If you are a lover of art like myself, you will love Paris. There are several groups you can join that offer a cozy environment of like minded people with great artistic merit. One of my favorite events to attend although I am fairly new there is Spoken Word in Paris. It is a very friendly and inviting atmosphere with poets from many countries sharing their perspective in prose, short stories or reading something written by another author that they found interesting.
Here is a photo of me at the last event in September along with my video readings.

The rules for reading are: There is only one rule, you have 5 minutes to read your stuff. David reminds you when your time is about to run out by ringing the bell as you hear in the last video.

For info on these events, follow the blog at: spokenwordparis.blogspot.com
And to meet people in Paris and create social networks go to: meetup.com

Guest posting has become very popular both for professional bloggers and beginners. I don’t guest post as much as I would like to because I prefer to write articles to build up my blog. And not only this, I have been pretty busy lately with a potential business collaboration in Paris that is currently in progress. But I have been occupied also because of my company tataPC.llc that has kept me busy because the website needed a make over and I also needed to adjust the services offered due to my constant need to travel until I can get a more suitable manager to run the day to day operations while I am on the road aiming for other business ventures. I read about the power of guest posting on several blogs that include: www.guestpostsecrets.com www.copyblogger.com www.problogger.net and I was convinced that this is something that I need to give a shot in order to

• Drive traffic to my site
• Build a network with other bloggers
• Help a fellow blogger
• Build a reputation
• Search engine exposure
• Readability

These are not all the benefits of guest posting but it’s a starting point and the benefits listed are positive for both the guest blogger and the blog owner so it’s a win win right? Of course that’s a yes answer. After all, who wants to start a blog that no one reads?

That is why I decided to write a guest post for www.onetravel.wordpress.com and you can read the post titled Crepes in Paris Are Different But Delicious. So if you want to increase your blogs readability, one of the ways to do it is by guest posting. The more connected you are, the better off your blog will be. But make sure you are writing for a blog that relates to the niche of what your blog is about otherwise you will defeat the purpose of your guest post.

Idon’t know why I get asked this question everywhere I go. Is national pride? Is it out of the need to keep the traveller around? Is it just a question for the sake of questioning when you have nothing more to say? But why ask such a question when the answer is so obvious? I promise you I have been asked this question a dozen times. I don’t know if it’s a “country insecurity” question or a sincere desire for the common visitor to enjoy their time while in their country. Whatever it is, I wish it would happen less often since the answer is so apparent.

“Do you like my country more than yours?” Or “where do you prefer to live, in my country or in yours?” As much as I want to say to them “that is a stupid question”, I don’t because I think I know enough about human courtesy. But the thought never fails to pop up whenever I get asked that question. Or the other one, “do you like America?” I think to myself, you dimwit, I live there. Why would I live in a country I don’t like? Yes there are situation were someone doesn’t really have a choice but in this case I do. And even the most ardent nationalist can name a thing or two they wished they would change about their country. In the case of mine maybe more than two. But at the end of the day it is your country and whether you don’t like the politics, the treatment of others, the religious hypocrisy, the Christians who claim to be the children of God yet are the first to cast stones or whatever it maybe, deep inside, there is a pride and love for the place you call your home.

With that said, I will answer this question ones and for all. And for anyone else that asks me this while on the road, I will refer them to this post. Here goes my answer the last time.

I enjoy your country. There is a place for your country in my heart. There are things I like about your country and there are things I don’t like because of my upbringing that at times get in the way of accepting new ideas sometimes. But that doesn’t lessen my appreciation and the experience I have had and continue to have in all the wonderful places I have been. So yes Korea, I like your kimchy loving ways, yes Portugal, I like your guarana and your beautiful shores, yes China, I like your, well maybe not, sand storms in the middle of Beijing in mid Winter, yes Brazil I love your beaches, your samba, your everything, yes France I like your care for nothing and care for everything, yes Spain, I like your tapas and your Barcelonian ways, yes America, I love you because you are my home and although one day I will make another place my home because of your high gas prices and a lack of a metro system other than a few big cities, you will remain with me because an immigrant is no immigrant on your soil; although, you never fail to remind them that they are.

