Feature photo by ernop. Photo above by madiko83.

Once termed the sleeping dragon, China has awoken from the sweet slumber of the depreciated yuan to find a world in financial despair. Though still labeled a third world country, China’s major cities– Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou– have surpassed the US in their creative architecture, enticing jobs, and innovative apartments.

They also offer amazing nightlife, a unique culture, plenty of drinking and dining options, and career opportunities.So, what does it cost to partake in this giant’s emergence?

The cost of living in China has declined in recent months thanks to the burst in the housing bubble. For renters, this is an opportunity, and many expats have renegotiated their rental agreements.

After the Chinese New Year holiday, many Chinese did not return to the urban centers, preferring to wait out the financial crisis in their home provinces. This has left city apartments empty, and landlords are nervous and ready to make deals.

The cost of living in China is dramatically lower than that in the US, Australia, and Western Europe. A nice two bedroom, one bath apartment with wooden floors and marble counters in the kitchen will run around 4,500 RMB a month (about $587.50 USD). Utilities are shockingly low, thanks to the government’s continued subsidy. In the aforementioned apartment, one could expect to pay an additional 300 RMB in utilities per month.

Photo by babasteve.

A cleaning lady visiting once a week will run you about 12 RMB an hour– less than $2 USD. Beijing is slightly cheaper than Shanghai, and Guangzhou is slightly cheaper than Beijing. Hong Kong’s apartments, on the other hand, are comparable to US prices.

The cost of food in China is also very low, should you choose to cook at home rather than dine out. A bag of seven apples, for example, is about 8 RMB, or $1 USD. The price of essential food is controlled in China, keeping this expense manageable.

Should you choose to dine at one of the Western or nicer Asian restaurants in any major city in China, you can expect to pay about $7-8 USD per plate, with another $7-10 USD for alcoholic beverages. Drinking in China is not a cheap pastime, but considering transportation, lodging, and food are cheap, one can afford to splurge on this recreational event.

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Community Connection to China

Surprisingly, your cost of living will increase should you be ever so slightly picky about your body care products. Shampoo, shaving cream, and other toiletries run about $8-10 USD a bottle.

Buying local supplies is cheaper, but the quality is noticeably lacking. Expect to spend about $20 USD a month on these types of products.

Should you require a doctor or dentist in China, you have two options as an expat or traveler. First, you could attempt to negotiate your way into a local hospital, though authorities will be loath to admit you without a translator.

Second, you could head to an expat clinic, where costs are enormous and the care subpar. If you are lucky enough to get into a Chinese hospital, you will not be disappointed. Doctors are quick and efficient. Chinese cities are dotted with pharmacies where you can self-medicate cheaply.

Photo by decade_null.

Expat insurance is affordable, but used primarily for major medical concerns. In all, prepare to budget between 100-200 RMB a month for healthcare. Chinese medicine stalls throughout major cities provide vitamins and other traditional remedies. You can also visit an acupuncturist or masseuse for under $15 USD per session.

While some international companies are pulling out of China in light of the global recession, a steady stream of available positions remain available for expats in most major cities; these range from executive positions paying six figures, to English teaching, which will cover a more modest lifestyle.

Your cost of living depends upon the type of lifestyle you want to have. The above range is for a lower-middle class income of about 15000 RMB a month, or around $28,000 USD a year.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

For more about the expat experience in China, check out Moonlighting in China and A is for Attitude Adjustment: Learning How to Teach and Live in China.

Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo / Photo by Stuardo Herrera

As if the perpetually sunny forecast isn’t enticing enough, doctors-to-be (and nurses, too) who choose the Caribbean for medical school often enjoy the benefits of personalized attention and a small student body typically lacking in large North American or European universities.

Small student-professor ratios permit unmatched opportunities for mentoring and research that might take years to attain at other schools. Caribbean medical schools also provide students with specialties and training opportunities that are difficult to find elsewhere.

From specializing in tropical medicine to fulfilling residency requirements in small family or community-based practices, students who graduate from Caribbean medical schools will possess extensive hands-on clinical experience in settings that will give them insight into the ways in which society and medicine intersect.

There are still more benefits to studying medicine in the Caribbean. While they may be smaller than continental medical schools and may not have the same range or easy accessibility of medical technologies, facilities are modern, and often new.

Then there’s a benefit that’s often overlooked: diverse student bodies. Universities in the Caribbean attract students from around the world.

While this is also true of continental universities, foreign students in large schools often get absorbed into their own unique cultural groups. In the Caribbean, the small admission ratio serves to keep students intermingling regardless of their background.

