Tips for Study Abroad European Travel

I’ve mentioned this before, I’m alright with the occasional pandering. That’s because my London Study Abroad posts, specifically my tips and what to wear and the most viewed posts on this blog. Why? Well, I like to think the tips are helpful! But, really there aren’t many lists out there for people making the leap across the Pond.

Another important aspect of studying abroad in Europe is of course TRAVEL! There are so many amazing places to go and so little time and money to see them all. That’s why I’ve enlisted the help of a few of the girls I lived with in London to help me out. Between us we’ve been to nearly 20 countries in Europe (That’s including all four separate countries in the UK.) This is the first post with a little help from Laura, Julie, Mary-Kate, and Beth. 

 I’ve compiled some of our place specific tips including where to travel, how to travel, and where to stay.

Best cheap airlines:

Ryan Air

Wizz Air for Eastern Europe

Air BNB

Once in the lifetime travel:

Eurostar to Paris

Why? Because the view from the window is incredible. The Eurostar, also known as the Chunnel, takes you directly into the heart of the city, unlike the Paris airport which is over an hour outside the city. The Eurostar isn’t cheap but it’s definitely worth it to take from St. Pancreas to Paris. It also goes to Amsterdam.

Ferry to Ireland from London

Why? Beth says it was one of the most fun things she did and you can also get very reasonable rates.

Best places to Stay:

Our Apartment in Prague with full kitchen, etc.

Apartment Share- apartmentsapart.com, how we got an amazing apartment in Prague.

Hostels- just make sure if they certified from a hostel website. Depending on what city you are visiting they can vary from $15-$75 a night per person. Also, if you are traveling with a group of 4-5, try to get a private room by booking all the beds together so your personal items are more secure.

Favorite Blogs, Tips, and Websites:

Beth's favorite blog, The Londoner

Top 15 Packing Tips from the College Tourist

Packing Advice for London

College Fashion's Packing Tips for London

Great London Study Abroad Pinterest Board

Packing Advice from Real American and Canadian Women

Real London Reflections:

Musings from my friend, Kara@ Food Baby Blog

Travel Reflections from Julie

Mary-Kate's Reflections

That Time I Studied Abroad Musings

My Own London Tips

My Own London Packing Advice

Tips from my travel buddies:

“Check out local places like coffee shops and just hang out. It really allows you to be immersed in the culture and see what the people around you are like!” -Laura

“I'm also a huge fan of trains.  Traveling by train is a wonderful experience because you can see a lot of the countryside (or the town or city) in a way you might be able to on a bus or a plane."- Mary-Kate

“One of my favorite things to do in London was go to markets! All of them. Definitely just go to a museum and after you finish, just get lost around the neighborhood.  you're more likely to find a hidden gem that way.”-Beth

           

       “Getting lost can be the perfect opportunity to find the best hidden gems (as long as you it is a safe place of the city to get lost in...).  I also agree that Markets are the best thing - taste test your whole way through and buy your favorite things!”- Mary-Kate

Favorite places to travel:

“Ireland is a country I found, in particular, that it was really easy to talk to the locals and those are the people that sometimes have the best advice.  If for nothing else it is nice to just have another person to talk to when traveling.” –Mary-Kate

“(We knew people who) stayed in a hostel on a houseboat in the Amsterdam canal which sounds so cool, I wish we did that.”- Julie

“For students, look for as many deals as you can. We got into all the ruins and museums in Athens for free with student IDs.”- Julie

Julie’s place specific Advice:

Amsterdam:

“Definitely go to the Anne Frank House (but try to go early to avoid the crowd). We went to the Van Gogh museum, which was great.”

Brussels:

-Everything is expensive...

- We randomly went to the European Union museum and I loved it, I wish we could've stayed longer. And it was free!

Munich:

- Go to the BMW factory! I have little to no interest in cars but it was really cool and cheap. You have to call to get tickets, which is kind of weird but just Google it.

- We went to Dachau concentration camp, which was very somber but fascinating

- Definitely go to a beer hall

- Walk through Englisher Garten. See if you can find the artificial wave where people surf, we watched for like a half hour...

