItalyMay 2008While it was a bit expensive (almost $200 a day) I enjoyed and would recommend this course to anyone interested in learning about Tuscany, its architecture and history, or anyone who loves gardening.In the course of a week, the class visited ten different off-the-beaten tourist path, villas in Tuscany representing a wide arrange of epochs, styles, and philosophy. I particularly enjoyed learning about landscape during the period in the 19th century when the Brits (and to a lesser degree, Americans) began to flock to establish lush villas in Tuscany. (In fact the British influence in Tuscany remains so strong that some pundits even call the Chianti area of Tuscany, Chiantishire).Nancy Leczinski, the instructor (a native Detroiter) has lived in Tuscany for over a decade and become a well-regarded expert on Tuscany landscape architecture. Prior to taking the class, I must admit that I knew next to nothing about landscaping. After the class, I developed a real interest in how gardens reflect and relate to architecture and history. Thanks to Nancy, I’ll never look at gardens the same way again!I liked the other students (primarily from the U.S. and England) but did not get to know them that well. They were very convivial and enthusiastic.As part of the class, I took advantage of the British Institute’s homestay program. I stayed in a very comfortable room with two meals a day for a modest 30 Euro a day fee. (The dinners were ample and tasty! I had the best roast beef and vegetables there I’ve ever tasted.) At the time, I did not speak much Italian and, thus, was not able to get to know the family that well, but, I still enjoyed my stay with them nonetheless. (My only criticism was that while the home was not that far away from downtown Florence. It was just far enough, particularly since the home was looked on a hill, to be a bit of a slog.)For more information, check out the British Institute’s website at HYPERLINK "" britishinstitute.it. (Note: The British Institute also has classes on Renaissance Art and Architecture and Italian language. I’ve heard good things about these classes as well).Life on the Other Side of the Moon NOTE: In 1994, I spent a year and a half in Russia as a volunteer English instructor partially under the auspices of a nonprofit volunteer placement program called World Teach ().??I worked with World Teach for nine of the eighteen months.? I also lived in Kaliningrad in the home of my future wife for six months after the placement and spent three months studying Russian in Saint Petersburg before my World Teach assignment. World Teach provides volunteers with a range of support services including transportation from New York to the placement site, a month of teacher training (and follow-up training classes), a library with teaching materials, assistance with visas, teacher placement, and housing, access to a full time coordinator who helps volunteers with any issues that arise during their placement, medical insurance, and an extensive pre-assignment information packet.? World Teach has a variety of programs available for a summer or a year abroad.? Its programs to Ecuador, Namibia, and Costa Rica cost between $5000-6000 for a year and $3500 for a summer.??There is also?a free program to the Marshall Islands and?low cost programs ($1000-$1500) to China and Guyana for a year placement.? The services are the same for all programs.? World Teach no longer has a program in Russia.? It may, however, have programs in Poland from time to time.? World Teach is also currently working to develop a program in Chile. The majority of the volunteers are recent college graduates, though World Teach accepts volunteers of all ages. ?While I think World Teach provides a lot of useful support for its volunteers, you need to understand why you are using their services in the first place. Some volunteers join the agency primarily because they want help to find a suitable placement. This is a lot of money to spend for just this service.? You can find a job teaching English almost anywhere in the world if you are persistent.However, World Teach is helpful if you want support to be a good teacher and if you feel uncomfortable about living and working abroad for whatever reason. ?It is nice to have someone from the USA to fall back on when necessary.? It also provides a lot of support (if you take advantage of it) to help you become a more skilled teacher. During my placement, I taught at a small business college called Kaliningrad Commercial College. The student body was 90% female of?ages 17-19. (Most males of that age in Russia have to do army service).? The students took courses in a variety of subjects including restaurant management (which, literally translated from Russian,?is mass nutrition), pre-law, computers, and commerce. Teachers (who received only $60?pay per month) had to work additional jobs to make a living.? As a result, the school was unable to maintain a stable schedule.? Everyday, I would find out what classes I would teach the next day.? The school had a surprisingly advanced computer lab financed by a grant from Sweden. ?My classes had between 8 and 35 students each. The following story is about my experience during this placement. About three months after I returned to the United States from my stay in Russia, I was invited to a 40th wedding anniversary dinner for an older couple who recently immigrated to the United States from Russia.? In typical Russian style, the table groaned under the weight of hundreds of skillfully arranged plates of potato and meat salads, stewed vegetable appetizers (called ikra, meaning caviar) dripping with oil and garlic, salami, bread, champagne bottles and--of course-- copious?vodka. After awhile, in accordance with tradition, the host started to call on the guests to give a toast.?They elected to have?the two Americans present?start off the toast as a sign of respect.??The?other American gave his speech in English and said essentially that the Russians must have been glad to live in such a free and rich country as the US.? He was pleasantly but lukewarmly received.? I said in Russian that I admire the people at the table because it was hard to live in another country.? I told the guests how weird it was that Russia at first seemed fairly normal and gradually over time began to seem odder and odder to me. After my speech,?several people came up to me and said how happy they were to have someone voice the way they felt about the US.??They frequently felt like they live on the “other side of the Moon”.? I immediately told them that I understood.? Russia to me felt like the other side of the Moon throughout much of my stay. Why did it feel so different? It is hard to pinpoint. However,?several