Saba University School Of Medicine / Photo by misscrabette

Studying in the Caribbean isn’t without its challenges or drawbacks. If you’re a foreign student, there’s the issue of securing the appropriate visa to study abroad. You’ll also want to make sure that the country (and state or province) where you want to practice upon graduation recognize the validity of the degree you’ve worked so hard to earn.

Depending on the programs you’re considering, you may need to meet a language proficiency requirement, though many programs are taught in English.

Finally, some students have difficulty adjusting to the insular nature of island life. After the initial thrill of fun and sun wear off, it might be hard to establish a satisfying social life, especially on a small island where everybody knows everybody.

And while the cost of school may be much lower than elsewhere, the cost of living on islands is often high, as so many essential items are imported, so any savings may be offset by unanticipated expenses.

If you’re considering studying medicine abroad and think the Caribbean might be right for you, here are six islands with highly ranked medical schools just waiting for your application:

1. Antigua

Founded in 2004 by U.S. physicians, American University of Antigua is a brand new campus and the student body currently numbers just around 1,000.

The curriculum is designed for students from the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean to practice in their home countries. Though a handful of US states impose stringent accreditation standards that do not recognize degrees from medical schools in the Caribbean, AUA is one of the few schools whose graduates are accredited by New York to practice in the state.

Cayman Islands / Photo by JD Pavkovich

2. Cayman Islands

St. Matthew’s University turns 12 years old this year, and offers both research and clinical practice to students in the areas of traditional and veterinary medicine. Loans and scholarships are available for study; another benefit of St. Matthew’s is its rolling admissions policy (semesters start in September, January, and May).

3. Jamaica

University of the West Indies turned 60 years old in 2008, and offers more than 800 programs of study, medicine among them. UWI medical specialties include family, emergency, accident, internal, surgical, internal, sports, oral, and veterinary medicine. Be sure to check which of the university’s four campuses offer the program that interests you.

Photo by Wagner T. Cassimiro “Aranha”

4. St. Kitts Ross University

Since its inception in 1978, more than 9,000 students have graduated from Ross in medicine or veterinary medicine. Ross is a stand-out among Caribbean medical school programs because its graduates are accredited to practice in all 50 US states and 10 Canadian provinces.

5. Dominican Republic Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo

One of the Caribbean’s oldest universities (founded in 1538), the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo offers courses of study in medicine, nursing, radiology, and pharmacy. The medical school’s course of study consists of 11 semesters, terminating with a residency that includes pediatrics, ob-gyn, psychiatry, and traumatology rounds, among others.

Universidad de la Habana / Photo by Wagner T. Cassimiro “Aranha”

6. Cuba

Not the first or obvious choice for American citizens, the Universidad de La Habana’s medical school is a highly competitive option for citizens of other countries.

Cuba, despite the economic embargo that has kept the country and its people without much needed resources, is admired around the world for its advanced health care and pioneering medical research, including in the areas of cancer, meningitis, cholera, and HIV/AIDS.

Students who are accepted to this program will enjoy unparalleled research opportunities: more than 52 scientific research institutes are in the capital alone, and researchers around the world come to Cuba to collaborate with colleagues.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Thinking of heading overseas for post-graduate education? Check out these 7 Countries Where Graduate School is a Fraction of US Costs.

All photos by Tim Hussin

A storm rapidly approaches on the eleventh day of January. According to local folklore, the brewing clouds foretell a rainy eleventh month this year. . . gotta build as much as possible before the dry season’s over.

Erica sits cross-legged, balanced on the railing as she looks off to the mountains. We watch her husband, Matt, talk to a group of locals below. They surround him as he meticulously flips through a book, explaining with pictures and diagrams what the community is and what it will become.

One scratches his chin. “Treehouses? Well, how do you get concrete up into the trees?” The teak and bamboo homes in the rain forest canopy are triumphs of design, as is the Skytrail network spans the property without plowing through the jungle.

Questions abound. How did this all happen? How did two Americans manage to leave their lives behind in order to develop a community in the jungle powered with solar and hydroelectricity? They make ice with the sun, grow their food, and travel around 350 acres on a carbon-neutral zip line superhighway.

“You really have to understand the kind of people we are.” Erica’s hands talk in wide circles. “I’m the dreamer and Matt’s the doer.”

She wraps her arms around her knees and gazes back out to the mountain horizon. “It wasn’t easy. A year ago, I was thinking we made the worst mistake of our lives. We quit our jobs and put all our chips on the table and had nothing to show for it.

“I couldn’t speak Spanish and was working and camping with all men.” She glances back at me and sighs. “The way the culture is here, they couldn’t understand why a woman wasn’t cooking and cleaning! They couldn’t comprehend that I was networking and getting the word out about the project.”

