Blog #3: 5 tips for traveling while abroad

1. Plan out your weekends/travel dates well in advance (about a month or two), if you want to get the best deals. Flights from country to country can be SUPER cheap (I’m talking like $50 roundtrip cheap!) in Europe but you have to book about 6 weeks in advance to get those kinds of deals.  
2. If you plan to study abroad during spring and want to travel a lot during spring break, definitely plan that well in advance (before even arriving in Europe) to avoid paying tons of money for air/accommodations.  Many Europeans vacation during Easter which drives prices up like crazy, especially last minute.  My friends and I really wanted to go to Amsterdam but we waited to long and flights rose to about $600/roundtrip and hotels and Airbnb’s sky rocketed! It cost me way less to fly to Philadelphia for Easter than it would have to travel last minute throughout Europe.
3. Pack lightly!! Most budget airlines only allow a carry on bag and are very strict about it.  I’ve had airlines tell me I had to put my small purse inside my carry on just because I wasn’t allowed to have a personal item.  I’ve also had airlines tell me I had to either put on my jacket or to put it in the overhead bin for take off and landing.  Remember, no one in these other countries/cities are going to know you so no shame in repeating outfits! Also, wear your heaviest clothes/shoes onto the plan to save room in your luggage :)
4. When booking a place to stay, make sure you use maps to know the location you are in and that you are nearby to things you want to see.  If you plan on using public transportation while there, use the maps to find metro stops.  My friends and I used Airbnb for most of the places we travelled and we found that they had the best deals.  Hostels are a good option too but if you are traveling in a group it’s usually cheaper to split an Airbnb. 
5. If you are going to another country with a different language, learn some basics before getting there! I found it helpful to learn how to say “hello,” “thank you,” “please,” and “sorry” in whatever language for the country I was visiting.  The reason I chose these is because even if you are struggling with other words and phrases, these words show that you are polite and that usually goes over well with everyone.  Obviously you can’t learn the language of every single country (unless you can, that’s awesome!), but just practicing some of it on the ride there does a lot.  Just attempting the language is appreciated by most foreigners (although you’re the foreigner in this case) and they are more likely to help you if they see you are trying.  You may feel a little silly sometimes but it’s definitely worth it!