short anecdotes leap to?mind that demonstrate?some of the contrasts that I noted?between the US and Russia.??During?my first month of teaching I gave the students several short paragraphs to write. The best student in each class, invariably named Natasha, would turn in the paragraph on time.? Her paper usually required several corrections.? As time went on over the next month, I’d get the rest of the students' papers. As sure as clockwork, the papers got better and better as time went on.? Usually, the best paper came from the worst student.? After?a couple of assignments, I asked the other teachers why this happened.? They told me that during communist times it was essential that teachers could show the authorities that all of their students were capable of mastering every topic (most students had 25 classes or more per semester) and?the only way to do so was to allow one or two students to do all the work for the rest of the class.? Those students would be paraded in front of the authorities during inspections to show how skilled everyone was.? As a result, most students early on developed one or two subjects where they excelled and the rest of the time they sort of slid by.?Russian men and women acted totally different from each other in the classroom.? Even though 90% of my students were female, my male students did most of the talking in the class.? One day one of the other American volunteers, Kelly, invited me to visit her seventh grade English class.? All throughout the class the boys talked and fidgeted and the girls?remained still.? The moment Kelly asked the class a question, every boy raised?his hand to answer.? Most of their answers were wrong.? After one of the boys tried to answer the question, Kelly asked one of the girls if she knew the answer.? Without fail, the girl student knew the answer.?One day I was talking to one of my students who worked as a waitress in a restaurant for businessmen. She told me that she hated her job because her customers were always grabbing?her in inappropriate places. A couple of days later I told this story to one of the American volunteers who had been in Russia for two years and spoke nearly fluent Russian.? She told me that?young Russian girls were?often groped. Then she said that most ads for employees even requested employees “without complexes,” which, according to the volunteer, was?code for “willing to sleep with the boss.”?A couple of months later I got a part time job teaching English to a young computer guru who worked for this very wealthy man. We met for his classes in one of the nicest apartments in the City.? I noticed after awhile that the apartment looked unlived in and asked the student about?it. ?He told me that Russian businesses often kept apartments around the city where men could take their mistresses and that it was necessary to maintain such an apartment to attract clients to the business.? After awhile, the young man’s boss asked to meet me. He asked me to set up an account in the USA to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.? I declined, even though he promised to pay me several thousand dollars a month for what he said was no real work.?One of my male students, Sasha, invited me to his home one day to go to a séance where he would call up the spirit of Marilyn Monroe.? When I went there he told me that he had practiced the séance and met Marilyn and she told him that she never wanted to see him again and so he couldn’t call her up for me.?On the first day of class I asked the students what?they like to do in?their free time. ?One of my students, Tanya, tested me by answering to “have sex.”? A bit perplexed by this response, I replied that most women prefer to “make love” since “having sex” referred to the physical act while “making love” was more romantic with champagne and roses.? She replied, OK, I like to make love. While I was proud of my response, I often asked myself would an American girl have made this comment.?Russians on the very first day of school have a special party to open the year. During this celebration, the teachers are introduced to the students.??Nina Mitrofanovna, the headmistress of the school,?introduced me by saying that “Paul is from America, he is single and I hope he finds a wife here.”? When I married one of her students nine months later, the headmistress was interviewed on the radio and advised potential students to come to her school because they might be able to marry an American.?About a month after I started teaching, I went into the small cafeteria in my dorm to order something to eat, and when I went to leave the restaurant, I found that I could not open the door.? I looked around and noticed that one of my students (Nina, who later became my wife) was holding the door so that I could not leave.? Nina, who I think was a little drunk at the time, told me that it was her birthday and that she wanted to introduce me to an old man, Alexei Nikolaivich.? Alexei?was a?78-year-old blind man who Nina took care of.??Born in 1917, his parents, minor royalty in Siberia, were put under house arrest for the first four years of?his life.? Alexei Nikolaivich’s father was a scholar.? He talked to his son every day in a different language.? One day he’d speak English, the next French, the following day Russian, then German, and finally the local Siberian language. As a result, Alexei could speak?14 languages almost fluently.? The odd thing was, since he had never spoken?English to a native speaker,?he could talk to me very clearly and intelligently, but?could only understand about 50% of what I said in response!?Whenever I had students act out a scene in English, it always had funny results.? In one of my classes, I had the students play-act a crime. One of my male students played the criminal and at the end of the class one of the other students asked him as part of the skit, “Why did you commit the crime?” His response: “Because I am a hopeless victim of society.”? Another time I had students act as if they were famous people in history.? One student picked the name of Lenin.? The other students had to ask her questions and she was to reply as Lenin. One of the students asked her, “Why did not you (Lenin) have any children?”? Her response: “I don’t have time for such bourgeoisie things.”?When I first went to Russia, our group of volunteers sat in on a class?taught by a local English teacher.??She spent the whole time gently chiding her students.? We all thought she was too harsh. However,?we often found ourselves criticizing our students at some point during our teaching.? My turn took place about three months into my assignment.? It was a cold, dreary day and I was just beginning to get a bit of a culture shock.? I had one class where the students did not seem to respond to anything I did.? Exasperated,?I finally?said, “You are all a bunch of babies.? I am tired of teaching you. I will get the school director to talk to you unless you shape up.”