Flying Budget Airlines

Transportation to and from your destination can eat up the bulk of your travel expense. Traveling costs money. We all understand this basic fact and yet many of us overlook the actual cost of getting from Point A to Point B when studying abroad. I came to Europe with the idea that traveling by train (after hearing stories from an older generation) was going to be the optimal form of transport, being both cheaper and faster. Not so anymore. Welcome to 2015 Europe, where a flight between countries in Europe can run for $50.

Boarding our flight to Milan from Marrakech

Airlines have taken over as the cheapest and best way to travel in Europe. Low cost carriers such as Ryanair, Easyjet, and Vueling make flights feasible for those on a budget. Yes, they have bag restrictions and hidden fees in little fine ink, yes they attempt to sell you everything from handbags to lottery tickets during the flight, and yes you do have to pay for in flight goodies ranging from water to a kit-kat bar once on board. However, can you really do anything to justify not flying one of those airlines at a cost of 40 Euros from Italy to Morocco? The short answer is no. If your airline choice rests on whether you get an in flight snack or not, you're probably not a student studying abroad, or if you are, you clearly have no budget (It happens). Take a carry on bag, make sure to weigh it before you depart so you are not over their limit, buy a snack at the nearest convenience store or bring one with you, and enjoy the flight. One of my favorite flights while here was a Ryanair flight, the plane, a brand new Airbus, looked and felt cleaner than any other planes from established airlines I've flown. The crew was professional and the flight was enjoyable, everything from takeoff to landing went smooth.

The main downside to budget airlines. Your destination. Do you see that $50 Easyjet flight to Paris on advertised on their website? Well yes, technically they are getting you into Paris, but they are flying you to the Paris Orly Airport instead of the main airport, Charles de Gaulle. Of course the airport these budget airlines fly into is an hour or sometimes even more from the main city center (Orly is an example of just that). Not only can this be time consuming, as you have to find a train or bus upon landing, but it can also be costly. Flying back to Italy, low cost carriers mainly fly into Milan or Pisa and not Florence. A train from Milan to Florence can run upwards of 55 Euro. So research what airport you're flying into in advance and add up all the costs, everything from getting from getting to the airport originally, to getting to the train station from there and the price of each. At the end of the day, it might actually make economical sense to fly into Florence direct on Air France instead of into Milan on Ryanair. But each case is different and you have to do your research beforehand. Here's a travel story of mine to highlight some dangers of this type of travel... my roommates were coming back from Amsterdam and had flown into Milan Malpensa on a budget airline late on a Sunday night. First they had to take a bus from the airport into downtown Milan, about an hour long ride. Then they headed to the train station to buy tickets to Florence and what happened next?... there was only one train left going to Florence that night, and it only had first class tickets available. Over 80 Euro later, my roommates were headed back home to Florence, but that additional cost can make the whole idea of flying into Milan a waste of your time and money. Tack 80 euro onto a flight and it would have made sense to fly directly into Florence. Stuff like this happens when you travel, but a little research on train times could have easily prevented this.

My only advice when flying a low cost carrier is to be extra careful with every aspect of the trip details, from your ticket, to the luggage you are bringing. Some airlines, like Ryanair, require you to print your boarding pass a few days prior to flight and will not let you board without it, or they may charge you extra to board after finding a mistake on the pass. One horror story to prove this point, one of my roommates misspelled his name by one letter on his boarding pass and Ryanair refused to allow him to board, requiring him to purchase another ticket at the gate. So just make sure to double check everything. As far as luggage goes, if your backpacking and not staying a while, one carry on should be plenty. I did ten days of straight travel for Spring Break with nothing but my backpack and it worked out just fine. You'll manage and you will make it work.

In Pisa walking out to our flight to Marrakech

Budget airlines in Europe present a huge opportunity for students to travel throughout the continent on the cheap end. Additionally, the airports in Europe are very laid back relative to the American airports. Security does not take as much time as back home and you certainly won't feel as stressed. And you shouldn't, if you're at an airport, chances are you are headed on an adventure. Enjoy it. Another huge benefit is that trains and buses are generally linked from the airport to the city center or to other parts of Europe. Unlike the US, the entire transportation system is well integrated. Signs are usually in both the official language of the country and English as a second language so it is easy to find where you need to go and if you ever have trouble, ask someone. I've found Europeans to be more than helpful when giving directions to travelers.

