Abstract: A travel story about how one woman prepared for a summer of studying and backpacking in Europe, how she got there and what the heck Antonio Banderas had to do with it.

I could have been content spending all of my life in Michigan.

I could have been content only reading about far away places and never visiting them.

That is until Antonio Banderas changed my life. Don’t worry, this is not a story about some sad, lonely fan like those on MTV’s "Fanatic" who wants to meet Brittany Spears because her super cool dance moves greatly influenced her in some strange way. No. In fact, I don’t think Banderas is all that good looking. This is about how a random trip to the movies had far-reaching consequences on my life. Two summers I was contemplating quitting my Spanish studies at my college. After four years in high school and two in college, I just wasn’t interested in learning about grammar and verb conjugations anymore. That is, until my boyfriend and I went to see "The Mask of Zorro"

In "Zorro" if you remember, a few Spanish lines were thrown in here and there without subtitles ... and I understood it. I actually knew what the bad guys were saying. It inspired me.

I had a renewed appreciation for the Spanish that I had already learned, which I had previously discounted as unimportant. I had remembered it all! I made the decision to then take my Spanish studies to the next level, by majoring in it, studying abroad in Spain and taking advantage of the time I had there to travel.

As motivated as I was, I had my reservations about the whole situation. What did some 20-year-old girl from the Midwest know about traveling in Europe? How could I possibly leave my honey behind? Well, the breakup we had at the end of last year solved that problem, so I had a renewed desire to get away from it all and to figure some things out. I began my researching on the Internet. I found a wealth of information about individual cities to visit, checklists on what to pack, sites where I could purchase merchandise, apply for enrollment at my Spanish university and read about other travelers’ personal experiences abroad. I applied for school for July and August and planned the tentative route I would travel during June. I also carefully figured out my budget (ha!) and bought that all important Youth Hostelling International membership (see "Kara’s Tips" on how not to make that mistake).

With my backpack and plane ticket bought all I needed were several other must-have supplies to make my trip planning complete. I left on June 2 without a set plan of where I was going or when or with whom. I was happy having that freedom and it proved to make for some fun and adventurous times. I also met some very interesting and important people while I was there, that I know will have a lasting impact on my life. All because of Antonio Banderas.

I don’t think I will send a letter to MTV about it, I am fine gushing his very humble way. Gracias Seсor Banderas. That’s not too pathetic, is it?

Sidebar:

The Abridged Version of Kara’s Travel Tips

It’s no news flash that you could find just about anything you need on the Internet. We are all familiar with that, especially if you are reading this article.

It can be difficult, however, to weed through all the hundreds of sites and documents any search engine can yield. If you are looking to plan a trip to Europe, try these sites I found with reliable information that helped me immensely. I also included some invaluable tips I learned form trial and error. Mostly I learned by error, but we will get into that in another article.

* http://www.ricksteves.com/

Rick Steves is the foremost authority on backpacking cheaply in Europe. He offers tips on what to pack, scripts of his travel shows and trips to Europe and a wealth of backpacking supplies to buy directly from his company. You can also buy a Eurorail pass from his company. If you send your itinerary along with your order, they will send you free information about the places you are visiting.

* http://www.frommers.com/

The site, from the same people you bring you the guides, is another source for city information and also gives hotels and hostels listed in separate price categories (from stingy college students to lush Oprah Show guest style).

Let’s Go: Europe and Lonely Planet: Europe are the two guides most every backpacker I came in contact with carried. I went the cheap way and cut and pasted information form the Internet into my own "guide." It helped, but not when I made an unplanned trip to Florence and had no idea where to stay or what sights to see. I suggest shelling out the $17-18 and investing in a guide like these.

Use your ATM card. Believe it or not Europe is not as far behind us intechnology as some of our American stereotypes may lead us to believe. Even the smallest towns have cash machines, your bank at home usually charges you a better exchange rate, you will probably only get charged the $1.50 surcharge from not using your own bank’s ATM, the money comes out in the currency of the country you are in and there is always an option to read the directions in English. It was so easy.

Carry some American dollars for emergencies (in a money belt!), but avoid as many travelers checks as possible. They are a safe currency to carry, but you are usually charged a hefty commission rate to exchange them, which I learned as I tried to pay for my tuition with my travelers checks. I hadn’t factored in the commission and had to call Mom for more money. Avoid doing this at all costs! Your parents will probably be worried enough about you and don’t need to be thinking that you are off panhandling on some European street corner for more money.

Also be aware that these ATM’s usually spit out your card and receipt BEFORE the money. Don’t make a mistake and think your card was rejected and walk away or you just might leave the money sitting there for some lucky European to pick up.

* Know how to avoid jet-lag. These suggestions work. Here are a few: 1. Pick a flight that arrives in the early evening; 2. Reserve a window seat; 3. Buy No-Jet-Lag homeopathic tablets to take on the flight. They can be purchased at most travel stores and work wonders; 4. When you arrive at your destination, avoid caffeine and alcohol, eat a light dinner and try to stay up until at least 10 p.m. local time; 5. Get outside into the daylight as much as you can on your first full day there.

* Unless you are absolutely positive you will stay in Youth Hostelling International’s official hostels and plan on making reservations, save your money and don’t buy a membership. The reservations for these hostels need to be made as early as 8 a.m. on the morning you wish to stay there and usually not in advance.

I did not make a single reservation and never once had to sleep on the street. I did, however, travel in June, which is not considered to be as touristy as July and August.

There are also loads of hostels and pensions (room’s people rent out in their apartments) that are not advertised in the guides, but nonetheless are incredibly friendly and clean. They just take some looking for or a friendly cab driver. Pensions also sometimes give you your own room for less than a "dorm" style room in a traditional hostel.

Written by Kara M. Moldovan, 1/17/00