My Approach to Coach

If you are a traveler on a budget, you are likely no stranger to flying coach. The world is a big place though and while a budget seat is not a big deal for a couple hour flight, it can be downright torturous as your flights start to pass 6+ hours! 

A blurry window seat view

Here are my tricks to getting through an extended visit with a seat in coach:

• Compression Socks - I've got a genetic disorder that makes me more prone to blood clots, but I think that anyone can benefit from this trick. Sitting still for a long time in a cramped seat can increase your risk, so I use my running compression socks to keep my blood flowing!
• Earplugs - for when that guy behind you thinks half the plane will benefit from his conversation. I've also heard good things about noise cancelling headphones, but I'm on a budget!
• Blanket/scarf - if you want to get sleep on a plane, you need to be comfortable. If your seat is experiencing Arctic temperatures, you will need a blanket to make that happen. As I mentioned earlier, a scarf is a great substitute!
• Walking - I like to time my first (and hopefully only) trip to the restroom once everyone starts to try fall asleep. While up, I also like to try walk the plane a bit to help prevent the blood clots mentioned above
• Window seats - if you own the window seat, you get three advantages. You control the window shade, no one asks you to get up, and you get an extra surface to sleep on. It's worth the trade off of slightly less leg room in my opinion!
• Water & snacks - for when you sleep through breakfast and wake up starving...
• Face wipes - You won't interface with many people on your flight, so why not give your skin a day off? I like wipes with tea tree oil in them; the antibacterial properties make them great to wipe down any germ-laden seats too
• Eye mask - maybe your seatmate is reading or maybe you didn't get the window seat I recommended above. If not, shut out the light for some shut eye with an eye mask.
• Moisturizer/hand cream - I don't apply to the Evian spray people love. If I've removed my make-up like I mentioned, then moisturizer right before the flight is over helps make me look a little less scary.
• USB cable - I love that flights now let you charge your phone at your seat. Make sure you are prepared with your cable!
• A change of shoes/socks - and make it a comfy change! I like fuzzy socks to keep my feet a little more comfy, but I think some slipper loafers would be a great mid-flight option!

What are your secrets to getting through coach? Anyone out there who can share their experiences traveling first class?

Sights to See: The Acropolis and the Parthenon

If you go to Athens, its hard to miss the Acropolis and the Parthenon. The Acropolis is the raise plateau in the center of the city and can almost feel as if it is following you around the city. If it is your first trip to Athens, I wouldn't recommend skipping the tour!

As I already mentioned, the Acropolis is the hill in the center of Athens. The Parthenon is the well known building located on top of the Acropolis. If you can keep the two of them separate in your mind and conversations, it will help to give you an edge over the other tourists.

Tips for the trip:

• If you are a student, be sure to bring your ID as it can get your a great discount on a ticket
• The walk up is on smooth rock and can get slippery; now is not the time to wear impractical shoes
• Expect construction: there is scaffolding on the Parthenon and a lot of people let it ruin their visit. If you know its going to be there, you can look past it and still find the sites amazing. I try to focus on the reason behind the scaffolding, which is that the Parthenon is slowly and carefully being reconstructed

And now, I'll let my pictures speak for themselves. I hope you enjoy walking around the Acropolis as much as I did!

Juxtaposition of the old and the new

Odeon of Herodes Atticus: as you can see, they still play music here to this day

Homeless cats are everywhere in Athens, but some are pretty cute

An amazing panoramic view

The Parthenon!

According to our guide, the Parthenon's carvings used to be painted in colors

The puzzle pieces that Acropolis restoration is trying to put back together

Amazing view to the sea. It's easy to see why this location was chosen for defense!

The Porch of the Caryatids 

And to finish it all off, some well deserved Greek pride! 