What is one question you get asked while traveling?

S andwiches are very common in France. Because of that I have gotten in a habit of trying the different kinds they have. They have the salami and cheese, the turkey and tomat (tomato), the saucicion, le fromag avec tomat, there are literally thousands of them and they vary by which shop you visit. My favorite is the turkey with cheese and tomatoes that is oven toasted. But don’t expect to get chips with your sandwich. The chips combination is not a big thing here but you can get fruits or a choice of desert at an extra price.

But today I decided to make my own. I ran to the store, got the ingredients and this came out.

From Paris France

It is a tomato, turkey, lettuce, onions, mayo, mustard, president cheese sandwich. It was delish.

I also picked up a French version of pringles. Behind it you see a glass of juice I bought with it. It was raisin juice. It was disgusting. Raising juice is probably the worst kind of juice I have ever tasted. Try it at your own throw-up. I think it made me sick because after drinking it I felt weired and got nothing done for the day. Instead I went to bed and slept until 7pm. Now I am up watching family guy online and preparing for my open mic poetry jam on Monday at Belleville, downtown Paris.

From Paris France

A simple yet tasty meal. But I find that sometimes the simple meals are the best ones. That’s not always the case however.

One of the toughest things to do when travelling is maintaining a healthy diet. You move around so much and you taste so many different kind of foods that you forget to ask yourself if what you are eating is good for you or not. I fall into this trap all the time and a lot of travellers probably do too. But I have become more conscious of this since I have been on the road for two years now and I don’t always have access to a gym. I started to follow my former healthy diet from when I played serious futbol. I look for ways to keep up with the eating healthy part of the diet while moving from country to country. I do a few things; one because it’s healthy to do and two, because it is cost effective. It can get expensive once you’v been on the road this long. It doesn’t matter how much money you have or budgeted.
Some of the things I do are:

Watch for greasy foods

I have always done this. I used to use a paper towel to soak the grease out of pizza before eating it. It’s a habit that has stayed with me because I catch myself doing it still. So, check how much grease what you are consuming has. A lot of fat comes sometimes not from the food itself but from the type of oil used to fry the food. For instance, potatoes are not fatty, but French fries are. But I didn’t find this to be a problem in Asia. In Korea and in China too, they used grape-seed oil; this oil is not common in the states. They also use olive oil and I didn’t see much of vegetable oil. The result, their fried food is much more healthier because the grease does not turn into fat in your body. Grape-seed oil, peanut oil and olive oil I have been told, are some of the healthiest oils to use when cooking. But while on the road and eating a lot of different foods from different places, I don’t think you will be going around asking what oil they used, or will you?

Eat less street food

Try not to eat a lot of the street food. Street food in Korea and Portugal is very good and tasty too, but it is also healthier than a lot of places. Some of the worst street food I have had was in China. I think it was a pig intestine or something like that, but I wanted to try it for the experience. The best street food I have had was in Korea; maybe because I spent more time in Korea and got to try most of the foods there and got used to the taste. I doubt it though because if you ask a lot of people that go to Korea for vacation or to teach English, you will hear them say that one of the best things about Korea is the food. But too much of it can become unhealthy too as with anything. But it is very cheap and it’s a great way to experience a different culture.

Use the grocery stores

Using the grocery stores becomes more important as you travel to more expensive cities. I can’t always eat out here in Paris because it is the most expensive city I have been in. Not only that, I have been here longer than planned and I am liking it. However, it is too expensive even for someone who budgets well like myself; well, not all the time. My alternative to eating well and healthy here is the grocery stores. And it is easy to eat well in Paris if you know where to look for the best and affordable, yet cultural items. Paris is a fantastic city much to the likes of New York because it has a little bit of everything. You can find anything you want in this city except good deodorant. I haven’t found one yet .

