It’s safe to say Spain lands on the top 10 list of places to visit on everyone’s bucket list. With glittering beaches beautiful architecture, you would find any excuse to hop on a plane and bid your friends farewell.
Traveling abroad whether it’s to Spain or Thailand costs more than a few pretty pennies, so how will you pull it off? Saving up your money is typically the solution, but you’d prefer to go sooner rather than later.
The light bulb in your head turns on, and flashes of Julia Roberts embarking on a round the world journey in the movie Eat Pray Love appear. Before your enthusiasm gets in the way, here’s some advice to help prevent you from common travel scams.
Teaching Abroad
Many programs are available for those who want to teach English overseas, so it’s just a matter of finding the right one. TEFL and TESL programs are readily available to you. TEFL and TESL stand for “teaching English as a foreign language” and “teaching English as a second language.”
– Use your common sense and only consider reputable TEFL/TESL organizations.
– Consider what is being offered in regards to salary, amenities and benefits.
– Ask a lot of questions like, “How many hours will I be required to work exactly?” “What type of teaching materials will be available to me?” “Which days will I have off?” “Do you provide any training?”
– Be sure to get as much contact information as possible from everyone associated with the organization and school like email addresses and phone numbers.
Using Internet Cafes
You’re on a long vacation overseas, and it’s understandable you want to stay up to date on your bills and check your emails while you’re away.
– Avoid any bill paying, shopping or entering of any banking information on public computers. These networks may not be as secure as you think.
– When using a public computer, be sure to log out of every site and close the browser properly.
– If you plan on doing business while traveling, purchase a netbook, which is equipped with a virtual private network (VPN), allowing you to safely log into your accounts.
Let’s just say if you have any feeling of doubt that your personal information and comfort are at risk while abroad, do your research and make the appropriate arrangements so you can enjoy your trip. Here are some additional precautionary steps to make before you jet set:
1. Have a friend or someone you trust pick up your mail everyday. This helps deter thieves from stealing your mail and accessing personal information.
2. Call your bank and credit card companies to let them know you’ll be spending overseas.
3. Make sure all the information in your passport is filled out 100%.
4. Give copies of your itinerary to your friends or people you trust so they know where you are at all times.
5. Lastly, have fun and be safe!
See Also
4 Reasons Why It’s Better to Use Your Credit Card for Holiday Shopping
Travel Tips: How To Get the Most Out of Your Flight and Save Money
Student Travel Safety Tips for a Scam-free Spring Break 2013
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