Language:

—To get along in a country where you do not know the language, go onto an online translator before you leave and find out how to say, “Where is the _______,” “I am _______,” “I need to go to ______,” “Hello/goodbye,” “How much is ______,” “Which way to ______,” “My name is ______,” “I am sorry,” “Thank you/no thank you,” “Do you know ______,” and “I do not know ______.”

—Learn the formal tense of the language. You will be surprised by the smiles you get.

—When speaking English in a foreign country, try to speak quietly. The English language is despised, mostly because it is the loudest one on the metro.

Travel:

—Always have a map.

—You can sleep in all the airports overnight for one night, it is not the most comfortable, but it is free and you meet the most interesting people.

—International travel can cost next to nothing if you fly with the very reliable, budget airlines. I flew from Paris to Barcelona, to Milan and back to Paris for a combined 55 Euros.

Culture:

—If you have a student card, flash it at every place you go —tourist attractions, theaters, music halls and museums.

—A few times a week, almost every concert hall in Europe has a last-minute five-to-ten Euro sale for concerts in order to get the youth into the concert halls. Stop by early and ask if there is a queue for tickets for that day’s concert. Come back two or three hours before the performance, stand in line, get a seat and enjoy some of the greatest music halls for less than the price of a movie ticket.

—If feeling adventurous, try to take the public transportation as far outside the city as possible. Any place with more residents than tourists is a good place to try to understand a culture, but don’t get stuck hoping for the last bus.

—Most cities have become bizarre caricatures of themselves, selling their subtle differences at all costs to tourists.

—Do not be surprised if movie theaters playing American films are packed.

—Buy a Pariscope if you come to Paris. It can be bought at any magazine kiosk for 40 cents and contains information on every museum, theater, restaurant, and cinema event in Paris, along with the addresses and metro stops of almost every museum, theater, art gallery and cinema house.

Food and drink:

—If looking for good ethnic or local food, only eat where the locals are eating. There are more authentic restaurants that do not take work to find.

—Most cultures do not eat food while they walk on the street. Not that you cannot enjoy a sandwich or a Starbucks chai tea latte while wandering around the streets of Paris — it will just be only you and the tourists doing it.

—In Paris, while the white French bread baguette, might seem the most traditional item to buy, most bakeries give more love and attention to whole-grain baguettes, called “the baguette complet.”

—Any group of friends can legally drink along the Seine — except near the giant Pont Neuf Bridge or other large tourist attractions.

—Each region of each country has a drink and a food it’s known for — they usually leave lasting impressions.