MFemy Team Member – Page 33 – My Freelance Academy

5 Most Friendly Countries for Underprivileged Students

The rising costs of education and living are worrisome already coupled with that the lack of opportunities in their respective home countries makes life much tougher for underprivileged students.

But the good news is that there is no dearth of countries that are easy on your pocket and sponsor education for underprivileged and meritorious students. Check these destinations out for pursuing an affordable, comprehensive higher education.

5 Most Friendly Countries

Norway

Photo by Michael Fousert on Unsplash /Copyright 2021

This country has always been inviting to foreign students, and anyway, the state sponsors the education here. Most courses are taught in English and offer Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. programs.

You don’t require permanent residency to secure admission here. Moreover, living grants are available for many fellowship programs as well.

The top universities in Norway include:

The Norwegian University of Science University and the University of Oslo. The University of Bergen is famous as well.

France

Photo by Chris Karidis on Unsplash /Copyright 2021

Contrary to popular belief, France is not really an isolated country. There are so many courses offered by French universities for foreign students. Financial aid is also provided for a time span of 2 to 3 years for deserving students.

There are stipends, pre-paid air tickets, tuition waivers, and health insurance. Moreover, tailor-made scholarships and subsidized student restaurants and accommodation are also available.

The top universities in France include the Universite Pierre et Marie Curie and the Universite Claude Bernard Lyon I. Many love the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis as well.

Sweden

Photo by Jessica Pamp on Unsplash /Copyright 2021

Swedish universities provide industrial exposure to students and pay maximum emphasis on practical approaches to theoretical concepts. Moreover, they offer courses in English and have more than 600 master’s and bachelor’s degree programs. Also, the universities offer more than 500 scholarships to students annually.

You are also permitted to work during your study tenure.

Top universities include the Linkoping University and the Royal Institute of Technology.

Germany

German universities are known for offering courses to international students at zero or minimal tuition fees. You can work for over 120 full days in a year, and scholarships are plenty in store.

Top universities in Germany include the Technical University of Berlin and the Free University of Berlin.

Finland

The Finnish education system, ranging from schooling, has been ranked best worldwide according to the Learning Curve, Pearsons, 2012 — the annual education report published by Pearson. There is a wide range of options to choose from, traineeship, exchange programs, or full-fledged academic courses. Finnish universities don’t charge any tuition fees from students of all nationalities.

The top universities in Finland are the University of Helsinki and the Tampere University of Technology.

So, these are the five most friendly countries for underprivileged students around the world. If you are also willing to study abroad but are running low on finances, these places are the best you should really consider.

5 Reasons Why You are Being Ignored for a Promotion

Everyone wants to climb up the ladder of success at work. Promotion is the single most important goal for any professional. But sometimes, despite putting in your best possible efforts, you fail to get that coveted promotion.

It’s heartbreaking, really, but there may be a lot of reasons for that happening. And these reasons could be really trivial but equally devastating for your career growth and frustrating to limits that you just fill yourself with self-doubt. Here are a few reasons you might fail to fetch that promotion.

5 Reasons You Are Being Ignored

Lack of Confidence

Confidence is an attribute that is more important than caliber at times. In fact, more important than doing a job perfectly is the ability to believe that you can do it.

Only this approach can help you become well equipped to deal with the challenges if you get a promotion in the future. If you lack confidence, you will not be considered for that promotion.

Image by Here and now, unfortunately, ends my journey on Pixabay from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

Company Owner Mindset

You need to consider your company, not as a mere place of work and attaining a salary but way more than that. If you consider the organization you’re working for as your own company, persevering for attaining targets like it’s your own venture, your employers will value your contributions to the organization.

But if you just work mechanically without a company owner approach, you will get paid for what you do without any rewards or perks, as that will negatively reflect your commitment to your job.

Image by Fathromi Ramdlon from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

Lack of a far-sighted vision

If you fail to look at the bigger picture, you don’t deserve a bigger office. Of course, it is crucial to focus on your projects and your individual work, but aligning it with the company motto and objectives is of utmost importance because an employer will only promote the employee who adds value to the organization. To get noticed and work towards expanding the company vision.

Condescending your boss

We all are humans, yet sometimes, employees tend to be extremely condescending to their bosses. You never ever correct your boss in public, even if he makes a mistake.