Throwback Thursday: That time I went to the Eden Project

I don't make it a big secret, but for a wannabe travel blogger, I don't currently travel that much. I'm not on a sabbatical from work right now, traveling my way through the world continent-by-continent. In fact, I'm currently double booked as both a professional AND a student. To keep things a bit more interesting (and in the honor of #TBT!), I thought we'd step into the way back machine and revisit my trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Do you remember photos with visible date stamps? Apparently I am old enough to remember them

I visited the Eden Project in July 2007. To give you some context of this time period, the Great Recession had not yet taken place (hurrah!) and the last Harry Potter book had just come out (say it isn't so!). In other words, it was a good time to be on a trip to England. I went with my mother and my siblings for family reasons, but we decided to take a small detour to Cornwall and my suggestion of the Eden Project.

My sister and I... She is going to kill me for using this picture

Our primary draw to the Eden Project was its main claim to fame: being home to the world's largest indoor rain forest! The plant life that makes up the rain forest is housed in these incredibly gorgeous hexagonal domes. Can't quite picture it? Imagine what would happen if bees created bubbles. Still can't imagine it? Alright, skip down to my picture below. My main warning for this part of the Eden experience is to dress in layers, as the rain forest biome can become incredibly hot and humid! While this may be welcome on a stereotypical English day, we visited on a sunny summer day and were promptly roasted. Speaking of roasting, I also was able to see my first cocoa bean pod growing in the rain forest. For any fan of chocolate, this is a great sighting.

Since she is already going to kill me, I present exhibit A: my sister roasting

Another stop we made in the Eden Project was to the Core. This part of site is comparable to a museum, but one that is dedicated to the environment. We stayed in this area for a while, as it was much cooler than the rain forest!

Zip-line! And the first sibling photo where I am the shortest

My lasting memory from this trip is the zip-line experience. My siblings and I all went on it and were able to zip over the outdoor garden area of the Eden Project. I particularly remember the lavender looking like a purple blur from above. I'd recommend making this part of your visit, if you aren't afraid of heights or speeds.

My Winter Travel Plans

I originally thought I’d be writing this post with a specific travel itinerary in mind. However, I’m no longer certain. Will I be traveling alone? Will I be able to convince my father to see more of the world and come with me? Will I be able to afford an extended trip at all? My personality leads me to plan and fill my desire to have everything organized; not knowing my winter travel plans is a tough spot for me!

As such, I’d like to ask my limited number of readers for help! The guidelines are as follows:

• The trip must be in Europe, with the end of the trip being in central(ish) Germany
• The trip must finish by January 5^th, and must start no earlier than December 26^th
• Seeing new countries is important to me! 2-3 days in a city is adequate for this trip. Consider it a 101 trip to Europe, with more in depth visits to come in the future
• Venice must be on the list. Whether sea levels are rising or not, I will not risk never seeing this city and its glass blowing!
• I have an unlimited budget so minimizing plane travel is ideal. Plus, I love taking the train!

Should I return to Amsterdam and see more of the country than just its airport?

Based on these guidelines, where would you go in Europe? Currently in my list of dream cities are: Venice, Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Innsbruck, Zurich, Barcelona, Reykjavik, Copenhagen and Dublin. Are there any cities you see missing from my list? Please comment below!

Sights to see: Oberammergau

When I booked my Royal Castle tour, I had completely forgotten the one sentence in the description that mentioned something about a “short stop in Oberammergau.” It was a fun bonus to the trip! This stop took place between visiting Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. I had personally never heard of it, but both my parents responded as “Oh, Oberammergau, where the play is.” Perhaps it’s better known in Europe?

The theater where the Passion Play is held

About this play… I won’t go into the whole story, you can find that here. The cliff notes version is that a disease ravaged the town, causing the townsfolk to pledge to perform a grand play every 10 years if more lives were spared. As soon as they did this, no further people died. It’s a miracle! (Anyone else hear the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt theme song whenever they read that phrase?) The town stuck to its word and performs an epic play every 10 years, which involves nearly half the town’s population, requires its men to grow amazing beards as a means of costuming, and runs for several months. I was told the next one is in 2020; does anyone want to head back to Munich?

