Post-College Expectations Vs. Reality

Where have I been for the past few weeks?  Drilling Spanish children on what it means to be healthy or unhealthy? Yes. Over indulging in Spanish culture?  Maybe.  Ignoring blog world? Never.

The truth is that my computer suddenly decided it didn't love me anymore and now processes at a speed roughly slower than a snail/tortoise hybrid baby would.  While it "claims" there is no virus, I'm currently only able to add anything to my blog when the BF isn't using his computer (and with his Master's presentation this week, that time has been few and far between).

With that being said, it's also been a while since I've had a post more about dealing with life after college, instead of my current life abroad in Spain.  While this does happen to be my life after college, I understand that there are many who may come to this blog who aren't very interested in what I'm doing but are looking for advice in the process of leaving their college years behind.

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Well this one's for you guys.

Last year before I came to Spain I wrote a post called: Common Life After College Myths Debunked talking about some common myths I had heard, and some I felt, before graduating.  Now almost two years post-graduation (Seriously? One year after college was hard enough to process...) I'm realizing that all my own expectations and plans have changed, and not necessarily in a negative way.

I thought I would have a real job by now...

Yeah I know it wasn't a good market, and very few people were being hired...but I thought somehow I would be different.  Those statistics didn't apply to me, I had done well in all my student teaching practicums and even won awards, it may take a few tries I would be hired.  Wrong.  I still remember the first teaching jobs I applied to where over 400 people applied to the same position and I wasn't even called in for an interview.  I was heartbroken, like I wasn't a good enough teacher because I wasn't hired straight out of college.  

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But after I started substitute teaching  I began to realize that those statistics were there for a reason, and that I wasn't the only one trying to break into the education field.  There were so many subsitutes I met who had been struggling like this for nearly a decade!  And I finally realized that not having my dream job right away didn't mean I wasn't good enough, I had to define my own worth because no job would do that for me.  So I made up my mind that, that was the year I made the move to Spain.  I wanted to do something different with my life, and while it's still not my dream job being an auxiliar, I feel much more fulfilled working long term with a group of students then subbing in their classroom a few times a year.

I didn't think I could stay healthy

For anyone that has ever known me I'm a food-iac.  I love food, love eating, and worse have a killer sweet tooth.  On the other hand though, I also love to workout and stay physically active, but have the vice that I easily get overwhelmed by pressure and nap when I should be sweating.  While in school I was able to keep up the tentative balance, but was never quite happy with my health regime.  Regardless, I was worried that I would be able to break old unhealthy patterns, hmm dessert you say?, and that I wouldn't be able to afford to have healthy meals.

May not look like much, but stuffed eggplants!

So I started to learn how to cook and the beauty that is moderation.  In the U.S. the food was a little more difficult because fresh fruit and vegetables can be so expensive, but here in Spain fresh produce is my cheapest purchase.  I've taken my health into my own hands by constantly searching for new healthy ways to cook the food I love.  I've also started to tap into Spanish foods with my Christmas gift of a Spanish cook-book which is full of vegtables and fruits.  Overall the most important thing I've learned is that while we eat to fuel our bodies, we also eat to enjoy.  Between using fresh ingredients, cooking from scratch, and moderation I have stayed healthy and happy post-college.  Not to mention staying active is now as easy as searching fitness on pinterest!

I thought my university would always be home

I was not the stereotypical college student, I spent more time with my friends off campus than on, but it still felt like home to me.  And with friends still left behind, I thought that feeling would never change for me.  Especially since my campus was fifteen minutes away from and I practically grew up on the campus.  Instead, I found that from the moment I stepped back on campus that it wasn't home anymore.  

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I was working six days a week and while I was worried about bills and going to bed on time, my friends were talking about parties and their classes.  I found that except for a few close friends, I couldn't relate to the people I had once hung out with anymore, or the goals that had for their lives at that moment.  Everytime I returned to campus I just felt more and more like an outsider looking in and one night when I walked past my old dorm, and saw a light on in my old room, it became clear that I no longer belonged there.  And wouldn't again.  At first I was sad, but it gave me the push I needed to move out of my comfort levels.  My old college may no longer be my home, but that didn't mean I had to lose my friends or the memories I would take with me.

I didn't think I could afford my loans

Oh student loans, why must you be so expensive?  They're were one of the most daunting things about graduating.  I just remember thinking helpless, how would I ever be able to pay them back?  But then again, I'm a proactive person and spent my senior year working two jobs on top of my studies to save money.  When my grace period was over I had already saved enough money to make the payments of my first year of loans.  And last year I saved up enough money to make the payments for two more years.

Mini-Plaza Mayor at Parque Europa

Don't get me wrong, it was a lot more work then you may think, I had to sacrifice a lot of time and things that I wanted. But thanks to that work I have been able to travel and make it to Spain this year (and afford my loans).  Yes, student loans are expensive, and a nuisance, and...you get the picture.  But they don't have to be impossible.  With planning and hard work, you can beat your loan payments and enjoy your life.  If you need some help making sense of your loans, read my post about dealing with student loan debt.

I thought I would be near my friends

This has been one of the hardest pills to swallow about going to a college near my house, and moving abroad to Spain (both with my friends from high school and college).  My friends are some of the most important people in my life and I thought I would be able to keep up our girl's nights and general adventures.  Post-college and having moved away I feel like I have to start all over again.  I feel like I'm back in high school, or a freshman in college trying to find new people I can connect with (particularly hard if you're introvert that does a poor awkward job at pretending to be an extrovert).