- I think in the summer you can do stuff in the Olympic park

Berlin:

- there's all the usual stuff, Berlin Wall, WWII memorial, Checkpoint Charlie. Don't go to the checkpoint Charlie museum, not worth it

- The holocaust museum is great.

- We rented bikes and went all the way to the 1936 Olympic stadium. If it's open do a tour.

- Get Black Forest cake! It's the national dessert.

Come back soon for advice on Eastern Europe, Morocco, and more!

My Elegant Bridal Shower Tea Party WIAW #56

On Saturday I was so lucky to have my beautiful bridal shower tea at my mother's house all set up by my bridesmaids.

 

Get ready for browser overload with all of these photos because it was the only way I could paint a full picture of my out-of-this-country bridal shower.

The Shower took place at my mother’s house in Central PA and I could not believe how well my bridesmaids transformed my mom’s backyard into a formal tea/garden party.

I must say, since this was a “surprise” I knew none of the details and boy do these girls know me! Every table had its own vintage tea cup my mother has been collecting for the shower (which we are repurposing for my wedding favors FYI.)*

Bridesmaids  (matron of honor behind the camera) Lisa Borrelli, Me, Mackenzie, Renee, Niki, Amanda

Accents:

Individual plants favors with tea bags my mother grew herself

 

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous flowers provided by Mama Lisa and arrangements by Amanda

HATS! That’s right, this is an English affair people.

What we ate at my shower:

There was also a rack of savory tea sandwiches ranging from cucumber to my favorite—Coronation chicken, to turkey ham, watercress and heirloom tomato.
(Some gluten free ones for Lisa)

The spread was just as gorgeous as it was delicious!

Herbed potato salad; arugula salad with pecans, pears, and prosciutto, pickled shrimp salad with onions and yellow peppers (so delicious, I NEED the recipe)

fresh fruit with the same cream cheese frosting off my mother’s wedding cake
(fresh batch though)

Once we finished the savory it was on to the sweets made by my bridesmaids

These adorable teabag sugar cookies dipped in chocolate with individual tags with our initials and wedding date (Pinterest inspiration Amanda worked on for weeks!)

Blueberry scones made by Niki

biscotti, almond pound cake with raspberry jam

strawberry cupcakes also made by Amanda in floral wrappers

gluten-free macaroons made by Mackenzie

My only complaint was they took my sweets away before I could finish!

Of course there were games created by Amanda from”He said, She said” for the guests to guessing Aaron’s answers and shoving marshmallows in my mouth for the wrong answers (I actually did quite well thank you!)

I loved my personal gift area complete with rocking chair throne. I was so touched by all the thoughtful gifts ranging from the best of my registry to personalized gifts. My family and friends are so generous! I cannot wait to use my new pots and pans set from my Aunt Jeanna (she bought them all even though I had registered them separately!) I love my two bar sets from Niki and Renee that will replace my broken IKEA wine glasses and give me proper sets for entertaining!

 

Mackenzie made me this sweater!

 

 

It would take forever to name all of my gifts but I loved them all along with very much needed practical items such as a salad spinner, wooden cutting board, a gorgeous cake dome from Grandma LaFave, knitting supplies, gift cards, rolling cooler, and more!

I also got some personalized gifts including a special casserole dish that belonged to my grandmother, to a antique locket for my bouquet with photos of my father from Amanda, a much needed handbag from my mother, a beautiful antique “marriage box” from my friend Lesley that belonged to her Nana whom I adored, and the gifts from Mackenzie and my Aunt Janet*. Aaron and I are truly blessed to have such generous people in our lives.

* I had a very special cup which I would soon realize was a part of an absolutely breathtaking set of tea cups, saucers, and plates that my Aunt Janet sent for me from England.

 

I cannot wait to have this as a part of my tea/entertaining set which my family has been slowly adding to along with my sister Mackenzie’s gift of an antique silver toast rack, crystal jam jar and earlier Christmas gift of a traditional samovar.

 

 

After a long day we beat the rain and I had an amazing time. Thank you to all of my amazing bridesmaids, my mother and matron of honor, and all of the guests who came and those who could not make it and sent your best wishes. I feel like the luckiest bride-to-be and now have a lot of expectations to uphold!

