Going Abroad? Tips for Traveling Through Europe

January 2, 2010     Posted in Reality

big ben, london Spending a semester abroad can be a lot of fun, but being abroad for awhile can start to take its toll on you when traveling around a foreign country. While I had the best time studying at Kingston University in London this summer, I also broadened my cultural horizons and learned a few things about traveling and surviving in a foreign country.


By Charlsie

For those going abroad for the upcoming semester or planning a trip to Europe anytime soon, here are some helpful tips to get you around:

You are from Canada: Let’s be honest – Americans like to think they rule the world, and sometimes that holier than thou attitude rubs Europeans the wrong way. Don’t go overseas acting like a stereotypical American (you know, the ones that yell loudly when speaking to someone that doesn’t understand English as if the other person is deaf…) It may be hard when adjusting to culture shock, but the best way to get past it is to simply embrace it. If you can’t … just say you’re from Canada and all the questions will go away.

“Tap Water is For The Prisoners”: When I was thirteen, I went to Europe for two weeks on a guided school trip. The tour guide told my class that only prisoners drink tap water, so we shouldn’t order it at a restaurant. Forget that, live like a prisoner. Unlike in the states, restaurants just don’t bring out water for you. They tend to bring out bottled water, and after walking around Amsterdam all day, finishing off one of those babies happens fast…as does racking up a huge bill. Unless you really have a problem drinking tap water, order it. Not only will it save you money, but it will be cold. Most restaurants will serve you room temperature bottled water, but if you want something icy cold … tap water is the only way you’ll get those extra ice cubes. Free, cold water? No complaints there!

Transportation made easy: With an abundance of train services, ferry boats, and cheap flights (EasyJet and Ryan Air – however, beware of extra fees), traveling from one country to the next is affordable and a must for any European experience. If you shop around for the best deals, you can save lots of money hopping from Belgium to France in one weekend. Although taking the train may seem foreign (trains are rarely utilized in the USA as a form of fast, easy transportation), it is the best way to see Europe. Really, how can you complain when you’re on your way to Paris for the weekend with countryside outside your window?

Hold the Anchovies: I ordered a ceasar salad expecting just you’re standard plate of lettuce and ceasar sauce, but instead, I got a plate full of anchovies (complete with their eyeballs still intact) and a mayo sauce. Make sure when ordering at a restaurant you are as specific as can be or else you may be surprised. Also, if you like your meat cooked a certain way, tell your waiter or else you’re “well done” steak may come out bloody and pink. However, if you can get past some food differences, indulge yourself in as much cultural foods as possible, i.e. when in France, live off of croissants and macaroons!

See the sights: While a lot of my study abroad group got wasted every night, a good amount chose to see the sights. You are abroad, so why are you blacked out outside of Big Ben? A big mistake that a lot of abroaders make is mixing culture with fun – they think they can’t. You paid a lot of money to go abroad, so it is important to see everything that you can. No one wants to come back from Europe to say “I skipped out on the Mona Lisa because I was hung over” or “I couldn’t climb to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral because I was puking in a pub instead.” Party and have a great time, but prioritize what you are going to see. If you can schedule your days ahead, you can save a lot of time for partying and pub crawls later.

Be a local: Instead of eating at restaurants you are familiar with or sticking to simple tourist destinations, expand your travels and pretend you are a local. Ask opinions of the receptionist at your hostel of where to eat. Find out what shopping areas aren’t as famous and go see what you can dig up there. Try new foods and drink. For example, you can’t leave London without at least trying their fish and chips once. Don’t just stick to the same old path everyone else is, explore the beaten path and you will have a much more rewarding experience of culture and understanding of the area along the way.

Happy Traveling!

32 Comments on "Going Abroad? Tips for Traveling Through Europe"

  1. Bec says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 201012:53 pm 

    As a Canadian I am greatly offended by American's who claim to be Canadian while traveling abroad! The fact that this article suggests this as a travel tip is horrifying to me. Yes it is true that many people stereo type Americans as being loud and obnoxious travelers however pretending to be Canadian is not the answer. Why not set a GOOD example of what American behavior can be like, prove you are not like the stereotypes.

