From One Grasshopper to Another -- Nice, France

They that have lived a single day have lived an age. 

~Jean de la Bruyere 

It's morning in Nice and I'm relishing the last few minutes of relative quiet. This large Mediterranean city is consistently loud, bustling, busy. The sounds of scooters and motorcycles whizzing this way and that remind me of the hornet's nest ambiance of Morocco, and the construction going on directly next door to Baris' flat reminds me of why I needed to wear ear protection while working in my father's carpentry shop. 

A half empty bottle of white porto wine sits on the table, soft light reflecting off the right shoulder and through the two wine glasses resting in front.

Baris has been trying to wake up earlier, so I bring him breakfast, nudge his back, say "Baris! It's seven!" and switch on the light.

The soft snores drifting from his open bedroom door make me think that I need to add some pillow fighting to the wake-up routine.

Since this has been a lazy, Mediterranean week (I'd planned on going to the Alps with Patrick for three days, but things didn't pan out), I don't have a lot of exciting news to share. So I thought I'd just do a quick post about the resources I find useful whilst traveling and how I make myself useful whilst traveling.

On Teaching and Sharing

• Learn to make five or six dishes very well. People love sharing recipes and sitting around a dining room table, drinking good wine and eating good food is one of the easiest ways for strangers to become friends. This is a superb site for finding recipes: Food Gawker

1. A fun dessert recipe. I recommend keeping it cultural or putting a spin on a well-known dish. As an American, some cultural dessert recipes I could use would be: bananas foster, chocolate covered bacon, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, baked Alaska, peach cobbler, whoopie pies, caramelized apples, cheesecake, apple pie, pumpkin pie, or pecan pie. You get the idea. But this doesn't mean you can't learn to make a luscious creme brulee, a mouthwatering marjorlane or a perfect souffle -- just try to put a unique touch on your final product.
2.  A slow-cooked recipe. If you can introduce a flavorful and easy crockpot dish to your family, the mother will love you forever. However, make sure that the recipe is one you can modify. A frustrating percentage of kids dislike mushrooms (I was one of those, god forgive me), tomatoes, and spicy foods. Make sure that your tagine, pulled pork, or cassoulet can be adapted to suit the finicky tastebuds of kids.
3. A breakfast recipe! Breakfast traditions vary from country to country, so try to introduce them to something that is yours. I could make American pancakes, waffles, French toast (I've never seen this on a French menu), breakfast burritos, omelets or scrambles.
4. An aperitif. Try deviled eggs, cocktail meatballs, spicy roasted nuts, or black olives stuffed with cream cheese and made to look like penguins.
5. A rice/pasta dish. Nearly everyone likes rice and pasta. Learn to make a creamy risotto, a hearty lasagna, or savory stuffed shells. Can you pull off gnocchi or ravioli? Do it. 

• Have something crafty that you can teach. You don't need to be a professional painter or know how to sew a wedding dress -- but can you make an interesting popup card? How about an origami swan? Would you be able to show someone how to carve a pumpkin or a watermelon? Can you make animal balloons or paint someone's face to look like a tiger/their favorite rockstar?
• People love games and a new game is a fine footprint to leave in the lives of the people you meet. As it would be nonsensical to pack a board game, why not teach the card game you played with your grandparents when you were a kid? How about the game you played in the car to pass the hours on the way to the home of your grandparents? 
• Learn something about gardening. This is something that makes your resumé very appealing when you're on the road. In my experience, most people need a little to a lot of help with their yards or gardens, and many don't have the time to do it themselves. While preparing for your long term adventure, spend a couple of hours every week in a garden. Pull weeds, water plants, collect seeds, plant flowers, harvest beets -- there are always opportunities to get your hands in the soil no matter where you live. Many churches have garden programs wherein you can volunteer for a morning and then take home a basket of organic produce for free. Is there a community garden near you? How about an elderly lady/gentleman who just can't manage by herself/himself anymore? 
• Get good at ironing. If you're volunteering with a family, it is highly probably that you'll be asked to iron things at some point during your stay. I am not good at ironing. I am bloody awful at ironing (I'm a traveler who lives out of a rucksack. My motto is that wrinkles add character to clothes just like they do to faces), so it is with fear and trepidation that I take the hot, steaming, frightening device to the expensive clothes of the family who just welcomed me into their home. So, if you're not already on friendly terms with the iron, spend a few days getting acquainted before you board your plane. 
• If you can share yoga or pilates, you will find so many doors opened to you. 
• Are you good with computers? Can you design websites? You will be welcome everywhere. 
• Is English your native language? Okay, then. You're set. You can pack your bags and fly to Spain, Portugal or France and spend a few delightful months volunteering with families and teaching their children to speak English. 
• Learn how to work with dogs. Many people need help exercising their four-legged best friends, so do your best to become comfortable and confident with canines.

