by TravelTillIDrop | Mar 5, 2013 | travel tips
香港人很喜歡旅行，但假如係一個女仔想自己去旅行，都有一定既風險，想去旅行去得安心又開心，除左一般係人廣泛流傳的Top tips for safe travel 外，以下係第一次一個女生去旅行唔可以唔知既野！
1. 應慳則慳 應洗則洗
一個人去旅行，特別係窮學生，可能有時想慳多d錢，但一個人去到外地，有時有d錢係唔慳得，例如住Hostel定訓Sofa，或者去西歐定去東歐，可能有d選擇係會增加成個trip既旅費，但如果下下出街都要提心吊膽，咁去個旅行都唔會玩得暢快！即係老土d講句，要錢定要命?
2. 睇睇睇評論
無論最後選擇住Hostel定訓Sofa，一定要認真睇下d評論，見到個Hostel好高分唔代表一定好好，記住望下有幾多個人俾ratings! 例如Hostel A有99分，但得1個人俾分，而Hostel B得95分，但佢有100個人俾分。咁可能Hostel B會比Hostel A更可靠，起碼咁多人住過佢個評分都仲係咁高！而且睇下d人既評語，等自己有多d心理準備！
3. 萬事俱備
未出發前記住confirm好住宿，睇定點由機場/火車站去住既地方，去Google Map印定需要既地圖，有時間仲可以跟Google Map d實境圖試下行一次，等自己腦海有d印象到時會行d咩路，咁就唔怕迷路啦！可以睇定1間後備Hostel，假如本身既住宿有問題，去到都唔駛太傍惶！
4. 緊急電話
第一個緊急電話係當地既緊急電話，好多地方都可以打112，但最好出發前Check清楚！第二個係你屋企人既電話，即使平時可能係入開中文名，去旅行之前最好改一改做簡單的英文字，如Mom， Dad， Emergency Contact…Touchwood你有意外，外國人不懂中文都可以聯絡你的屋企人！
5. 切忌浮誇
雖然去旅行想影靚相，著靚d d相又好睇d，但著得越靚就越花招枝展，吸引左d壞人向你打主意！平平實實，俾人覺得你無乜錢，自然壞人都費事打你主意！仲有現金要分開袋，有人鐘意收係鞋、襪入面，外國d女仔鐘意放係bra入面，咁想放邊就隨個人喜好啦！
Many people like traveling. However, if you are a girl, and you are traveling alone, especially for your first time, there are certain risks that we have to bear. Other than those common tips you can find online, the following are some tips that a girl should know when she’s traveling alone for the first time in her life!
1. Safety is your Number 1 priority!
Especially when students are traveling alone, many travelers want to save as much money as they can. But when you are alone, sometimes you can’t risk your life over money. For example, whether you are staying in a hostel or doing couch-surfing, or you are planning to go to Western-Europe or Eastern-Europe. Though sometimes these tiny decisions can make a huge difference for your travel budget, if you have to worry too much every time you go out, how can you enjoy your trip? In the end, which is more important: your life or your money?
2. Take reviews seriously!
No matter you choose to live in a hostel or do couchsurfing, you have to read the reviews carefully. A high rating in a hostel doesn’t mean it’s a really good one. For example, Hostel A has 99% but there’s only 1 person doing the review, whereas Hostel B has 95% only but there’re 100 people reviewing. Probably Hostel B will be more reliable, at least there are so many people stayed there and the ratings are still that high. Also read reviews seriously, so as to give yourself some idea what kind of situation you are going to face.
3. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best!
Confirm your accommodation before your departure; check how you could get to the place from the airport/train station. Google map can be a really helpful tool! Print out all the maps that you need, and if you have time, follow the ‘street-view’ of google map to walk virtually to your destination, so you will have some rough idea how you will get there! Research for a spare hostel, just in case there’s some problem with the hostel you were planning to stay, you still have an emergency place to stay in!
4. Emergency number!
The first emergency number is the local emergency contact. 112 is applicable in many countries, but better check it once again before leaving! The second emergency number is the number of your family. Maybe you used to have their numbers in your own language in your mobile, but before you leave your country, better change it to some simple English words like ‘Mom’, ‘Dad’, or even ‘Emergency Contact’. Touchwood if you have any accident, people can try to reach your family.
5. Stay low profile!
When we are traveling, of course we would like to dress nicely so that we can take beautiful picture as memory. Yet the more glamorous you appear, the more you are trying to tempt the bad people! Remember to separate the money you brought with you, some people like to put under the shoes, some put inside their socks, some girls like to put inside their bra…etc. it’s up to you where you feel comfortable to put!
更多相關資訊 More related information: HostelingInternational, Google Maps
by TravelTillIDrop | Feb 5, 2013 | study abroad, 中文
海外升學期間，有時候難免感到寂寞，好好利用在外國的時間，結識異國的朋友，令社交圈子更廣，不用整天也‘宅’在家！
1. 參與興趣小組
如果您有一些特別的興趣，如運動、電影、音樂等，可以參加不同的興趣班或是組織，認識一些志同道合的朋友，一起做一些大家也喜歡的東西。
2. 微笑
有時候，一個微笑會為您帶來一個新的朋友！即使大家背景、種族不同，笑容能表示友好，讓大家的隔膜減小。
3. 參與不同活動
留意校內校外不同的活動，多參加不同的活動，如到其他小鎮城市觀光，增加遇到不同朋友的機會。
4. Say Yes!
特別是第一個星期，有不同的新朋友邀請您去活動或是party就一定要去應酬一下，廣交朋友，再慢慢看一看喜歡跟誰一起玩，千萬不要錯過第一個星期，因為之後很多人都會連群結隊，到時想找人一起玩便更吃力了！
如果你還有其他認識新朋友的好方法，不妨留言跟我分享！
by TravelTillIDrop | Feb 5, 2013 | english, study abroad
It’s common to feel lonely sometimes when you are studying abroad. In order to make the best out of your stay, why not meet more foreign friends, expand your social circle and chill out with friends during your leisure time! You never know, maybe some of these people you meet will become your lifelong friends.
