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How to Get Upgraded to Business Class
When it comes to air travel, most every passenger yearns to hear the magic word: upgrade. A drink even before the plane takes off, meals with actual silverware and the joy of not having to share the armrest with a stranger – simply stated, the perks of first and business class. I got my taste for this style of travel completely by accident when American Airlines upgraded me due to an oversold flight. And my luck of getting upgrades has continued for a myriad of reasons. Here are my tips for moving to the front of the plane:
Elite Status: A little loyalty goes a long way, especially in this day in age where airlines are continually adding fees and taking perks away left and right. One group of people has been relatively unaffected. In fact, they have been catered to even more! Who are they? Elite flyers — those who have earned status with an airline from meeting mileage thresholds within a defined period of time. I have been elite for five years now and life is good. In addition to the on-the-ground perks like priority lines and no baggage fees, I often get bumped up to first class, even when flying internationally, due to oversold flights and empty seats in business class. How can you get to elite? Pick an airline to fly with (remember, you can fly their partner airlines and earn miles too, in most cases), find out what the threshold is (total miles flown or segments, typically) and then get moving! There are often other promotions affiliated with credit cards that can help you earn additional miles for your elite status.
Fare class: When you ticket a flight, you may notice a letter indicating your fare class. Airlines have a variety of fares from deeply discounted to full-fare first class. Within the economy cabin, the ticket with the most seniority is full-fare economy and offers you the ability to make changes without a fee. This privilege, of course, comes at a price. But, it does look the most tempting to a gate agent who needs to select a passenger to upgrade. Combine a higher fare with elite status and you are golden!
Day & Time: When you fly can also have an impact on the upgrade status. Monday and Thursday are probably the heaviest business travel days which have both an advantage and disadvantage. You may have an oversold flight which could prompt them to upgrade more but you probably have a long list of frequent flyer ahead of you. Less people fly on days like Wednesday and Saturday which could mean more seat availability. In these cases, you may find airlines offering rock-bottom deals to upgrade your seat.
Flexibility: When you’re flexible, good things usually come. Give up your seat on an oversold flight and the airline will give you compensation for a future flight and maybe even upgrade you as a way to say thanks. Or, if you are okay routing through a different hub, opportunities can also await. I have had this happen to me once before. My mom and I were flying from San Francisco to Singapore via Hong Kong. As we waited in the check-in line, they made an announcement asking if anyone had a final destination other than Hong Kong. We raised our hand and they asked us if we’d be willing to go through Tokyo instead and be upgraded to business class the entire way. Oh course, we didn’t mind!
Look the part: I used to dress in tracksuits or pajamas to go to the airport. No one took me seriously in the business traveler world. Then, in about 2005, I decided to re-invent “Airport Kristina.” This overhaul included wearing actual clothing (something that is comfy but looks put together), applying make-up and putting some effort into my hair and trading my backpack in for a roller-bag. All of the sudden, I slowly began being accepted into the world of frequent flyer. Not only does it help with upgrades but it also helps me look legit when I am in the airport lounges which I now regularly patronize.
Written by DIWYY’s Kristina Wegscheider who regularly enjoys free upgrades thanks to her airline loyalty.
Teaching English Abroad: Part 2
Teaching English Abroad Part 2: The Search
The search for a job teaching English abroad can be done in several ways. It mostly depends on the country where you are interested in teaching. Developed countries will have more requirements for being hired and will usually have more visa requirements as well. Whereas developing countries typically do not have as much red tape and make the search a little bit easier.
The Internet is going to be your key to finding a job abroad. If you Google the phrase: “teach English abroad” you will get six million results back, so I suggest making your internet search a little more specific. If you can determine a few cities you think you would enjoy being stationed in, then it will make your search a bit easier. At the same time though, you need to be flexible. If you have your heart set on one city, it might take you a while to find a job, or you could be disappointed when you only find listings in other cities.
If you are interested in teaching in a developing country, I usually suggest packing your bags, buying a plane ticket and just showing up in your country of interest. This sounds incredibly scary and risky, but is worth it for a few reasons. The first time I left the country to work abroad, it sounded like it would be a great fit, but I quickly found out upon arrival that the city I was going to be living in was not ideal for me. Throughout my stay in Thailand, I was constantly offered teaching positions everywhere I went. I realized that I could have just wandered the country until I found a suitable location, and then accepted one of the many jobs offered to me.
