In recent years, China has become one of the most important auto markets in the world. This is why the world's car makers gathered in Shanghai to wrap up the 2014-2015 car show season. The Shanghai Auto Show offers Chinese consumers an opportunity to see the latest and greatest offerings – and the world's press has the opportunity evaluate the latest developments from China's plethora of car brands.

The 2015 Shanghai Auto Show ran from April 22-29.

Chevrolet kicked off the 2015 show in grand fashion with the debut of the FNR Concept.

The futuristic, electric, self-driving concept was designed by GM's team in Shanghai to commemorate Chevy's 10 year anniversary in China.

Chinese automakers were also out in force. Shanghai Automotive's MG brand showed off its new compact crossover, the GS.

Even before the peaceful protests over the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore exploded into destructive riots on Monday, 26-year-old amateur photographer Devin Allen felt a strong need to document what was going on in his native city.

"When I first saw the news of what happened to [Freddie Gray], I knew I was going to cover it,” Allen told Time.

So Allen took to the streets with his camera and headed right to the center of the action to capture everything in its rawest form, both good and the bad.

To get his photos out to the world as fast as possible, Allen posted his images on his Instagram account.

Within hours, his pictures went viral, shared by tens of thousands of people around the world.

Rihanna retweeted two of his photos as did many others. His account currently has 30,000 followers.

"I never thought it would get this big. My city kind of has a bad rap, but I thought if we can come together peacefully, it [would] be epic for this city, and it was my goal to capture that," he told Time.

Amid the chaos, Allen saw uplifting moments and inspiring people. And he wants the media to focus more on those glimmers of positivity, rather than just the depressing images of looting and fires.

Their neighborhood is where everything took place ... they are out cleaning their streets ... The News should be asking these guys how they feel right now," Allen captioned the below photo.

As a young black man in Baltimore, Allen says he understands the pent-up frustration behind the rioting, adding that "with all the frustration with the city, the mayor, the economy, the pot has been boiling."

It was his goal to capture all the angles, revealing things that might go unnoticed or that can give viewers a deeper understanding of what it's like on the ground.

Allen is still taking pictures and posting them on Instagram.

Be sure to follow him see what it's really like on the streets of Baltimore.

SEE ALSO: These maps show the depth of Baltimore's inequality problem

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For the more adventurous of the 1%, finding your beach can sometimes mean buying your own. 

There's an entire culture surrounding the purchase and management of private islands. Calling themselves "isolamaniacs," these people tend to be independent, intrepid travelers who aren't afraid of a challenge.

Tech billionaires like Larry Ellison and Richard Branson have plopped down millions for their own slice of paradise in Hawaii and the British Virgin Islands, respectively. 

But you don't necessarily have to be a billionaire to buy an island. Nearly a thousand islands come onto the market each year, and they vary greatly in terms of size and price — ranging from isles that cost $200,000 and measure less than an acre in Ontario to 117-acre islands that will set you back $8.5 million in the Bahamas. 

RELATED: 16 islands you can buy right now>>

Still, scooping up an island isn't something just anyone can do.

You need some extra cash, the ability to travel to exotic locations, and plenty of time to invest in a project. A healthy sense of adventure is a must. 

Got all those things? Here's how you could go about adding an island to your collection.

Picking a region

Any broker worth his salt will tell you that location should be your number one consideration.

Consider what matters most to you: Do long flights bother you? Do you want an island you can visit year round, or are you looking for a summer retreat?  Would you rather be close to the mainland or somewhere more remote? What kind of outdoor activities do you enjoy? Is the local language important to you? Do you want a sunrise or a sunset? 

"In British Columbia, for example, normal people might want an island just off the coast because it’s so crowded on the mainland," Chris Krolow, CEO of online marketplace Private Islands Inc. and host of HGTV's "Island Hunters" show, said to Business Insider. "Most of our clients do have more money than others, but not all of them are super wealthy. You have to make sure the island can do what you want it to do."

Islands can be sold in two different ways. A freehold island, which is much more common in the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, can be bought outright. In Asia and the South Pacific, however, it's more common to buy an island on a leasehold basis, which means that you're purchasing the rights to own it for a set amount of time, usually between 30 and 99 years. 

Leasehold islands are generally more moderately priced than those sold on a freehold basis, so they could be a great option if you've got your heart set on Asia.

"Fiji is an amazing place to buy," Krolow said. "It's really up and coming." 

These days, low-lying islands in the Bahamas and Belize are especially popular among the 1%.

Getting there

Buying some of the most beautiful islands on the market could require traveling long distances. You'll most likely need your own boat or helicopter to get there from the mainland. 

Guests to Branson's island, for example, can charter his 105-foot catamaran, "Necker Belle." Larry Ellison's "Musashi" yacht has been spotted in Hawaii multiple times, presumably making trips back and forth to Lanai, the island he paid $300 million to own 98% of in 2012. 

Krolow says he gets hundreds of inquiries each week, and one of the ways he narrows down the field is to ask seemingly interested buyers what kind of boat they have. 

"If they're asking questions about things like water depth, we know they're being serious," he said. "How are you going to get there without a boat?"

You also have to know if the island you're interested in could accommodate your vessel of choice, or if you'll need to do some dredging work before you can build a dock. 

