London: How to Avoid Breaking the Bank

By Kristen Kemp

While you’re thrilled to be able to live in the most amazing city on earth, what many students traveling to London for the first time don’t realize is just how expensive London is. You’re in one of the most visited international cities in the world, and given the dollar to pound conversion the past few years, you are pretty much paying double for anything and everything you buy in the UK. Below are a few tips & tricks to avoid overspending, and the feeling of “I can’t do that because it’s too expensive.” 
 
Grocery Stores/Markets
You’ll hear it a million times, but the absolute #1 way to save money in London is to eat in. In London's top 5 places to eat I touched on the best places to eat out. But, I also made myself a lot of good, inexpensive meals in. I would usually hit Morrison’s (2 minute walk from study center) and stock up on cheap cereal, milk, eggs, bread, the basics. Then I would visit Torrington Market (10 minute walk) every Thursday to stock up on fresh berries for cheap. One of my personal favorite “brunch” items I would make before a long day of class was a scrambled egg and cheese croissant. I bought my croissants day of at Pret, they were always fresh, and only a 3 minute walk away. Sainsbury’s is by far the cheapest supermarket in London, Morrison’s following in closely behind. The price of groceries compared to the price of a meal in London is substantially cheaper. Also, buying beer and cider at grocery stores will save you a lot of money instead of drinking at the pub. A liter of cider will cost you less than £4, versus a pint of the same thing at a pub for £5. 
 
Museums
They’re ALL free. All of the best museums in London have free admission, but usually have a suggested donation area when you first walk in. I can’t tell you how many times I visited The British Museum, The National Gallery and The Victoria & Albert Museum. It’s hard to believe you can actually sit and look at a Van Gogh painting every day, for as long as you’d like, for free. Even if you are not a big history nerd like me, remember that the museums in London are the absolute best in the world. People travel from all over Europe to visit London’s museum scene. FSU is very lucky to be able to be located only a 5 minute walk away from The British Museum, home of the Rosetta Stone and some of the most      incredible collections from Ancient Egypt and The Enlightenment era. 

Walking
A tube ride will cost you on average about £2.60, and riding the bus is slightly cheaper. However, the cheapest (and FREE) way to get around London is to walk. The main part of Central London is pretty much less than 6 miles in length, which seems like a lot, but really isn’t when you put it into perspective. By walking, you’re not only saving on average about $6 US dollars a day, but you’re also walking off the endless amounts of Fish and Chips! 

Punch Cards
Yes, the UK has them! If you’re going to be in London for more than 4 weeks I would definitely recommend getting as many punch cards as possible, especially for coffee lovers. A few places that offer them, Cafe Nero (many locations around London) and Nando’s. Don’t be afraid to ask a place if they offer a punch, or loyalty card. Eventually, your purchases will build up and you’ll get a few free meals or drinks. Don’t forget to utilize your International Student ID! Never be afraid to ask a place if they take a student discount, many do.
 
Bargaining 
No doubt, a Harrods shopping spree is an absolute must before you leave London, and you certainly can’t bargain there. However, for those cheesy big ben shirts and keychains, you can easily bargain with the clerks to save a few extra pounds. If you go to a big London gift store like Cool Britannia (in Piccadilly Circus) you won’t be able to bargain. But, if you come across the smaller, off the beaten path souvenir shops, usually you can get a good deal on shirts and other goods. Just talk to the clerk and ask if they can give you a better price on the items your buying, most of the time they will accommodate, and you’ve just saved yourself a few pounds. 

London's Top 5 Places to Eat

 By Kristen Kemp

You’re going to hear of lot of people advising you to “eat in” if you want to save money. While I agree that eating in is extremely cost efficient in the world’s most expensive city, I tried to eat out A LOT in London, and I’m so glad I did. 

