Traveling abroad before med school?

[tesla123]

Hey, I wanted some suggestions on traveling abroad this summer before med school. I have never been out of the country and was interested in what everyone else has done/might be considering. Let me know your thoughts.

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[Blue Scrub]

Same with me I guess...Im hope to go to Europe this summer...want to stay for about 3 weeks, try to visit France, Italy, and Spain, maybe Amsterdam as well...still have a lot to do but Im excited about the prospect of going abroad...anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[neoncandle]

I studied abroad in Spain and you can live/travel around the country rather cheaply for a long time.

 

[relema]

I traveled to Europe right after i graduated undergrad last may . I went to england , france and Italy. If you have the time and the money , do it, it will one of the best trips of your life and the memories will be great.

 

[PineappleGirl]

Hey,
I took a semester off my senior year (Spring 02) to go to France. Paris is awesome, but it is pricey to stay there. You can get a decent room at a hostel for about $20-25 a night if you share with a bunch of other people. I was there with a friend for part of the time but later stayed with a bunch of random German girls. I was tired from all the walking/sightseeing/jetlag that I didn't really care. If you really just want to hang out and have a nice relaxing vacation in France for cheap though, I highly recommend Provence. I hung out for some time in Arles and Nimes. There's some awesome Roman ruins, including the famous Pont du Gard. Great food too. And it's cheap! My friend and I got a decent hotel room in the center of Arles for $30 a night, $15 for each of us!!! It's not like Paris where there is so much to do, but it's super relaxing and you really get a feel for French culture since it's not infested with tourists.

 

[lightnk102]

I have a personal preference for developing countries (or anywhere where the exchange rate in my favor). It's a bit more cost effetive and lighter on your student-wallet, and you're also exposed to a different culture. I went to South Africa last fall (very cheap. $10-12 per night at a hostel that has a pool in the back and a bar attached to it. ~$20 for a single room). What's nice about South Africa is that you meet a lot of Europeans traveling abroad (most people, like us, don't "travel" in their own country as much). My experience with Europe is that you tend to meet more Americans and a few Australians. I'm planning on heading to Central America this summer before matriculating as an MS1. I've also heard that Australia is very popular and has a great backpacking scene as well. Good luck deciding!

 

[redbeans]

I'm going to Europe in a month, but for any big trip like that you have to book pretty far in advance to get good plane tickets (I booked 4 months ago). Unless you are going to wait for a last minute airfare deal, the summer is the high tourist season so watch out.

 

[Floseph]

I'll be scuba diving in Belize for as long as possible before med school starts up, but for the people hitting Europe, don't forget about Italy! I went last spring for a couple weeks and it was incredible. Florence and Rome were absolutely amazing-ruins intermingled with modern buildings and roadways- art, culture, wonderful food and the most beautiful boys in the world! And if you want to lay low and chill for a while, Assisi is captivating and quaint. Just my two cents.

 

[KEH]

When you are in Europe and want to travel to other countries, consider flying Ryan Air (www.ryanair.com). Their tickets are cheap! However, you sometimes have to be creative when planing the trip because their airports are limited. But, the tickets are increadibly cheap, so if you don't end up using them, no loss! You might be a little frightened at how cheap they are - but believe me, I've flown them and lived! No food/drinks are served, and the seats are uncomfortable, but you get where you want to go and most flights are short b/c you are traveling w/in europe anyway.

 

[scrappysurfer]

i'm going to long course triathlon world champs (just for wee little age groupers like me) in denmark.

look around for internet specials and whatnot. you can get very cheap flights. the ryan air suggestion was a good one.

 

[Blue Scrub]

Would traveling via RyanAir be cheaper than getting the Europass thing and taking the train everywhere?

 

[KEH]

I think that really depends on how many countries you want to see. I never used Eurorail, so maybe someone else is best to answer that question. But, what I like about Ryan air is that it's so cheap, if your trip takes a different turn, nothings really lost. If you end up not using the Eurorail as much as you should, you have a lot to lose, I think they are pretty expensive. You'd probably have to have a good idea of wher you want to go first in order to decide which route to take between the two choices.

 

[virilep]

I traveled to Europe right after i graduated undergrad last may . I went to england , france and Italy. If you have the time and the money , do it, it will one of the best trips of your life and the memories will be great.

hey, you don't happen to have any itineraries or stuff? I'm trying to figure out stuff for i now and planning how many days I need at each place. I already bought the tickets from june 1st-july 4th. holla!

