Let’s see if you can guess this correctly: You may think about this thing a lot, maybe have a career in it, can’t survive without it, you may enjoy some types of it more than others… don’t know what it is? It’s food!

There is so much to food. I don’t even know where to start. Bottom line is if you’re like most people, we all like food.

Food is enjoyable. But unfortunately, according to Forbes.com, people across the globe are increasingly becoming overweight. Although you probably already knew this fact, keep it in mind while we discuss:

Why teens should learn to cook! 

1. Survival Skill:

Cooking is a skill. This is why we pick some restaurants over others because some cooks have better cooking skills than others. Better cooks make better restaurant. Teens need to know this skill, how to cook, so they know how to cook before they are old enough to leave the house.

My mom always says to help her cook so I can learn how to, or else I would have to eat McDonald’s or other fast food restaurants everyday for the rest of my life.

I definitely don’t want that to happen to me, especially after watching the documentary, Super Size Me. Filmmaker, Morgan Spurlock, decided to eat McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a month, and ended up increasing his body mass by 13%, gaining 25 pounds and increased his cholesterol level. I’m sure none of us would like that to happen to us.

2. Save money and get healthy:

When teens are on their own, they will need to learn to cook to save money. Although food prices are increasing nowadays, it is still cheaper to cook food at home than to eat at restaurants. The majority of teens will not be making a lot of money when they are out of the house. They will need to have this skill of cooking to save money.

Teens need to learn to cook so they can be healthier. Buying food from the grocery store and cooking at home gives you more selections of the healthier things you eat, such as organic food. 

3. It's fun!

I took a web design class recently and one of the projects was to make a website about the history of food. I have to admit that I had a lot of fun doing this project. We had to make food from different time periods. I ended up making ice cream and German Chocolate Cake from scratch. Another time I had fun making food was with my friends. For my birthday, I decided to have friends over to bake my birthday cake and then a sleepover.

Those are just two examples of how much fun I had with cooking. 

I would love to know about a time that you had fun cooking by leaving us a comment below.

Also, parents, or anyone, who knows or has a teen, let them know about our teen content writing competition.  

p.s. 2 pictures of food I made. 

Share/Bookmark

Choices: Coach or Not? (For Life, Career and Sports)

By Bethany Looi

As the first day of school slowly approaches, it is a good time to think of all the goals that have been accomplished in the last 2 months.

My number one goal was to find a new golf coach, who would help me improve my golf swing. I have knocked that one out! From accomplishing this goal, I have learned:

3 Life lessons you can learn from golf:

1.   Don’t listen to someone who can’t show you the results you want:

One day, my mom took me to the driving range to practice. She commented on how my swing looked different than everyone else’s at the range. I said, “How so?”” (I needed any advice I could get!) So, she tried to give me an explanation which she thought would improve my swing. She’s not a professional and doesn’t even own a golf club. Not really the ideal person to get advice about golf from… we resolved to ask my coach instead.

2.   Don’t compare:

At one of my recent lessons with my coach, I felt rather discouraged; as we watched a man who has joined long distance golf driving competitions, swing his driver. The ball went over 350 yards! Currently, my swing can’t take me anywhere close to that! However, this man was over 6 feet tall. My coach explained how I needed to do my swing a little differently from others, so I could get my ball to go that far. This is because I am barely 5 feet tall. Obviously, someone who is 6 feet tall would be able to get their ball to go farther than me.

In other words, don’t compare anything you do with others! It will just make you feel bad about yourself, causing you to lose focus on your goal.

3.   Everyone needs a coach:

The first month of summer, I practiced without a coach because we decided that our previous coach has taken me to where I need to go and no more. I made no improvement. But with just 2 lessons with a new coach, results were seen significantly. I realized that whether it’s a sport, or just about anything, everyone needs a coach to get advice on how to improve. 

For part of our observation on life, my mother has been taking us to places where we met young adults who have recently graduated from college or are in college. Her favorite questions were: What are you doing in college? What are you going to major in? What are you going to do after graduating? Will you carry a loan after you graduated?

