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Congratulations on your decision to study abroad Spanish! Yes, one of the best way to improve your Spanish is to immerse yourself in the environment and live the language. But the other side of the coin is that the study abroad experience requires a huge commitment on your part. For example, money. Depending on how you do it, it could cost you a small fortune. In order to harvest the great return of improved Spanish, you have to invest in yourself, right? But what if you can optimize the investment by getting the most Spanish out of your dollar? This article is about that. More specifically speaking, there are 3 ways to obtain maximum amount of Spanish by studying abroad. There are: 1) Picking the right country to study Spanish in, 2) Picking the right airline, 3) Not signing up with the language school agency.

Out of the 3, Picking the right country holds the utmost importance because it will determine significant portion of your study abroad expense. Of course, the countries determine the available touristic resources, difference in how the Spanish is spoken, etc, but we`ll focus on monetary issue today. Let`s say that you are looking for an one-on-one class in Spanish because you`ve already taken some high school and college Spanish class with 30 other students and that didn`t give you much opportunity to practice. As you know, Spanish is spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries and thus, you now have a huge selection. And cost of the study varies significantly from one country to another. For instance in Spain, the individual class in Spanish for a week runs around $850-$900. If you want more complete immersion living with a host family, there goes another $350-$400. If you are going to study for 4 weeks, it`s a safe bit to budget around $6000! On the other hand, there are less expensive options in Central America. In Guatemala, you can find both the one-on-one Spanish class and homestay within $150-$250. You definitely don`t want to ignore this enormous range of difference.

Another huge expense is the transportation fee. Since most of us will be going to the destination country by air, we`ll look at how you can save on airfares. But, first of all, let me just tell you that since I don`t work in travel industry, I don`t have the insider`s secret. I don`t have the travel wisdom of a nomadic super backpacker either. All I can give you is a few web sites where you can begin shopping around for your airfare. They are: Economy Travel , Airline Consolidators and Best Fares. If you have been buying tickets from places like Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline and Travelocity, you will see the difference. I guarantee it.

Finally, another way to cut the cost of your Spanish learning experience is to go direct to the Spanish school by skipping through the language school agencies. When you search for Spanish schools on the web, most likely, those agencies are the ones that you will encounter first. They come up on the top of the search engine list and they offer lots of options too. After all, that`s their job. They are the “advertising agency” for Spanish school. They charge tons of money from the individual Spanish schools and from you too by marking up about 10%-20% on top of the tuition you pay to the school. Yes, some of them do offer fairly nice information of the countries and schools and we should use them to familiarize ourselves about the potential destinations. But it`s not rare that those agencies have problems communicating your needs to the school (My friend had to wonder around the street of Guatemala with all his luggage because the agency didn`t notify the arrival time to the school) and there is no point paying extra $50 for the “introductory packet” from the agency when you sign up with them because that`s the copied one from the Spanish school. So, once you find out the name of the school you are interested from the agency, just go to Google or Yahoo and type in the name of the school to go to the school`s home page and sign up directly.

In conclusion, I`d recommend that you use the language school agency to learn about the going price of tuition in various Spanish speaking countries and when you find a school of your interest, go to their web site to register directly with them. Finally, use the discount airfare web sites indicated previously as a reference point to shop around for your best airfare. With this little bit of research, you are well on your way to get most Spanish out of your bucks!

Gen Takahashi is originally from Japan and is an ex-Japanese language teacher. Based on his previous study abroad experience of learning Spanish, he now dedicates his time bringing together the students, the Spanish teachers and the host families in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. If you have any question or would like to share your experience please feel free to visit Spanish Language Schools Guide or write to Gen at gen@conexionxela.com.

One of the biggest vacation expenses is a rental car. Below are a few suggestions on how you can save money on your next rental car.