Photos credits to Mama Lisa

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Tips for London Study Abroad

As we get closer to the spring college semester I’ve noticed more and more hits for my “What to Wear for Study Abroad in London” post. The first thing I state in my post is that this is not a fashion blog, but I had so much fun coming up with study abroad tips I decided to write another “What to do for Study Abroad in London”  post. Fashion was so huge for me but there were so many amazing things about living in London I feel I must share some of my tips. This is not a complete list but at least can give you a few ideas.

First steps: Your University or program will probably recommend these same tips, so you better listen!

• Apply online for your student Oyster card ASAP!

If you have to commute to school, (or even if you don’t) it is essential for you to get a student Oyster card. An Oyster card is like a Metro pass for the London Underground train (more commonly known as “The Tube.) As soon as you get your university ID card and information, go online to order your Student Oyster card. This will save you SOOOO much money as the Tube/buses will be your main source of transportation to get around the city.

An unlimited month pass for students will cost around £80, which is a lot but if you are using the Tube at least twice a day, it is totally worth it. Trust me! Do it immediately! You will need your London University’s ID card to get it.

• Get a 16-25 railcard for discounted travel around the UK.
 

If you plan on traveling around the UK (which you definitely should,) make sure you get a student Railcard as well. It costs about £30 but will save you 30% on all rail travel and will quickly pay for itself (especially if you take the train to Scotland, Wales, or Northern English cities such as York.)

• Register with the US embassy in the Mayfair neighborhood of London.

Just in case of an international incident or terrorist attack, this is just to be on the safe side. If you decide to visit the embassy (but you cannot get in without an appointment) I recommend going to Allen’s or Mayfair café right down the street and getting the orange tea!

• Plan your daily route to University before classes start.

Trust me, you be glad you know where you are going and where your classes will be held if you do not live on campus.

• Take a walk around your neighborhood to scout out the best grocery stores, pubs, clothing stores, and closest Tube station and bus routes.

• Open a UK bank account or get a Bank of America debit card for free ATM withdrawals from Barclays.

• Get a top-up mobile phone during your first few days at Carphone Warehouse or likeminded stores. You will need it for your various forms and just meeting with friends.

• Bring your own towels and sheets (1 set of both) as you will not be able to get these for a couple of days once you arrive. Also, bring your own adaptor that you can use for the UK and Europe (it is harder to find once you get there.) And leave your Iphone at home.

• Get a wallet that blocks electronic machines that can steal your passport and credit card information without even touching your handbag! This happened to a friend of mine.

• If you can, bring you own pillow whether or not it is provided. That is a long time to be without a good pillow!

• Mind your voice and attitude in public places and transportation: if you look and act like a tourist, you will be targeted by pickpockets and you will be sorry! Always keep your most important items in your front pants pocket.

• For the girls: Split the cost of a decent UK blow dryer, straightener/curling iron with your flatmates. Hair is your biggest fashion statement in London, don’t cheap out! I recommend going along with 3-4 other girls and buying the equipment for around £30 each. You’ll be happy you did.

• Argo’s (close equivalent of Target) is a great cheap place for bedding and other necessary items, but you must order ahead of time before picking up!

Because this is a food blog….

Food & Drink: Food in London and most of Europe is very expensive and you will easily blow your budget by going out to dinner, to the pubs, or to the clubs if you are not careful.

• Make a budget for your weekly food allowance and for your “going out” spending. Clubs are often expensive so if that's your thing, make sure you have a budget.


• If you have access to a kitchen, plan on cooking most of your meals and get easy breakfast items to save money. Since classes are often long you will most likely be away from home over lunch. Plan on packing your lunches to save the most money. It is so easy to go to Prêt à Manger, Eat or any number or very delicious fast options on a regular basis.


• If you plan on a lot of traveling that is when you should eat out the most. But with all the amazing restaurants and tea shops in the city you must explore them! Try to limit going out to tea or dinner only 1-2 times a week.

• Plan out your meals: While the food quality is much better for the most part, food has little preservatives so it goes bad in two-three days. Buy in small quantities, and plan to go to the market every two-three days.

Food Musts in London:

• Make sure you go to afternoon tea at least a few times! It was one of my most favorite things to do and it is fun to dress up a little and go to the various famous and not-so famous spots

• Don’t forget about the countless food markets: From the Borough Market under the London Bridge (my favorite) to the Marlborough Market, to so many more big and small, you will want to go to the markets! We went about once a week for fresh vegetables and so many amazing local vendors and specialty items. 

