Tips:
1. Check visa regulations of the country you want to visit:
If you plan on traveling through USC, they will provide you with information regarding visas, but if you are not going through USC, the State Department has a page for every country detailing what entry restrictions might be, and whether a tourist visa is acceptable (note: these usually only last for 90 days). http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/bosnia-herzegovina.html
2. Check what the climate will be like and pack appropriately:
This one is fairly self explanatory, make sure if you are studying in Finland in winter, you don't bring clothes that are appropriate for a winter in Italy or Spain.
3. Do some preliminary research:
Make sure that you know a little bit about the culture before you go, which will help decrease the culture shock factor. Most bookstores carry travel/culture books for a multitude of countries, so that is the best place to look first. This will also help you figure out what you can do in your country.
4. Go to class:
This is more for the people studying abroad, since you are supposed to be getting credit for USC or wherever you attend college, you shouldn't shirk your academic responsibilities. I took a schedule of 30 ECTS (equivalent to 5 USC classes) and found plenty of time to travel or hang out with my friends.
5. Avoid Americans:
Now hear me out on this one, since you are supposed to be broadening your horizons, wouldn't it make sense to avoid the familiarity of the American culture? I did talk with Americans when I was outside Finland, but I tried to meet other cultures.
6. Don't be afraid to try new things:
During the semester, I was able to do a lot of things I never would have done in the US. Again, one of the main benefits of traveling is broadening your horizons, for example, I was able to drive a snowmobile (and subsequently crash one), went snowboarding for the first time, etc. Unless the experience is something illegal or what you would consider immoral, don't be afraid to try it.
7. Don't let your perceptions get in the way of traveling:
Now, when I initially found out that I was going to Finland, and would have a chance to visit the Baltic region (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), I did not think that I would like it. I thought that the countries would be really similar and I wouldn't have the chance to learn much, but all three have different histories, languages, etc. Just because you think you won't like a certain city or country, don't rule it out. Do some research and see if it seems interesting to you.
8. Look at banking options:
Depending on how long you will be abroad, you may want to look at opening a bank account in that country. Having an account in the country you are studying in can actually give you a better exchange rate for currency and ensure that you will be able to use some form of card abroad if you hate carrying cash. Now, there are some restrictions that will vary from country to country. For example, because I was in Finland for less than 6 months, I did not have access to online banking, which meant that I needed to make sure to keep track of my money in the account.
9. KEEP A BUDGET:
This is probably one of the most important things you can have when you are abroad. You will need to keep track of your money, you don't want to get caught abroad with no money. I used a basic Excel spreadsheet and used separate tabs for travelling and normal expenses (food, supplies, etc.).
10. Make sure you have a cell phone, with google maps or a mapping app:
I know for a fact that Verizon phones do not work abroad (but T-Mobile definitely does), check Amazon.com for an unlocked GSM phone. This will allow you to put a foreign SIM card into it and access the networks. Even if you do not need to call anyone with it, having access to some kind of map on your phone can definitely help. There were a few times that I would have been horribly lost if I did not have one of these apps. For my purposes, I used Google Maps, and an Android app called MAPS.ME. The app allows you to download country specific maps that allows you to use them without an internet connection.
11. Most importantly: have fun!
Now for some of the best of my trip!
Best Eastern European City: Riga, Latvia
Like I said earlier, I was not as excited at first to travel to the Baltic States, but ever since I visited Riga, Latvia, I've felt like it was one of my favorite cities to explore. One of the biggest reasons for this is that the city has a very interesting history; a city divided between three factions, between cultures and between the Soviet Union and Latvian people. Another thing that I really like about the city that you don't get from both Krakow, Poland or Tallinn, Estonia, is that Riga doesn't feel like a tourist trap. The city is also very friendly to a student budget. A good meal will cost about 13 euros, and a good hostel can cost as little as 9 euros a night. The city also shows a very dynamic personality; when you go from the airport to the city, you notice that the Latvian people are still going through some hardships, but once in the city and the Old Town, you realize that things are starting to improve for them, with many buildings being renovated and after being recognized as the capital of the EU, the government built one of the biggest libraries in Europe. My personal favorite was exploring the market that is open nearly every day and seeing the different souvenirs that you can buy, as well as seeing what foods the people of Riga usually eat.
Best Southern European City: Dubrovnik, Croatia
This was one of the harder choices for me, but Dubrovnik was truly unique when it comes to cities. There are not many places that have the same walls that they had since the 16th century or have a street made entirely of marble. Aside from the history, you can get a feel for the language and a small amount of the Yugoslavic culture. Due to its location, it makes it easy to explore Bosnia and Montenegro during day trips. This is also another city that is fairly friendly to travelers with a budget. One of my favorite things to do here was wander through the city and find gaps in the wall where you could just sit and watch the beautiful Adriatic Sea.
Best Overall European City: Copenhagen, Denmark
Since Copenhagen would have won "best Northern European city", I thought it would be best to just name it best overall. There were a lot of places that I liked during my travels, but Copenhagen is the best. The city is a very vibrant metropolis. The public transportation is very cheap and efficient and is accessible from any point in the city. Compared to the other Scandinavian countries, it is a bit cheaper. While there isn't much of an "Old Town" per se, it is just a great city. How many cities have a theme park right across from the Town Hall (and the second oldest in the world at that)? There is also the fact that the Danish people are very friendly and progressive. There is a lot of things to do in the city and everything is within walking distance.
Best Food: Cevapi
| courtesy of foodspotting.com |
Best Museum: The Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Russia/ Vasa Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
This is the only time that you will see a tie on the list. It was too hard to pick between these two. The Hermitage is considered the second best art museum in Europe behind the Louvre. It contains paintings from Renaissance masters like da Vinci, Raphael, Northern masters like Bruegel and even some Picasso pieces. The museum itself is housed within a former palace of the Romanov family. You'll want to get their early though as the museum can get very crowded.
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| Courtesy of Alyssa Currie |
Now with the Vasa Museum, it is truly unique. The museum is housed around a 17th century warship that sunk only 1500 meters into its maiden voyage. The exhibits help detail what life was like aboard Swedish ships and the circumstances surrounding the creation of the ship itself. The museum costs the equivalent of 10-15 euros, but is something that you have to see if you are in Stockholm.
Best Hostel: Old Town Hostel, Riga, Latvia
While there wasn't a hostel that I didn't like, I feel like this one provided the best value. The Old Town Hostel is located within the Old Town of Riga. The building itself is fairly small, but that means that there is less noise to deal with. The bottom common areas allow a good chance to meet locals as well as other international travelers. At the time I booked the hostel, the rooms only cost 9 euros a night and had a good amount of security features, with only the management and guests having access to the upper floors, and each bed has a locker under the bed to store things. The location allows you to see most of the Old Town pretty easily and is right across the street from the market.
I want to thank all of you for taking time to read this and I also want to thank all the people I met while I was in Europe for helping me make these amazing memories, and finally the International Business department for giving me the opportunity to write this blog.
For the final time, goodbye and thanks for reading!
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