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.

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! Read More »

You don’t have to be an extremist to be environmentally friendly. There are a bunch of little changes you can make in your life that will not only help you to be kind to this planet, but these things will also save you money in the end.

Saving money is good; it’s really good. In fact, if you help save the planet enough, you can destroy your body with all of the alcohol you’ll be able to suddenly afford.

• UTILIZE CAR POOLS. Why drive separately? Work out car pooling whenever you can. Gas is way too expensive these days not to.

• CLOTHING/HOME GOOD EXCHANGE PARTIES. Get your girls together and swap the clothes and other things you no longer use.

• DON’T BE AFRAID OF TAP WATER. Even though bottle water is sooo cool, your tap water might not be bad for you — contrary to popular beliefs. If you start drinking your tap water, you’ll save money and reduce your plastic waste.

• HANG DRY YOUR CLOTHING. Sure, it’s sort of a pain in the ass, but you can save all of those dryer quarters for something else. Like arcades. Which are awesome. Read More »

In fifth grade, I vowed to say No to Drugs. More correctly, I was forced to vow to say “No”, or I would not be allowed to walk the stage at fifth grade graduation (which would have been social suicide, of course). So, I did, and my little fifth grade self truly believed that I would never take a shot of tequila, smoke a joint and I was absolutely never going to eat fungus that grows on cow sh!@#t. Ever.

Let’s just say, without giving too much away, that my fifth grade self would probably be a little disappointed in my 21-year old self. Woops!

However, up until this point, whatever drugs I did choose to poison and/or pleasure my body with (depending on how you look at the situation), I always thought I had full control of when/where/how they were getting in my system.

I was wrong.

An Associated Press investigation that spanned a five-month period found that 24 major metropolitan areas have drugs in their drinking water. Yes, the stuff that everyone claims is safe to drink and/or at least okay to use to wash our hands and rinse our mouths with after brushing. Well, it’s also teeming with a large range of prescribed and over-the-counter drugs – from sex hormones in San Fran to over 56 different types of pharmaceuticals and their byproducts in Philly.

Disgusted yet? It gets worse. Read More »