The answers are scary!

If you want to know the answers, please check back with us on our next post.

 Bethany Looi is a 16 year old high school student who goes to a brick and mortar public school and also an online school. She is scheduled to graduate one year earlier than her peers with honors. Bethany enjoys playing golf, traveling and learning new languages. She is currently pursuing an advanced level Spanish with a private tutor. She is starting to work as a virtual assistant and currently has 2 clients. Bethany is blogging here at uncommongeneration.com one to two times a month. She has been to 12 countries and her favorite things to do in each country are shopping, eating and sightseeing.

Share/Bookmark

Remembering when I was 8, looking at that colorful thing that hung from the ceiling and somehow, when kids hit it many times with a stick or baseball bat, candy came out of it! This thing, a piñata, is what I learned to make this week, while helping out at a Spanish summer camp.

Pretty soon, after reading this, you will also be able to make your very own piñata! But first, let’s start with a little history of the piñata:

A piñata is a papier-mâché container that is used to put candy in. Normally at parties, people are blind folded and try to break the piñata with a stick, or until all the candy comes out. This concept was originated in China. It was then brought over to Spain through trading. The name piñata comes from the Italian word, pignatta, meaning “fragile pot”. From there, during the Exploration Period, it was brought over to Mexico.
 
Today, piñatas are made into different shapes and sizes. During the summer camp, each child chose a sports ball to make. And here is how we did it:

This concept was originated in China. It was then brought over to Spain through trading. The name piñata comes from the Italian word, pignatta, meaning “fragile pot”. From there, during the Exploration Period, it was brought over to Mexico.

Today, piñatas are made into different shapes and sizes. During the summer camp, each child chose a sports ball to make. And here is how we did it:
 
1.   Blow balloon. It has to be really big because that’s what the candy goes into.

2.   Prepare glue. We used normal liquid school glue mixed with a little water.

3.   Put newspaper. Using a paint brush, we put glue all over and stuck pieces of newspaper to it. This was repeated for 3 days, we had to put at least 6 layers of newspaper and to wait for it to be dry and harden. 

4.   Cut and glue streamer. We made little cuts to the sides of the streamer and glued the strips to the balloon.

5.   Add any other decorations.

6.   Pop balloon. By now, the newspaper and glue has hardened so when the balloon is popped, the piñata has kept its shape.

 
It was a lot of fun to make! Above is the piñata I made, a golf ball and a golf club. Let us know about a time you broke open a piñata or if you have ever made a piñata by leaving a comment below.
 
 

Bethany Looi is a 16 year old high school student who goes to a brick and mortar public school and also an online school. She is scheduled to graduate one year earlier than her peers with honors. Bethany enjoys playing golf, traveling and learning new languages. She is currently pursuing an advanced level Spanish with a private tutor. She is starting to work as a virtual assistant and currently has 2 clients. Bethany is blogging here at uncommongeneration.com one to two times a month. She has been to 12 countries and her favorite things to do in each country are shopping, eating and sightseeing.

Share/Bookmark

Benjamin Franklin started working when he was barely 12. In today’s society, it would be called child labor. His lack of education was compensated by the many hours of reading and writing that he pursued when not working and having conversations and learning from men much older than him .

In his own words, The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. About his life in England when he was 18:

I had by no means improv’d fortune, but I had picked up some very ingenious acquaintance, whose conversation was of great advantage to me, I had read considerably.

Benjamin Franklin, at aged 16, left his family and went to Philadelphia where the currency and bread were different from were he was born. It was like living in another country. His travel adventures, by boats and on foot that took months from Boston to Philadelphia revealed, a young man with great determination and courage. Despite setbacks, severe weather conditions, and lack of money, food, clean clothing and lodging…he made it to his destination with help from strangers and selling some of his collection of books.

Here are few lessons that I learned from his book:

His skills in his trade and ability to read and write were assets for him as he looked for employment in Philadelphia. He was way better than most of his peers in his trade because he had printing skills and could read and write while most of them couldn’t read or lacked skills or did not possess both.