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But the hards thing has been that being so far away means I have missed a lot, of both the good and the bad.  I can't be there to congratulate my friends on the new job or comfort them when a loved one has passed away.  Even with skype, facebook, email, and whatsapp I'm not a part of their lives like we used to be.  I feel like I'm in a long distance relationship all over again, but this time with my friends.  While it's not easy, I've learned that the friendships (like all types of relationships) will remain strong if all parties want it to work and the effort is made to stay in touch.  Thanks technology!

I didn't think I could travel

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that post-college I would be able to travel, let alone live abroad.  Believe me when I say it hasn't always been an easy path, but for me it has been worth all that I've had to given up.  And when I say give up, I mean all those little things that we have been told we need to be able survive: the newest clothes, the latest technology, a big house, new car, etc.  And if those things make you happy, there's nothing wrong with that.  I know plently of people who look at what I'm doing with my life and wouldn't feel happy or fulfilled.

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But if you're like me, and traveling is your dream, then anything is possible.  Maybe I don't have the nicest phone or laptop, maybe I don't have designer clothes or expensive accessories, I have a great experience and great memories.  I can say "Remember that time we rented an apartment in the center of Paris and could see the eiffel tower from our balcony?" or "Remember that time I celebrated my birthday in Pamplona at the Running of the Bulls?" or even "Remember that time I fell up a crowded metro escalator with all my luggage trying to make a plane to Sevilla on time?" (true story, complete wipe out).  And those memories, even the embarrassing, are for me worth giving up all those little things.

How has the post-college life met your expectations?

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Living On a Budget: Auxiliar Style

A lovely day in Madrid to talk budgets.

I've had a lot of people back home, as well as people interested in teaching abroad in Spain, wonder how I'm able to live abroad and make ends meet.  Many who are not in the program have wondered if I get paid on time, how much I spend per month, and if the money I make is sufficient to live abroad in Spain.

In the Auxiliares government program you get paid  based on the location you work.  In Madrid you work 16 hours per week and make 1000€, while in the rest of Spain you work only 12 hours per week and make 700€.    As the capital, and largest city in Spain, Madrid is one of the most expensive cities to live here and with the Auxiliares you make more money to cover the extra living costs.

Though many may not believe it, in this program you can make more than enough money to live comfortably in Spain.  Especially if you find any of the abundant Private English classes.

To help give you an idea of how I live on my budget abroad, here's a breakdown of my monthly expenses:

Transportation:

My school isn't in the center of Madrid where I live, instead it's a city just outside of the city limits so I have to buy a monthly Abono/Transportation pass.  You can buy these Madrid monthly abonos in based on what zone you need to travel between (A, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, E1, E2) and your age: Joven, Normal, and Tercera Edad. Because my school is in the B1 zone I buy the monthly B1 Abono, and unfortunately (for me) because I'm over 23 I have to buy the Normal B1 abono.  The card costs me 63.70€ a month but covers any (trains, metro, or bus) travel in zones A and B1.

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Housing:

As I said before, I live in the center of Madrid.  And when I say center, I mean center, as in three minutes from Puerta del Sol.  My boyfriend and I share a one bedroom apartment together, and obviously the rent and utilities that come with it.  Since it's only a one bedroom apartment it's very cheap for us: 280€ (for each of us) per month for just the rent.As for utilities, we don't pay for our water only for electricity and internet.

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For internet and phone we each pay 17€, but this also includes a few hours of international calling to the USA per month.  [Hear that stateside friends!].  And for electricity it depends on the month and the amount we use.  In September and October it was around 11€ for each of us per month, in November and December it was closer to 25€ for each of us per month, and now that the cost of electricity has risen starting this month...we shall see...

Point being that my cost for housing in Madrid's center has ranged monthly from 308-322€.  Definitely not too shabby for living in the Country's capital.

Groceries:

Groceries in this household depends a lot on how much my boyfriend feels like eating in a sitting, which is usually a lot more than I do!  We still split all food costs 50/50 and usually the monthly cost is 300€ for the two of us, so around 150€ each one.  If you're wondering what grocery stores that we shop at, we generally go to the Hipercor of Cortes Ingles (which I've found far less expensive than everyone claims it to be) though sometimes I also go to the Ahorra Mas across the street from my school, or the Carrefour Express that's also near our apartment.

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Phone:

In Spain this doesn't have to be you! source

Paying for my cell phone here is so cheap that it's something I rarely think (and never worry) about it.  The thing about cell phone service in Spain compared to the USA is that purchasing the actual phone is generally much more expensive (even with a contract and you don't get free upgrades!) but the plans are usually way cheaper.

The cheapest unlocked smartphone I could find was 79€ but my monthly plan with Tuenti is only 10.89€ (now changing to 10.75€!).  I chose Tuenti because of this plan of 1GB of data and 75 minutes of calls per month, so far I haven't gone over either since being here since September.  The only thing is that when I pay monthly on my account they only accept payments in increments of 5€ so sometimes I only have to pay 10€ while others I pay 15€, so I always budget a full 15€.