If this is an option you might actually consider, then you need to be a very proactive person. Sometimes being offered a job is as easy as mentioning that you are an English teacher to the right person, but if you are avidly looking for a job, you might need to be a little more aggressive than that. Tell everyone you meet abroad that you are an English teacher looking to settle down in that area. Most people you will meet know at least one other English teacher or school, and this can lead to important connections. Schools can’t hire you if they don’t know you are out there looking for a job. Make sure you let people know you are interested. Networking is your best friend in this type of search, not the Internet.
Things can be much more complicated if you are looking to teach in a more developed country. For example, South Korea requires that you send them your diploma, a background check, and transcripts from your university. Not only do they need all of these items, but they also need you to be in your home country during the application process. So it would be a poor idea to show up in South Korea and hope to get a job.
If you are leaning towards teaching in a developed country or don’t want to show up in a developing country looking for work, then your next question is “How do I find a job on the internet?” Before you start googling, let me warn you that many of the ‘jobs’ you will find listed are not in fact jobs. Many times they will ask you to pay them to come teach English.
Volunteering is wonderful and I am sure that there are pay-to-volunteer programs available that put a lot of the money you pay towards helping the organization you work with, but unfortunately there are many that don’t. Sometimes the organizations that will set you up with a teaching position if you pay a couple thousand bucks are just scamming you. For one of my previous jobs I worked with volunteers who came through a rather large name in the pay to volunteer business, and I can say without a doubt that almost all of the money went directly into their pockets and did not reach our organization. So if you choose the pay-to-volunteer route, make sure your money is going where you want it to.
Remember what I said in my previous post as well, TEFL and TESOL certification is not completely necessary to teach abroad. Before you spend the money on it, make sure you absolutely need it.
Sifting through the results that your search engine will turn up is definitely a process. Idealist.org is a great website for the global job search. This website allows you to search by country, language, categories, job type, etc. If you are interested in teaching English in South Korea I recommend going to Dave’s ESL Cafe and checking out the listings there. I wish I had a list of websites for prospective teachers for every country, but I don’t. If you know of a great website for teaching abroad in any country, please comment below. Let’s compile a list of helpful websites for prospective English teachers!
Written by Danielle Koffler. Be sure to check out her blog, Wake Up and Dance.
Destination Events
What are you passionate about? What event would inspire you to travel great lengths just to witness or participate in an event? For me, the answer is triathlon. Since I picked up the sport, I’ve trained and raced in several states and a handful of countries. I absolutely love what I do and am always excited to travel to a new race venue.
Even though I typically travel alone, that doesn’t mean I am once at my destination. The triathlon community is warm, friendly, albeit competitive group. Each time I’ve stayed at the host hotel or nearby, I’ve quickly found a group of good friends for the weekend. The weekend then passes too fast and destination races are the only things on my mind. The same has happened when I’ve traveled just to train. Even in Spain, I met several cyclists while out on rides. However, the language barrier and not having a phone hindered meeting up for rides in the future.
Cycle to the Sun – Maui
Of course, this phenomena isn’t exclusive to triathlon. It’s likely the same for any group of like-minded individuals. There are festivals all over the states and world that I’m sure would peak your interest. Don’t be afraid to go it alone, in fact, I recommend you do! Sometimes traveling with friends isolates you from meeting new people. I’m not saying that’s the case every time, but probably more often than not.
Do a search for a list of the top ranked festivals around the world that pertain to your interests and see what catches your eye. It would be a great way to meet new people, while exploring a new place. It’s the best of both worlds!
48 Hours in Copenhagen
While working on a TV show in May I found out that we were going to have an unexpected 2 week hiatus. I thought about staying home being lazy and just enjoying my time off and sleep in every day until 11am. However I have been
suffering from a major case of the travel bug for the past few years now and the moment my mother jokingly said to me “Two weeks off? I’m surprised you aren’t going anywhere!” I started checking out flights for Europe.
I had been hoping for a European vacation later in the summer with the idea of heading to the north, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Not having tons of time though I decided just to travel to Denmark and Sweden and it perfectly worked out that the dates I would be visiting Denmark were the same dates as Chris from the Aussie Nomad.
I am pretty sure we did as much as physically possible in Copenhagen in a 48 hour period (minus the Carlsberg brewery and a few museums because they are closed on Monday’s and partly due to too many other things that we were doing).
Getting to the city center: I flew into the Copenhagen Airport (CPH) from London and it could not of been easier to find the trains to get to the city: just follow the signs and you can’t miss it. I took the train a couple stops from the airport to the Copenhagen Central station which only took 10-15 minutes. Chris took the train from Germany using a Eurorail pass and it dropped him off right at that same station.
