Why foreigners like our country more than we do?

The previous posts were about events held in Africa. I don't know much about the culture, but now I am very interested in going there, specially after watching the video.
Thanks to Taptrip,  I could make friends in many countries and I can count on them if I need someone to introduce me the place. This year I've been in France and a brazilian friend took me to hang out in Paris. In Japan a chinese friend went with me to show the shopping area of Tokyo. And both looked more excited than in telling me things about each country people from there. Then, we think: why foreigners like our country more than we do?

This is me with friends. We are all foreigners who love Japan.

According to Ana Gasparoto, Taptripper and student of Tourism in the University of Sao Paulo, people interested in some other country can fall in love for its culture, maybe much more than locals. 
"In Brazil I've met two argentinians who decided to open a youth hostel in Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte. I think both know the city much better than any person who was born and raised in there. (...) After all, outsiders can see things that insiders cannot see." - she said.

And this is me with foreigner friends who live in Brazil and love it much more than I do.

So, maybe I will not be surprised if, after landing in Africa, a russian takes me to have a walk around. Have you also introduced another country to someone or had an outsider who did that for you? So, share your story in the comments! 
Download Taptrip App and make friends in more than 200 countries worldwide!
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Why do you travel?

During childhood I used to say that didn`t like to travel. Of course going somewhere new with the only purpose of having fun is amazing, but I was too lazy to organize backpack / suitcase, run to take the flight / bus and spend a lot of money on it. 

Of course that time my parents paid all the expenses, but it changed when I grew up. I prefered to use my salary to buy things that could last more like cloths, magazines, games than just memories and pictures of short funny days.
I was born in Rio de Janeiro, one of the most touristic destinies of the world. So, was not unsual to have a walk and see a lot of foreigners visiting the city for a couple of days. Some of them had money and time to spend on trips, but I met a japanese who quote his job to travel during one month and two argentinians who used to work a lot and use all the money to spend one week in Rio every two years. And I still asked myself why. Why do they make so much effort for it? Why do they travel?
I started to ask everyone, but answers like "to have fun" or "to know somewhere new" didn´t convince me at all. But, then a friend gave me a very good answer that opened my eyes, he said: "I travel to know the planet where I live". Some years after another friend complemented and said: "World is too big and life is too short to live always in the same place".
Those two phrases were enough to motivate me to go everywhere I can while I am still alive in this world. Unfortunately, some people cannot do the same because they don´t have enough time or money. But, they can still use Taptrip to make virtual trips around the world and make friends in many countries. That`s why I like this app so much.

Life is too short, so enjoy it! Download Taptrip and make friends in this so big world! Download Taptrip App and make friends in more than 200 countries worldwide!
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Reviews of Taptrip are released in websites about Android and iOS.

Taptrip's mission is breaking the barriers of languages and distance to promote the integration of people in the whole world. For this reason we want many people to use Taptrip and hope this blog also help them to see how interesting and fun this app is.
Currently, websites have reviewed for Taptrip to clarify new users how they can enjoy the virtual trips and make friends worldwide. Here there are some main reviews from sites in many countries.

1) Universiando (Global) explains the purpose of Taptrip. Taptrip is a mobile app which allows you to make virtual trips. This is a social network which you can meet people from many countries, exchange messages and talk about their cultures.
Translated from spanish. Source: http://www.universiando.com/contenido/detalle_vacilate.php?id=9023
2) Superdownloads (Brazil) points in which areas users can make virtual trips.
With Taptrip is possible to travel through seven different areas: Asia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania.
Translated from portuguese. Source: http://www.superdownloads.com.br/download/27/taptrip/ 3) Aplicaciones Android (Spain) explains how to communicate with foreigners.
We can talk to people in our native language without problems because the app translates automatically the message, the same happens when someone chats with us.
Translated from spanish. Source: http://www.aplicaciones-android.org/habla-gratis-con-gente-de-todo-el-mundo-gracias-a-taptrip/ 4) App Review Central (USA) explains how useful Taptrip is.
I can see the potential of this app being helpful to students who might be studying International Relations and globetrotters who may want to know about the country they are traveling to from a local resident. With this app, you will have the ability to travel from Australia to Zanzibar from the comfort of your own couch
Original in english. Source: http://www.appreviewcentral.net/2013/09/18/taptrip-android-app-review/
5) Androwire (Japan) shows testimonials of three users from different countries.
"I live in the Philippines, but made ​​friends with Japanese, you can hear about anime and samurai, ninja, geisha..."
"I am from Chile and was able to make friends in Spain. We could talk about music, football and the cuisine of Spain."
"I am backpacking around the world now, so was able to actually meet in person my friends from South Africa, Morocco and Tanzania. The next plan is going to South America."
Translated from japanese. Source: http://androwire.jp/apps/com.taptrip/Taptrip/
With these reviews you can understand much more about Taptrip's mission and functionality. If you use Android, you can download it on Google Play. If you use iOS, you can download it on App Store.  If you still cannot take a flight to your dream destination, enjoy the virtual trips of Taptrip! 
Download Taptrip App and make friends in more than 200 countries worldwide!
Download Android Version on Google Play!

