Is Studying Abroad Cheaper for Students?

I recently featured on The Young Turks University show. I am just rambling on about options to attend University overseas if you are American. There are real options, and no, your degree will not get discredited. It might by some, but yea, forget 'em.

Lows of travel Pt.1

Travel at times is romanticized, and people write a fair amount of articles, books, songs, poems all expressing their love for travel, and the wonders it can do for you and for the most part when you hear the word travel more likely than not you're going to be confronted with positive associations. This being said I think it is important to note that traveling isn't as always as glamorous as people make it out to be, and at times the biggest mistake any person can do especially if they're new to traveling is to have high expectations from the trips.It is the responsibility of those who write about travel to especially point out the lows of travel. What problems people are most likely to encounter? How to go about solving such problems? The dangers of travel, and ways of ensuring a safe trip.

The most common problem people will have as they travel will be the initial illness that takes place. This is the case with most international travel, but also domestic trips as well. If you are not use to changing locations and time zones at quite a fast pace then the sudden change in environment, climate, and atmosphere can lead to illness. Usually the common cold, to a mild flu, to the worse case scenario stomach problems caused by the introduction of new food into your daily diet.  Illness comes swift and will leave just as fast as it came, but while you are ill for the next day it will feel as if  your world has come to an end. Being miserable on a trip is horrible, but usually people who get sick from traveling or trips  can also risk illness on their return home, The body is in shock, and needs time to rest. If you were on a very ambitious trip in which case you didn't get much sleep most likely than not you will be sick on your return home.

Solution: travel with over the counter medicines, and have a day reserved for rest while on your trip, also on the return home you must have a day of rest and decompression and time to allow yourself to reflect on the trip itself. Failure to do so is not good for the body or soul

Moving to Asia & Other Overseas Opportunities

Teaching English Overseas

Teaching English abroad can be one of the most rewarding things a person can do. What you can gain from it is a rich understanding of new cultures and languages. This being said it is very important to consider if you really want to take a year off to teach English in a foreign country. This being said those from the following countries are more likely to find such jobs: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia.   Though not to be discouraged other popular languages such as French and Spanish are in high demand for teachers and instructors.

My own personal experience from teaching abroad was in Japan, but not as a full time teacher, and it wasn't the only job I had while I was studying in Japan. I found it rewarding, but certain responsibilities such as having a lesson plan, or being able to create test and projects I was able to escape. Most full time teachers work hard to enable their students to achieve their goals of learning a new language. This is also a chance for people to be in a position of having an intercultural exchange, and giving them a chance to develop their skills in intercultural communications.

Besides that there is an opportunity to learn the native language of the country you chose to teach in, and to learn the culture you are slowly going to become a part of. There are many things to consider  and many veteran expatriates and travelers can testify to this: adjusting and adapting to a new environment is one of the most difficult challenges that life will present to you.   With that being said I encourage anyone that is interested in teaching abroad to go ahead and follow your passion.

Just to be safe though it might be a good idea to do some research into where you want to teach, the job itself, and certifications and degrees needed for the job. Most people who do not have an Education BA or English BA tend to earn a TEFL certificate of 120 hours. This is something to look into and consider
Please Check out the book "Teaching English Abroad" there is a link to it the book is quite cheap and I am sure you can find a copy of it at your local bookstore such as Barnes and Noble or Borders.

Maglev in Shanghai

The Maglev to Shanghai from the airport. This is one of the most interesting train I have ridden so far in my life. Hoping to see what more ambitious plans will there be for high speed mass transit. The maglev is limited due to potential dangers to human health. At least in the long term affect of human health.

Crazy Tokyo Street Performer!

This was back in March 2009 when I was walking to Shibuya from Yoyogi and suddenly ran into this woman who was just lying on the ground, and I had no clue what to make of it. She had a radio playing music, and started making some strange movements. Please enjoy :)

Quick Tips

For eons man has been traversing this planet that we all live on. We are the result of our ancestor's ingenuity for survival. They migrated to unknown lands in order to maintain their lifestyles. Today we continue traveling for various reasons including: business, family reunions, vacation, tourism, education, work, recreation.

Here are a few quick tips to remember while traveling:
1) Travel with friends: though traveling alone has its share of rewards it can not be as enjoyable if you're not the type to socialize and meet new people, but this is a motivating factor as to why people travel, but traveling in groups can often be just as rewarding and often more enjoyable as you can have a shared experience with family and friends.

2) Take pictures and/or write a journal: 
This is essential if you plan to travel, having a memory of your various trips preserved through any medium serves as a way to show that you've been there and more importantly serves as a life benchmark.

3) Night Life:
This is a must, not enjoying the night life of wherever you choose to travel to is something you don't want to do. Knowing how people live through the day, and what kind of events go on in the place you are at during the night is rewarding. Allows for full cultural immersion.

That is it for now, safe travels.

Books Related To Travel

A New Beginning: The Prologue

Standing near the ocean, relaxing as the wind blows silently across the land I think to myself how wonderful the last three years of my life has been. The years of stagnation ended in 2008, and my life began to accelerate in a direction I could not control. I made many good friends, I lost many good friends, and have somehow made a few enemies along the way. This was something I have always needed to realize on my own. I was anxious and curious about the world at large, and my ambitions could take my anywhere. The world was literally my oyster and the limit lied beyond the skies themselves. I wanted to know how the world felt, tasted, good or bad I wanted to see it all. I was quite excited, and I was hoping for a new future to come about from this journey. I didn’t realize that the journey had started long before, but I knew things would never be the same once I left for Japan. I jumped straight into the unknown, without fear my heart stayed true. This year I will never be the same person I was before, and to many this might have scared them, but for me I had bravery on my side. Though it may have seemed like arrogance to expect to go to a new land without knowing the language, but somehow I felt in my heart that I would make it work, and that in the end I will survive.

I made my first step off the plane and into Japan. I was trying to comprehend that I am finally fulfilling something I have dreamed of doing since I was 8. I am in Japan, and I couldn’t believe it, I don’t I was dreaming, and I remember being distinctly told by certain teachers in middle school that I will never travel the world. Of course the previous year before leaving for Japan I was in Turkey, but never mind that having now been to Turkey, Germany, Holland it was time to explore Japan! I don’t know what steps I took in my life for things to turn out the way they did, but I was glad those steps were made. After going through immigration control and officially entering Japan I just remember making my way to my connecting flight to Fukuoka. I met one of the other exchange students that would be in my program this semester. We both waited for the plane, and chatted for awhile. He was from Austria, and was very energetic despite the long flight that we had both endured. Once arriving to Fukuoka I got on the bus to Beppu which there I met a graduate student by the name of Patrick who is from Indiana. This person would be one of my floor mates for most of my time in Japan this year. I was shocked to see that I wasn’t the only American going to this University, also shocked to see that once we arrived to the school the University was on a mountain. We arrived to Beppu late at night to be specific Beppu-wan the very top of the mountain there were stairs leading down to the campus the only thing visible was the city below the mountains. I was quite tired when a girl by the name of Ayumi introduced herself to us. She was extremely kind, and to make sure we could pronounce her name properly it was to be said as “I, you, me” which for the most part made it easier for others to pronounce her name and allowed her to break the ice between us. She was one of the RAs assigned to help us get settled into our dorms.

In my dorm, and getting settled, I set up my laptop and get on Skype to inform my mother, sister, and grandfather that I am in Japan safe and sound. This is the start of a new journey, and I am excited as to what will result from it.