Savings:

Like many other auxiliares in this program I'm a recent College graduate with student loans to pay off.  I didn't want to defer them but also didn't want to have to pay them while I was here, so I saved up enough money to pay for my loans for two years (seriously spent all last year saving) to prepare for if I was renewing.  In case I do want to stay in Spain for a third year, I have been saving 80€ a month that is for my loans to be transfered to my American bank account at some point this year.

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General Spending:

This category is for all the general spending in a month, whether it be for: drinks, clothes shopping, having dinner out, or general miscellaneous purchases.  On average per month I spend around 200€ for all of the above, rarely going over my budget.  While Madrid may be more expensive than other cities in Spain, I've found that it's much cheaper to go out here than where I live (beers and wine for 1€, yes please).

You just have to know the different options and know the ofertas, for example: if you like shopping, know when the rebajas (sales) are during the year.  In the current post-Christmas rebajas for only 115€ I've bought a winter coat, a dress, two pairs of jeans, two blouses, and 1 t-shirt.  Score!


For those who want a clearer break-down, these are my monthly costs and the amount I have leftover:
My Average Monthly Income: (1000€ + private lessons)
63.70€ Abono
308-322€ Rent/Utilities
150€ Groceries
15€ Cell Phone
80€ Saving
200€ General Spending
816.70-830.70€ Total Expenses

Every month I clearly have plenty of euros leftover.  This money  is what I've been saving to use for future European travels, like when my Dad is coming to visit me (and Europe for the first time) in April!

If you want advice on any of the above processes like housing, abonos, and phones; read my post:

 "How-To's" for Moving to Spain: Advice from the First Year

And for those who what more ideas on budgets in Spain check out these helpful posts:

Young Adventuress: Spain Budget Breakdown

Oh No She Madridn't: Auxiliares de Conversación Budget in Madrid

How does your budget abroad differ from mine?  Do you have any questions about living costs in Spain with the Auxiliares program?

Goals For my Time in Madrid

In less than two weeks I will be moving to Spain to teach English at a bilingual elementary school in Madrid with the government program: Auxiliares de Conversación.  Over the past months I've been thinking of the many things I would like to experience and accomplish in my year abroad.  Here is a working list of some the main goals I hope to meet there:

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*Travel to at least three new countries.

*Learn how to cook Spanish foods for myself. So far I've managed pisto, salmorejo, crema de calabacín, natillas and more!

*Improve my Spanish enough to have a full conversation with my boyfriend's family.

*Read a full chapter book in Spanish for the first time since high school. (Apr. 2014)

*Find a way to exercise and stay in shape in Madrid, without hurting my hip again. (Sep. 2013-Buying a step at decathalon, best purchase ever)

*Go a whole day without speaking English.

*Try something I normally wouldn't. (Do barnacles count?)

*Be more independent.

*Bonus Goal: Visit all the Autonomous Communities in Spain, here are the ten I have yet to visit:

1. Andalucía (Nov. 13)
2. Aragón
3. Islas Baleares (Oct. 14)
4. Gran Canarias
5. Cataluña (Mar. 14)
6. Comunidad Valenciana
7. Extremadura (May 2014)
8. Galicia (Aug. 2014)
9. La Rioja (Feb. 2015)
10. Murcia

What goals do you have for this coming year?

Common Life After College Myths Debunked

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If any of you recent grads out there were like me this time last year then you probably are A) freaking out about what you'll do in the Fall or B) wondering if your new career/education/life choice is the right one for you.  You're finally having that realization that this isn't just a regular summer break, you've graduated and won't be going back to life as usual come September.

Life after college can be a very emotional time where you're unsure of who you are and what you want.  Navigating these murky waters can be equal parts exciting, confusing, and frustrating.  I'm sure many of you had an idea in your head of what life after college would be, whether good or bad, and I'm sure many more of you have been surprised at how different it can be from your expectations.

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There are many stereotypes that are perpetuated about life after college and after hearing all these myths myself in my first year after college I'm here to debunk some of the most common from my personal experience.

*[Please remember that these are my personal experiences and they are not a cookie-cutter for all college graduates, we all have different experiences with our lives after college.  I would love to hear about your own experiences in the comments section!]

You'll Have Your Life Completely Sorted Out and Know Exactly What You're Meant to Do

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One myth that I definitely felt forced on me was this one, and particularly by those of my parents' generation.  It was always the same dreaded question: "So what are you going to do in the Fall?".  AH!  I just wanted to scream that I didn't know yet.  This feeling that once you graduate you should have everything planned is very stressful for many new graduates who really feel the pressure to have their life sorted out.

Maybe our parents' generation was that way.  Maybe they were able to leave school and come out with a job, but it's not so simple now.  But more and more people are going to college and an undergraduate degree may not be enough to set you apart from the sea of all the other job seekers.  We feel a lot of pressure to leave school knowing what we want to do and having opportunities lined up.

When I graduated I had only been hired for one district as a substitute teacher.  It wasn't until the end of August/beginning of September that I was offered the after-school position and hired at two other districts; incredibly last minutes!

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The reality is that we are young adults, we are humans, and we are not fixed.  Who we are changes, what we want changes.  Most of us leave college still very unsure about who we are as people and what we want to do with our lives.  If you are unsure about what you'll do in the Fall or what you've chosen to do in the Fall, don't let it get to you.  We are young and being unsure is the norm.  It's perfectly okay to not be 100% about your future, that's what this time of your life is about.  It's about trying different things, experimenting, and finding out who you are and what you want out of life.  Embrace it and learn to love your life after college!