A great example of Lüftlmalerei

A couple other things caught my eye in this town, besides the theater. Many of the building are covered in gorgeous murals called Lüftlmalerei. Many of them feature fairy tale scenes and one of my favorites was Little Red Riding Hood.

All these decorations are painted on!

The town itself is straight out of a story book. Gorgeous decorations are everywhere, and the streets are literally cobbled.

 

Fun fact: "Oberammergau" means "over the Ammer River"

Streets so pretty that I took a picture

The town also has a sense of being protected. Visible from almost everywhere in the main town is a tall mountain face, almost as if it was looking out for the town.

This mountain is called the Kofel. See if you can spot it in one of the earlier pictures too!

This brings me to the end of my tour recap! I’m so glad I made the time to go on this tour before my class began and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in seeing Neuschwanstein.

My Packing Hacks

Today's packing lessons, brought to you by slogans found in Munich's BMW World. Step one: pick a small suitcase

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, “pack light” is a traveling mantra. I also say, "pack smart!" I’ve done a lot of reading online for various packing hacks to make the most of my suitcase space. I’ve also come up with one or two ideas of my own, and have compiled them all together to help any soon-to-be travelers out!

For toiletries:

• I’ve never seen this online before, but I can’t be the first to have thought of it. If you have carry-on toiletries that don’t fit the 3 oz rule, you can go to Target or a similar store and get small, plastic containers. For shorter trips, sometimes you really don’t need 3 oz though. For example, face moisturizer on a 3 day trip. I certainly don’t go through an oz a day! Enter: stackable bead storage containers. Not only do you save space by not having to carry full 3 oz containers, but they stack together so nicely! My extra tip though: label what is in each layer with a sharpie.
• Plastic bags are a godsend. When you are in doubt, double bag your toiletries. If you can, also use freezer quality Ziploc bags. The extra thick plastic is worth it in case any of your toiletries explode!

Space in abundance: something you will never find in a carry-on suitcase so plan accordingly

For shoes and clothing:

• Ever wonder why you see people wearing impractical high heels in the airport? Some of them may want to look stylish, but others are following the rule to wear your bulkiest shoes on the plane. Not bringing a pair of high heel boots? The same rule still applies, but you will be a whole lot more comfortable if you are late for your connecting flight!
• Use the 5-4-3-2-1 rule for packing. For trips with multiple climates, start with this guideline for each climate, but focus on making your tops for the warmer climate work with cardigan tops for the colder climate. I’d also suggest exchanging the 1 bathing suit for a 1 warm jacket in much colder climates!

This includes packing your suitcase!

For everything else:

• Dryer sheets: such a simple sheet with so many uses. They can keep your clothes and suitcase smelling fresh on longer trips, they can clean the sketchy hotel irons to protect your clothes, and can even reduce static in your hair (this last trick saved me so much annoyance during dry Midwest winters). They barely take up any space, so why not add one or two to your suitcase?
• I love the idea for using straws to keep your necklaces from getting tangled while you travel. However, what do you do with today’s statement necklaces (besides find a giant straw)? What if you just don’t have the patience for threading jewelry through straws, like me? My approach has been to save the small, individual bags stores give you when you buy jewelry. Perhaps it’s the turquoise bag from Tiffany & Co., perhaps it is the mesh bag from Express; it really doesn’t matter! Pack one necklace per bag, and you will at least minimize multiple necklace tangles.
• If you have any prescriptions you need to take with you on a trip but are afraid to lose, talk with the doctor who prescribed them. They may be able to give you some small, travel sized samples to tide you over on your trip!
• For extended trips to places without hotel gyms, pack a resistance band. I have one from physical therapy and I am amazed at the variety of workouts I can do with one. The best part is it takes up even less room than a pair of running shorts.

Your turn: I want to hear your craziest, most unusual packing hacks in the comments below!

