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10 Easy Travel Hacks To Make You A Better Traveler

While travel is one of our favorite things we recognize that sometimes trips could go just a little more smoothly. These simple travel hacks can save you time, money, and at times your sense of sanity. So before heading out on your next great adventure be sure to use a few of these pro travel hacks!

Use a Sunglasses Case For Power Cords

The more helpful electronic devices we pack the more of a pain tangled power cords can be. There is a very simple solution! Pack an extra sunglasses case to store those power cords. This offers a lightweight and efficient way to keep your power cords from somehow getting buried and tied together at the bottom of your carry-on.

Browse Flights and Hotels In “Incognito Mode” or “Private Browsing” To Save Money

If you’re like most people when you set out to buy a flight or book a hotel you browse prices, then check a couple other sites, and then possibly go back to the booking sites multiple times. This can cost you big time because those sites plant cookies on your computer and then based on the places you are searching for flights or a room, start to incrementally raise the prices on the very thing you want to book. All while the rest of the world is seeing a cheaper price for the same room or flight! Chances are that if you have already searched a flight once and don’t book, the next time you search that flight you will be shown a more expensive price. Simply browsing in private mode will allow you to save money.

Stop Folding Your Clothes

It’s time to stop the madness. If you are having trouble packing and fitting all of your clothes in that stuffed-to-the-brim suitcase it’s because you are a folder. Rolling your clothes is a much better option and has been proven to more efficiently fill the space in your luggage. Try rolling your clothes next time you pack.

Email A Photo Of Your Passport To Yourself And Family Member

We tell our new program participants that despite your best efforts, you may lose your passport. No one wants the hassle of getting a replacement especially without the proper documentation or proof that can speed up the process of getting a new one. When headed overseas be sure to take a photo of your passport and email that photo to yourself and a family member. You’ll thank yourself later in case it goes missing.

Bring An Empty Water Bottle

Everyone knows that the prices for food and water at airports is higher than almost everywhere else. So why keep paying big money for bottles of water? On a typical international trip you could save a lot of money by simply packing an empty water bottle to fill at airports for free. This also has the added benefit of helping the environment.

Use Shower Caps On Your Shoes

Most people walk a lot while exploring a city and this means the bottom of your shoes have slopped through some very dirty things. Then without a thought most of us place those dirty shoes right back into our luggage. Yuck! Luckily there is a simple solution. Simply wrap the bottom of your shoes in a shower cap to keep the germs on the bottom of your shoes and not all over your clothes. Many hotels provide shower caps for free.

Fight Jet Lag With Exercise

There are many ways to fight jet lag (see post – Tested Traveler Tips On Avoiding Jet Lag) but one of the best is exercise. It is one of the only scientifically proven ways to get over that sluggish feeling that comes from international travel. Hit the hotel gym or go for a jog and you will feel better in no time.

Hide Money In An Empty Lip Balm Tube

If someone wants to lift a little cash from your purse or bag where is the last place they would look? Your lip balm tube! This takes a wider lip balm tube of course but this hack offers a failsafe way to keep your money hidden from a would-be thief.

Pack A Dryer Sheet

We all pack dirty clothes when headed home or between stops on a multi-country trip. Those clothes can get pretty stinky which then make clean clothes smell too. Putting a new dryer sheet in your luggage can keep everything smelling like fresh air!

Download A Google Map Of Your Destination

You won’t always have access to Wi-Fi while traveling so make sure to download a digital version of your destination before you leave. When you download a Google Map to your device it allows you to access that map without Wi-Fi. This can also save you big on international roaming charges.

 

MEET THE CAST MONDAY: Kaat from Belgium


How do you think young people can impact the world in a positive way?

“I believe that we have to be open-minded and optimistic. What we do in UWP is an amazing example. We learn to go along with so many people and we have hope that if we work all together, we can improve and empower the world.”

What does the world need?

“For me, the world needs to be more a happy place. There is too much hate, disrespect, prejudice, people that not feel loved, inequity in the world.”   

How will you keep hope alive?

“I will be optimistic, grateful and always willing to help others who are having a hard time because of anything.”

 

MEET THE CAST MONDAY: Anna from Germany

 “Up with People is an amazing experience and the only program where you can travel, perform and inspire so many people at the same time and you can make long life connections with people from all around the world.”         

How will you keep hope alive?

“I see the positive side in everything. I try to inspire young people to believe in themselves and their capability of achieving their dreams or changing their lives.”

MEET THE CAST MONDAY: Hidde from The Netherlands

“Young adults are the ones who have the future in our hands. We are the future leaders. The ones who are going to keep this world alive. The ones who are making a difference. We can take what has been done wrong and fix it. This makes us the ones who responsible for making the world the best it can be.”     

How will you keep hope alive?