You'll Quickly Find a Well Paying Job in Your Field, That's What a Degree is For Right?

Some of you may have been lucky and have found a great paying job in your career, but for the rest of us it's probably not so easy.  I remember when I first graduated last May knowing that my state had a bad job market for elementary school teachers, but it couldn't be that bad...right?  Um, wrong.  I started applying to teaching jobs confident in my abilities, I had won awards for my student teaching and worked in classrooms for years, but it wasn't enough.

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I got e-mails saying that over 400 people had applied to nearly each position where I had submitted an application.  Needless to say I didn't get my dream job my first year after college, in fact I didn't get any full-time job.  Instead I took multiple part-time jobs that were in my career.  They may have not been what I wanted, but they gave me the invaluable real-world career experience that I needed.  I didn't get rich quick, but thanks to being a smart spender and having a budget in place I have saved enough for moving to Spain with the Auxiliares de Conversación program this Fall.  The point is, you probably won't get your dream job right away, but you can still find something in your career and if you're a smart saver can still make plenty of money.

You'll Be Stuck in a Terrible Job That You'll Hate

On the other hand of the previous extreme is that you'll have a terrible job that you'll hate.  Chances are you won't have a nightmarish job, and if by some cruel turn of fate you do, remember that this first post-graduate job is not the position you'll have for the remainder of your life!  Even in the current job market there are other, jobs out there if you land one you can't stand.  Maybe you need to expand your job criteria, think outside the box about how you can apply your skills or if need be, relocate to a different area.  Teaching jobs in Rhode Island are scarce and I've looked into my options for getting my teaching certificate in other states as a possibility.

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So yes, I didn't get my dream job, and yes, I didn't make tens of thousands, but I don't hate my jobs.  They may not be perfect but are at least in my chosen field (which I absolutely love!) and I'm constantly gaining more experience.  Don't panic over your first post-graduate job experience.  Try to get as much experience and knowledge you can and if you still absolutely hate it find something else.  Life is too short to spend it stuck in a job that you are miserable in.  There are always possibilities out there, you may just have to look harder for some of them.

Living at Home as a New Graduate is the End of the World

Like most American college graduates, I lived away from home while in college and was not looking forward to the move back home after graduation.  You've spent the past few years finally gaining your independence and freedom to be brought back home feeling like it almost never happened.  While it may feel like the end of the world, it really isn't.  If your parents or family allows you to move back home, especially rent free, I highly suggest you take them up on their kindness.

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It may not seem ideal for you, you may want to try and push yourself out into the 'real-world', but with the money you will be saving on rent you can use this opportunity to save a substantial amount of money to help pay down your student loans and establish yourself in the future.  Along with this savings boost, living at home can give you time to sort out your goals and aspirations without risking a financial loss.  Living at home helped me save thousands that I was able to put towards moving to Spain this Fall.  And if you're afraid about losing your independence talk with your family about what you all want and need from the living arrangement.  They may be surprisingly accommodating, after all they were your age once before.

You'll Never be Able to Pay Off Your Student Loans or Afford Anything Ever Again

This fear of daunting student loan payments goes hand and hand with the financial benefits of moving back home.  Some people may rack up student loan debt without thinking about it and some may not have any other way to afford college, but the need to repay what was borrowed remains the same.  They can be very confusing and it can quickly seem impossible to make sense of your student loans.  However, I promise that if you know as much as you can about your loans they will be much less scary.

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What many new graduates may not realize is that lenders can be understanding and there may be programs in place to help make your student loan payments more affordable like: payment plans, interest rate deductions, etc.  All you have to do is ask!  It may take a while to pay off your loans, depending on how much you owe and if you reduce payments, but it is possible and one day you will.  And having student loan payments doesn't mean you have to sacrifice all enjoyment in your life.  You can still have money for things like: entertainment, shopping, and travel.  You'll just have to work hard and sort your priorities; decide what is important to you and your life.  Just remember that student loans are not the end of the world either!

You'll Have No Social Life and No Friends

This one is tough because it does have some truth in it.  Working full-time makes it harder to have the social life that most college graduates are used to, and it is much harder to keep the friends you had in college as well as meet new ones.  You will have as many breaks or time off as you did in school, but it doesn't mean you can't go out or enjoy your life as it is now (which I think is pretty fun, hello classy wine tastings!).  Instead of having free time during the day you'll have to utilize your nights and weekends, which can be hard for friends still in college because you'll be running on different time schedules, but it is possible.

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And now that you're out of school you are probably further away from your college friends, but it's always possible to bridge the gap in a long-distance relationship (ideas whether romantic or between friends!).  It will require more work to keep these friendships strong, but you'll start to see who are the friends worth putting the effort into and which friends are better left in your college days.  And as for making new friends, it can also be challenging post-college.  You no longer have clubs or classes to meet new people and may not work in an environment with people, but like most things isn't impossible.  You can make new friends and survive life after college by getting involved in your community and joining groups with people who have similar interests.

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Put yourself out there and you will surely find interesting people that have the potential to be life long friends.  I love my life after college and love the group of friends I've retained, and the new ones I've made.  College may be over, but this is the start of the rest of your life.  It's all about what you make of it.


And for those of you who need a laugh via Buzzfeed: Enter the Real World: Expectations vs. Reality. Enjoy.

What has your life after college been like?  Have you found any of these 'myths' to be a reality in your personal experience?

