Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with traveling

Scared to death of traveling. What do I do?

Takeyourtime — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:55:38 -0800

Scared to death of traveling. What do I do? Ok so first off a little about me (male 28)

When I was little (around 2 years and all the way to 16) I traveled to Mexico on a yearly basis. I thought nothing of it and somewhat enjoyed my company there (mostly family). I stopped traveling after 17 due to some money constraints and finishing college, starting a life etc. Well at about 25 years of age my family in Mexico was tried of not seeing me so they booked a flight and of course they wanted me to go. At the time I was incredibly stressed. I was about 26k in debt, going to college and working to support myself because I had my own apartment. I barely let myself have a weekend as a vacation little alone taking a whole week off for something that I didn’t really want to do in the first place.

I also was expected to use my own money for fun and entertainment down there. Again having so much debt and spending money frivolously scared the crap out of me. Anyway, so against my gut instinct I took the trip, mostly because of guilt of not seeing the family. I got to about Phoenix and can only describe what happened to me as a mental breakdown. I was super super anxious. Didn’t want to go. Couldn’t stop worrying about my problems at home. I saw tons of my hair on the pillow while lying down and immediate thought I am going bald. How was I going to explain taking a week for myself doing something that I didn’t want to do. Etc etc. Well I called my mom and she suggested me just tough through it. I immediately broke down sobbing more then I have ever sobbed in my life. The tears just kept coming. At this point I knew there was no way I could complete the rest of the trip. I told her and she again told me to try and tough through it. I hung up on her and am still mad at her to this day for that (im 28).

On the way back to my home town, I started having what I can only describe as a panic attack. I starting “thinking funny,” that mole on my arm suddenly because melanoma, and I was to die right and then. Vision of me dieing to some internal parasite finishing me off etc. Basically just crazy thoughts. I didn’t act on them do to having a very rational logical mind that I relied to on to make me realize there is no way these were the classes. Despite my logical minds best efforts the shear trauma made me just accept my fate and at this point I just gave up. I fell into my feelings and gripped my seat like I was holding on to dear life the whole way back to home. I was pretty stressed out for next two weeks just recovering from this one day.

My next trip was 3 years later at the beginning on this summer actually. I was extremely nervous about it but I knew I couldn’t continue to live in fear for the rest of my life (I didn’t travel before because of anxiety and panic). I finally felt like I was in a more comfortable place to try again. I had less debt, no job, free rent, still debt but manageable. School was still a huge stressor (still in college, harder classes this time). I actually took the flight immediately after my finals. Needless to say I could focus on anything, paniced weeks in advance and was extremely terrified the whole time. But the difference is I actually wanted to go this time. No one was pushing me, this was all me. Yet I still felt scared for reason I cannot describe. I didn’t have the crazy thoughts just a feeling of anxiety. Which honestly I probably misinterpreted excitement as anxiety.

Anyway I took the trip and nervously doubted myself a week in advance. I had to call just about every person I knew and talk to them about my situation to convince myself I should go. Everyone I talked to was supporting and told me that this was a great idea for me and at a perfect time. So I went notifying my flight attendant that I will probably puke at any moment due to the stress. I got to my destination and felt fine for a bit, but wow the next 3 days I just couldn’t relax. I had to listen to mediation tapes for about 3-4 hours just to feel normal again. Mornings were the worst. Over the course of those days things did get better though. And by the 4th day I was pretty much back to normal except tired. Once I relaxed the rest of the trip was amazing. I loved every minute of it. I traveled around, met an awesome friend. Ate good food, had good company, just loved it.

Once I got back home though, I took a new job the next day. Seriously got home at 11 pm and started a new job at 2 pm the next day. I worked that job for about 3 weeks before I got food poisoning from a pot luck. It was really bad I felt horrible for 3 days. And for some reason this triggered a whole slew of anxiety. I no longer could function day to day, I was having panic attacks left and right, anxiety every moment (about things like debt, making a living, finishing college how I was going to survive if I didn’t keep this job). I had to quit 3 week in because it just got so bad all I could do all day was take walks to keep myself calm. I should also mention that this second trip was also a way to “combat” my fear of traveling for 3 years. Something I was hoping would work. Instead it backfired. I spent the next 3 months with generalized anxiety and just barely making it through a job. Of which since I had to make for lost time took up another job. So I was trying to manage 60+ hours a week. Yes I push myself way to hard but honestly the stress of piling debt is worse than working that much.