Download iPhone Version on App Store!

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Foreigners as guides of your country: is that really unusual?

Salvador, Bahia, one of the most famous tourist destinations of Brazil. My parents went to watch a presentation of Olodum, an afro-brazilian music group which became popular in the whole world after making a video clip with Michael Jackson. After watching the show, my parents were attended by a guide who was going to tell them more details about afro-brazilian culture. They were expecting to meet someone local, but surprisingly the guide was from Netherlands and spoke a very good portuguese.

For some people it may be strange to have the own country introduced by a foreigner, but for other people it's not that unusual. According to Ana Gasparotto, student  of Tourism in University of São Paulo, ''people interested in knowing more about other country can end loving it''. 

For her, there are many reasons why a foreigner decides to be the guide of some other country, like: the opportunity to show the country from other point of view, having a public excited to hear his / her stories or even giving something back to the country which welcomed him / her very well. 

Mariano Copes is one of them. He is from Argentina, but has been living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for four years. According to him, the local geography can be the main influence when someone decides to live somewhere abroad. His cousin, for example, went to United States to be a temporary ski instructor, but liked it so much that decided to stay and guide people who go there to practice this sport.

So, you don't need to be a native to be a guide of somewhere. You only need to like, have a good knowledge and interest about the place. 

Are you currently living abroad and would like to show how much you admire the country where you are staying in? You can be a guide in Taptrip and show it to the whole world! Many people are looking foward to read your stories too. 


Download Taptrip App and make friends in more than 200 countries worldwide!
Download Android Version on Google Play!

Download iPhone Version on App Store!

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Bus Tour: the best way to enjoy a destination!

Paris, one of the biggest travel destination of the world. The first time I was in there, had no much time to visit everything, but a friend of mine took me to many places as the Eifel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees. If she had no time to go there with me, another option would be taking a bus tour (like the one in the picture).

Have you already joined those tours? They are very nice! For a cheap price (at least cheaper than a regular tour), the bus takes you and other travelers to the main tourist attractions while the guide tells you more about the city. 

It's a good oportunity to meet people and make new friends (especially if you are traveling alone) and learn more about the destination. I joined a bus tour in Japan which was great, but maybe I missed part of the fun because the guide and the travelers only spoke in japanese and was hard to understand everything.

Anyway, it was fun and now I am joining a tour to Dominican Republic, with a small diference: it's online.

The red bus from Paris and the red bus from Taptrip are also very similar, right?

Via Taptrip App we can join virtual tours to many countries and they are very similar to the regular tours described above: there is a virtual bus and a local guide who uploads pictures and information about the place while the travelers can chat and know each other. 

The app has an automatic translator, so even if the guide and the travelers speak a language different of ours, we can all understand each other. 

So, next time you go abroad, join a bus tour. And next time you use your cell phone, join Taptrip. You will have much fun!


Download Taptrip App and make friends in more than 200 countries worldwide!
Download Android Version on Google Play!

Download iPhone Version on App Store!

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A tour in Jericoacoara, Brazil: who will save the princess from the golden city?

Jericoacoara is located in the northeast of Brazil, South America, and it’s famous for the awesome beaches which attract many tourists, especially during the summer. But, what some people do not know is: there is a magical legend about Jericoacoara.

According to it, a princess lives in a golden city inside of a grotto. But there is a wall which obstructs her to leave that place. Furthermore, she was transformed in a monster which is half woman, half snake and awaits for a brave man who rescues her from there. When it happens, she will be transformed into a beautiful princess again, will marry this man and they will live in a golden palace forever.

Maybe you do not find this story in many guidebooks, but was easily found in a virtual tour from Taptrip!

And you can also enjoy Taptrip app as a guide or a traveler. If you decide to be a guide, you can make a virtual trip introduce your country to other users from the whole world, upload pictures and tell interesting stories as this legend from Jericoacoara in Brazil. If you decide to be a traveler, then you can enjoy virtual trips promoted by other guides.

Unfortunately this tour was finished and seems the princess was not rescued yet. But, don’t worry. Surely other tours to Brazil will be made soon, then you can join it and check more pictures and interesting stories.


Download Taptrip App and make friends in more than 200 countries worldwide!
Download Android Version on Google Play!

Download iPhone Version on App Store!

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