Accessing the listings

Krolow's site has more than 500 islands listed, but he says there are maybe a hundred that you won't be able to find online.

"There are some owners who don’t want to publicly market their islands," he said. "Agents have access to islands that maybe no one else does."

John Estephan is a Belize-based realtor who now specializes in selling private islands. He's perhaps best known for selling Blackadore Caye to Leonardio DiCaprio for $1.75 million in 2005.

Estephan likes to take prospective clients out on his boat for the day. He charges about $200 for fuel.  

"We spend the whole day out at sea, so people can get a feel of what they can do with an island," Estephan said to Business Insider. "It truly is a lot of fun, but most people who invest in real estate in Belize have thoroughly done their research and know what they’re looking for."

Financing the purchase

Once you've decided on your island paradise, you should be prepared to pay in cash.

"You might be able to get a bank loan — usually about 60% if you can get one — in areas where the mainland has a lot of development, but banks don't typically finance private islands," Krolow said. "Banks don’t like to lend money because they have no idea how to appraise an island. If you have a business on the island, like a resort, you could go off its value, but an undeveloped island is a completeley different game."

If you're not planning to move to the island full-time, adding a rental property could alleviate some of the financial burden. 

"Even Branson rents out Necker Island," Krolow said.

Developing it 

Most islands will require some sort of construction work.

There are general infrastructure concerns — solar panels, backup generators, propane refrigerators, mobile communications — and then are more complicated projects. 

You might need to clear part of the island to make a beach, for example. Or you might need to dredge the harbor so that it can accommodate your boat.

"If you're going to develop the island, you'll need more money," Estephan said. "If you don't have the capital, you're better off buying a condo."

Generally you should allow for at least an additional $200,000 to develop an island in the Bahamas or Belize. 

But Krolow says that the typical island buyer is independent and looking for this kind of adventure. In fact, he says, islands that are already fully developed tend to be the most difficult to sell.

Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, for example, spent nine years trying to sell his 292-acre island in the San Juans of Washington. Dubbed Allan Island, it was initially listed for $25 million in 2005 but eventually sold for only $8 million in 2013.

A caretaker's log cabin already stood on the island, and Allen initially wanted to build a vacation home there. He decided he preferred a 387-acre peninsula on nearby Lopez Island. 

"Most clients want a project, not just a real estate investment," Krolow said. "The island market tends to attract people with that kind of entrepreneurial personality."

Some people who buy islands are hoping to develop them into a resort or other tourist venture. This is especially common in the Bahamas, where islands tend to be low-lying and large. 

Before you build, make sure you're clear on the legal guidelines in your area and whether any part of your island is protected because of ecological concerns.

Krolow, for example, owns a small heart-shaped island in Fiji that has a protected turtle sanctuary on one side. He's decided to turn it into an ultra-private resort that can only be occupied by one couple at a time.

"We'll do everything by helicopter, and we'll only build a villa on the opposite side of the island," he said.

Your relationship with the local population should also be a top concern. If you're not going to be spending all of your time on the island, you might need to hire a caretaker.

Krolow cites one example of an island owner in Nicaragua, where it's common to find old colonial homes guarded by a caretaker. 

"This person didn't think they needed to have one, but when they left and came back they found that people had taken everything, from the walls of the house to the picnic table out front," he said. "You have to consider, realistically, how much time you can spend there. Are the locals comfortable with you?"

READ THIS NEXT: 16 islands you can buy right now

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NOW WATCH: How Richard Branson gets fresh water on his private island

Finally get that promotion you've been dreaming of with this highly-regarded certification course.

The Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Course is a widely used management philosophy aimed at systematically eliminating defects from your organization for increased productivity.

Many executive roles require Six Sigma understanding, and this course is the fast track to getting you there.

The course comes with online access to all training materials needed to pass, basic courses with key details, and lessons on improving quality and reducing defects.

A digital certificate will be issued upon passing the exam.

Six Sigma Green Belt Certification course: $200$59[70% off]

SEE ALSO: These 6 luxury headphone sets are up to 73% off right now

SEE ALSO: These supportive running sneakers will be perfect this spring [up to 46% off]

SEE ALSO: 8 (affordable) gifts your mom actually wants for Mother's Day [up to 40% off]

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NOW WATCH: How to supercharge your iPhone in only 5 minutes

As one of the biggest world foodie destinations, New York City certainly has no shortage of great restaurants to choose from.

To find NYC's top spots, we looked at our recent list of the best restaurants in America, which combined five noteworthy lists compiled by food critics, experts, and diners. 

We singled out the restaurants based in New York City and listed them here. You can read our complete methodology here.

11. Blue Hill

Chef: Shingoon Hong
Blue Hill

10. Bâtard

Chef: Marcus Glocker
Bâtard

9. Cosme

Chef: Enrique Olvera
Cosme

Welcome to Williamsburg.

The Brooklyn neighborhood has long been known as the epicenter of world cool and shows no signs of slowing down. Property values have been skyrocketing and new stores, both local and global, are opening every day. 

This past weekend, we sent local photographer Maggie Shannon to capture some of the highlights.

