Blog Archives
Travel Fact of the Day – Orbitz? Expedia? Kayak? Student Universe? Huh?
Hello travelers! I hope everyone enjoyed the day after the Valentine’s Day influx. I saw so many red heart balloons, flowers, candy in my apartment building alone that I was so overwhelmed by the craziness outside. My friend said she saw someone trying to get into a cab with a dozen of big red heart balloons and she was having difficulty, so a random stranger came over to her and helped her into the cab with the balloons. I think Valentine’s Day is cute and fun, but it is easy to get overwhelmed with its craziness.
For today’s topic of the day, I wanted to talk to all of you about budget travel websites. I feel a new one pops up every single day and it is somewhat difficult to keep track of all of them. Since they are so many websites, this question is asked, “Which one is the best?” In my humble opinion, I think all of the sites are useful and good tools in their own special way. The best way to pick a site is find the site which best fits your needs.
It is very easy to go on Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and Priceline (to name a few) but I find their sites tailored towards intercontinental (within North America) travel rather than international travel. When I was trying to find a cheap flight to Accra, Ghana, I went to Expedia first and the site didn’t recognize the city. Thankfully, that has since changed. However, I have learned to look elsewhere. Even though they provide cheap flights internationally, I have found two sites that you were serve you better as an international traveler.
StudentUniverse: If you are a college student, the most obvious site to go to is StudentUniverse. StudentUniverse is a budget travel website where college students (or basically anybody under the age of 25) can find cheap travel for select airlines that usually will give a student discount for certain flights. Also you can find hotels, hostels, and various activity packages on their site for your desired destination. I recommend this site to mainly college students because it does provide you with cheap travel options (air and rail) and the activity packages look quite interesting. Though I would be careful: StudentUniverse may offer the best student rates, but I have found some airlines will posteven cheaper rates on other competitive sites. Always do your research!
Kayak: If StudentUniverse is not your cup of tea, then I recommend Kayak. Kayak is a budget travel website where it takes information from each airline website and many travel sites, and compares the prices for you. From there, it tells the best option to choose from based on your search criteria. I find this site very valuable because it removes the hassle of going to many individual sites and trying to find the best flight then comparing it another. Also it saves you time and effort. You can find the flight you want, purchase it, and be on your merry way. Don’t you like that?
I recommend these sites because they have been of a great use to me. Recently, I was looking up flights to Accra, Ghana and the sites who had the cheapest rates for air fare were Orbitz, Kayak, and StudentUniverse. I am open to either of these sites and the services they provide, so when it does comes down to making the actual purchase, I will be ready!
Do your research and find the site that is best suited for you. On top of that, choose the travel option that suits your needs/wants. I saw a very cheap flight to Toulouse, France and it was a perfect price, but I would have to stay overnight in the layover city and then catch a flight early in the morning. Knowing myself well, I probably would’ve missed my connecting flight, especially with the time change and I would probably oversleep. If there is a flight is slightly more expensive and has a shorter layover, then take it. It is your money and you are the one on the flight. This is your travel experience and no one else’s!
Happy travels!
Jeanell (The Globe Trotting Rockstar)
Song of the Day – February 14, 2012
Song:”Without You”
Artist: David Guetta featuring Usher
Country of Origin: France/USA
Because it is Valentine’s Day and there is so much love in the air, I tried to find a song about love. Well, there is too many love songs. So I tried to find something on an international level and I came across this one. I chosen this song because it is a dance love song. Instead of slow dancing on Valentine’s Day, you should be grooving with your honey or whoever your Valentine is. David Guetta is known worldwide and his songs are instant club hits with their addictive beats and rhythms, and he always gets the best performers out there now to sing the vocals. In this case, he chose Usher, which I thought was a great choice because he has the vocal range to do justice to the song. The song starts out like a ballad then it speeds into a full dance song. It gives you the best of both worlds. Also the video is awesome because it shows the song can reach various people in places like Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and the USA. I think this is a great song about love and it provides you with a great beat to lead your significant other out to the dance floor.
