All Travel Talk

Speaking a second (or third) language is a valuable point on every resume- not to mention that it’s fun to impress your friends with funny phrases in foreign languages. Language learning, despite sounding simple, can be difficult and expensive! There are a few places, however, that languages can be learned for an affordable price.

Study Spanish in Guatemala.

Madrid, Spain is a popular place for learning Spanish, as it is rich in culture and most of the residents speak primarily Spanish. If you’re on a budget, though, it may be a good idea to search of other cities in which to improve your Spanish skills. A city such as Antigua, Guatemala is a great option for learning this romance language without breaking the budget.

Since English is not as widely spoken as it is in Madrid or other large Spanish speaking cities, you’ll have no choice but ti pick up on the language in order to communicate with locals and navigate your everyday life.

Study Russian in Kyrgyzstan.

A former Soviet Republic, Kyrgyzstan is a small, Russian speaking country that contains both rich culture and beauty. The country is cheap to travel in and since many of its residents begin learning Russian in school, the language you will pick up is by the book and purer than the Russian dialects you may acquire in other countries. With relaxed entrance policies, Kyrgyzstan is also easy to get into and make a home in.

It’s also the perfect place to photograph with its tall mountains, sandy ranges, and desolate beauty. Horse riding is a popular pass time, as well, and serves as a fun way to connect with the wildlife in the area.

Study Portuguese in Brazil.

If you can in any way avoid studying a language in Europe, we encourage you to do so as studying in Europe is almost always costly. If you want to learn Portuguese, try taking a trip to Brazil. Why? Brazil has a high number of Portuguese speaking citizens, as well as a scenic landscape and costs that are cheaper than those of Portugal.

On top of being a great place to learn Portuguese, Brazil also has a wild nightlife and fun atmosphere that is appealing to tourists of all ages.

Study Arabic in Tunisia.

Studying Arabic in United Arab Emirates sounds like a great idea at first though. Perhaps it Will continue to be a good idea for a few months, but eventually, you’ll find yourself having to take out a loan just to stay in the country.

Tunisia is a good option for learning Arabic. It is an Arabic speaking country in North Africa that is close enough to the borders of Europe to offer extensive travel options, but keep it’s prices affordable. Many citizens speak both English and Arabic, but just as many speak only Arabic, allowing you to pick up on the language quickly and easily.

With Halloween around the corner, most Western citizens are gearing up for a month of scary movies, haunted houses, tasty treats, and fun Halloween themed parties. Contrary to popular belief, though, the spirit of Halloween is celebrated all over the world, despite not always being called “Halloween” or treated as a fun holiday. There are dozens of spooky festivals held around the world that are guaranteed to remind you of your favorite creep holiday. Here are a few.

Banks of the Foyle Carnival

In Derry, Ireland, the tradition of Halloween is live and well with the Banks of Foyle Carnival. The festival takes place between October 25th and 29th. During the day, the festival hosts a haunted house and during the evening there’s a twilight lit haunted tour of Derry. The carnival is family-friendly, hosting magic shows, face painting, and storytelling. Other highlights include the A-Scarium Aquarium, Halloween movies, and a variety of kid-friendly art workshops.

The main attraction, however, is the parade. Parade goers are invited to get dressed up and gather in the streets to enjoy the parade’s music, sights, and spectacular entertainment.

Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival of Hong Kong is a sight to behold. This month long festival pays homage to souls that have passed on by offering and showering them with gifts such as money, jewelry, and food. Legend has it that if the spirits are ignored or unhappy, they will cause mischief.

The Chiu Chow community holds a variety of rituals and a three day ceremony. Neighborhoods across the city burn incense and place their offerings on the sidewalk and streets.

Hop Tu Naa

The Isle of Man is known for a variety of unique factors such as four-horned sheep and tailless manx cats. However, it’s also known for its unique take on Halloween. Hop Tu Naa is a celebration exclusive to the Isle of Man. During the celebration, locals sing traditional songs about Jinny the Witch and cattle-killing, carve lanterns from turnips, bake Dumbo Cake (which is then eaten in silence), tell stories and dance. There is also a parade that serves as the highlight for the celebration.

La Calabiuza   

To celebrate Halloween in El Salvador, locals like to dress up in costumes that relate to spooky urban legends. These legends include those of La Llorona (the weeping woman searching for her child),  La Siguanaba, (a beautiful woman cursed for abandoning her child), and El Cadejo (a devil dog).   The festival kicks off on November 1st and consists of scary costumes, torches, painted carts, chanting,  and cooking pumpkin and honey in the city square. The day after the ceremony, local families place flower wreaths on their loved ones graves to allow the deceased to have a picnic with the living.     

