Scouting Report 2007

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Before going to Colombia on vacation, Lisa Tomlinson of New York City wanted to brush up on her Spanish. She tried listening to cassettes in the car, but found it too passive. Tomlinson signed up for three sessions with FluencyNow, a new company that uses online video streaming to give students real-time interaction with a native speaker. With a headset and a high-speed Internet connection, Tomlinson received one-on-one attention from Rocio, a Paraguayan now living in Vancouver. "The conversations really forced me to speak Spanish, and I got an immediate evaluation of my pronunciation," Tomlinson says. FluencyNow offers classes in 17 languages, including less-obvious ones like Ukrainian and Nepali. Students can customize lessons for real-life travel situations--ordering a coffee in Paris, figuring out a bus schedule in Shanghai, and so on. The instructors have webcams, so students can see them, but webcams are optional for students. (Tomlinson wishes she had purchased one.) Appropriately for the iPod era, many language companies are focusing their efforts on audio. ISpeak sells "audio phrase books" that include a CD. After importing the CD to your iPod, you can scroll down to choose which topic you want to study. Another outfit, Earworms, calls itself a Musical Brain Trainer because it uses groove-heavy music as a backdrop while teaching words and phrases. There are 10 languages, sold as 10-track albums. And Living Language, which has been producing self-study courses for 61 years, began selling audio-based online sessions in May. The languages on offer are Spanish, French, German, and Italian. One of the most interesting companies out there is Praxis, which started ChinesePod in 2005. It provides a free daily podcast with a 10-minute lesson about specific situations, such as dealing with health issues or visiting a museum. The company sells subscriptions from $9 per month, with which you get access to the ever-expanding archive. Pay more and you get more, including mobile access and study and vocab guides. ChinesePod also has a new sister outfit, SpanishSense. The granddaddy of language schools, Berlitz, offered its first live online lessons back in 2002, but those early efforts were focused mainly at business travelers and serious students--i.e., they were expensive, and less than ideal for someone spending just a few days in Prague or Buenos Aires. In August, the company launched Ticket to... French, a program for leisure travelers. Up to eight students participate in 90-minute, PC-only classes that meet once a week for five weeks. Students can hear the instructor and each other. Using a virtual pointer and pictures, the classes cover situations such as ordering food and asking for directions. Berlitz plans on adding more languages in December. Just be careful when you promise your teacher an apple; he might think an iPhone is coming his way. A few questions for Fatima Mooney, French instructor for FluencyNow... What do your students generally want help with? Pronunciation. They want to know the right way to speak French. So we have conversations in various scenarios: what to say at the airport, how to order a croissant at a bakery. Which words would one use to sound très cool in French--words that are too current to be in a guidebook? Use voilà all the time, like "there you have it," at the end of sentences. And c'est canon, used for an article of clothing or a person, means "it's really gorgeous." Do you care if people show up for class in pajamas? They need to have some clothes on, that's for sure. But pajamas are no problem. FluencyNow 50-minute class, $30; fluencynow.com iSpeak Phrase book with CD, $13; mhprofessional.com Earworms Rapid downloads, $30; earwormslearning.com Living Language 10-session programs, $55; livinglanguage.com ChinesePod Basic subscription, $9; chinesepod.com SpanishSense Basic subscription, $9; spanishsense.com Berlitz Five-session Ticket to... course, $175; berlitz.us Special offer for Budget Travel readers! Use coupon code cpn9497JC on FluencyNow.com. This coupon code is good for $5 off a session and it can be entered when purchasing. Valid through the end of September.

Briggs & Riley The Executive Traveler bag comes with a removable laptop sleeve. The bag has enough room for a long weekend. briggs-riley.com, $429 Brenthaven The Duo 15 Wheeled Case has plenty of pockets (including a padded laptop slot). But it's best for those who pack very light. brenthaven.com, $200 Solo The Rolling Laptop Overnighter has as much packing space as the Brenthaven bag above, but in a smaller overall package. solocases.com, $180 Shop Around! We're listing manufacturers' suggested prices, but vendors like ebags.com often have luggage for a lot less.

1. Apply in person? This is generally the quickest way to get a visa, but find out the rules in advance: Some consulates only accept applications until 1 P.M., and consulates rarely accept credit cards or cash (so bring a money order or cashier's check). 2. Apply by mail? Start the process at least a month before departure. Download forms from the embassy's website and include a prepaid return envelope with your submission. Also: Some consulates don't accept FedEx, UPS, or DHL. 3. Shop around When it comes to expediters, the highest price doesn't always guarantee quicker, better service. Unless otherwise stated, expediter prices--in this story or as advertised on their websites--do not include consulate fees. 4. Trust your expediter Expediter services tend to have set appointments at consulates, and will carry your application there by hand, so you don't have to worry that your passport will end up getting lost in the mail. 5. And don't forget If you need a visa, you probably also need an onward or return ticket and a passport valid for at least six months beyond the travel dates.