Featured Travel Apps: Wi-fi finder

Wy fy? or wii fii? Depends on where you are how you say it, but after being used to using our phones for just about everything, traveling abroad often means tricky business without the normal data plan. But, never fear because you can still log on to Instagram or check Google Maps while abroad when you are connected to wi-fi. Finding wi-fi while roaming the streets of a new city, however, is the tricky part. The app Wi-fi finder by JiWire can help make the search easier.

 


Quickly and easily find FREE or paid Wi-Fi when you travel with the JiWire Wi-Fi Finder for iPhone and iPod Touch. Download all of the locations offline, so you know how to stay connected when you are on the road. Using the GPS function on your iPhone, the Wi-Fi finder will tell you exactly where the closest Wi-Fi hotspot is, and how to get there.


If you prefer certain providers such as Comcast, you'll be able to see which hotspots are served by those providers. You can also filter by location type (restaurant, cafe, hotel, etc..). When you find the location you want to use, you'll be given a phone number and directions on how to get there.

So, next time you are in need of wi-fi, pull out this handy app and give it a try! 

This post was written by an International Center peer adviser. It is in no way endorsed by the University of Michigan. 

Teaching Opportunity in Guyana | August 2014-July 2015

Yearlong Volunteer Teaching Opportunities in Guyana, South America
What has stopped you from moving across the globe and teaching underserved communities that need your help?

WorldTeach is currently accepting applications for college graduates to serve as volunteer English teachers in our yearlong program in Guyana, in South America.

Applications will be accepted until July 1st, 2014, and volunteers will depart early August, 2014.

About the Guyana program: Volunteers are full time teachers in public high schools, teaching either Math, Science or English. The official language of Guyana is English; therefore English is not being taught as a foreign language so volunteers are not eligible for TEFL certification. WorldTeach partners with the Guyana Ministry of Education. The Ministry has subsidized the program, therefore reducing the volunteer commitment fee to $1,690.

Yearlong volunteers receive:

• Comprehensive visa sponsorship and assistance in securing necessary work permits
• WorldTeach pre-departure literature and preparation
• Health & emergency evacuation insurance
• Training comprising 3-4 week Orientation upon arrival, Mid Service Conference, and End of Service Conference
• Meals and housing during orientation and conferences
• Transportation between training and placement sites
• Housing (apartment or house, housemates or host family)
• Monthly stipend of US$400
• Option for TEFL certification in some programs
• Professional development through Teacher Quality Program, including mentorship by remote Teacher Quality Coordinator
• Support from full time, in-country field staff

Volunteer Period: August 2014 -July 2015

Qualifications: Applicants must be native English speakers and be between the ages of 21-73. A Bachelor's degree is required at the time of departure. No teaching experience is necessary, but an interest in teaching, and a flexible, mature attitude, are attributes of a successful volunteer.

To Apply: Year program applications require a resume, a personal statement, two letters of recommendation, and a college/university transcript. Start your application on our website here, or email admissions@worldteach.org.

About WorldTeach & Additional Programs

WorldTeach hosts 23 yearlong/semester/summer programs in 16 countries: American Samoa, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Poland, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand. WorldTeach was founded in 1986 by a group of Harvard students who were motivated by the desire to promote local education initiatives in places where teachers and resources were lacking.

Today, we continue to provide opportunities for individuals to serve as volunteer teachers around the world, working to educate under-served students in countries that would otherwise be unable to afford or locate qualified teachers. Each year, we send about 400 volunteers to local schools and host communities in countries around the world that have specifically requested our support through their Ministries of Education. WorldTeach is a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit and Charity Navigator 4-star charity.

Read our reviews on GoOverseas.com

www.worldteach.org

Featured Travel App: Skyscanner

It's a dreary Monday night in Ann Arbor, Michigan and it's that heavy kind of hot outside where the rain falls but doesn't cool the air. You are sticky and stuck in the heat of August in Michigan. Skyscanner, a free online app that provides you with flexible search options for flights, can come to your rescue. Skyscanner's flexible search options mean you can browse prices across an entire month, or even a year, allowing you to get the best deal possible. It's the easiest way to find a cheap flight for a weekend getaway anywhere in the US, or a cheap trip abroad. It's also useful for watching flights if you are planning for a semester abroad.

If you are looking for the cheapest destination in any given time frame, simply enter your local airport and select the "everywhere" option for a destination, and the time frame you would like to fly. If you enter a month, you will get a graph with all flight options as shown below. You also have the option of choosing a specific date range. The "Explore" next to the "Search" button pulls up a virtual map which allows you to select destinations via physical location rather than price. The globe on the top right of the second image provides a similar function.

Select "everywhere" and your date range

Select a destination from the list

Here we chose Guatemala:
a list of all available airports becomes available

Fight options:
departure on top, return on bottom 

Alternatively, if you are looking for flights for a longer summer vacation, or a spring break trip, or anything where the destination is set but aren't sure WHEN you'd like to go, Skyscanner allows you to enter your destination and select a time period for travel. The app then gives you a graph with price ranges for your destination. Once you select both a departure (the upper graph) and a return (lower graph) date, the app will take you to a traditional search screen where various flights and prices are listed.

Select a destination and an open date range

Chart of flights in date range

Specific flight options:
 listed by airline and departure date (adjustable settings) 

Skyscanner also offers traditional search options, entered with a specific destination and time period in mind, which allow you to narrow your search by many options. These include: duration of flight, cost, airline, departure time, and landing time and are accessible with the icons across the top of the traditional flight search screen. There is also an option to view your search as a chart much like the two above which show you price differences over the course of the month vs. price differences for the airline on specific dates. You can also favorite searches to save them for later. Additionally you have the option of opening multiple screens for multiple searches using the double square icon in the top right corner, a number in the box indicates how many windows you have open within the app.

Options for purchasing the flight

Once you have chosen your flight, you have multiple options. Skyscanner allows you to purchase the flight directly from the airline with  the "Reserve" button via their website or over the phone. Alternatively, you can choose to watch the flight, tracking price changes and updates. You can also add the flight to your calendar, you can email the itinerary to yourself and you can share the flight to all your social media outlets.

This is the perfect application for last minute travels, carefully planned trips or travel junkies who need to get away from that darn August heat for a weekend. For those without smart phones, their website is also incredibly helpful:   http://www.skyscanner.com/

This post was written by an International Center peer adviser. It is in no way endorsed by the University of Michigan.