Interview With The Editor: question and answer with a journalist

Chris--

Here is my slew of questions. Be as detailed as you want. I'm excited about this article because I know of lots of students planning to go abroad this summer and probably have no clue what they are in for. If I don't ask a question that you want included, feel free to add your own information. Thanks so much!

What compelled you to start this website?

       At first the site started out as just a simple blog.  I was bored one day and decided to see what blogging was all about so I picked my favorite topic, travel, and started typing away.  It only took a few weeks before I realized not only did I enjoy the whole blogging experience and marketing my site but that people were actually reading it!  I started getting comments, questions and praise so I just kept going.  The deeper I got into the process of building my site I began to notice a gap in the information available online.

     There are a lot of sites out there about travel.  But I found two things, that I at least was interested in, missing: 1. There were very few that dealt just with traveling Europe; especially on a budget.  Those that were out there I came to learn were not updated very regularly and poorly put together; just flooded with ads.  It seemed that most of the established independent sites had a focus on traveling the world and I simply was not interested in information about the places they were writing about. 2. Most other sites out there were not written from a practical perspective.  I wanted to offer articles that gave you the sense you were getting advice from a fellow traveler on the road who was in the same boat as you.  This came easy to me because I have traveled everywhere I write about and done everything I suggest or advise against.  My motto has always been that the best advice comes from the traveler who was just there.   

    Guide books for sure are indispensable on the road but it is the inside information from someone who generally cant afford those places that the guide books recommend that I think is valuable(I think of my site as a supplement to books such as lonely planet and Rick Steves.  A supplement that offers personal advice like you wont find in the books).  So I began putting the site together the same way I would a trip to Europe.  I started with the planning, packing, itinerary etc and moved on to specific destinations and accommodation.  Today, there is alot of info in all my site's sections and article ideas are often inspired from friends and readers asking questions about specific destinations or aspects of travel. As someone who enjoys understanding what he has flown 13 hours to see I try to include a bit of background or history in each of my articles as well as relevant sites to get more info.  There is nothing worse than the guide books that just tell you which path to take on a walking tour and leave it up to you to figure out why you're actually standing in front of a giant pillar of concrete erected for some reason by some one at some time.

    When its all boiled down, I was compelled to build the site because I love travelling Europe and want to excite others to do the same.  It may not be the cheapest place to go right now but everyone can afford it by knowing a few tricks and planning ahead.

How old were you when you first went to Europe? If it was college, did you feel a culture shock?

      My first trip to Europe was when I was 25.  I grew up with a huge fear of flying but eventually this was overwhelmed by my desire to see Europe.  So I had a few Martinis and hopped on a plane.  If I had to do it over I would have gone at a much younger age...there are a lot of discounts that I could have taken advantage of when I was younger.  That trip lasted 35 days and went from England to France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.   By the time I was done I had promised myself I would come back.  35 days is simply not enough and I felt I missed out on a huge amount of sights and experiences.  So I came back, finished my Masters Degree at California State University Long Beach and tried to figure out how to live abroad.  The best way I could find to make that happen was to put off filing to graduate, so that they would continue to give me financial aid, and study abroad in Germany.  With this plan I spent the next year of my life living in Tuebingen Germany just south of Stuttgart and had what I consider to be the best year of my life.  I traveled alot then, seeing much in Germany, Spain and Portugal.  I even returned to the Czech republic several times.

    When I got back all I could think about was returning so I applied myself and finished my second Masters degree at FSU and headed back with my travel partner Ryan Sexton.  This time I spent 45 days overseas in a trip much like my first , adding a few extra cites and experienced the culture a bit more in-depth.  Since Ryan had not been overseas before I got a taste for acting as sort of a guide and fell in love with idea of offering advice and help to others who want to travel.

   I would have to say my biggest moment of culture shock came during my very first trip.  I had flown into London which presented very little challenge with everyone speaking English and the similarity it has to the US.   But two days later I made my way to Paris and as soon as I stepped off the Eurostar train I was bombarded with everyone speaking a different language and not knowing my way around at all.  I pretty much spent that whole day sitting in or around the train station waiting for my next train out to Spain.  I felt nervous about trying to speak to people and scared that I didn't know where to go.  I actually resorted to eating at Mc Donalds twice that day just because I found it comfortably familiar.  My advice for anyone in that situation is to just understand that you're not alone.  There are other travelers who don't speak the language and are intimidated.  Just relax, find a nice tree in a park and study a map.  Figure out where you are and where you want to go and do it with confidence.  The unknown is scary so take the time to get to know it before you arrive and experience it when you are there.