Accommodations: I had a hard time deciding where to stay in Copenhagen as the internet was full of bad reviews for every place and all of them seemed more expensive than other hostels throughout Europe (FYI: Denmark is one of the most expensive European countries). My final choice for a hostel was based on location and I stayed at the Danhostel Copenhagen Downtown hostel right in the middle of the city a 2 minute walk to Tivoli and about a 5 minute walk to the train station. A weird thing about this hostel is that they asked the guests to clean everything. Now I understand cleaning up after yourself but there needs to be a certain amount of upkeep on their behalf which was lacking and foam pads and metal bars on beds don’t mix well together. Chris stayed at the Sleep in Heaven hostel on the outskirts of town but he seemed to get around by public transport easily and I’m pretty sure he enjoyed the free wi-fi a fair bit.
Sightseeing: The top tourist attraction in Copenhagen hands down would have to be the famous Little Mermaid statue (Den lille havfrue) which sits in the harbour just off of Langlinie Park. The statue was originally commissioned by the founder of Carlsberg Beer after being fascinated by the fairytale which he saw portrayed at the ballet based off of the famous Hans Christian Andersen’s story. It’s a nice scenic walk from the city center to where the statue is located especially if you walk along the canals and harbour which some may argue is the longer way to get there, but it is worth 
it. You get to pass by the Danish Stock exchange with its unusual three dragon spire, you get a nice view of the Spire from the Church of our Saviour near Christiania, the Amalienborg palace (the future home of the Crown Prince Frederik and family) and you can see the multi-color buildings of Nyhavn Harbor and why not enjoy an ice cream from one of the many ice cream shops along the way?
Another must see/do item in Copenhagen is Tivoli Gardens. Located in the center of the city, Tivoli is said be the 2nd oldest theme park in all of Europe, opened in 1843. Inside Tivoli there are theme park rides and roller coasters, lots of games to play, a lake to stroll around, a few concert areas and many places to eat and drink. Chris and I both agreed it is definitely a great place to go on a first date, or a romantic night on the town while on the road.
Unique features: Copenhagen is also famous for a small area of the city called “Christiania” which is also known as “the Freetown”. Regarded as a commune, it is an old military area that was taken over by squatters in the 70’s and is run by its own rule with no policing by the Copenhagen Police inside its walls. A very colourful place, not only from its shockingly crazy graffiti, but also from the people who live there. We were told by a few people to visit here including a lady at the tourist information desk, but aside from it being a “must see” we didn’t know much about it. As we walked through part of the compound we were taking photos and a little video but not too long after we got there we were told by some residents to put our cameras away. There is a street in Christiania called “Pusher” street, since there are no Police here, drugs are legal and everyone sells them on tables and stands on this street, just as if they were as normal as hot dog stands.
Shopping: Although Copenhagen is very expensive it would be a shame not to take in some of its fabulous shopping, even if you are just doing it from the window. Be sure to visit the pedestrian streets of Købmagergade and Strøget where all the big brand names are squeezed in between the fabulous boutiques.
Everything is located very close to the city center — easily walkable or just a quick bike ride away. The city has many bicycle paths and there are many options of bikes to rent for a day or even just a few hours.
More than 24-hours? I also recommend checking out the Copenhagen Zoo if you have time. The highlight of the zoo in Copenhagen for me was seeing the Polar beers and the low-light for Chris (the aussie nomad) was of course seeing Australian animals. However an interesting fact, the Copenhagen Zoo is the only place in the world outside of Australia where you can find the Tasmanian Devil. The Tasmanian Devils found here were actually donated from Australia on the birth of Danish Prince Frederik and Princess Mary’s (originally Australian) first son.
Written by Cailin O’Neil who visited Copenhagen, Denmark in May 2010. Be sure to check out Cailin’s website, Travel Yourself.
Photo of the Week: Li River, Yangshuo, China
This week’s featured photo is of the Li River in Yangshuo, China taken by Griffin Stewart. Griffin says, “If you ever get a chance to go to China, I highly recommend checking out Yangshuo and Guilin. The unique structures of the limestone mountains reminded my wife and I of scenes from the movie Avatar and gave us the feeling of being on another planet.” This picture is of a section of the river that is also depicted on the Chinese 20 RMB Note. View more of Griffin’s amazing photography on his website.
GoCar: The Cure for the Common Tour
GoCar: The Cure for the Common Tour
Whenever I visit a new city, I like to do some sort of city tour to get acclimated. From free walking tours to organized coach tours, this gives me some sense of direction and a way to see the city highlights. But, being the adventurer that I am, I like to see the city in unique ways too. So, when I discovered that GoCar, GPS-guided tours in little cars you drive around the city, were available, I grabbed my friend Anna and we explored a little gem right in our own backyard of San Francisco.
