VIVA MEXICO!?

While much of the world will catch just a snip-it of the turmoil happening in the bordertowns between Mexico and the United States, it’s a much bigger reality to those of us who live near the border. A question posed on the USA Today Travel website referenced whether or not Mexico remains a safe destination for spring breakers.

Many parents I’m sure are also asking themselves this same question as their kids are heading to Mexico in just a few weeks. At this time, the US State Department currently has a travel warning in place for Mexico, where they are really stressing the danger in bordertowns. A lot of the popular resort towns have noted that they have increased security; they have camera surveillance in tourist areas, as well as more lifeguards and a special call center for tourists. However, even with the increased risks of traveling to Mexico the tourism officials in Mexico are reporting an increased amount of travelers since 2009. Mexico is a very popular destination for fun in the sun and relaxation and it remains a popular destination for spring breakers.

Remember it’s better to play it safe and make sure that you’ve insured yourself.

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Spring Break!

It’s that time of year again where people both young and old escape the frigid weather they’ve been experiencing for the last 4-5 months and break free for warmer destinations! Spring Break is a wonderful chance to be reminded that summer is just around the corner and we won’t be suffering in these snow drifts for much longer.

Whether you are planning your spring break for a destination within the US or abroad it’s important to remember the risks you are taking when traveling to somewhere new, things can happen to any of us so it’s best to be prepared. Whether you purchase trip cancellation, emergency medical coverage or emergency evacuation coverage it’s best to be safe than sorry.

Here’s a funny blog article to check out:

http://blog.shorttermhealthplan.com/2011/02/how-i-spent-my-spring-break.html

Pay attention mom’s and dad’s! Make sure you get your kids insured!

Contact ISA today and we’ll be happy to assist!

Insurance Services of America

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Lunar New Year!

This is an exciting topic for me to not only research, but also write about because I am half Vietnamese and my mother has always looked forward to this holiday every year. As a child we would shop for traditional Vietnamese ingredients to prepare the weeks different cuisines as well as any of the special treats they have during this time of year. My mom would also tell us about how exciting it is to be in Vietnam during this time of year as everyone is in a celebratory mood! One of my goals is to make it to Vietnam and celebrate Lunar New Year with my relatives that still live in Vietnam in 2012!

So this is the perfect time to research and plan – here is what I have found so far:

To start, the Vietnamese refer to the Lunar New Year as TET Holiday. 2011 is the year of the Cat and will take place from February 2-5, the year 2012 will be the year of the Dragon and will take place from January 22 – 25. Traditionally there are 4 days that comprise the holiday – TET Eve, The First Day of TET, the Second and Third. One thing to note if you will be traveling in Asia is that traditionally the holiday is celebrated from the 15^th day of the 12^th month to the 15^th day of the 1^st month and you will notice that even today business will slow the two weeks before and up to two weeks after TET. This also includes any kind of public transport – as one of the traditions is to travel “home” to see family. Most Vietnamese, especially the younger generations that have gone to the major cities for work will start to flock home to be with family during the New Year!

Here are some Do's and Don'ts to help you celebrate according to Wikipedia!

Do's

• One should give people lucky presents to enhance the relationship between themselves and others: new clothes, peach branches (for expelling evil), cocks/chickens (wishing for good manners), new rice (wishing for being well-fed), rice wine in a gourd (wishing for a rich and comfortable life), bánh chưng (or bánh tét) and bánh dày which symbolize sky and earth (for worshipping the ancestors), red things (red symbolizes happiness, luckiness, advantages) like watermelon, dogs (the bark – gâu gâu – sounds like the word giàu - richness in Vietnamese language), medicated oil (dầu in Vietnamese, also sounds similar to giàu).
• One should give lucky Dong Ho Paintings such as: "Gà đàn" (wishing for having many children), or "Vinh hoa", but should not give unlucky Dong Ho paintings like "Đánh ghen" related to legal proceedings.
• One should sprinkle lime powder around the house to expel evil.
• One should return all things borrowed, and pay debts before Tết.