“We didn’t want to seem like asshole gringos when we first came,” Matt’s voice booms as he returns to the sky lounge. “We didn’t come to cut down trees and build McMansions with a view.”

“This is our home.” His hand chops the air with each articulated thought. “Sometimes we go down and play soccer with the local kids,” he continues. “The whole town comes to watch the gringos get destroyed by their children!”

His erupting laughter is interrupted as scarlet rumped tanagers tear through the air, ricocheting off toward a tree. Matt grabs a book detailing the 900 species of birds found in Costa Rica.

“I used to think bird watching was boring, a hobby for old people. But here I am with this book every evening,” confesses the avid surfer and snowboarder.

Although they came down to build a sustainable paradise for themselves and the rest of the Bellavista community, the couple has also made extensive efforts to develop a sustainable relationship with the local towns surrounding the Finca, fighting hard against the entrenched stereotype of opportunism that stigmatizes the gringo community.

Shocked at how under-funded the local school was, the couple donated enough supplies to keep the kids learning for the entire school year. Matt has even volunteered in the classroom, teaching English lessons and “getting up on his sustainability soapbox,” inspiring students to live in harmony with their environment rather than exploiting it for short-term gain.

Despite how far they’ve come with the project, they still cringe at the word developer. “I don’t want anybody to call us that,” snaps Matt. “We’re just two kids with an idea that took root. We’re not rape-and-pillage real estate companies; we have to sleep at night.”

“When people meet us,” Erica interrupts, “they’re not expecting two young punks, so it’s hard for people to take us seriously.” She playfully rocks back and forth on her ledge. “We’re not overly serious ourselves. . .we had the right people at the right time and have just been brutally honest and completely transparent with our clients.”

I have to ask: “Has all this been hard on your relationship?”

They give each other a knowing grin. Matt carefully proceeds. “Well, we actually met… in an ecosystem management class, and here we are, managing our ecosystem together. But, as with all human beings, when you spend 24 hours a day together, when you play, work, and love together, it gets stressful.”

Erica nods. “There’s just no time for us. It’s all about the project, and there’s always someone in your face and in your place. We don’t want this to be a Matt and Erica show forever, but right now it is.

When we don’t have so many people dependent on us, we can finally get down to the coast and surf together, which is actually the reason we came to Costa Rica in the first place!”

“But at this point,” Matt continues, “after overcoming so many difficulties, we have no doubt that Bellavista will succeed.” As he trails off, he makes sincere eye contact with me, and for that moment I’m convinced.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

To read more about Finca Bellavista, check out this article on MatadorChange. To learn about organizations in Costa Rica in need of volunteers, visit Matador’s member organizations here.

Photo by la_cola_de_mi_perro Feature by hiro008

1. There are plenty of English teaching jobs and internships.

Chile is a great place to work, especially in Santiago where there are numerous English teaching opportunities. Though many adventurers have signed up with an institute before arriving, there are plenty of opportunities to snag teaching positions once you get settled.

A few of the more well-known institutes in Santiago to consider include Norteamericano, Fischer, and BridgeLinguatec.

There are also writing and photography internships available through the English online newspaper, Santiago Times, and its sister paper, Revolver.

2. There are plenty of Chileans and gringos.

The Chileans I’ve met have welcomed me and befriended me quickly, in spite of my inability to understand them or communicate with them very well. They have extended incredible courtesies that I can only hope to repay when they come to visit me.

Photo by Diego.78

On the other hand, everyone needs a little familiarity in a foreign country, and that’s what your ex-pat gringo friends are for. They are the lifelines when Chile becomes a frustrating and intricate labyrinth of cultural cues you don’t understand. Plus, you occasionally need someone who can sing the theme song to the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” with you.

3. It’s fun learning Espanol-po.

Chilean Spanish takes a keen ear and the patience of Buddha to master. It is filled with modismos, or slang, an accent that lops off the ends of s’s and d’s, and a new way to pronounce the “you” form.

In spite of the challenges, it can delight you when you least expect it. For example, the word for boyfriend is pololo, which means a type of small fly that buzzes around your face. What a word!

4. Chile has diverse terrain to explore.

Photo by hiro008

Why visit a bunch of different countries when you can see everything in one? Chile’s got it all. Visit the Atacama Desert, ski the Andes (the longest mountain range in the world), surf the Pacific Ocean, walk the forests around the Lake District, catch a glimpse of a glacier in Patagonia, or climb volcanoes and paddle world-class rivers in Pucon.

Photo by hiro008

5. Chile’s hot…and cold.

The Andes run down the eastern side of Chile and are home of some of the best skiing in the world. From Santiago, you can take a weekend trip to Portillo, the practice site for many professional skiers.