It’s common knowledge that the English have never been necessarily known for their “world class cuisine.” However, London is very demographically diverse, which is reflected in the cuisines seen throughout the city. It is a common sight to see an authentic Indian restaurant right next-door to a 200 year old pub. Below, I have ranked a few of my absolute favorite places to eat around Central London (trying to hit a variety of palettes) all of which are less than a 20 minute walk from the FSU Study Center. 
 
#5 Scoop 
In the states, to satisfy the American sweet tooth we usually go for the classic pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. In London, locals head to Scoop…not for ice cream, but for gelato. My first trip (out of so many I lost count) to Scoop I got a small cup of Pistachio gelato and I was instantly hooked. After that my standard order became a triple scoop in a large cone, or nothing at all. Some of my favorite flavors were Nocciola (hazelnut), Tiramisu (with fresh Italian Mascarpone cheese), and of course, Pistachio. So make, one, two, three trips to Scoop. They have multiple locations around the city, but I loved the Scoop on 40 Short’s Garden the best. 


#4 The Sherlock Holmes 
No, unfortunately the real Sherlock Holmes never hung out here. However, the pub features a replica of Holme’s and Watson’s sitting room and study. If you’re looking for the perfect place to escape the London rain (what happened to us) and have a delicious, authentic fish and chips, this is your place. The Fish and Chips here are the best,  especially paired with a Kopparberg Cider. The Sherlock Holmes is located very close to the River Thames and Big Ben area. 




#3 Kiku Kiku Sushi 
This goes out to all my fellow sushi lovers. You will notice in London a lot of grab and go sushi joints, like Itsu (which has really good Miso soup), and Wasabi. These places aren’t bad, but if you want freshly made, top grade sushi, head to Kiku Kiku. I went there a few times, and usually got the Prawn Tempura & Avocado Roll and the Sake Avocado Maki (salmon avocado roll). Note, that they do sell sushi by the piece, but prices are reasonable. I loved Kiku also because of its close proximity. Head toward Shaftesbury Avenue and at the big intersection, go down Endell Street, it's 5 minutes down on the left, tucked away. 

#2 Nando’s 
Nando’s has a very big place in my heart, and on my travel debit card. It’s hard to compare Nando’s to anything we have in the states, because it truly is one of the only chains of its kind. Nando’s in three words would be fresh, zesty and saucy. With multiple locations around London, drop into Nando’s for a hot, seasoned to perfection meal. I usually got the wings with fries and peri peri salt. Don’t forget to go crazy with the Nando's sauces, they are all good. If you will be in London for more than 4 weeks I would recommend getting a loyalty card, it also makes a fun scrapbook souvenir. 



#1 VQ 24-Hour Restaurant

Sometimes the BEST places are the ones that are right out your door. In this case, I mean that literally. VQ is located on the same street as the study center, just take a right out the door and you’re there in 45 seconds. VQ became my favorite place to eat very quickly into my program. Their menu offers everything, from 24 hour delicious full english breakfasts to the most amazing Salmon I have ever had. It’s also one of the best places to grab a book or school work and go chill and have a meal. The waiters are very used to students and business professionals coming in and dining/working. The wait staff is extremely nice and inviting, and after about my 4th visit, eventually started noticing how much I liked their food. Right when you get to London, make VQ one of your first stops. 

 

 

What makes Valencia so Unique

By Parker Gordon

Before partaking in FSU’s study abroad program, I had no firsthand accounts of any European cities. I was so anxious to get off the plane and see for myself what architecture and atmosphere these places would consist of. Two months in Valencia provided me with all I needed to know to understand the uniqueness of the Valencian capital. Madrid and Barcelona are the two gems that people put on their lists of places to visit in Spain. However, they are melting pots of tourists and camera flashes that can sometimes overtake the extraordinary environment of the Spanish people, architecture, and culture.

