RACING ABROAD

Running is a sport that has been growing at breathtaking pace during the last 10 years. 

From the 5k to the marathon, Amateur runners are signing up, more and more, to cross the finish line and break what they call their "PB" or "PR"; which stands for personal best or personal record, respectively. And finding a reason for the accelerated growth of this popular sport might be quite easy; in essence, almost everyone can run; you only need a pair of trainers, and that is it, you are ready to hit the road. But is it all you need? How about compression socks, singlets, fueling gels, sun glasses, tights, Vaseline, bands, gps watch, and all the rest of goodies and stuff runners use? Now, just like the consumption of all these, traveling for a race has also been growing, so here are 5 tips if you are willing to race abroad:

- Select your race with enough time in advance; not only to train for the distance, but also to register for the event. Berlin Marathon entries are available almost 11 months before the race and get sold out in a few hours. 

- Now that you know when and where you are running, don't be lacy and book transportation and lodging ASAP. During the last month before Boston Marathon, it was almost impossible to find a room in the city for the race weekend, and if you did, the prices could be 3 times more expensive vs regular prices. 

- Make sure your travel plan is considering to arrive at least 24hrs before the race. Attending to the expo, and picking up you kit is part of these ritual that runners love. 

- If flying to get there, one good thing to do, is to wear compression socks during the flight. You might not feel any difference to regular socks, but keeping a good flow of blood to your muscles will let them recover faster from the pressurized environment of the cabin. 

- Last but not least, don't send your racers (racing shoes) in your registered luggage; keep them in the carry on bag that you are allowed to take. In case your luggage gets misplaced, you will still avoid the not-so-nice experience of running a long distance race with brand new shoes. 

Once a runner sets himself/herself a bigger, or let's call it longer, or faster goal, they will, most of the times, aim for something greater. And they don't mean greater only in terms of record breaking. How about the World's Best 10k (Puerto Rico) in February? NYC or Berlin half in March? A World Marathon Major? Individual greatness is being challenged every weekend on the roads and trails of the world, and behind it, there are thousands of traveling runners ready to do so.

The last weekend I visited Rosario, Argentina for the half marathon (Rosario 21k). Amazing Atmosphere!

THE NIGHT SIDE OF THE CITY

One of the posts of these week was about walking tours. There is one specific walking tour that is not very cultural or historical... Oh well, you can say it has some cultureness about it.. You get to know the local way of drinking! Its the pub crawls, or bar crawls.. Depending on the city and the culture.

Most of the touristic cities would offer them, and its just a way of having a fun night out, even if you are travelling by yourself... Its fun! And its a wonderful chance to meet new people and explore the best of the nightlife of the city. 

How it works is basically, you meet at a set time in the evening. Usually the starting point is a bar, and the fees include some drinks, or even a T-shirt some times. After you get there, it all flows.. So don't worry! Be prepared for a fun night out and don't plan any early morning trips the next day... You may have to sleep longer after visiting more than 5 bars and a club at the end.

Here, its me attending a pub crawl in Prague, with some Australian girls I met there. As you see, people get very friendly!

And Here, pub crawling in Scotland. Specially testing the beer culture there. 

In a nut shell, the pub crawl is a great way to meet people and fellow travellers, from all over the world while experiencing some of the hottest venues of the city´s nightlife has to offer, discovering its particular music and party culture. 

LETS GET THOSE LEGS MOVING!!!

When travelling. I have found that the tours I have enjoyed the most are the ones I have done walking. Its the way I get to know a city in its deepest and authentic way...Most of the cities nowadays have these kind of organised guided free walking tours... Wherever you go, Just Google it. The nicest part... Most of them are for free! or tip-based...
Besides that great advantage.. "you give the value that you consider it had", it is also very healthy! And you get to meet people from all around the world 

There are many companies that provide this kind of tours and are usually done every day of the week, with different languages options and are usually about 3 hours long. 