Two hours outside of Santiago to the west are beaches. There are some of the biggest, most uncrowded points for surfing on the whole Pacific coast, as well as chill beach towns.

6. Santiago’s art and culture.

Photo by Claudio.Núñez

Not only does Chile’s capital have an incredible set of museums like Bellas Artes and the Pre-Columbian, it has a vibrant street art scene withnew murals and graffiti as well as events like those put on by Mamut Collective Theater. I highly recommend their Teatro de Gorilas, an improv show much like Whose Line is it Anyway?

7. Who can resist an Independence Day celebration that lasts a week?

Photo by >Voj>

Chileans celebrate September 18, their independence day, by staging a week of fondas (street fairs), where you can play games, eat lots of food, and watch the cueca, Chile’s national dance.

After the fonda, you will most likely head to someone’s house for a fiesta that lasts until the sun rises. Then, you’ll go home to sleep it off and get up to start it all over again.

8. Chile has a stable economy and government.

Chile’s stable economy and government make it a good choice for solo travelers, especially women looking to move to a South American country on their own. Certainly, there are dangerous areas of any country, and Chile is no exception, but a gal on her own can get along very safely here.

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9. Ice Cream.

Places like Emporio la Rosa and Bravissimo can become a favorite corner of the world for the foreigner in Santiago. With flavors like nueces (walnuts), miel (honey) and manjar, you won’t want to return home.

10. For all the familiar, Chile still feels foreign.

For all its safety, Chile is still a foreign country. From having to throw your toilet paper into the trashcan by the toilet to the water heater that must be lit every day to take a shower to the stray dogs wandering the streets, Chile is nothing like home. And that makes it all worth the adventure.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Headed to Chile? Read up on the country’s 8 Natural Wonders, or check out this guide to Trekking Torres del Paine.

Feature photo and photo above courtesy of Where There Be Dragons.

Each summer, thousands of North American high-school students travel abroad with organizations that specialize in educational travel programs.

Many of these lucky students return home with increased self-confidence, a heightened understanding of global issues, fabulous photos for Facebook, and a college essay topic that will impress even the most ruthless Ivy League admissions officer.

Parents and students who decide to invest in an educational travel program should be applauded, but choosing the right program is a daunting and complicated task. Dozens of organizations specialize in youth travel, and among these organizations there are tremendous variations in travel style, educational philosophy, and overall quality.

When it comes to youth travel programs, making the right choice requires extensive research and careful consideration. The following questions will help you make sense of your options.

1. What Risk-Management Policies Are in Place?

Every student travel company will tell you participant safety is their number one priority, but you should ask about their specific risk-management policies. At a minimum, trip instructors should be certified Wilderness First Responders, have extensive in-country experience, and be backed up by a qualified emergency services provider.

Student behavior is a greater risk than riots, floods, or bacteria. Does the program tacitly allow students to drink alcohol? Are students allowed to ride motor-bikes or hook-up with each other?

The travel company will probably insist that students are not allowed to engage in risky behavior, but ask former participants how strict their leaders were and you might get a more honest response.

Finally, it’s important to recognize that travel in developed countries like France or Argentina is not necessarily any less dangerous than travel in poor countries like Cambodia or Bolivia.

A qualified and experienced instructor team operating under carefully prepared risk management policies is the best line of defense against accident, injury, and illness.

Photo courtesy of Where There Be Dragons.

2. How Many Students Are in a Group?

Small is beautiful. A travel group of 10-12 students is an ideal size, but 16 is too many and anything above 20 will guarantee a lack of instructor supervision and a cookie-cutter experience.

Ask if student groups will ever be combined. Some youth travel companies operate in-country base camps where several groups of students live at the same time. This is not an ideal scenario because it resembles summer camp – students will spend their time frantically forming cliques and be less likely to immerse themselves in the local culture or learn something new.

3. What Is The Instructor / Student Ratio?

Just as important as small group size is a low instructor to student ratio. One instructor for every four students is solid, one for every six is risky and one for every 10 is dangerous and irresponsible.

A low student-instructor ratio helps instructors keep close tabs on student health and behavior while giving students lots of individual attention. If only two instructors are trying to keep track of 20 students, they will not be able to do anything more than take attendance and make sure students are on the tour bus every morning.

Likewise, if an instructor gets sick, or needs to leave the group in order to escort a student to a hospital, it’s important to have at least two instructors who can stay behind and keep the group safe.

4. What Are the Instructors’ Qualifications?

Beyond basic qualifications like first aid training, ask if instructors are professional educators or just glorified baby-sitters.

How old is the average instructor? Many organizations hire recent college graduates or even current college students, which is asking for trouble.

How much in-country experience do the instructors have? Some organizations hire instructors who have never been to the country where the group will travel.