  2. Roberto says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 20101:00 pm 

    Bec you should be flattered.

  3. Rachel says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 20101:22 pm 

    You shouldn't drink tap water from a foreign place. The microbes and minerals are different from region to region and river to river. Unless you are staying in one place for a long time, don't drink the water unless you want to have some serious indigestion and other stomach maladies.

  4. Charlsie - Hollins U says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 20101:25 pm 

    If you set a good example of what "American behavior" can be, people still may be judgmental and not as accepting as they would be if they heard that someone is from Canada, especially when it comes to political reasons. Whether you approve of it or not, it is one of the most common known traveling tips when traveling abroad. Although people should be proud of where they are from, sometimes people don't want to get into politics or stereotypes … so saying you're from somewhere else takes the pressure off.

  5. me says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 20101:44 pm 

    A thing about water- in Amsterdam I tried to order just water and was told it was 'against the law' to serve tap water. Clearly, not true, but just be aware that you might not be served. My tip? Carry around a water bottle and fill it up in hotel/restaurant bathrooms.

  6. eliz says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 20102:36 pm 

    I spent last spring semester in Paris, and I was a little nervous as I had heard the same thing about how Europeans hate Americans. While I wasn't about to pretend to be from a different country, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Europeans hating Americans is about as true as saying something like all southerners are racist. It's such a generalization and as far as I encountered, no one was judgmental or mean to me because of where I was born. There's no need to go around randomly declaring your nationality and waving American flags, but I wouldn't recommend that anyone lie about being from the US.

  7. Eleanor says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 20103:37 pm 

    I agree with Eliz, when I've gone abroad everyone has been perfectly fine with me being an American. And besides, if all the well-behaved tourists pretend to be Canadian, how will the "Ugly American" stereotype ever die?

  8. Breda says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 20104:04 pm 

    I agree about the Canadian thing. Granted, I was in Paris last fall, during the Obama-McCain election (the French liked Obama more than their own president), but people were generally thrilled to find out I was American. One woman in a bar even had a fun, long conversation with me and my friends about the trip she made to the States and how much she loved it and how great she thought the country was. If I'd said I was Canadian, I would've missed out on that. If you're courteous to them, they won't retroactively stick the label on you once they find out where you're from.

    But if you still insist on denying your own culture despite the fact that the most stuck-up people in Europe (Parisians – it's true) didn't care, in non-English speaking European countries, it's probably more convincing to say you're British. Most people assumed I was anyway, since it's so much closer and they couldn't tell the difference between the accents (especially when I spoke to them in French).

  9. Melanie says:
    Sat, 2nd Jan 201011:42 pm 

    I have been studying in Florence, Italy since September (staying till May) and have had the opportunity to travel throughout much of Europe. I have encountered no issues or problems when I've told people I'm American-everyone has been so friendly. I've found that many of my most memorable conversations have occurred when I've been able to discuss the differences and similarities of our cultures, and truly open up to people. It's sad that this generalization is still being perpetuated, it really needs to be put to rest. This blog post was extremely generic.

  10. Em says:
    Sun, 3rd Jan 20104:53 am 

    Amen to "see the sights." I was rather dismayed to find out, on my study abroad trip, that most of my classmates would rather get wasted at night and then lounge around all day instead of enjoying the culture.Or,some would refuse to eat out, sign up for tours, or pay to do anything except drink at night. I'm not saying that you shouldn't take advantage of Europe's 18+ drinking age, but to do so at the cost of your very pricey study abroad trip is ridiculous, especially when you can get drunk just as easily back home in America. Put things in perspective and let booze take a backseat…odds are, you're not going to have many opportunities to go to Europe and you'll probably have many chances to get drunk at home.

  11. Natalie says:
    Sun, 3rd Jan 201010:02 am 

    Just a quick FYI, it IS safe to drink the water in both Italy and Greece. Don't know that much about other countries but those two are safe.