We'd love to tell you to start your trip to Williamsburg by taking the L train and getting off on Bedford Avenue, the heart of the neighborhood. Unfortunately, L Train service is suspended on the weekends until May 18th. If you're coming on a Saturday or Sunday, you'll have to find another way to get here.

For many, that means a trip over the Williamsburg Bridge, via car, subway, or over its pedestrian walkway. The bridge, which opened in 1903, is one of the four toll-free bridges that connects Manhattan to Long Island.

Near the bridge is the uber-popular Marlow & Sons, owned by the same people that run Diner, an equally popular restaurant next door, Marlow & Daughters, a fantastic meat shop down the street, and many other chic establishments around the surrounding area.

The Airbus A380 Superjumbo is officially a decade old. It was originally an aircraft that Airbus presented as a true game changer, one that would bring unprecedented levels of luxury and profitability to the airline industry.

In the decade since the aircraft's maiden flight, in April 2005, 317 superjumbos have been ordered. The plane is in service with more than a dozen airlines, but demand for the behemoth in recent years has been weak. Airbus has not been able to find a new customer for the plane since 2013. This prompts the question: Has the industry left the A380 behind? How many more birthdays will it have?

On April 27, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. local time, the first Airbus A380 prototype opened up the throttles of its four massive turbofan engines.

As the superjumbo took off from Airbus' facility in Toulouse, France, the largest commercial airliner around was actually flying.

At 239 feet long, 79 feet tall, and 262 feet from wing tip to wing tip — it's a big boy!

In September, the ridiculously handsome actor George Clooney married the ridiculously beautiful lawyer Amal Alamuddin. 

Clooney was 53. Alamuddin was 36. 

According to psychology research, Alamuddin isn't alone in being drawn to older, good-looking men. 

Appropriately enough, psychologists call it the "George Clooney Effect." 

Evolutionary psychologists say that younger women and older men often pair up because while fertility only lasts from puberty to menopause in women, it starts at puberty and can extend long into midlife for many men.

The argument goes like this: There's a strategic advantage for women to nab a man who's a little bit older — he's had more time to accumulate resources than younger guys. Plus, he's probably had the chance to gain some emotional stability. 

There's another factor at work here, too. 

A 2010 study lead by Fhionna Moore at the University of Dundee in Scotland found that as women become more financially independent, their taste skews toward older — and better looking — men. 

In her study, 3,770 heterosexual Britons between ages 18 and 35 took an online survey. They reported their demographic status, financial resources, and career desires, plus their mate preferences. 

As expected, men who had more money preferred younger, more attractive female partners. But when women had more money, they desired older guys.

"We'd assumed that as women earn more, their partner preferences would actually become more like those of men, with a tendency towards preferring younger, more attractive partners rather than those who can provide and care for children," Moore said in a statement. "We think this suggests greater financial independence gives women more confidence in partner choices, and attracts them to powerful, attractive older men."

Which brings us back to George and Amal. As we've reported before, Amal Clooney is a complete boss in her own right. In 2011, she represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during his extradition case against Sweden. In 2014, she advised the Greek government in its attempt to bring the Elgin Marbles from the UK.

She's a powerhouse, a person who could basically have her pick among men the world over. 

So, naturally, she ended up with Clooney — twice-named the Sexiest Man Alive. 

SEE ALSO: 9 science-backed ways men can appear more attractive to women

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Fogo de Chao's massive midtown Manhattan restaurant is a temple to barbecued meat.

I was dying to try the all-you-can-eat steakhouse, which recently filed an IPO, after declaring it was "set to take over America." I stand by that statement after last night.

Of the 35 locations in which Fogo is already open, Manhattan is by far the most competitive restaurant market in the country. But the loud, vibrant dining room across the street from the Museum of Modern Art fit right in. It was packed and oozed energy even on a Tuesday night. Large parties far outnumbered couples and families.

The three-level restaurant has bars on the two top floors, both of which were nearly empty, and a dining room on the bottom floor that is dominated by a salad bar Fogo calls the Market Table. Fogo claimed in it’s IPO filing that profit margins are higher than other restaurants because food and labor costs are kept low.

The Market Table is the key to the restaurant’s profitability. It is also where our waiter insisted we start our meal. I preferred to start with a beer but then soon moved on to the salad bar.

A team of about three people appeared to be keeping the massive Market Table, which dominates the large dining room, stocked while a steady stream of customers helped themselves to dozens of fresh vegetables, salads and cold meats and cheeses.

I noticed people tend to not plan ahead, fill up on the salad bar and not have enough room for more than a few helpings of meat. Not me, though, I've seen this movie before. I took it easy on the Market Table. As salad bars go, it wasn't too bad except for the rice and beans. Even a sprinkling of salt would have made a difference there.

But, I got over my disappointment quickly after flipping my coaster to the green side — which lets the staff of about half a dozen table-side carvers know I'm hungry.

Now for the reason everyone is here. Each variety of meat looked amazing when brought over on the skewer and sliced at the table. The final product, though, was a mixed bag.

Both varieties of filet mignon were predictably delicious. So was the Picanha top sirloin, which they say is their signature cut. Juicy, full of flavor, and perfectly cooked. We had multiple helpings of each.