Eating in Florence, Antico's

Another spotlight on a great panini place in Florence. Though this one is not a hidden gem, considering it is #1 on the travel website Trip Advisor. However, it's located on the street leading to our school here so it was only a matter of time before we found our way in. Tips on places to go and eat spreads like wildfire amongst abroad students, and Antico was a case and point. In the first few days here, some students had tried it out and loved it. Within days, there was a line out the door during lunch hours. Luckily, it was January and there was not the giant hoard of tourists that is here now, so we were able to still get our five euro panini in a decent amount of time.

Compared to my earliest post on Pino's, this place has a few notable differences. First off, it feels a lot more authentic and there are usually up to three Italian men working there at a time. A lot of students like to tell them to "surprise me" upon ordering. That's a green light for the panini masters to whip you up one of their favorite sandwiches as a "surprise". Unless you are a picky eater, this is a great way to order, especially if your italian is lacking. You can also specialize the "surprise" by exclaiming that you like something spicy, or some mortadella + a surprise part. That way they have a base with which to add to your panini and you won't be totally shocked when you get the result. As opposed to Pino's, there is no menu here that has pre-made selections as recommendations on it, you have to make up your own. These self proclaimed "panini magicians" are guaranteed to hand you over a fresh lunch, usually on a square piece of bread with the meats hanging out the end. There is also plenty of wine options and a table hanging off the edge that is self serve. You pay two euro on the inside when you get your panini and that entitles you to the self serve part of the wine. It's really on the honor system as the glasses and bottles are already outside, however this place makes enough money that I'm sure they don't get hurt on the free riders who decide to fill a small glass for free. The line is constantly out the door, I assume in part due to the rating on Trip Advisor and word of mouth. Most students try to take their visiting parents here at one point, which might tell you that the line is worth the wait.

The self service wine station outside

Small Tip: 4 or 5 stores down is a small convenience store that sells waters and sodas for much cheaper than inside Antico's. Grab your sandwich and head there to get a drink, then take a seat on the street and enjoy your lunch.

Link to: Review on Trip Advisor

The Overnight Train, Vienna

It’s hot, it’s cramped and I'm laying on one of six bunks in a compartment the size of a bathroom. There's maybe a foot and a half between my head and the bunk above me. When I lay flat staring up, it's hard not to imagine the bunk above you to come toppling down on top of you. Length wise, there is around 6'5", which leaves my toes brushing up against wall. Yes, welcome to the night train. I actually upgraded my ticket to a sleeping car for this trip, there was a seated option as well.

The jolly conductor stopped by a few minutes ago to offer a complimentary cup of “café” for tomorrow morning, as if that'll compensate for the presumed lack of sleep we'll be getting. Oh and a free mini water bottle as well, compliments of the very reliable, TrenItalia. Just a few days ago I was telling someone how much I enjoyed riding the trains throughout Europe. Space, space was one thing I harped on, the seats were comfortable! Well, now it looks like I'm going eat those words. But the night train is not for luxury, it's for convenience. 

My bunk

On one hand, the speed trains in Europe are 21^st century, they have Wi-Fi and they have pleasant seats alongside a table space for each passenger. You sit comfortably, with ample leg space as the countryside whisks past you at a couple hundred miles per hour. This was the expectation I had in mind for the night train. Why should it be any different? Let’s have a lounge area and a bar that’s open all night serving cold drinks. How about Wi-Fi so I can prepare for my interview tomorrow, a comfortable bunk so I can get some sleep. That mindset was completely shattered as soon as I saw the train pull into the station, well rather lurch into the station. You can immediately spot the difference between a speed train and any sort of regional train here in Europe. Bullet trains look the part, riding well into the station, the front of the train looks like the front of a Boeing 767, ready to break through the air, just like the nickname says, like a bullet. There's a certain swagger about the speed trains. The latter is a run down, "Thomas the Tank Engine" looking train that crawls into the station, seemingly content on having made it to it's next stop. These are the trains that were in the VHS train movies showcasing passenger train travel from 20-30 years ago. Well, night trains fit into the regional train category. Then again, what's the rush, I get to wake up to Vienna.

So it’s four of us in this cell;, first, an older gentleman who has kept to himself, reading a book to pass the time. Another I struck up a conversation with, a man from Rome going to Vienna for the first time. He has to be in his 30s and speaks very good English. We spoke about the differences between America and Europe, everything from healthcare, the role of the private sector and the public sector, education costs for university students, roads, bicycles, drinking outside with no consequence, and the concept of American consumerism. He was certainly pro European and, in a sense, slightly anti-American. For instance, he found it astonishing; as do many Europeans that the US has insurance for health care and that there are people who aren't covered, that the private sector places such a big role. Of course his sense of the American system was a demeaning one, insisting the European system is more humane. 

