studentsineurope

Palace of Westminster

Student Travelers are well advised to check with the US State Department for Current Travel Warnings and Alerts before leaving the country…. http://travel.state.gov/travel/
cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html

Changing currency online can help you save time and avoid high commissions that often greet you at airport and train station kiosks… http://www.ezforex.com/
And for up to the minute exchange news, check out http://www.xe.com/

Bad weather, traveling stand-by, or taking a red-eye and don’t want to pay for a hotel, find the best and worst airports for catching 40 winks: www.sleepinginairports.com This site is a blast… It basically gives airport reviews for people who are planning on saving money here and there by sleeping in airports. A lot of it is just an outlet to complain about airports but I like it.

A little less unorthodox, sleeping on trains is a time saver and, with the right planning can even allow for a good night’s sleep: http://www.reidsguides.com/t_tr/t_tr_overnight.html

Traveling on a budget, you can’t beat hostels for low-cost accommodation and meeting a diverse group of people. Some good, some not, it’s important to do your homework and read the reviews. Many countries have youth hostelling associations. For example, YHAUK operates over 200 hostels across England and Wales (http://www.yha.org.uk) and is part of the international association: http://www.hihostels.com/

Another option is the local YMCA. Check out the World Alliance of YMCAs at http://www.ymca.int/

And for contemplative types, http://www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html
lists convents in Italy that offer guesthouses. The site Includes rates and information
while http://www.monasterystays.com/index.php allows booking, planning, etc. to stay at monasteries across Italy. Word on the street is that this is supposed to be a much cheaper option. however, I couldn’t find actual prices on the site. Something to note: when staying in any sort of Catholic guesthouse, there will be some rules about who can room together.

Maybe you’d like to stay for free… we like http://www.couchsurfing.com/, www.hospitalityclub.org and http://globalfreeloaders.com/. Make new friends, and, guys, be sure to put the seat down!

Looking to see the world AND leave a mark, many programs assist student travelers who’d like to explore a country and a culture while serving in a humanitarian capacity. Servas International (founded in 1948) is the original exchange network developed with the purpose of creating intercultural understanding. Check them out at http://joomla.servas.org/ (Note: there is a membership fee.) www.transitionsabroad.com offers a huge conglomeration of travel, work, and volunteer resources abroad. As does www.iagora.com which presents job opportunities, travel, study and housing resources. And STA Travel offers a variety of green vacations as well as opportunites to combine your vacation with a volunteering experience: http://www.statravel.com/cps/rde/xchg/us_division_web_live/hs.xsl/Green-Travel.htm

A newer venture, www.the7interchange.com puts volunteers in direct contact with host projects that need their help, while http://wwoof.org/ lists options to live for free while working on an organic farm in locales throughout Europe.