 Don'ts

• One shouldn't say or do bad things during Tết.
• One shouldn't hurt or kill animals or plants but should set them free. The reason for this originates from Buddhism's causality.
• One shouldn't sweep the house or empty out the rubbish to avoid luck and benefits going with it, especially on the first day of the new year. One shouldn't let the broom in confusion if people don't want it to be stolen.
• One shouldn't give these presents to others: clock or watch (the recipient's time is going to pass), cats (mèo in Vietnamese language pronounced like nghèo, poverty), medicine (the receiver will get ill), cuttle fish (its ink is black, an unlucky colour), writing ink (for the same reason), scissors or knives (they bring incompatibility).
• One shouldn't have duck meat because it brings unluckiness.
• One shouldn't have shrimp in case one would move backwards like shrimp, in other words, one would not succeed.
• One shouldn't buy or wear white clothes because white is the colour of funerals in Vietnam.
• One shouldn't let the rice-hulling mill go empty because it symbolizes failed crops.
• One shouldn't refuse anything others give or wish you during Tết.

One of my fondest memories and my personal favorite things during TET are the roasted watermelon seeds (if you go to a local Asian market these are widely sold and appear red in color, be careful as the color will run).



I would love to hear if you’re going to be traveling to Asia or if you’ve ever been able to experience the Lunar New Year first hand!  Contact/Write me!

If you’re going this year, don’t forget your travel insurance!

Contact ISA today and we’ll be happy to assist you!

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New Year! New Resolutions!

First off – HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s to the optimistic side of me saying that 2011 will be the best yet!

So...New Year – obvious topic – RESOLUTIONS!

Every year millions of people join in on the tradition of making a New Year’s Resolution. I am included in this group and I must say that I’ve become one of those people that hate doing them, but I think that’s mostly because, as most of us do, I have put a negative connotation onto this tradition.  

I’ve decided this year. I will make whatever resolutions I come up with ones that I will not punish myself for failing at, because we need to have a positive association if we expect positive outcomes.

So to start here are the top 10 BROKEN resolutions (you are not alone!) according to TIME Magazine:

1.    Lose Weight/Get Fit

2.    Quit Smoking

3.    Learn Something New

4.    Eat Healthier/Diet

5.    Get Out of Debt/Save Money

6.    Spend More Time with Family

7.    Travel to New Places

8.    Be Less Stressed

9.    Volunteer

10.  Drink Less

Now, I must say that these are all too familiar to me. I must also say that I have broken these resolutions (Except  2 &10 – they were never resolutions of mine). Now, even though I haven’t made all 10 a resolution before, this list should still speak volumes, because we as a collective whole can pretty much say that at some point we have made one of these resolutions, only to end up FAILING!

Well, that’s why this year, I’ve decided it is going to be different for me. I have 2 very distinct resolutions. Yes. 2. I’ve decided that with these resolutions I needed some extra time to think of what they were going to be, because I refuse to fail at these resolutions, which is why they are being posted on the 4^th of January, not the 1^st! So, first up, easy: I vow to walk my puppy Madison at least 5 times a week. Now, most of you probably think that is silly, but to me it’s a big deal and most importantly it’s doable. This brings me to resolution #2- this is the difficult resolution: I vow to accomplish #1,3,4,5,6,7,8, & 9 on the list you read above. Why? Why would anyone go after the list of the most commonly broken resolutions? I don’t know why, but I do know this. I’m probably not going to be as mad at myself if I do 1 of the 9 resolutions because to me that’s better than I’ve done in the past and that’s all any of us can really hope for, accomplish a goal.  So below are the resolutions and my modified version on the resolution:

Resolution/My Specifics:

1.    Lose Weight/Get Fit – Walking my Puppy 5 days a week

2.    Learn Something New – Start my MEd. at ASU

3.    Eat Healthier/Diet – South Beach Diet (started Jan. 3, 2011)

4.    Get out of Debt/Save Money – Save an Extra $15/Month

5.    Spend More Time with Family – Modified Keep Up Correspondence w/ Family (FB, Twitter, Email, Blogging)

6.    Travel to New Places – NYC & San Diego (All on the Agenda this year!)

7.    Be Less Stressed – Required Bubble Bath at least 1 time a month with a Lush Bath Bomb!

8.    Volunteer – watch a niece/nephew for my brothers or sisters (obviously modified)

I think this is possible. What do you think? What are your resolutions?

GOOD LUCK to ALL PARTICIPANTS!

Top Christmas Travel Destinations

I was recently perusing one of my usual travel information sites – CNN.com, I came across an article where they listed the Top 10 Places to Spend Your Christmas!

