Learning Languages for Travel – A Few Words About a Few Words

Learning Languages for Travel is a great way of getting in touch with locals. Here’s how to learn some basic vocabulary for your trips by using babbel.com

Finger turning a mini globe
Travelling around the world is so much more rewarding when you have at least rudimentary knowledge of the local language.

Considering that at least in Germany babbel.com is advertising a lot, to my surprise, I don’t know anybody actually learning with this online tool. Anybody but me that is. And I will tell you why I love using it.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

Language Learning in Milan

Learning Italian in Milan – when taking a language course in the country of origin, you obviously learn much more than just the local tongue.

byemyselftravels
Class of 2016: my wonderful interesting, sophisticated, talented, and creative co-students and our sweet teacher Claudia (kneeling in the middle). In the back you see my classmate Ji Hun Yeo from South Korea who came to Italy to study – take a wild guess – lyrical singing. One time we had the great pleasure to get a mini-concerto.
Click here to enjoy it, too.
This Way to the Whole Story ->

Grub First, Then Ethics – Brace Yourself for Cuba

Yes, Cuba is a wonderful place with days on endless beaches and nights at hot bars. Nevertheless, brace yourself for Cuba.

A lady and a little boy at the doorstep of a deteriorating building in Santiago de Cuba
Cuba’s life-threatening beauty.

Obviously, the difficult monetary situation and the unimaginable economic difference between locals and visitors might lead to misperceptions.
Grub first, then ethics – as a matter of fact, in Cuba, you are often reminded of this sober truth.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

Indispensable Travel Tools and Gadgets

There are some travel tools and useful gadgets that over the years became indispensable for me.

But seriously, what is it that you really need to take with you on your trip? Actually it’s your passport, your vaccination record, a credit card and your phone with all that matters on it.

Store in Athens
At this store in Athens, you can stock up on basically everything.

Everything else such as clothes, toiletries, or sun gear can be replaced. You can buy almost everything in almost every country in the world. Maybe not in the desired quality, but still.

I’m by no means an advocate to buy constantly everything – and, as a matter of fact, I hate shopping.

All I’m saying is that it’s neither the end of the world nor the end of a happy vacation if you forget something.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

Pre-Travel Jitters: Danger Seems Closer from Afar

No, I’m by no means immune to pre-travel jitters and I sense danger looming ahead. Even after years and years of solo-travel, days before the departure, I’m a nervous wreck.

Man selling Cangas on the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
A gentleman selling Cangas on the beach of the Copacabana. This is certainly a place where you shouldn’t take your valuables and leave your phone unattended. Other than that: Enjoy, life is a beach, after all!

Did ever anything happen to me that would justify this hysteria? Of course not! It’s only the tricky phenomenon that danger seems to be so much closer from afar.

This Way to the Whole Story ->