Some recommendations to take into account when participating on a free walking tour are:

- Be prepared for any type of weather. Bring umbrella, sunglasses and use sunblock cream.
- Use comfortable shoes 
- Bring some water with you


And ENJOY!!!

HOW DO I GET THERE?

Ok.. This is the last post about "What to take into account when studying abroad".. You are almost set! After you made all those difficult decisions, now it is a fact... You are going to start your course abroad... How do you get there? Of course, depending where you are situated and how far it is from your destination, but  you would usually have to buy flight tickets. Here are some tips that will help you buy the best deal possible:

1. The key, as I have pointed out before is to plan everything with time... This way you would have some room for flexibility, which is the most important factor if you want to get a cheap ticket!

2. You have several options about where you should buy them. It could be online multi-brand browsers (such as lastminute.com, expedia.com, kayak.com, skyscanner.com). I would encourage you to first of all, use them all! or at least 3 of them. This way you can actually see everything that the market has to offer in terms of airlines, schedules, number of stops and prices for the trip you are looking for. 

3. Going directly to the airline site sometime works better, so after you find the itinerary you liked using the option above, you may try directly with the airline, which sometimes turns out to be even cheaper, specially for non stop flights

4. Try tricking the system by changing currencies, dates, or airports within the same city or cities closeby. 

5. Be creative! Sometimes combining transportation means might result in big savings. So you may mix airplain tickets+train+bus.

6. Subscribe to newsletters! I know... It can be annoying and Personally, I try to avoid it as much as I can, but in this case, its worth it!! You  may be having privileged, last minute information that can make your journey end up being much cheaper!

7. Forget about the weekend!! Definitely flying on  a tuesday or Wednesday will be much cheaper than doing it the weekend days. Also, take into account the holidays and seasons, for example christmas, new year or Easter are dates in which usually plain tickets are more expensive.

Now, we have finished every aspect to take into account when traveling abroad for academic purposes. Still there are many elements we were not able to explain better but if you want further information, please never hesitate to contact me!!

SECOND HOME

You have chosen your course, the country, the institution where you will be studying. Now it comes the time to find where you will live. Once again, it is all about setting priorities regarding money an time. Each case is different and you will choose an accommodation regarding your needs, your budget and your lifestyle. Anyways,  I thought it would be useful for you to consider them all and understand the differences in order to make an adequate decision…

Basically you have 3 options with some varieties… Student residences, host families and private accommodation (student houses or flats)… You also can choose if you want to share or enjoy a single room (for which the price varies of course) and in the case of residences and flats, you will have to pay extra money if you ware not willing to share a toilet, a shower or the kitchen. 

Factors:

The following are the things you should think about before booking a room:

Ø  Location: How long does it take you to get to the city enter, to your school? Is there good access to public transportation? Will have a supermarket in a walking distance?

Ø  Bills: Are bills included in the rent? IF not, what is the actual monthly average price for these ones? (Sometimes it could double the price)

Ø  The place structure and layout: How many toilets there are? Is there furniture included? Does it have a modern or antique arquitecture?

Ø  Rent payment: Is it monthly, trimonthly? Or weekly? Will you have to pay a deposit? What are the terms and conditions?

Ø  The people: How many of them will I be sharing with?, Where are they from? Will they speak my own language? How old are they?

Ø  Rules: Will I be able to bring guests? Will I have a carefew?

My experience:

Personally, I have lived in a native host family and in a student residence and have experienced both, sharing and single room. Each one of these options comes with its pros and cons, as everything in life I guess… For me, it was a matter of priorities according to my age and budget at the moment.

Living in a host family gives you great atmosphere when first facing a new language; you will be forced to practice and therefore, you will improve easily day by day! It will also help you to understand from a close perspective the new culture you are entering to and to be tolerant and respectful about it. Also, you will have people who you can share your day anecdotes with during dinner, someone to take care of you when you are feeling sick or just need to be heard when feeling upset about anything.

