Maybe you’re not stressed out about fitting 12 pairs of shoes in a duffle bag or deciding which post card to send your Grandma, but chances are you are dealing with at least some pre-departure anxiety. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I'm cilnging to in my last days.
There’s really nothing that will prepare you for all you will feel—and have to deal with—while settling into your foreign home. I present those going abroad next fall with five things to keep in mind as you pack your life in two bags and cross the pond.
I arrived in Paris with a knowledge of the French language limited to the children’s lullaby “Frère Jacques” and the opening sequence of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. While my inability to master the language prevented me from truly experiencing the culture, I was not deprived of some of the best things Paris has to offer.
I arrived in Sevilla dazed and confused. But this incredible Mediteranean city, with its Andalucian culture intact, delectable frybread and zest for the “good life,” quickly became my favorite place I’ve been.
From my very first minutes in Lisbon, my conception of true kindness was altered. Yes, Sally from Illinois might say a friendly “hello” to strangers, but Hugo from Lisbon goes in for a bear hug and then invites everyone to dinner.
Barcelona is the love child of Gaudi’s architectural brilliance and nature’s pristine shorelines, a haven for club rats and drinkers alike. Despite its blissful splendor, Barcelona is also the pickpocketing Mecca. Here's how to keep it in your pockets.
As I embarked on my journey to the happiest country in the world, I fantasized about the people I would see: smiling, skipping and all that other “I-am-so-satisfied-with-my-life-right-now” kind of stuff. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Located 25 minutes outside the center of Brussels is Mini-Europe: part cool miniature golf course, part Epcot, part small child entertainment, but definitely worth visiting.
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