Even though our nation is 65% OVERWEIGHT, America is still voted for having some of the most beautiful people.  Maybe it’s because we are a mixing pot of HOOPLA or that Hollywood media puts a shadow over the trash of Wal-mart and focuses on only pretty people.  Yes, I think there are a lot of beautiful American actresses and singers, but my attention when it comes to pop culture are the INTERNATIONAL HOTTIES. These are the women that have caught my eye that in a heart beat I would buy a plane ticket to wine and dine them.

First stop on the map, MY FAVORITE COUNTRY AND CITY: Madrid, Spain.  For who? Hot actress Penelope Cruz.  Not only is she an trans American/Spanish actress she is also a mother, model and role model.  One thing I really like about Penelope is her that not only is she smoking hot, she picks roles and campaigns that are meaningful and powerful.  This meaning, she’s not like Sofia Vergara where the running joke is, “WHY CAN’T A YOU UNDERSTAND ME!!? MY ACCENT SO THICK”.  From her ad campaign for Lancome Térsor to her smoking hot photo shoot of sitting on top of Meryl Streep topless to benefit AIDS, this Spanish hottie CAN GET IT.

Since we are in Europe, lets take a trip to London, UK where this blonde bombshell can make anything in London look less dreary, and she is Mollie King.  A little about Mollie King: she is an English singer/songwriter that has been rumored to hooking up with PRINCE HENRY! (side note: any thing Prince Henry touches, I want to touch and that is Mollie).  I wouldn’t say she is a struggling singer, but she has been in a couple no name girl groups like Fallen Angelz and Saturdays. It is rumored that her girl group signed for reality television show that follows then around in L.A.  Hmm, it could be like Spice World, but this time THEY ARE REAL! Hopefully we will be seeing more of her in the future.

Did you know that the middle east has been know to have the most naturally gorgeous women? The next lady I’m going to introduce was even told by ANGELINA JOLIE that she was indeed the MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD. She’s not well known in Hollywood but she is a mega star in Bollywood and that is Aishwarya Rai. She is was a model and transformed in to one of the leading contemporary actress in Indian cinema. Not only is she known for being beautiful, she is a fucking ambassador.  She’s won many awards from Miss World Pageant in 1994 to the honorable Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award given by THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. All of these factors make Aishwarya as hot as Sriraja chili sauce on my scale of Les-be-honest.

For my last women on the list, we have to go to the deep jungles of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico to LA CHICA MAS LINDA (the hottest girl), Salma Hayek.  This girl wears the pants when it comes to the film industry.  She is a producer, director and a Mexican-American actress.  She caught my eye in Dogma, where she played a stripper/muse dancing  to the song “candy girl”.  Besides her work in Dogma, she has won numerous titles from Academy Award nominee for Frida to be named one of the 25 most influential people.

When traveling, you are going to watch out for tricky fees.  These fees will tack on to your already diminishing budget.  The worst industry that has surprise fees would have to be the airline industry.  The worst of the worst, the European Airline industry.   Even though I’ve only experienced traveling with European and American companies, European airlines have the most expensive add on fees. Even though their tickets are dirt cheap, things like food, baggage check and late check in can transform into a monster of fees.

One fee you have to beware is the “processing fee”.  This fee occurs when you haven’t even bought your ticket! So last week I bought a ticket from Bilbao, Spain to Paris, France.  I checked on Kayak.com.  I like Kayak because they check most of the airlines, excluding Ryanair.  I came across a flight for 65 euro offered by Vueling.  That’s like going one way from Chicago to New York for less than 100$.  It was a steal! After putting in my personal information I had an option to pick my seat.  Usually, in America, it’s typical that you have the choice to pick where you wanted to sit for no cost.  I clicked on the option because I’m a sucker for a window seat.  As I pick my seat, a price comes up…6 euros if you wanted to pick your own seat.  I ignored the option and after clicking though numerous advertisements about travel insurance and rental cars I finally got to check out.  As I put in my Visa information the prompt asks what kind of card to process:

Vueling Credit card- Free

Visa- 9.90 EUR

Mastercard- 9.90

WHAT THE FUCK? I have to PAY to get my credit card charged? So what I thought would be a cheap flight ended up being 15 dollars more.  The only way to avoid the processing fee was to have their credit card. Just beware that a lot of transportation websites have processing fees that can be from 2-10 EUR. 

Another surprise cost would have to be baggage.  To be more specific, carry on baggage.  So if you decided to travel anywhere in Europe for a short amount of time, a carry on of 22” long 14”wide and 9” tall is ESSENTIAL. Also, for most of these low budget airlines you can only have a carry on and your personal item (purse, laptop, ect) has to be INSIDE.  This meaning, YOU CAN ONE BRING ON ONE ITEM.   When I went to Germany, I purchased my ticket though Ryanair and bought a ridiculous fare, for less than 10 euro from southern Spain.  In line, they CHECK every passenger’s carry on AND makes sure it is indeed within the 22”x14”x9” guideline.  Seriously they make you put your luggage in this box and if you can’t fit your luggage into the box, you have to check it.  Well, that’s what happened to me.  I didn’t realize I had to put my oversize purse in my carry on, so I had to check my bag for 40 EUR!! It was ridiculous. Some checked bagged items at the gate can cost you up to 60 EUR! Its most likely that your baggage check will be more expensive than your plane ticket.  Just be sure to pack light and within the guidelines!

Don’t even bother buying anything on a plane.  Buy a shit ton of croissants and pack it in your leather satchel.  Anything on a plane or in an airport is going to be double the price. 

Some of these fees you can’t ignore.  Just don’t get your hopes up high when you see something that might be cheap, but after taxes and fees will be twice the price. Before you pay make sure you look at everything they are charging like taxes, general price and fees. 

So after I made a dramatic exit of quitting my job, I’ve been bumming around for almost two months AND ITS AWESOME. I’m just waiting to depart of to Paris and it seems like a dream come true.  I really can’t believe it.  Then again, I didn’t think I would ever get the chance to study abroad and I did, and it now sadly over. 

So what are my plans until Paris? Right now, I don’t know.  I did have an interview for a Sushi restaurant but I would feel so bad telling them I was leaving in less than a month and asking if I could have a job back when I return, BUT i’m going back to college so I would have to quit after two months. 

One reason why I kinda of don’t want a job right now is that I’m visiting one of my friends in Florida this weekend and then my mom proposed to do a road trip from Wisconsin to Alabama to visit my sister.  That could be fun? A whole week in the car with da mom.  Nothings more fun than a mother and daughter road trip?? hahaha i’m geeked.  

Just from now till then I feel like I will be gone A LOT.  One trip I’m thinking about planning is San Francisco for the Gay Pride Parade.  My best friend Tommy is student photographer and is going to document the event.  I’ve always seen photos of San Fran and always wanted to visit.  So last summer I missed one of my flights so I got a united voucher for 100$, maybe I’ll use it for that. 

Anyway I decided to embrace this freedom until I get back to college.  GOD AM I SO EXCITED! Taking time off was the best at first, but maybe one of my biggest regrets.