Many students have to take a foreign language class or two as part of the general education requirements. These classes can be a real challenge, especially if you are just going to class a few times a week and not really studying outside of class. So if that’s the problem, then start using those flashcards and learning a foreign language!

However, if you are studying and just can’t get the foreign language vocabulary words to stick in your mind, here are some tips and tricks for learning a foreign language.

1. Listen to music. Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head and can’t get it out no matter what you do? For many people, words put to music are much easier to remember than just words, so if you are trying to learn some new vocabulary or memorize something in a foreign language, try making a song to go along with the things you are trying to learn. You can also listen to popular songs in the foreign language you are studying in order to become more familiar with the pronunciation of words and grammar structure.

2. Read one of your favorite books in the foreign language. Personally, I love the Harry Potter books and have read them at least several times each. Therefore, reading them in Spanish is pretty easy for me because I know the stories by heart and if I do not know a particular vocabulary word, I can still figure out what is going on in the story. This is a great way to learn new vocabulary words while also seeing the grammatical structure that the author uses.

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London, England. Just the name of the city sounds good to me, but a semester or a year living there? That sounds amazing! Personally, I have only visited London but I feel like living there would be one of the best opportunities a college kid could have to experience the rich history and culture of a country that has had a great impact on the USA.

So if you are planning on studying abroad in London, kudos to you! In addition to learning to love drinking hot tea, here are a few more things I think you should do while studying abroad in London:

1. Pay your respects to the Bard. The original Globe Theatre  was built in 1599 in order to house the plays that were produced by Shakespeare‘s playing company and burned down in 1613. Another model of the Globe was constructed in 1997 and is located about 750 feet from the original Globe. Today, you can buy tickets to see one of Shakespeare’s plays being performed at the Globe Theatre. Take it from a big Shakespeare fan: seeing one of his plays is good, seeing it at the Globe is great, and standing in the bottom section of the theatre as a “groundling” is amazing! In addition to being more fun (the actors interact with the groundlings, just like they did in Shakespeare’s day), buying a groundling ticket is also cheaper and allows you to stand closer to the stage.

2. Take a ride on the London Eye. This glass ferris wheel is situated on the River Thames and is the tallest ferris wheel in Europe. Although it is somewhat slow, it does offer fantastic views of the city. This is something that you should definitely do when you are in London, but I would prefer to take a visitor – parents, friends who aren’t studying in London, etc. – on the Eye than do it by myself. The lines to get on the Eye can be long as well, so it might be better to go during the week than during the weekend.

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“G’day, mate!” When I hear these two words, I automatically think of Australia. If you are like me and these words inspire you to want to study abroad in this country, I have two more words for you: Sydney, Australia.

Sydney was first established in 1788 as a British penal colony. Today, the city is home to 4.6 million people and the University of Sydney, the oldest university in the country. The city is also a cultural hub, hosting many social and cultural festivals and events throughout the year. There are also many museums and art galleries in Sydney, such as the Museum of Sydney, the White Rabbit Gallery, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

So have you decied that you want to study abroad in Sydney? Here are some of the things we at EDUinReview think you should do to get the most out of your study abroad experience in this city.

1. Take a ride on the Manly Ferry. Sydney is surrounded by the Sydney Harbour, which is a perfect place to take a cruise on the Manly Ferry. By taking this ferry, you will get excellent views of the city, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House as you leave the city. The trip takes about 30 minutes to get from Sydney to Manly. Once in Manly, you can spend some time in the city. I recommend satisfying your sweet tooth at the Max Brenner Chocolate Bar. This is a good activity to do with your family when they come visit you in Sydney.

2. Save up for a ticket to the Open Air Cinema. This cinema is quite expensive, but it is worth the price. Here you can watch a movie in an open-air cinema, with a backdrop of the city skyline, the Opera House, and the Harbour Bridge. There is also a colony of fruit bats that live near by and you can often see them flying overhead during the movie. The Open Air Cinema is only open during the summer. You should book your tickets well in advance because this venue sells out quickly and it can be hard to get a ticket.

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Vienna is the capital of Austria and is the largest city in the nation and the 10th largest in the European Union with a metropolitan population of 2.4 million people. The official language of the country is German, which makes Vienna a good place to study abroad if you want to learn the language. Vienna is also a good place to study if you are interested in art history, architecture, or international relations.

So besides studying, what should you do if you are studying abroad in Vienna, Austria? Here are some of our tips for getting the most out of your study abroad experience in Vienna:

1. Listen to the music. Vienna has been home to many musical geniuses, including Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Haydn. There are many monuments dedicated to these musicians, as well as the Haus deer Musik, an interactive museum dedicated to music and musicians. There are also live musicians playing in the streets on most days. Throw them a coin or two and keep the tradition alive for future generations of musicians.

2. Visit the beautiful Schonbrunn Palace. The Schonbrunn Palace is the former summer residence for the Royal Family in Austria. In the 1960s, it was converted into a museum and has been a major tourist attraction since then, but don’t let the hoards of tourists keep you away from this UNESCO World Heritage Site. This palace contains 1,441 rooms and demonstrates the wealth of the Habsburg monarchy. The Holy Roman Emperor Maximllian II purchased the land where the palace would be built; his original intention for the land was to be used as a recreational hunting ground. Today, it is home to the beautiful palace and many gardens. My favorite part of the Schonbrunn Palace is the hedge maze in the gardens; it took me a while to find it, but the search was part of the fun.

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Starting out as a small fishing village in the 12th century, the city of Amsterdam has since grown up to become the cultural and financial capital of the Netherlands and is home to more than 2,000,000 people. It is also home to the headquarters of several large, international companies like Philips and ING.

