I see it all the time. People plan incredible journeys and then come home not having had a good time. The problem? They don’t travel smart. If you’d like to get more out of your travels, follow these tested (by me) guidelines. You’ll thank me later.
If you love to travel – and are a teacher – have you considered teaching overseas? It’s a wonderful way to combine doing what you love, and being in a new location. Many teachers are interested in finding teaching jobs in Europe – it’s such a popular place. You’ve got a plethora of cultures, relatively close proximity to many countries (great for travel), languages galore, and (my personal favorite) excellent food.
They say that music nourishes the soul and what better place to stir the spirit than Vienna where the genius of Strauss, Mozart, and Beethoven can be heard all over the city – and especially at Christmas time when the snow is on the ground, the trees are decorated and the Christkindl markets are in full swing and doing a brisk trade in Christmas knick-knacks, hot chestnuts and Christmas cheer as eager customers revel in the winter ambience.
Have you taken a river cruise? It's an easy and slow way to see a country or area - and make the most of your time. River cruises allow you to take a journey that most won't ever experience - and visit some of the world's most important cities, located right on the water. Paris, Vienna, St. Petersburg, Budapest - all of these important historical cities developed because they were on the water!
When you travel, you are constantly presented with new opportunities to educate yourself. It really is a shame to take the ´been there got the T-shirt approach when you visit iconic cities, buildings, and natural wonders. You will remember your trip far more if you take the time to pause for a while and educate yourself about the places you visit. Doing so is far better than quickly whipping around the sights, taking a few snaps and leaving it at that.
Vienna is one of those cities that everyone has heard of, but few know much about. Most people are aware that it is the capital of Austria and has strong links with classical composers such as Mozart and Schubert, and, of course, the famous holiday market, but that is about as far as it goes.
How to take photos of the beautiful northern lights.
I've shared some Northern Lights photos from Norway here on Wandering Educators, and was asked to share my photographic techniques.
Sydney Dydiw is an Industrial Engineering senior at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA. She completed three co-op rotations with Connors Group and is the Outside the Classroom Curriculum [OCC] Director of Brand Ambassadors; Additionally, Sydney is the National Organization of Business and Engineering [NOBE] Vice President- External as well. She loves spending time with her dog and reading.
Adam Miguest is a Chicago native and has a BA in International Studies and Linguistics from the University of Illinois. He speaks 9 languages, has been to 30+ countries, and continues to travel indefinitely with the goal of finding the coolest and most unique people, places, and events the world has to offer.
"Something there is that doesn't love a wall," wrote Robert Frost in his well known poem "Mending Wall." And indeed there are many walls, past and present, in places like Berlin and Bethlehem, that are difficult to love.
But this is not so with bridges. Bridges connect instead of divide. They invite us to venture to the other side and see what is there, and allow others to visit us where we are too. They have style, architecturally at least, and they carry life. And so to borrow from Frost's line of thinking: something there is that loves a bridge!