Never mock or embarrass your boss in public. If you don’t agree with them over something, resolve the matter in private because if you fail to support your boss in public, they will never ever consider you for promotion, no matter how deserving you are. And many employees miss out on their promotions for this simple reason.

Image by www_slon_pics from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

Inability to take criticism

Your employer is entitled to give you inputs on your work, and it will sometimes be criticized. But criticism is constructive.

But many employers end up getting defensive, making this a prestige issue. This is one of the most common reasons to be denied a promotion.

If you’re unwilling to work on your boss’s suggestions and feedback, they will consider you unfit to handle a higher position.

So, these are some of the reasons why you are being ignored for promotion. Work on it to get noticed and climb up the success ladder in your workplace.

4 Trips to Take in New Year 2022

We are travel-obsessed, and we are sure you are too! It is okay if you can’t travel much in 2021. Promise yourself that you make 2022 the year of your most extraordinary travels.

Now traveling to places is something every person wants to do, but few can accomplish it. It isn’t that difficult to save money if you determine to do so.

Here are four trips you should take in the new year 2022:

1. Great American road trip

The United States of America is a big country. Flying to each destination isn’t possible because the costs got too high. Since you’ve worked so hard this year, give yourself a month-long road trip to America. Choose your travel route and get lost; it’s okay.

Visit the Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate of San Francisco, and the zoos in the north. Don’t forget to pack a lot of food and eat at local diners to get the best flavor of that city or town.

2. Visit Iceland

Known as the land of fire and ice, Iceland is a country that you should visit in 2022. It has active volcanoes and natural geysers amidst a thick layer of snow. You get food and hot chocolate everywhere you go. And let’s not forget the Northern Lights.

3. Go on a cruise

Check the cheapest cruise available online and take it. It might be a cruise from Mumbai to Goa or Chennai to Thailand, and you need to experience the grandeur cruises have in them. Check for a cruise that is at least three nights and four days long.

4. Live countryside for a week

Live countryside for a week and eat food made on coal. You will never forget the taste of this food, and it will linger on your taste buds forever. Spend a week and detoxify your body with all pollutants you took in a while living in your urban city.

5. Road trip on the south coast of Australia

Go on a six-day road trip in South Australia with many friends. Start in Sydney and enjoy your road trip in Perth. Avoid staying at hotels to cut the cost. Load your car with many carbs to keep you active and awake all the way along.

So, now that you know the trips to take in 2022, what are you waiting for? Make your plans, book your tickets, pack your bags and get going.

6 Reasons You Need to Visit Austria Right Now

You need to visit Austria right now, yes. And no, we aren’t kidding. Austria’s beauty lies in its charming villages covered with acres and acres of trees. If you are passionate about coffee and cake, you just found one good reason to visit Austria.

For those hoping to travel to Europe one day, Austria is a must-visit for them. And today, we will tell you the best reasons you need to visit Austria right now.

Reasons to visit Austria:

1. Visit the world’s best city

For eight times in a row, Vienna has received the first rank for the city with the best quality of life. It has a vibrant culture, cheap rent, clean air, affordable public transport, and low crime rates.

2. Alpine summits

The Alpines of Austria are the prettiest mountain range you will ever come across. It is spread over 400 km of land. Travel through The Eagle Walk to get the most breathtaking view of the Alpine summits.

The countryside has a lot to offer to hikers, with natural beauty and gorgeous landscapes.

3. Art and culture

Austria has the most beautiful museums and galleries in the world. Over the centuries Austria has produced some of the finest artists like Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka, and Rudolf Ritter von Alt.

Visit Salzburg’s Museum of Modern Art for its mind-blowing contemporary art and live traditional and modern music.

Vienna is known for its rich art and cultural scene, and ever since the 19th century, the legacy is still maintained. Other cities are also developing immensely in terms of music, art, and culture.

4. Affordable travel

Austria has fully functioning state-of-the-art public transport that is very cheap for its quality. There are regular buses and trains and the scenery out of the transport makes it an even worthy experience.

Plus Austria is easy to explore, visitors can go from one city to another at ease.

5. Food and coffee

So, foodies, there’s no place than Austria when it comes to food and coffee. Austrian claim their country to be the world capital for cakes.

They are so serious about it that once a war raged among two cafes because one accused the other of stealing the recipe and claiming it to be original. Weiner Schnitzel, Tafelspitz, and Frankfurter are some traditional Austrian dishes to try.