Amsterdam is also a great place to study abroad. It was ranked the 13th best city in the world for its quality of living in 2010. If you are studying business, finances, history, or international relations, then Amsterdam is a fantastic location for you to study abroad. Music students and art history majors will also find that the Netherlands’ capital city has much to offer.

If you have decided that you are going to study abroad in Amsterdam, there are many interesting things you can see and do in this city that will not break the bank. Here is a list of some of my favorite things to do in Amsterdam:

1. Eat a raw herring. I don’t want to hear any excuses about not liking raw fish; the vast majority of college students have tried sushi, which is also raw fish. Raw herring is a common Dutch snack, so if you really want to dive into the culture, you have to do it. There are many fish stores in Netherlands, but some of the best for raw herring include Altena in the Museum Quarter, Huijsman in the Old Centre, and Volendammer in the Pijp. The best time to eat raw herring is between May and July because this is when the newest catches of fish are coming into the market. When it is not the peak season, the fish is seasoned with onions, pickles, and other spices, which dilutes the true flavor.

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Japan is quickly growing as a country of interest for many Americans. So, if you are wanting to spend a summer, semester, or year studying abroad there, it makes sense that you would study abroad in Tokyo. Tokyo is the largest city in Japan and around 13 million people live in this city. Tokyo also hosts 47 of the Fortune Global 500 companies and the Japanese government; the Imperial Palace is also located in this city.

Obviously, Tokyo is a cultural hub and there is a lot to do and see in Tokyo. We here at EDUinReview want to make sure that you see the best of the best. So here is our list of the things you have to do while studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan.

1. See the city…from high up in the sky. It would takes months to see every inch of Tokyo if you walked along the streets. Instead, get a fantastic panoramic view of the city from the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office. It is free to enter this building between 9:30am and 5:30pm, so you do not have to pay to see the city like you would at a private site. The views of the city from up this high are absolutely stunning and will take your breath away, simply due to how vast the city is. Also, on a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji from this viewpoint. How cool is that?

2. Listen to live music as you stroll through Yoyogi Park. The best time to visit this park is on Sundays, when it turns into an outdoor concert venue. Many bands gather here to perform for free. You will see every type of music available at this venue, from angry-screamers to traditional Japanese music to drum circles. The park is also gorgeous, so go on a nice day, sit under a tree, and listen to the music.

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So you have always loved St. Patrick’s Day? There’s just something about little men dressed in green, shamrocks, and pots of gold that really trips your trigger? Awesome! You should study abroad in Dublin, Ireland!

Dublin is home to about 2 million people and was founded as a Viking settlement during the 9th century. Although it is not one of the most popular study abroad locations, it definitely has it’s own merits and will serve as a great base for your study abroad location. What exactly can you do while studying abroad in Dublin? Here are some of our tips for getting the most out of your time in this awesome city!

1. Experience a real St. Patrick’s Day. Sure, we dress up in green in the USA and drink green beer on St. Patrick’s Day. But you have not ever really exprierenced St. Patty’s until you have done it in Dublin. St. Patrick’s Day is always on March 17 (which means you would need to study abroad during the spring semester) and there is a great parade in Dublin that features fantastic street performers. The festivities last for about four-days, so don’t feel like you have to skip school on the 17th to really enjoy this event!

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This is the first post in EDUinReview’s new series, The College Budget Traveler. This series will help students who want to travel to different cities learn how to do so, while still remaining within their college-kid budget. Currently, I am living in Sevilla, Spain, and that’s where this post is about visiting.

Sevilla is in the south of Spain and is the fourth largest city in Spain. As such, it has many historical and cultural offerings, as well as a happening night life. In other words, it is a great destination for anyone to study abroad or visit while they are in Spain.

So, how can you visit the city where Christopher Columbus told the Spanish King and Queen that he found America while still staying within a budget? Here are some tips for the best places for students to stay, eat, and visit in Sevilla, Spain.

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Fears may start to set in once you’ve realized that your liberal arts degree may not be worth more than the piece of paper on which it was printed.  When job hunting becomes a headache, you may wish that you had chosen a more practical, specialized degree.

Concern may linger over the heads of you English, history, psychology, and other liberal arts majors, but don’t panic. Your degree has equipped you with certain skills that can be quite useful. Follow these tips to market your degree, and get a job.

Find an internship that has nothing to do with your degree: Bulk up your resume by taking an internship at a finance company or a local bank. Future employers need to see that the general education you learned in college can be applied to practical job skills. Additionally, having that real-world experience shows that you are mature and ready to take future jobs seriously.

Broaden your education: Take a few specialized classes outside your major that are beyond the required electives. For instance, if you’re a liberal arts major with a knack for numbers, take business calculus or an economics class.

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If you are like me, one of the worst parts of being a college student is not having enough disposable income to do all of the things that you want to do. For me, the one thing I want to do above all others is travel. However, traveling can be very expensive… unless you know how to do it.

I am currently living in Spain for a year, and while I am here, I plan on visiting many cities while also staying on a limited budget. There are various tricks to the trade that you can use while traveling to help yourself stay within your budget. This post will tell you some of these tricks, while the following posts will focus on specific cities and tips for visiting these cities in particular.

1. Ditch the four-star hotels. When you are traveling, you really aren’t spending too much time in your hotel. So why should you spend a lot of money on it? Obviously, you want to be safe and feel secure where you are staying. However, you can feel safe in a hostel, which will cost much less than a hotel. HostelWorld.com is a respectable website that I have used several times to find lodgings while traveling. If the idea of sleeping in a bunk bed in a room full of other people freaks you out, you can find a hostel that offers private rooms. Most private rooms cost about $20-$30 per night, which is much cheaper than an expensive hotel room will cost.

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