 

[cpb80]

I am going to Spain for 7 wks, living w/ a family, studying Spanish- I have always felt that being able to communicate effectively with the huge Spanish speaking population (many of our future patients) would be invaluable. In retrospect, I should have enrolled in a Latin American program as I could have done some more humanitarian activities, pero de todas maneras, learning Spanish will pay dividends in and of itself. Feel free to shoot me any questions. Best of luck to all. Suerte

 

[salfrankador]

I am planning on doing a little traveling before med school too.

Right now I plan on hitting up mostlly eastern Europe: Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Prague...that area. maybe starting up north and heading south, ending up in either italy or greece. Perhaps vice versa.

anyone have experience with this sort of itinerary?

how bout good flight deals?

I'd like to see what other people's anticipated itineraries are..

I am definitely psyched for this trip. I am going solo, probably meeting up with some other people I know that will be in the area here and there, but wandering around on my own for the most part. Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[lorelei]

My boyfriend and I are talking about doing this. We probably won't have a ton of time (we both work full-time, and I don't want to give up a month's worth of income) but are thinking of going for a week or two. I think we'll stay away from Western Europe because the exchange rate isn't great these days, and I want to keep costs down.

We've considered Eastern Europe (Prague probably), Turkey, and South America. I'd love to go to Thailand (again - I went once) but it'll be the rainy season, and that kind of sucks.

 

[Assistant]

I am going to Spain for 7 wks, living w/ a family, studying Spanish- I have always felt that being able to communicate effectively with the huge Spanish speaking population (many of our future patients) would be invaluable. In retrospect, I should have enrolled in a Latin American program as I could have done some more humanitarian activities, pero de todas maneras, learning Spanish will pay dividends in and of itself. Feel free to shoot me any questions. Best of luck to all. Suerte

Who or what agency are you doing this through?

 

[rdavid]

Thailand for the month of june with 4 days in hong kong on the way there. Rainy season starts in July. Extremely cheap and easy to backpack around the entire country.

 

[bluegrass_druid]

Thailand for the month of june with 4 days in hong kong on the way there. Rainy season starts in July. Extremely cheap and easy to backpack around the entire country.

I've been during the rainy season. It rains a lot, but it really isn't too bad, and you get all of the sweet spots to yourself! Seriously, you'll get stretches of good weather with a brief rainstorm every day. Thailand=more fun for the $ than anywhere on earth...it's almost like disneyland for adults.

 

[cammy1313]

I'm traveling to Egypt in July. Used to live in Spain. Used to live in Peru. Went back to Spain, Italy and France over Xmas. Possibly hitting up Costa Rica with lightnk over the summer as well.

Honestly, my suggestion is to go to South America if it's your first time leaving the country. Brazil, Peru, and Argentina, specifically. This is mostly because since the euro, Western Europe has become unbelievably expensive. And I personally favor the food from South America......although you can't beat the cheese in France. Point is, a more cost-effective yet incredibly beautiful and cultural vacation would best be achieved down south.

 

[beep]

i am going to mongolia with my cousin, then to bangkok for a few days. but for a first-time traveler, i recommend europe as a place that's interesting and a little easier to travel to. actually i think the best place i've ever been a tourist was istanbul, and it's not too rough as a travel experience. maybe turkey...

 

[ma-bas]

I have to agree with cammy and others who say go somewhere where the exchange rate is favorable. You will able to be comfortable on a decent budget, and won't feel like you have to skimp on anything. Also, it is a good time to go somewhere with fewer creature comforts while your young, and don't mind as much.

So my suggestions are: Turkey b/c it is inexpensive, beautiful, great food and a huge variety of things to see and do. Peru: I went to Peru not long ago and that was amazing, maybe a tie with Turkey in my mind. Non-euro currency European Countries. Croatia is a hot spot right now, although I don't know if they have adopted the Euro yet.

Cammy, have you been to Egypt yet? I went a few years ago in July and that was a bit of a shock. But I had an amazing trip. I have friends who returned recently and had a bit of a tough time, since tourism is down in Egypt they felt like they were hounded everywhere they went. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time anyway.

 

[rdavid]

The major disadvantage of Europe is the price. I looked into spending a month using a Europass. Yes you can get rooms in a hostel for $30, but you will still be paying a decent amount for food. Why stay in a hostel when you can stay in your own bungalow on a beach in the south pacific for $10-$15 a night and eat for $1-$2?