? The next time the students met with me, they were all energetic and pleasant.? I thought it was weird that after so little prompting they were so easily docile and loosened up.A couple of days later I asked them what they wanted to learn from the class. ?They replied that they’d like to learn about holidays in the USA and Russia.? So I started a lesson.? It seemed to be going well?so I asked them to write a paragraph about the holidays to be read aloud two weeks later.? I realized this was a mistake when all but the best two or three students started reading paragraphs from text books. (They wrote them out so that it wasn’t obvious.)?? Many of these students did not read the text first.? As a result, they read paragraphs that were written before the fall of communism. ?(Almost all the textbooks were really old). So several students started reading texts about the joys of celebrations on collective farms and how young people throughout the Soviet Union wanted to act just like “Uncle Lenin.” ?I listened to these texts and decided to let it go and use this as a reading out loud exercise. (Generally this is good for pronunciation development).? However, the brighter students in the class all started to have fun with these texts.? In the midst of the reading the brighter students would make comments in Russian like “I didn’t know that we still have Pioneers in Russia” and “I am surprised that you still love Lenin so much.”? The students reading the paragraphs at first looked amazed and then asked, “Is that what I read?”? To which, I said, yes, and then they?sat down with?embarrassed looks on their faces.I was in Russia on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.? I turned on a popular TV talk show, called Mbi (Us) hosted by Vladimir Posner.?? He interviewed many young people who said that they wished that the Germans had won the war because Germany was so wealthy and Russia today is so poor.? Most of them had no idea that Hitler would have made them into slaves and when the elders in the audience expressed this sentiment, the young people just shrugged their shoulders.? I felt sorry for the older people in the audience. Russia in many ways literally saved the world from the worst dictator in history.? Millions of people died in the war and the young peoples’ reactions flew in the face of the tremendous sacrifice made by Russian people.? However, I can’t be sanctimonious about the anniversary either. On the anniversary, my?girlfriend Nina?and I got in a little spat in front of an older woman who was selling fruit. ?The vendor said, “How can you act this way on?such an important day.? Do you realize how much we suffered in the war?”? Justifiably chastised, I demurred and stopped arguing with Nina.?Russia (when I was there at least) had a double pricing structure for foreigners and local residents.? While this pricing system is common in many countries, it is nowhere near as prevalent and unfair as Russia.? It cost 20-40 times as much for a foreigner as for a Russian.? The fees for Russians were among the lowest in the world. For foreigners these fees were probably the planet’s highest fees.? This discrepancy angered me to no end.? One day I went with Nina to a church in the Kremlin.? She paid 40 cents and I was charged $7.50.? I blew up at the little old lady ticket taker.? I told her that this was not fair. ?I’d lived there for a year, made a Russian wage, etc.? She would not budge.? Nina looked at me and said, “Paul, calm down, there is nothing you can do about it.? It may be unfair, but you are making a fool of yourself.”? I thought about it for a few minutes and realized that she was right.? After that day I tried to negotiate with vendors and accepted whatever they said.? Most of the time I paid the Russian fee.? Yet, I will never get angry at the double standard again. The cumulative effect of these little vignettes was a strong awareness that I truly did live on the other side of the Moon for awhile. Truth be told, while some of these experiences were frustrating, I wouldn’t have traded them for anything.? I was given a unique opportunity to pierce the soul of another country?---one that was only available at that particular time and place.??I’m glad that?I seized it with both hands and was willing to take some risks to get into Russia’s skin. What did I learn about Russia?? It is hard to put into words.? Russia is complex.? It evokes powerful, conflicting emotions that test the boundaries of the soul and intellect.? Somehow Russia leaves an indelible mark that cannot be erased. ?Ultimately, if you spend enough time to get to know the country, you feel indebted to her humanity and intensity.? You know that while there are few places on the planet that can drive you insane as Russia can, you will become a more complete, kinder, and better person for having spent time there. A New Way to See the US/Mexico BorderOctober 2004While most people associate borders with long, stress filled lines, ugly towns, and curt customs officials, I love them. To me, they represent the first glimpse of a new way of life and a chance to see the dynamic, sometimes even violent collision of two countries in action. Few borders are more compelling than San Diego-Tijuana. On one hand, it is bleak. An impenetrable wall designed to permit free movement of deer but not people (which is illuminated by huge Kreig lights and held under constant helicopter surveillance) runs through the heart of the region. The US-Mexican Friendship Park, until the 1980s a place for families separated by the border to meet, stands empty -- a poignant reminder of the tumultuous relationship between the two countries. Tijuana, even though filled with trappings of US prosperity such as Costco and Wal-Mart and huge suburban shopping tracts (with small town homes which locals call “chicken coops”), remains dusty, poor, and chaotic in contrast to the affluent San Diego suburbs just on the other side of the wall. On the other hand, the area has an amazing vitality. Trade and people still cross the border with surprising ease. Some 100,000 Americans daily commute across the border from their homes in Tijuana (which cost about 1/3 of similar homes in San Diego) to their work in San Diego. Nearly 5000 maquiladoras (factories) from the far corners of Earth (employing around 300,000 people) have set up shop in Tijuana to take advantage of Mexico’s cheap labor ($75 a week) and the region’s easy access to the US market. More tourists cross the border daily – in