The Alcatra top sirloin was also good, but the steak asado was little more than a lump off gristle. The dried out, over salted pork ribs were also a disappointment.

A steady stream of servers kept bringing cuts of meat to out table and asking if we wanted more. After a quick breather, we were back in it to win it.

Both the lamb chops and leg of lamb were also delicious. Juicy, flavorful and perfectly cooked. The optional mint jelly was not even necessary. 

The bacon-wrapped chicken (too salty) and chicken thighs (tasted like a bottle of wine, in a bad way) lacked imagination. Another server quickly took them away as more meat came to the table.

Both the pork loin and sausage, also cooked over an open flame, were missing in action.  

After more than a dozen helping of meat and multiple trips to the salad bar, we somehow had room for dessert.

Among the choices provided — multiple cheesecakes, pies, ice cream, creme brûlée, flan and a papaya cream concoction — only the latter three were made fresh on a daily basis.

Despite being told the papaya cream (a milkshake) was their signature dessert, we went with the creme brûlée and flan. We regretted not going with the papaya cream. 

As I said before, the dinner was a reasonably-priced mixed bag. Mostly good but not life-changing. However, you can’t go wrong with all-you-can-eat meat. 

One couple nearby celebrated a birthday as another played with their young daughter. The atmosphere was upscale but family friendly.

Fogo de Chao is far from unique but has no other Brazilian steakhouses to compete with at the scale it is planning. With plans to open another 100 restaurants, chances are you'll find yourself in one in the future.

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NOW WATCH: Here's How To Order Wine In A Restaurant Without Paying Through The Nose

With another NCAA Tournament win in the books, it's an exciting time to be at Duke University.

But basketball isn't the only area where Duke students excel. From fighting against discrimination to sending time capsules into space to finding a quicker way to detect cancer, Duke students go above and beyond in all they do.

We tracked down 18 outstanding undergrads with help from the school's communications office and through recommendations from current students.

Arun Karottu and Shelly Li found a safer way to recycle electronic equipment.

Class of 2015

Arun Karottu and Shelly Li started an electronic waste recycling company called Smart Metals Recycling after seeing how many electronics were thrown out at Duke at the end of each year. These electronics end up in landfills and harm the environment.

Smart Metals recycles old electronics by recovering reusable metals and plastics from devices and putting them back into the production cycle. The company handles over 100,000 pounds of electronic waste a day, and generates over $6 million in annual revenue.

Previously, Karottu, the vice president of sales, also founded a medical device company that helps health care professionals perform certain tasks — like checking charts and accessing files — hands-free. Li, the president, is also a published sci-fi author.

When they graduate, the two seniors plan to build a refurbishing side to their operations and work on larger-scale projects, like decommissioning a power plant to find valuable parts to reuse and recycle.

Brittany Wenger invented a more accurate test to diagnose breast cancer.

Class of 2017

Brittany Wenger developed cloud4cancer, a cloud-based artificial neural network that diagnoses breast cancer. Cloud4cancer uses a computer program that analyzes breast cancer diagnostic data to detect and recognize patterns in malignant tissue. The program is 99.1% sensitive to malignancy.

Wenger is now taking this invention, which won the grand prize at the 2012 Google Science Fair, to the next level. This past fall she founded the Cloud For Cancer Foundation to further the use of the cloud in cancer research.

Wenger, who was named one of TIME magazine’s 30 under 30, has presented her research to the Royal Society of Medicine and Clinton Global Initiative University.

While only a sophomore, Wenger plans on pursuing an MD/PhD when she graduates with the ultimate goal of becoming a pediatric oncologist.

Charlotte Lee taught sex ed in public schools in Kenya.

Class of 2015

Charlotte Lee worked in rural Kenya training local research assistants and teaching sex education in public schools. One in three people in Muhuru Bay, Kenya, are HIV positive, and Lee taught a curriculum that included hard facts, contraceptive methods, and helping students envision their futures without unplanned pregnancies or STDs.

Lee is a public health advocate in multiple spheres: She also served as a research associate in the Peruvian Amazon studying the health effects of mercury related to artisanal gold mining, and coordinated the first-ever New York City Hepatitis B Awareness Week with New York City Council. 

After graduation, Lee will spend the next year as a Luce Scholar with the Henry Luce Foundation doing global health work, most likely in Thailand, looking at diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B, which affect maternal and child health. She eventually plans to become an OB/GYN.

When you sync your Apple Watch and start using it for the first time, you might notice a ton of alerts and notifications from pretty much every app on your iPhone. That sounds pretty annoying. Find out how you can mute your Apple Watch and only get alerts from the apps that matter to you.

Produced by Will Wei. Additional camera by Joe Avella.

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Children who grow up with one or both parents in the military and spend time on or around bases — otherwise known as military brats — get used to things that seem weird to everyone else.

Since I was born at William Beaumont Army Hospital on Fort Bliss, Texas, with years spent there and subsequent deployments to Kaiserslautern, Germany and Osan, South Korea, I've become very familiar with this lifestyle.