Sights to see: Neuschwanstein & Tour of King Ludwig II’s castles

You can find part one of the adventure at: Sights to see: Linderhof & Tour of King Ludwig II’s castles

In my earlier post, I mentioned how one of the main reasons I decided to take the bus tour to Neuschwanstein was due to jet lag. True to form, I fell asleep somewhere between Oberammergau and Schwangau. I regained consciousness in Schwangau and tumbled off the bus in a state of sleepiness and confusion. Thanks to the ticket in my hand, I saw my castle tour was at 3:25pm and set off looking for a place to lunch, heading towards the lake. It wasn’t until I turned around that I suddenly saw IT.

Little did I know, the castle was behind me the whole time

Schwangau is a town on the smaller side, with a significant amount of its stores and attractions tied in some way to one of the two castles. That’s right, this turned out to be a three castle tour (luckily, without the same fate as the three hour tour in Gilligan’s Island)! King Ludwig built his masterpiece castle near the site of one of his childhood homes, Hohenschwangau Castle. However, Hohenschwangau is fairly close to the town, while Neuschwanstein is quite the hike.

Proof I made it to the castle! My only picture that isn't a selfie

Fortified by an enormous sandwich (which I ordered in English and paid for with a credit card; traveling abroad isn’t so scary after all!), I made my way up the hill. By the end, I was a mess and sincerely wishing I had taken up one of the buses. There was also an option of taking a horse drawn carriage up the trail, but I can’t say that appealed to me personally. The walk took me much less time than the tour map had estimated, so I raced off to the gorge before my tour began.

I can’t say this enough: if you are at Neuschwanstein, leave plenty of time to see the gorge! It can get very crowded so you will need to over allocate time to visit. The time listed on the map is not enough! However, some of the best views of the castle are from the bridge spanning the gorge.

Gorgeous in the sun, moody in the clouds

As for the castle itself, it was surreal to see in person. Not only was it gorgeous, but the castle had a sense of humor. Just check out the gargoyles in the picture below! The tour was fairly fast paced, but I felt that the audio guide (no tour guides here) was just right. The information at each stop was relevant and informational, without feeling like you were drowning in knowledge.

These faces though!

I was a little underwhelmed in Neuschwanstein to be honest. After seeing Linderhof first, the castle had a lot to live up to. However, this doesn’t mean much. Coming in second place to Linderhof still places Neuschwanstein miles ahead of any other building I have seen. I was not allowed to take any pictures of the interior, similar to Linderhof. I would also have loved to see one of the unfinished rooms, as only 15 of the 200+ rooms were finished. While Linderhof had a more impressive interior, Neuschwanstein had the best views. You could see for miles from its windows.

I wouldn't mind waking up to this view

Bonus castle: I knew when I signed up for the tour, that I would see two castles so seeing Hohenschwangau Castle was quite a surprise! I managed to convince myself to climb up the stairs from town to see it, which is saying something after the hike to Neuschwanstein and the many, many stairs on the castle tour. I am so glad I did though; the castle was beautiful in its own way with lovely gardens and a great view of Neuschwanstein.

I didn't have a helicopter, so this was the best I could do to get both castles in one frame

Check out the final part of this series soon, with my stop in Oberammergau!

Sights to see: Linderhof & Tour of King Ludwig II’s castles

A terrible picture of Schloss Linderhof that does not do the castle justice

I originally intended this post to be a full account of my first full day in Germany. However, I have so much to say about each stop (and so many pictures I want to plaster all over this blog!) that I’ve decided to make it a multi-part series. I hope you enjoy it!

When I first learned I was going to Germany, one of the first things I did was plug into Google maps how close Neuschwanstein Castle was to Munich. I had wanted to see this castle in person since I was 13, so I guess you could say it’s a half-life long dream. Imagine my surprise to find Munich is perhaps the closest large major city in Germany! Without hesitation, I booked myself onto a day tour to see the castle.