Now that I live in Cambridge, Iam living in a student residence without sharing room nor bathroom and kitchen; Amazing experience as well… Different for me, coming from a conservative culture and very family oriented country, it has been the first time living on my own. I am not going to lye, it has not been easy to arrive home to no one, but it has also its bright side: I have gotten to experience that privacy I had never had, the myself time we all need to get to know ourselves better, the independence of looking after myself and the greatness of playing the music as loud as I want until the time I feel like!

Well, when choosing your accommodation, chose what is the most convenient the most for that moment of your life and your interests. I can guarantee that nothing will feel as good as home and most of the cases there will be things you will be complaining about but as I have constantly said, everything you experience when travelling abroad is a learning experience from any point of view and it will just help you grow into a better person.

This is my lovely little second home in England. Quite small but big enough to have fancy guests for breakfast!

THE INSITUTION

Lets get more serious. When traveling abroad for studying purposes, this decision could be the most important one. Your whole learning experience will depend on the quality of your teachers, your classes, your modules and the greatness of your title!...So, be careful with the institution you choose to enrol. 

My tip? Get professional or reliable advice

Find advise: If you are a very self-taught person, you may think that you can find the perfect place to invest your course money, which can be true, or not... Let me tell you from my personal experience working on the field, there are many nice looking webpages with photoshopped images and disguised information. Worldwide, education is business! And the companies in the industry are usually very good at marketing themselves online. Get informed from neutral sources and get in touch with previous experiencers of the institutions you are analysing.

Using an agency: There are many myths about this, and even as it is hard to believe, let me tell you that it is not more expensive to use the professional advise of an agent. Most of the time, they work by a  commission percentages and if you skip this 3rd party, the only thing you are doing is saving the institution to give away this commission fee, but your course wont become any cheaper because of this. 

So, if you are willing, find a well recognised local agency in your country that can give you some specific information about institution rankings,  previous experience with other clients/students, international mixes within the institutions, visa requirements and they can even share contacts with you of people who have previously studied the same you want in the institution you are feeling attracted by...., it can save you lots of time while you focus on the important things prior your trip.

Factors you have to take into account when choosing the institution you will be spending most of your time are locations within the city, facilities on campus, number of students per class, international mix, reputation within the country and worldwide and expertise on the subject you will be learning about. 

I CHOSE CAMBRIDGE!

Cambridge, UK

Continuing with the different aspects we have to take into account when deciding to study abroad, now lets go deeper into the second one we mentioned in the previous post...“the Location”

Ok, So we already know the program we will study. Now...Out of all the decisions we have to make in the process of studying abroad; This one, is perhaps the most fun to do!… My advice… Chose that place where you have always wanted to go!, If possible…

Show the world and show yourself who you are and who you have always wanted to be by carefully select the location that will be your "home"... 

This time of your life you will spend it abroad studying and most likely, it is for a limited period of time….it will finish! So don’t be afraid of dreaming big about it and experience the life you always felt attracted to when watching movies, reading books or hearing other´s adventures. 

Have you ever picture yourself Surfing in Australian  or Californian beaches after class accompanied by the sunset?, What about drinking French wine in a little corner bistro with your classmates, or have you ever dreamed of climbing mountains or taking part of   extreme sports in New Zealand or Southafrica´s most exiting places during the weekends? or how about riding a nice vintage bike to school?... It’s all possible!

The world is right there, full of different flavours for you to taste…. So analyse well and dream big when deciding where to go.

Although this time you spend abroad studying might be a very demanding experience full of tight class/library/seminars/group meetings/work schedules, its also that time of your life where you will get to see the world from a different perspective, one that you could never have gotten in your hometown… And perhaps, you will have the chance to enjoy that student lifestyle you haven’t had for so long… So, make sure you will do it in a place you will enjoy to see, happily get to know and gladly live in.

Culture, budget, food, visa restrictions, work permits, living costs, transportation systems, language, Accent, History, Lifestyle and Weather, are just some of the factors that are directly related with the location you choose. So believe me, It’s worth researching before making the decision. Don’t just go somewhere because it’s the cliché, its where everyone goes to or someone said you should. Be critic about it!