He sought out like-minded people and always formed a mastermind group with them. He always looked for lovers of reading and writing. When he was younger he had a group of like-minded young men who reads and writes and comments on each others writing.

When he was a businessman in the community, he set up a group where they masterminded about books, writings, political issues and community issues.

He equipped himself and always worked hard on himself. When he left London for home he drew out a plan for his life in a journal. He said perhaps the most important part of that journal is the plan…for regulating my future conduct in life. It is the more remarkable, as being formed when I was young, and yet being pretty remarkable adhered to quite thro’ to old age.

He listed 13 virtues and had a strictly followed them through each week with a chart for the week. He said I determined to give a week’s strict attention to each of the virtues successfully…I could go through the course in thirteen weeks.

He had this list as a self improvement chart for himself. The 13 virtues are temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility. He marked his progress daily and even had a time management that he called order.

Every hour of the day is allotted time for some activities. These are fascinating daily charts found in his autobiography:

From 5-7 am Rise, wash and address Powerful Goodness! Contrive day’s business, and take the resolution of the day, prosecute the present study, and breakfast.

From 8-11 Work

From 12-1 Read, or overlook my accounts, and dine.

From 2-5 Work

From 6-9 pm put things in their places. Supper. Music or diversion, or conversation. Examination of the day.

From 10pm -4 am Sleep

This was taken from his autobiography. He said I enter’d upon the execution of this plan for self-examination, and continu’d it with occasional intermissions.I think he was a man who was quite hard on himself…working very hard on himself and others as well. A man of great achievements and had contributed

greatly to this country.After reading this autobiography that focused on his younger years, my thought is, can we raise more Benjamin Franklins in this generation?

Though a man with many faults, his contributions and achievements outweighed them all.

Like this article? Tell us more? Please leave your comment below.

Share/Bookmark

I am proud and honored to present the winner of our Teen Content Writing Competition in today's blog post.

She is a student in Jakarta, Indonesia. The internet connects us with people all over the world…truly globalization at its finest…With one common platform…www…. Writers, small business owners,bloggers, we can reach people all over the globe with our writings, products and services.

We have given 3 topics to our contestants and Beatrice pick this one. Bravo! Here it is:

_________________________________________

Activities Teens Can Do to Help Make Our

World a Better Place

Chilling out with friends, catching up with the latest fashion trends, texting on cell phones, playing sports, listening to the iPod, going on the internet for ages and the list goes on.

As teens, we seem to be in the transition period which no one sees us seriously, because we ARE not being serious. For most cases, it tends to be that we aren’t aware of the world. Talk about making a difference to the world, some teens would react like this, “Umm, it’s got nothing to do with me.” 

The fact is this, teens in every way have a voice to stand up for the “deficiencies” they see in the world. Look around you, as in really look at the world, hunger, poverty, child labor, prejudice, lack of human rights, lack of education, lack of healthcare, human trafficking, malnutrition, and so on.

These issues pop up and worsen as we breathe, and I’m often crestfallen by this. I do have the power to go forth and get them out of that state. I WANT to do that, because I think that the only difference between me and them is that they’re the victims while I’m the change maker.

On the other hand, the good news is that they aren’t helpless. International peacemakers and aid are always on the task of helping them. But we as teens, how can we lend a hand?

For the past few years, I’ve been involved in my school’s Model United Nations; it’s a club that uncovers teens’ potential to debate and be part of the world’s issues by coming up with resolutions. I’ve come in contact with issues regarding women’s rights, poverty, universal education, maternal health, hunger, etc. I meet up with people all over the world for a global perspective in the process of making resolutions.

Being in this club has made me think of being the people to make the world a better place. Just be aware of the needy around you, and if it’s within your power, chip in and help.

On the other hand, I myself had recently written an article to a newspaper in hopes of promoting awareness of an issue I experienced. We could take on

the role of making the public aware as the first step. I went to a city in the island of Sumatra, Indonesia for a school trip.