If you are flying to your vacation destination and have booked the flight either online or through a travel agency, you can more than likely get a discount on your rental car if you book it as part of the package. The majority of car rental companies collaborate with at least one airline to provide frequent flyer miles or other types of rewards when you rent a car. In addition, many airlines offer incentive and bonus programs where you get extra miles or extra credit, so be sure to inquire about these programs when making your reservation.

When choosing your rental car, a compact or subcompact economy car is usually less expensive than a full size sedan or minivan. Therefore, selecting an economy will not only be less expensive, but you will also get better gas mileage thus saving on gas expenses.

If you need a large sedan, SUV or minivan for the comfort of your family, it is well worth your time to shop around. There is usually a high demand for these types of vehicles and therefore a larger price tag. Travel related web sites are a good place to start your research to familiarize yourself with the average price in your vacation area.

The duration of the rental will have an influence on the cost as well. Weekly rentals are usually far less costly than a daily rate spread over a week. Therefore, if your vacation plans are for a week or more, be sure to inquire about special rates. If you are taking a weekend vacation, many companies offer weekend specials on certain makes and models of their cars.

In addition, a number of national car companies and local smaller companies rent their used cars for much less than a new car from a rental agency. In most instances, these cars are only a few years old and provide the same protection as a new car.

For the business traveler, joining a frequent renter club, or using the same rental car company each time, is a great way to get some special coupons and some very good deals that you could use for the family vacation.

Most people purchase car insurance from the rental agency. Usually, this is not necessary. If you have purchased your rental car on your credit car, you may already have coverage as part of your credit card plan. In addition, as an automobile owner, you car insurance may provide coverage for rental cars. Therefore, it is necessary for you to check your credit card plan and automobile insurance, if you are covered, then purchasing insurance from the rental car agency is not necessary.

For more information about saving money on your next car rental, visit Car Rental

About The Author:

David Chandler

If you have ever looked at bivy sacks in catalogs or online, you know they can be claustrophobic and expensive. I can`t help you much with the first, except to say that you`ll get used to it. The expensive part, though, I have a solution for.

I didn`t want to spend $200 for a nice bivy, so I bought an “emergency bivy” for $20. It was basically a large plastic bag. I tested it on a rainy night, with a small umbrella over my head. I tried not to breath in the bag, but I still thought I`d be soaked by the condensation, like all the books warn. In the morning I was surprizingly dry.

Later, when I lost my bivy, it occurred to me that if it was basically a large plastic bag, why pay $20 or $200 to replace it? I got out two extra large garbage bags and duct-taped them together. After cutting open one end, I had a three-foot by seven-foot bivy sack. It weighed just four ounces.

Now, if you have looked at bivies before, you know that none are that light. Even my “emergency bivy” weighed twice as much. It was a bit tougher, but then I use my four-ounce bivies as disposables. They are good for a week of nights if you`re careful. At less than a dollar each, it doesn`t hurt to throw them away at the end of a trip.

Like most bivy sacks, it will leave you a little damp in the morning. It is best used in dry enviroments, although I used mine in Michigan without any real problems. In any case, you`ll dry out in a few minutes once you start hiking, and you`ll get in the habit of taking a break to lay your sleeping bag in the sun to dry any dampness.

There`s our lesson on making ultralight bivy sacks. Four ounces, and they fit in your pocket. This isn`t my only disposable lightweight backpacking gear by the way, but that`s another story.

Steve Gillman is a long-time advocate of lightweight backpacking. Visit his website for tips, photos, gear recommendations, a free book and a new wilderness survival section:
The Ultralight Backpacking Site : http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com

The form of currency used in Costa Rica is called the colon or colones in its plural form. The currency was named after Christopher Columbus and introduced as the main form of currency in Costa Rica during the year 1896. Today, the Costa Rican colon holds a steady value in relation to the US dollar, but this hasn’t always been the case.

In the past, the Costa Rican colon lost value in relation to the dollar at the rate of 3.294 colones per month. Last year, weakness in the US dollar and the belief that the colon was highly undervalued led to a modification in the way that the colon was valued next to the US dollar. As of October 16, 2006, the Costa Rican colon has been valued at around 517 colones per US dollar.

