For those of you who are currently abroad or have previously studied abroad in European countries, I think we can all agree that there are quite a few American comforts in which we are now very much aware of. Right now, you might be weighing the costs and benefits of committing a serious violent crime for just a taste of Skippy’s smooth peanut butter, Lucky the leprechaun, Tony the tiger or even a spoonful of the cheesiest Kraft mac & cheese. Or, quite possibly, your European experience might have transformed you completely. You might gladly toss away the 4th of July and Thanksgiving for a chic lifestyle sipping espresso at an outdoor café basking in a culturally rich European metropolis. Regardless, if you are an American there is one thing you profoundly miss. That is the USD: the beautiful and stunning soft green American dollar. Right now, I would really trade anything to get my babies George, Abe, Alex and Andrew back. I took advantage of how good they were and I’m sorry I did. I was wrong. Its been a sad break up, now I’m stuck watching Bridget Jones’s Diary sobbing over crumpets thinking about how I abused our relationship. I keep thinking about all the times we shared together, the heavenly single slice of pizza George would always bring me. Dealing with an exchange rate of 1 United States Dollar to 0.60 British Pound and 0.73 Euro, life in a foreign land has likewise sodomized your bank account. Who can blame you? It’s far too easy to get caught up in rapid exchange rate miscalculations. You hastily leap at the chance to buy an extra large container of marinated olives simply because the price was labeled “reduced” to a single digit. So what do you do when your wallet is empty, your American bank charges you 3% in foreign transaction fees and your credit card has reached it’s monthly limit? This is the true test of adulthood, what to do when you are really just flat out broke? First, you must remain calm. Breathe deeply, calculate and re-calculate all of your recent expenses. Let previous acts of stupidity and naivety soak well into your mind as you glaze over your monthly online banking statements. Accept that you cannot take back the equivalent of 50 American dollars that you spent on that deceivingly economical “bar crawl.” Now it is time to move forward, your time abroad is running out and you need to make the most of it, with little to no means. It is time to change your behavior and start making intelligent and necessary purchases.
Step one: Walk. Public transport will rob you. Granted, places may be far away or unreachable by foot, but then and only then should you pay for transportation. If you are able bodied, even if it takes an additional hour, just walk there. It’s better for your body and the environment! plus, you get to see the true beauty of the city you are in. As for taxi cabs, don’t you even dare. Pretend those mobile thieves do not exist. Next time you consider hailing a cab expect to give up your social security number and your Grandmother’s holocaust diamonds, because the cost of taking a cab as a vulnerable American is sheer grand larceny. Step two: Ask yourself, do I really need this? in the moment you might say yes. I’m getting a steal on this fresh baguette and this ounce of ungodly foul smelling cheese pasteurized by blind monks in the south of France, but think about the actual cost. Convert the price by simply doubling the number (because that is likely what you are actually paying) then decide if it is really worth it. Was that pint of beer worth ten American dollars? probably not. In general, don’t trust establishments. You can indulge in the same meal or beverage by buying it at the local grocery store for half the cost. Step three: Don’t buy things we have at home. From Zara to Chipotle, if they have it back in America, just wait until you go back. This time in your life is for new experiences, you should be trying new and foreign things. Don’t waste your money paying double for something you know you can have when you get back to the States. As much as this experience has taught you about living on your own and the basics of world travel; if you walk away with anything, it should be the value and luxury of the American Dollar. So when you go back home, you better treat it right.
Photo Credit: http://tooweirdto-live-toorareto-die.tumblr.com/post/77398710794
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