Happy
Columbus Day from Workplace ESL Solutions!
We know, it's not the
biggest holiday in the United States, lacking such things as beloved Columbus Day
carols, festive decorations and traditional meals to commemorate
the day, but it is definitely worth celebrating. The story of
Christopher Columbus is inspiring, as that great man's historic voyage teaches
us to explore, search, and dream big.
We
often discover new horizons while aiming for something completely
different. Christopher Columbus never did accomplish his original goal -
to find a western ocean route to Asia .
Instead, he achieved something even greater - he ushered in a new era in world
history by opening up the Americas
Traveling
around the world and going on vacation isn't as expensive as you might
think. Here at Workplace ESL Solutions, we love our international students and we love to travel to their countries. Here
are a few more ways to see the world for less:
To
vacation within driving distance, check out the "One Tank Wonders"
at www.tripadvisor.com/tankofgas To
find the lowest price of gas in your area, go to www.gasbuddy.com
The Internet has enabled us to become our own travel agents, often
offering better deals than if we called the hotel or rental car company
directly. Some of my favorite web sites to find travel steals and deals
are: www.farecast.com , www.yapta.com , www.travelocity.com ,
www.orbitz.com , www.breezenet.com , and www.hotwire.com
It’s
easy to be influenced by a glossy brochure or fancy web site that claims a
certain hotel is the absolute best, but if you want to hear what “real” people
have to say about specific travel destinations, check out their opinions posted
at www.tripadvisor.com
Before
purchasing, compare prices and do a "Google" search for
"discount code" with the name of the hotel chain, car company,
airline, or tourist attraction you specifically want. Joining the
"frequent flyer" clubs or hotel member clubs will often get you
better rates, and those points you rack up with each stay will get you free
vacations in the future! Your credit card might get you even more points,
so find out which travel services they partner with. AAA membership pays for itself once you see
all of the discounts you can get on hotels, cars, restaurants and even theme
parks.
A
flexible traveler can really score big. For example, airlines routinely
over-book their seats, knowing that a certain percentage of travelers will
simply not show up for the flight. If
everyone does show up then there will be more passengers than seats so the
airline will then ask for volunteers who are willing to be bumped. By doing so they may offer you travel
vouchers for future flights, meals, and even a paid hotel room if there isn’t
another flight until the next day. It’s
a little bit of a hassle, but if the airline is desperate they’ll keep
sweetening the deal until someone says yes!
Skip the tourist traps and save money by adding some
volunteer work at your destination! The following organizations offer
meaningful service opportunities and lower your destination costs during a
“Volunteer Vacation”:
Swap a pricey hotel stay for a visit in someone else’s home
with a “Home Exchange” vacation:
You can stay in a very inexpensive hostel and meet some
fascinating people: www.hostelworld.com
When
you volunteer to drive one of those big RV’s one way it helps the company
return their vehicles and you save tons of moola: www.cruiseamerica.com
Traveling around the world might also inspire you to learn a new language. That's where WE come in! We can help you learn Spanish or English and get you "travel ready" to communicate with the world!
So,
in honor of Columbus Day, dream big. Think big. Imagine the
impossible. See the world. And enjoy the journey!
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