While I was there, I realized that the people were in a major uh-oh situation – their health and cleanliness are at stake. They were plagued by this trash problem because of their ignorance. They were not aware of how to dispose trash sustainably, and no one was there to educate them. Thus, I decided to speak up for them to get help.

I also went around the place to learn more about the companies that have the potential to start trash management projects. Later, I told them about the severity of the issue and that a change was needed desperately. After the trip, I came to a realization that everyone has a voice and that not everyone can stand up for their voice. So we teens can help them voice up and make the world a better place.

Oh, so when we teens gear up and be all serious, people, make way. All in all, I’m not talking about playing the role as Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the UN, but just taking little actions that could contribute in making a difference, a change.

Okay, maybe for starters, something like donate to your school’s fundraiser for a great cause. Like a quote I once heard, nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Like this article? Have more to share? Leave your comment below.

About the author and winner of our Teen Writing Contest:

Beatrice Tan is a 14 year old from Singapore. She currently lives in Jakarta with her parents and sister. She will be a freshman in Jakarta International School this fall.She speaks and writes in 3 languages (English, Mandarin Chinese and Bahasa Indonesia). She and her parents have been living an expat lifestyle for many years.

Share/Bookmark

Siena, is in the Tuscany region of Italy, south of Florence. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Which means there are lots of ancient buildings in this city.

It was once, one of the wealthiest cities in Europe. Right at the heart of town is Piazza del Campo. As you gaze around the buildings surrounding the piazza (square), you can sense community togetherness…people gathering talking and exchanging ideas, sitting around, playing with kids or just relaxing.

The smell of food, music and multi-genenerations gathering together.

This is also the piazza where twice a year in summer, July 2 and August 16, Il Palio or horse race happens. One of the most celebrated festivities in this old ancient town, a tradition and festival from centuries passed.

It is here in Siena, that I took a fancy on doors…the old doors…wood, colors, railings, knobs of all shapes and sizes, the frame surrounding the doors. Every door tells a story…what is really behind these closed doors…who has opened this door and how many people have passed by for hundreds of years.

Humans come and go, but these doors are still standing tall. Could it be once or twice in this door's lifetime, someone had been knocking at that door, hoping it will just opened… just for them to enter?

Could this be the door for someone many years ago, like Confucius said, the will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential…these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

What was the reason the owner had that particular door…but of course most are restored yet they must have copied the old, so it could fit the frame.

To the locals that lived for years in Siena, these are just doors…nothing fancy..ordinary doors. Yet for one who comes from a country that is less than 250 years old, those are precious. They tell a story, an artwork, an opportunity…the artists…the door makers.

These are part of the joy of traveling…seeing things that otherwise are just imaginings. Imagination is the beginning. Taking the steps to plan to go is quite another….

As our reader, we want to give you a free report on 5 keys to planning a vacation of your dreams. We used it to plan our 18 days trip with the kids to Europe. We were able to slash the price to one third less than professionally organized trips.

Shopping is cheaper in Siena compared to Florence. The little stores in the alleys are fun places to be.

Like this article? Have more to share? Leave your comment below.

Claudia Looi is a freelance writer, copywriter and a work at home mom. She left her travel consultancy work to raise two children who are now teenagers. She helps unload the burden that small and home based business owners carry with their blog contents, sales copy and email marketing campaigns. Her work in travels with thousands of clients from all over the world and her extensive travel experience has allow her to understand businesses of diverse backgrounds and recognize the need to tailor make her writing for each of her clients.

Share/Bookmark

Make sure your tummy is totally empty when you plan to go for the All You Can Eat…gotta make it worth the amount you pay! Just eat for lunch and dinner and you pay for one and get two meals.

Ever felt like saying those words to yourself or to your company who are going with you to an All You Can Eat place. Somehow that scarcity and not having enough mentality seeps in for me…I must eat them all, try them all and fill up to the brim.

Why do we have so much of a love and hate relationship with these places? Love it because there are the variety and unlimited amount to eat. Hate it if bloated and an upset stomach happens when leaving the place…or the guilt feeling of putting too much food in the body system which may result in gaining weight.