search of cheap booze and pharmaceuticals – than any other place on the planet. One of the most vibrant artistic sub-cultures anywhere is developing on both sides of the border, born out of the chaotic and vibrant interaction between the US and Mexico (note: if you want a thought-provoking and extremely literate analysis of both countries, read Richard Rodriguez’s books Brown and the Hunger of Memory).Sadly, tourists don’t get any sense of what’s happening in these incredible communities. Most come to Tijuana, buy trinkets, and leave before sundown. Yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. Thanks to Global Exchange (), a small non-profit based in San Francisco, you can in a very short time, as I did, get a first hand glimpse into the politics, history, and culture of everyday life on both sides of the border.Unfortunately, the tour is a bit of a secret. My tour (which was held during the Day of the Dead in early November) only had three other participants. A retired politically active attorney, Lynn, and his wife, Cathie, who runs a program for migrant workers in Oregon and a sweet flight attendant from Texas, Julie, who took part in the tour to do a thesis for one of the classes needed to finish her degree.Yet, it shouldn’t be secret any more. Never have I seen so much of a community in just a matter of three days. Thanks to our able tour guides, Claudia, an activist and educator with Global Exchange and Carmela, a talented Tijuana artist, we met a diverse and inspirational group of people including: Jaime, a Mexican labor attorneys and activist, who struggles to get maquiladora workers the pay, benefits and working conditions (sexual harassment is rampant since nearly all the workers are young females) they are legally entitled to receive under Mexican law; Lourdes, an ordinary Mexican mother turned into an environmental activist when her neighborhood was besieged by poisonous flumes from an unregulated battery recycling factory; Patricia, a University professor, who heads a non-profit in Tijuana, dedicated to helping indigenous people (including a small band of 200 native Americans living near Rosarito Beach) maintain their culture and secure their rights.Luis, the leader of a squatter settlement in Tijuana, which has been fighting with the government for nearly thirty years for the right to own their land (note: when they settled the land it was on the far edge of Tijuana; today, it is in the middle of a large scale transportation corridor (which may eventually include a freeway and a light rail system and an industrial park).We also participated in a diverse cross section of activities that allowed us an intimate glimpse into the lives of the people of the border region including:A tour of the US Border Patrol, led by a Public Information Officer, which highlighted the agency’s efforts to defend the border (note: most Mexicans enter the US through the areas where there is no wall. Most of these unwalled areas are deep in the Sonora desert. Since the walls were erected in 1994, over 3000 migrants have lost their lives trying to cross the desert.)Accommodations for one night at a church run shelter offering free accommodation for migrants in Tijuana who planned to illegally enter the USA or seek a temporary refuge before they return home after being deported from America (I will never forget reading a note from one migrant at the shelter who poignantly described the moment – seeing his daughter with a bloated stomach from hunger – he decided to risk his life to cross the border).A visit to a slum in Tijuana (populated by new migrants looking for work at the maquiladoras) with hundreds of makeshift tin shacks perched above the Tijuana river which smelled like pure sewage,Attendance at a Day of the Dead celebration at a school in Tijuana dedicated to teaching bilingual education (Spanish-Mixtec) to indigenous children from Oaxaca.A walk along a section of the border (on the Mexican side) decorated with crosses and coffins inscribed with the name of each migrant who died trying to cross into the US (a surprising number of these unfortunate people were from outside of Mexico, including Brazil, Lebanon, and even Africa).The people and places we saw touched my heart. It was, on one hand, sad to see so much suffering. On the other, it was moving to witness so many people dedicated to making life better. The tour also made me think. I originally thought that the process of globalization of the border economy would, while difficult for now, eventually lead to a better life for the residents of Tijuana. Now, I am not so sure. While globalization seems inevitable, it has probably made many of the people’s lives in Mexico worse and, perhaps, more importantly, does not seem to hold much promise of enriching their lives in the future, either. Yet, maybe with the intervention of the dedicated people we met on this tour, Tijuana will survive and prosper.I, for one, sure hope so. Notes:Global Exchange offers “reality tours” throughout the Earth including Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, and Argentina. The tours usually cost around $150-200 a day. The accommodations and food, at least on Border tour, were comfortable, clean, and good quality. In addition, Global Exchange uses part of the funds as donations for the organizations that the participants visit.Nine different organizations sponsor reality tours. Most, like Global Exchange, are non-profits with a somewhat leftist agenda (though to be fair they do try to present a balanced view of the area – our tour included a scheduled visit inside a maquiladora, which unfortunately was cancelled by the factory, and the Border Patrol tour). Some other reality tour providers include: The Center for Global Education at Augsburg College in Minneapolis (), Heifer International Study Tours (), Plowshares Institute (), GATE (), Our Developing World (). Arthur Frommer’s Budget Magazine did an excellent article about these programs and more in its January 2004 edition. You can access it at to Meet a lot of Cool Travelers? Stay at a HostelThey are Not Just for Youth AnymoreOver the past four years teaching and developing my classes and booklets, I have spent almost six months in hostels throughout the U.S. (particularly the West Coast) and in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Italy. While at first it took me a while to get used to sleeping with other people, I’ve grown to love staying in hostels. I’ve met such great people and stayed in such cool places. Many students have asked me over the years about what hostels are like. Since each is different it is hard to answer the question well. After giving it some thought, I’ve decided the best way to answer the question