I get up in the mornings, go to the baguette shop around the corner for fresh bread. I buy a baguette for for 85 cents. Then I will head to the grocery store which is also not far from where I live. There I go to the grocery store particularly the freezer section. There are meals for about £4 each and I can eat each twice a day. And in the evenings I have the choice of eating out when I am around town or coming home again for dinner. This is a big money saver. Not only is it a money saver, the food is fresher most of the time. I buy fruits and vegetables and other items and I go and make a nice meal.

By using these three strategies, you can keep more money in your pocket and travel longer. God knows I am going to be moving around for as long as I am able. If tataPC, my computer and web design company does well who knows how long I might be on the road. But I am sure there are other ways to save money while travelling. Care to share? Or none travellers, any suggestions?

Are you an employer looking for a place to post your jobs? Do you want to avoid paying for posting your jobs? Well, there is a new section for job posting. I just launched a jobs page where employers can post jobs. Potential employees can upload their resumes and apply for jobs posted by employees right on the page.

This is a free service. I hope this page will help both employers and job seekers.
Post your jobs or browse jobs by clicking here or on the navigation link at the top.

Walking is one the best ways to see a country. It allows you to walk around and absorbe all that an area has to offer. So, I do just that. I take the train downtown the city like here in Paris and get off somewhere random and walk. I see a lot of things on these walks and sometimes I see things I prefere not to see like a guy urinating on the side of the street. I have not only seen this in Paris, but in Korea and China too and I am sure it happens in other places. Although I am sure it is illegal, the cops can’t see everything. Anyhow, another great way that is very popular here in Paris is bike tours. That’s right, you pay and you get someone to rife around with you to show you the city bike. You ride around with a guy or gal who takes you to all the “to go places”. I havn’t done it because I prefere to walk but those that do it seem to enjoy it. But nothing beats walking to me. And when I walk downtown Paris I always see something ridiculous yet interesting.

While walking downtown Paris today to go to Pont Du Neuf by the Seine river where all the boats are and you can take a boat tour of the city via the river, I saw this guy who was about to walk on a rope as his partner played music for him. I thought to myself, that is not safe, but he did it anyway. I stood and watched him and couldn’t help but record it and hoping he doesn’t fall off.

Here is the video.

Entertaining yet uncouth, but I wish I could walk on a rope. Maybe not.

When travelling it is very important that you have your finances in check. You want to do so not just for emergency reasons incase something should happen, but because when your vacation is over you don’t want to end up in debt. The first problem most people face when trying to maintain such a balance is what I call “the tourist syndrom”. It is the need to visit the places that everyone goes to visit. And this can put a large hole in your wallet especially in big cities.

Yes it’s great to go and see for yourself what everyone is talking about. You want to see the eiffel tower, the statue of liberty, grand central park and other great places to go but understand that these places are visited by millions of tourists each year and therefore prices are higher in these places. I am not saying these places are not interesting, believe me they are and by all means go if you have the money. What I am saying is that try and discover something new and manage your money better so that you can see more of these places and some of the country sides if you wish as well. You can visit the tourist areas for a day or two and not buy the expensive things they sell there and still have a great time. I find that it is just as great to find the unexplored regions of a country and be the pioneer of that region.

I make it a habit now to go to a touristy city, but not for too long then head off to a remote but excellent side of the country side in a country. Their are benefits to doing this.

• You save money because the country sides are much cheaper than the city
• You experience the traditional side of the country
• You may find out something new about that country
• It’s fun to do something different

So next time you plan your vacation, include a country side somewhere random. You will be surprised at what you might find. And not only will you save a lot of money, you will save in accomodations as well. But accomodations is not something that I worry about nowadays because of Hostels and Budget Accommodation Worldwide – Beds from $4!

