5 Ways To Beat the Blahs of Living Abroad

Living abroad can be an amazing experience. And in most cases, it totally is! Though whether you're studying abroad, working abroad, or staying in a home base in a foreign city, sometimes after a while your excitement for where you live can dwindle after some time. Maybe you're saving your money to travel in a few weeks. Maybe you can't get time off from your job overseas to take a short trip. Maybe you're a little homesick during your study abroad.

Whatever the case, re-spark your excitement for your city with these five tips!

1. Be a tourist in your own city

It's easy to not be a tourist in your own city when you actually live there. (Speaking from experience: I still haven't climbed the Duomo in Florence, and I've both lived and studied abroad there). Many cities have plenty of of attractions for visitors, so try to play tourist in your own city to shake things up.

2. Take a day trip

Get out of your city, if even only for a day. Look into what towns are nearby and the things you can do. Exploring something new will be refreshing and will be a welcome break from where you currently are.

3. Go out to eat or drink somewhere new

A meal, wine tasting, brewery tour, whatever - try something that's different from what you normally do. Take a night off from cooking your own dinner and go out with friends. Laugh, enjoy, and have fun!

4. Do some research about your city

Maybe you'll find some interesting facts about that seemingly uninteresting building you walk by every day. Or you'll learn about some cool place you hadn't known - go see it in person, while you have the chance.

5. Switch up your routine

Take a different route to work. Take a walk to a part of the city you don't spend much time in. Try a different cafe for your daily espresso. Chances are you'll find new hidden gems along the way and you might even favor this new routine more than your regular one!

A Beginner's Guide To Florence

go seek explore ponte vecchio florence italy

One of the more popular European tourist destinations, Italy holds its own due to its romantic, enchanting culture and delicious food and wine. From Florence to Rome, Milan to Venice, Capri to Sicily and everywhere in between, there is something about Italy for any traveler to take delight in.

The capital of Tuscany, Florence (Firenze) is home to 370,000 people. Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance, as still seen today by the stunning architecture and art throughout the city created by the likes of Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and others. Florence made the Forbes most beautiful cities in the world list in 2010.

A Beginner's Guide To Florence

Getting there: Fly into the small airport or take a bus or train into the Santa Maria Novella station. To get from the airport to SMN (downtown) take the blue SITA bus (6 euros, 10 round-trip) or a taxi (flat rate 20 euros one-way).

Where to stay: Florence is a bustling city, but it is small. You can walk end to end of the city center in less than 30 minutes. Wherever you stay will more than likely be a great location with short walking distance to all the main attractions. Hotels near the Duomo and along the river will be the most expensive, but you can find cheaper rates a little farther out. (And it will still be a short walking distance to pretty much anywhere).

Intro To Florence Walking Tour

-Start at Santa Maria Novella. Walk down Via Nazionale and go through the San Lorenzo Market.

-Head down the Via Cavour for the best first impression of the famous Duomo. Stop and take photos here and look at the Bapistery with the "Gates of Paradise" doors.

-Head south on Via Roma and you'll come across Piazza della Repubblica. You'll see the carousel and the large arch. Turn left on Via de Corso and follow it along (it turns into Borgo degli Albizi) and turn right on Via Giuseppi Verdi to get to Piazza Santa Croce. This church is also the burial place for famous Italians such as Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. There is also a big statue of Dante to the left of the steps.

-From Piazza Santa Croce, head down Via de Benci and walk across the Ponte alle Grazie bridge. As you walk across the bridge, look to your right and you will find yourself looking at the picturesque view of the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge.

-Once you're across the river, turn left on Via de San Niccolo and follow that up the hill and the steps to Piazzale Michelangelo. After this great leg/calf workout you'll be rewarded one of the best views of Florence. It is definitely worth the walk up the hill! Walk even further up to the San Miniato church for an even more elevated view of the city.

-After you've had your fill of fantastic sweeping views, head back down the way you came and walk along the river towards the Ponte Vecchio. Stop at some of the jewelry shops along the Ponte Vecchio or continue along to the Ponte alla Carraria bridge. Before crossing make sure to stop at Gelateria La Carraria for the best gelato in Florence (in my opinion). At 1.50 euro for a small size, it is also among the best priced gelato.

-This concludes the tour! Head back along the Ponte alla Carraria towards where you started at Santa Maria Novella, or take some time for some pizza or pasta at one of the many restaurants nearby.

Things To Do

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Attractions: Duomo, Bapistery, Santa Croce, Boboli Gardens, Gelato Festival (June)

Museums: Accademia (where the authentic David is), Uffizi, Bargello, Pitti Palace, Vasari Corridor

Fashion Museums: Gucci Museo, Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, Galleria del Costume

Shopping: Department stores La Rinascente and Coin are near Piazza della Repubblica, as well as some boutiques, premier designer stores (Louis Vuitton, Gucci, etc.), and an H&M and Zara. Jewelry shops/stands line the Ponte Vecchio. You'll also find many other shops scattered around the city.