            The bunk itself is about 6 ½ feet long, and maybe 2 feet wide. Not the best living conditions, it seems they modeled it after the way Navy bunks would be. Let's not harp on the lack of space though, it's enough space to sleep and that's all that matters. I may not be able to sleep much though, as I'm quite excited for my trip. The only thing keeping my eagerness and adventure spirit in check is my interview schedule for 4pm tomorrow. It presents a few problems, one of which is preparation. As I said above, I really thought I would have free Wi-Fi on the train and be able to do my research on Stryker and prepare some notes. Well unfortunately that’s not the case. Another problem is going to be finding a quiet space in Vienna. I’m staying in a hostel and booked a bed in an 8 person room. Chances are it won’t be too quiet in there, but I may have to roll the dice. Furthermore, wherever I go tomorrow, I have to be back at the hostel at some point for this interview. The entire day when I am going around now, I will have to check the time and keep my whereabouts in my mind better. It limits my ability to go get lost in the city, to roam free, to discover what’s not on the guides. So I’ll have to go visit a few museums in the morning, get breakfast and lunch. And then prepare for the interview back at the hostel. So here’s to the night train situation, here’s to hoping for some hours of sleep, and here’s to a weekend in Vienna. Let’s get it on.

Morning:

A knock on the door. Roll over and ignore it for a few minutes. Another knock on the door. I look out and there is some light creeping under the curtains, it’s day time already? Here I was complaining about this train and it looks like I ended up sleeping well into morning. Although I woke up a few times here and there throughout the night, mostly due to the heat, on the whole it wasn’t a horrible night of sleep. The knock is the conductor for our car, and it’s 7am. It’s breakfast time, which is really just two rolls with butter and jelly to put on. Oh, and how could I forget the “café”. Looks like I’m a coffee drinker now. I thought I’d give it a try and it’s not as bad as I remember. It’s my first coffee in many years and I’m always making fun of coffee drinkers for being addicted to their cup of joe every morning. But here I was, a perpetually tired man in the mornings, and this coffee is like a miracle. Half the cup gone and now I’m feeling awake, alert, and ready to tackle Vienna. I can't complain about getting up too early anyway, we turned the lights out quarter to midnight. For the past hour these magnificent forests have been going by my window. So green and vast, it reminds me a bit of going through Switzerland, there are small villages tucked into the countryside, closely knit and seemingly orderly. Every now and then you can see an abandoned castle up on a hilltop, a memory of the older history of Austria. I have a feeling I am going to enjoy this weekend, interview and all. Now that the anxiousness of the night train is behind me. Can't forget a  goodbye to my compartment mates! My cup of coffee now finished.... Viena awaits me. Ciao.

Journaling and Traveling

With time winding down for me here in Florence, it's extraordinary to think back and realize that we have now been abroad for over three months. That cliché "where did the time go" has never been more relevant in my life. When you first arrive abroad, your mindset maintains that there will be plenty of time to do the things you want and need to do while here. Traveling plans begin to take shape and you start to realize there might not be as much time as you thought you had originally. Weekends become a blur, as you leave Thursday night for the weekend, arriving back in Florence late Sunday tired and weary. No time for class work at that point, and if your traveling on back-to-back weekends, there's four days of class during that week until you repeat the process. This cycle can force you to blink an eye and watch an entire month of study abroad go by in a split second. How can you make sure all your memories from this experience, both good and bad, will last through time?

Many people have different ways of etching the memories of this experience and creating keepsakes. In my personal experience, I have decided to journal, and also take a couple thousand pictures. Some people I know blog (as I've also succumbed to), some people collect a certain object (pins, postcards), and some don't do anything at all (photographic memory?). Here is why I recommend journaling, but keep in mind that everyone has a personal preference and my main tip is just make sure you DO SOMETHING. Your future self, your future family, your spouse will thank you for having something to look back on from your time abroad.