On my tour bus in the Alps - this is where fears of the big bad wolf came to be, and I can see why

I’ll confess: I read a lot of travel blogs and reviews before I went abroad, and a common theme seemed to be that guided tours were evil. Alright, evil is perhaps too strong a word, but in a world that appears to emphasize how organic their explorations are, a guided tour was considered, well, touristy. Perhaps I’ll cover in a later post why I think guided tours have a valid place in this world. For now, I’ll just say that I chose to take the bus version of the tour (there is also a train version). Not only did it take me to two (!!!) castles, but I also appreciated that I could pass out from jet lag and still wake up at my desired location. I also had some fun trying to remember my high school Spanish, as the tour was conducted for both English and Spanish speakers. One thing I do want to mention, for anyone interested in taking the tour themselves, is that the cost of admission to the castles was not included in the tour. I still felt like I got my money’s worth though!

Gardens at Linderhof and the encroaching clouds

Our first stop on the trip was not Schloss Neuschwanstein, but Linderhof. I didn’t expect that Neuschwanstein could be supplanted in my dream castle list, but it was. Set high in the German Alps, Schloss Linderhof was that day surrounded by clouds and mist. The castle (or perhaps more accurately, palace) had a dramatic reveal because of the combination of this weather and the short walk from the parking lot. It is the smallest of King Ludwig II’s castles, despite it still being larger than my childhood home.

My golden ticket!

Because the castle is small, the tour inside focused mostly on seven rooms. This included the entry way, the King’s bedroom, the East and West tapestry chambers, the audience chamber and the dining room. The dining room is the home to the infamous disappearing dinner table. Also on the tour were the “cabinets”, small rooms that served almost as hallways between the rooms that were each painted in a different color and featured portraits of important people in Ludwig’s life (read: his many mistresses).

However, hands down, my favorite part of the tour was the hall of mirrors. Almost every inch of the walls are covered in mirrors, and what isn’t covered in mirrors is covered in gold. Scattered around the room are small vases but the show stealer was the giant chandelier. Through the windows, the view onto the front gardens was gorgeous. According to my tour guide, the room was one of Ludwig’s favorite places to read; I imagine he wasn’t distracted by the view through the windows though, as he apparently was a bit of a night person.

I would have been distracted from reading by this view

Photos were not allowed during the tour, so sadly I can’t add any of my own pictures of the interior. Suffice it to say, opulence doesn’t even begin to describe this castle!

Up next: Schloss Neuschwanstein

Why Travel?

Source

Disclaimer: this post ended up being a bit disjointed, as I wrote it from multiple perspectives. Being a typical full-time employee as well as a business student makes for an interesting stream of consciousness!

Everyone has their own reasons for traveling, and I thought I’d include some of mine in this post.

The world is becoming more and more integrated over time, both in terms of communication/information and trade. By traveling, you learn more about different areas of the world and different cultures, which allows you to perform at a higher level in your professional roles. Also, if you work for a global company, your “why travel?” may be that it is a requirement for your job. If I could only be so lucky...

Not only does global knowledge have a positive impact on your work performance, it can have a benefit on other areas of your life. Are you a creative person? Travel can provide you with inspiration for years to come (as evidence, you can see how many blog posts I have written from a single two-week trip). I also dare you to go on a trip where everything goes according to plan. This is near impossible, and the problem solving skills you learn while traveling are invaluable when you return home. My first day in Munich and experience getting lost straight out of the train station are a perfect example of this.

Another great part about traveling is that it allows you to put a lot of your daily stress behind you, and learn a bit more about who you are as a person. Perhaps you take more risks when you travel, and bring some of that fearlessness home with you. Perhaps you figure out what your priorities in life are based on which sights you end up visiting. Or maybe, with some distance (both mental and physical), it’s easier to determine what your next career goals are. Traveling is a wonderful time for reflection on your life in general.

Personally, I also travel for a couple reasons that don’t have any clear long term benefits. I consider myself to be a fairly curious person, and traveling allows me to learn more about the world and satisfy that curiosity. So many places come with rich histories attached and it’s fun to learn a bit about the culture from monuments, museums, and any related podcasts I dig up to set the tone for the trip. In addition, I love seeing all the different kinds of natural beauty in the world. The United States, while also gorgeous, doesn’t have a monopoly on scenic views and travel allows me to see as many as possible.