  12. Hope says:
    Sun, 3rd Jan 201010:18 am 

    For more tips on what to do when going abroad visit, http://studyabroadbehappy.blogspot.com and check out "A Student's Guide to Being Happy in Argentina", if you're heading to South America.

  13. collegethriving says:
    Sun, 3rd Jan 20105:13 pm 

    Having just gotten back from studying in France, I have to disagree with this post.

    First of all, trains aren't cheap. Ryanair IS cheap, but in reality a train from France to Brussels will probably cost you around a hundred EUROS and that's expensive when you're jetting around every weekend and lost your purchasing power from the dollar. I 100% recommend traveling and taking advantage of being in Europe. It's certainly cheaper to travel to Amsterdam from France than from New York, but it's by no means "cheap".

    And I agree with the others about being American vs. Canadian. They LOVED Americans over there. Was this post written by someone who was in Europe when Bush was President? Because nowadays they are practically obsessed with America, Obama, Culture etc. The only time I would lie and say I was British (more assumed than Canadian) was when I just didn't feel like making small talk with strangers about how cool America is and how much they love Obama.

  14. gaby says:
    Mon, 4th Jan 20108:18 am 

    i currently live in denmark and the way people get around is on bikes, so different from the us. and their tap water is definitely clean, everyone drinks it. don't be afraid to let people know you speak english, people will be as friendly as you are to them. i would also recommend venturing out from the big cities and checking out the smaller cities.

  15. Lisa says:
    Mon, 4th Jan 20102:20 pm 

    Um, yeah, as a Canadian, skip the pretending to be us and work on your own rep, thanks.

  16. Nina says:
    Tue, 5th Jan 201011:03 am 

    British? Really? We have television in Europe too, you know. That would hardly work. Most people can tell the difference in accents very well.

  17. Alexa says:
    Wed, 6th Jan 20109:08 am 

    I spent a semester in london and when traveling to other countries people often assumed i was australian because they had a hard time distinguishing between the accents. also, people loved the fact that i was american and found that people had lots of questions and were interested in our lifestyle. in terms of traveling, if you plan trips at least a month in advance you can save A LOT.

  18. Tara says:
    Wed, 6th Jan 20101:30 pm 

    Also, when dining out with a group, make sure to say that you want the checks separated (if that's what you want) BEFORE you order. Otherwise, it can get confusing and the waiter won't want to change it. Check also about cards or cash..most places have a minimum on a card, and that can get tricky when your friends DON'T have cash with them. I found some places not even offering the opportunity to use your card!

    My funny experience was after a 24 hour accidental train ride (trains were under construction), we were finally on our last train home back and we were all feeling exhausted and not caring about anything (you know the feeling). After talking about our day and cursing and just complaining, but laughing at the same time, my friend said "you know, i bet half of this train speaks English anyways!" and a local said "you're right." Where Ive been, and on that train, they took it lightly about Americans. The only issues I saw of tourism being annoying were in certain places such as bars. BUT I've been to bars where you couldn't order in the language, you had to order in English…and also the complete opposite. It's different every place, and if you are respectable and using common knowledge whatever language you are speaking, it will be fine.

  19. Cee says:
    Fri, 8th Jan 201010:53 am 

    Im really happy I'm American and not Canadian actually. What a boring, uselss country. you can't have a rep if you're not even noticed i guess. So get off your high horse, Lisa.

  20. emily says:
    Fri, 8th Jan 201012:57 pm 

    "What a boring, useless country." You are filling out the American stereotype nicely, Cee. I sense a bit of resentment in your comment. Did you get heck for being American? AWw…I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure any unfriendliness you've come across in your travels has NOTHING to do with your nationality, and EVERYTHING to do with your shitty attitude.

  21. Debbii says:
    Fri, 8th Jan 20102:10 pm 

    I agree with emily as far as Cee's post goes. That is exactly why americans have such a bad rep. Bad attitude towards other people and countriess that has come from a belief it is the best country in the world. From my encounters working in Florida for a long time, many americans are ignorant, rude and not to mention stupid. This small percentage are the ones who let the rest of the clever, polite and friendly americans down. It seems they must lose their minds when vacaying in Orlando due to the excitement of princes and princesses. Cee's post certainly proves the exsistence of the dumb american.