Ok so here I am. I am about to travel again. I have over 1.5k in the bank for needed emergencies. I have a car that is not a piece of crap that actually brand new. I am almost done with the semester (I have 2 finals in 2 weeks). I am taking less school. Still working part time but took all of next week off. I have Xanax incase I freak out. I have hotels books. I am only staying for 3 days total. I am not flying but taking my car instead. And even though I didn’t have therapy for the above. I have done severaling talkings with friends and family to find out what the causes of my anxiety are and why they seem to be coming. So I think I have that somewhat solved. Although I will be taking therapy again soon since I finally have medical coverage.

I am leaving tomorrow. Didn’t have stress until today (had to take one xanax though). Hotel is booked. I will be driving the whole time. So no plane. (8 hour drive). I have plently of money incase of anything. Everything seems to be in place. I am alittle worried about my finals but I could walk in blind and get a 60 to 70% on them. And I have no work for 2 weeks, plently of days to recover once I come back. O and the whole trip is 3 days total. So nothing major like a week or more.

So why do I still feel anxiety? Its greatly dimished but I still wake up with nightmares and didn’t sleep well last night or this night. I feel like I have gotten things in order. And have emergency on top of emergency plans in case of any possible mishaps. I do still need to pack though but for 3 days that should be easy. And above all I am doing this trip for myself to have and also to make it so I am not afraid of traveling anymore. I refuse to let myself get carried away into thinking I can never travel again because of anxiety.
So still I am feeling anxiety, should I go at all? It took a long time to recover last time and this time I doubt it will be as long. But still I am at a loss if I am doing the right thing. I will be seeing great friends there that I met last time so I won’t be alone. I just wonder if maybe I should cancel. But then I think I gave into the fear which is probably worse honestly. Anyway have any ideas about this whole situation?

Website to track previous travels?

reductiondesign — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:00:19 -0800

I'm looking for some sort of web service that will keep track of previous travels and do things like make a map with pinpoints of where I've been, where I've been in the past year, etc. Mapping out highways taken and the like would be even better. Sort of like Brightkite, but without the whole social networking thing. I don't care about planning future trips or booking flights or hotels. Does this even exist?

Cape Cod in 1 Day

bobdylanforever — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:10:32 -0800

My first time... on Cape Cod I moved out to the suburbs of Boston a few months ago and haven't been out to the Cape yet. My mom is coming to visit and we'll probably just drive out there for the day next week. Keeping in mind it's fall/all the lovely scenery, and also that I've never been there (I want to wander on a beach at some point) and know nothing about anything there, where should I go on the cape? What's a must see (preferably really pretty spots, places with light houses? My mother is obsessed with them), what's a must eat (but not too expensive) what towns should I hit up? Should I go to the national seashore state park? I wouldn't mind something touristy if it's not too sickening. But I live here now and probably will be there at least a few more times in my life so I don't need to cram things in but I'd like to hit a few "must see" places that I can do in a day.

Do we stay (in NYC) or do we go (to Budapest)?

Hwaet — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:20:36 -0800

Following the trail of adventure and windborne caution, my boyfriend and I are kicking around the idea of moving to Budapest next year. Pipe dream or feasible goal? Questions about teaching ESL abroad (ten years after the Central European expat boom, no less!), expat experiences in 2009, Eastern European culture, general questions about Hungary, and... I've been living in Brooklyn for nearly three years, which has been fun but now I'm getting restless. I have worked as a bartender for a year that, sadly, has no future or room for upward mobility. I convened with my boyfriend and he's maybe game for moving to Europe, if we can swing it without bringing destruction to our finances. I honed in on Budapest because as a student studying abroad in Prague a couple years ago, Budapest was by far my favorite city. I liked the metropolitan, open-spaced feel that Prague seemed to lack, the wide streets, friendly but pessimistic people, the lovely architecture, the relatively cheap living (compared to NYC), the spas and operas and flea market, and its central location to other great locations.

I assume I'd probably have to teach ESL, probably business English. I have a college degree in English lit, and it seems I'll need to be certified in order to compete with Budapest's preferred English-speaking Hungarians. My boyfriend dropped out of college with a semester to go before completing his degree in English, and now he's a graphic designer who specializes in designing and selling signs. Do we have a chance in hell at scraping by in Budapest if I teach English and he freelances as a designer? Have you or anyone you know had experience with the TESOL programs? What's the most effective route that will make me appealing to employers that won't also break my bank?