The colon is similar to the US dollar in that it is divided into 1/100 or centimos. Costa Rica also uses a series of coins and bank notes or paper money to represent different amounts of currency. A major difference between the two currencies, though, is that all of Costa Rica’s coins represent a whole amount of colones. For example: A US quarter represents ¼ of a dollar, but the smallest colon coin represents 5 whole colones. This is because all of the coins that valued at fractions of the colon were rendered obsolete by the Central Bank and taken out of circulation.

Here is a list of the coins and bank notes currently being circulated in Costa Rica:

• 5 colones coin
• 10 colones coin
• 20 colones coin
• 25 colones coin
• 50 colones coin
• 100 colones coin
• 500 colones coin
• 1,000 colones bank note
• 2,000 colones bank note
• 5,000 colones bank note
• 10,000 colones bank note

To find out the exchange rate of the Costa Rican colon in relation to other currencies used throughout the world check out the official daily exchange rates issued by major financial institutions.

by David Lovendahl, Costa Vista Marketing

Costa Vista Land (http://www.costavistaland.com) is `developing paradise` in Costa Rica. The company buys raw land in large quantities after they have thoroughly surveyed and researched all details. Because of this, Costa Vista Land acquires their properties at discount prices and develops them in less than 18 months. Hence the unique program in which you can obtain developed land at undeveloped prices and why company President, Brad Hogan says, “We are an investment company first and a land sale company second.” Parcel choices range from valleys to mountains, to beautiful coastline property. This lucrative program comes with 100% money back guarantee. Everyone is encouraged to visit Costa Rica, stand on their property and see the beautiful country they have invested in. While visiting, the company pays for your accommodations, meals and transportation.

For more information contact 1-877-55-COSTA. And Grab Your Free 50 Minute CD Now, by clicking here: http://www.developingparadise.com.

Copyright (c) 2007 Carroll Payne

Travel is a 7 Billion dollar a year business, get your part of it.

Yes, we are very aware of exactly where you are if you are pondering the idea of starting your own home based business. It`s not an easy decision to make. Usually the forces behind causing anyone to start thinking about their own business are many to say the least.

Probably the number one reason is, just plain tired of what we are doing and you want out. Of course there are varying circumstances that cause us to reach this decision such as, the monotony of the routine of getting up every morning, having to fight the traffic getting to work, worrying about being late and getting reprimanded, not liking your boss, feeling like you have reached a brick wall as for making any more money than you currently make, after watching the news worrying about your company not needing you any longer, worrying about not having enough time with your family and the years are ticking away, and on and on. You are just plain fed up and tired.

What to do and how to do it?

You would really like to stay home and do your work and have the Time—Freedom—Money to do all the things life offers with your family, be your own boss, your spouse doesn`t have to work, and not have all the problems that caused you to leave the corporate world. You would like to have a residual income for the rest of your life whether you are working or playing.

Be sensible about how you start. To the best of your ability, talk to the professionals, not your neighbors or cousins. You really don`t have anyone outside of your family that wants you to succeed more than they have. You can tell when you talk to someone if they are just trying to get your money, and you can tell when you talk to someone if they are a professional in their field. Look for something that you feel like you can have fun doing, and look for longevity in the home based business.

Once you make the decision to venture into the world of home business, treat it like a business and you will get paid like a business. If you treat it like a hobby, you will get paid like a hobby. Have your own work space. This is very important. Let your family know that you need not to be constantly interrupted and you need privacy for the time you have set aside to work.

Advertising is a very important aspect of your business and this is something you don`t want to take lightly. What happens when you don`t advertise? NOTHING. Set aside the amount of money that your budget can handle and advertise regularly. Advertising is the life blood of your business and if you think otherwise, you would be smart to keep your day job.

