"Abroad Bibles," Explained

Abroad bibles are typically a PDF or Google document that is passed through, but not limited to, sororities, fraternities, sports teams, clubs and much more. They are a collection of recommendations for accommodations, transportation, sightseeing, nightlife and food in a variety of countries that past students/owners of the bible have travelled to.

We are extremely grateful here at The Edge Magazine for the travel hacks we have been tipped off to from our abroad bibles, but we want to stress the importance of not relying on them. Some of our greatest experiences were spontaneous ones.

The best restaurants are sometimes a little hole-in-the-wall, family-owned restaurant that is next to the Instagram aesthetic Mexican restaurant that was suggested on the guide… and sometimes the best vista is found from getting lost on a trail you thought would take you to the famous beach you read about on the guide. These are the moments and the places that we have found to be the most breathtaking, the ones on the road not taken. That being said, abroad bibles can direct you to great vicinities where you can then create your own unique itinerary.

For the sake of safety, it is extremely advisable to use the suggestions for transportation and accommodations on abroad bibles. Look for suggestions on what airport to fly into, what train company to take, or private car transfers telephone numbers to ease your transportation between destinations. Sometimes there are tips that can save you hundreds of dollars or three hours of unnecessary travel time.

Another section on an abroad bible that we lean on more than others is accommodations. Travel is tiring and it is always nice to have a clean and quiet place to return to at the end of the night to recharge for the next day. Reviewing the variety of suggestions of hostels, hotels and apartments is extremely helpful to get you that clean and quiet place to rest your eyes at. These places may offer taxi services to and from their location that are not advertised on their website, and the abroad bible will tip you off to that if that is the case.

A quick Google search could answer: “what are the top monuments to see in ______?,” but it cannot give you a quick easy answer on how to get tickets, how much time to carve out of your schedule and what to bring or wear. Before a trip, we scan over suggestions of top monuments to see on abroad bibles just to check off the boxes of what to not miss. The authors of the document will leave their opinions on which was their favorite and why which can guide you to decide which ones you want to see the most.

The nightlife section of abroad bibles are a blessing. Before a night out in the town, gaze over your options to see what clubs or bars are offering the music, vibe and crowd you are in the mood for. This section has helped our writers at The Edge Magazine to arrive in style!

Boutiques and department stores abroad are a few steps ahead of those in The United States, so it is something to look forward to in your travels. Do not be discouraged if an abroad bible does not have an extensive list of shopping spots for you to visit because we have found that post-lockdown in March of 2020, many of the stores on the abroad bibles have closed and new ones have opened. You can rely on this list for larger department stores where you can buy the basics such as bedding or a winter jacket or toiletries. Those stores have not moved since the lockdown.

Receiving an abroad bible is extremely exciting and makes you even more antsy to get to your destination! Every student deserves to experience this feeling, it’s like Christmas morning. So, we encourage you to keep a list on your phone of your tips and tricks around cities to share with the following generation of students. Remember, the most important thing is to lead students to the right areas and provide them with the safest experience possible.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to us @theedgemag to receive the abroad bibles we love and cherish most!