Finally, are the instructors even called instructors, or are they ‘guides’ or ‘counselors’? A guide leads a tour group and a counselor works at summer camp. If you’re looking for a genuinely educational travel experience, examine the credentials of the instructors with great care.

Photo courtesy of Where There Be Dragons.

5. What Is the Organization’s Philosophy of Travel?

Philosophy of travel is a difficult concept to quantify, but it can make all the difference between a fun but forgettable vacation and a profoundly memorable learning experience.

How touristy is the program? Will the group be traveling on tour buses, visiting famous attractions and consuming pre-packaged experiences, or will they get off the beaten path, interact with local people and enjoy a uniquely memorable learning adventure?

A good traveler should be humble, appreciative, curious, and respectful of local customs. If the organization is promoting a whirlwind tour or spring break style party trip, stay well away.

6. What Is the Main Focus of the Program?

Some programs are focused on service projects, some on language studies, and others on niche activities like sailing or wildlife conservation.

This works out well when students’ interests and goals match the specific focus of the program, but other students might want a more comprehensive experience.

7. Will Students Interact With Local People?

When a dozen teenagers are thrown into a situation together, they sometimes find it difficult to pay attention to anything but the social dynamics of the group.

Since genuine interaction with local people is such a valuable element of travel, find out how students are encouraged to meet the locals.

Will there be home-stays? Are students given solo time? Does the program emphasize culturally appropriate behavior and give students the practical skills they need to communicate?

8. What Costs Are NOT Included in the Tuition?

Youth travel programs aren’t cheap, and it’s important to know exactly what you get for your money. Most companies list a tuition price that does not include international airfare.

Other costs that might not be covered include student visas, travel insurance, airport taxes, and money for personal items and souvenirs.

Photo by -Gep-.

9. How Many Swimsuit Photos Are in the Catalog?

Finally, allow me to introduce The Swimsuit Test – my favorite metric for determining the quality of a youth travel program.

The Swimsuit Test is simple. Look through the program catalog and count the photos of attractive students who are either shirtless or wearing swimsuits. The more swimsuit photos, the less respectable the company.

Why is The Swimsuit Test a good barometer of quality?

Youth travel companies know that photos of cute boys and girls having fun in swimsuits will attract teenage interest. Beyond the moral issue of using scantily clad teenagers for marketing purposes lie questions of cultural respect and educational priorities.

In many countries, showing so much skin is culturally inappropriate behavior. The very scenes that companies use to market their trips will alienate the local people and separate the students from the genuine culture they are ostensibly there to experience.

Moreover, while hanging out on the beach might look like fun, it’s not an activity students need to travel across the world to enjoy.

Find a program that focuses on challenging students to do more than just have fun at the beach. Travel is too valuable an opportunity to waste.

Support Youth Travel Programs

The Matador Network is proud to sponsor a student on a youth travel program with Where There Be Dragons, a highly regarded youth travel company. To help, please make a donation to The Matador Fund.

Wondering if youth travel programs are worth the investment? Read Tim Patterson’s recent essay “Youth Travel Programs Are Vital To Our Security.”

Compare Youth Travel Programs

Here is a list of companies that specialize in youth travel programs. If you notice an omission, feel free to add a link in the comment section.

360 Student Travel

Abbey Road Overseas Programs

Action Quest

Adventure Cross Country

Al Campo

Amigos de las Americas

Broadreach

Center for Cross-Cultural Study

China Prep

CIEE

Deer Hill Expeditions

EF International Schools

Experiment in International Living

Green Across the Pacific

Glimpses of China

Global Leadership Adventures

Longacre Expeditions

NOLS

Projects Abroad

Putney Student Travel

Rustic Pathways

SAGE

Sail Caribbean

Sea Trek

Students in Brazil

The Road Less Traveled

Travel for Teens

Triskallian Tours

Visions

Walking Tree

Where There Be Dragons

For more information and resources, check out this high school study abroad page at Transitions Abroad, which is loaded with quality articles and advice.

Photo by jiazi

Studying abroad in Hong Kong taught me that our assumptions about foreign cities are usually wrong — and that they can be changed by spending time letting the city change you.

Deciding to study somewhere you never imagined visiting, let alone living, is the beginning of an adventure. Here are seven reasons why I recommend studying abroad in Hong Kong:

Photo by tallkev

1. It’s not what it seems.

The typical image of Hong Kong is one of endless skyscrapers and fast paced madness. Guidebooks focus on shopping malls and high class restaurants. But this is only a small part of the picture.

As a resident, it’s possible to explore the other side – backstreets full of charismatic and grimy noodle shops and smoky Daoist temples. The ordinary side of Hong Kong is far more interesting.