Markets: San Lorenzo Market, Mercato Nuovo, Santo Spirito

Great Views: Climbing the Duomo or the Bell Tower, Piazzale Michelangelo, taking a bus up to Fiesole

Nearby: Day Trips, Quick Trips, and Weekend Trips in Italy

Bellagio Lake Como

Day Trips: Venice, Milan, Sienna, Bologna, Cinque Terre

Quick Trips: Rome/Villa Borghese, Lake Como

Weekend Trips: Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Sardinia

Sedona: The Beauty of Southwest USA

I took a quick day trip to Sedona with a few friends over Labor Day Weekend for the first time in years and forgot just how beautiful of a place it was.

In Central Arizona, Sedona is a small town surrounded by massive red rocks. There are plenty of spas, resorts, and boutiques to visit and hiking trails ranging from easy to advanced.

If you find yourself in Arizona, I highly recommend at least a day in Sedona. Whether you're visiting nearby Flagstaff, Phoenix, or the Grand Canyon, this quaint town is sure to not disappoint.

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Sedona 4

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Sedona 3

Valuing Experiences More Than Things

Earlier this year I went to Southern California for a few days to visit family. Over the course of the days, we went out to eat, did some shopping, and went to Disneyland. What sticks out in my mind as the highlight of the trip? DISNEYLAND! It was so much fun and totally worth the (kind of ridiculous) $137 ticket.

I wear the funky printed shorts I got at a boutique and my favorite pair of heels I got at the mall in California all the time. But what sticks out in my mind the most from that trip is Disneyland. Spending money on experiences while you travel is definitely worth it. Though I still love shopping....

I used to have a personal style blog. I've always enjoyed fashion, and even had my first internship writing for a popular fashion blog. For my internship I photographed girls' outfits on my college campus and wrote about their style. I wanted to do it for myself too - showcase my outfits through blogging - and I've always liked writing. Therefore, my style blog was born and I was eventually posting photos of my outfits regularly.

After college, my bank account wasn't as pretty as it used to be. I was traveling a lot  - I spent the summer in Washington, DC and New York City, moved to Italy to travel and be a tour guide for five months, was in DC for some time after that, then went back to Europe for a few weeks again....and then I moved to a new city when I got back.

Within that year I was not posting as often on my old blog. I didn't have as many creative outfits. My outfits looked fine and put-together, but they were getting too repetitive to post on my blog. I didn't have the money to keep up with trends as much as I used to. The personal style blogging niche is extremely saturated and I began feeling like most of the style bloggers' outfits and websites were all looking the same. I was getting bored with blogging about my style, because I was bored with my style. I was just not excited about personal style blogging as I used to be.

Then I started posting more travel-related articles. I had realized within the past year how passionate I was about traveling, even more so than fashion. I would look at the cost of a Tory Burch bag that was $350 and immediately think how one could spend $350 toward travel instead.

I was slowly beginning to realize what people have been saying all along...

Experiences are more important than things.

I started Go Seek Explore in May 2014 and have been loving writing about travel. I love writing about my experiences, because I have been valuing my experiences more. The more I travel, the more my eyes are opened up to the world. The more I travel, the more I enjoy experiences. I still enjoy shopping and doing a little retail therapy. I would rather spend a little more on quality because I like my clothes to last longer.

Sometimes it can be hard to want to save money for travel when I see friends wearing cute new designer things - I see their fabulous outfits and it makes me want to spend all my money on designer things too. But in the back of my mind I always try to remember that experiences are more important than things, and that the few hundred dollars I spent to go to Paris for a weekend was far more worth it than that Tory Burch bag I contemplated buying. (Though if I could've afforded both...I probably would've bought it. Ah, the materialistic struggle...)

What do you do to balance spending money on material things versus experiences?

It's Better To See Something Once Than Hear About It a Thousand Times

Earlier this summer, I got an exciting and somewhat unexpected opportunity to go to Europe to work for a few weeks. With that opportunity came flights paid for by the company, and which could be flexible if I wanted to travel before/after. Of COURSE I jumped at the opportunity to do a little side-traveling! While I wanted to do a big trip around the Balkans or travel around Spain and Portugal for a few weeks, there was no way my budget would've allowed either trips at the time.

Instead, I chose to spend a long weekend in one of the most popular European destinations...Paris.

Though I had been to Europe a few times prior and had even been to the French Riviera, I had never made it up to Paris. I've had so many friends tell me that I would love the city, and from the popularity in books and movies I knew I had to get there.