My final thoughts on traveling are directed specifically towards people who, like me, are balancing both part-time school and full-time work. Often it seems impossible to fit in everything to your schedule, and you feel the need to refresh with a vacation. This itself causes more stress: when do you fit in a vacation? Will you get behind on class? Will the world come to a screeching halt if you dare relax?? Ok, that last one is just me… Enter short term study abroad opportunities, where you can combine both a vacation AND class. In my recent experience, I took just one class. I was able to add 3 credits to my workload while also taking some time off work and exploring several new locations. Other classmates took several classes; while this does reduce your amount of time as a tourist, it can significantly reduce the duration of the program. My point is, while travel can seem daunting to a part-time MBA student, I really think that studying abroad can be a great way to add balance to your life in a way that won’t impede your progress through the program (quite the opposite!).

Help me out: what are your reasons for traveling?

My 2015 Travel Goals

There are less than four months left in 2015, but I wanted to take a minute to outline some travel goals. I recognize that I am not the most traveled person to ever pen a travel blog, but when I start to lose confidence in myself, I consider two things. 1) This is a relatable situation. Many people struggle to balance their full time stationary jobs with a desire to see more of the world. 2) This is a situation that can be changed, hence my travel goals.

• Plan an early 2016 Europe trip including visiting 3 new countries – as of right now, I’m planning to do another study abroad opportunity in Europe. Due to the timing of this opportunity, I can use up to an extra 10 days to travel without going over my vacation at work. It will take some careful planning though! I’ve estimated I can visit 2-3 new countries and 1 “old” country in this time.
• Visit 5 new local sights – I’ve lived in southern California for the last four years, and it’s about time I visit some more of the local historical sights. I plan to visit 5 places on the California HistoricLandmarks list.
• Obtain a new role at work with the potential for travel – This is currently in the works, so listing it here may not quite be in the spirit of this list. However, if for some reason it falls through, I plan to continue to pursue roles with travel opportunities.
• Learn more about business culture – I’d like to write about business culture for at least one country on the following continents: Asia, Europe, South America, and Australia. If I can’t travel to these countries this year, I can at least start to prepare!

Doing Business in Germany

Source

Let’s get a bit more serious, shall we? This blog is for business professionals as well as business students, and I’d like to talk a bit more about doing business in different countries in addition to visiting them. I thought I’d start with my favorite blog topic: Germany.

A bit of background: Germany is located centrally to Western Europe and is highly influential throughout Europe. In fact, West Germany wasone of the founding countries in the precursor to the European Union (the ECSC,then the EEC). As of 2013, Germany had a population of 80.62 million people and a GDP per capita of USD 47,627.40 in 2014. To give you an idea of how this compares, the U.S. GDP per capita was USD 54,629.50 in 2014.

German culture is associated with many positive, but strict values. They place an emphasis on structure, privacy, and punctuality. Hard work and organization is appreciated and rewarded (if any of my friends or family are reading this, they may wonder why I haven’t yet moved to Germany…). On the whole, the country is process driven and a great follower of rules and regulations. People in Germany may come across as perfectionists, not seem highly complimentary, and might appear unfriendly to those of us raised in the United States or similar countries. Don't take it personally! On a more positive note, Germany is also known for fairly high levels of social rights and equality.

If you are going to Germany specifically for business reasons, you will want to keep some additional things in mind. When you first meet with your German colleagues, a handshake is the standard form of greeting, just like in the U.S. I’ve also heard that titles and last names should be used until given permission otherwise, and I hope to report back on this at a later date. Until then, better safe than sorry! Similar to the general culture, there is an emphasis placed on planning and decisiveness; it’s unusual for change to occur after you reach agreement with your German counterparts. A couple things did strike me as quite different from business culture in the United States. First, Germany has a high regard for technical experts, so if you are working at the executive level, do not be surprised if your meetings are full of people with technical and engineering backgrounds. Second, hard work and merit are what get people ahead in Germany, whereas social intelligence is also strongly considered in the U.S.