2. When else can you afford to live there?

It’s hard to afford housing in Hong Kong unless you’re working a high paying job. Even backpacker hostels are more expensive that those in nearby Asian countries. But here’s a secret: Many of the university’s student halls are extremely cheap, providing accommodation in prime real estate locations.

3. Hong Kong has some of the best food in the world.

It’s worth leaving home just to explore the wonderful world of Cantonese cuisine.

Photo by tiltti

Cheap yet quality food and the abundant free time of a student’s schedule is a delicious combination – the perfect opportunity to spend a good portion of your week in the boggling number of dim sum restaurants!

4. Hong Kong has plenty of outdoor adventures.

Believe it or not, 70% of Hong Kong is actually covered by national parks. Public transport provides easy access to spectacular spots for hiking, cycling, and rock climbing. Travel outside the city to get a glimpse of more traditional lifestyles, eat some freshly caught fish, and join an army of old ladies for Tai Chi.

5. Hong Kong’s the gateway to mainland China.

China is just a short train ride away; from there, the options are immense.

6. Learn Mandarin or improve your English.

While Cantonese is the local language, there are many opportunities to learn Mandarin. Meanwhile, the other official language of Hong Kong is English, making it a convenient destination for many international students.

Photo by *Solar ikon*

7. Hong Kong students know how to have fun.

Whether it’s karaoke, hiking, or just hours spent at a hot-pot restaurant with friends, you are sure to be whisked away to some mystery adventure at any hour of the day or night by a hospitable classmate. Just accept all invitations and you’re sure to have a good, if not slightly bizarre, time.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Thinking of studying abroad in China, whether in Hong Kong or on the mainland? Check out David DeFranza’s detailed guide, Where in China Should I Study Abroad?

Photo by joguldi

1. View any trip as a research trip.

You don’t need a grant to go on a research trip. Approaching your next destination with an academic goal will help keep your mind sharp and active throughout the journey and bring purpose to your decision making.

Recording people’s stories, researching and then hunting out architectural styles, or photographing and geotagging a suburb’s graffiti can be educationally rewarding and enjoyable.

2. Visit libraries, galleries, religious centres, and museums.

At some point, normally quite early in our travel careers, we spend hours trailing from art gallery to museum, pretending we know what we’re talking about. At our third cathedral, we mutter something about Gothic arches and Romanticism.

As time goes on, we become increasingly jaded and start avoiding anything that might once have been considered for inclusion in a guidebook.

Move beyond the banal by choosing an area of knowledge and focusing on it. Keep a notebook or file on your topic and start gathering background information and reading about it. Eventually, you’ll find questions that interest you and be able to do first-hand research to develop your knowledge and your own thesis.

3. Conduct online research.

It can be difficult to locate and sift through specialist information online. Tools such as Project Gutenberg opens up the world of public domain research.

If you’re working from Internet cafes, write key points, arguments and quotes into your notebook for constant access. Clip and sort useful source material using an online notebook and consider printing relevant information to digest and annotate on your next flight or train trip.

4. Talk with locals.

Be intentional: Why are you going to talk to locals? Recording everyday stories, discovering quiet cafes, or gleaning first-hand historical accounts are all good reasons to interview the people you meet.

If you intend to publish your findings in any way, consider creating a simple release form which states that the person knows they are being interviewed, allows publication and will not seek any future compensation for their involvement in the project. This isn’t currently necessary in most countries, but you never know how law is going to evolve.

Photo by Peter Gene

5. Tune into a podcast.

Now that educational institutions are competing in the new media market, literally thousands of lectures from illustrious universities are available for free download.

The best directory of these is iTunes U, a category within the iTunes store (free download for Mac and PC).

Podcasts are often available from university websites, too, although it may take some digging to find and download them.

Two of my favourite general knowledge podcasts are BBC Radio Four’s In Our Time with Melvin Bragg and Stephen Fry’s Podgrams. These are highly anticipated downloads and never fail to provide insight and interest.

6. Arrange some meet-ups.

Meet-ups are a fun and casual way to explore areas of mutual interest with complete strangers who may soon become friends. Think of it as an intentional group.

Meet-ups are easy to find and to start. One website facilitating these local movements is Meetup. Choose your location and area of interest to get started. If meetings are happening in your area, you can see the attendees, time, and place and, if you wish, register to announce your own participation.

7. Volunteer.

You may think that volunteering, also referred to as voluntourism, is more about doing than learning.

Within hours of work, however, there are many lessons to be collected that support or detract from your working thesis.

Volunteering can also be a practical way to spend your university holidays, especially if budding indies can make their way onto an archaeological dig team in China or future Jane Goodalls spend time in environmental care teams around the world.