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How Can YOU Afford to Travel?

When I talk about traveling and my plans for moving abroad in the fall everyone always asks me: "How can you afford to travel so much?"

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In my case, I've been really lucky.  My boyfriend's family is so incredibly kind and have opened up their home to me the past couple of years to visit.  Thanks to their generosity, I have been able to travel to Europe without a huge chunk of living expenses most travelers have to pay.  Despite my own luck, the reality is that travel really doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg.  In fact, it's quite possible to have your travels be affordable.  Here are some of my tips I've learned from my personal experiences on how you can make traveling affordable for you and your lifestyle, even if you're a broke college graduate.

Work Hard

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Coming from a low-middle class family, with the responsibility of figuring out how to pay 90% of my college education, I always thought travel was out of the question for me.  Maybe splurging for a few trips here and there throughout my life, but traveling the world?  Never.  So I would pore over travel magazines, collections of maps, and my history books until I realized I wasn't going to be satisfied until I experience the 'real thing.'  So I worked my butt off.  I'm talking multiple jobs during college, six hour work weeks, and currently three part-time jobs.

Now I'm not saying work should take precedent over everything else in your life because not only will you be burned out and miserable, but you would be missing out on so much of your life that is passing you by.  If you want to travel but don't have a vast pool of money just lying around, then you will have to work hard, but never at the expense of your day to day happiness.

Research and Book Wisely

For the actual traveling, also research and book your trip wisely.  Researching for your trip, no matter where you're going, is always a smart thing to do.  Here is some of my advice I have found from my travels:

Flights
When searching for your for flights, always clear your search history and cookies.  You can be shown more expensive results based on what you have previously bought/searched for (also, try searching on a PC because Macs can also return more expensive results).  Search on multiple sites, but be wary of booking flights on sites like orbitz or travelocity because they can make it difficult/expensive to cancel or change plans.  In those cases, it may be best to find your flights there but book on the actual airlines' websites.  I've had great success using kayak.com and have heard good things about Student Universe.  Also, know the baggage regulations and fees for the airlines you are booking with.  Most domestic flights now charge for checked bags and have size/weight restrictions.  Here is an article I read recently about: "How to Find Affordable European Flights for the Summer;" for those not going to Europe, much of the advice is applicable to travel fares in general.

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Hotel/Hostel
Researching where you will be staying is also very important.  Always look at the location: is it safe?, is it touristic?, is there public transportation?, is it close to what you want to see/do?  Look at many things before making a final decision.  Does it have various pictures?  Does the advertised price include taxes and fees? Most people will tell you to look at the stars of a hotel/hostel, but I think it can often be even more important to look at the reviews.  I am far more willing to trust the actual experience of a person than to believe what the establishment itself has posted.

Restaurants/Entertainment
While sometimes these things can be best decided upon spontaneously, it is nice to look into options to anticipate how much you plan on spending and how you can fit in everything you may want to see.  Check out some travel blogs and forums, search a little on the web, see what people are recommending for some good local eats and unique places to visit.  If in doubt when choosing a place to eat, I always use advice my dad once gave me: if you go to a restaurant during a normal meal time (this is culturally dependent, for example lunch time in Spain is around 2/3pm and dinner is closer to 10pm) and it's empty, then it may not have the best food.  Another indicator, is who is eating at a restaurant.  If you're in a foreign country and it's just tourists, then you may want to wander a little bit more for something more authentic.  As for entertainment, research any passes you can get if you don't qualify for discounts offered wherever you may be visiting.  In Paris I got the Museum Pass and it saved me a lot of money!

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Take Advantage of Discounts
If you can manage to travel off season, see if you can.  Often flights, hotels, and sometimes entertainment will be much cheaper.  When I flew to Spain in February last year my flight was only $690 round-trip and this past January when my boyfriend flew here to visit me it was only $630 round-trip (as opposed to my flight to Spain in July last summer that was a whopping $1000, but I was there two months so it wasn't so bad considering).  And if you happen to be a student, or in the case of Europe under 26, you could qualify for some major discounts.  Wherever you travel see if you meet the requirements for any discounts whether it be with your school ID, an international student card, AAA membership, or the likes.  You can get some great deals on anything from museums to trains, and in the long run this could save you a lot of money!

Budget Accordingly

No matter how hard you might work, it's all for nothing if you don't budget accordingly.  Another part of the reason I've been able to travel so frequently, is because I budget all of the money I earn.  First things first, look at all of that research you have done: where do you want to travel, how long do you want to go for, what to you want to do/see, and how much will it all cost.  Once you have a working idea of your travel plans, create a budget of how much you can afford to spend on the trip. This great website has a free travel budget planner that can help you get started on travel budget.  With your estimated travel costs, see how you can afford to make your plans a reality.

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My personal advice then would be to also have a non-travel budget that takes into account your regular payments and monthly salary.  As I discussed in my previous post Budgeting Life After College, this would help you know your biggest expenses and set your financial priorities.  That way you can start saving up for your travel fund without A) Putting yourself in debt or B) Making it impossible to pay off the debt you may already have.  The money you save for travel should not interfere with the bills or other necessary payments you need to make on time.  I use the travel budget to estimate my travel costs and then apply it to my regular budget to see how much I need to/can afford to save per month.

