[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/4107887] I'd like to introduce to you what was probably my best mid-study internet procrastination discovery of 2005. It is called Hospitality Club (there is also a similar organization called Couchsurfing). It's an online network for travelers who want free accomodation (and great experiences) while traveling, and when not abroad, want to offer free accomodation (and great experiences) to travelers. You just sign up for free and make a profile sprinkled with all of your most intriguing hobbies, languages proficiency, location, and whether or not you're willing or able to provide accommodation, meet up for coffee, answer questions, or show people around. Once you've been approved as a member, you can browse the other members from whichever country you plan to travel to. It's a really great way to save money, meet people, and engage in cultural exchange. Hosting is a great way to pay it forward for your future travels. It's mostly young backpackers on round-the-world tickets or finishing study abroad, but one time I had an entire family from Poland stay with me. They wanted their children to see the world, and that was the way they could afford to do it. One guy even traveled for an entire year straight, couchsurfing every night. Being a guest has the obvious financial incentive of not having to pay for a hotel (in addition to a bed you often also get internet, access to a kitchen, sometimes laundry, and so on), but it also offers a way to get to know expats who know the lay of the land or locals who wold otherwise be more difficult to meet if you're staying in a hotel. My most remarkable traveling moments have arisen from simple circumstances turned extradinary through human interaction in magical and mysterious new settings, not from touring musems or landmarks. Join!
FRUGAN - living sparingly with regard to the detriment of one's wallet, environment, climate, society, and general sense of well being.
[i.e. the years I lived as a dumpster diver in NYC]