  22. Ihatestupidpeople says:
    Fri, 8th Jan 20106:54 pm 

    Boring and useless eh? Speaking as someone who has dual American-Canadian citizenship I can tell you Cee that you are an idiot and obviously know nothing about Canada. Oh and btw we have soldiers dying in the Middle East too in order to help the country YOU live in. So shut the fuck up and think about the things you say before you run your mouth off.

  23. Heather says:
    Sat, 9th Jan 20101:35 pm 

    When I was in England visiting family the immigrants there would often think we were Australian not Canadian as we were.

    I can understand the tip about pretending you are Canadian because most Canadian travel guides tell you to make sure you have a Canadian flag visible. But I think generally most of the big cities are used to tourists and won't have a problem with you being anywhere from North America. I would recommend knowing the history of the area because if whatever you are from is currently having controversy with that nation you might want to use discretion about sharing where you are from.

    But frankly I don't see pretending to be from another country as a solution. Just treat everyone you meet kindly and leave a lot of room for cultural differences.

  24. Ilianna says:
    Sat, 9th Jan 20108:30 pm 

    "Also, if you like your meat cooked a certain way, tell your waiter or else you’re (!!) “well done” steak may come out bloody and pink."

    Did no one proofread?!

  25. Breda says:
    Sat, 9th Jan 20108:37 pm 

    Nina – I wasn't making that up, I was speaking from experience. Even strangers on the street asked me if I was British first. Now, I have had people from my hometown ask me if I'm from Ireland, so maybe I have an odd accent for an American, but the overwhelming majority of people in France assumed I (along with all my friends) was British. You might be able to tell the difference. No one I encountered could, even with television.

  26. Nina says:
    Mon, 11th Jan 20103:24 am 

    Breda – really? That's so surprising! I am from Serbia and me and most, if not all of my friends can tell the difference pretty well. However, and i don't mean to be offend anyone, my sister has been to France and she says that the French are much less exposed to English as a language, meaning more French TV-shows and such, then some other Europeans, so most tourists describe them as "speaking English poorly", since they generally don't need it as much!

    My sister also said that she has had some really unpleasant experiences with people not speaking English at all or simply refusing to! I don't know if you know, but in Europe, unfortunately, the French have a bad reputation when it comes to their encounters with any English-speaking culture or country.

    Another reason a French person would assume you to be British is that they have a lot of British tourists.

  27. bella says:
    Tue, 12th Jan 20102:45 am 

    I live in Europe and tap water is wayyyy better/healthier to drink than bottled water!

    maybe it depends on which country, but majoriy, eg: france, switzerland, austria, and germany. Tap water is great and healthy.

    i like the tip about pretending to be a local, it works!

  28. Kelly says:
    Mon, 18th Jan 20103:50 pm 

    Like someone else who commented, I too was abroad during the last presidential election. You wouldn't like it if every where you went (museums, bus rides, pubs, in the middle of classes) people looked at you and then expected you to go into a deep discussion of why you were voting for whomever, now would you? I like politics and I don't mind discussing who I voted for, but literally I had people come up to me and say "McCain or Obama?" as a way of saying hello. So I can see why people would think that pretending to be Canadian had its perks. People wouldn't act that way to citizens of any other country. For the people who went abroad that spring, I suspect you got an easy pass because we had just elected Obama and everyone was positive. I never 'played Canadian' and did try to just represent the country in a more positive manner than most, but I can certainly understand why people would like to. Most of my conversations were focused on this and American Idol, a show I've never watched, or Britney Spears, an artist I haven't listened to since I was in Middle School.

    As far as the tap water, the only country I went to where it wasn't that great was in Spain in the smaller cities outside of Barcelona but I carried a bottle around and filled it up everywhere we went that had good water.

    And definitely fly RyanAir, I actually heard some 'scary' stories about it but I flew it 3 times and had no problems what-so-ever.

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