 I had one outside of my University on Thursdays! It is just as much fun to go to the markets for a fun weekend day as to shop. A great place to bring visiting family and friends!

• Make sure to get Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Persian, or other various ethnic foods while you are there since due to large immigrant populations the food is authentic and amazing! Naan, hummus, etc. are top notch!

• Try ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown, and Golders Green for authentic flavors.
• Find your favorite neighborhood pubs as this is where you will spend a lot of relaxing nights with flatmates and new friends. Try to find ones that are not “managed” as these are like chains and not the real thing any longer. You will be able to spot these from similar signs and menus.

• You must try: Full English breakfast, authentic fish-n-chips, sticky toffee-pudding, coronation chicken sandwiches, tea, Yorkshire puds, roast dinners, chocolate digestive biscuits, Ribena Blackcurrant, Victoria Sponge Cake, scones and clotted cream, and so much more! Whoever thinks London has bad food, they have obviously not been there in the last ten years.

• Stay away from: most Italian restaurants or pizza places- these are rarely what you think, kebab places open until 3pm (these are favorites of drunken young people but will often get you seven more sick!)

• P.s. If you are a regular coffee fan, you will have a very hard time finding it. “Drip” coffee as we know is not found often and you will instead get an Americano (espresso and hot water) if you ask for a “black coffee.” FYI.

Travel: You will want to travel all over Europe while you are studying in London, but don’t forget to explore the city and the UK itself!

• Coordinate early on with flatmates and classmates on destinations you both would like to visit and plan it out early so you can get good cheap flights and private hostel rooms if possible.

My recommended destinations abroad:

Paris, anywhere in France-Bordeaux, Nice, Normandy, etc.; Barcelona, Berlin, Strasbourg, Amsterdam, Bruges, Vienna, Morocco (surprisingly cheap and tropical, just make sure you bring a guy friend if it is only females), Riga, PRAGUE!!!!!

Other popular destinations: Ireland, Madrid, Canary Islands, Greece, Budapest, Bucharest, Krakow….

 Always make sure you know the location of the American embassy or consulate closest to you.

 Make sure to get a good amount of local currency from the airport ATMs are you will not want to pay foreign fees over and over again.

Recommended UK destinations:

Winchester, Bath, Cornwall, Edinburgh, St. Andrews, the Scottish highlands, Snowdonia and Snowdon Mountain in Wales, Oxford, Horsham, Rye Royal, Tunbridge Wells, Cambridge, Greenwich (outside of London proper); Harry Potter Experience at Warner Brother Studios, so many others!

Recommended London stops: Give yourself the first two weeks to do the tourist stuff and get it out of your system!

Abbey Road, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, High Street Kensington, Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Borough Market, Greenwich, Mayfair, Marlborough, Portobello Road, Barnaby Street, the London Monument, Tower Hill (home of the famous Tower Bridge and Tower of London), Notting Hill, Chelsea, St. Pancreas and surrounding area, Harrods’s, Selfridges Department store, the theatre, the Royal Opera House and surrounding neighborhood, anywhere you would like and so many others!

Budget:

• Sign up for Livingsocial, Groupon, and other city deals. I found some of my favorite places through these services. Also good for the much needed three-month mark haircut, massages, manicures, theatre tickets, or trip deals

• Look for the many student deals around the city. Many places such as restaurants, clothing stores, and museums offer student discounts so do not be afraid to ask!

There is always something unique and awesome going on in London, you just have to look! Like the amazing Thursday night £5 Wine and food pairing tastings at Whole Foods Kensington (a.k.a. heaven)

• Make a budget and try to stick to it. Plan to spend $5,000-8,000 depending on the length of your trip and how many trips you plan on taking.

Most of all:

HAVE FUN! You are in one of the greatest cities in the world. Enjoy yourself!

There are so many places, tips, and ideas I could tell you. This is what I’ve thought of so far and I will probably recommend other things. I hope this helps some of you think about your experience and prepare.

If you have any tips of your own, please comment below!

Love,

The College Cuisiner