I know a lot of people may be opposed to leaving the comfort of their homes to travel to a different city for the holidays, but what better gift would there be than to take your family on a vacation and not get caught up in the giving and receiving of presents?! So, here is a list compiled by CNNTravel.com of the best Christmas destinations to visit:

1.    Boston, Massachusetts

2.    London, United Kingdom

3.    San Juan, Puerto Rico

4.    Hong Kong, China

5.    New York City, New York

6.    Sydney, Australia

7.    Salzburg, Austria

8.    Pogost, Belarus

9.    Nuremberg, Germany

10. Reykjavik, Iceland

 Going to any of these destinations would be a treat, however seeing them in their holiday spirited/decorated glory I am sure will only add to their wonderfulness!

Don’t forget that if you’re traveling you need to get insured!

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Honeymoon!

It’s no surprise that as the holidays get closer and closer more couples are finding themselves engaged to be married! Having lots of family surrounding you makes getting engaged during the holidays a popular time and with that new engagement comes the planning of not only the wedding, but the honeymoon as well! Here are a few tips I learned from ABC News - Travel for those who are engaged and now planning the honeymoon:

1.    Timing – this is referencing when you want to take your honeymoon. Is it right after leaving your reception, do you want to wait a few months and then take your trip or do you want to plan for the best weather and hold off until the destination has ideal conditions?  All of these scenarios are an important factor and need to be considered when booking.

2.    Regional or Mini-Moon – when you are on a tight budget or the wedding has taken away a few of those stashed vacation days, you may not have the time or the resources to take the desired 2 week vacation.  You may want to consider a closer alternative, look for exotic locations or romantic getaways that are more affordable, but maybe within driving distance to tide you over until you can splurge on a more luxurious or exotic honeymoon location.

3.    Budget – It can’t be said more plainly that just that. Budget. It’s as important as designating the money for flowers at your wedding. A honeymoon can consist of several hidden charges that add up and can leave you in debt and wishing you had planned more efficiently instead of relaxing and enjoying your vacation. Remember that where you go can affect currency exchange, who and how much you tip, if you have baggage fees, cost of meals, or if you need to rent a car.

4.    Involve Guests and Attendees of the Wedding – if you’re struggling to make budget or can’t decide between two fabulous locations ask for input and donations.  There are several websites available where you can set up a poll and also have your guests give towards your honeymoon registry as an option for your wedding present. This way you have an interactive approach to the planning and also a way to reduce the costs! I had a girlfriend who at the reception announced the location of the honeymoon based on the poll!

5.    Each person’s paradise is a different experience - remember to take both of your ideas of the perfect getaway into mind when planning. If one of you likes the beach and the other likes museums head to a neutral location where you can spend a day or two doing an activity the other one likes.

6.    Insure your trip – this tip is coming from me. After spending a lot of money on hotels, plane tickets, and excursions you don’t want to lose everything you’ve saved for and planned for, so plan for the unexpected and insure yourself!

Hopefully, each of these tips will help you plan your perfect getaway!

My Top 10 Travel Gift Ideas

I know that I can spend several hours, days, okay maybe months trying to decide what the perfect gift is for a friend or family member. During the holiday’s you probably get overwhelmed with the discount ads, free shipping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. It can be a mess to find and figure out what to get those closest to you. However, I have a few suggestions or recommendations of my favorites, which are geared specifically toward your frequent traveler, maybe even you!

1.    Kindle – www.amazon.com/kindle $139.00

2.    LUXE City Guides – www.luxecityguides.com  $9.99

3.    Bose Noise-Canceling Headphones – http://www.bose.com/ $349.95

4.    Flip Ultra HD Camera -  www.theflip.com $149.99

5.    Quik Pod – Hand Held Covertible Tripod – http://www.quikpod.com/ $24.95

6.    LUSH – Solid Shampoo – www.lush.com $9.95

7.    Snuggie – www.mysnuggiestore.com $14.95

8.    Banana Republic - Cashmere Ballet Flat – http://www.bananarepublic.com/  $39.50

9.    iPod Nano 8G – www.apple.com/ipodnano - $149.00

10. Insurance – Ins. Svc. of America -  www.overseashealth.com as low as $.80/day

This is a quick list of some of my favorite things that I think any  traveler would be happy to find under the Christmas tree or in a stocking hung with care! These items range from about $10 to $500 a little something for everyone’s budget. I also, wanted to keep this list as gender neutral as possible, however would you pass up a deal on Cashmere Flats? I think not, that is one deal everyone should know about! Don't forget that if you're giving the gift of travel give the gift of travel insurance.