Other suggestions would be Costa Rica (it is very American friendly). Make sure you go to Corcovado Park while your there. Ecuador and the Galapagos are also a great trip (if you have the $ to spend on a tour of the Galapagos). I was in China in September. China was not an easy country to get around as a tourist and the country as a whole is not quite geared toward tourism yet.

 

[cpb80]

Who or what agency are you doing this through?

I'm going through a domestic company called Spanish Abroad, which sets you up w/ a school you wish to study at depending on your budget. The schools I'll be attending are International House- CLIC in Sevilla and then Don Quijote in Madrid. Both are reputable and seem to have a lot of former students who had a blast.

Maybe you're thinking "why not just go directly to the school and enroll without Spanish Abroad acting as a middle man?" Well, they offer a lot of sound advice for free, they're really laid back yet conscientous, and dealing w/ a domestic company made things easier. Here's a link, and no- I don't work for them...
http://www.spanishabroad.com/
Best

PS Thank you Cammy and to everyone else who offered me their advice when I was making my own plans- ciao

 

[Mistress S]

My bf and I are looking at spending 4-5 weeks this summer in Europe, probably around the france/italy/spain region. It is very expensive, just to fly there is >$1000 in the summer and the exchange rate is not favorable for us with the euro. We may consider another area if it turns out our money won't last long enough in europe. About ryanair: my bf works in a hostel and a bunch of people have reccomended this airline, I'm a little sketchy about them because the prices are unbelievably cheap (like, less than $20 for some flights! ). Are they for real, or are there hidden extra charges or some other downside? How are they able to offer flights that cheap and still make money?

 

[beanbean]

A must for anyone thinking of going abroad especially to unusual places is Lonely Planet

Their guidebooks are great and the forums on their site have great info. Much of the focus is on budget travel for people in their 20's and there are lots of posters doing gap year RTW travels.

In terms of where to go: Europe is quite insanely expensive right now with the Euro/dollar exchange rate. Ryanair (Irish) offers cheap flights as well as EasyJet (UK) and Happhe-Lloyd (German). Advance purchase tickets can be really cheap.
Get info on good tour agencies on LonelyPlanet Forums. Try to book stuff online with a reputable agency in the country you are going to. It iss much cheaper. Or just book individual things yourself - this is what I usually do.

Places I have been and recommend:

Iceland: Incredible landscapes and nature. Downside is expense.

Western Europe: Great cities, art, museums, and historic monuments. Hostels and Bed and Breakfast Inns are good alternatives to expensive hotels. Downside is expense and summer crowds.

Namibia/South Africa: Positively amazing! Great exchange rates make food and accomodation cheap. Great weather in our summer (their winter). Easy to drive yourself to National Parks. Downside: Cost to get there. Pre-travel vaccinations.

India: Incredible country! So much to see and do, you will never be bored. Exchange rate and economy make travel very inexpensive. Trains are cheap and Jet Airways (fly them not Indian Air) offers a ~$600 pass to fly around the country for 15 days. Downside: May be a bit much if it is your first time outside the US. Handwashing and food precautions are a must. Hep A, Typhoid and anti-malaria prophylaxis necessary.

Costa Rica: My in-laws are American expats living outside San Jose. Great country, friendly people, awesome wildlife/flora. Nice variety of places to see from mountains to beaches all within a short travel distance. Can be done on a budget. Downside: Summer is rainy season, but that usually only means there will be some afternoon showers.

Ecuador: Galapagos Islands. My favorite place in the whole world. Words can not describe it! If you love nature, this is your place! Book things yourself using the internet and agencies in Ecuador. You will pay 1/4 of what some US tours charge for the same trip. Smaller boats are better - Andando-Angermeyer cruises was great for us. Downside: Seasickness (take meds with you), cost can be high for cruises and airfare.

Malaysia: I have been to Malaysian Borneo, but not the main penninsula (except for Singapore). Orangs in the wild, great jungle safaris (huge bugs and mushrooms that glow in the dark), amazing food. Singapore is nearby and a cool city.
Downside: cost of getting there and summer is quite hot and muggy. Pre-travel vaccinations.