is to tell you a bit about what a hostel is like (in this case, I’ve chosen my stay in two hostels in Honolulu in February 2001 because it is the longest time I’ve spent in one place) and then give you some advice about how to get the most out of your hostel stay based on my experiences all over the world.The Honolulu HostelsI stayed in two hostels in Honolulu. I spent one week in the AYH (American Youth Hostel) hostel in Waikiki and the five days in the other AYH hostel across the street from the University of Hawaii. While many people assume that hostels are just for youth, the clientele at the Honolulu Hostels was diverse, including:Mike, a 50ish doctor from Maui who stayed at the hostel to relive his college days at the University of Hawaii; Steve, an affable, twenty-five-year-old man funding his trip around the United States as a part-time bus driver and tour guide. (He also worked at the University of Hawaii hostel while I was there for a couple of hours a day doing cleaning tasks in exchange for his room); Sarah, a retired teacher from Michigan who has traveled around the world (including Ecuador and Venezuela) camping in train stations; andSeveral 30ish Britons who sold their high-priced London real estate to fund an extended sabbatical trip around the world. A young Argentine female who was in Hawaii to work on research on earthquakes as part of her degree.This diverse group quickly became my temporary travel buddies. I ate meals with Steve and took an around-the-island tour (led by the extremely knowledgeable former owner of the Waikiki hostel) with Sarah. I kept in touch with Sarah by e-mail for a couple of years after my stay.The Waikiki hostel was located only a couple of blocks from the beach. It was a converted apartment building. There were around twenty rooms, each with four beds and its own bathroom. Like 99% of all AYH hostels, the rooms were separated by gender. The University of Hawaii hostel had three rooms with approximately a dozen beds each. The room that I stayed in had its own bathroom. Some of the other dorms (which were located together) shared a common bathroom. The hostel had an attractive inner patio and a TV/library lounge. The office, as at many hostels, was closed at night, so you had to check-in during the afternoon and evening hours. The hostel was also closed during the early afternoon for a couple of hours for cleaning.Hostelling TipsIf you want to meet people, select a hostel in a popular tourist destination. It is easy to meet people in a place like Hawaii where: 1) a lot of people come from all over the Earth and 2) some travelers are inclined to spend some time. I did not find it as easy to meet people in Singapore because most travelers stayed there for a night or two and moved on to more popular tourist locations. In the U.S.A most hostels cost between $18-30 a night per person. (The Waikiki Hostel, for example, is currently $18-21 a night and the University of Hawaii Hostel is $23-26.) In Europe, the costs are usually around $20-35 per night. In Latin America, Asia, and Africa there are not many hostels and the costs are not that much cheaper than staying in a hotel (typically $6-$15 a night). Hostels are, however, a great choice for cheap accommodations in a few expensive cities in these parts of the world like Singapore and Hong Kong. [The Mount Davis Hostel in Hong Kong, though very basic (most of the rooms needed painting and had 15-20 beds per room) had a great view of the City for only $9 a night. (The cheapest hotel room I could find was $40). The hostel is located outside the City Center at the top of a very high hill. The hostel provides a shuttle every two hours to-and-from the City.]Many people save money at hostels by using the kitchen to cook their meals. Many hostels have food that past travelers have left behind available for you to cook for free. (Be careful that you are not taking someone else’s food, though.)Hostels also will often give out toiletries (that have been left by past guests) and let you borrow Useful household appliances like alarm clocks and irons for free if you ask. The extra services offered by hostels are usually quite inexpensive. The cost of using laundry machines in hostels, for example, is often 1/3-2/3rds of the cost of nearby Laundromats. Internet access fees are usually competitive with other nearby internet cafes.Most hostels today no longer have curfews, age restrictions, or required chores. Most hostels (with the exception of a few large, big cities hostels), however, only will check in guests between certain times of the day (usually 2-3 p.m. to 10-11 p.m.). In addition, several hostels limit guest access to their rooms for a couple of hours a day in the afternoon.Many hostels include a free breakfast, usually cereal, bread, and coffee. In some hostels, I have even had a complete, cooked breakfast including pancakes, potatoes, and omelets. Often, hostels also have inexpensive coffee shops onsite.Hostels often offer a great assortment of low-cost informative tours. They are also a great place to get together a group of people to take a tour.Check out the bulletin boards in hostels. They can be a great place to find rides to your next destination for just the cost of the gas.Most hostels have private rooms available. The majority of these rooms do not have their own bathroom. As a whole, the hostel rooms are the best deals for couples and families in the area. However, families and couples could find similar priced hotel rooms in less convenient, suburban locations. I would recommend that you make a reservation for all hostels ahead of time. Usually a couple of days ahead of time is fine, though if you can make a reservation ahead of time it would be good because sometimes a group will book most of the room for a couple of days. There is no price advantage to showing up at the last minute and hostels are usually more likely to be full than hotels. Reservations for private rooms particularly on weekends should be made as far in advance as possible. The private rooms for the Montara and Pescadero hostels in California, for example, can be all booked up for several months. Hostels are usually very well located. Almost all of the hostels in major cities are found in the heart of the city’s tourist areas. (In Chicago the hostel is located on Columbus Parkway one block from Michigan Avenue; in Washington DC it is three blocks from the Dupont Circle subway station; and in Santa Monica, CA, it is located one block from the beach, smack dab in the middle of the 3rd Street Mall). It may be expensive to park in these locations. If you have a car, you may want to consider other slightly more suburban locations to avoid high parking fees of $6-15/day. Many of