On Being a Guest

• Never expect people to change their routines/schedules to suit you. One of the best parts about staying with families is finding out how you fit into their homes -- not how you can make their lives revolve around your wants and expectations.What's the point of traveling if you try to live life by the same rules everywhere you go? Learning the new rules/routines is half the fun and keeps your mind remarkably open. I remember my first few days in the Mediterranean... wait... you eat breakfast at 9:00 and it's only a cappuccino? Wait, what? No lunch until 2:00? How will I make it until -- OH MY GOD, this lunch is the size of my first car! Seriously? You've got to be joking. Everyone takes a nap after eating a lunch the size of my first car? Wow. Oh, we have to work again after the nap? I just want to... tired... digestion is hard. Wait, we're eating again today? At 10 pm? Nooooo..... But after about a week of dealing with an extremely confused and angry rumbling tummy, I adjusted. I even grew to like the new schedule. So as you adjust, make sure you're gentle with yourself. Things will be messy, complicated, and confusing -- allow yourself time to get lost in the rules and make a concerted effort to practice non-judgement. The life of a traveler is the life of a beginner. If you don't embrace your fumbling failures, you'll end up so unhappy and insecure that you'll book the next flight back to the familiar.
• Be just a little cleaner than the cleanest person in the house. Don't leave your crap everywhere, but do allow yourself to settle in. A book left sitting on the coffee table means that you're comfortable with your new space, and if you're comfortable, your host will probably feel more comfortable. Melt into the space, but don't overwhelm it. Find your favorite side of the couch, your favorite seat at the table, and your favorite spot to watch the sun come up. The more you explore and enjoy your home, the less awkward settling in will be. If you've done your homework properly and have found a good host, then they will want you to enjoy yourself in their home. Keep this in mind.
• Shut doors, turn off lights, and unplug your electronics when not charging/in use. 
• Wrap and store food properly. 
• Watch your language. Even if your hosts are open-minded and wouldn't take offense to the random colorful outburst, using mild language is a useful habit to cultivate. You don't know when you're going to be working with kids or conservatives, so activate your filter and keep your sentences f*ck free.
• For god's sake, never judge your hosts on what they eat, how they exercise, how they sleep, how they dress, what they believe, or how they speak. Approach each situation thinking, "what can I learn from these people?" If not to learn, why are you there? If they ask, don't hesitate to share your views, but do so in the tactful, respectful manner of "it seems to me" and not in the style of "this is incontrovertible truth and you're a nincompoop to not think the way I do." If you make use of the latter, your visit might be much shorter than you'd anticipated.

On Getting Around

• Couchsurfing is my favorite way to travel. I love how intense the interactions are and I love the attitude of trust with which you must approach each host. If you don't already have a couchsurfing profile, go to couchsurfing.org and create one. 

1. Really fill out your profile. It might feel silly and egotistical to write the "about me" section, but I recommend biting this bullet. Future hosts/surfers will appreciate an actual response a lot more than the cliché "it's difficult to talk about myself -- just get to know me!" Take time to write about your favorite movies, music, and books. Do you enjoy wakeboarding? Is your favorite animal the lemur monkey? Do you aspire to climb K2 before you die? Write it down. You want to create as many opportunities for people to relate with you as possible.
2. Add all your facebook friends and ask them to write references for you. References mean almost everything in couchsurfing. 
3. Meet up with travelers for coffee. You don't have to host or surf -- just exchange stories over a latte at your favorite cafe. If you're still nervous about the idea of relying on the kindness of strangers, this will be a good warmup activity. After finishing your coffee and wishing them good luck on the rest of their trip, go home and write a reference on their profile. Chances are, they'll return the favor. 
4. If you have a place of your own, start hosting. The couchsurfing community appreciates people who give back, and hosting travelers is a great way to build up those positive references. If you're still nervous about welcoming strangers into your home (and you're a girl), start off by hosting girls. Add them on facebook and creep around their account for a few minutes, checking out their pictures and their friends. If you must, arrange a Skype date. Make sure the person you're inviting to stay with you has positive references and doesn't use CSing as a dating site (there are a lot of people who do). The couchsurfing romantics are usually very clear on their profiles about what they expect from their guests/hosts, so you can easily avoid falling into an uncomfortable/unsafe situation by doing your research properly.
5. When you send out a request or an invitation, make sure you read the entire profile of the person in question. Many couchsurfers have rules under their "Couch Information" section to prevent people from sending them the same generic message they sent to fifty other hosts that morning. Rules can be things like, "write, "I believe in unicorns" as your subject line", or "please include a funny story from your childhood", or "My name is Aimee. When writing me a request, please just use my name. That would be nice." After you've read the rules, find something that you have in common with the couchsurfer and write about that. People want to meet travelers that they get along with, so quickly delve into the many ways in which you'd be their new best friend. "No way, I love lemur monkeys too!" But perhaps more subtle. Also, let them know that you'd still like to meet up with them even if they're not available to host/surf with you. This helps people feel valued for themselves and not just for their couches. Couchsurfing is a lot more than finding free places to stay -- it's about meeting and learning from people around the world. So make sure your request is people oriented and not couch oriented. Here's an example request I wrote to a host in Munich: 

About Me
My name is Aimee Bourget, and I'm a playwright, gardener, yoga teacher, dabbler in visual arts, and aspiring vagabond/travel writer. I'll be in Munich from the 28th of October to the 3rd of November, and I'd love to experience new foods, street art, parks, and something unique to my host. I'd be happy to share a yoga practice and would be thrilled if I could coerce my host into participating in my interview project.