We might just run into each other as my journey to see the world continues. But before you get on the road, I found this website that could help you in making your finances your top priority; this is the reason a lot of people don’t or do travel, money. See Mint.com It is a great site for a lot of things dealing with finances.

Iwas faced with this question in the past and it has occurred again. As a Teacher in Korea, you are not allowed to teach private lessons while under contract with an English school. But I have heard that if you talk to your Director about it, they will sometimes allow you to do it as long as a percentage of what you make goes to them. But obviously some Teachers do it without their Directors knowledge and make a good amount of money on top of what they get paid from their institution. It is risky because if caught, it could be your last job in Korea, but I haven’t heard of anyone getting canned for teaching private lessons. But then again I haven’t heard everything. Have you heard of anyone?

I got asked this question by a gentleman here in Paris who wants lessons for his daughter for a short period of time. In Korea the average price for private lessons is about 40 thousand won and sometimes more. How much do you charge?

I am wondering because it is something I am considering to boost my earning power while on the road. I have heard of people funding their entire travels by doing private lessons Teaching English and other languages. But how do you decide how much to charge? Is 45 euros too low for someone with a degree and lots of experience both in the classroom and publications(not talking about me here)? Is the same amount too low for someone with a certification and other teaching certificates(not me again)? I am curious because you don’t want to undercharge and you don’t want to overcharge. That balance is delicate.

I know a Teacher in Korea who used to charged about 45 won per lesson. She was a terrific Teacher, but is that too low because I personally thought her skills far exceeded her pay. On the other hand I know a Teacher who in my personally opinion was charging well above that, but had no enthusiasm for the job nor did I think was that great of a Teacher. So, what should you consider when naming your price?

One thing I really appreciate about Paris is art. There is history here and along with that history is art. There are museums, art galleries, historical landmarks that take your breath away and a whole lot more. You cannot get tired of discovering new things in this city. And that is exactly what happened yesterday.

I was looking for a jazz club yesterday but didn’t know exactly where to go because I forget my city guide at home. But that didn’t prevent me from finding a great jazz club. I took line B or RER B down to Gare du Nord and continued until I got to Chatelet Les Halles and got off the train. I usually get off at this stop because it seems like the center of everything downtown Paris. But this time instead of going out the downstairs exit, I went upstairs and men oh men. It was one of the most beautiful areas I have been in Paris at night. There were jazz clubs everywhere next to each other. It was like discovering a gold mine.

I walked up to one called “Paris Jazz Club” located at 42 Rue(street) Des Lombards – 75001 Paris, metro stop Chatelet. Immediately walking in I was greeted by a Polish girl named Catherine and her sister whose name is a bit harder to pronounce and spell. Soon after she introduced me to the owner. And then the waitress came and took me to a sit and brought me a glass of champaign as I requested. She was cute and provided excellent service so I gave a 5 euro tip and we chatted a bit.

She left to do some stuff so I watched the band that was playing at the moment, but there was only 10 minutes left until finish and the next act would not until 20 minutes later. When the act finished, the waitress came back and introduced me to the band. It was a guy named Fransisco from Cuba and another guy whose name slips my mind from Bulgaria. They were great. They had been travelling all over the globe and were heading to Holland next. The guy from Bulgaria told hilarious stories for awhile about him getting in trouble for dumb things with the cops in his home country and how much he hates the cops there because they are corrupt and think they are above the law.

It was quite an interesting night. I got to meet other musicians at another club we visited after Catherine was done working. She said her sister will be playing there tonight because she plays drums. After chatting with them a bit longer after they were done working, I had to leave because I needed to catch the metro back to Aulnay Sous Bois where I live. So I left them promising to try my best and come back to see her sister play. But there is the world cup final tonight so that might not happen.

If you are in Paris and want to know where the to do things are, I found this great website. It is www.paris-city.fr There is also a jazz festival coming up soon. Information about the festival can be found at www.saveursjazzfestival.com I will not miss that festival.