these hostels are large. The hostel in Chicago has over 500 beds. The larger hostels are open 24 hours a day and you will get access to your room all day long. Most of the larger hostels require computerized key cards to enter the room. These cards, for some reasons, generally don’t work nearly as well or easily as the ones in regular hotels. (The one in Chicago requires a key card to operate the elevator which is a real pain.) I find the size of these large hostels a bit intimidating, and prefer the smaller hostels. In many national parks and other scenic locations, hostels are often in the best locations of any lodgings in the area. Hostels (which were formally soldier barracks and soldier quarters) are the only lodging choices with the boundaries of Point Reyes National Seashore and the Marin Headlands. Some hostels are also in really cool buildings. In Sacramento, California, the hostel is in a beautiful 19th century Victorian mansion. The Montara (about 20 minutes south of San Francisco) and Pescadero hostels (around 20 minutes north of Santa Cruz) are located in former lighthouses right next to the shore. (The light at the Montara hostel even works.) In fact, several of the Bay Area hostels are in such beautiful locations that the Bay Area Guardian even designated their private rooms as some of the most romantic places for a weekend getaway.As a whole, however, there are many places in the U.S. without many hostels. You will have a hard time finding hostels in the Midwestern and Southeastern parts of the U.S. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, there are no hostels in Kansas or Nebraska at all.In Europe hostels are widely available. However, in Italy, most hostels are located far outside of the City Center and you’ll have to take a bus or walk a ways to get to the hostel. (I will never forget that the hostel in Assisi, which otherwise was perfectly fine, was located in the middle of very steep, exhausting hill that made the ten minute walk a real pain for me.)Types of HostelsThere are two types of hostels: International Youth Hostel (IYH) Association hostels: A complete list of these hostels is available online. All (AYHs in the U.S.) prohibit alcohol and accommodations are segregated by sex. Many of the hostels in Europe even have small bars on the premise, most of which also serve dinner. Most IYH hostels require guest to leave their room for a couple of hours a day for cleaning. Others close their registration desk at night and, thus, require guest to check-in during certain hours of the day (usually early evening). Some require guests to punch in a security code to get into the hostel after the office is closed. You can check out the hostel features at the U.S. hostel site (. The website has links to all the other IYH hostels worldwide.)A few IYH hostels in Europe require that guest be under the age of 25; help with chores; and have curfews. Privately owned hostels: Many are like college dormitories with lots of partying and noise. Some are quiet and laid-back and make an excellent alternative to the rigidity found in some International Youth Hostels. Many private hostels are co-ed. provides an excellent listing of private hostels and an easy way to make online reservations (for an additional fee up to $7.50). Generally, I prefer the IYH associated hostels; however, unfortunately, they are not often available in many popular tourist locations in the U.S. such as Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida. (They have better coverage in Europe, however.) If you are going to book a private hostel, I’d encourage you to find out more details about its ambience before you book. I went to one private hostel in Orlando which felt like a college dormitory, complete with loud, obnoxious drunks partying outside my door until five in the morning. On the other hand, I routinely stay at the Roadrunner Hostel in Tucson, Arizona and the Green Tortoise Hostel in Seattle and feel that they are every bit, if not more comfortable, than most of the IYH hostels I’ve stayed at.Fortunately, there is a good way to check out the quality of a hostel before you book. It is an independent guidebook series called The Insiders Guide to HYPERLINK "" Hostels (U.S.A, European Cities, etc – it varies by destination). While I don’t always agree with their ratings, I have found that their recommendations about hostels to avoid are spot on. BOOKS:There are only two reasonably up-to-date books on home exchanges out there. Unfortunately, none of them are really comprehensive. However, the two books together serve as a decent discussion of the subject:The Home Exchange Guide: How to Find Your Free Home Away from Home by M.T. Simon and T.T. Baker. The Home Exchange Guide is a thorough, up-to-date guide if you have already decided that you want to do an exchange and need to know the mechanics of setting up the experience. On the other hand, if you want to decide if home exchanges are right for you, I would not recommend this guide. It may scare you away unnecessarily. It tells you all of the potential pitfalls without much information about the advantages of home exchanges. The book desperately cries out for real life stories to illustrate and add life to its otherwise dry text.Trading Places: The Wonderful World of Vacation Home Exchange by Bill and Mary Barbour. Trading Places suffers from the exact opposite problems as the Home Exchange Guide. It needs updating (the last edition was in 1997) and more practical advice. However, it does a good job of making you want to participate in an exchange and profiling inspiring examples of real life home exchangers.Meet the Stevens: Veteran Home Exchangers ExtraordinairePaul notes: Joe and Diane Stevens divide their time between their home in Cambria CA (a small resort, beach town roughly half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles near Hearst Castle) and an apartment in New York City. Diane is a writer with several published stories and books under her belt. Joe is a semi-retired psychiatrist. They have three grown children. One is a French translator; another is a psychiatrist and the third, a television critic. How many exchanges have you done and where have you gone?Joe: We have done 42 exchanges in the past 15 or so years; I counted them yesterday. 