All You Can Eat Restaurants are found all over the world today. Some places called it buffet, high tea or smorgasbord.

In Scandinavia, they called it smorgasbord. In Malaysia and Singapore, most hotels’ restaurants called them high tea. In the US, buffet or All You Can Eat.

In Malaysia and Singapore, high tea is derived from the British concept of tea time between lunch and dinner. However in these countries, having adapted the concept, but with a localized spin to it. Instead of just having some sandwiches and biscuits, they present a variety of eastern and western cuisine. Most restaurants have at least fifty varieties of foods for diners to choose from.

The variety includes the different ethnic groups of the countries and also Continental cuisine. It is a food experience that should not be missed by first time or repeat visitors to Malaysia and Singapore.

They usually start at noon until late afternoon. Some are only available during the weekends. One great example in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is the Wild Rice Restaurant in Boulevard Hotel. They charge about RM50 ($16) per person.

In Singapore, the Pan Pacific Singapore’s Global Kitchen serves all you can eat for lunch and dinner every weekday and on Saturdays is the high tea hour.

Here in the United States, there is no lack of All You Can Eat places. Most Chinese Restaurants have the All You Can Eat in almost every town as you pass by on your road trips. They all serve the same type of food in every single town. It is almost like you can predict what you are going to see on the buffet counters… like the predictable menus in any McDonalds drive thru in the country.

Recently we went to a different kind of All You Can Eat here in the Tampa Bay area. We had a great time at the Quaker Lube and Steak Restaurant in Clearwater, Florida. All you can eat chicken wings on Tuesdays only for $10.99 per person.

What a treat for chicken wings lovers. They have about ten varieties of flavors for chicken wings. A friend had 48 wings and I managed to chow down 15. That is quite an achievement. Somehow, we need to compete to see who eats more in these kinds of places.

It is almost like a race for me, the other parties could care less. I want to challenge myself to eat as much as possible. To break my own record in expense of feeling bad that I overeat.

Do you feel that way sometimes? That there is no self control in a certain area? You just feel like letting go and just have a good time. That’s how I feel when it comes to savoring food in an all you can eat place.

It is not fine dining at its best nor is it nutritious food for the body. Most of these foods are indeed harmful if over consumed.

Do you have an all you can eat experience that you want to share? Ever feel like needing to connect with like-minded friends over a cup of coffee? Just like hanging out with friends in the All You Can Eat join? No overeating and no wasting of commuting time, just time to chat while having coffee at the comfort of your home.

We would like to invite you over to our Virtual Coffee Chat once a week for half hour with a group of like minded women. We chat in a Facebook group and members can post comments or questions at any time 24/7.

Added to the half hour chat, we would also like to send you twice weekly newsletters for information that is not shared here on the blog.

Meet you over at Virtual Coffee Chat. We are not affiliate with any coffee product; we are just having a good half hour chat.

Like this article? Have more to share? Leave your comment below.

Claudia Looi is a freelance writer, copywriter and a work at home mom. She left her travel consultancy work to raise two children who are now teenagers. She helps unload the burden that small and home based business owners carry with their blog contents, sales copy and email marketing campaigns. Her work in travels with thousands of clients from all over the world and her extensive travel experience has allow her to understand businesses of diverse backgrounds and recognize the need to tailor make her writing for each of her clients.

Share/Bookmark

Think carefully about this: When you look at a family picture, with you in it, who is the first person you look for? Or maybe in your high school year book, who is it you’re always searching for? YOURSELF!

Today, we live in a pretty individualistic society, where the priority is ourselves. We may not realize it, but most of the time, our thoughts are “Why aren’t they talking to me?”, “What’s in it for me?”, “Why is everyone looking at me?” Me me me and I I I…. you get the point.

Maybe we should try a different road and stop thinking about ourselves instead, with questions such as “What kind of help do they need?”, “Who needs a helping hand?” With these questions in mind…

Why we should volunteer!