Assuming we did move to Budapest, what should we expect in terms of culture shock? Is Hungarian culture very different from Czech culture? Keep in mind that I was still an American student living with fellow Americans during my time in Prague, so I might have very little idea of authentic Eastern European lifestyles.

Nitty gritty: What salary range should I expect as a first year ESL teacher? How much do decent, centrally-located apartments cost? What's the ex-pat community like? Can I bike in Budapest?

Barring Budapest, should I consider another city? I'm not really game for Asia, as I'm predisposed to cool, gloomy habitats. Budapest is so appealing partly because A) I've lived in Central Europe before and have some idea of how things are run, B) I'm a Brooklyn resident who likes big cities with a small town feel, and C) I'm dying to get away from the NYC mentality that justifies spending tons of money on booze and entertainment. More than anything else, I want to do something challenging before I settle down for marriage and babies and a mortgage. My boyfriend and I have each other, we're bright and adventurous, and I don't want to waste that energy living in America for the end of our days if it's feasible to try another country, however short of a time.

Is this possible?

Things to see while driving from NW Ohio to SE Wyoming?

elder18 — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:31:26 -0800

Road trip with my mom. Details:

* We're driving to Traverse City, MI, taking a ferry to Green Bay, WI, then have planned stops in Madison, Minneapolis, the Badlands, Wall Drug, Mt. Rushmore, the Corn Palace, and Devil's Tower. We'll end up in Laramie, WY.

* I have no idea what to do in Madison or Minneapolis, in particular

* We are two women, 30 and 54 years old, and will have 2 little dogs with us

* We'll be camping the whole way, and are pretty low-maintenance people

* We both like nature, art, museums, and odd places (a la Corn Palace)

If anyone would love to recommend spots, we're all ears! Thanks!

No more tourist buffets!

gushn — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:55:18 -0800

How prevalent are unscrupulous tour guides? How do I learn about their back-handed practices? On a recent family vacation, I hired a few tour guides and private drivers to take us around certain areas, as some less mobile family members were also traveling and hiring a local was more or less unavoidable.

I noticed that occasionally our guide or driver would recommend a restaurant or store with its share of tourists. I assumed that these places gave commissions or kickbacks to our guide, a fact which some of our tour guides did not even hide very well (to my annoyance).

Many of my previous travels have been independent, and I have stumbled across shopowners who would even admit that they would raise their prices when tour groups come by, as they would need to pay their cut to the tour guide. I would love to travel independently at all times, but sometimes the fact just can't be avoided for language, safety, distance, or mobility reasons.

It really irks me to be paying someone for a service, and then be milked for even more commission. Is this standard practice? How do tour guides and group operators usually conduct business and make money? What kinds of commissions do they receive at shops, restaurants, tourist sites, and other places? What are signs to look out for, and what can I do to hire more scrupulous guides?

Thanks.

How to improve my workouts while visiting family?

mizrachi — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:54:21 -0800

What's the best way to take my workout routine to the next level while spending ten days with my family? As it is, I do cardio six days a week and perform a very basic weightlifting routine every other day. I've seen gains and I'm getting stronger and more muscular but I know there's more I could do.

Since the chances of eating poorly and working out less while visiting family on Long Island are great, I've decided this visit would be a good time to push myself more than ever.

I'm considering: crossfit, a personal trainer, a revised, more difficult workout routine, an increase in my weights and time on the elliptical, etc.

What would you recommend?

Good travel or expat writing

AceRock — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:15:41 -0800

What are your favorite essays about traveling or living abroad? I am putting together a book as a gift for a friend who is going abroad. What are your favorite essays about traveling or living abroad? Particularly essays with a philosophical or intellectual component. Bonus points if they can be found online. Here is the piece I'm using for the intro.

What is the deal with the new Illinois Tollway speed 'cameras'?

jdlugo — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:28:56 -0800

What is the deal with the new Illinois Tollway speed 'cameras'? I read that the state of Illinois was going to be installing speed cameras in work zones. These cameras will automatically mail you a $375 ticket if you are caught speeding. As a Chicago-area commuter, I have seen tons of these 'cameras' on 88 and 355. However, they only look like velocity sensors. There does not appear to be any camera component (no flash, no visible lens).

What is going on with these things? I have seen them outside of work zones and am wondering if they are ticketing speeders in those areas as well.

Thanks!