The uniqueness of Valencia starts with an authentic environment of Spanish culture and everyday life. Siestas are a daily custom that will catch your eye as you walk through downtown Valencia in the afternoon. Cafes, shops, and other business close till the early evening. This displays the individuality of Spanish society compared to the United States and even other countries within the European Union. The absence of large tourists groups and commercialism throughout the city provides a perfect learning environment for students learning Spanish and studying abroad.

Valencia provides many flavors of culture that are unique to the city compared to other places. This city is littered with street art that you won’t find in bigger metropolises throughout Spain. The street art is a true expression of Spanish artwork and provides a positive essence for streetwalkers. Besides street art and authentic Spanish culture, Valencia contains a dried river-bed called Jardines de Turia. The river-bed is comprised of ponds, bridges, sculptures, sunbathers and talented street performers. There is also something to partake in this city without the hustle and bustle of vacationers overflowing the streets and sights.

Valencia is extremely unique and provides the perfect learning environment for FSU students. The uniqueness of FSU’s study center stands in the shadows of the Torres Del Serranos hugging the Jardines de Turia. There is no better location to fulfill your study abroad experience in all of Spain.

 

London: A Walk in My Shoes

By: Kristen Kemp

Sometimes it's hard to make a big city seem small. Depending on how you "see" London, this could be the case. Or, you find the places and spaces all throughout central London that makes one of the biggest and oldest cities in the world seem so small, intimate, and relaxing. But where do you start? It's simple: just start walking. 

I spent most of my school days off or weekends just going out in the city. Most of the time I would go exploring with a group of friends. But to be honest, some of my favorite days in London were those I spent walking around the city by myself, stopping in at shops or landmarks that interested me, taking my time, and taking it all in. One of my absolute favorite walks was from the FSU Study Center to Buckingham Palace. I had the turn by turn directions down by about my 5th week in London, no map required. Pass Tottenham Court Road, head toward Leicester Square, hang a right on Piccadilly and keep on going straight until you seen the beautiful Green Park on your left. On this walk, I would often stop into to Fortnum & Mason (Harrod's is amazing, but this department store gem is a must see). Fortnum & Mason is known for their world-class tea's and outstanding chocolates, the perfect gifts to bring home to your family. 

While cabs, and the tube and bus system are very time efficient, the BEST way to see this magnificent city is to just go outside and get walking. You will see things you wouldn't be able to see Underground (although I do love the Tube). When exploring, especially if alone, just be smart and avoid what Londoners call "dodgy," or sketchy, areas. When walking, open your eyes a little wider, listen a little harder, and take in the continuous fast pace and culture that is London.

Cell Phone Use when Studying Abroad

By Michelle Campbell

Image source: deemable.com

It’s hard to image a day without texting, calling, Instagramming or tweeting. Mobile phones have become a crucial part of everyday life. Students, especially, have fully embraced the mobile lifestyle. Based on research, there are three primary methods for using a mobile device while abroad: signing up for an international plan with a major U.S. carrier, purchasing a SIM card, or using Wi-Fi to communicate through mobile applications. These methods will help students stay connected during their study abroad adventure.

International Plans
Most major U.S. carriers, such as AT&T and T-Mobile, offer users an international plan they can use when traveling outside of the country. Most plans will work with the phone you currently own. Forbes.com has more information about international data plans along with comparisons between AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. 

SIM Cards 
Using a prepaid or international SIM card tends to be more cost effective than using an international plan through a U.S. carrier. You are able to choose from two SIM cards: a local SIM card and an International roaming SIM card. 

Local SIM Card

Purchasing a local SIM card is a popular choice for students who spend most of their time in the country their program is primarily held. These SIM cards can be purchased online or in-person from your study abroad location.  When making an online purchase, it is important to select a SIM for the country you will be studying in. 

International Roaming SIM Card 

An international roaming SIM card will allow you to call from almost any country. OneSimCard and TravelSIM are examples of international roaming SIM cards. This type of SIM card is beneficial if you have plans to frequently traveling outside of the primary study abroad country. 