There are millions of people starting a home business, some make it, some don`t. It all depends on how you get started, your attitude, and your ability to stick with it and never quit. Get with an experienced company, one that will back you up, one that is always there to help you no matter what. Networking is a wonderful way to make a good steady living, but there is a learning curve and you have to be willing to go through that curve. Anyone that will do what they are taught can have an income coming in for as long as they want.

——

Vacations have a combined number of years in the vacation industry of 10 + years and 9 years promoting on the internet. We know what to do and what not to do to become successful. We are excellent teachers and we will show you how to make a high 6 figure income. To get all the information you will need to make an intelligent decision just by giving us a call after you look at our website.
http://www.paradigmvacations.here.ws

Slowly, but surely, we are edging out of winter and into spring. This means it is time to start thinking about travel plans for the summer. While taking a vacation is a blessed event, keep in mind that the dollar doesn’t have the same value it did.

For many people, global finance is one of those interesting things you hear or read about, but it really doesn’t affect us. Well, this has certain started to change as of last year and moving forward. The real estate market problems are something we all feel inherently. Unfortunately, those of us who like to travel are going to be shocked by the impact of the dropping dollar.

The value of the dollar can be summed up in the phrase “free fall.” It is reaching lows not seen previously since the Great Depression. The practical effect of this in every day life is the cost of imported goods or goods reliant on imports are going up. Way up. Oil is in imported good and you already know about gas prices. Well, food has to be moved around as well, and that takes expensive gas. The result is higher food prices.

For many Americans, fuel prices are going to be a real eye opener this summer. Prices in the mid to high three dollars are forecast. Some believe we might top four dollars a gallon. Those are scary numbers. It could cost $100 to fill up your average SUV. In short, taking road trips this summer is a good idea, but trips will probably be shorter given the cost of cruising down the road. The RV industry must be nervous.

When it comes to travel, you might want to be sitting down before you price a trip to Europe. The dollar has lost about half of its value compared to the Euro. To be frank, the idea of doing Europe on the cheap with a backpack is, well, not so cheap anymore. Europe has never been cheap, but it is getting ridiculous at this point.

If you want to get out of the country, your best bet from a financial perspective is probably Asia. Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia are all deals. There currency is doing as poorly as the dollar, so your big cost is the flight. Once you are there, however, it is mighty cheap and the beaches are beautiful.

If you are starting to think about your summer vacation plans, make sure you start pricing things early. Once you get over sticker shock, you can look for vacation options that won’t wipe you out.

John Grimes is with AllTerrainco.com – makers of natural products such as biodegradable sunscreen.

U.S. and European volcanic tourism is growing in popularity.

Volcanoes helped shape the face of the earth. Some of the most famous volcanoes have become popular tourist destinations. During your stay, you can take your own photos of the volcano or buy postcards that show flaming eruptions. Tourists visiting volcanic sites have the opportunity to learn about volcanoes. A visit to a volcano can teach important things like how lava is formed, how it flows and how to react in case of volcanic emergency.

Mount St. Helens is one of the most famous volcanoes in North America. In 1980, one early summer morning in May, Mount St. Helens was shaken by an earthquake that measured 5.1 on the Richter scale.

The earthquake caused an avalanche that caused the north face of the mountain to collapse and triggered the eruption of the volcano. The nine-hour eruption dramatically changed the landscape around the mountain and destroyed nearly 230 square miles of forest. The large mushroom shaped cloud that rose from the mountain plunged a beautiful sunny day into darkness, as ash fell over eastern Washington and drifted aimlessly on the wind for miles.

Since the 1980 eruption, Mount St. Helens has become one of the most popular volcanic vacation destinations. Climbing passes sold by Mount St. Helens Institute allow climbers to reach the crater`s rim.

Vesuvius, Italy is another famous destination for those who enjoy visiting volcanic sites. Vesuvius is responsible for the 79 A.D. destruction of the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii.

Vesuvius is a stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano. Stratovolcanoes are composed of many layers of hardened lava, tephra and volcanic ash. The lava from a stratovolcano hardens more quickly than other cinder cones or shield volcanoes. Many molds, both human and animal, exist in the ruins of Pompeii. They tell an amazing story of the effect of the volcanic eruption that destroyed much of the area.