Help plan my trip to Italy

Rustbeard — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:57:03 -0800

Help with planing my trip to italy So I am taking this scuba diving and GIS class in Crotone, Italy at the end of July and beginning of August and I want to do some traveling around afterwards, but not quite sure what to do. I got recommendations for seeing Pompeii and the aquarium in Genoa. I aslo really want to go to Greece. I am not sure how to plan this trip, I've only been oversees a few times but always when someone else plans the trip. Hardest part is trying to figure out the flight back especially if I am going to different countries. Any tips, recommendations, or links would be greatly appreciated.

Restaurants in Venice & Rome

tangyraspberry — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:20:05 -0800

Can anyone recommend some great restaurants in Venice or Rome? I'm traveling to Italy soon and was wondering if anyone had some restaurant suggestions in either Venice or Rome?

India a save place to visit?

Mastercheddaar — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:42:22 -0800

How save is India for travelers? First off I don't mean to sound insulting, I just don't know the answer here.

My mother might have to travel to India because of her job. Some of my family have been wondering if it is save for her to travel alone there. Is this just a "we do not know much about India/ fear of the unknown" type thing or are there some tougher areas that she would want to avoid? How are their attitudes towards Americans?

Thanks

Anyone Know of a Traveling Masseuse in NYC?

kayzie — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:24:28 -0800

I'm looking for an extremely reputable and professional massage therapist to visit an office in midtown Manhattan and give several (15 or so) 10 - 15 minute neck-and-shoulder massages to the individuals who work in the office. HELP!! I am an out of towner, and am providing this service as a thank you gift for a high-end client of mine, thus the experience must be stellar on their end. My Google results have been quite vague, and I'd be thrilled for any help you could give. Thanks!

Belgium for Two Weeks: What Should I Explore?

fantine — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:48:39 -0800

What's a steampunk/crafter/writer/etc. to do in Belgium for two weeks? I'll be spending Christmas and New Years with family friends in Waterloo, Belgium.

I would love to explore not only Waterloo and Brussels but other cities nearby. As Belgium seems fairly compact, I figure taking trains to various places for day trips around the country will be quite doable.

What recommendations would you give someone who is interested in (but not limited to): steampunk, the Middle Ages, lace-making, knitting, art history, tea, writing, literature, beer, classical music, and cemeteries?

Museums, shops, gardens -- what are the must-sees of Belgium?

My mom doesn't want me to go to Chicago alone.

IndigoRain — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:52:26 -0800

I need help dealing with my mother's anxiety over my going to Chicago alone for a few hours. I'm 28 years old and, unfortunately due to my very low income, I live with my parents. On Monday I have to go to Chicago to pick up a friend at the airport. Upon telling my mom this, she's locked herself in her bedroom, crying, and won't talk to me. She does not want me going alone - she seems to feel Chicago is just too dangerous for any woman to go alone, ever. I think she's also afraid of the traffic. (I've invited her along but she would have to leave straight from work to go with me and I don't think she wants to. When she goes with me, she's perfectly fine.)

I've been to Chicago once before alone, at 25. She was very angry and didn't speak to me for a few days. Last winter, if I was out and the roads were even slightly snowy or icy, I got lectured, and she said "We are in our 60s, we can't take the anxiety and the worry like we used to. You need to be home when the weather is bad." I know my dad has an anxiety disorder and panic attacks, but I am beginning to suspect my mom has one as well, and simply hides it. Even if she doesn't, I think her anxiety is getting worse as she gets older.

I'm trying to find a cousin or friend who will go with me to Chicago, to make her feel somewhat better. (This summer, a friend and I went to Chicago together, and she didn't worry as much, but did call my cell phone a couple of times to check on me.) She does not really believe in therapy or medications for anxiety, I don't think, but anyways, since it's only 2 days away, there's not really time for that. Is there anything I can do or say in the meantime to help her relax and understand that I will (most likely) be fine? I know all the safety tips, I stick to safe areas, and I've never been a victim of a crime.

How to have a calm and interesting trip with Mom

ClaudiaCenter — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:58:02 -0800

ISO ideas and hints for planning successful vacation with brainy, very (very) anxious widowed mother (mine) who is active, nervous, and 76. I'd like to plan a trip for 2009 with my mother, and perhaps one or more of my sisters. Here are the two qualities I'm trying to find: something to appeal to my mother's braininess (history, lectures, museums, gardens, etc.), and a structure that provides limited decision-making but is not-too-cheesy. Something like an Elderhostel would be perfect, but my sibs and I are all too young, so it can't actually be an Elderhostel (at least as I understand the US rules).