“I will keep hope alive by, being kind and respectful to everyone I meet, even if I have a different opinion. I will be true to myself and won’t let others change who I am. I will own up to my mistakes and grow as a person. I will make a difference in this world. If it be a small or big one, every single bit counts. I will show gratitude to the people who have gotten me to the place I am now and I will help the people who have not experienced the privileged life I have lived as much as possible. This world needs hope now. That’s why I decided go out there and actually change the world. Making the world a more positive and equal world, but by bit. This world is full with people with a burning desire to make this world a better place. It’s up to us to kickstart that fire.”

MEET THE CAST MONDAY: Sofie from Sweden

What are you excited for this semester?
“I am most excited about all the connections we are going to make with so many different people from all around the world, and the positive impact we can have in the communities we visit.”

What do you hope to learn this semester?
“To learn to take things as they come. There are so many things in life that we can not control, and after this semester I hope that I have learned to accept that.”           

How will you keep hope alive?
“I will keep hope alive by always looking at the bright side of things. I will see the glass as half full, and spread that positivity to everyone I meet.”

Meet the Cast Monday: Josh from Virginia, USA

“Taking a year to see the world before I went out into it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I wish every young adult who’s still searching for their passion could have the opportunity to travel and find what empowers them while making the world a happier place in the process.”

How will you keep hope alive?
“I’ll keep hope alive by being an image of what the future could be. It seems to me that a lot of people have lost faith in my generation, and I want to serve as an example of a young person that actually cares about important issues and is willing and brave enough to do something about them.”

MEET THE CAST MONDAY: Liliane from Switzerland

“After I graduated high school I decided to join Up with People, travel around the world without knowing anyone, to change the world and having an impact on the people I meet on the road. I think this decision is the most significant I have ever made in my life.”

How will you keep hope alive?
“After my journey with Up with People I want to teach the people from my own community everything I learned in this five months by talking about the important subjects and being a role model in how we should treat our planet. I believe that we can already achieve a lot through better communication and treating each other with more respect and tolerance.”

How To Be An Amazing House Guest

There are many times when you may stay in someone else’s home for the night.  It may be when you stay with family, friends, or with a host family during a study abroad or gap year program.  Being an amazing house guest will leave you and your host family with a great and memorable experience!

How To Be An Amazing House Guest:

  • Learn The House Rules.  It’s important to learn rules that they expect you to follow while staying in their house.  They may have curfews, quiet times, or other rules. Be respectful and follow them.
  • Help Out. Offer to help with cooking, cleaning up, and other items around the house.  They may or may not take you up on it, but they will be grateful for your willingness to lend a hand.
  • Participate in Activities. Even after a long day make sure to interact with your host family. It will be a rewarding experience to spend time with them and get to know them.
  • Limit Your Internet Use. Staying tethered to your computer or phone is not OK. Prioritize the host family experience. You may only get a short amount of time with your host family so it’s important to make the most of it.
  • Learning. Ask questions as much as possible to learn about the culture in which you are staying. This is one of the greatest advantages of staying with a family instead of in a hotel. Here are some great conversation starters:
    • What’s your favorite food?
    • What are some of your family traditions?
    • What are your favorite activities?
    • What is one place I need to see while I’m in town?
    • What’s the best thing that happened to you today?
  • Stay Clean and Neat. Whether you are sleeping on a couch or have a bedroom, be sure to keep the area you are in neat.  Make the bed each morning, and keep your belongings organized.  Also keep common areas neat and clean. 
  • Be Organized When You Leave. Check that you haven’t forgotten anything, and strip the sheets off the bed, fold them, and leave them neatly for your host.

 

 

How To Go Above And Beyond:

  • Cook for Your Host Family. Cooking a meal or baking a treat is a great way to share something from your culture and do something nice for your host family! 
  • Say Yes! Challenge yourself even when you are tired. Your host family will be excited to show off their hometown so make sure you join them whenever invited. This is a great way to get to know your host family and see the place they live through their eyes.
  • Listen To Them. Your hosts have wisdom and stories to tell. Make sure you practice active listening to get the most from the experience and make them feel heard.
  • Leave Your Phone In Your Room. When you’re staring at your social media feeds, you’re missing out and likely making your hosts feel bad.
  • Share Photos, Music, or Games From Home. Your host family will appreciate learning from you as well! Plan ahead and bring a few things from home to share with them. 

Thank Your Host Family:

  • Send a Thank You Note. After your stay make sure to mail a handwritten thank you card showing gratitude for opening up their home to you.
  • Bring a Gift. Leave a small gift to thank them. This doesn’t have to be something expensive. It just needs to be something that represents you or where you are from, and says thank you. 

Interested in a host family experience?  In every city we visit, Up with People cast members stay with host families.  This experience is one of the most rewarding benefits of the experience. This is true for not only the participants, but the host families too! Learn more about how you can be part of an Up with People cast at https://upwithpeople.org/travel/admissions-information/.