Taiwan and Hong Kong: Bustling cities (I have not been outside the main cities in Taiwan) with lots of lights and great food. Great contrasts between traditional and modern worlds. Downside: Cities can be expensive and a bit hectic. Cost can be an issue getting there.

 

[eena]

visit Child family Health International for opportunities
www.cfhi.org
they have programs in India, South America and Africa. You will shadow doctors and be able to do lots of hands on.
You can even learn Spanish because the program in Spanish speaking countries come with some 20 hours worth of medical spanish classroom learning.

Now if you are interested in pure travelling, I saw the other day this really cheap offer from Cathay Pacific. I cannot find the flyer, but the offer includes 21 days in Southeast Asia 19 countries for $1100 (student rate. the regular rate is $300 more). You create your own itinerary and extend your trip for additional charge. it is a really good deal. I would do it if I have the money and the time. I just did a two month long vacation early this year. Visit the cathay pacific website for more information.

 

[logos]

I'd like to do a trip to south america somewhere. Probably either Costa Rica or Guatamala. Although i'm not sure exactly how I should be going about setting it up. There are tons of schools, but it seems impossible to determine whethere any of them are reputable or not. I think i'm going to check out the study abroad office at school and see if they have anything that might work. Then I could just stay on an extra quarter and take their classes.

 

[Retroviral]

About Ryanair. They are really a legitimate operation, and a great way to travel. They keep fares so low by packing their aircraft with seats and flying to smaller, less popular airports that may be farther away from the city--similar to Southwest but in Europe.

 

[salfrankador]

thanks for those websites.. lonelyplanet is an awesome resource. and it looks like i will be using ryanair quite a bit when i get there. but first....

i am trying to buy my tickets right now, and i cant decide on where to fly in/out of. i am not sure if i should do a round trip ticket from the same airport, or arrive in one place and leave in another....

i am planning on hitting up areas more easterly of france and maybe italy or greece. round trip tickets arriving to and leaving from the same place are generally much cheaper, and it kind of leaves my options open for travel. this way i can go where/how i want and hten just have to make it back to the same area. but i would have to do it in some sort of circle to avoid seeing the same places

if i arrive say in greece and plan to travel northwards towards amsterdam, leaving from say, paris, then i would have to make from point A to point B in the alotted amount of time. plus that ticket is more expensive.

now, i am not the type to plan everything out on a schedule. i have a general idea of where i want to go, but not exactly how and when.

there has gotta be some people who have experienced, are going to, or want to... so i'd like to hear some opinions. what do you guys think the best way to plan this is? anyone know where the cheapest departure/arrival places are in europe when coming from the states??

much thanks

 

[masterMood]

how does one go to all these countries if english is an only language? Doesn't it make the experience less enjoyable or do you have translators/guides on the whole trip.

Beanbean, did you go with anybody else while travelling?

btw do you have any pics you can upload here?

 

[lightnk102]

Let's Go guidebooks are my preferred guidebook of choice. They're written by students who've traveled and give honest reviews about what is worth seeing (and what is just a boring little town with a church in it). Lonely Planet is a little inconsistent in their quality and thoroughness, and I've found them to be really outdated for certain countries (south africa comes to mind). They do have lovely color pages in their books. I guess it boils down to whether you care about the weight of the book (i prefer as light of a guidebook as possible). They may be great for Europe, but I suggest you take a look at a few different guidebooks before picking one.

One thing I do have to commend Lonely Planet for is their Thorntree boards that have been an invaluable resource. Think SDN, but instead of med school students talking, it's travellers.

 

[Dr Turninkoff]

My bf and I are looking at spending 4-5 weeks this summer in Europe, probably around the france/italy/spain region. It is very expensive, just to fly there is >$1000 in the summer and the exchange rate is not favorable for us with the euro. We may consider another area if it turns out our money won't last long enough in europe. About ryanair: my bf works in a hostel and a bunch of people have reccomended this airline, I'm a little sketchy about them because the prices are unbelievably cheap (like, less than $20 for some flights! ). Are they for real, or are there hidden extra charges or some other downside? How are they able to offer flights that cheap and still make money?