My ideas so far: a history cruise? maybe a history tour of England? a Jane Austen tour of England? Or a university-sponsored tour for alumni, maybe, though we all went to different colleges. I'm not the best at planning, so I may be the "idea" person and my sister Gail may be the logistics person. Another sister is bilingual Spanish, so there's another resource.

Did I mention anxious?

How to keep clothes looking nice while traveling

jmd82 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:28:11 -0800

I'm flying to a wedding this weekend and am bringing my nice clothes. How do I keep them unwrinkled & decent while traveling when all I have are some hangers and a normal suitcase? The clothes are dry cleaned and sitting here on hangers.

Needed: Tips on Traveling with dogs in Washington .

knolan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:47:00 -0800

I need advice and tips on traveling with two dogs through Washington. I must go from Moscow ID to Vancouver WA to Bellingham WA, then back to Moscow. Any ideas for dog friendly places to see or stay, (or to sit, lie down and roll over)? The details: One dog is a 4 year old Glen of Imaal Terrier; the other a 9 month old LARGE mixed breed puppy. I have to start with Vancouver , WA (traveling on Hwy 84) for a work commitment, then up Hwy 5 to Bellingham for a puppy family reunion, then back to Idaho (probably via Hwy 90). I especially need good places/hotels to stay in at night that are pet friendly and places to stop for the dogs to run around and frolic in the midst of all this driving.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression

hollygoheavy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:48:16 -0800

I'm flying next month and want to look amazing when I get off the plane. Usually I don't really think about how I look when I fly and look presentable but definately casual - this time someone new is picking me up and I want to look great coming off the plane. I have no problem with the outfit, it's not looking haggard coming off a flight with a 3 hour layover in Charlotte. What are you best practices for looking great while traveling?

What to pack for one year?

Flying Squirrel — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:16:50 -0800

How to pack for one year? I am very ignorant of the logistics for what I'll need, despite having read onebag.com and other travel resources. I'd love to hear advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation!

My question is -- what type of luggage, and how much should I bring for one year?

I'm traveling to New Zealand in a couple days with my boyfriend. We're from Canada. We both have one year working holiday visas, no jobs yet. We're stopping in Fiji for 5 days on the way over, then flying to Auckland, where we have a hostel booked for 2 days. After exploring Auckland, we're going to travel around the north island for a little bit, and make our way to Wellington and decide which city we want to settle in. Since we will be in one place for an extended period of time, I'm not sure what type of luggage to use and how much to bring.

I was originally planning on bringing a suitcase on wheels, but got horrified reactions from everyone who has actually done this type of travel. (I have never traveled for more than 2 weeks). So I got a good, large, backpack, and despite my cringing at the thought of looking like a pretentious would-be mountaineer, I'm willing to do whatever is the most practical.

Do I try to fit everything into my 60L backpack? I'll also have a small carryon daypack as well. Is it a ridiculous idea to also bring a small suitcase for additional items to store somewhere until we get a permanent place?

Here's what I'm thinking about right now:
- I know I can buy everything I need. But New Zealand is more expensive than Canada for many things, and I don't know if I want to replace a lot of shoes, clothes, etc.
- I'm not concerned about the extra baggage charges (if any) for taking an extra suitcase. We're allowed two pieces of 20kg luggage before extra charges.
- how many pairs of pants, shirts, shoes, socks, underwear, etc. is right?

I'm sorry this question isn't more articulate -- I'm getting a bit frazzled in these last few days. I'd love to hear from anyone who has packed for a year -- what is the most feasible?'

Is a backpack really the way to go? This is the model I just got, although I may take it back if a suitcase is more reasonable.

This is the first trip of this kind I have ever been on, so please excuse my ignorance and I appreciate all your help!

Traveling tommorow and have lost my photo id. What to do?

jeremias — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:45:43 -0800

I have likely lost my drivers license and am traveling tomorrow morning. I'm with the family and am planning on contacting the airline and arriving early. But need some advice on what else to do to make sure I make it home. I have all my other id (credit cards, etc., although the only photo id I have is for a Costco card. Unfortunately, no other "govt. issued" id.). It's likely that my license was put into another bag and is thousands of miles away, so I'm not filing a police report which some online articles have suggested.

I'm flying on American from California to Boston and there's a transfer in Dallas (it's possible I will have to go through security here again, as we did this on the beginning trip).

Besides showing up early and being real nice, any advice on how to manage this?