What mistakes do most people make when they are planning their trip?

     One of the biggest mistakes I see people making is not doing enough research.  Sure you can want to see Rome and just show up, follow the guide book and see the same thing everyone else sees but with a little research you can locate some great finds.  Michelangelo's Moses (the statue that looks like Moses has horns) for example is in a relatively small and unassuming church, San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome.  Most guidebooks don't even mention it but with a bit of research I was able to find this masterpiece and will be able to show it to my friends who would normally not even know it's there.

    Along a similar vein, I see people booking hotels and hostels just because they are at the top of a list on hotels.com or expedia.com.  Look into where you are staying, there are some great finds out there for a lot less money.   Use travel forums like those found on fodors.com or bug.co.uk .  These are travelers just like you that like to talk about travel and answer your questions..you would be surprised at how quick and how many responses you get to a simple question about where to stay overnight.

     A huge mistake I've made a couple times is not taking down good directions to my accommodation from my arrival train station.  There is nothing worse than getting off a 4 hour train ride only to have to find an Internet cafe just so you can look up where your hotel is.  Make sure you write down exactly how to get there when you arrive and even googlemap the place.  It will save you time and a lot of grumpy trekking through a city you don't know.

   Worst of all is when people over pack.  If I'm traveling for two weeks or five I take the same stuff.  No one cares if you wear the same jeans a couple times in a row.  Keep it simple and you'll save yourself alot of hassle trying to lug two packs on and off trains and planes.  My rule of thumb is that you can go as many days as you bring underwear and socks for before you have to wash clothes; so bring fewer pairs of heavy jeans and more underwear and a pair of sandals to cut down on your sock usage.  And for Christ's sake leave the blow dryer at home...it won't even fit in the power outlet without an adapter...another thing you would have to bring.

What does your website offer to help them not make those mistakes?

   www.noambit.com aims to provide advice and tips from someone who has been there and done that already.  Not some highly paid travel writer but someone just like you who understands the need to save money while not sacrificing a great trip.  Everything I write about is tried and proven to work for me and my readers.  The information is real and practical and does not assume that you already have a salary job making 80 grand a year like other guide books and sites do..."can we say Rick Steves."   Any links to other travel sites or information is also because I researched and chose to put it there meaning I trust it; not just because they asked me to or offered to link to my site.  In fact I pursue links that I think would be helpful to my readers such as FSU's International Programs.

What are your personal "must sees" while in Europe?

     Having lived in Tuebingen Germany and loved every minute of it I always recommend that travelers to Germany take time to visit.  It is a small Univeristy town in Baden-Wurtemburg that remained untouched during WWII (at least by bombing).  Its a nice tranquil city where you can party hard with college kids, sip Hefeweizen at the local Brewery/ Beer garden or  take a boat out on the river that runs through the middle of old town.

     Barcelona is great for any one who loves the night life and Amsterdam is for those who  love a night life 24/7.

     For nature buffs, Interlaken Switzerland is beautiful and full of outdoor activities from hang gliding to "canyoning" which is essentially a long nature hike that includes cliff diving and white water rafting.

    If you're in Rome you must see St. Peters Basilica in Vatican.  From the outside it looks big but you have no idea until you step inside and see it for yourself.  Catholic or not this place is truly breathtaking.

   I completely believe however that if you haven't been there you're sure to find some reason to like a place.  Any city in Europe has its own culture, history and sights.  Dig a little and you'll find a reason to go back time and time again.  Its very hard to list must sees since I would encourage everyone to see as much as possible and then return again to see more.

Can you relate to students needing to "travel cheap?" How can they differentiate from gross hostels and semi-clean ones?

     I completely relate to students needing to travel cheap.   I was a student until I was almost 30 and even now I have to travel cheap...academic advisors really don't make all that much here at FSU.  Traveling cheap has the great advantage of forcing you to look outside the guide book and typical tourist path.  Saving money by enjoying a wonderful Parisian park for free people watching instead of touring a 15 Euro museum can be just as rewarding .  Having to look for hotels that choose not to post rooms on orbitz means finding those gems that find tenants from word of mouth and they can be the best places you've ever stayed.  Sleeping in Hostels usually means meeting other travelers to learn from and experience a new city with...traveling on a budget, I find, often results in priceless experiences.