Careful with Ryanair. Many of their airports are in the middle of nowhere. I had to buy a last minute Lufthansa ticket to Rome from Frankfurt because the airport is like an hour outside of the city (plus the shuttle from the train station only comes every hour) and I couldn't make it in time after arriving in the actual city of Frankfurt. The tickets are cheap, but often you will have to pay a hefty premium to take a shuttle to that airport. (This is not indicated on their website, or at least it wasn't in 2003) When I called Ryanair from Frankfurt to try and get another flight, they were decidedly unhelpful and told me, "just go to the airport and ask the people there." Right. Also, I think think that they are known to cancel/change a lot of their flights, so just be extra careful. Make sure you know EXACTLY where all of the airports are and call a few days before your flights to confirm that they are still on.

 

[evajaclynn]

I've also heard that Australia is very popular and has a great backpacking scene as well.

I lived in Australia for about 5 1/2 months and it was an amazing experience. The backpacking scene is great and there is so, so much to see and do. I can recommend a ton of amazing places to go - Melbourne, Sydeny, Brisbane, Surfer's Paradise, Magnetic Island, Cairns, Airlie Beach, Cape Tribulation - and these are just places I actually made it to. You can also head to the Outback or check out the West coast, though much of the action seems to be on the east side. Can also easily check out New Zealand and Tasmania, or head up to Asia. It is very expensive to get to Australia, but once you're there, the exchange rate is in your favor (if you're trading USD) and it is totally set up for the backpacking experience!


BTW - As for myself, I'm headed to Europe this summer. Any suggestions on where to hit up in Greece and Germany? Advice would be greatly appreciated, as I'm trying to put together a tentative itinerary right now. Thanks!

 

[evajaclynn]

One thing I do have to commend Lonely Planet for is their Thorntree boards that have been an invaluable resource. Think SDN, but instead of med school students talking, it's travellers.

Thanks for the link - it looks great!

 

[Sparty Corn Fed]

Hey all, thought I would chime in with some plans I have made for the summer. We are heading to europe for one month, starting in Paris and ending in London. We're using eurail for the first 15 days going through Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and lastly Amsterdam. Flying from Amsterdam to Dublin where we are renting a car for a week and then flying from Dublin to London for a few days and then back to the states. Its going to be a bit pricey, but I think it'll definately be worth it. Airfare isn't horrible if you get it now. I got mine 550 into Paris and out of London with two 40 dollar flights in Europe. We are planning to stay in hostels mostly. Should be a good time. If anybody has any suggestions or questions...let me know.

corny

 

[virilep]

Hey all, thought I would chime in with some plans I have made for the summer. We are heading to europe for one month, starting in Paris and ending in London. We're using eurail for the first 15 days going through Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and lastly Amsterdam. Flying from Amsterdam to Dublin where we are renting a car for a week and then flying from Dublin to London for a few days and then back to the states. Its going to be a bit pricey, but I think it'll definately be worth it. Airfare isn't horrible if you get it now. I got mine 550 into Paris and out of London with two 40 dollar flights in Europe. We are planning to stay in hostels mostly. Should be a good time. If anybody has any suggestions or questions...let me know.

corny

sounds like my itinerary exactly. we were thinking about Dublin, but the eurostar thing was too pricey. but that's basically my itinerary awesome.

 

[neoncandle]

Anyone want to join my husband and I as we backpack through Central America this July?

 

[lightnk102]

Anyone want to join my husband and I as we backpack through Central America this July?

Haha. I ran into neoncandle on the thorntree boards as well.

 

[salfrankador]

Hey all, thought I would chime in with some plans I have made for the summer. We are heading to europe for one month, starting in Paris and ending in London. We're using eurail for the first 15 days going through Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and lastly Amsterdam. Flying from Amsterdam to Dublin where we are renting a car for a week and then flying from Dublin to London for a few days and then back to the states. Its going to be a bit pricey, but I think it'll definately be worth it. Airfare isn't horrible if you get it now. I got mine 550 into Paris and out of London with two 40 dollar flights in Europe. We are planning to stay in hostels mostly. Should be a good time. If anybody has any suggestions or questions...let me know.

corny

you found tickets for 550 both ways into Paris and out of London?!?!? could you please tell me where you got those fares, I can't seem to find anything chaeper than 800 at this time!!

 

[LT2]

Hi-

I thought i'd throw my two cents in, i went to europe last summer. I'd agree with the above poster, be wary of ryan air. yes, their tickets are cheap as dirt, but your transit to and from their airports (which tend to be in the middle of nowhere) might end up costing you as much as it would to fly into a more convienient airport. Also, they have weight restrictions on luggage, so prepare to pay if your bag weighs over 15 kg (i think this is what the weight limit was). The trains are great if you're going to be country hopping and you want to enjoy the scenery with the long rides, otherwise, plane tickets are often cheaper and will get you there faster.