Also in Europe, the Canary Islands have quite literally become some of the hottest vacation destinations in the world.

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands. The most recent eruption was only about 35 years ago on La Palma. Lanzarote, the easternmost Canary Island, is volcanic in origin. Lanzarote is a favourite summertime destination for millions of people per year, who enjoy the Lanzarote weather

Around 1100 B.C. the Phoenicians settled on Lanzarote. The Canary Islands were abandoned after the fall of the Roman Empire. New settlers arrived from Arabia in 999 A.D., and a new era was underway for the islands.

The years between 1730 and 1736 saw a series of volcanic eruptions that created 32 new volcanoes.

Mount Katmai in Alaska was once a cluster of smaller volcanoes. Katmai`s 1912 eruption was the largest eruption in North America in this century. The eruption lasted 60 hours and ash covered more than seven cubic miles. Lava flowed up to 15 miles and filled an adjacent valley, producing the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.

In the nearby town of Kodiak, people reported not being able to see a lantern held at arm`s length for two days. A caldera was formed from the withdrawal of magma from beneath the cluster of volcanoes. A lake has now partially filled the caldera. The 1912 eruption was ten times more forceful than the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.

World-wide, at least 1,500 volcanoes are potentially active. This century, 380 of those have erupted. At least 15 have been in a state of nearly constant eruption in recent years.

Between 1975 and 1985, an average of 56 volcanoes erupted each year. Tourist attractions have been built at many of these locations. Most include videos of the latest eruptions as well as pamphlets and other literature.
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For holiday and flights information about the volcanic island of Lanzarote hotfoot it over to yourlanzarote.net

The island`s airport and flights to Lanzarote are covered along with different star hotels in Lanzarote

I bought a bagel this morning and for the first time I pocketed the 75 cents instead of dropping it in the tip jar. What is this world coming to? A few weeks back the idea of saving a few quarters for parking was a far cry from my opulent lifestyle.

With the sky falling around our ears helmet sales must be going through the roof. The times are tough and need I say quite stressful. Many of us are feeling the crunch. People use a variety of outlets to channel the pressure in their lives. One of the most common is taking a vacation.

While it may seem counterintuitive to consider a vacation in such rough times, I propose that taking a vacation is all the more important. And while we all want to save our pennies (or quarters in my case), I submit that you can unwind and still keep some coin in your pocket.

There are a few new travel sites on the web that bring together the best of both worlds. Most of these sites are tied to the timeshare industry. The word timeshare might conjure up images of used car salesmen figures, but these day most of the vacation ownership companies are quite legitimate and concerned about their public image. Many offer great mini-vacation packages including extras like free golf, dinner for two or even gas certificates in exchange for attending a resort presentation with you significant other. One of these websites that recently caught my eye is Vacation-Offer.com.

My fiancé and I went on a ‘Romantic New Hampshire Weekend Getaway’ and I have to be honest, despite my initial concerns, they didn’t hold the romantic part back when we arrived. Charlene and I actually had a great time and the breath-taking views were not a garbage pit like I was worried about. We actually enjoyed a dinner like they said with a killer look over the lakes, mountains and foliage.

When it came to the tour, there really wasn’t too much pressure to buy, although after the time there we honestly considered it. I would definitely recommend going on a trip like this and I know I will give another location a try in the near future. Maybe the Myrtle Beach Golf Getaway, the pictures certainly looked nice.

Yet another year`s growth in the mobile ringtone market has confirmed its position as a major force in the music industry.

Once considered a passing craze, ringtones now account for more than 10% of the global music market and are overtaking CD sales sooner than expected. Few thought that the monophonic tones of the late 1990s would evolve into the multi-billion dollar market that exists today. But, following the advent of true polyphonic ringtones in 2003, the realisation of their potential has developed a fresh momentum.