So if you are going to work in Germany, what does this mean for you? I’d suggest:

• Following the greetings laid out above
• Arrive to any meetings on time, fully prepared, and visibly organized
• Keep to your schedule; don’t go past the planned meeting duration!
• Expect direct, formal communication from your German colleagues and respond in kind
• You may be from out of town, but don’t expect a lot of overlap between work life and personal life

Perhaps this should have been at the beginning of this post, but I have not yet been to Germany for business reasons myself. However, I plan to remedy that soon and wanted to share my research on doing business in Germany. For anyone who has been to Germany for business, what were your experiences? Do you have any corrections/additions to my notes above? Comment below!

Want to learn more? Source 1; Source 2; Source 3; Source 4

My Travel Non-Necessities

An accurate, yet unflattering, picture of my luggage. Instagrammer, I am not

When traveling, the holy grail is to reduce your amount of luggage and somehow find the perfect set of items that allow for endless outfits and cover your bases for any mini-emergencies that might pop up. 

This list is not that list. 

This list (which I admit, is completely based on my own personal preferences) is all the items that you can forgo from your luggage to make room for the travel necessities.

1. Straightener/curling iron – this especially applies to general travel and study abroad for classes only when there is no one you are trying to impress. Depending on your hair type, I could see one or the other being useful for looking professional when working abroad.
2. Hairdryer – if you are staying in a hotel, check the amenities ahead of time. They may have you covered with a hairdryer that already meets the voltage requirements.
3. Travelers checks – some cash and a credit/debit card will do just fine.
4. iPad – this item is completely a personal preference. Confession: I don’t own an iPad! Perhaps my opinion on the necessity of this item would be different if I actually had one, but right now it just seems like an extra item to charge. I may also be cheating since I own a Kindle.
5. Neck pillow – I cannot for the life of me figure out how to sleep with one of these pillows comfortably. If anyone knows the secret, please let me know! If this is one of your personal necessities, might I suggest this one? I was able to roll it up so tightly in a ball, that I -almost- didn’t regret giving up valuable carry-on real estate for it.
6. Extensive jewelry/make-up – Guys, I know you will find this one extremely difficult. Joking aside, I find that I am always over-optimistic in how much jewelry and make-up I will need when abroad. I’ve discovered I’d rather leave most of it at home than risk leaving it in a hotel room thousands of miles away. Choose wisely what you bring, and you will be just as happy!
7. A money belt – I’m never sure how a money belt is supposed to work. In theory, I understand it: keep your valuables hidden under clothes and close to your person to prevent pickpockets. However, money and passports have bulk; do money belts magically make the items decrease in volume so that they lie completely flat against my body? How do I retrieve money from the money belt without giving away its existence and location, not to mention the awkward moment when I appear to begin to remove my clothes in front of a cashier? Fellow travels, please, if you can explain this mystery please do so in the comments!

What are your travel non-necessities?

Sights to see in Athens

Not on this list: the coolest flower shop in Athens

Hi fellow travelers! Forgive me as I take a pause from my business school reading to reminisce about my adventure in Athens. Once again, I plan to go into more detail on some of these sites at a later time so I’ve tried to keep it short and sweet.