Teaching English Abroad: Questions to ask before signing a contract
Teaching English Abroad: Questions to ask before signing a contract
Have you read Danielle’s other posts on teaching abroad?
After you’ve found a potential teaching position, you will be overwhelmed with excitement and ready to pack your bags. Before you sign a contract or buy a plane ticket, make sure you question your future employer about all of the following topics.
The Terms of Your Contract
Make sure you understand everything in your contract before you sign it. Ask about anything you are unsure of. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I can’t emphasize enough the importance of this step. Find out if it’s okay for you to tutor on the side for extra income, if you have a Christmas vacation, or if there’s a dress code.
Vote for the Grand Prize Winner
Vote for the winner – August 24 – September 1
Our finalists:
- Backcountry Survival Kit by Heather Balogh – Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes, Supergoop! SPF 30+ Face and Body Lotion, Jack Black Intense Lip Therapy with SPF 25 & Mbeze Twice Shy Natural Deodorant
- Beautifully Stranded by Christina Dunham – Yes to Cucumbers Cucumber Facial Towelettes, Jonathan Green Rootine Dry Shampoo for Light Hair, Supergoop! SPF 30+ Sunscreen Swipes, Herban Essentials Mixed Towelettes, Archipelago Botanicals Milk Lip Balm with SPF 15 & Go Smile AM/PM Lemonade Toothpaste
- Frequent Flier by Barbara Rockwell – Air Repair Rescue Balm, Ahava Smoothing Moisturizer for Very Dry Skin & Herban Essentials Mixed Towelettes
- Man Things to Take on Wings by David Domagalski - Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Shave, Anthony for Men Deodorant & Herban Essentials Peppermint Towelettes
- My How to Fly Standby Kit by Kimberly Barnes – Weleda Almond Facial Oil, Nickel Super Clean Scrubbing Gel, Jonathan Create Curl Serum, Philip B Light Weight Deep Conditioning Creame Rinse, Jonathan Green Rootine Noorishing Shampoo, Go Smile Jet Set Kit, Somme Institute Transport Pads & Dr Hauschka St. John’s Wart Foot Cream
How to Vote:
Leave a comment on this post with which kit you’d want to buy. Please only list one kit in your post and one post per person, please. Votes will be accepted now through September 1, 2010 at 11:59pm PST.
Contest Details:
No matter where you are headed, you are bound to need some toiletries. And if your travel is by airplane or even just a weekend getaway with the girls, you don’t want to lug your entire bathroom with you. Luckily, there is an easy solution: 3floz.com!
3floz.com was founded by friends, Alexi and Kate, who wanted a one stop shop for TSA-friendly beauty products. Their awesome website is easy to use and they offer free shipping within the United States on purchases over $100.
Excited to start shopping at 3floz.com? We hope so! And to get you even more pumped, we are launching a promotion for the month of August to create the official DIWYY Travel Kit.
What’s the Grand Prize?
- 2-night stay in at The Belamar, a chic boutique hotel in the Los Angeles seaside community of Manhattan Beach
- $100 to spend on a night out
- The DIWYY Travel Kit that you helped created, courtesy of 3floz.com
How do you enter?
1) Check out the awesome product lines sold at 3floz.com – whether you are headed out on a vacation, want to spice up the beauty products in your gym bag or just like trying new products, 3floz.com is your single source for shopping!
2) Create your ideal product kit with at least three items in it that are carried by 3floz.com and a kit name. If you need some help getting the creative juices flowing, check out the existing kits sold by 3floz.com.
3) Enter by completing the form below with your name, email address, country of residence, name of your kit (creativity counts!) and the products you would select for your kit. You may enter between August 1-22, 2010.
4) The top five submissions, as chosen by the DIWYY and 3floz.com staff, will advance to the voting round (August 24-September 1, 2010) where a grand prize winner and runners-up will be determined.
Misadventures
No trip is executed perfectly, especially if you’re going the independent route. What may seem like a straightforward task abroad can easily become a whirlwind experience. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, as the term misadventure implies. I’m sure we’ve all heard the quote “Focus on the journey, not the destination,” I couldn’t agree more.
Travel Volunteer Spotlight – Sucheta Rawal
Travel Volunteer Spotlight – Sucheta Rawal
In July 2010, DIWYY and Travel Volunteer Search ran a contest to look for an international volunteer to spotlight. Sucheta Rawal was our lucky winner! In addition to her Amazon.com gift card prize, she will also be featured in a radio interview with Megan Schiebe of Travel Volunteer Search and on the DIWYY website. Read on to learn more about Sucheta, her past volunteering experience and her upcoming volunteer trip to Morocco.