Unable to ignore the ringtone market, the music business has come to embrace its future and its influence on youth culture. This is especially true of the hip-hop industry whose output makes-up more than half of all downloaded ringtones. Successful artists such as 50 Cent, Mariah Carey and Kanye West have all learnt that ringtones are by no means a niche product. To hear the latest from the mobile ringtone charts visit http://www.ringtones.lt

If there is a key to this success then it is probably the creation of a `total product`, that is, the full customisation of phones with ringtones, wallpapers, screensavers, logos, picture messages and games. This has led to huge consumer choice and demand, with endless catalogues of music and themes now available on both mono and polyphonic phones. Another factor has been the obvious media impact, with the likes of the infamous Crazy Frog ringtone experiencing unprecedented coverage.

This popularity should continue for a while yet, thanks to advances in sound quality and the use of MP3 and Real Music by the current generation of phones. There are still new markets to explore as well, with the music-loving Latin Americans expected provide the next big growth area.

Ultimately, the long term success of the ringtone market could depend on the ability of the major phone manufacturers like Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Samsung to combine the very latest technology with wide-ranging compatibility; a balance which is becoming increasingly important in this truly global industry.

Copyright 2006 Warwick Data Systems,Inc.

If your computer network keeps expanding and the associated networking equipment costs keep increasing, you might want to consider buying equipment in the secondary market. This is a place where you can purchase used or unused brand name equipment; such as, servers, routers, LAN switches and more at substantial savings. Savings of 50-70% of list price are not unusual.

The secondary market for computer equipment was born in the early 1970s when the Federal Government forced IBM to sell equipment and not just rent it. Since that time it is estimated that the secondary market for equipment like computers and WAN and LAN equipment exceeds $20 billion. A few examples of the brands that are readily available on the secondary market are: IBM, Dell, Cisco Systems, Nortel and many more.

In a survey conducted by CIO magazine, which caters to IT executives, found that 77% of companies surveyed buy secondhand or used IT equipment. Surprisingly, the reasons why so many companies are purchasing used equipment go beyond just saving money. Here are some of the reasons that have been mentioned:

œ Maximize IT Equipment Investment You can save 50-70% on previously owned equipment

œ Convert Surplus Equipment into Cash You can sell your un-needed equipment or trade it in towards other equipment

œ Quick Delivery for Emergency Needs Dealers in the secondary market can typically provide equipment much faster than the manufacturer

œ More Personalized Service Dealers, being smaller companies than the Manufacturer, are more flexible and responsive

œ More Services Available Secondary market dealers will offer services that the manufacturer may not offer, such as a short term rental program, trade-ins, an integrated solution with mixed vendors and initial set up services

If you are a newbie in purchasing equipment on the secondary market there are some very good questions you need to ask before buying from a dealer. Getting the right answers will make it a pleasant experience. Here are the questions you need to ask?

œ How long has the dealer been in business? Try to deal with someone who has been around a good number of years and can provide references

œ Is the equipment tested and how thoroughly? This is a must and a printout of test results is very desirable

œ What is the warranty on the equipment? There should be a minimum of a 90 day warranty

œ If your require on site maintenance can they provide it? Can the dealer put this equipment on the manufacturerfs maintenance program or on a third party maintenance plan œ What is the companyfs return policy?

œ Will this equipment look like new? Ask the dealer what they do to make the equipment look as close to new as possible

œ What kind of technical support is available? If you need, can you receive pre-sale and post-sale support if you need it. It is not unreasonable for a dealer to charge for applications support, though.

Manufacturers can sometimes be touchy about maintenance and software issues on previously owned equipment, so make sure all your concerns are dealt with in writing. If you get all the right answers to the above questions and deal with someone who has been in this business for a good many years your experience in the secondary market should be a pleasant one.

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Alex Lakatos is an expert on the secondary market for networking hardware, starting Warwick Data Systems in 1983 to sell new and used computer networking equipment. His web site is http://www.warwickdata.com