Revisiting career changing question of a year ago.

wile e — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:56:50 -0800

Remember me? Well it's a year later, a LOT has changed and I have more questions! Come on inside, out of those wet clothes and we can have a nice chat by the fire. Ok, so last year I asked some questions on here and the responses led to me changing my life. So first off, thanks to all that helped me to gain the confidence to move forward!

After realizing that I would not be throwing everything away by changing my career path, I actually went a step further and bought a motorbike, shipped it over to Europe and while working with my web design company as my only source of income I rode over 9,000miles (14.000kms) around Europe over the last 6 months! I left in December and have had the time of my life and truly changed the way I view the world. I am now here in Helsinki, Finland back to trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

I am soon to be a permanent resident here in Finland. I still have all the experiences previously mentioned, but a different view on what I want. One of the posters previously mentioned something that triggered something within me. So I have been doing some more research into robotics, AI and other types of automation as they are a strong part of my background and something that I am truly interested in. So I am beginning to put my resume (CV) together to look into these fields.

As I have my web company still, I am in no rush to find something. I have the time and ability to wait for the right opportunity. I just don't know where to look.

I want to stay located outside of the states for now. Not making any political statements with this, just enjoying life overseas for now. Doesn't need to be Finland as I can move around EU easy enough, but could also be Asia, Africa or wherever I can get work permission easy enough.

But what I would really like is to find contract work. 3-6month assignments. Or a company that is looking for someone to handle their international duties.

For example, I found one company that is looking for someone to travel extensively on assignments, but wants them to return stateside and work in the labs during the down time. Sounds perfect to me, if they let me return to Europe (or wherever I am living at the time) during those down times.

I'm sure that there is high demand somewhere for a skilled, technical type project manager that is willing to travel/be stationed overseas for periods at a time, I just don't know where to find these type positions. Is there a database somewhere?

I've looked through many job listing sites (Monster, CL, Jobster etc) but there's no listing for these type positions. And without going through each and every post on every site, I am having difficulties. I don't fit in any of the categories, nor can I easily search by location.

So any thoughts? Anybody with similar experiences? Or do I just continue contacting each company individually until I find one that I match with?

How do people shave when backpacking?

paulfreeman — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:35:05 -0800

When backpacking around tropical climates where most budget hostels seem to only provide cold showers or bucket showers, how do people go about shaving? The cold showers themselves aren't an issue, in 28 degree weather, it's refreshing, but now I'm looking at doing some extensive travel around South East Asia and India it does occur to me I'm going to want to shave and was sort of planning on not taking my electric shaver to keep weight down.

But clearly people are managing to shave in such conditions, so is everyone using electric shavers, or is there some knack to shaving in cold water? Or is there some secret method I'm missing?

Any thoughts welcome!

tips for temporary kiwis

Flying Squirrel — Wed, 28 May 2008 06:40:07 -0800

Advice for going to New Zealand on a working holiday visa? Hi everyone,

Mid-July, my boyfriend (33) and I (27) are heading to New Zealand on a working holiday visa through the SWAP program here in Canada. It's good for up to a year. I'm really excited, but as the date draws closer I'm starting to get more anxious.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any good blogs or stories from people with similar experiences?

He's a computer programmer and I'm currently working managing the talk shows and training at a college radio station (which I love!) while we would love to get something similar down there, I myself am open to just about anything. I've got some bartending experience too, and have done a whole range of jobs.

We fly in to Auckland with a couple nights accommodation, then we were thinking of touring around the north island before we decide where to settle. Any advice on the best spots to work? From the sounds of things, it seems like Auckland or Wellington is where most people end up.

If anyone has any advice or resources you think we might find helpful, I would love to hear them!

International service opportunities?

downing street memo — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:14:37 -0800

I'm interested in a relatively low-cost international service project to join for late summer/early fall. Any suggestions? So I realized recently that I'm sadly undertraveled for my age, and I'd like to fix that. I figured a good way would be to look into programs that engage in some kind of service to communities in other countries, like Habitat for Humanity, and join an existing project.

I'm looking for some more recommendations on different charities that run programs like this. I'd prefer one that skews to a younger demographic (i.e. early 20's), that doesn't mind randoms joining the group (I'd likely be going alone), and one that isn't overtly religious. I'm mildly religious and I don't mind going with a religious group, but I'd rather not spend any of my time exhorting people to give their lives to Christ. 10 days is probably the most I could devote to any trip.

Any ideas?