Live Within Your Means

Something that goes hand and hand with budgeting is living within your means.  Between all my jobs I probably barely make a measly $14,000/year, yet I have already managed to save up enough for my flight to Spain, three months of living expenses in Madrid, and two years worth of my student loan payments.  How did I do?  Because along with keeping my budget, I know how to purchase wisely and do without.

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To save money this year: I have been living at home, I drive my mom's old car, and I limit my spending.  I rarely go out to eat or drink, instead my friend's often opt to stay in and cook for ourselves and enjoy some drinks.  When I do go out, still a couple times a month, I always look for drink or meal specials (this is when it really helps living only fifteen minutes away from a major University, I love all the local cheap eats).  And while I do love clothes I frequent: sales racks, thrift stores, and seasonal sales.  I have become a master at revamping my wardrobe without spending a fortune, and I think I dress pretty darn well!  The point is, that yes, you may have to sacrifice some of those fancy new 'things' all your friends seem to have (and when have material objects brought as much happiness as actual experiences anyway?), but you don't have to sacrifice enjoying your life to be able to afford to traveling.

Look at How You Can Work/Study Abroad

Another great way to do some traveling is to work, study, or even volunteer abroad.  What's great about these options is that some may offer a stipend, scholarships, or even opportunity for room and board.  The program I'm doing next year is offered through the Spanish government and I am given a monthly stipend for teaching English in a public elementary school.  You can look at studying abroad through your university, or look into language academies if you only have a couple months to spare (generally they don't give you visas to study there so your time will be limited).  Here are some options I have seen posted through my own university or via articles I have read about:

Work
Jobs Abroad-Work Abroad
Transitions Abroad-Guide to Work, Study, Travel and Living Abroad
Aupair World

Spain Related Work:
Auxiliares Ministry Program
BEDA
UCETAM
Au Pair in Spain

Volunteer
Global Volunteers
Global Aware-Adventures in Service
Earthwatch Institute
10 Volunteer Programs for Budget Travelers
10 Volunteer Opportunities for Free Travel

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What tips do you have on being able to afford travel?  How have you managed to travel on your budget?

Graduation: My Thoughts One Year Later

Wow.  I can't believe that it's been one full year since I walked across the stage at my graduation.

Just a year ago I saw this banner across Upper College Road and realized, oh.  I'm a college graduate!

This past weekend has been one full of graduations, as I watch my friends and family take this giant step for themselves.  As I watched them with pride I've asked myself, how has this year changed me?  Do I feel any different?  Where has the time gone?

I've accomplished much in this past year; I've grown as a person, met my goals, made life changing decisions...yet I feel little difference.  I guest that's not entirely true, I'm much happier post-college, but as a whole I feel quite unchanged; I feel no wiser nor more grown-up.

I thought I would feel 'it' when I picked up my cap and gown last spring.  But I felt nothing.  I thought, I must have to wait until I moved out of my dorm for the last time.  But that just felt no different then going on summer break.

So it had to be the day of graduation as I officially donned the cap and gown with my 2012 tassels.  Nope.  When I walked across the stage?  When I threw my cap in the air?  When I got home after the ceremony!?

And now, a year later it still doesn't really feel like much.  I'm merely surprised that instead of "Congratulations to the Class of 2012," I see "Congratulations to the Class of 2013."

(Granted the whole of graduation day was miserable.  All (but one) of my best friends, including my boyfriend, were unable to attend; my finishing his own senior year back in Spain, one was in England, another in China, one stuck in New Jersey, another in Spain, and one at her own graduation in Maine.  To make matters worse I couldn't afford the honor cord for my honor society and was too proud to have my loved ones pay for it.  And then the icing on the cake was when they pronounced my name wrong as I walked across the stage.  Oh well.

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So the day itself was a bust...but I should have felt something after right?  Some sense of accomplishment?  I mean I had won multiple awards for my student teaching, paid my way through most of the four years myself, and graduated with honors in a double major while working multiple jobs every year.  While you should feel a sense of pride and accomplishment at graduation, because through your hard-work you have done something amazing, you most likely won't have an epiphany after walking across that stage.  In fact to me, it almost felt anti-climatic.  That it's?  I've graduated?  Now what?

Graduation day will come and go, and the whole summer will pass after you walked across that stage and you won't feel much different.  Then September rolls around and all your friends that didn't graduate are heading back to school.  You'll see those statuses of them hanging out together late at night, going for impromptu drinks, going out to parties, weekend getaways, complaints about classes or professors, and the latest campus gossip.  You'll watch as they post pictures doing the things you used to do, attending the events you used to attend, and participating in the organizations you used to be a part of.

You should feel relieved; no more college drama, no more coursework, no more gen. eds., no more dorm rooms, no more exams, or all nighters.  But you don't think like that.

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It hits you, not that you've taken this huge step forward in your life, but that you are stuck in limbo.  You don't belong to the life you had before, but you're still on the cusp of the adult world and don't really fit in there either.  As you watch you friends live their college lives from this glass divide you'll miss the freedom and sense of community you once had back in college.  You'll miss feeling included and knowing there was always a place for you.  Many of those college 'friends' won't last long as you move on from your studies.  They'll be living their life on their college schedule and for many it just won't work with your post-college life.

You'll feel totally unprepared for the real world and its expectations.  All of my teaching experiences, teaching courses, and practicums did not prepare me for my first day of substitute teaching.  For walking into a classroom in a school you don't know, full of students you don't know, to teach lessons from a teacher that you just. do. not. know.  I was terrified.  I was unprepared.  Did I really want to be a teacher?  It was then as I walked into that strange classroom, months after graduation, that I realized I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life.