 

UWP Cast Assists with Relief Efforts in Aftermath of Earthquakes in Mexico

The goal of Up with People’s world tour has always been to share different cultures with people around the globe and give back to the communities we visit. That impact gained a whole new meaning when, just two weeks before Cast B 2017 was scheduled to arrive in Mexico, a devastating 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Mexico City and the surrounding area.

PLANS CHANGE TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT

Originally, the cast was going to stay with host families in Cholula, a community in Puebla, Mexico, for one week, but the epicenter of the earthquake badly damaged many of the homes in that area.

Up with People decided to spend two weeks in Mexico City instead of the one week that was planned. But homes there were also very damaged, so the cast housed in nearby Naucalpan.

After their two-week stay, Cast B 2017 will visit both Querétaro and Monterrey, Mexico, for one week each.

IT’S WHY WE EXIST

“It’s why we exist,” says CEO Dale Penny when discussing the importance of helping communities that truly need support. “The mission of Up with People is to promote not only goodwill and understanding between people, but to be a part of giving back to each community. So, what we hope is that when we leave each community, regardless of if they’ve had any natural disasters or not, that we’ve left the community in better shape physically and also that we have helped promote understanding and connection and bridging across cultural boundaries wherever we go. It’s a very much part of what Up with People is. It’s not every day that our tour coincides with some sort of a natural disaster. When it does it’s important that we adapt and adjust what we do so that we’re contributing to what their needs are at the time.”

The earthquake killed more than 200 people in Mexico City, Puebla and Morelos, coincidentally occurring on the anniversary of another devastating earthquake that killed thousands in Mexico City in 1985. Only hours before the earthquake hit, many people were participating in drills and commemorative events for the anniversary.

Buildings and homes were destroyed, people were trapped, and Mexico was once again faced with rebuilding its community.

“Our choice was either to cancel or to try to be a part of the solution,” Dale says. “What we did not want to do is go there and not be a part of helping the Mexican people in their time of need.”

FROM PERFORMANCES TO BENEFIT CONCERTS

The cast’s performances typically raise money to be distributed to various causes within the community, but this time, things are different. Money raised at the performances in Mexico City will be donated to United Way of Mexico City and performances in the other two cities will help those directly affected by the earthquake.

“They suffered from hundreds of people being killed and thousands being displaced,” Dale says. “We’ve seen a great spirit of the Mexican people through their volunteerism in the recovery when they were fighting for the lives of people buried, and in the recovery and restoration of their city. We didn’t feel we could be there without giving back.”

ALTERNATIVE FOCUS AT PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED VISITS

All of the cast’s previously scheduled visits at the three Mexico stops will remain, but the focus of their service projects has changed to include any hands-on cleanup and rebuilding of damaged properties.

Up with People is grateful to have the opportunity to help the Mexican people and give back after this tragic disaster especially because several other visiting organizations canceled trips to the area due to the earthquake.

On the Road: Inspiring Youth in Donaueschingen, Germany [VIDEO]

Our casts perform for people of all ages all across the globe, yet the most receptive audiences may be some of the youngest — elementary, middle, or high school students who have yet to make their mark on the world. Their ears are eager to listen, their eyes glimmer with hope, and their hands are ready to work to make the world a better place. The youth of Donaueschingen, Germany, were no exception.

OUR CAST STRIVES TO BE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS FOR STUDENTS
In Donaueschingen, cast members hosted a workshop, seen in the video below, at Kaufmännische und Hauswirtschaftliche Schulen Donaueschingen, a local vocational school for grades 10-12. They discussed how to be a better leader and what it means to live in a diverse community.

“Our school programming focuses on the importance of respecting others’ opinions and ideas, to appreciate the diversity in our community and ways we can make a difference,” says Ellen Enebo, Up with People’s curriculum manager, and a former cast member.

Visiting with students like those in Donaueschingen plays a significant role in our mission to encourage positive change in the world. Each week, our cast members dedicate a portion of their time to building relationships with students. Cast members meet with students, share stories about their culture, and teach them about global understanding. It’s all part of the Up with People curriculum — programming that focuses on interpersonal communication, leadership and group development, global citizenship, and cultural awareness.

It is that same cultural awareness that the school’s principal (or headmaster, as they call it in Germany) Frank Liebetanz wants for his students. “We want to build bridges of understanding and set no boundaries,” he says.

Over the past few months, Up with People’s cast members have lived with, visited with, learned from, and taught people from all walks of life. Their knowledge of the world around them grows exponentially at each destination along the world tour. The cast members are now looking forward to the next two stops in Germany before visiting the Netherlands and Rome, where they will end the tour with a performance for Pope Francis at the Vatican.