I had seen so many pictures throughout my life of Paris and the iconic Eiffel Tower. I had seen videos on Instagram of friends jumping or dancing around with the tower in the background. I had seen it sparkling at night in the background of a scene on Gossip Girl, my favorite show.

Seeing the Eiffel Tower in real life from Placa de la Concorde was exciting, but it wasn't until I got up close to it that it took my breath away. That thing is giant! I found a spot in the grass in perfect view of the tower and watched it slowly light up as the sun set. It was beyond beautiful - much more so in person than it was in photos. And then it sparkled at 11pm that summer night and was even more gorgeous.

I realized at that moment why Paris is such a popular city for people to travel to. You can find beauty everywhere in Paris - even at the seemingly "cliche" spots like the Eiffel Tower. That's why this quote resonates with me:

"It's Better To See Something Once Than Hear About It a Thousand Times"

If you've been wanderlust-ing about going somewhere, find an opportunity and go. Looking at pictures of your dream destination will only fulfill you for so long.

How To Figure Out if Tour Guiding Abroad is the Right Job For You

If you are interested in working while traveling, then a job as a tour guide could be a great option for you.

Being a tour guide is an great way to see the world. In fact, that's exactly what I did. I was a guide based in Italy and led trips all around Italy and Europe.

Before I graduated college, I knew I wanted to travel around Europe, but couldn't afford a long trip (or even just a few weeks).

While the "gap year" is common in many countries around the world, it isn't so much in the US.

The pressure for finding a job after college can really build up and get stressful, especially if you're unsure if diving into the corporate world is the right decision for you.

No matter if you're recently out of college, have been kickin' it in the workforce for a few years, or are looking for a way to sustain your long-term travels, being a tour guide can give you valuable work experience in addition to providing a way to travel.

Is Tour Guiding The Right Job For You? 6 Tips

Just off the bus to see the Krka waterfalls in Croatia

1. If you don't have a lot of money, it's a great way to turn a few weeks of backpacking into not only an extended trip, but a living experience

Still make sure you save up money, though, because it's always better to have some breathing room with your budget, especially when you're constantly traveling.

Depending on which company you work for, you still may need to pay for some things: Airfare. Food. Rent/utilities. Dining out/bars. Museum entry fees or any other sightseeing outside of your work.

Remember that you'll be working and making money to help with  these costs, but always keep your budget in mind.

Positano, Italy

2. You need to like (or at least get used to) being around people, 24/7

You'll constantly be around your co-workers and fellow tour guides but also the passengers on your tours.

You'll need great customer service skills as your priority will always be the customer.

(Don't worry, you'll still get to have fun!)

Some of our team working a trip at Italy's Amalfi Coast

3. You should be comfortable speaking in front of groups

After all, your job is to speak about the places you're at.

Being excited to lead the tour is important as well - the people on your tour will be able to see through fake enthusiasm.

Being quick on your feet, flexible, and able to make snap decisions are good skills to have too, and being a tour guide will only improve these skills.

Our group of students on a weekend trip to Budapest, Hungary

4. Knowledge of the tour destination(s) is essential

People are paying the tour company to get a good experience and accurate information.

If you don't at least know the basics of the country - like currency, local language, or how to pronounce the city you're staying in - it will discredit you as a guide, as well as the company you work for.

Doing your homework before a trip is so important!

Topkapi Palace view in Istanbul, Turkey

5. Still remember that you'd be working, even during "fun" activities

For example, if you're leading a tour in Italy and you're hosting a three-course dinner with unlimited wine, don't get totally hammered and be unable to take care of your guests.

Obviously have fun and enjoy yourself, but know where to draw the line between professional and sloppy.

Galata Tower view in Istanbul, Turkey

6. Having a sense of humor is important

Things will inevitably go wrong here and there, and sometimes the situation will be out of your control.

Do your best to fix what you can and move on (and laugh it off)!

Some positives benefits of being an international tour guide:

• Travel perks

• Being based in a different country

• Opportunities to learn the local language and meet people

• Traveling for your job

• Discovering new places

• Getting to become friends with your co-workers, and working/traveling/partying/hanging out with them

• Adding lines to your resume with valuable work experience

Some downsides of being an international tour guide:

• Long days (there usually is no "day off," and it's not an hourly gig either)

• Can get exhausting from always being "on" 24/7

• Salary typically isn't much, so you'll probably need to learn how to budget really well or have some extra savings before you start your job

Prague, Czech Republic

I hope this gives you more of an idea of if a tour guiding job is right for you.

I had an amazing time being an international tour guide in Europe after college and have no regrets.

Add your thoughts/advice in the comments below, and of course contact me if you have any questions!