6. Stunning architecture

Now, those with keen eyes for beautiful buildings will love a trip to Austria. The architectural style across Austria is strikingly beautiful.

Many of the buildings in Austria were built around 1918-1984, and such buildings are considered highly creative and innovative for their time.

Well, we have given you the top 6 reasons to visit Austria. Now, it’s your turn to do the work.

Can You Travel the World With Daily Budget of $20?

Don’t we all dream of traveling around the world? While it might take years for most of us to fulfill this dream, some people have already accomplished this.

Henrik Jeppesen, a 27-year old full-time blogger, traversed the world with an unthinkable budget of $ 20 per day.
Here’s his inspiring story

The Story Behind

Jeppesen grew up in Thy, a far-flung area in Denmark with just over 40,000. He envisaged himself touring the world very early in life.

At the tender age of 14, he resolved to visit at least 50 countries throughout his existence. This number soon rose to 100 before he finally crossed every country listed on the map.

“Ambition without action is fantasy” – Bryant McGill.

Slowly, he began saving up and researching how to travel more economically. This approach led him to use local couch-surfing sites and hitchhiking in many instances.

However, the path he had embarked upon wasn’t an easy one. He often found himself sleeping in public places. Once, he ended up napping off at a bus station in Niger.

Many of us wouldn’t even imagine doing something like this out of fear for safety. But the fearless Jeppesen says, “The world is a safe place to travel.”

Very soon, his blog started gaining momentum, and by 2010, hotels offered him free stays in exchange for being featured on his blog. He claims to have stayed in over a thousand luxurious hotels so far. Now, who wouldn’t like that?

After visiting over a hundred countries, in 2012, Jeppesen approached the airlines to fund his flight tickets. More than 100 airlines have sponsored him until now. He has spent about $ 60,000 to $ 80,000 on his world tour spanning over 3,000 days.

Jeppesen has a following of over 100,000 on social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. His blog, often leading to business partnerships, is the sole source of income and supports himself.

Every inspiring story comes with the struggles that went into achieving success. He said it was challenging to obtain Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Angola visas.

He has even had some horrific experiences. For example, when he was touring across India, the driver of the car he was hitchhiking stopped in the middle of the journey to down an entire bottle of vodka. Luckily, he reached his destination safely after a couple of hours.

Jeppesen finally achieved his goal of traveling to every country when he visited Eritrea, East Africa. His top 3 picks are South Africa, New Zealand, and Italy due to diversity, people, various landscapes, and food.

There are still 36 territories that Jeppesen hasn’t been to. He has even been to the most dreaded place of all globally, North Korea. In his opinion, it was one of the most exciting travel experiences of his life. His new goal is to set a new world record by visiting all 325 countries and territories.

Jeppesen Tips to Plan a Cost-Effective Trip:

• Pack light, You may be shocked to know that Jeppesen traveled to all the countries without a suitcase! He only had his phone, credit card, essential documents, headphones, and an extra pair of undergarments.

• Use free miles and credit card points

• Avoid fancy restaurants

• Read more and more travel blogs

• Hitchhiking is the way to go! However, try to avoid hitchhiking at night as it can be hazardous

• Opt for low-cost airlines

So, if you follow these tips, even you can have a cost-effective trip and follow your dream of traveling the world.

Top 5 Foreign Languages to Learn

A multilingual brain is a smarter brain. Whether you’re traveling to a new country or trying to build a skill set for your next dream job, then knowing a second language not only boosts your employability but also makes you better equipped at dealing with people from multiple backgrounds and nations.

Not to mention that knowing multiple languages open several career doors for you. So, we have curated a list of the top foreign languages you should learn for more versatile career options.

Top 5 Foreign Languages to Learn

Here are the top 5 foreign languages you should get a grip on.

1. Mandarin

Mandarin is the official language spoken in China and ranks as the most spoken language worldwide.

With such a huge influx of Chinese nationals into international workplaces, knowing Mandarin becomes imperative to deal with the high number of Chinese employees, bosses, and clients all over.

This needs to be done as China is now an emerging superpower with a GDP higher than that of the US. It is a difficult language to learn but worth the bargain.

Image by Alison Innes from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

2. Arabic

The Middle East isn’t far behind with such dramatic growth in its economy and a fast-growing market with a vast number of Middle Eastern investors and business enterprises.