Sometimes, the program you chose (the previous step) could limit your options. Lets say you decide to study a French language program…. Basically you have two main options: France or Canada. It may seem a bit narrow but still you can make the most out of these two options by asking yourself questions about the things I just pointed: In your knowledge of French… What accent do you like the most? Being your nationality, what are the visa restrictions for each one of them? Would you go to a little city in the south of France where you can visit local markets on Sundays and relax on the beach during the summer? Or do you prefer an international, cosmopolitan vibrating city as Montreal where you can enjoy a busy nightlife and cultural diversity?

After I made the first decision of studying a Masters degree abroad, then the location question mark came along and I CHOSE CAMBRIDGE, UK...How?, Why? Firstly, I needed an English speaking country (Well, that is what I wanted) because it was the language I was fluent in besides Spanish; I wanted to practice it, improve it and also wanted to learn the business English professional terminology. Then the whole world came down to options like Australia, United States, Canada, New Zealand and UK…. That’s when I realized I wanted to go somewhere I could be able to work legally, at least for a part time job to help me with the living expenses and somewhere I had never been before…. Which left me with the UK as an option. Then, I had to choose the city, somewhere I could adjust easily but still not too far from the big city, London, for when I needed some more action…  Somewhere I could easily feel at home and ride a bike to go anywhere...Cambridge is all that!

So, Where will you live your dream?

THE PACKING ODYSSEY

Specially for women, specially for me... this is a tricky and stressing task!!

Perhaps that is why, procrastination is usually the king before starting to pack. I can easily remember myself packing just some hours before leaving to the airport, not only once!.... which is not smart at all because most likely you will end up with no swimming suit in Australia, forgetting your pre scripted medication, no umbrella in the UK or paying expensive over weight fees at the airport.

What I have learned for sure is that packing is a life lesson! As in life, sometimes you have to make wise choices, give up on tempting unnecessary pleasures (such as beauty and hygiene products, hairdryers and perfumes)  and focus in the essentials which at the end will make you a better, more resourceful person!

Two factors are important: What to pack and How to do it. My father has been my rescuer most of the time when Im leaving home, he is an absolute master when maximising space is required and his folding methods are just brilliant!. But when coming back I have been forced to face this unpleasant process by myself. I have managed it but don't ask me why!... Last January I had to leave a whole plastic bag full of staff abandoned in an airport in Lisbon, its upsetting!

Since I am not the best person to advise on the matter, I have done some research and here are some tips that I found very useful and will start to take into account for my next trip. 

First of all, common sense... Keep all the important items such as camera, wallet, passport and medicines in a separate bag that is always going to be with you, and guard it extremely!

About Clothing...No matter where you are going or the purpose of your trip... For sure you wont need as many clothes as you think you do. Fashionistas can pull it off with minimal clothes and for sure you will end up doing some shopping  wherever you go... So you will want to leave room for that as well. 

When packing clothes "pack with sacrifice in mind" if you are not 100% sure that you will need it, you probably don't!.

For pants, pack your favourite jeans! The ones that make you feel comfy and that will match with anything. A scarf is always a good companion and more than 3 pair of shoes is greedy.

For bathroom essentials, watch out! Don't overpack... Its the best way to save space and weight. As I said before, this is the hardest for me basically because I can not find the brands I like everywhere but you can get over it and just budget to buy extra shampoos, conditioners, sunscreen and deodorants on the road. 

For me, a camera is a MUST for any trip. Even if its your phone, always bring your charger and an extra memory card!. 

Ask people!! That is the best way when going to a new place for the first time. Ask someone you know that has already been there. The experience is the most valuable advice... If you don't know anyone. Go online! There is always someone from around the world that is kind enough to help you solve your doubts.

If you will be staying at someone´s house, a host family or you will be having a roommate, I reccommend to always bring a little something from where you are originally; its always a nice way to say thank you, positively positioning your culture  and  start bounding that relationship.

