Web Wanderlust: Internet Resources for International Travelers

Planning a trip to Italy? Travel the world for a living? Relocating to Africa? These sites can help you learn a new language, keep your health in check, and make new friends before you even take off.

LiveMocha

This is a website where you can learn a new language or polish up on one you already know. The unique concept of this site is that you're not just listening to CDs - you actually converse online with others in the languages you may be studying. In this community-type setting, lessons are blended with the most natural way of learning a new language, conversing with others. First, you learn the language in formatted material; next, you practice it with the online material; then, you share what you've learned in the communities or with your friends and family.

Finally, you can chat online with others in real-time in your new language. Connecting with others in this manner may also allow you to learn more about other cultures and traditions in that region. The self-study sessions will help you excel in your new language so that learning is fun and interesting, never textbook-like. This site is free and has a community feel, similar to Facebook or MySpace.

Busuu

This website is also free to join and allows you to connect to users who speak the language you're trying to learn. In classroom-language settings, you're occasionally forced to learn words or aspects of a language that really aren't important to you. For instance, if you're an animal-feed salesman and travel the world talking about different ingredients in animal feed, it probably won't do you much good to spend weeks learning how to discuss the stock market.

With Busuu, you learn only what you need to learn. It cuts down on your time spent learning the new language and puts you in touch with others who speak it, so you can further develop what is important to you. This is not your typical classroom or textbook-learning session. You will be in contact with others who are fluent in your new language and will tell you honestly how your progression is coming along and how you can improve.

Popular topics of discussion are suggested, such as an approaching holiday or daily-life topics, such as parenting and relationships. Writing exercises are paired with objects so that you learn specific, every-day words that you consider important. You can learn at your own pace, and because it's web-based, you can pick up your learning wherever you have a computer and an Internet connection.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

If you will be traveling abroad, this site offers visitors health information such as vaccines that might be recommended, handling of medication, how to prevent injury in certain situations, etc. It also lists travel notices, such as disease outbreaks and other health-related information that may be pertinent to your destination.

If you need a health clinic at your destination, you may find one on this site. And, the site offers advice on inspecting food and beverages to be sure they're safe for human consumption. World travel can be exciting, but it can also make you very sick if you're not aware of health issues ahead of time. Visit this site before you travel and come home healthy!

Escape Artist

If you're considering relocating to another country, this website may be invaluable to you. Here, you'll find international information on job-hunting, retirement, banking, real estate, and more. If a unique lifestyle, such as living in a tree house, is on your agenda, this site can offer you information on that, too! There is also a host of reading-material suggestions that will send you on your way to becoming very informed about your new destination.

These days, there is no reason to jump on a plane and travel abroad without knowing all about your destination and how to effectively communicate once you arrive. Get online and expand your knowledge today!