Top Travel + Blogging Resources

Moving abroad, working online, and traveling the world at the pace I’ve been able to for the past decade wasn’t something I innately knew how to do. 

My family grew up going on annual vacations but the idea of extending that infinitely wasn’t on the radar. 

I’ve had to figure it out along the way, and honestly am continually learning as I go.

I put together this resource page to help you jump to the front of the line, cut out the guesswork, and share my favorite resources for traveling, living abroad, and blogging. 

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Travel/Expat Resources

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Language Learning: 

• Drops: This is my favorite free app. For free, you get 5-minutes of daily language learning. This is best for those that aren’t super serious about learning the language but do want some basic words and phrases. I use this app when traveling somewhere for a few days or a few months.
• Mondly: This app is similar to Duolingo but at least in my experience has less silly and more realistic prompts. You can follow along the guided route or pick and choose categories based on the vocabulary you’re trying to build. Just a heads up, the speaking section is brutal (at least for me) and they hardly ever understand me. They want fluency or nothing else which can be disheartening but will push your pronunciation.
• Babbel: This is another great language learning app, similar to Mondly. What’s cool about Babbel that I haven’t seen in other apps is that alongside learning the language, they also teach you some cultural tidbits about the country you’re visiting or moving to which is certainly added value.
• iTalki: If you want to take language learning more seriously, iTalki is a better way to go. This app will actually connect you with language teachers around the globe, giving you a chance to speak with native speakers. This is the best way to get comfortable with the language and arrive on day 1 with some confidence to speak.

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Booking Resources

• Booking.com & Hotels.com: I love both of these hotel bookings. I’ve been able to get to a Level 3 Genius on Booking and get 20% + bonus rewards on all stays which is really fantastic. Hotels.com is also great because in conjecture with Vrbo and Expedia, you can earn cash rewards to put towards your next trip. 
• Vrbo: Vrbo is a vacation rental platform, comparable to Airbnb. I still use Airbnb but only in a bind - my first choice is to look at apartments on Booking, Hotels, and Vrbo. Why? Because Airbnb is the only one that doesn’t reward repeat users meaning you’ll get no perks for your stays.
• GetYourGuide & Viator & Klook: All of these platforms are great for booking tours. I include all 3 because I always check them all when looking for a specific experience. Klook is typically better in Asia than anywhere else. 

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Transportation Resources

• Flixbus: Flixbus is huge in Europe. The company offers a ton of cross-country and cross-continent buses for, typically, a very affordable price.
• Trainline: Prefer trains? Me too. Trainline is a great app that allows you to plan and book your train trip. It also houses your tickets so everything is in one convenient spot.
• Omio: Can’t really figure out how to get from Point A to Point B? Omio is a great detective. Usually Google Maps can handle this but if you’re traveling to relatively remote places where you need to rely on local buses, Omio tends to have better information. Depending on the route you choose, you can book directly on the site. 
• RentalCars: This one is pretty obvious but is for renting a car. There are tons of car rental websites out there but we’ve found RentalCars tends to have the most options across the most countries. 

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Bonus Travel Resources

• Airalo eSIM: If moving somewhere, I recommend a local Sim card but if you’re just visiting, eSIMs are here to make our lives much easier. Gone are the days hustling around looking for a corner shop that sells Sims when you arrive. 
• SafetyWing: Their nomad travel insurance is what I’ve used the past 7 years. It’s by far the most affordable option on the market and ideal for healthy travelers that want to be protected in the case of emergencies. 
• Wise: Think you’ll be doing international payments while abroad? Use Wise! They charge far less fees than PayPal and is widely used in Europe. This is how we pay our landlord rent and how I automatically pay my monthly subscription to my gym in Italy. 
• Capital One Venture Card: This is the credit card we use to get travel rewards on daily purchases. We don’t spend enough to warrant a more expensive card but this one usually gives us at least 2 free flights a year which is great for us. Plus, you can get a few free passes to airport lounges. 

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Work Abroad/Online Resources

• Trusted Housesitters: This is a really great platform to get free accommodation in exchange for housesitting and/or petsitting. You can find some great homes in super cool locations. Typically people are looking for sitters for a month or longer, ideal for digital nomads. 
• Workaway & Worldpackers: Another way to get free accommodation (and usually free meals!). These are both very comparable volunteer programs. You’ll find loads of variety in the types of volunteers hosts are looking for in locations around the world. This site is how I was able to spend a month on a private island in Panama and another deep in the Amazon Rainforest as a budget traveler. 
• ITTT Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TELF) Certificate: This certificate is typically needed to get a job as an English teacher around the world. If it’s not required, it’ll still set you up for better job opportunities. ITTT is the company I got certified with so I can attest to the quality. You’ll find cheaper ones of course but if you want to be comfortable in a classroom, go for a quality course. 
• Flux Academy: Want to work remotely as a web designer, scaling your success to 6-figures? Flux Academy courses have you covered. Read my husband’s full review on the courses here. 

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Blogging Resources

• TravelPayouts: An all in one place for travel affiliates. This makes making affiliate links, tracking sales, and getting paid out super, super easy. Above all others, this platform has been a game changer for me.
• ScaleYourTravelBlog: In general, this course covers SEO, affiliate marketing, and email marketing. I joined in Jan 2024 after deciding I wanted to take A Way Abroad from a hobby to my job. I’ve learned invaluable skills and have already seen a profit increase. The course is so in depth that if you take it seriously, there’s enough content to keep you busy for months if not longer. Use this for your own site or to be able to sell these skills to other blog owners. 
• Keysearch & Ahrefs: Both of these tools are for keyword research, a key component to a successful blog. Personally, I’ve used Keysearch because it’s a budget-friendly tool. At work, we use Ahrefs. This is a more expensive option but if you can swing it, it really is worth the money in terms of keyword research, site audits, and other tools it offers. 
• SurferSEO: This is a content optimization tool. I splurge on this each month and am so happy I do. It helps you understand your competitors' articles and grades your content to help you outrank them on Google. 
• Mailerlite: I use Mailerlite for email marketing. Although I have to pay for it now, they do have a free option for those with less than 1,000 email subscribers. The tool is easy to use, intuitive, and budget-friendly.
• Webflow: Instead of using Wordpress like most bloggers, I use Webflow. I absolutely love this CMS and highly recommend it for those that want to take their sites to the next level. Flux Academy, mentioned above, focuses 100% on Webflow builds. 
• PinPerfect: Step up your Pinterest game for your own account or to be able to get Pinterest clients. Nadalie lives for Pinterest and stays up to date on platform changes and trends. 

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