Here are a few tips from me on how to meet new friends when you have just arrived at a new place:
1. Join some interest group
If you have some particular interests/hobbies, e.g. sport, movie, music…etc., you can join some interest class or group. Get to know some people who share similar interests and do something that both of you enjoy together!
2. SMILE 🙂
Sometimes, a little smile will bring you a new friend! Even though we are from different backgrounds and ethnicity, a smile can represent friendliness and reduce the barrier between you and your new friends!
3. Join different activities
Pay attention to different activities organized on the campus or outside the campus. Join different activities like visiting some nearby cities or countries together and increase the chance of meeting new friends!
4. Say YES!
Especially for the first week, if there is anyone inviting you to join some activities or parties, you have to say YES! Get to know the people first, and see who you can get along well with. After the first week, everyone already has their own circle of friends, so it will be harder to get into the others!
Share in the comment below if you have more tips!
by TravelTillIDrop | Jan 18, 2013 | study abroad, 中文
留學生本身學費已經昂貴，加上外國的生活指數一般比香港高，想幫父母減輕負擔又或者留番多d零用錢做自己想做既野，以下呢五個慳錢秘笈可能幫到你！
1. 購買二手家具及衣服
隨著留學的普及，很多不同地方也有留學生，一般也是住一陣子便會離去，可以嘗試購買他們的家具。有些地方如英國，很容易找到不同的二手衣服店，多數也是慈善機構開辦的，衣飾由善長人士捐贈，所得的收入也作慈善用途，有些商品的質量還不錯的！
2. 申請學生火車證、巴士卡
各處鄉村各處例，不同地方有不同的學生優惠，即管問問不同的前輩，看看有甚麼乘車折扣。假如你在英國留學，英國便有火車證，申請費約30鎊，於非繁忙時間在倫敦乘地鐵也有減免車費三分之一的優惠。假如你踏單車的技術不太差的話，以單車代步也是一個好選擇！
3. 減少出外用餐
出外吃飯一般比較貴一點，可以嘗試自己烹調一些簡單的菜式，有勇氣的話也可以在網上找食譜，跟著試一些新菜式。假如有一群三五知己，也可以一起炮制晚餐，順道聯誼一番！電飯煲在外國並不是太普及，所以可以學習用一般煮食用具或微波爐煮飯，或是到唐人街買一個！
4. 減少出外娛樂
到朋友家一同耍樂，玩玩不同的遊戲，一同焗個蛋糕，看看電影！這些娛樂比到電影院或其他娛樂場所便宜得多！
5. 利用視像通話
出國留學家人少不免會掛心，從前科技尚未有這樣發達，長途兩話費是不可或缺的開支，現今科技發達，利用不同軟件如Skype,Whatsapp等，便可常常跟家人交談。〔Skype也有月費計劃，可透過網絡撥打至外地的手提電話，而月費一點也不昂貴！〕
2022 更新：現在也不用Skype, 簡單一個Whatsapp, Facetime, 或是Zoom call便可以跟家人朋友聯絡！
by TravelTillIDrop | Jan 18, 2013 | english, study abroad
As a foreign student, the tuition fee is more expensive than usual. In addition, the living standard overseas is usually higher than that in Hong Kong. If you would like to alleviate your parents’ burden or save more pocket money to do something you want, the following 5 tips may be able to help you!
1. Buy 2nd hand furniture and clothes
As there are more and more foreign students around the world, it’s not too hard to buy their used furniture when they leave the country, because most of these students only stay in the country for a short period of time. In some places like the United Kingdom, it’s very easy to find some charity shops. They are selling second-hand clothes that people donate, the money they earn from the clothes are also for charity purpose. If you are lucky enough, you can find something cheap but of high quality!
2. Apply for a student travel card
Different cities may provide different student incentives. Try to ask some more experienced/senior students and check what kind of discount you may get. For example, in England, there’s a railcard for 16-25 years old youth. The application fee is around GBP30, but you can also enjoy a 1/3 discount when you are traveling with the London underground. Other than that, if you can ride a bike, traveling by bike is also a good option!
3. Don’t dine out that often
Dining out is more expensive usually. You can try to cook some simple dishes or if you are brave enough, look for some new recipes online and try to make it! Maybe you can gather your friends, and make dinner together! Rice cooker is not that common compared to Asia, you can try to look for ways to cook rice in a normal pot or cooking with a microwave, or if you really need it, go to China Town and get one!
4. Don’t always go out for entertainment
You can go to your friends’ place to play some games, bake a cake, or watch a movie at home! These entertainments will probably be cheaper than going to a cinema or other entertainment venue.
5. Make use of video call
It’s normal that your friends and family will miss you when you are overseas. When technology was not that advance in the past, the expensive bill for the telephone is kind of inevitable. But now, if you can make use of software like Skype, Whatsapp…etc., it will be so cheap and easy to communicate with your friends. (Skype also provides a monthly plan, so you can use the internet to call other’s mobile phone no., and the price is not expensive at all!)
Updated in 2022: Skype is probably no longer the hype, simply Facetime or Whatsapp video call is good enough nowadays!