My journal was given to me as a gift, a small black notebook with a good binding. It's plain and durable, two things that were probably necessary to get me to even consider writing in it. The number one thing that I like about journaling, its private. It's yours. Whatever you write in that notebook, whatever you put in as a keepsake is for you and only whoever you want to share it with, if you choose to do that. A public blog is just that, it's open to the public. Therefore, you write with a different mindset, your writing for someone else, your writing with an audience in mind. In a journal, you are writing without these constraints and any feelings or thoughts you've had throughout the day can be jotted down carefree. For an abroad experience, you will be having plenty of new thoughts and feelings, some you may not want to write on a public blog. So if your goal is to have a more in depth look at what 20 something year old you was thinking while being abroad, while traveling, a journal is better than a blog. If your goal is to show off to others or broadly portray your experience to the public and your friends back home, go with a blog.

Another positive of keeping a journal is that you can paste in your ticket stubs, everything from train tickets and boarding passes to museum tickets and special receipts. This adds a layer to your journal and a tangible object that you otherwise could not save. It also gives context to your entries and will allow you to look back in awe. Someday there might come a time when everything is digitalized and passes and receipts no longer are printed, you'll have yours saved from "the good ole days". You can reminisce on the eight euro train you took while you step into a driverless car.

One downside of journaling, it can become very tedious. Trying to get those thoughts running around in your head onto paper is a greater task than you would imagine, it's also time consuming. I'm constantly reminded of Mark Twain's quote from his own book of travels "Innocents Abroad", something along the lines of, "if you wish to inflict a heartless and malignant punishment upon a young person, pledge him to keep a journal a year." There are times when you are too exhausted to write or are just flat out not in the mood to sit down and write. That is okay! Do not stress over writing daily or having a certain writing schedule to maintain. Simply write when you can, if you have downtime on the train or on a flight home, write a bit. You might enjoy it more than you think, and a little writing is better than none at all. However, if there is a way to schedule in a quick 15 minutes of writing a day, say maybe before bed, that might entice you to write more. It's worked for me and I can't stress enough that everyone is different. You need to find what works best for you, are you a morning person? Write when you wake up. You can make it work.

So there's my treatise on journaling while abroad. It's worked out well for me and I am even going to consider continuing to journal when I return back home in May. Even now, to be able to go back to an entry from my first week in Florence and re-examine my first impressions of the city, of my roommates and how things have changed. Imagine how it nice it will be to look back on down further the road from now. Remember, it's not for everyone. If you want to collect postcards instead, do that. Ultimately, just make sure to do something that your future self will thank you for. There is only one study abroad experience in a lifetime.

Eating Lunch in Florence, Pino's

Pino's. It's a name that almost every American student in Florence knows. However, this place has it all whether or not your a one time visitor or a local. Don't be intimidated or turned away by the presumable line of 20 something Americans. As a student on a budget, in a city bubbling with tourist traps, it's easy to get caught overpaying for an underperforming meal. Not at Pino's. This panini place near the famous Santa Croce Church is a lunch spot that I highly recommend. In between our classes, the line would funnel out onto the sidewalk, as Pino whisked away at the deli slicer just a few feet inside, grin on his face. He makes sure to greet every customer with a smile and a hello, and it's not hard to imagine that this man genuinely enjoys making great tasting sandwiches for a living.A family run establishment, Pino has the help of his wife and daughter to quickly turn the line out the door into a line of panini eating students at crowded tables. True to the Italian spirit, it's the little things in life, and a great tasting panini can go a long way.

The deli meats and bread are fresh and there is every kind of meat you can think of. One of my favorites was to get some spicy salami coupled with pecorino or goat cheese plus just the right amount of spicy sauce. Of course there is something there for everyone. Cold feet? Grab the menu filled with examples and suggestions from Pino himself. The panini's are then grilled once Pino is done putting his finishing touches your sandwich, so if you'd rather it cold (I don't recommend it) just make sure to ask him in advance.

Although this place is not the most genuine, authentic Florentine panini place, it still is a must visit lunch sport. For under five Euro, you can enjoy a freshly made panini, choosing from a menu of Pino's favorites or customizing it yourself upon order. However, there is another menu option that allows you to get a plate of pasta for the same price, ask for extra red sauce and a little bread to go with it and you've got yourself a well priced pasta lunch instead.

Ordering tip: ask Pino about his famous inferno sauce, he really enjoys a customers reaction to his spicy magical blend. One time he even came to the back of the restaurant check on us and make sure we were satisfied with it.

Pino with that everlasting smile hard at work.












Some of the sauces you can add (sun-dried tomatoes, spicy sauce etc)

Grabbed a goodbye picture with Pino before heading back to the States for good.













Some review's on Pino's (Old name:Salumeria Verdi)
Trip Advisor Review