Booking hostels is an important part of the trip planning process. Just because they’re less expensive than their hotel counterparts doesn’t mean they have to be low-quality, and in fact, a good hostel can add a huge boost to an already awesome trip. Judging by my own experiences, and thanks to a little help from the reviews over at Hostelworld.com, here are the top 10 best hostels in the world for student travelers. Continue Reading
Packing lists have become somewhat of a specialty here on The Study Abroad Blog, with a packing list for a year abroad, one for weekend trips and travel, and of course, how exactly to pack in these situations. One thing I haven’t covered though, is what you don’t want to pack for study abroad. Since packing seems to be one of the most dreaded parts of the pre-study abroad prep period, keep reading to learn what you should leave behind. Continue Reading
Because being stuck in a sea of people isn’t fun
I’ve heard from many people that it isn’t worth it, that it’s a waste of money: they’re out-dated, they’re heavy, they list sites that are closed, why a book when we have the internet, etc. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion and all of those things may be true, you won’t always have access to the internet, it’s paper i.e. not that heavy, and yes, it’s not updated every year which just means it should be used as a great reference book and not necessarily your sole travel bible. Here are 10 reasons why I think every study abroad student should get a Lonely Planet country guide. Continue Reading
Backpacks – totally superior to the rolling suitcase
Other than your inter-semester break (if you’re abroad for a year) or the occasional week-long vacation, most of your trips while abroad will be for 5 days or less. The common method is to leave Thursday night, skip class on Friday, travel for the long weekend, and then head back to your university on Sunday night. While I’ve written a number of posts in the past about prep and packing for studying abroad, I’ve yet to cover what you should bring on these long-weekend adventures. So, inspired by both the success of 2 Suitcases + 1 Year = Study Abroad Packing List, as well as my recent trip to Southern China, I decided to create The Ultimate Weekend Travel Packing List. Continue Reading
