Americans Will Need a ‘Visa’ to Visit Europe Next Year—Here’s What to Know

Do Americans need a visa to visit Europe? Starting in spring 2025, the European Union will launch the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), requiring U.S. travelers, including Globe Aware volunteers heading to Romania, to obtain authorization before entering.


Americans Will Need a ‘Visa’ to Visit Europe Next Year—Here’s What to Know

After several delays, ETIAS is now on track to launch in the spring of 2025.

By Jessica Poitevien
August 22, 2024
Forbes

Do you need a visa to go to Europe? It’s a question most American travelers don’t even think to ask, with United States passport holders having long traveled throughout most of the world without worrying about visa applications. But that’s set to change next year, as the European Union prepares new travel document requirements for American tourists.

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AAO Member Finds Innovative Approach to International Humanitarian Work

September 4, 2024
American Association of Orthodontists

As a second-generation orthodontist, Dr. Drew Lombardi had an orthodontic practice in Fort Lee and Jersey City, New Jersey for 40 years until his transition to retirement in October 2023. Considering how to spend his time in retirement, Dr. Lombardi was eager to use his professional knowledge to give back to people in need.

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How not to be a terrible tourist: What Europeans want travelers to know

These are valuable tips for Globe Aware travelers bound for Romania or any volunteer vacation destination worldwide!


How not to be a terrible tourist: What Europeans want travelers to know

Two people posing for a selfie together, a crowd and ornate fountain and buildings behind them

Tourists take a selfie in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. “A city is not only monuments and marbles; it is people,” says Giovanni Andrea Martini, a city official in Venice. (Andrew Medichini / Associated Press)

By Laura King
Aug. 11, 2024
LATimes

AMSTERDAM — Travel can be exhilarating or awful, and like it or not, we all leave footprints. Of course, some tourists tread more heavily than others, leaving residents swearing, slack-jawed or just shaking their heads.

In this busy European travel season, here are some things tourism professionals and local people would like you to know, so you won’t be that tourist:

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A Blend of History and Mythology: Castles and Fortresses

In the heart of Eastern Europe lies Romania, a country often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours. Yet, those who venture into this enchanting land are rewarded with an array of unique attractions and experiences that make it an ideal destination for family travel. Known for its rich history, diverse landscapes, and warm hospitality, Romania also stands out as one of the most affordable and safest countries in Europe for tourists.


A Blend of History and Mythology: Castles and Fortresses

April 12, 2024
TTW

Romania’s historical tapestry is studded with castles and fortresses that seem to emerge straight from the pages of a fairy tale. Perhaps the most famous is Bran Castle, often associated with the legend of Dracula. While it offers a glimpse into the life of Vlad the Impaler, the real-life figure who inspired Bram Stoker’s famous vampire, the castle is also a family-friendly attraction with its beautifully preserved rooms and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

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Passport checks for air travellers lifted as Bulgaria and Romania join EU’s Schengen

News from Romania for our Globe Aware volunteers planning travel in Europe. Airports in Sofia and Bucharest on Sunday removed passport checkpoints for those departing to or arriving from most European Union member states as Bulgaria and Romania partially joined the Schengen open-travel zone.


Passport checks for air travellers lifted as Bulgaria and Romania join EU’s Schengen

By Reuters
March 31, 2024

SOFIA, March 31 (Reuters) – Airports in Sofia and Bucharest on Sunday removed passport check points for those departing to or arriving from most European Union member states as Bulgaria and Romania partially joined the Schengen open-travel zone.

The two countries reached an agreement late last year to join Europe’s free-travel area by air and sea after Austria opposed full membership, including land crossings, saying Romania and Bulgaria needed to do more to prevent illegal immigration.

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Family Travel Tips Every Parent Should Know

Globe Aware volunteers are well aware that traveling during the holiday season is chaotic! But going in prepared can make your journey as smooth and stress-free as possible. Take a deep breath in and read on for a few holiday travel tips for the busiest time of year.


11 Family Travel Tips Every Parent Should Know

Advice from globe-trotting editors, flight attendants, and industry experts who have seen and survived it all.

Oh, to have a time machine so we could tell our past selves about the challenges—and triumphs!—that came on the road as traveling parents. We would warn against bringing giant suitcases and Play-Doh on the plane; remember how many new friends were made in playgrounds around the world; and recall that there are worse things in life than a crying baby. Thankfully, we’ve learned from our mistakes and come here with family travel tips, tricks, and a whole lot of encouragement for those heading out on the road with younger travelers. This list is never going to be complete or exhaustive—every kid is different. For families traveling with children with disabilities, it’s also encouraging to see the advancements being made to make travel more accessible—and hopefully, ultimately, a bit easier and more fun for everyone.

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The fairytale European destination where Netflix loves to film Christmas movies

Not many Globe Aware volunteers may know it, but this program location has made a name for itself as a popular place for filming kitschy Christmas classics. Find out where!


PICTURE THIS The fairytale European destination where Netflix loves to film Christmas movies

The country has featured in several Netflix Christmas films already

By Ryan Gray
Nov 5, 2023
The Sun

CHRISTMAS is just around the corner, which means it’s almost time to curl up in front of the TV and watch cheesy festive films.

If you’re planning on doing that this winter, there’s a good chance you’ll end up seeing lots of scenes shot in a surprising European destination.

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These are the biggest travel trends for 2024

From TV travel inspiration to dry tripping, Globe Aware volunteers can learn more about the emerging trends that may possibly have people packing their suitcases in 2024.


These are the biggest travel trends for 2024

It’s been a busy year for travel as people flocked to see Taylor Swift in concert and visited destinations made famous by hit TV shows like HBO’s The White Lotus.

Expedia Group just released Unpack ’24, a report based on a survey of 20,000 travellers, revealing key trends in 2023 that we can expect to see in the new year. The report includes data from travellers across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.

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These Two Countries Will Join The Schengen Zone Impacting All Travelers And Digital Nomads

Bulgaria and Romania look set to join the Schengen Zone by late 2023, affecting tourist visas and long-term travel. Find out what this means for Globe Aware volunteers looking to travel in Europe before or after their volunteer vacation in Romania.


These 2 Countries Will Join The Schengen Zone Impacting All Travelers And Digital Nomads

July 17, 2023
Travel off Path

The Schengen Zone is Europe’s greatest achievement. A borderless customs union comprising 27 countries in its current form, it allows for seamless international travel across much of the bloc, freeing travelers from undergoing strict identity checks and facing long delays when country-hopping.

Earlier this year, Schengen welcomed yet another member – the Balkan country of Croatia – and it looks set to enlarge further in the near future as the group looks to lift all remaining border checks and bolster internal cooperation.

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Dallas-Based GlobeAware Organizes ‘Voluntourism’ Trips of a Lifetime

March 5, 2023
By Joy Donovan
Candy’sDirt

Landmines — the explosive leftovers from the Vietnam War and other conflicts — are about the size of a toy and sometimes colorful, making them attractive to children. Two decades of war made these weapons of destruction plentiful in the forested landscape of Southeast Asia. Consequently, many children in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam are living as amputees.

The memory of one of those injured children receiving a wheelchair is seared into Kimberly Haley-Coleman’s mind.

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