Haunted Happenings

The paranormal is celebrated each year in Boston, Massachusetts with the Haunted Happenings event.  Taking place in September and October, the event includes entertainment such as ghost stories, seances, movies, plays, night-time walks through the graveyard, haunted houses, tours, parades, and magic circles, a witches ball, and a Festival of the Dead held by local witches.  Included in the fun is also a Dump Supper, which is eaten in silence to honor the dead and gone.

Generally, travelers opt to leave pets at home. This isn’t because the family dog isn’t loved or wanted, but because traveling with pets can be difficult, not to mention stressful for both the pet and its owner. Sometimes, though, there’s no getting around it and the animal has to be taken on a trip. If you have to take your pet with you on vacation, here are a few tips to ensure that the strip is successful and as stress free as possible.

Make an advanced booking.

Before assuming your hotel will accept your pet with open arms, it’s a good idea to phone and confirm that the establishment is pet friendly. Finding a pet friendly hotel or motel can be tricky, so to ensure that you’re able to secure a location for yourself and your furry friend, book in advance and be patient when it comes to finding the right location.

Purchase an approved pet carrier.

It’s easy to think that as long as you have a secure pet carrier, you’re good to go. As nice as this thought is, however, it’s often far from reality. Many airlines and railways have specific guidelines that pet carriers need to abide by. These can usually be found on the company website. Also, be sure to mark the carrier with your pet’s name, your name and number, and a tag that declares the carrier as containing a live animal.

Bring your pet’s medical records.

Don’t forget to pack your pet’s vaccination papers, medical records, and proof of any medication that he or she may be taking. Some airlines (and countries!) are strict with admission of foreign animals, so having these papers will increase your chances of being able to admit your pet onto the airline or into the country without any hiccups. It’s also a good idea to treat your pet with a flea and tick solution as a preventative measure before leaving home.

Avoid introducing new foods.

Pets, like their owners, are prone to digestion changes and upset as a result of new and unfamiliar foods. To keep your pet’s tummy feeling up to par, be sure to bring an adequate supply of his usual food along on the trip. Try t avoid switching foods while on the road, as it could cause stomach upset.  If you run out, try your best to find the same brand of food in a store within your immediate area.

Introduce the pet to its carrier.

If your pet is like many, it’s probably scared of being put inside of a carrier. To get the pet acclimated to tis carrier, try taking the top off and filling the carrier with your pet’s favorite blankets or comfort items and allowing the animal to lay inside of it without the lid. Once the pet is used to this, you could put the lid on but leave the door open while your pet is inside. Continue like this until your pet has no problem being inside of his carrier with the door closed.

For someone who has severe food allergies, traveling can be daunting. You’re never sure if what you’re eating is free of the food that makes you ill, and if there is any sort of language barrier, things are complicated further because it’s harder to ensure that the food you’re about to eat is safe for you. We know how hard it is, that’s why we’re here to help. Here are a few tips for traveling with allergies.

Know where emergency services are located.

As someone who could fall into anaphylaxis from a seemingly harmful dish of rice and mushrooms, it’s important that you always know where the nearest hospital is. As careful as you are, there is always a chance that you will  ingest something you don’t agree with. Knowing where the hospital is will help to ensure that you get medical attention quickly and without delay. You should also know the number for the local emergency services.

Bring your own food.

Whenever possible, bring your own food on your trip- even if this means lugging around a backpack full of healthy energy bars and gluten-free bread. By the end of the day when you get to your final location you might have a sore shoulder, but at least you won’t have spent the whole day at the hospital fighting to get air into your lungs because you accidentally ate a piece of bread with gluten in it.

Cook for yourself.

Even better than being up to date on what goes into your food, is cooking your food yourself. By taking some extra time to prepare your own meals, you know exactly what is going into your dinner and can make sure that it’s allergy friendly. Keep your hotel room or rental suite stocked with healthy, allergy-friendly ingredients, and opt to go out an hour later in order to make yourself a meal before you leave.

Speak up.

When boarding an airline with a potentially hazardous allergy in toe, it’s important to speak up to protect yourself. Phone your airline or railway ahead of time and inform them of your allergy, how severe it is, and what you need in order to be safe. Some companies have been known to remove potential allergens from food carts, while other, in order to accommodate a severe anaphylactic reaction, will allow the allergic passenger to board early in order to sanitize his or her area before being seated. Don’t be afraid to ask the service works or hostess to wash their hands before serving you, either- they should be more than happy to do so if it means that you will be safe and satisfied.

Use common sense.

If you know you’re deathly allergic to fish, avoid restaurants that serve primarily fish and seafood. It will be no fun for you t pick through the menu when next to nothing is safe for you to eat, and your servers won’t appreciate having to accommodate your request when it could have been avoided in the first place by choosing a different place to eat.