Jessica’s Travel Tips

Learning a second language can be difficult, but fortunately, there are several internet resources that can make the way you learn a foreign language more accessible and much easier.  With a little time each day, it’s possible to learn a foreign language using the internet alone, and the wide variety of languages that you’re able to study online is simply astonishing.

You can reap enormous benefits by learning a second language online, instead of in traditional classroom courses or with at-home study books.  First, the cost online courses is often significantly less, especially considering that there’s no transportation required or class fees.  The websites are always there, which means you can learn on your own schedule, and you’ll be able to learn as slowly or as quickly as you want.  You can even repeat lessons if you need to.

There are several different types of lessons available on the internet.  The following are just a few of the different methods that you’ll find:

Courses through a University

An online university program is a great way to learn.  Many of the largest universities now offer foreign language classes and instruction online.  This type of distance learning may even offer sessions with an instructor, which can provide you with a great additional learning tool.  However, this can be a rather expensive way to learn and may not be a viable option for people because of the cost.

Chatting Online

Online chat rooms can be a terrific place to help you work through some of the communication problems you’ll invariably run into while learning a second language.  While they aren’t especially helpful for people just starting to learn a new language, if you have some knowledge, you can use them to quickly pick up new words and phrases.  In addition, you’ll be surprised by how many people will be willing to help you with your questions. 

Plus, when you interact in the chat room, you’ll be writing, reading, and, in effect, speaking the language.  This will make the time you spend learning much more productive than simply listening to a list of vocabulary words.  A nice bonus is that most of the chat rooms are free to join!  To find a good language learning chat room, search Google or Yahoo for free language chat rooms in your language of choice.

Look for Online Articles

Many sites offer articles on various topics and in different languages that can typically be read for free.  You can find so much information in these articles, and when you use one of these content sites, you have control over how much you learn.  You can pick up a lot of the basics of a language this way – including introductory verb and noun comprehension.  However, you must be able to motivate yourself and stick to a specific schedule.  You’ll probably also need to supplement these articles with another learning tool, since you won’t actually hear the language spoken.  You can get pretty far on your own, but eventually you’ll need to interact with another speaker in order to practice your pronunciation and sentence structure skills.

Jamaica – the land of reggae music and college kids on spring break – is a wonderful place to go on vacation.  Whether your trip is a family vacation, honeymoon, or romantic getaway, Jamaica is sure to provide an unforgettable experience.  You can stay in Montego Bay and enjoy their wonderful restaurants, many shops, golf, and exciting clubs, or rent a room in Negril, the place to go for gorgeous beaches and adventurous nightlife.  Hungry for bananas?  Make your destination Port Antonio, which is known for being the banana capitol of the world.  

There is so much to see and do in Jamaica that one trip won’t even come close to covering it all.  Jamaica is known for its beautiful beaches, but you’ll also find winding rivers and lush mountains and forests.  If you’re really adventurous, you might enjoy exploring one of Jamaica’s caves or doing some white river rafting on a bamboo raft.  If you aren’t the adventurous type – or if you’re stuck with an unlucky rainy day – Jamaica’s many museums also make interesting things to add to your itinerary.

Jamaica is a very musical place, and you’ll see this love of music reflected in Jamaican culture.  Jamaica is the home of legendary singer Bob Marley, and February has been chosen as Reggae month in celebration of this unique music style.  In addition, Jamaica holds several festivals and music shows all year round, so you should be able to catch a good show if you visit during other months of the year.   If you like the beat of Reggae music, you’ll love the Reggae Fest in Kingston, although you’ll need to play it safe if you attend.  Pickpockets and more sinister criminals sometimes frequent the larger festivals, preying on tourists and visitors.

There are several airlines that fly to Jamaica, including Delta and Air Jamaica.  Jamaica has two major airports – Sangter International in Montego Bay and Norman Manley in Kinston, which is Jamaica’s capitol.  From either of these locations, you can rent a car or take another plane to other parts of the island once you touch down.   Airline ticket prices will vary depending on the time of year that you’re traveling and what airline you fly on.  Other factors, of course, include how many people are in your traveling party and whether they are children or adults.

The cost of staying in Jamaica varies depending on whether you plan to stay in a simple hotel or in more luxurious accommodations.  Hotels are the cheapest accommodations for you and your family, and range anywhere from $100/day to over $400/day, depending on the amenities they offer.  Beachfront hotels are more expensive, but well worth the cost – especially if you’re traveling with young children.  Rates for a luxury villa in Jamaica for one week can range from $1800 to $13,000.  This may seem expensive, but some villas have six or more bedrooms and can accommodate larger groups.  When you split the cost six ways and take into consideration the fact that the rates are weekly – not daily – a villa may make more sense if you’re traveling with friends or other family members.