Tips and Tales From Around the Globe

One thing about New Yorkers, we love a weekend getaway. Sure, the city is excellent, and you always have things to do but occasionally, we like to trade the hustle and bustle for some peace and quiet.  

Want to intern abroad, but not sure where to go? San José offers the opportunity to intern is a range of fields whether you don’t speak any Spanish or if you’re looking to improve your language skills. In a country where 64% of the land is covered in forests and 25% of the land is set aside for national parks, this is the perfect location if you’re interested in a career focusing on environmental sciences, sustainability, or maybe you like living in a city, but don’t want to be far from parks, forests, hikes, etc. Not interested in an internship in environmental sciences? That’s fine too, San José has internship opportunities in non-profits, psychology and social services, marketing, computer science, and so much more!  

Portugal- Europe's oldest country- is a beautiful, diverse, and geographically small country that has something to offer everyone. Do you want to ride the cable cars up the hills of historical Lisbon? Or catch some of the biggest waves to surf in the world? Or perhaps climb a volcano on the Azores? Portugal offers it all! 

Make the most of your time in Prague without breaking your budget!Prague is a very affordable city full of culture and things to do. Even the most famous sites are super affordable to visit! 

Are you excited to explore the world but worried about how your travels abroad might impact the environment? If so, this is the right blog for you! In response to the overwhelming global climate crisis, Global Experiences (GE) is pleased to make Sustainability a key priority when considering organizational, operational, and programming decisions. We understand that the only way to effectively combat this crisis and mitigate the effects of climate change is to drastically reduce our environmental impact. Therefore, Global Experiences, part of the AIFS Abroad family, has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by the year 2025. You can read more about the Green Initiative on our website. While this is a super exciting initiative for GE, we also want to provide resources to interns to improve sustainable practices during their travels. Below are some tips to follow during your internship abroad experience, to reduce your carbon footprint.  

Life is short, so don’t waste time waiting for others to make travel plans. Stop searching for the perfect travel partner, because sometimes, the best travel buddy is you! 

It’s time to get out your passport and show yourself a little love. Explore somewhere new, learn, grow, and experience things you’ll remember for the rest of your life. 

Here is how your passport will bring you all the love you need:

The sound of a busy city, the robust smell of espresso, and an accordion echoing in the distance. This is what you wake up to every morning in the beautiful city of Florence.

Florence is the pinnacle of art, food, fashion, and music, and is sure to ignite your sense of adventure. Being the free spirited lover of landscapes and all things artistic that I am, I knew this would be the perfect place for me to intern abroad.

Exceeding all expectations, Florence not only captivated my thirst for new experiences, but it left all six of my senses buzzing with euphoria. Here are some tips, tricks, and guidelines to help you live your best life in Florence, Italy.

It’s that time of year; more and more rainbows are rolling out at your local Targets and even pasted on plastic mouthwash containers.

Pride is everywhere in the United States, which is completely different from over a decade ago. Gay marriage existed in only select states, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy featured gay men that happened to fit most stereotypes, and many subcultures of the LGBTQ+ were generally unknown to the public at large.

It wasn’t unusual for people from this community to escape to international locations where gender and fashion seemed more fluid - Spain, Italy, and France - just to name a few.

As the U.S. has generally become more progressive in LGBTQ+ rights and certainly enjoys the commercialism, what is the rest of the world doing?

Why do people from these communities all over the world flock to large cities to participate in lavish parades, attend wild parties, and often spend sleepless nights reciting favorite movie/tv lines and dancing to the divas of the past and present?

It’s quite simple. They feel at home.

As the great Audrey Hepburn once said, “Paris is always a good idea”. Audrey was absolutely right. If you are lucky enough to take a trip to Paris, you will instantly understand. There is no comparison to the Parisian charm-- the grandiose attractions and monuments, quaint cafes and bistros, glorious markets, beautiful Haussuman boulevards, and timeless elegance.

Being in the City of Lights is unlike anything you will ever experience but visiting as a tourist versus living like a local are two completely different feats! Below I have outlined a few tricks and tips to experience Paris like a local.

San José is one of the easiest cities to acclimate to in all of Latin America. It helps when Costa Ricans, affectionately known as “Ticos,” are extremely warm and welcoming.

San José’s extensive network of buses makes exploring and traveling around the country a piece of cake. Plus Costa Rican food is fresh, comforting, and not too spicy — easy for everyone to enjoy!

Once you land in San José, you’ll find yourself navigating the city and living like a local in no time. Brooke studied abroad in Costa Rica, so continue reading for her tips to help you get there!