General Information about SIM Cards 
Typically, when using a prepaid SIM card, you will receive a new phone number that is local to the purchase country. SIM cards do not work for every phone. You must have an unlocked GSM phone in order to use a SIM card. You want to unlock any mobile devices before boarding your international flight. Doing it abroad tends to be more difficult. 

If you don’t own GSM phone, you can buy an unlocked phone while abroad. Students generally choose to purchase inexpensive prepaid or pay-as-you-go phones upon arrival.
Carriers abroad often offer free texting or calling between phones they provide. Therefore, friends frequently purchase their phones from the same carrier to take advantage of those deals.

There are ways to add money to prepaid SIM cards when needed. Prepaid cards are available at the carrier’s retail store. Some carriers offer 2 or 3G worth of web data for smartphones. If interested in this option, you should speak with the carrier that provided the SIM card. 

Using Applications and Wi-Fi

Any phone with built-in Wi-Fi is able to use it when in a Wi-Fi hot spot. Most hotels/hostels, shops, and heavily populated locations, such as train stations, should have Wi-Fi. A little research can help determine if there is Wi-Fi in a specific location.

There are many phone applications you can use to communicate while using Wi-Fi.  Google Voice, Skype, and Talkatone are just a few among the long list of CBS News' top 6 picks. App Crawlr provides a more extensive list of applications. Students generally use these types of applications to communication with family and friends in the U.S. while abroad.  

Additional Tips
When taking a phone from the U.S. to a study abroad location the cellular data and data roaming must be turned off to avoid high data costs.

If you plan on purchasing a new phone and SIM card abroad, most U.S. carriers will let you deactivate your original phone plan for the length of the program. This is especially useful for those participating in a semester or yearlong program.

Speak with your U.S. carrier before unlocking a phone. If a device is on contract, the carrier may not allow it to be unlocked. If you decide to unlock it anyways through other means and the phone is damaged somehow, there is no guarantee that the carrier will be able to fix or replace the phone since the contract was breached. For example, there is a very strict policy for those that want to unlock an iPhone 6 that is still under a 2-year contract through AT&T.

References:

• Reardon, M. (2009). FAQ: Swapping SIMs to save big on calls abroad. Retrieved from Cnet: http://www.cnet.com/news/faq-swapping-sims-to-save-big-on-calls-abroad/
• Tobias, M. W. (2013). How to choose the best international cellular data plan. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcwebertobias/2013/11/25/how-to-choose-the-best-international-cellular-data-plan/

Have advice or experience with using a cell phone abroad? Feel free to leave a comment!  

Getting to Know the Locals in Valencia

By Parker Gordon

Valencia is an extremely authentic city, which separates itself from the metropolises of Madrid and Barcelona. Flocks of tourists are nonexistent which are common sightings in the Catalonian capital as well as Madrid. Meeting locals is something I wanted to experience on a personal basis.  Everyone who engages in the FSU-Valencia program has his or her own passions and desires that brought them there in the first place. Some students choose to solely study within the FSU study center and partake in the nightlife Valencia offers. I, on the other hand had a thirst to absorb the language and the native Valencian’s values that separate them from us Americans.

If you are extremely passionate about the Spanish language and have the desire to really sense what a Valencian thinks, please take advantage of the Intercambio sessions that usually occur nightly at the beginning of the week. Intercambios are when you meet native Valencians or Spaniards in a real-life social setting to help improve each other’s language skills. These sessions provide a relaxed and comforting environment to meet locals on a first name basis while speaking a foreign language. Everyone present at these sessions is extremely open to meeting new people as well as critiquing your language skills in a respectful manner. Each day, I would apply something I learned in class into the real-life conversations that are provided in an intercambio session. In addition, if something puzzles you regarding Spanish, feel free to try and clear up any confusion you are having with a native Spanish speaker. These were truly the most rewarding part of my weeks in Valencia and were the best way to truly interact with the locals.