There are many practical skills to be learned, too: from avoiding uncomfortable situations with a colleague to plumbing a house. There are many voluntary opportunities to investigate through Matador Change.

Photo by pedestrianREX

8. Take a language course.

Many travellers dream of learning or perfecting a foreign language, and there is a large and competent industry available to help us. Immersion language courses, textbooks, CD’s, podcasts and specialised software exist, as do private tutors and informal meet-ups.

As a language education professional, I must report my preference for immersion study guided by a qualified teacher as a highly successful learning model.

9. Do distance study.

All our efforts are fruitful and meaningful for us but they might not hold that much water with a future professor or employer. Perhaps you don’t feel you’re getting enough out of your research or you’d prefer a more guided approach.

You may be able to formalise your study by working towards a diploma or degree with a local college’s distance learning programme. By completing quizzes online and filing your essays by e-mail or a proprietary submission programme, you’ll be able to earn points as you travel.

10. Enroll in the Open University.

Highly recognised English-language distance courses are run by the Open University. With well-ranked research facilities, this is a premier choice for formal correspondence study.

For undergraduate students, the Open University provides qualifications which can often be cross-credited into many traditional courses. If you already have a degree, the Open University offers teaching and coursework-based post-graduate courses which might, with appropriate sponsorship, be a fruitful path for the traveling scholar.

Whichever path you choose to follow, from reading about art history before entering the Louvre to digging for dinosaur bones in the Chinese countryside, we wish you all the best with your DIY attempts to keep studying while traveling.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

For more on self-directed learning on the road, check out How To Take a Foreign History Crash Course in 5 Easy Steps, 5 Reasons Dating Abroad is the Best Way to Learn a Language, or 5 Tips for Better Sessions with a Language Exchange Partner.

Feature photo by ricardo.martins. Photo above by Patrick_coe.

Wilderness

Chile is home to some of the longest stretches of pristine wilderness anywhere in the world. From the Atacama desert to the rivers of Patagonia, the massive glaciers of Tierra del Fuego to the long Pacific coastline, Chile is full of natural wonders that make for world-class outdoor adventuring.

Photo: magical-world (Flickr creative commons)

Amazing people

In your attempts to master Spanish, you will meet many friendly Chileans who will encourage you and help you learn the best (and worst) words in Chilean Spanish.

Even better, once you finish your stint in Chile, you can head to any other Spanish-speaking country with surprising results—they’ll be easy to understand!

Photo by P_R_.

You’ll learn a lot of swear words right away.

Chileans pepper their speech with colorful phrases and plenty of swear words. Anyone under the age of 35 adds huevon or huevona to the end of almost every sentence. Huevon is the Chilean equivalent of dude, but literally derives from huevos, the word for testicles.

Slang.

Chileans use a shortened form of the word pues– “po”– to add emphasis to certain words. The most common are: si po,obviopo, and no po.

Destinations

Community Connection to Chile

Much like po, cachai and other forms of “cachar” (to get or to understand) find their way into most conversations with Chileans.

It is the English version of “You know?”

If a Chilean is explaining something to you, you will eventually hear “Cachai?”

Often, a rhetorical “You know what I mean?” and a nod of the head (if you do know what the person means) is enough to keep the conversation going.

When you adopt po and cachai into your vocabulary, you are officially on your way to speaking Chilean Spanish.

You’ll learn to mumble like the locals.

Chileans are notorious for speaking fast. Chilean Spanish is also marked by a lack of clarity of speech. The “s” is hardly ever pronounced; the “d” in nouns and adjectives (like estado and complicado) are skipped, making the endings sound like “ao” instead of “ado.”

Plus, the entire tu form is pronounced differently than you learned in high school Spanish class. Como estas? becomes Como estai? and Que quieres? (What do you want?) becomes Que queri?

You’ll learn Mapuche words.

The Mapuche were indigenous people living in Chile before the Spanish arrived. As the two cultures mixed, the Spanish adopted many Mapuchan words: cahuín (gossip or party), guata (belly), and malón (potluck).

These are words won’t be taught in a university Spanish class—it’s only when you come to Chile that you are exposed to them.

You’ll learn about your own culture and language through Chilean Spanish.

Learning Chilean Spanish (and trying to translate English into Spanish in your head) will help you gain a new perspective on your own culture and language. Chilean Spanish has made me realize just how many American English phrases make absolutely no sense.

Try translating and explaining “Junk in your trunk” or “You’re the bomb.” Even phrases like “No way!” or “Sweet!” do not have direct translations. Certainly, there are similar phrases in Spanish…it’s just a matter of discovering them.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION:

Planning to learn some Spanish? Check out the Top 10 Spanish Schools for Waves, Wilderness and Buena Onda!