I ventured to amsterdam, ibiza, germany and london last summer, so anyone wanting to know more about those places, please PM me! Briefly, amsterdam is amazing, there's a great, relatively cheap hotel i stayed in, i can give info for interested people... ibiza is crazy and fun, if you go, rent a car to hop around. germany is beautiful and the food is some of the best!

because of the exchange rates, europe tends to be expensive (ESPECIALLY LONDON!) but i thought it was well worth it. oh, a great tour book is rick steve's... we found this to be much more useful than lonely planet as far as finding food and the content regarding attractions.

sorry for the long post! safe and fun travels!

 

[BerlinNeuro]

Another Ryanair comment for those potential Europe travelers... I have personally taken Ryanair MANY times. It is very true you need to scope out where the airports are actually located, but it really depends where you fly, i.e. Frankfurt Hahn airport is quite deceiving in it's location. But it is very very cheap, and most of the time it's worth paying the post-airport travel to save bigtime on the airfare. For example, London Stansted is 45 min. from London city center but it's easy and not too expensive to take the train or bus into London, Berlin Schönefeld Airport is in Berlin and you can take the city transportation from the airport direct, etc.. But there are other discount airlines such as Easy Jet and Air Berlin that are similar in price and give you even more destinations to choose from. In my experience, trains are more expensive and take longer, but it depends where you're going.

I do suggest that if you come to Europe, get an ISIC card before you lose student status if you are still in school now. You can save on things like entrance fees and other tickets, not huge discounts, but those 1-3 euros off a pop add up.

One last suggestion...as much as I love western Europe, I'd recommend eastern Europe. Lots of really cool places and it's so much cheaper.

 

[uniteforsight]

Hi all,

If any of you are interested in doing clinical hands-on volunteering in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or Eastern Europe, you should consider Unite For Sight (www.uniteforsight.org), which is a nonprofit organization founded by a premed that sends hundreds of volunteer teams abroad.

Unite For Sight volunteers prescribe eyeglasses, screen for eye disease and coordinate and fund diagnosis, treatment, and surgery by doctors. Volunteers also implement Train the Trainer programs for teachers and educate children and adults about eye health and ways to prevent blindness.

All persons over the age of 18 are welcome to apply for these volunteer opportunities, including premedical students, medical students, public health professionals, doctors, corporate professionals, nurses, graduate students, retired professionals, and others.

This is the complete list of destinations

Summer 2005
Latin America

San Salvador, El Salvador:
May 2 - June 2
Jaque, Darien, Panama
July 15 - August 15
Danli, El Paraiso, Honduras
May 1 - August 30 (Flexible Dates Available for 1 Month or More)
Cuzco, Peru
May 15 - June 15
Siuna, Nicaragua
June 10 - July 25

China

Beijing and Shanxi, China:
July 7 - August 7

India

Orphanage at Andhra Pradesh:
July 1 - July 30
Punjab, India:
May 1 - May 30
Jaipur, India:
May 5 - June 5
Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India:
May 15 - June 15
Nagpur, Maharashtra State, India:
May 15 - June 1
Alwar, Rajasthan, India:
June 1 - June 30
Pradesh, India:
June 15 - June 30
New Delhi, India:
July 1 - July 30
Chennai, India:
July 5 - July 31
Kolkata, India:
July 1 - August 10
Hyderabad, India:
July 1 - July 30
Bihar India:
June 13 - June 23

Thailand

Lower north of Thailand
July 15 - August 1
Northeast region and Tsunami region of Thailand
June 15 - July 13
Northeast Foothills of Thailand
June 15 - July 13
Baan Unrak Orphanage and Dada's Boys Home, Thailand
May 25 - June 13

