Coming in Early 2005: Paul's New Book

Coming Soon

Travel-like-a-Local: A Whole New Way to Travel Safely, Inexpensively, Comfortably, Joyfully and Purposefully

During twenty?five years of volunteering, studying, traveling, and living around the world, I (Paul Heller) have amassed a stockpile of useful tips that I want to share with you in my new book: Travel-like-a-Local: A Whole New Way to Travel Safely, Inexpensively, Comfortably, Joyfully, and Purposefully

In Travel-like-a-Local, I will introduce you to the joys of travel that engages your mind, senses, and heart and enriches your life. I?ll walk you through the steps to set up hundreds of activities (such as home and hospitality exchange, volunteer programs, working and living abroad, and language and cultural classes) that encourage you to travel like a local andparticipating in the daily life of the people and culture of your destination.

After following my advice, you?ll never want to see the world?s highlights through air conditioned bus windows or laze around the beach again. You?ll come to share my belief that travel is meant to make an indelible impression on your life. At its best, travel should challenge you to become a better person, appreciate another way of life, forge lifelong connections to people with completely different values and perspectives, propel you into the heart and soul of another country, and inspire you to try new adventures.

Along the way, you?ll read the stories of other travelers who have discovered that travel is safer, cheaper, and more comfortable, enjoyable, and purposeful than staying at home. Specifically, you?ll find details about how traveling-like-a-local is:

At least as safe as staying at home. By staying in local peoples? homes, learning about their lives, sharing a part of themselves with locals, and making an effort to speak to other people in the local language, culturally adventurous travelers are not conspicuous. While most locals know that they are tourists, they make unattractive targets for thieves because they do not stick out from the crowd. In addition, locals will go to great pains to shelter culturally adventurous travelers from harm.
The most comfortable way to travel. By learning to appreciate the daily life of a new environment, you?ll feel at home in even the most exotic locale quickly. In a matter of a couple weeks, you?ll find yourself participating actively in life in your new home. You?ll soon find yourself visiting local marketplaces and local artists? studios, talking to local families and their friends, reading the local paper, attending plays and concerts, riding public transportation, sharing your passion for a leisure activity with local aficionados, going with your friends to parties, and using neighborhood services like dry cleaning and hair salons.
The best way to learn the world?s greatest travel secret ? most people will go out of their way to make your experiences enjoyable, if you give them half a chance. You?ll be amazed how many people will simply drop everything to help you find your destination or show you their hospitality without any expectations in return. You?ll also get an intimate first hand look at another way of life; and when you buy services and products, you?ll know that your money is going to benefit new?found friends rather than some large, nameless corporation.
A better value than traditional travel. On cruises and tours, you spend a lot of money on transportation because you are constantly traveling. You also pay more for services on a tour or cruise because you are always paying the company?s overhead. Even when you are away from the tour or cruise, you spend more for local restaurants and souvenirs because: (1) it is hard to find inexpensive, local places quickly, (2) you are hesitant because you don?t know the language and culture so you seek out familiar services; (3) expensive places are easy to find and well advertised or (4) you are rushed so you follow the tourist hordes (even backpackers often pay more than they should because they stay at the same, often overpriced, accommodations as other travelers). Traveling like a local, on the other hand, is better for your pocketbook. It is almost always cheaper and often more comfortable to stay in local people?s homes or dormitories, scout out friendly neighborhood restaurants, and seek out local tours and entertainment used by locals.

You?ll also learn the ins and outs of locating, setting up, and enjoying several travel programs that offer an alternative to the beaten travel path including home exchanges, volunteer programs, and classes abroad. Plus, you?ll also pick up hundreds of tips to make your travel experiences safer, more economical, and more enjoyable and learn how to live, work, and retire in another country. Some of the topics covered include how to:

Study languages, surfing, cooking, dancing, ecology, herbal medicine, history, or archaeology for as little as $10/day.
Stay in the comfort of someone else?s home for as little as $5/day including meals.
Volunteer to put your skills and passion to work (some assignments include helping AIDS victims, teaching kids, aiding new business, providing urgent medical care, working on archaeological digs, and assisting scientists to save endangered species).
Set up and find the best home exchange opportunity for you and make the experience successful for both parties.
Locate and participate in hospitality exchange programs.
Find short term work (less than six months) and long term assignments to earn a living while on the road (including teaching English as a Second Language, freelance journalism, real estate sales, and running a business).
Use your home and investments to fund your new adventure.
Live and retire in current popular retirement spots (such as Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende) in Mexico and Costa Rica.
Discover a new life in off?the?beaten?path havens in Ecuador, Argentina, Panama, Nicaragua, and Thailand.
Successfully arrange a sabbatical from your current job.
Use your adventure to improve your job prospects at home.
Travel round?the?world on a limited budget (including buying round?the?world air tickets).
Adjust successfully to another way of life on foreign soil.
Buy property in another country
Find medical care outside your home country.
Set up your new home abroad.
Evade suspicious people.
Minimize your risk by thinking like a rip off artists.
Select safe travel programs (and save you money at the same time).
Address crime that happens while you?re traveling.
Find out which specific activities and places you should avoid while traveling.
Travel without fear of crime and terrorism.
Buy safe, inexpensive, and nutritious food from street vendors and markets.
Save as much as 80% off the usual price for most luxury travel.
Fly anywhere, anytime, for less than $1000 round trip.
Become a courier and fly the world for as little as $100.
Get great award travel without purchasing high cost products.
Earn income to help you stretch your travel funds.

Want more information on the book? Send me an e-mail.