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No one told me that I still would be unsure; you're supposed to know these things after you graduate right?  Now some of you may have jobs lined up, some may be going off to graduate school, but the rest of us.  What do we do now?

Let me tell you a secret all you new graduates, one that would have saved me a lot of tears and anxiety.  The truth is that it's perfectly okay and absolutely normal to walk off that stage and not know what to do next.  Nobody, other than yourself, expects you to have the entirety of your future planned out so soon.

The reality is that you may (most likely will) not get your dream job for a very long time.  The job market is still not at its best and it really is hard to find to find a steady, well-paying job for new graduates.  I applied for multiple teaching jobs only to find out that over 300 people applied for each of them too.  And why would they hire people with such little real-life experience?  This can be a hard pill to swallow, after all that's why you got that degree; to get that big kid job you've dreamed of.  Just know you are not the only one struggling with this.  Try your best not to feel bitter or unaccomplished, especially if you know some young friend who scores their dream job right away.  Here you are, working multiple part-time jobs trying to make ends meet while you budget your heart out and try to make sense of all your student loans.  At this point you're probably well into those post-grad blues; wondering why was graduation good in the first place?

BUT

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Did you really enjoy college that much?  How quickly you've forgtten how much you hated most of your classes and couldn't stand all those exams and homework that seemed so pointless.  And those friends who lose contact with you because you have different schedules, they weren't the important ones anyway.  Your true friends will always try to make your schedules work and even if it takes months to find the time, you'll realize that once you're reunited nothing has changed between you.  I don't miss college.  Sure I miss the freedom, having my friends so near, and the memories I've made.  Yeah I get nostalgic when I visit certain parts of campus now, but do I miss the actual college part?  You know studying, interning, classes, homework, pleasing professors? No, just the comfort and security college offered; as a baby blanket is to the child afraid of the dark unknown.


And of course you will feel unprepared!  Only real experience can truly prepare you.  You have to throw yourself out there, fall down, and pick yourself back up again to truly be prepared for the real world.  Turns out that first substitute job that I was so terrified over reaffirmed my life decision.  But would I have known that if I hadn't graduated?  I've learned far more about teaching in this past year of substitute teaching than I have learned in any practicum experience I had in college.  Throwing myself out there made me realize I didn't need that baby blanket, I didn't need the protection of being in college.  I could do this on my own and I have so much more to learn with the years of experience to come.

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And those first jobs you so eagerly applied to but didn't get...so what?  You're young and you have years upon years to work that big kid job.  If you can find a job that relates in any way, shape, or form to what you want to do with your life, snatch it up.  If you can't, then find any job that pays the bills, work your butt off, and apply like crazy to jobs you want.  And if neither apply, well than save up some money and live your dreams; travel the world, do what you've always wanted, live your life.  It probably wasn't your dream job anyway.

So yes.  Graduating college is scary.  You'll feel uncertain and unprepared, and maybe like me you won't feel anything for the longest time.  The change to yourself comes slowly; over time, over experiencing the new exciting (yet often scary) things of the adult world.  You won't know you're changing, you won't feel a bit different.  But you'll get out there and start to realize post-college life is not so bad.  You'll make mistakes and learn from them.  You'll have jobs you'll love and jobs you hate.  But always remember, don't settle for anything if it makes you unhappy.  You will survive this.  You're young and (most of us) have so few real responsibilities holdings us back.  So take advantage of that, take a leap of faith, and live so that when you look years back from now you won't regret how you spent that youth.

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So back to me a year after graduation.  I knew after sacrificing so much to be able to afford college I had to take advantage of my youth and my desire to travel, so I applied to teach abroad.  I will officially be moving to Spain this fall to teach English as an English assistant in Madrid with the government program Auxiliares de Conversación.  BEDA contacted me recently on the wait-list to see if I was still interested in available positions, but I said no thank you.  While it seems like an amazing program, I'm a firm believer in that things happen if they're supposed to happen and everything is a learning experience.  I accepted Auxiliares and my decision just feels right.  And for the first time after graduation I am perfectly content not knowing exactly what my future holds.


So congratulations graduating class of 2013.  Don't let those post-grad blues get you down or make you doubt your passions.  Post-college life a heck of a ride, but I truly believe that as long as you follow your heart and do what makes you happy, you can make your ever-changing dreams a reality.  We can get through this together.  I leave you all with one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies:

"Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary."-Robin Williams, Dead Poet's Society

What has your experience been like post-graduation?  How are you new graduates feeling?

Making Sense of Student Loans

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Student loans are quite possibly the bane of every college graduate's existence (at least the unlucky majority who has to take out student loans).  Yes I know, we borrowed the money and now we have to pay it back; that doesn't make it a more pleasant experience!  Around this time of year college seniors all over the country are graduating, and for those not continuing onto graduate school, the reality of student loan repayment has probably become a bit too real, and most likely overwhelming.

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Where do you start?  What does it all mean?  What do you do now?

Other than the pain you'll feel in your wallet every month for the next couple (or more) years, the real problem most new graduates seem to have is understanding these loans and what happens now.  I am no financial expert, but over the past year of repayment I have conquered the student loan confusion (or at least fought through it and am still alive).  I apologize in advance that this post may not be too interesting, but I hope at the very least it is helpful and informative.