Africa

Abeka, Ghana
July 1 - August 15
Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana:
May 1 - August 30 (Flexible Dates for 4 weeks or more)
Ho, Ghana
June 10 - August 10
Hohoe, Ghana
May 20 - July 1
Kwawu, Ghana
July 1 - August 15
Patriensa Village in Asante Akim District, Ghana
July 1 - August 15
Tamale, Ghana
May 20 - July 1
Bibiani, Ghana
May 20 - July 15
Lome, Togo
June 1 - June 30
Dumasi, Malawi
June 1 - July 15
Abia State, Nigeria
August 7 - 21
Pobe, Benin
June 1 - July 15
Kenya
June 1 - July 30
Iganga Region, Uganda
June 2 - July 15
Jinja, Uganda
June 1 - July 30
Karatu, Tanzania
June 10 - June 30
Nyamuswa, Tanzania
July 1 - August 20
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
July 5 - August 15
Buea, Cameroon
August 1 - August 20
Refugee Camp at Brookfields Freetown, Sierra Leone
June 1 - December 1 (Flexible Dates for 4 weeks or more)
Copperbelt Province, Zambia
July 15 - August 15

Eastern Europe

Stepanavan and Tashir, Armenia:
June 15 - August 1

Fall 2005
Africa

Apam, Ghana:
September 20 - November 30
Abeka, Ghana
September 10 - November 10
Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana:
Flexible Dates for 1 Month or More Through Spring 2006
Sierra Leone Refugee Camp:
Flexible Dates for 1 Month or More Through Spring 2006
Tougue, Guinea
August 15 - October 15

 

[Suey]

I'm EXTREMELY interested in going backpacking in Europe, but I have no idea how much it will cost to see if I'd be able to afford it or not. So how much would you need total for 3 weeks, including airfare, stay, food, spending $, etc?

 

[smile82]

yeah Suey, i'm interested in doing the same thing for about a month or so...anyone have any sample itineries/cost info? and for those of you who did this, did you go alone? if so, did you meet people, were you lonely? i'm trying to drag a friend along but our schedules aren't working out and i'm not sure if i'm up for doing this alone.

 

[leechy]

I'm so impressed and envious of all you world travellers! I've thought about travelling this summer, but I just don't have the courage to venture to a new place alone, especially where another language is spoken. I worry about safety, having no one to help if something goes wrong, etc. I've actually never travelled anywhere alone. Plus I'm poor, and should probably be saving up my money for medical school tuition. How do you guys summon up the courage? I guess I'm just a wimp.

 

[virilep]

I'm so impressed and envious of all you world travellers! I've thought about travelling this summer, but I just don't have the courage to venture to a new place alone, especially where another language is spoken. I worry about safety, having no one to help if something goes wrong, etc. I've actually never travelled anywhere alone. Plus I'm poor, and should probably be saving up my money for medical school tuition. How do you guys summon up the courage? I guess I'm just a wimp.

hey all u interested people... i've been putting together my itinerary and stuff and I'm putting together this master excel sheet. when i get towards the end of it, i'll post it on my website.. the link is below on that proof thing.

 

[Marvin O'Connor]

I'm going with three friends to England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland in late May for 16 days. I was able to find great airfare ($554) into London and out of Dublin, but it is now up around the $800 range. At one point, the airfare was down to $514. This was after I bought though. Anyway, I plan on staying in London for a few days, then out into the country, and somehow ending up in Dublin for at least the last 3 days. Anyone with any suggestions, I would LOVE to hear them.

CITIES I PLAN TO VISIT:
London
Oxford
Stratford-upon-Avon
Cardiff
Liverpool
York
Edingburgh
Inverness
Glasgow
Belfast
Dublin

Again, anyone who has been over there give me some tips. Thanks!!!

 

[Suey]

Hey Marvin,

I studied in Ireland last summer and was in Dublin and Belfast. In Dublin, you should check out The Guiness Factory (Dubliners pride so much about Guiness since it's produced there). And if you're up for some fun and a lot of drinking, go on the pub crawl, that was one of my favorites in Dublin. You'll meet a lot of other tourists and the guides bring you guys pub hopping around Dublin. There's a lot more to do but those were the 2 that popped into my head, so if you need ideas, just PM me

I'm going with three friends to England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland in late May for 16 days. I was able to find great airfare ($554) into London and out of Dublin, but it is now up around the $800 range. At one point, the airfare was down to $514. This was after I bought though. Anyway, I plan on staying in London for a few days, then out into the country, and somehow ending up in Dublin for at least the last 3 days. Anyone with any suggestions, I would LOVE to hear them.

CITIES I PLAN TO VISIT:
London
Oxford
Stratford-upon-Avon
Cardiff
Liverpool
York
Edingburgh
Inverness
Glasgow
Belfast
Dublin

Again, anyone who has been over there give me some tips. Thanks!!!