Or, check in with some Matador members who are currently tackling the language: read How’s My Spanish? by member jgbrandt, or “Perdon, habla poquito castellano” by member laurenkearns.

Photo by peiqianlong

But this–my third year of teaching in China spread across three different cities–has taught me how to make some extra yuan and have some unexpected fun while teaching English.

My biggest hurdle to maneuvering while moonlighting was knowing what to avoid. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Don’t underestimate relationships.

Guanxi, or relationships–all-important in Chinese culture–held the key to every extra job I got. One Chinese friend laughed, “Westerners end with a contract. We start with a contract, then throw it away.”

A Chinese co-teacher who needed my help editing her Master’s thesis didn’t have time to teach kids in downtown Xian. (My editing was a freebie, but she took me biking around Xian’s ancient wall and her boyfriend accessed some English movies, both priceless gifts.)

She took me to Perfect English School’s owner, and I soon had an interesting weekend job for a semester. They paid me well and lavished me with roses!

In 2006, I biked past an attractive kindergarten gate as the headmistress walked out. We exchanged cards and began e-mailing. As we corresponded, she began adding, “Your friend” and “Miss you.” Two years later, she asked me to tutor her bright daughter.

I agreed out of friendship, not sure she would pay me beyond an occasional, customary Chinese dinner out. To my surprise, she paid monthly and became my highest-paying client.

Photo by peiqianlong

2. Don’t reject surprises.

On the commute to my first day at university, I met a fellow teacher who insisted I teach for her. I told her I should ask my English department; she said, “Shhh” and “It will be OK.” I later learned that she was moonlighting at my school three mornings a week, though she was the head of English in her school.

I visited her university class, was immediately introduced as their laoshi, and was handed a tourism text. I thought, “Oh well…” and launched into a pronunciation lesson.

Over two semesters, the classroom monitor, a stellar student and wonderful helper, facilitated great PowerPoint presentations that prepared me for travel to Guilin, Dali, the Great Wall, Harbin, Hainan and the Terra Cotta Warriors, and the Yangtze River.

3. Don’t ask, don’t tell.

My boss, head of a college foreign language office, charged me with a challenging assignment: a professional woman representing a Third World health organization needed help writing and speaking. I confronted him, “What about my contract that says I will not work outside the college?”

He answered softly, “It is a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. You may negotiate your own fee with her.”

We not only spruced up her presentations for India and Mexico; she introduced me to dog meat hot pot, an experience I wouldn’t have entrusted to many Chinese friends.

Photo by A. www.viajar24h.com

4. Don’t make quick judgments.

A French neighbor and his Chinese wife invited me for an evening’s chat. I met Tom, who wanted to study English before going to an Australian university. He “knew 3,000 English words, but couldn’t use them” and thought my tutorial price too high.

We talked as he walked me home. I learned that he didn’t own a car (unusual for a governmental official), was quite concerned about the environment, and seemed genuinely sorry he couldn’t afford tutoring.

Six phone calls and three meetings later, he brought several friends who studied two hours daily in my home for three weeks. We met early afternoons, during the time when most of China sleeps.

They paid me “whether they came or not, because a promise is a promise,” something I hadn’t often experienced while tutoring in the United States. I found them as excited as small children about a Christmas gift exchange, our sole half-hour departure from debates and formal writing exercises.

Staying open to surprises, cultivating relationships, and keeping mum when tempted to make quick judgments added a new dimension to my experiences teaching English in China. I learned to state flexible limits clearly up front, value friendship over business negotiations, and expect the unexpected.

Photo by bfick

A Few More Moonlighting Tips for Expat Teachers and Tutors Working in China

• You represent your country as well as all foreigners in the eyes of the Chinese. Plan lessons well. Take cues from what students want to learn, review often, and respond promptly. Tie a practical, doable assignment to each lesson, and check at the next meeting to acknowledge how it was done.
• Decide on a price-per-hour comfortable for you. Also, decide how flexible you will be in negotiations ahead of time. Ask the going rate in your city and be realistic, basing your fee on your educational level and teaching skills. Chinese usually pay only for face-to-face hours, not for travel or preparation time.
• If you must cancel, do so well in advance and get feedback about the new meeting time and place to avoid misunderstandings.
• Avoid over-extending yourself by spacing between tutoring or moonlighting classes and your contract job. If word gets around that you are a great teacher, you may have to turn down some jobs for health and sanity’s sake!
• Above all, have fun and celebrate your students’ successes.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Want to try a little language-learning role reversal? Give How to Learn Chinese: Student Versus Teacher a read, and for more on the TESL experience, check out the 8 Hidden Benefits of Teaching English Abroad.