In honor of Month of the Military Child, here are some tell-tale signs you were a member of a military family:

1. Your pantry was always stocked with rations.

The self-contained, individual ration called Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is a typical military family household commodity. MREs contain a main course, side dish, bread, dessert, and a flameless ration heater. These instant dishes, like "beef ravioli in meat sauce" and "pork chop formed in Jamaican style sauce with noodles," are designed to give service members in the field well-balanced meals. Sometimes a packed lunch was an MRE shoved into your backpack.

2. You learned the phonetic alphabet along with your ABCs

The phonetic alphabet is a list of specified words used to identify letters in a message transmitted by phone or radio.

For example, the word "Army" would be "Alpha Romeo Mike Yankee" when spelled using the phonetic alphabet.

Just like the military, you also refer to countless things with acronyms. Military slang and acronyms are tossed around in conversations with ease and as a child you learn to pick them up quickly. For instance, no one ever explained the meaning of "Hooah" (pronounced WhoAh) to you but you knew that it was short for "Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged."

3. Along with a school ID, you had a military ID.

Military ID cards are golden tickets and misplacing one meant perpetually waiting with a sponsor in a small ID card office. The khaki-colored "identification and privilege card" is the key to a military base and all of its goodies — gym, commissary (grocery store), swimming pool, etc. 

4. Your church had an American flag inside it.

No different from an American flag hanging inside of a school classroom, America's Stars and Stripes are also recognized inside military installation chapels. 

These chapels are designed to be convertible in order to accommodate various religious beliefs of service members. For example, the chapel may offer a Catholic Mass at 8 a.m. and then a Protestant service at 11 a.m. 

Service ended with singing "God Bless America" or "America the Beautiful." Also, the priest was referred to as chaplain.

5. Calling everyone by last names seems normal.

It is almost as if this behavior is innate, because remarkably, military brats quickly begin to refer to anyone by their last name. That is because troops refer to each other by their last name, a practice originating from their training in boot camp. 

Calling an adult "ma'am" or "sir" is another natural mannerism.

6. At “colors” you drop everything and look for an American flag.

The flag is raised briskly and lowered slowly on American military bases every morning and evening while a patriotic song is played through a loudspeaker, usually "To the Color" or the National Anthem, depending on the base. 

This time is referred to as "Colors." Military personnel are required to stop, face the direction of the base flagpole, stand at attention, and render a salute until the music stops.

Moreover, you're used to singing the national anthem everywhere, even in movie theaters after the previews finish.

7. You are a bit of a perfectionist, especially in your appearance.

Appearance represents a form of self-discipline, and in the armed forces, it is a requirement that a soldier is neat and well-groomed when in uniform.

Leaders ensure that personnel under their command present a conservative military image.

Similarly, this practice was echoed into your childhood and that meant you didn't get to sport a trendy haircut, loud fingernail polish, or an untucked shirt. 

8. People ask you where you grew up and it takes you five minutes to answer.

Not having one permanent home for more than five years can make for a lengthy response to the question, "Where are you from?" Living in different states and sometimes foreign countries makes, "I'm from all over" the simplest answer. 

That is because military families don't have much of a say as to where they go. Some families luck out and get amazing placements to installations like the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay, with sailing and surfing classes at the on-base marina and ample views of paradise.

9. Your doctor wears combat boots.

Service members and their families largely use the hospitals and clinics on base as their primary care providers, and those clinics are staffed with military doctors and medics.

A far cry though from the white lab coat with the cold stethoscope, many of these health care providers have seen the worst of the worst. 

10. You had holiday dinners in a chow hall.

Instead of heading over to grandma's house, military families often go to a dining facility for a cafeteria-style Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. 

This is either because travel is too difficult or expensive, or because the family lives on an installation in a foreign country. 

11. Your chores were mandatory.

Mom never had to come in and make your bed because every morning before school it was your responsibility. Failing a parent-conducted room inspection resulted in more chores or pushups. So you learned how to do things the "right way" quickly.

12. If you aren't 15 minutes early, you're late.

Being "tardy" doesn't exist in the military world. You were early to school, doctor's appointments, ceremonies, and parties — no exceptions. 

13. You have immediate respect for anyone in uniform.

Respect for individuals serving in the armed forces is strongly encouraged in military family upbringings. Possibly because you catch a glimpse of your personal experiences as a military brat, and that kind of relation isn't possible with civilians.

I always look twice when a young troop is in an airport terminal — not because of the enormous rucksack, but to figure out if they're heading home, to an overseas deployment, or to a combat zone.

SEE ALSO: 31 Phrases That Only People In The Military Will Understand

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NOW WATCH: We went inside a secret basement under Grand Central that was one of the biggest World War II targets

I spent the spring semester of my junior year of college studying in Freiburg, Germany.

A couple months into my semester, I booked a 10-day trip to Spain and Portugal — five days in Spain with a friend of mine, and five days in Portugal alone.

Then the friend who was supposed to come to Spain with me told me she couldn't go anymore.

It was a last minute drop-out, so by that point I had already booked my flight and made my hotel — actually hostel — reservations.

I wasn't about to lose all the money — and not to mention time — I had put into planning and booking my trip.

So I made the decision to go on a 10-day trip with just me, myself, and I.

I will admit I had a fair amount of previous travel experience, having lived in Zurich, Switzerland, for five years when I was younger. But all of that travel was with other people: my family, my friends, my classmates and teachers.