Arabic ranks as the 5th most widely spoken language worldwide, and most countries in Africa and the Middle East converse in this language. Learning Arabic is a difficult task, but with the rising popularity of this language, even in Western countries, you need to master it.

Image by Afshad Subair from PixabayCopyright 2021

3. Spanish

Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, with more than 405 million people conversing in this language.

It is easy to learn, and many countries in Spain, Latin America, Mexico, and the United States have a lot of people conversing in this language. It will enhance your career prospects.

Image by sgrunden from PixabayCopyright 2021

4. German

Germany is the largest economy in Europe, which means greater investors, more clients, and corporate initiatives all over the world. Germany’s ties with the UK also make it an important language to master, and even the import and export businesses are in the hold of the Germans, which certainly makes it important to learn this language.

Many job opportunities are opening up for people who converse in German. It is easy to learn, so you’re at an advantage.

Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

5. Portuguese

Portuguese is commonly spoken in Brazil, Portugal, and some regions in Africa. Brazil, an important trade destination, has a maximum percentage of Portuguese-speaking people who find it hard to grasp English.

Although Portuguese is not a very popular foreign language, the economic growth in Brazil is fast growing which enhances the prospects of learning this language. It is similar to Spanish hence easy to learn as well.

So, these are the five foreign languages that will give you several advantages if you have a good grip on them. You can learn any of the above-mentioned languages online.

5 Tips to Stay Motivated When You Start Looking for Jobs

Finding a job after that fancy university degree can prove to be a total burnout experience as not many employers can meet your workplace expectations.

It is difficult anyway in today’s times when the competition has become so intense and finding a job that suits you best can take some time.

You need to motivate yourself not to give up constantly, and here are a few pointers on how to do it.

Tips to Stay Motivated

Following are the tips to stay motivated.

1. Get Specific With Your To-Do List

Haphazard job quests will only leave you more frustrated. You need to be more organized and set daily targets to help you achieve the maximum and quickest results.

Have a target of 2 to 3 employers every day so that you don’t overburden yourself, and your diary entries will help you achieve your goals faster.

Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

2. Look Up Your Career Role Models

It is easy to be discouraged when you don’t find a job. But all the successful professionals got where they are today not by a quick turn of fate but by continued perseverance and many failures on their way.

Take a cue from their stories, read about successful professionals, talk to your established seniors, and you will feel more inspired and motivated to continue with your endeavor.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

3. Seek Constructive Criticism from Your Supporters

You need a constant review of your professional practices to see where you’re lacking. Whether it’s your resume formatting or interview dynamics, getting constructive criticism from your seniors and peers will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and help you move forward.

4. Put Your Career Goals on Paper

In order to be a successful professional, you need foresight and ambition. And for that, you need to list your goals on a piece of paper and then embark on achieving them one by one.

They can be your milestones and will give you direction too. This practice helps keep you motivated and organized.

5. Take Days Off

When you’re constantly on a job lookout and get little results, your frustration not only makes you lose your focus but also clouds your judgment, making you desperate to just look for a job whether it suits your work ethic or not.

Just take a few days off and forget your interviews and resume and pitches for a while. This will help freshen your resolve and refocus your mind.

Image by Jonas KIM from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

So, these are the five tips to stay motivated when you are looking for a job. The point is to always keep believing in yourself and not let failures bring you down because every failure in this world is temporary.

So, give yourself a break every now and then because good things come to those who never lose hope and keep working for it.

The Cost of Living in the UK as a Student

For a long time, the United Kingdom has been every Indian science student’s choice for further studies.

Four out of six top universities of the world are in the UK. Even after its exit from the European Union, the count of international students hasn’t gone down.

The UK offers some of the most affordable courses all across the world. The biggest advantage is that post-graduation is a one-year course. It saves a lot of money and time, and you can also start working earlier.