1.   1. You reap what you sow:

 Most of us have heard this saying before. And it is true! For example, if you plant oranges, you will get oranges. Likewise, if you plant carrots, you will get carrots. This concept can be applied to volunteering. Let’s say you go out of your way and take the time out of your busy schedule to help someone else. When a time comes and you need help, someone will also willingly go out of their way to help you out. 

 An example could be during the holiday season, many people go out of their way to volunteer at places like Metropolitan Ministries. This is an organization that helps homeless families in the Tampa Bay region. Even though they could be shopping for Christmas gifts for friends and families, they still volunteer.

2.  2. Self esteem increases:

Achieving a high self esteem is difficult for many. This is one of the major issues I feel teens deal with everyday. As a teen, I believe we, as the uncommon generation, needs to get over ourselves and focus on reaching out to the needs of others. Surprisingly, when you help someone out, you feel good about it. When you feel good about something you’ve done, your self esteem increases.

3.  3. Teaches values:

Values include things such as patience, kindness, and self control. When you volunteer, you learn these values. For example, one thing I need to work on is my patience. Volunteering is a great way to do this. Just this past month, I volunteered at my church for our Vacation Bible School, with the crafts. I learned that you have to be patient with younger children. They won’t understand how to do something, like braiding, the minute you teach them. Therefore, I had to calmly explain how to do the certain craft a few times before they fully understood it.

We are in the second month of summer vacation, the perfect time for teens to get out and volunteer! I hope this article inspires you to do so! Please let me know if you think volunteering is necessary for teens by leaving a comment below. 

Parents, or anyone, who knows or has a teen, let them know about our teen content writing competition. 

Bethany Looi is a 16 year old high school student who goes to a brick and mortar public school and also an online school. She is scheduled to graduate one year earlier than her peers with honors. Bethany enjoys playing golf, traveling and learning new languages. She is currently pursuing an advanced level Spanish with a private tutor. She is starting to work as a virtual assistant and currently has 2 clients. Bethany is blogging here at uncommongeneration.com one to two times a month. She has been to 12 countries and her favorite things to do in each country are shopping, eating and sightseeing.

Share/Bookmark

The world is full of uncertainty…as I am writing this, I am reading about the Greece financial calamity. Then there are the wars and the rumors of wars… the recent earthquake around the world. The fragility of life…

Just received news from my sister who is an expat in Shanghai, China, lost her dog Max to leukemia. It is less than a year that she faced the lost of our father and her father-in-law. The imperfection of life and that we need each other.

If life is perfect, we would have achieved every single thing that we want to achieve…but are we there yet? As one anonymous writer wrote the road to success is always under construction. Just like children on a road trip, the favorite question of every hour and maybe minute is…are we there yet? Are you there yet in your dreams, achievements and your ultimate destination in life?

Imagine taking a road trip, driving ten hours and finally you arrived and the children are happy. Oh Disney World…here we come. Then you go for the seven days of fun rides, do everything that is on your to do list for Disney World. It is now the final our… time to pack.

Early the next morning…before the sun is up…you pack your suitcase, your sleepy children and you are all back on the road again. Only this time it is back to your home…back to reality.

The children call out from the backseats again…are we there yet? After a few of those questions, you are home. You unpack and get ready for your routine. You wish the fun never ended. But it did.

Are you there yet?

We will never be there. When you arrive, there is still another road to take. Just like the Disney World trip, you arrived at the destination but you have to go back home and do your life at home and plan for another trip again. It goes on again. Summer comes and summer goes… Yet would you want another summer to be the same or better?

Those are choices that we can make…we can either do the same old or choose to do it differently each time.

The smorgasbord is available…we pick and choose.

Here in our blog, we are going to the next phase of our blogging world. Starting July, we will be bringing in new bloggers. One will be my daughter Bethany and another will be the winner of our Teen Content Writing ompetition.

Since we are raising an uncommon generation, I realized it is time to pass on the baton of writing once a week to the next generation. We will still have fresh new content twice a week.