12 of those were in foreign countries, 21 in New York City, 7 in California. The remaining exchanges took place in other U.S. states.What is your most memorable exchange?Diane: We exchanged a home in Devon, England. The home was a cottage with a thatched roof, the type that would not be allowed to be built again in England today. The exchange partners suggested that we talk to their neighbors. The neighbors were out of an old time Hollywood movie. They lived in a large, brick Georgian style mansion. When we entered, we met the couple, a retired army officer and his wife. They sat next to a massive, crackling fire. Two large English hound dogs lay on both sides of the couple. They gave us sherry from a crystal decanter. He smoked a pipe. When we left, they offered to take us on a fox hunt. We agreed to come, because it was a great chance to see a bit of old England. When we showed up, we saw a group of animal rights activists out front. The fox hunt itself was just like you see in the movies. Everyone wore jodhpurs and a bugle was blown to start the race. It was certainly the type of experience you could only find in a home exchange. What is your favorite place to exchange?Diane: Half of our exchanges have been to New York City. Through our 21 exchanges there, we have learned that New York City residents are, contrary to popular myth, very friendly people. By living in so many different parts of the City, we have gotten to know New York City even better than some locals who often tend to stick to their own neighborhood. We have grown to love New York City so much, and have made so many good friends there through exchanging, that we have decided to live there part of the year.What is the strangest thing that has happened on one of your exchanges?Joe: One time when arranging for an exchange in New York City (NYC), the woman said as we were finalizing the final bits, “Oh yes, there is one other thing. Would you mind if our two teenage children are still here in my home during the two week exchange?” I am not kidding. We got some more information, decided to do it and the kids and the exchanger were wonderful folks. We have gotten to be good friends with them and see them each time we are in NYC. And, by the way, the exchange home was/is unbelievable. On Central Park West and if you know NYC, that ain’t bad. We’ve exchanged with them more than once (helped with the kids both times) and they are terrific.Diane: The kids were amazingly self-sufficient. We only knew that they were there when we heard their alarm clocks go off in the morning. The son was an accomplished musician and the kids were both more than willing to give us advice about New York City when we asked.Tell me a little about your first exchangeDiane: Our first exchange was to London in 1990. Our exchange partner was an interior decorator with a very attractive and well-located flat. Since he was connected to the London Opera, he gave us tickets to some of the best seats for an opera at Covent Gardens. When he came back to California, a couple years later, he invited us down to San Diego and took us out to an opera there. In fact, it was him who gave us a love for the opera. Prior to those tickets, we did not know much about the opera.Have you had any bad experiences?Diane: We only had one disappointing exchange. We ended up staying at the apartment of one of our exchange partner’s son in New York City. The apartment was just like you’d expect for a young college student: small, cramped, and dirty. However, it was only two weeks so Joe and I made the best of the situation. Joe: We have always had the house left perfectly clean as we leave the exchanger's house when we return home. Often exchangers leave flowers or a bottle of wine. We let the exchangers use our car and there has never been any problem though I would check with your car insurance company. Aren’t you afraid that one of the home exchangers will steal your stuff or trash your home?Joe: Everyone, including us, who considers doing an exchange always asks at first: “What? You expect me to let a complete stranger come into my house and not steal stuff, learn all my secrets and trash the place?” The answer is yes. When I joined our exchange club (Homelink) 15 years ago, I asked the manager of the club how often they had theft reported. They had been going for a number of years and though it was impossible to know exactly, they thought there had been perhaps 50,000 exchanges through their exchange book/website by that time and they had not had ONE report of any theft. I asked him the same question this last year, 15 years later, and he said that after all these years and thousands more exchanges there had been ONE report by a woman who “thought” an exchanger had taken a half dozen books. So, we don’t worry about theft. Obviously if you have a million dollar diamond I wouldn’t leave it out on the porch but other than that, forget it.Diane: One time, we did get stuck paying for a phone bill of over a hundred dollars left by one of our exchange partners. I guess we should have suspected that this could be a problem. When we got to the exchanger’s home in Ireland, we noticed that we had to unlock the upstairs phone and that the phone downstairs was, believe it or not, a pay phone.What is the best part about exchanging?Joe: Diane and I have had great fun with exchanges and have made really good friends through the process. In fact, other than a few friends in our home town, our best friends are folks we’ve exchanged with.Diane: I met my best friend, Carol, through a home exchange. Our friendship began over a clothes swap. After Carol arrived at our home, she discovered that it was colder than expected. She looked in my closet and noticed that we wore the same size and that I had a lot of clothing that she liked. She called and asked me if she could borrow my clothes. I said yes and asked if I could borrow her clothes. One day, a few months after our exchange, Carol sent me some clothes she was tired of. Since that time, we have visited each other hundreds of times. When Carol’s husband became sick, Joe and I got our apartment in New York City to help Carol.Chiang Mai, Thailand: The World’s Capital for Learning Vacations for DilettantesHave you ever wanted to just try out a lot of different classes for a day or two?If so, you have got to go to Chiang Mai, Thailand. During a month there I took classes at seven different schools in five different subjects. All, but one, of the classes cost me around $30 a day for eight hours of instruction with all the materials included. Every class was conducted in English and professionally presented. Most of the classes also gave out a cookbook or a booklet so that students could use the instruction at home. (Some of the cookbooks were very nicely done with photos, pictures of ingredients, and clear recipes.)Here is a list of the classes that I took in Chiang Mai:Lek Chaiya Massage School (). I enrolled for a week at this school. Most of the students were professional massage therapists looking to add Thai massage to the repertoire. I, on the other hand, had never studied massage. I found it hard to do most of the massages