Last but not least from my personal recommendations; always bring with you a pen and a small notebook, you will need it! Your creativity develops extremely when traveling! so don't waste these brilliant moments! Write your thoughts, your discoveries, letters, your business ideas, something  you saw that would like to do further research on, draw, or just to write your number for someone interesting you meet on the train.

As we see, not too hard, not too easy... Just a matter of a little planning as it is for everything when traveling! 

If you knew me well, you will be surprised how I was able to travel for 3 weeks with only a 8kg backpack. This is the evidence :)

For more advices on packing when traveling, I recommend you visit the follow link: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2012/12/12/10-packing-tips-every-traveler-should-know/1764207/ 

WHAT COURSE ABROAD IS THE RIGHT ONE FOR ME?

From all five aspects you have to take into account, mentioned in the previous article  (Program, Location, Institution, Accommodation and Tickets), usually this is the straightest forward. Why? Because your main motivator for you taking your studies abroad will be the one that is going determine the program.

The program is a crucial decision because based on this, all your life activities will be determined, the people that will surround you, the free time you will have for other activities such as sports or socializing… In general, your whole experience studying abroad will be defined by it.

One of the most common one is to learn a second language (English usually, if you are not from an English speaking country). This could be for many reasons (or motivations): One of them is because if nowadays you don’t tick this box on your CV, it is almost worthless to apply for the majority of the jobs in any professional field, or even because most of the Universities worldwide are asking you to speak English at the beginning of your degree or as a requirement for your graduation, or to successfully apply for an internship. So what program should you pick when interested in learning or improving a second language? (It doesn’t have to be English). French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese are the most common ones and for sure you will find much offering on the market.

So, the first and most common program is a Language course, which could be taken in an Institute, College or University. Once again, budget is important here to determine where you want to take it, but we will go deeper on this topic on the article about the 3^rd step, which is choosing your institution.

The biggest advantage of the language courses are the flexibility because most of them have start dates every week all year round and you can take the courses for as long as you want depending on the time availability you have or how much you want to improve (usually a minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 52). The intensity (hours per week of the course) can also be tailored according to your need and your budget; you can choose to study 10 hours a week or 40 hours a week, it’s just a matter of setting priorities as I said before. Also, you will be able to find them in almost any city of the world with very good locations into the major cities.

For learning another language, you can also take a look at much cheaper programs such as Au Pair, summer camps, Work and Travel or High school exchange year.  These are programs that provide less flexibility in terms of start dates and time management and there are also certain requirements you have to meet in order to apply such as previous experience (for au pair) or minimum level of the language (work and travel) or just age restrictions  (for summer camps and high school exchange programs). However, from my point of view, these are the kind of programs that will help you the most to really improve the language in a faster and more efficient way because usually they include a whole immersion to the culture and its rather difficult to find people talking to you in your native language. My personal experience learning English was when I was 16 years old and I went to Mississippi in United States as an exchange student for 9 months, living in an American host family attending to an American High School. It was a much cheaper program than a language course in a big city, also much less exciting and not fun at all but for sure the most effective way I could have chosen to learn English from scratch.

Moving forward to other kind of programs, more specific ones, such as Bachelor or Master degrees, specialized courses or internships things can get more complicated due to the numerous requirements you will need to provide in order to be accepted. As everything, it all depends! But be prepared to show your diplomas, present interviews on the phone, language knowledge evidence, motivation letters or essays, officially translated transcripts, references from teachers or previous bosses, translated CV, previous experience or just specific skills.

One last thing, TIME is very important when choosing your program. Especially for University studies, there are very strict deadlines you will have to take into account, which cannot be delayed. Some programs require more planning time than others and usually institutions are very rigid about it. Do your research with time to make sure you make the right decision and then just enjoy your Travelearn experience!

Here, let me introduce my lovely Master of Marketing and Innovation crew.

There is always time for a celebration at the pub in front of school after a successful presentation!