This was the first trip I went on where I was truly on my own.

And I'm really glad I did it.

Here's why I highly recommend taking a solo trip at some point in your life.

You get to see the things you want to see.

If you've ever been on a trip with friends, you know it's rare that everyone wants to see and do the same things. You only have so much time, so compromises need to be made, and sometimes your activities get pushed to the wayside. There's also the chance that the friends you travel with aren't the most motivated of travelers, and you may end up spending the whole trip lounging at the beach when you really wanted to do some sight-seeing.

When you travel alone, you're in charge. That means you can plan your days however you want, and not have to worry about compromising and making sacrifices. When I was in Malaga for example, I decided to take a day trip to Granada, and I took a 6am bus in order to make it to the Alhambra on time for my tour. Chances are, a lot of my friends wouldn't have been up for doing that, but I was, and it was more than worth it.

You get to know the area you're traveling to better.

Much to my father's dismay, I can't read a map to save my life. So when I travel with others, I always leave the directions part up to them. But when I was in two countries where I didn't speak the language and didn't have a travel buddy, it was up to me to figure out the lay of the land. I can't say I always took the most direct route to get where I was going, but I can say that I figured out the route mostly on my own — save for consulting a few locals in English (in Portugal) or in very broken Spanish (in Spain).

I'll never forget the little old Spanish ladies who helped me on my bus ride from the Malaga airport to my hostel. They spoke no English, but they started giving me pointers the minute they saw me pull out a map.

By the time I left both Spain and Portugal, I could make my way around much better than I had when I arrived – and that was a really rewarding feeling.

You're more likely to meet new friends and experience the local culture.

Traveling with people you know creates a comfort zone that can be hard to get out of. Why try to meet new friends if you're already surrounded by your existing friends? The people you're with can also block you — not intentionally — from really delving into the culture of the place you're visiting because it's so easy to get caught up in your travel companions instead of getting caught up in the actual travel experience.

Throughout my trip, I interacted with multiple people, locals and tourists alike, that I probably wouldn't have interacted with had I not been traveling alone. My hostels, the Flamenco dance show I went to, the tours I went on, and the restaurants I ate at were just a few of the places I met new people.

You're more careful about what you spend.

Travel is expensive. When I used to travel with my family, my parents covered all the expenses, so I never really thought twice about costs. When you travel with friends, it's easy to succumb to peer pressure and just spend money on what your fellow travelers are spending money on. But when you're alone and you're paying for travel expenses out of your own pocket, you become much more aware of how much you spend and where you're spending it. This is why I stayed in hostels — clean ones, but still hostels — throughout my whole trip.

It makes you realize that doing things alone is okay.

Yes, dining out solo or visiting sights by yourself can seem weird or awkward at first, but the more you do it, the more you realize it's just not that big of deal. In fact, it can be really nice because sometimes you just don't feel like talking to other people. And if you're really nervous about the whole solo idea, what better place to try it out than somewhere you're not likely to run into people you know?

You take more ownership for the trip, and feel more accomplished after taking it.

By the time I arrived back in Freiburg after 10 days of solo travel, I was more than ready for some quality time with people I knew who spoke my language. But I also felt a strong sense of pride for having organized a whole trip by myself, planning multiple cultural activities, and making it back in one piece.

When you travel solo, your trip is 100% in your hands, which can be stressful at times, but when it turns out to be a successful trip, you can thank yourself for it.

SEE ALSO: I lived in Europe for 5 years — these are the places I tell all my friends to visit

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NOW WATCH: Beautiful drone video of epic trip across South America

Over the past several days, the streets of Baltimore have erupted into chaos. Riots were sparked by anger over the recent death of Freddie Gray, who suffered a fatal spine injury while in police custody, but the seeds of that anger were sown long ago.

As Baltimore City Councilman Nick Mosby told Fox News on Tuesday, the protests are about the "social economics of poor, urban America."

Mosby described those protesting in the community as "showing decades old of anger, frustration for a system that's failed them."

AP photographer Patrick Semansky captured the poverty-stricken state of the Baltimore's poorest neighborhoods in a photo essay in 2013. It seems especially relevant today.

Baltimore has lost nearly a third of its population since its peak of about 950,000 residents in the 1950s. Here, two young men walk through a neighborhood of vacant row houses.

More than 30,000 people in Baltimore experience homeless in a given year. Some choose shelters; other become squatters on abandoned properties. In the picture below, two homeless men eat ice cream cones across the street from a block of vacant row houses.

Source: Health Care For The Homeless

A homeless man displays a pin that holds his jaw together; he said he received it after being beaten and robbed while sleeping in the vacant row house seen behind him.

We took the 2014 Ferrari F12berlinetta for a test drive in the beautiful Connecticut countryside.

For a unique perspective, we attached GoPro cameras to various parts of the car.

Produced by Graham Flanagan

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For many people, buying a private island hideaway is the ultimate dream.

Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, and Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson are just a few of the billionaires who have added private islands to their extensive real estate portfolios.

But you don't necessarily have to be a billionaire to buy an island. Nearly a thousand islands come onto the market each year, and they vary greatly in terms of size and price. 

With the help of island marketplace Private Islands Inc., we've found a few that you can buy right now.