The first step to understanding student loans, is to understand some of the most important terms.

Key Loan Terms:

Entrance/Exit Counseling-Required sessions for the borrower before they receive their first loan and once they leave school; counseling on loan knowledge and repayment.

Interest Rate-Fee that is charged by wherever/whoever you borrowed the money from.  Can be fixed (percent doesn't change) or variable (rate can change periodically).
Grace Period-The period between when you leave school and have to start making loan payments.
Principal-The amount you actually borrowed, once you start repaying means what you have left of this original amount still owed.
Subsidized-Loan where the government pays the interest rate while you are in school and during the grace period or any deferments.
Unsubsidized-Loan where the student is responsible for paying the interest at all times, even in school or deferment.
Federal Loans-Loans offered and regulated by the government (Stafford loans are federal loans)
Private Loans-A loan that is made by a private lender (banks, etc.) based on credit score
Consolidation-When the borrower can combine multiple loans into one loan with a fixed, but often higher, interest rate (often available for federal loans).
Forbearance-When you temporarily suspend or reduce repayment of student loans, regardless of your loan type your interest will accrue (add up).
Deferment-When you temporarily suspend repayment of student loans (interest doesn't accrue if you have Subsidized federal loans), you must meet certain qualifications.
Capitalization-When the interest you have accrued adds to the principal balance and increases what you owe.

Now wasn't that fun?!

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Seriously though, get used to many of those terms because you'll be looking at some of them for, most likely, the next few years.

The first thing that happens when you will be leaving school is you'll complete exit counseling on your loans (you may have recently had to do this).  Usually it's online and you have to read a lot of information and answer the questions correctly to complete it successfully.  Once your exit counseling is done, I highly suggest you look over your loans and lender websites.  Familiarize yourself with these sites and where and how you can access your loan information.  Find out important information like:

• When your grace period ends (when you'll have to start making payments)
• What types of loans (private, federal, subsidized, unsubsidized) you have  
• Your interest rates for your loans
• What payment options/programs are offered by your lender
• The total amount you borrowed

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Once you know this, you can estimate the monthly payment amount you would have to pay.  The website for my loans had some helpful information and your lender may even have sent paperwork estimating how much your payments could be.  Lenders, at least the ones for my federal loans, usually estimate these payments based on paying them off within ten years and how much you have borrowed.

For me, I knew I had all Federal Subsidized loans and that their grace period ended in November.  I was able to estimate pretty accurately what my monthly payment amount would be and was able to plan my budget accordingly.

With this estimated payment amount you can start to figure out whether you you can afford the expected payments.  If you looked at your savings/income and can, then that's great and you should start preparing for how you want to make those payments.  If you cannot or think you will not be able to, look at what payment plan options are offered by your loan provider.

• Most lenders offer payment plans where you can reduce your monthly payments by extending your period of repayment, this option is often based on your income.  
• My lender has a graduated payment plan where the monthly payments start lower and over time they increase (assuming over the years you will have a higher income and can pay more).  
• For some there are also the options of forbearance and deferment.  As explained above, both are ways to postpone payments.  If you think they are an option for you, make sure to get in touch with your lender to see how you can qualify/apply.  
• Depending on if you use one of these options you may have to deal with the capitalization on your loan (the interest that has added up while you haven't been paying).

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If you can make the monthly payments, then think about how would you like to make your payments.  Generally you either can pay via paper (you get mailed the bill), pay online, or you get the money drafted directly from your bank account.  I chose to have the money drafted so I wouldn't forget to make a payment and also my lender offers .25% off the interest rate of any loans I have drafted directly from my bank account.  The convenience and incentive of a lower interest rate made drafting the best decision for me.

In addition, you don't have to wait until your grace period is over to make payments, you can make payments whenever you can afford to.  For a subsidized loan if you make payment before your grace period ends then you are paying down your principal which means you will have less money for interest to build on.  I paid what I could afford to help lower my principal, especially for my loans with higher interest rates.

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Extra Advice Tidbits

If you have multiple loans with multiple interest rates you may also want to look at consolidation.  This will combine all of your loans (you cannot combine federal and private though, you can consolidate only the same type of loan) so you pay one amount monthly.  Often this may make your interest rate higher, but it will be fixed and the rate will depend on the amount you owe.

Loan Forgiveness is another option that is offered by many federal or need-based loans.  My different federal /need-based loans offer loan forgiveness for teaching, public service, disability, nursing, etc.  You have to meet certain criteria to be considered eligible and depending on the criteria you meet you can have up to a certain amount of your debt 'forgiven' (paid off).  Look into what programs your lenders offer to see if you can qualify for loan forgiveness.

Final Thoughts

It's important to look over all of this throughout the next couple of months because your grace period will be up before you know it!  The best thing you can do is to educate yourself and be prepared for the inevitable.  It can seem daunting when the payments actually start being due, and sometimes it feels like you'll be paying them off forever.

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But remember to relax, take a deep breath, and know that there are plenty of options out there if you ever need help making payments.  Know these options, and know that it's okay to ask your lender for any help or clarification.  Student loans are part of the lives for most college graduates and if you take the time to understand them first then the whole process will be a bit less stressful.  You can do this, you can survive life after college, and you will pay all your loans off one day!

Do you have student loan debt too?  What advice do you have for anyone dealing with student loans?