since they involve many steps and considerable physical strength, however, I discovered that I could easily give herbal massages (which involves applying packs of steam herbs wrapped in cheesecloth on a client’s back to relieve stress). Since I could not easily give massages, I spent most of my time as a practice client. As a result, I learned how to distinguish an effective massage from a poor one. I also discovered about what type of touch is pleasant to me and what is not. I really enjoyed the instructor (who came to see me as the school’s mascot) and the other students who hailed from Argentina, South Africa, Canada, the USA, and Greece.The Elephant Conservation Center’s Mahout Training Camp (): I spent three days in Lampang (about an hour outside of Chiang Mai) learning how to be a mahout (elephant trainer). While a true mahout would need to spend many years with an elephant to establish a relationship with the animal, I learned a lot about elephants from the class. I was amazed at how intelligent, loyal, and graceful elephants can be. Under the guidance of a mahout, they can learn how to paint, play a musical instrument, and carry teak logs for hundreds of miles. They also grow so attached to the mahout that if the mahout leaves them they will go into mourning for a month. I was particular astonished how quickly and easily the elephants worked with the mahout. At night, the mahout would put the elephants on a really long chain (so that the elephants would not run away and eat all the preserve’s vegetation—elephants can easily eat a hundred bamboo stalks a day). In the morning they would give the elephants instructions (go right, left, up and down) so that the elephants could free themselves from their chains. The elephants could make these moves in about half the time it would take a professional truck driver to make similar maneuvers. All the mahout would have to do is make a sound and the elephants would immediately react.One of the most moving things about the training camp was the visit to the Center’s hospital. There I was angered and shocked by the site of an elephant whose leg was blown off by a landmine. I was also surprised to learn that about ten percent of all male elephants develop musth, a disease that causes elephants to go insane when they go through heat. (Note: The Elephant Conservation Class cost $200 for three days including accommodations and several meals).I also enjoyed the mahouts and the program coordinator immensely. One evening the students played a game with the mahouts called “drink water”. It was a simple card game and if you did not follow the rules carefully, you’d have to take a drink of water. While the game was not terribly amazing by Western standards, I marveled at the mahout ability to make something so simple into a real sanuk (fun) experience by continually laughing and joking with the students. I also found the young female coordinator to be very sweet. At one point I mentioned that it was hard to get up and stay on the elephant (we rode the elephant for about two hours a day). To which, she replied, “don’t worry, Mister Paul, many students can’t get up on the elephant as well as you can.” (I don’t know if this is true, but the way she said it was very comforting).Cooking Schools. During my stay in Chiang Mai, I attended three different cooking schools. All of which had totally different approaches to teaching. The Thai Cookery School ( HYPERLINK "" ) featured demonstrations, given in a classroom with an overhead mirror, taught by a Thai professional chef with a good sense of humor (not easy to do since the class was in English) who has been featured on several cooking shows in the US and England. The instructor, Sampan Nabnian, spent considerable time showing us how to make the green curry paste and other sauces that formed the basis of Thai cooking. As a result of the teacher’s style and emphasis on the foundation of Thai cooking, I’d say his class was the best I took if you wanted to seriously learn how to cook Thai food and had a fair amount of cooking experience. Since I am not much of a cook, and the class had over thirty students, I found the school’s instruction to be a bit too complicated and hard to follow and, as a result, my dishes did not turn out to be as tasty as those I prepared at the other schools. The Thai Chocolate Cooking School (no website) emphasized teaching home recipes developed by the school’s matriarch. The instruction was not nearly as detailed as the Thai Cookery School but it was very relaxed and enjoyable. I found the recipes easy to follow and as a result the final dishes that I prepared turned out to be the tastiest dishes I prepared at any school in Thailand. The other students seemed to enjoy this school (which was also the cheapest I found in Chiang Mai) more than the other schools I attended.The Thai Farm Cooking School ( HYPERLINK "" ) was held out in the country about ten miles outside of Chiang Mai. The school was surrounded by a farm which the instructors used to demonstrate what Thai ingredients looked like in their natural state. Before we left for the farm, the instructors took us to the market and showed us how to select the ingredients and what they cost. The instruction was a bit more detailed than at the Chocolate Cooking School, but it was fairly easily to follow even for a novice chef, like myself. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to learn about and see the herbs and grasses that make Thai food such a culinary delight.Batik School (no website). I spent a day studying batik at this school in a comfortable home on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. The instructor was very patient and kind and, even though I have little artistic ability, I came to enjoy batik very much. The class included a well prepared lunch.Batik is a great art to take up if you are not very artistic. It seems to almost welcome imprecision. Errors can easily end enhancing rather than detracting from the beauty of your final work. In addition, it is fun playing with wax and the elegant copper goblet that was used to apply the wax is enchanting.Nova Jewelry School (). I enjoyed learning all the steps for making a piece of jewelry. There is something magical about the process from melting the silver to measuring your ring size to engraving a design, and finally smoothing out the ring. It takes a lot of patience and practice but somehow or another every student seemed to enjoy the process immensely. In a day you can only make a very basic ring. However, there were students who had been at the school for a couple of days who produced some lovely silver necklaces with gemstones. ................
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