Jewel Caye, a two-acre island in Belize, is on the market for $3.15 million. It comes with two houses (one at each end of the island), a duplex for guests, and a wide pier set up with a dining room and bar.

See the listing »

Over in the South Pacific, uninhabited Macuata Island will set you back $2.85 million. It's being sold on a freehold basis, which mean that the whole thing can be yours outright.

See the listing »

For only $400,000 you can buy the quarter-acre Isla Paloma on the northern side of Panama. It comes with a two-bedroom house, and, according to the listing, "no snakes or spiders."

See the listing »

Diego "Quas" Ruiz, 23, plays video games professionally for Team Liquid, where he specializes in League of Legends — the world's most popular competitive game.

He also spends a chunk of time promoting products like Red Bull, HTC, and Alienware. 

Ruiz competes in the League Championship Series (LCS), the top professional league in North America, earning between $60,000 and $100,000 per year from his base salary, product sponsorships, and revenue from streaming on live-steaming video platform Twitch.

When Ruiz was trying out for pro teams two years ago, he thought he knew what to expect from the lifestyle. He knew about the 60+ hours a week he'd be working, and that he'd be living in a cramped apartment with five other players. He even knew he'd have hundreds of thousands of adoring fans.

There was one thing he didn’t expect, however.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect how much sponsorship work that I would have to do,” Ruiz told Business Insider.

Unlike traditional sports, pro gaming is "highly dependent" on a handful of sponsors, according to Team Liquid co-owner Steve Arhancet. Pro gaming teams can’t sell tickets to tournaments or earn money through broadcasting rights of their matches. In the case of League of Legends, those broadcasting rights go to Riot Games, which publishes and maintains the game.

Sponsorships pay many of the bills, funding everything from housing to salaries and gaming equipment. 

Sponsorship work adds up to 10 to 15 hours of extra work per week, according to Ruiz. That includes playing video games live on a brand’s Twitch channel, filming promotional videos, doing special events, or having lunch or dinner with a sponsor. That might not sound like a lot. But consider that most players already practice up to 12 hours per day, six or even seven days a week.

Ruiz isn't against sponsor work per se, and he described some of the experiences as “amazing." But it can have a detrimental impact on the team, he says.

“The sponsors pay for everything,” Ruiz said. “You have to do extra work and sometimes that cuts into your practice time and whatever else you want to do. It compromises your success … It’s something you have to get used to.”

One recent morning in March, for example, Ruiz and the team had to travel to Red Bull’s headquarters in nearby west Los Angeles to play video games live on Twitch for six hours early in the morning. The sponsorship gig left them too exhausted to practice afterward, which wasn't good since they were struggling to make the playoffs at the time.

Finding a winning formula

Despite these drawbacks, sponsorships are a necessary evil. Team Liquid wouldn't be able to pay for the team's Santa Monica apartment or the nearby office space where they train if it weren't for their sponsorships.

“There’s a balance that you have to achieve between having enough money and providing the right resources for your players to stay competitive,” Team Liquid co-owner Steve Arhancet told Business Insider.

“That is funded by sponsors who support what we are doing. At the same time, winning drives sponsorships. You have to find this recipe for success," he added. "I’ve been trying to figure out [the recipe] for the last five years and I haven’t gotten it right yet.”

Sponsorships haven't always been this important. Just a few years ago, players took a "part-time" attitude to the pursuit because many went to school or had a day job. Recently, though, sponsorships have furnished gaming teams with the cash to make playing video games a bona fide profession.

What sponsors get in return

When pro-gaming was relatively niche, sponsors consisted of companies with deep roots in the gaming community, like gaming marketplace G2A. Now the industry is expanding, with last year's League of Legends World Finals netting a total viewership of 32 million people.

That big audience — much of which consists of people in their 20s — has enticed big-name companies like HTC, Nissan, Coca Cola, and American Express to enter the pro-gaming space.

“Outside of sports on TV, which is the only thing people watch live any more, eSports is the best way to reach Millennials,” Russell Schwartz, the former president of theatrical marketing at Relativity EuropaCorp, told Fortune in 2014.

“It’s a live experience that people can interact with online," he added. "It’s not that it’s a huge business yet, but it’s getting there. Television is so elusive these days, but with eSports we know it’s where male gamers 14 to 35 are watching.”

Team sponsorship doesn't always look like traditional advertising. Team Liquid often produces videos along with their sponsors, including a "Team Liquid Reacts" series sponsored by Alienware, a tour of their house sponsored by HyperX, an unboxing video series sponsored by Lootcrate, and a documentary series on the team called Rebirth and sponsored by HTC.

These videos feature "product placement"-style marketing, folding the names of products into the footage. 

• The "Reacts" videos feature Team Liquid players watching League of Legends games on a prominently featured Alienware laptop.
• A December Lootcrate video shows players Alex "Xpecial" Chu and Kim “Fenix” JaeHoon opening Christmas presents from Lootcrate boxes.
• A recent episode of "Rebirth" saw Team Liquid players and Arhancet traveling up to San Francisco to try out HTC’s new RE Vive virtual reality headset.
• Team Liquid’s partnership with Red Bull features the team playing League of Legends live in the Red Bull studio and goofing off in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers online.