If our life is not under construction are we having fresh new content in our mind or life…if we are not learning new things each day, are we living in the old each and everyday?

So our blog is evolving…work in progress…it is when we said we have arrived that we have to take heed.

We invite you to view another of our blog called TravelWritingPro. That is a site devoted entirely to travel writing and everything travel related.

If you would like to be our guest blogger, please do not hesitate to send us a message at our contact page. We will send you our guidelines.

Look out for Bethany’s article on July 4th and our winner’s article on July 18. 

Parents, if you have teens, who want to try their hands on blogging, please check out our teen’s content writing competition. We will close our doors on July 15.

Share/Bookmark

Got a Vacation Plan This Summer?

Taking time off to spend with your family and loved ones are important activities for entrepreneurs, employees, stay at home moms and children as well. Vacation helps rejuvenate ones body, mind and soul.

It is also a moment set aside to reflect on life, to dream with your spouse… time to reconnect with young or older children and grandchildren… it may be a time to spend with great friends…or just do nothing at all.

Where do you go when you need a vacation? Do you know how to plan for a great vacation?

When I was working in a brick and mortar travel agency many years ago, there were five tips that we gave clients when planning a vacation:

What is your budget?

You have to know how much you have or can set aside for your vacation. It is not advisable to use the credit card if you can’t pay if off. You do not want a vacation that puts you in debt…that will add on more stress than joy. When the budget is determined, research on airfares, hotels, meal plans and activities that the budget allows.

There is a variety of hotels and activities in each destination. They all come with different price tags. Even the meal plans are categorized as well.

What is your interest?

What do you like to do when you are not working? What makes you happy? What don’t you like to do when you are on vacation? What do you want to do or see for this vacation?

Some people love museums and operas. So a trip to such places will satisfy their desire and make them happy, while others may prefer a sporting event or an all day walking tour in the city.

There are still some who likes the great outdoors with fishing, golfing, scuba diving, hiking or para sailing.

To know your interest and your family’s interest are important while planning your vacation.  You need to take into consideration your spouse’s and your children’s interests, if they are spending the vacation with you.

When you discuss your interest, it will also help you to be acquainted with yourself and your family.

How is your health?

Do you have pre-existing health issue? What kind of activities you are not allowed to participate? Do you know if you have food allergy? Can you tolerate long flights or long road trips?

A savvy traveler knows what’s best and what to avoid. When armed with the knowledge of your health status, there will be no second guessing when it comes to your participation of an activity or eating of a certain food.

If you are traveling overseas, with proper planning and having all your medical records and medical supplies with you on board will ease a lot of pain and inconveniences.

What is your objective for this trip?

Some travelers take a certain trip to better their language skills and there are some who are looking for a certain type of food to savor.

There are trips that cater to learning a language, culinary schools, sporting events or medical needs. Every destination has a unique offering. By expressing your objectives, you can research and ask for right kind of help. You will be able to find the right destination and itinerary for your vacation.

How often do you travel?

The need of a seasoned traveler is entirely different from one who barely travels. This is an important question because your comfort level may be different from another.

For example, we had never taken a cruise before our Bahamas cruise. To ensure we were comfortable with cruising, we took the shortest route on sea and shortest trip we could find with Disney Cruise. We don’t want to be stuck at sea on a thirteen day cruise across the Atlantic for our first cruising experience. We may be sea sick or unable to tolerate the rocking of the ship.

So those are five simple tips to help you jumpstart your plan for your local, across the country or international travel this year.

For tips on how to pack one suitcase without forgetting a thing, you can download our free report called How to Live Out of Your Suitcase for a Week.

Claudia Looi is a freelance writer, copywriter and a work at home mom. She left her travel consultancy work to raise two children who are now teenagers. She helps unload the burden that small and home based business owners carry with their blog contents, sales copy and email marketing campaigns. Her work in travels with thousands of clients from all over the world and her extensive travel experience has allow her to understand businesses of diverse backgrounds and recognize the need to tailor make her writing for each of her clients.

Share/Bookmark