• Acropolis and the Parthenon – seen from almost anywhere throughout Athens, I’d strongly suggest that you take a couple hours to get a closer look.
• Temple of Zeus – while the Temple of Zeus is not as prominent as the Parthenon, it is worth a visit and only costs a couple of Euros. Also located at the site is the Arch of Hadrion, tying in some Roman history as well.
• The beach – it might take a while to reach the beach using Athens public transportation, but I promise you it is well worth it. Swimming in the Mediterranean was on my bucket list and I am glad I took an afternoon to cross it off.
• Monastiraki Flea Market – street vendors galore! Come to the flea market to find souvenirs for your friends and family back home, regardless of whether you are looking for a traditional souvenir or something more along the lines of handmade jewelry. For yourself, stop by the poet sandal maker of Athens and get a pair of sandals custom fit for your feet.
• Mount Lycabettus – for the majority of my trip, I wondered what this hill was. At the top is the Chapel of St. George and an amazing place to watch an Athens sunset.
• Panathenaic Stadium – the stadium hosted the first modern Olympic games in 1896. Personally, this was the closest I will ever get to being on an Olympic medal stand.
• A for Athens – as I mentioned in my Welcome to Athens post, I recommend stopping by A for Athens in the evening for the great view of the Acropolis.
• Delphi – Delphi is famous for its oracle of ancient times. I’m sad to say I wasn’t able to fit in a trip while I was in Athens, but I heard amazing things. If you get the chance, try go early in the day to avoid the crowds!
• Islands – if you can’t make it to the better known islands during your trip to Greece, you could perhaps fit in a day trip to Poros, Hydra, or Aegina.

What are your favorite stops in Athens?

Is learning a language necessary to go abroad?

Luckily, UPS is the same in any language apparently

Short answer: kind of. My recent study abroad in business school was in two countries, one of which I learned some of the language beforehand and one of which I entered completely unprepared. Prior to landing in Germany, I’d spent several weeks using the Duolingo app on my phone. I was able to recognize a few words and conduct the most simple of conversations as a result (I didn’t make it very far into the app in only a few weeks!). For Greece, I wasn’t able to find the language on Duolingo, so I decided to wing it. I couldn’t understand a word people said to me as a result.

In hindsight, I think the approach I took to Germany was the best. I didn’t need to know the entire language, but having a few words up my sleeve gave me the extra confidence I needed in a strange country. You can’t put a price on being able to say “excuse me” in the official language of whatever country you happen to be in, and not instantly outing yourself as a tourist. Knowing some of the language is also an easy way to communicate the respect you have for a country and its culture, giving you an advantage both in business and everyday interactions. Equally important, if you can decipher some of the menus, you will never be hungry! I’d recommend stocking up on words for food, hello, goodbye, excuse me, please, and thank you. Also, being able to say “I do not speak [language]” will prevent a lot of misunderstandings. I spent at least five minutes in Greece trying to communicate that I didn’t speak Greek with a cashier, which could have been avoided if I’d taken the simple courtesy to learn some of the language! So on that note, how does one even go about learning some of a language in preparation for studying or working abroad?

• Duolingo – despite not having Greek as a language option (you can take this as a challenge, folks at Duolingo!), I love the app. I’m a visual learner, so being able to see the words written down as well as spoken through the app was incredibly helpful. The game format makes the app fun and easy to fit into a busy day. Just do a lesson in the 5 minutes before class or between meetings!
• Coffee Break podcasts – perhaps you are not a visual learner and are able to pick up languages just from hearing them spoken. If so, the Coffee Break podcasts are for you! Put them on while you exercise, and fit learning a language into a busy schedule. As I mentioned above, I am a visual learner, but I also used the Coffee Break German podcast to improve my pronunciation and accustom myself to hearing the language spoken.
• Rosetta Stone – a now well established language learning tool! This software comes highly recommended by many people. For business students, I’d recommend asking your study abroad center if they have access or discounts to the software. For business professionals, I’d try asking your manager or HR if they have any of the software available. You might even be able to convince them to purchase it for you, for a language whose country you do business in often!
• Other resources – without going into too much detail, other resources for language learning include multiple apps (just search the language you wish to learn, the no-longer-updated BBC Languages page, Livemocha, and Google (just google a word you wish to learn and the language you wish to learn it in). For those brave, extroverted few, I recommend reaching out to the locals in the country. Showing an open mind and willingness to learn is usually well received, and I saw a fellow student traveler learn a lot of Greek this way.

I’m curious, what are your experiences like with learning a language? Any entertaining language stories?

Note: none of the links above are affiliate links. I am just trying to make life a bit easier for any readers!