It can feel like cognitive dissonance at times. The players seem authentic in real life but that's not always true in the videos.

“A lot of [what comes off as authentic or not] depends on the product or service being mentioned, how creative the campaign is, and how integrated it is into the space," Arhancet explained. "It comes down to execution. Sometimes they are successful. Sometimes they are not.”

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NOW WATCH: Millions Of People Watch These 3 Guys In Florida Play Video Games For A Living

What would you do if a random girl approached you on the street and asked if you wanted to have sex?

According to a new social experiment by the crew at YouTube entertainment and comedy channel "whatever," the majority of men would answer 'No.' 

Andrea Wendel— a 20-year-old student and YouTube star from Santa Barbara — was paid to appear in the viral video, which was produced by "whatever" channel creator Brian Atlas. 

The pair walked around Santa Barbara’s Isla Vista neighborhood with Wendel approaching men on the street and asking “Hey, do you want to have sex with me?” while Atlas filmed nearby with a hidden camera.

They tried to approach only men who were alone so that the responses wouldn’t be influenced by a group reaction.

Of the 100 men featured in the video, 30 agreed to have sex with her while 70 declined. Atlas told Business Insider that Wendel was more successful when she was wearing the black shirt versus the white shirt. 

And the responses weren't merely a yes or no, but ranged from the disgusted to a resounding and excited “I’m down!" 

There were also a few instances where the men were concerned about Wendel and questioned why she was going around asking the question in the first place.

After they had answered her question, Wendel would then tell the men that it was a part of a social experiment and ask if they were willing to sign a release.

“Nearly all of them laughed,” Atlas said of the men’s responses. “You know, when you are put into an awkward or strange situation and then we say, ‘Hey, we're filming a video/prank/joke, there's a camera over there’ nearly everyone laughs, they are now in on it, and are excited to be included in a video.”

Atlas told Business Insider that they also remained conscious of Wendel’s safety throughout filming the video, and there were no scary situations that arose during the seven days of filming.

“I am concerned with everyone's safety on a shoot,” Atlas told us. “We were predominantly filming in a laid back college community, in open daylight, in public. Doing pranks, interacting with people, there is of course some level of uncertainty in how other people are going to respond — but for the most part we know how to de-escalate situations if they get tense."

The pair had previously shot a similar video back in 2013, which ended up being a bust after both Wendel and Atlas had the cops called on them. But because the video still performed so well, Atlas wanted to try again.

The biggest problem during the shoot, however, was that Wendel kept getting recognized. The pair even made a separate video about the men telling Wendel they knew who she was and looking for the hidden camera.

“We had to cut out some clips because of various issues, the majority being guys who recognize her,” Atlas explained. “Then we maybe had a few shots where the camera was blocked or the audio was bad.”

Because of this, two of the reaction shots from the new video were of Wendel back in the earlier 2013 video. There were also six other shots inserted from 2014 when the pair were filming outside of Caeasar’s Palace in Las Vegas. You can see the difference in her hair:

They’ve done this before, too, with Atlas going around and asking women if they would have sex with him. In one video, zero out of 100 women said yes. In another similar video, two out of 200 women said yes.

As for the purpose of the series, Atlas told Business Insider it’s purely for entertainment value. 

“I wanted to make something interesting and entertaining to watch,” he told us. “I do think it's really interesting to see how men and women respond differently, but we don't make any conclusions in the video about this, it's left up to the viewer to make up his or her own mind.”

SEE ALSO: A college math professor brilliantly pranked his students and won the internet

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NOW WATCH: Disturbing Video Of A Woman Walking In NYC Shows The Prevalence Of Street Harassment

Tucked on the edge of the Manhattan's West Village, hidden along the West Side Highway and Hudson River Greenway is 165 Perry St.

On top of that building, is a ginormous apartment which legendary Realtor Dolly Lenz calls "one of the most magnificent penthouse homes in New York City" in her listing.

The five bedroom, four bathroom duplex penthouse is on the market for nearly $40 million.

Its 11,000 square feet of space is packed with amenities, including glass floors and a 3,000-square-foot, 7-car garage. A fireplace sits in the double-height living room, which opens up to a huge dual-level terrace that's perfect for entertaining.

The master's suite has a fireplace, as well. And windowed walk-in closets. And a steam room in the en-suite bathroom.

But there's more. The listing goes on to mention a library, home office, formal dining room, eat-in chef's kitchen, a full prep kitchen, and walk-in pantry, to round out the luxurious amenities.

Curbed notes that the property last hit the market as a rental in 2012 for $80,000 a month.

SEE ALSO: 13 ingenious real-estate tips from Zillow’s CEO

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NOW WATCH: This NYC bank-turned-mansion bought by a photographer for $102,000 just sold for $55 million

Every year Wealth-X, an international wealth intelligence firm, releases its list of the wealthiest person in every state. 

The list is mostly made up of multibillionaires, including Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Larry Ellison. However, there are nine states with no billionaire residents, including Utah, New Mexico, Mississippi, South Dakota, Maine, Delaware, Hawaii, Alaska, and Wyoming.

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NOW WATCH: Tony Robbins shares 5 keys to getting rich