On teaching abroad and perving on the lives of others

The word has been spreading for years, but I'll confirm it again; teaching English abroad is a great way of travelling. Not only does it fund your trip (or, in the case of some better-paying nations, allow you to save a lot of money), but it allows you to be a nosey bastard, too.

Don't Mention the Falklands

"El que no salta es un Ingles!"
"El que no salta es un Ingles!"

"If you don't jump you're English!"
"If you don't jump you're English!"

I asked for the translation of this phrase whilst surrounded by thousands of fist-pumping, chant-bellowing Argentinians in B.A's Plaza De La Republica.

On OCD and fucklists

When talking to folks who are really into travelling, you may have noticed that they occasionally become a bit OCD in the documenting of their trip; creating graphs and maps to work out the exact distance they had travelled, photographing themselves sternly standing in front of every 'Welcome to...' sign, collecting a fridge magnet from every country that they visit, creating post-journey scrapbooks, mostly comprised of pictures of cathedrals, that nobody but themselves could possibly be interested in.

I like the enthusiasm and contentment of these acts of geekery, although I can't say that I've ever fully indulged in them myself.

I'm going to let you in on my own freakish little secret, though.