Meeting locals does require knowing some Spanish to help converse and navigate your way around the city. The best word to describe meeting locals is certainly, “proactive”. Besides intercambio sessions, you can head to the local soccer pitch or basketball courts and really experience the adolescent flavor of what Valencians are truly like. The intercambio session offers a mostly older crowd who are looking to improve their English speaking skills, while engaging in athletic activities shows what the younger people are like. In addition, the beach is always a tremendous hotspot to interact with the locals. Volleyball and soccer games are the norm when strolling up and down the Mediterranean coast in Valencia. Aside from the beach and the athletics aspect, cafes offer a vibrant atmosphere for some flowing conversation over a café con leche.


Please be proactive regarding your experiences in Valencia. Time flies and you really want to make the most of it. No one should ever feel unsafe or unwelcomed by the natives of Valencia or Spain in general. This is a truly amazing country with so much to offer and the FSU-Valencia program is among the best in the country!

Going the Distance

 

Created and Written by: Zack Welsh

Click here to see the full video on Vimeo!

 

When I decided I was going to FSU, I knew I wanted to study abroad at some point. By the time fall of 2013 rolled around, I also knew I needed to get some professional experience under my belt before graduation. After some great talks with IP, I realized that interning abroad over the summer would be the perfect blend of those two aspirations.

With an experience like studying abroad, you feel an overwhelming urge to capture everything around you and save it somehow. Most people quickly realize it’ll be a long time before they’ll have a shot to come back and they want to have something to remember their time by. For most of my peers, that urge manifested itself in a journal, scrapbook, or a blog. I made a sincere effort to journal and blog but I found myself constantly frustrated trying to find the right words and doubly frustrated when I realized I could be out there doing things rather than scribbling in my book for an hour. For me, a video was just natural. My camera was always on me and all it required was pointing, shooting, and worrying about the finished product later. I could capture what I was seeing without worrying about finding the right words.

Over the summer I had an idea of what I wanted to do and the running idea was a branch of that original idea. I can’t claim total creative credit for the movie I made since I was heavily inspired by this video Casey Neistat made for Nike a few years ago. He uses the running-through-the-frame shot quite a bit. However that video, and the message behind it, heavily fueled my ambitions for travel that summer. I wanted to see, do, and experience as much as possible and I thought the image of me running through those locations captured that ambition.

In total, I took over 50 of those running videos in eight different countries and 25 different cities. I think I used around thirty in the final cut. The shots were not always easy to get and I CANNOT thank my friends who helped hold the camera enough. The only reason I don’t have credits for them rolling at the end is because it would have been longer than the video itself. At any rate, I owe them all big time. 

There were plenty of tough situations where filming wasn’t exactly encouraged (Parliament), crowds made running nearly impossible (Times Square), and the weather didn’t cooperate (Paris). In one instance, I was running along a beach in Barcelona only to be reminded later while editing that it was a topless beach. I had to cut that one out to avoid the R rating. Occasionally, people would ask what I was doing and after I told them my idea, it was a toss up between them giving me encouragement or them rolling their eyes at me.

I learned a lot this summer but my main takeaway came from an Irish bartender from Boston I ran across in London during the first week. At the end of our conversation, he nonchalantly tossed out ‘the more things change, the more they’re the same.’ (I’m pretty sure it’s a French proverb but who cares. I’m giving this guy credit.) Originally, I took it as a pessimistic statement that belittled the value of traveling and reduced the value of experiencing new things. However, at the end of the summer, those words took on a new flavor to me. It instead meant that no matter how far you travel on this planet, you’ll always have something or someone you can identify with in that place. I tried to weave that into the video a little bit by making sure the clips were from as diverse locations as possible and it’s why I included NYC at the end.

Feel free to watch the video here and I hope it motivates you to travel with FSU IP. The song is ‘Get Found’ by Bass Drum of Death and I shot everything on a Canon S110 and edited in iMovie.

Thanks for reading! Go Noles!