Average tuition fees in the UK are around 13538 euros per year. The following list doesn’t include the college fees.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

Here’s what your monthly cost of living in the UK looks like:

Rent – most students share apartments in the UK. On a sharing basis of three students living in a 1BHK, it will cost you £395 per month. If you want to rent the apartment on your own entirely, the cost goes up to £1050 per month.
Food – home-cooked meals are the best, and they also lower costs. If you do most of your cooking at home, it will cost you £145 a month. But if you eat out more often, the cost goes up to £250.
Gas and electricity – both total up to £70 a month. If you stay on the university campus, the electricity cost is included in your monthly rent. Usually, college accommodations are costlier, and students don’t prefer them because there are a lot of restrictions.
Mobile bills – on average, it goes up to £10 – £12 a month.
Stationery and study materials – students often get gift cards from universities to buy stationery. The costs aren’t that high without a discount either. You don’t need to invest in study materials because all universities have massive libraries from where you can take textbooks for studying. Also, professors do mail you study material to support your study.

Pay Money For Your MBA With These 4 Ways

Attending an MBA course at the Harvard Business School costs $68,000 for one year.

It is a course of two years, and any well-known business school in Europe costs $71,000 for it, which is a lot of money. Almost every student comes out of Harvard Business School with a debt of $86,000. They do get paid well, around $150,000, but that’s a lot of debt.

It is very difficult for every working professional who aspires to do MBA to save money. There are many other expenses as well. This is where you need to get creative.

And we have curated ways for you with which you can pay the debt without jeopardizing your future savings.

Ways to Pay Money for your MBA

Here are four ways you can pay money for your MBA:

1. Business school fellowships

Many business schools offer generous fellowships. All this money is grant money that means you don’t need to pay it back. Harvard Business school offers fellowships of around 50 percent of the college fees.

Image by 3D Animation Production Company from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

2. Employer scholarships

Many companies offer employer scholarships. They notice your potential and send you to business schools to study.

There is no work component in it. However, this happens in terms of a contract. After graduating, you have to continue working with the company for a few years.

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

3. Graduate Assistantship

Once you are enrolled in a business school, you can become an assistant to any faculty. The college will pay you for that, and you will get a hands-on experience of what it is like.

You can also become an administrator, a research assistant, or a junior researcher.

4. Federal student loan

Two loans open for postgraduate students are Stafford Loan and Grad PLUS Loan.

The Stafford Loan has a limit of $20,500 a year. It is available at an interest rate of six percent p.a.

The Grad PLUS Loan covers all costs of attendance. It is available at an interest rate of seven percent p.a.

These are the four ways by which you can pay money for your MBA. Get creative to invest your earnings in the right place and not in the interest of a debt you took to study.

5 Work Tips to Enjoy a Better Weekend

Do you end up worrying about your office backlog on weekends? Does the weekend give no respite to you during the rest of the week?

If yes, then you seriously need to get yourself together. Managing workload isn’t difficult, and who wants to be worried about the backlog instead of partying on a Saturday night?

Can’t manage it? Let us help you out. Check these tips to manage your work better so that weekends can be more exciting and relaxing.

Tips For a Better Weekend

Following are some of the tips that will help you have a better weekend.

Don’t procrastinate

Putting off work is the worst thing you can do. This will lead to the accumulation of more and more work, and then you will realize that you can’t complete it in time for the deadlines. And last-minute freak-outs are really not pretty. So just avoid procrastination at all times.

Image by Roy Buri from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

Planning

Have a well-structured plan in place for your work goals. Being disorganized about your tasks will just lead to poorly managed work. And that causes a pile-up of extra work on the weekend.

Plan your schedule with a step-by-step chart for completing your work. This will help you achieve your targets in time with zero hassles on the weekend.

Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

Don’t overdo it

Only take enough work that you can manage. Taking all responsibilities for a project on your head will just burn you out. Don’t take up more responsibilities than you can manage.

You may want to end up in the good books of your boss, but this may just backfire. And your work-life balance will suffer too.

Restrain your social media use

This one applies, especially for freelancers. The more time you spend on social media, the more unproductive you get. Browsing through your newsfeed at work is a never-ending affair. So just keep away from this when you’re working.

Save yourself the distraction, you can scroll through memes all weekend, and in order to be able to do so, you need to keep away from your phone when you’re working.

Image by Pixelkult from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

Have a to-do list

This one has been mentioned so many times, but the tip is worth a try. Maintain a diary, or just set alarms for your work goals. Accomplishing your daily tasks becomes much easier when you have a list of your daily goals. You will be surprised to see the results!

Image by bohed from Pixabay/Copyright 2021

So, if you also want to enjoy your weekend, follow these tips. This will make your weekends less stressful and more enjoyable. A proper balance of fun and work-time is the key to getting success.