Why I'd Like to Meet You
Hi Martin!

I really liked the references on your profile and your interest in art. If you have any time during the last few days of October or the first couple of days of November, I would really like to stay with you/meet up with you for drinks. I'm also really interested in stage -- my degree is in Acting/Directing and I've written a few plays. I miss theatre and would love to be able to hear about theatre in Munich from someone else who appreciates it.  :)

Cheers!

-Aimee

p.s. Have you ever read David Mamet's "three uses of the knife"? It's a fantastic book on writing, acting, and theatre in general. 
 

• Workaway.info, helpex.net, and wwoofing.net are all great sites for long term budget travelers to use if they want to settle down in a region for an extended period of time.

1. Know what you want! Do you want an experience where you get to work outside? Do you want consecutive days off each week to go exploring? Do you need a place with good public transportation? Do you want to ride horses? Work with kids? Do you want to experience the quiet of a farm? Do you want to be close enough to town that you can spend your evenings at a local pub? Do you want to live with the family or have a trailer of your own? Search carefully and communicate clearly! 
2. Know what you need! Do you need good internet connection to keep up your travel blog? Do you need eggs/meat to be available because you have a difficult time digesting grains? Do you need some time to yourself each morning to keep up your yoga practice/running routine? Search carefully and communicate clearly! 
3. Write a lot of requests. People on these sites don't respond nearly as frequently as they do on couchsurfing, so it serves to have several options.
4. Make sure to Skype. You're dedicating a significant amount of time to this family, so have a few video conversations and make sure you get along. If you feel remotely uncomfortable, ask for the contact information of a prior volunteer and send out a quick email asking about their experience with your potential host.
5. Be confident. Voice your needs. Take care of yourself. If the situation becomes exploitative, don't be afraid to leave. This is your trip and your life. Enjoy it responsibly.

Basically, find a way to leave a footprint. Travelers should leave their trace. It shouldn't be trash. It should be moments of, "Wow, remember that bananas foster Aimee made? Damn, that was good."

• Mindmyhouse.com -- this is a site I haven't used yet because I'm much more interested in staying in full houses than in empty ones, but it could be useful down the road. This is a program where people who are going on vacation but have pesky plants that need to be watered or demanding dogs that need to be walked. They post a description of their house, their location and their needs. I've seen opportunities that can last from a weekend to a year. Or two. So if you need a month to unwind in the French countryside, consider coughing up the twenty dollars to join this site. An succinct example is: 

About this assignment

i have a nice apartment by the Nile in Cairo

What responsibilities are required of the house sitter

just to keep the house clean

What are the good features of the property and location

located on the Nile near downtown with amazing Nile Views

What does the house sitter need to consider before applying for this assignment

to be clean and organized

•  findacrew.com is another site I haven't used yet, but a site that I fully intend to use as soon as possible. Want to sail around the world but don't have a bank account bursting with money? Volunteer on a boat. Don't have sailing experience? Okay. Just stay awake for a few hours each night and make sure the boat doesn't crash into anything. If it looks like it's heading in the direction of something large and unpleasant (rock, iceberg, kraken), wake up the captain and say, "I think we're heading towards something large and unpleasant." The captain will redirect his vessel, go back to bed, and you'll resume your watch. cruisersforum.com is a site with similar opportunities. 
• blablacar.com and other carpooling sites. Are you traveling from Frankfurt to Munich but don't want to spend 50 euros on a ticket? Search blablacar.com for someone else who is heading in that general direction, schedule a time to meet, and make the trip for less than half the cost. And hopefully make a new friend on the way. 
• Feel comfortable with hitchhiking? hitchwiki.org offers some good tips. 

On Research and Staying in Touch

 I'm bloody awful at research (almost as bloody awful as I am at ironing), but I usually manage just fine without it (and have super interesting experiences, believe it or not). However, make sure you understand the visa requirements for the Schengen area before you go to Europe. Know which countries participate and which hope to participate in the near future. You can only be in the Schengen are for 90 days out of every 180 days, so you'll have to do a bit of strategic country hopping if you want to legally travel Europe for an extended period of time. Three months in the UK, three months in the Schengen Area, three months in countries like Morocco, Serbia, or Turkey -- play around, but play carefully and do your equations correctly. Know which countries require you to have a visa to enter and which countries require you to have a visa to volunteer. Will you need certain immunizations? How do they treat women in this country? How will you withdraw money? What are the best deals for public transportation? 

• wikitravel.org is a site with an abundance of helpful articles.
• Have a business card with your facebook or email address on it! It may seem little, but it's totally memorable and gives you an air of legitimacy. Which is always nice. 
• Add as many people to your facebook page as possible. You never know when someone you met five years ago in Madrid could respond to a dire status update of "Help! I'm stranded in Spain and need a place to stay for a week." 

Never underestimate the goodness of people. Never take advantage of it. Never take it for granted.

Be safe, have fun, and share your stories.