      The best way to differentiate from gross hostels and semi-clean ones is to speak to other travelers like myself or friends who have been there in the last 6 months to a year.  Websites like hostelworld.com have reviews posted from travelers who have just been to the hostel your looking at and they are a great source for current and accurate info.  In all my travels though, knock on wood, I have only been to one place that I found utterly disgusting.  This was a place in Amsterdam called "the heart of Amsterdam" (there is an article on my site).  Still, I met some really cool people there and since we were all stuck in the same grungy hostel room we certainly had enough to talk about.

What is a realistic budget for your average college student?

     The biggest cost is going to be transportation.  Airfare varies throughout the year but planning early can get you some good deals.  If you're going in the summer expect to pay around 600-1200 round trip. But if you go in the off season or find a good deal you could get tickets for 300.   While your over there you can possibly get by at a bare minimum for hostel and food (shopping at grocery stores and filling up on the breakfast some hostels provide) for around 40 dollars per day.  But realistically you should count more on 60-70  USD per day. Then add in any sight seeing you want to do, train travel, public transportation and nights out.  With the dollar as bad as it is right now figuring 100 dollars a day when working out a budget would be a decently comfortable trip. 60-70 USD per day would be bare bones.  

What food do students need to try that they've never had before?

    Doner kebabs....Doner Kebabs ...Doner Kebabs...these are very similar to the Gyro you can find here but have a different spice added to the meat.  You can find them everywhere in Europe (although Germany's large Turkish population seems to keep them cheapest there) and they are a great cheap and fast way to eat.   The places that sell them typically offer pizza too.  I swear I lived off these and Beer while I lived in Germany.

      Besides food...try the Beer and Wine...no matter what you order you'll find its cheaper and better than any domestic beer in the states.

     But, try anything you haven't had before, that is within your budget.  That's what traveling is all about.

Anything to watch out for? (i.e. cultural faux pas, food, customs)

      You are likely to see a lot of beggars in various areas of the city you are in.  Just ignore them and they will move on.  Same with drug dealers who whisper "coke, ecstasy" as you walk by.  Don't make eye contact if you want to be left alone and they will continue with their daily activities.

      Europeans grow up with alcohol from a young age and it seems they know how to (in general compared to the US) handle their booze.  Remember you are in a foreign country and be respectful of the locals.  Chances are there are homes or apartments on the floors above you as you walk down the street.  Don't be loud and obnoxious American drunks...it will just draw bad attention.

     Be aware of your surroundings.  While violent crime is minimal compared to the states pickpocketing is rampant.  Know who's around you and pay attention to your bag at all times. 

     All in all I've never felt unsafe in Europe; even in areas that on the surface look like places I wouldn't venture into while in the US (Graffiti, old buildings).

Finally, tell me all about you! , how many years this website has been up, where else you've written for, blogs, etc..anything pertinent!

    The website has only been up since November but it is gathering new readers everyday.  A great way for people to stay up on the new posts is to subscribe to the RSS feed on the top right corner of the sidebar.  This is a sort of running newsletter type thing that most blogs or web magazines have for readers to keep up on their favorite sites.  There is also a facebook group that I recently started so that all my readers can discuss among themselves, offer story ideas or share tips.

I have had articles published on other sites such as bravenewtraveler.com and thetravelrag.com.  Articles I have written for noambit.com have also been picked up on Reuters.com as well as Chicago Sun Times online.  In addition to this I am a regular contributor to vagabondish.com 

     Currently I work for Advising First here at FSU in the Psychology Department.  My degrees (bachelors and 2 masters) are actually in Religious Studies.   I grew up in Long Beach California, recieved my Bachelors from Humboldt State University in Arcata Ca. ,my first masters from CSULB and have lived in Tallahassee since Aug. 05 where I recieved my second masters from FSU.

If you want to include anything else--please!

    Since the site is growing as fast as it is I am setting up a section now that will inform other travel writers (novice/ not necessarily professional) on how to contribute articles to my site for publication.  I hope for this to be up and running in May. It will give writers like myself who started with not much published material to speak of and a desire to share helpful information on traveling Europe with others the opportunity to do so. 

     I am currently planning a trip to Europe for the end of April and the beginning of May- A step by step walk through of how I have planned the trip and kept the costs down is also posted on my site in my T.I.P. (trip in progress) section. 

    The site is non-profit.  The few ads placed on the site have actually brought in absolutely no money to me yet.  I do this as a hobby because I love to write, travel and hope to inspire others to take any opportunity to experience Europe.

    Anyone can contact me at  noambit.contact [at] gmail.com   

   The site is generally updated 2-3 times a week right now.