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Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
I've taken my child to 20 countries. I always follow these 8 rules to make sure a trip goes smoothly.
I've been taking my kids on international trips with me since they were toddlers. Right now, I average three to four trips a year with at least one of my children. For a smooth trip, I always download regional ride-share apps ahead of time and stick to carry-ons. Traveling is my favorite activity, so it's important to me that my two kids — who are 7 and 14 years old — get to experience the world, too. My kids have traveled with me since they were toddlers, and I average three to four trips a year with at least one of my children. Over the years, I've picked up a lot of tips for kid-friendly travel. Now, I make sure to follow these eight rules to ensure everything goes smoothly and everyone has a great time. I make local transportation part of the adventure. When it comes to hotels and lodging, location is everything. We always try to choose a hotel with proximity to public transportation. Not only is it important to be able to get to all the spots we want to see, but also my kids enjoy the novelty of trains, subways, ferries, and buses. They loved taking the tube in London, the bullet trains in Japan, and the ferries on the Greek islands. For this reason, I always find lodging within walking distance of public transportation. In Amsterdam, we even stayed in the Red Light District because its proximity to the train station let us take easy day trips to Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans. We never rely just on Uber, and always research ride-share apps ahead of time. Although public transit is ideal, having a backup mode of transportation is crucial in case of emergency. Uber is available in over 15,000 cities worldwide, but not everywhere. In some countries, tourists can use Uber, but local alternatives are more reliable and affordable. Ahead of a trip, I make sure to research country-specific ride-hailing apps and download whichever ones are popular locally to have as backup. Whenever possible, we opt for local theme parks and museums over global franchises. To avoid massive crowds, I'll typically avoid global sites and popular spots from big franchises (like Disney parks) when I travel with my kids. Instead, we try opting for local amusement parks and museums, which we've found to be a little less crowded. On our various trips, we've visited Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, Brussels' Choco-Story museum, the Historium Brugge in Bruges, Puerto Plata's Monkeyland, and Seoul's many pet cafés. We make it a point to learn key phrases ahead of time. In the weeks leading up to a trip, I'll download a language-specific learning app to learn (and teach my kids!) local phrases and questions we might find ourselves asking. Recently, we discovered HelloChinese for Mandarin; previously, we've had luck just using YouTube videos to learn Korean. Duolingo works here, too. Although I encourage my kids to try new things, I don't say no to comforts from home. Instead of hopping from hotel to hotel, we set up a base camp and do day trips. I always like to pick a single hotel as a "base camp" from which we take all our day trips. This helps us avoid the hassle of re-packing and often has the added bonus of allowing for the most cost-efficient modes of transportation, like budget airlines that only allow a personal item. For example, when we visited Athens, we planned a day trip to Santorini. It took under an hour to fly there via a budget airline, and even though we just spent a day on the island, the trip turned into one of my children's fondest memories. We prioritize minimalist packing to avoid checking bags — and, thereby, limit souvenirs. Checking a suitcase can get expensive, and I also get nervous about losing my luggage. So, I never check anything, only travel with a roller carry-on and backpack, and wear any necessary outerwear while boarding the plane. Not only does this trick save money and assuage my anxiety, but it also helps me put a limit on the number of souvenirs my kids can buy. After all, they can only fit so much in their carry-ons. Now that my son is older, I let him play a role in creating an itinerary. When my kids were young, I did all the planning. Since my older son became a teen, though, I've involved him in the itinerary. I'll set the budget and scope of the trip, but ask him to do some research on where we should go. After a childhood spent seeing castles in Europe, his last two picks included a weeklong Caribbean cruise and a string of trips across Asia — over the past year, we've visited Japan, Korea, and China, and next month, we'll be traveling to Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Including him in the process has helped me ensure we'll both have a great time — and it's passed on to him the same passion I have for discovering the world, one trip at a time.
