We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.
By Ina
If you’re going to be traveling to visit family for the upcoming holiday season and will be staying in their home with them, there are a few things you should brush up on and commit to so that both you and your hosts enjoy having you to visit.
To help you see just what these things are, here are three tips for being a better house guest this holiday season. [Read more…]
By Carmen Esate
Sometimes traveling is all about enjoyment. Vacation. Checking out. Removing yourself from the rat race. Other times, there are ways to make travel and work coincide. In those cases, there are definitely instances of good, bad, and ugly. So, thinking about things ahead of time when you’re going to travel is always a good idea, and thinking about things specifically as related to work can be very important as well.
So what are some examples of these good, bad, and ugly consequences? In terms of good, what if you are traveling to find your dream job? What if your happy existence means that you live in the place that you love, and you find a way to work there as well? Think about how awesome it would be to have your dream job in a tropical location.
By Ina
If you love to travel, you probably have a lot of things that you like to do every time you visit a new place such as check out the beaches or museums or go shopping for souvenirs. But traveling, especially internationally, is such a great opportunity for you to really branch out of your comfort zone and try new things, and also learn things about not just the culture you’re visiting but also yourself! There are lots of things you should be doing every time you travel. Here are five.
By Ina
This holiday season will be unlike anything that most people have experienced in their lives. With cases of COVID-19 rising in many places, some are starting to batten down the hatches once again as we prepare for cold and flu season in addition to the presence of coronavirus. And while we’d like to not allow this to continue affecting our lives when we’d rather be celebrating with friends and loved ones, striking the right balance at this time can be difficult. [Read more…]
By Carmen Esate
While most people’s travel plans are currently being canceled or postponed, there’s no harm in planning for the next trip that you’ll be able to take once the world gets back to normal function.
One area that you may want to consider visiting is Israel. Especially if you’re a religious person, Israel could have some particular significance to you. Or, if you’re just a lover of history, the region of Israel can be a great place to explore and learn more about. So if this is something that interests you, here are three tips for traveling to Israel for the first time.
Understand Shabbat
Like most places, Israel is likely to have very different legal cultures and traditions than you’re used to. Arguably the best example of this is their observance of the Sabbath or Shabbat.
According to Anthony Grant, a contributor to Trip Savvy, most things around Israel are closed from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, which is when the Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat, is. While you will likely still be able to go to a restaurant to eat, a lot of public transportation stops running during this time, so make sure you plan for this when nailing down your itinerary while you’re in Israel.
Learn Common Hebrew Phrases
Although many of the people living in and visiting Israel will speak at least some English, it’s always a good idea to learn some of the most common phrases that you’ll be using when visiting a different country.
Wendy Altschuler, a contributor to Forbes.com, shares that some of the best phrases you should learn in Hebrew, which is the official language of Israel, are:
‘Shalom’, meaning ‘Hello’
‘Toda’, meaning ‘Thank you’
‘Ken’, meaning ‘Yes’
‘Lo’, meaning ‘No’
‘Bevakasha’, meaning ‘Please’
With these phrases at the ready, you should be able to at least attempt to speak to the locals of Israel in Hebrew, even if you’re not able to have an entire conversation in this language.
Be Vigilant Against Violence
Just like with most places that you’ll visit around the world, there’s always a chance that some sort of violence could break out while you’re traveling around Israel. But while you can’t know when and where something dangerous will take place, you can create a plan to keep yourself and the rest of your group safe and ready for whatever may happen.
As part of this, Elizabeth Smith, a contributor to USA Today, warns that you should take extra precautions when you’re in the Old City or when visiting religious sites, especially if you choose to visit on a Friday, during the weekend, or over a holiday.
If you’re wanting to plan a trip to Israel, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare for your first adventure there.