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Focus on Budget, Cultural Travel, and Working in Europe

 Featured TAzine Articles
 Columns by Experts
Ferrying Around the Greek Islands on a Budget
Planning Your Own Odyssey Without Athena's Aid by Veronica Hackethal
Greek Islands
View from Greek island of Santorini, which can be reached by ferry.

The Greek Islands have inspired myth and romance through the ages, from Homer’s Odyssey to "Zorba the Greek" to the movie "Mamma Mia." Riding the wine-dark sea, the wind in your hair, the sun beaming down from a limitless sky, and ancient islands dotting the horizon, you imagine yourself a Greek warrior returning triumphant from the Trojan War. Or a billionaire, sailing the high seas in a mammoth yacht. Fortunately, journeying in the land of heroism does not require an unlimited bank account. The tried and true way of traveling—taking the ferry—is an economical option with advantages over luxury routes. Ferries move slowly, allowing travelers to gaze at islands along the way and to talk with locals. As with most independent travel, there can be complications. With some thought and patience, a Greek Island odyssey won’t leave you stranded on Calypso’s island or caught in the whirlpools of Cherybdis. These days the worst trials may come from Lotus Eaters—backpackers sleeping on the beach in order to save more money for beer. Yet even Odysseus, while bearing Poseidon’s anger, enjoyed himself along the way. Here is how to do it...

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Rediscovering Sicily in the Off Season
A Solo Odyssey on a Sacred Island by Veronica Hackethal
Segest, Siciily Italy

The plane touches down on a runway sandwiched between a craggy inland promontory and the Mediterranean, which heralds a gleaming welcome to Sicily. It is early December as I leave the airport in a lilliputian silver rental car to begin a mini odyssey.

Western Sicily is less overwhelmed by tourists than the eastern part. I am a solo woman traveler in Western Sicily in the off season. When I arrive early in the week the restaurants that are not already closed for the season are shut tight Sunday and Monday, and the solitude hangs like the weight of Hercules...

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An Agriturismo in Italy by Diana Saluri Russo
Agriturismo in Italy

As it turns out, my husband’s enthusiasm for mozzarella di bufala (buffalo mozzarella) is what led us to branch out from other budget accommodations such as convents and monasteries in our most recent trip to Italy and give agriturismo a try...

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Segest, Siciily Italy
Due to the region’s geography of isolated valleys separated by tall mountains, South Tyrol has not only maintained its traditional livelihood based upon agriculture, but also its age-old customs and traditions. Folkloric groups and brass bands are popular everywhere, and each village has its own traditional costumes, favorite folk dances, and traditional dishes. .. Read more... 
Work and Learn French in France

Learning a language in a new country can be one of the most memorable experiences you can have while traveling. Working and studying in a different place goes one step further, carving out your place in a community, contributing to its growth and your own. But with tightening borders, piling paper work, and growing unemployment, how do you convince an employer to open his doors to you as one who has just arrived in the country, will be leaving in less than a year, and are less than fluent in the language? It may sound impossible, but by studying French and participating in one of the following programs, you can mix work and fun under the Mediterranean sun...

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Malta Off the Beaten Path by Victor Paul Borg
Malta Off the Beaten Path

Malta has a bewildering number of famous sights, monuments, and museums, and it is easy to find out about them and visit them. These places also tend to get crowded, particularly in summer high season. But with its eventful 7,000 year old history, Malta is like a huge open air museum that bears witness to a glorious past, and it is much more than the sum of its sights. After visiting the main attractions-and do not try to see them all as you will get exhausted -you can see another aspect of the islands by traveling to less well known and seldom visited areas...

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Teaching in Barcelona Spain

Barcelona is, in many ways, the ideal city to teach English. It is difficult to avoid sounding clich when describing Barcelona with its stunning beaches, Mediterranean climate, uniquely rich culture, and legendary nightlife. The cost of living in Spain is also comparatively cheaper than other western European countries. Moreover, there is plenty of work for English teachers. The problem for North Americans is how to find teaching work legally. The barrier is especially daunting for those people sitting at their computers thinking of making the move to Europe, but who understandably want to secure a job before they cross the Atlantic. Working as a language assistant is a great way to experience legally living abroad in Spain with job security...