Whether you are in your living room, bedroom or a club, start playing this song and dance with someone special! Happy Valentine’s Day and enjoy the Song of the Day!
Travel Fact of the Day – International First Dates
My friends Magen (L) and Lena (R) and I at the nightclub in Accra, Ghana. We were celebrating Magen's 21st birthday and it was an absolute blast. We met many men on the club scene in Ghana, but most of them were not up to our standards. There were some good and memorable ones, but most of them were truly forgettable. Next!
Hello fellow travelers! I hope all of you are enjoying your Valentine’s Day. I enjoyed mine by baking red velvet cheesecake brownies and going to gym. It was a relaxing and good day for me. It was simple fun. Because today is Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about a love-related topic: international first dates. First dates in general are awkward and weird, but going on first dates internationally takes it to a whole new level. You have to conquer barriers that you thought did not exist until you accept an offer for a first date from a foreigner on their turf. Be very prepared, but don’t be scared.
My friend Kwame and I at my farewell dinner in May 2011 in Accra, Ghana. We dated for a little while, but he moved to France for law school. He was very cool and intelligent. I enjoyed our time together.
I have the strong belief that no matter what country/nation you are in, your standards for dating or finding a significant other should not be compromised. If you do decide to date while you are abroad, just remember your standards and take care of yourself. During my study abroad experience in Ghana, I received offers for dates from various men, mostly Ghanaian. They were very nice and most of them were attractive. Ghanaian men know how to sweet-talk and say the right things to a woman (most of the time). They are true charmers.
y This picture is from when we went to an outdoor club in the Eastern Region of Ghana during Easter weekend. There was a lot of people and it was a lot of fun. This group of guys in the picture were ready for a crazy time at the club.
However, what I learned from dating while abroad was that is very important to use your common sense. Sometimes Americans, especially young Americans, take for granted the freedom they have to act somewhat foolish in romantic and sexual settings. As Americans, we should notice that cultural difference and make note while abroad. You need to have common sense when you go on international first dates. Like in America, when we go on blind dates and we don’t know the person, the same thing goes for dating someone abroad. Just use your common sense and be aware.
This is my friend Magen and a very nice guy we met in Ghana. His name was Sena and he was an ultimate gentlemen. When we were at a club and trying to catch a taxi to go home, he always offered to take us home in his car, and we always arrived home safely. Magen and Sena went on a few dates before she left Ghana. She only has positive things to say about him, which is a very good thing when it comes to international first dates.
One last thing that I think is important when it pertains to international dating: culture. When I mean culture, I’m talking about the particular culture’s rules, standards and surroundings. When you are dating abroad, you need to know cultural rules and standards before you indulge. The reason for this notion is because not everyone abides by the same cultural rules and standards as Americans do. Because of this, specific things will be different and you may have to adjust (but never compromise) some of your aspects of dating. Also you must be aware of your surroundings. You can get away of committing PDA (public displays of affection) in a local park in America where you will be stared and then yelled out for doing the same actions in another country. You must know your cultural surroundings to be safe while dating abroad. Learn the rules, standards, and surroundings of your temporary “home,” which is much easier than it sounds and you will be good to go.
This picture of my friend Katie (C) and me with the host of our Easter weekend trip, Kwame Farkye (R). He is a well-known radio DJ throughout Ghana and a member of the music entertainment group Peer Pressure Group. He was an interesting man and he knew how to have a good time.
At the end of day, the utmost important thing to have fun! Loosen up and let your hair down while you’re dating abroad. It’s not everyday that you can actually date another person from a different background and culture, and you can learn something new from him/her. Traveling should include learning and you will definitely learn from dating internationally. Have fun, and most of all, be safe!
Happy travels!
Jeanell (The Globe Trotting Rockstar)
The Student Globe Trotter 