Time Business News
7 days ago
- Time Business News
Learn Mandarin Easily: Your Complete Guide to Studying Chinese Online
Mandarin Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the world. It can help you in school, work, travel, and even when watching movies or reading books. The best part is — you don't need to go to a class or hire a tutor. Today, you can học tiếng Trung online from home using your computer or phone. With fun tools like videos, apps, and flashcard tiếng Trung, learning Chinese is now easy and exciting for beginners of all ages. There are many good reasons to learn Mandarin Chinese: Over 1 billion people speak it worldwide. It can help you get better jobs or do business in China. Chinese culture, history, and art are amazing to explore. It trains your brain and improves memory. You can talk to new people and make new friends. Learning Chinese also helps you think differently because the language is very unique! Pinyin is the way Chinese words are written using the Roman alphabet. It helps you pronounce Chinese sounds correctly. For example: nǐ hǎo = hello xièxiè = thank you mā = mom (be careful! Changing the tone changes the meaning) Before jumping into characters, get used to how words sound. Many online lessons start with Pinyin and tones. Apps like HelloChinese or Duolingo are great for this. One of the fastest ways to learn new Chinese words is by using flashcard tiếng Trung . Flashcards help you remember Chinese characters, meanings, and pronunciation. You can make paper flashcards or use apps like Anki, Quizlet, or Brainscape. Benefits of flashcards: Easy to carry or access anytime Help you repeat and remember words You can learn 5–10 new words every day Try to study your flashcard tiếng Trung at least once or twice a day. Chinese characters may look hard, but don't worry. Start slow. Learn the most common 100 characters first. These are used in many words and sentences. Tips to learn characters: Break each character into smaller parts (called radicals) Practice writing them by hand Use stroke order apps that show you how to draw them You don't need to rush. Learning just 1–2 characters a day adds up over time. It's important to listen to Chinese every day to get used to how it sounds. This helps with both speaking and understanding. Ways to practice: Watch Chinese cartoons or YouTube videos with subtitles Listen to simple Chinese songs Repeat phrases you hear in videos Record yourself speaking and compare it with native speakers Many học tiếng Trung online platforms have speaking tools or chatbots to help you talk in Chinese. Learning Chinese takes time, so a good routine helps you stay on track. Here's a simple daily plan: 10 minutes: review flashcard tiếng Trung 15 minutes: listen to or watch a Chinese video 10 minutes: learn 5 new words 10 minutes: write or say sentences using new words This 45-minute plan is short but powerful. The more consistent you are, the faster you'll improve. There are many great websites and apps for học tiếng Trung online . Some are free, and others cost a little. Top tools to try: HelloChinese : Great for beginners with lessons, games, and voice tools : Great for beginners with lessons, games, and voice tools Duolingo : A fun app with easy daily practice : A fun app with easy daily practice LingoDeer : Focuses on grammar and sentence building : Focuses on grammar and sentence building Pleco : A Chinese dictionary app you can use while reading or watching videos : A Chinese dictionary app you can use while reading or watching videos YouTube: Search 'learn Mandarin Chinese' and watch beginner lessons Try different apps to see what works best for you. The more you use Chinese in real life, the faster you will learn. Even if you're shy, try to use Mandarin in small ways: Greet your friends in Chinese Label things around your house with Chinese words Write a diary using simple Chinese sentences Join Facebook or Reddit groups for Chinese learners Using the words in real situations helps you remember them better. Learning a language is like running a long race. It's easier if you break it into smaller steps. Here are some mini-goals you can try: 'I will learn 10 new words this week.' 'I will watch 3 Chinese videos this weekend.' 'I will use 5 new words in sentences.' When you reach your goal, reward yourself! Maybe with a Chinese snack or by watching your favorite drama episode. Everyone makes mistakes when learning a new language. It's part of the process. Don't let fear stop you. The more you practice, the better you get. If you're using an app or talking with someone, just try your best. People will be happy that you're learning their language. Mistakes are a sign that you are learning something new. Learning Mandarin Chinese from home is now simple and fun. With the help of technology, you can học tiếng Trung online using videos, games, lessons, and tools like flashcard tiếng Trung . Even if you're a total beginner, you can start today — right from your couch! TIME BUSINESS NEWS