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Monastery Stays in Spain by Tom McGuire
Monstery Stays in Spain

After attending a weekend teachers' hiring fair in London, I received two offers. One was in Switzerland. The second was from a bilingual school on the coast of Spain. The pay and benefits packages were the same. Which to choose? I had not been to Switzerland, but I liked the idea of its order and cleanliness. I had been to Spain a couple of times but I was a non-smoker and disliked noise, and Spain is a country that makes a fetish out of noise. During the midday week-long fireworks celebration of the Fallas mascletas, for example, there seems to be a competition to produce the loudest explosions using pyrotechnics. Yet, in the end, the answer seemed easy enough. I packed my sunscreen and swimsuit and moved to Valencia, Spain...

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Study Abroad in Madrid by Isabel Eva Bohrer
Madrid Prado Museum

Since I had come to Madrid to study and for enjoyment, I decided on option two: to come to class...

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Eating Well in Lisbon by Beebe Bahrami
Lisbon
...As Portugal's capital, Lisbon is the recipient of all the peoples whom the Portuguese Empire absorbed and invited into the great pan-Portuguese global party that really makes its mark in the capital. Here, traditional Portuguese cuisine mingles with Cape Verdean, Brazilian, Mozambiquean, and Goan cuisines among many others. Such diversity pairs well with the locally grown and harvested fruits, vegetables, fishes, meats, nuts, and fowl, making for one of Europe's most interesting culinary hotspots... Read more... 
Portuguese Wines Beyond Port by Beebe Bahrami
Portuguese Wines

When mentioning Portuguese wines, everyone seems to head right to port and O Porto, which is a great direction. But Portugal also produces many great wines, a tradition that includes Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and the monastic wine traditions of the Middle Ages...

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Eastern Europe on the Run by Taylor Chase
Eastern Europe on the Run

Seasoned travelers will tell you that the best way to get a sense of your surroundings is by foot. But on your next trip to Eastern Europe, try bringing a pair of running shoes along with your walking ones.

When it comes to actively exploring a city-from hitting the streets and sprinting straight to the heart of hubs like Budapest, Prague, and Krakow-running may not be the first means of transport which might spring to mind. But it is one of the best, and it often leads to benefits and opportunities that you may not otherwise experience. ...

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Seville, Andalucia's capital, has over 30 language academies and is an excellent place to teach English abroad-whether you are European or North American-but is the market flourishing as normal? With over 3.5 million unemployed in Spain and over one million in Andalucia, how long will it be before the crisis starts to affect the TEFL Industry in Seville?...

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Alison Gardner

Canal and river barging as a vacation experience, not a transport business, is barely into its third decade in the world of European tourism. Expanding impressively during that time with many creative variations, barging has become uniquely popular as a way to sample Europe in small, savory morsels...

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Ask the Expat Q&A
Finding Work in the EU
An Overview of Work Opportunities in Europe

by a Living Abroad Contributing Editor Volker Poelzl
Volker Poelzl

The countries which compose the European Union have always attracted a large number of expatriate Americans, in part because of Europe's culture, history, and scenic beauty, but also in because Europe used to offer many well-paying jobs for foreigners. Over a million Americans currently call Europe their home, and the draw of the "Old World" for North American citizens continues unabated. Unfortunately, the ongoing global recession has significantly dampened the prospect for Americans to find work in Europe. All European countries suffer from high unemployment, government cutbacks, and reduced growth. But despite the current crisis there are still jobs available for foreigners in a variety of fields and employment schemes...

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Book Review
Rome the Second Time

Rome the Second Time: 15 Itineraries That Don’t go to the Coliseum by Dianne Bennett and William Graebner
Reviewed by Dr. Joanna Hubbs

The fact that Walter Veltroni, the highly respected mayor of Rome until 2008 has written a foreword to this guidebook should inspire confidence in the Transitions Abroad reader eager to see the Rome behind the “Disneyland” itineraries, jammed with exhausted tourists that countless other guidebooks describe...

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TAzine Editorial
We are proud to launch TAzine as a monthly Webzine which continues the 31-year tradition started by Transitions Abroad magazine. TAzine features many of the same columnists who wrote for the magazine, a growing group of new columnists, while featuring many freelance writers who wish to share their experiences and expertise within the context of our innovative alternative coverage of work, study, travel, and living abroad.

Founded in 1977 by Clay Hubbs, Ph.D., Transitions Abroad magazine was the only print publication dedicated to work, study, living, volunteering, and immersion travel abroad. Its purpose — in print and now as a Webzine — is the dissemination of practical information leading to a greater understanding of other cultures through direct participation in the daily life of the host community.

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