With airfare rising more than 10% in the past five years and hotel rooms going for exorbitant prices, conventional tourism has become more challenging to do affordably.

But what if you could travel and not spend a dime? What if you could even get paid?

Many would jump at the opportunity to experience new cultures, traverse through beautiful landscapes, and satisfy their insatiable wanderlust. 

We’ve compiled 12 ways for just about anyone to get their golden ticket to spending weeks, or years, in exotic lands while earning some cash. 

1. Become A Tour Guide

Leading tours through some of the world's most iconic and historic places sounds like a dream come true. It can offer tons of variety, depending on how you approach it. Do you become a tour guide in one dream place — say, Paris! — and lead hordes of American tourists through the Louvre, the Bastille, and the Eiffel Tower? Or do you lead groups on longer trips that go through a series of destinations? 

Either one can be a solid way to make a living and see new cultures. There are a few cons, though. Guides who stay in one location will likely be working freelance, which may mean uneven paydays and a lack of job security. Some guides give free tours and try to use their personalities to get tips from generous tourists.

Longer-term guides may be lucky enough to get a contract or a full-time gig from a touring company, which adds stability but means they will be the one dealing with all the logistics, planning, and headaches that come with trying to manage a group of cranky tourists for weeks at a time. 

Be prepared to be extroverted and friendly at all times, even when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

2. Go WWOOF'ing

WWOOF, or Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is not a traditional business. Volunteers go for a set period to work on a farm with like-minded travelers in exchange for accommodation and home-cooked meals. The terms are flexible with WWOOFers staying as long or little as they want, and the opportunities are plentiful. While you'll have to pay your own way to fly to the farm, once you are there, there are plenty of people who can offer a ride to the next destination. 

WWOOF'ing isn't quite a career choice, but it is an excellent way to see the world while keeping your bank account (mostly) even.

3. Teach English

If you're looking for adventure in a foreign land, one of the most accessible and lucrative ways to get there is by taking up a job teaching English. Jobs in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America are abundant, and most of them do not require that you speak the native language.

Schools are looking for native English speakers with bachelor degrees who can teach the "direct method," by which students learn through concepts, pantomiming, and the target language exclusively.

While not all schools require it, a certification for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) can make you a more desirable candidate. Salaries can be as high as $36,000 a year in Japan or $45,000 in the United Arab Emirates.

4. Trade Specialty, Foreign Goods

Looking to travel and have a little capital to start with? Consider getting in the import-export trade and head out to exotic countries to find local, specialty, and handmade goods that will appeal to travel-hungry consumers back home. Pick up goods that areas are known for (examples include Italian leather, Mexican hammocks, and Turkish ceramics) as well as one-of-a-kind pieces that can't be purchased by the truck full. Once you are back in the U.S., sell them to stores, collectors, and even eBay for a handsome profit.

You'll have to figure out how to navigate customs regulations, but when you can sell goods for many times their original worth, the hassle pays for itself.

5. Research For A Travel Guidebook 

There aren't many professions as romanticized and misunderstood as researching and writing for travel guidebooks such as Lonely Planet and Fodor's. While the job is exhilarating — jetting you off to hundreds of places to try the local culture, food, and hotels — the reality of the work is a grind. Most guidebook researchers and writers report having to meet unrealistic deadlines that require them to work 12-to-14-hour days. In addition, seeing the sights is a small part of the job. Researchers and writers must crank out reports and articles, make maps of the areas they visit, and engage in extensive, tedious data entry.

Because of tightening budgets and an abundance of 20-somethings willing to do the job for next to nothing, guide writing is hardly a lucrative profession. But you can earn enough to make a living.

In an illuminating New York Times' feature about the lives of guidebook writers, Warren St. John reveals the cardinal tenet of the job: "Most who do it quickly learn the one hard-and-fast rule of the trade: travel-guide writing is no vacation."

6. Become A Flight Attendant

If you don't mind taking your travel with a side of 9-to-5, a great option could be applying to become a flight attendant. Flight attendants make between $25,000 and $50,000 a year, and they get free travel benefits for not just themselves but also their families. The pay might sound low, but consider that the average schedule has attendants working 80 hours a month.

7. Work For A Cruise Line

Working on a cruise ship similarly sends you to exotic locales for pay, yet there are a few key differences. The job comes with long hours for comparably poor pay, but with all expenses paid and free travel. Crew members have their own dining halls, shops, Internet cafes, gyms, party areas, and even organized activities, which creates a fun culture. There are numerous jobs on a ship, with certain ones better than others. Washing dishes just doesn't sound as good as chaperoning passengers on exotic excursions.

8. Start A Travel Blog

Being a professional travel blogger is a tough gig. While traveling to every sight imaginable is a tantalizing part of the job, it takes a lot of work to make it happen. Most travel bloggers spend a year building their sites, churning out several posts a day and building up a following on social-media before they ever see any money from their sites.

Almost all travel bloggers start out by spending their savings just to get up and running. Even once you've built a following, a network, and ad partnerships, you are running your own business, which means that in addition to traveling and writing, you must handle all the marketing, site growth, and financials. As you can imagine, it's a job that never ends. To make it all work, you have to truly love travel and blogging.

9. Work As An Au Pair

An au pair, or an extra pair of hands, is an international nanny who lives with a family for a set period, taking care of their children in exchange for travel, room, board, and pocket money. It can be a fantastic way to see a new culture from the locals' perspective and make some money. Most au pairs are students or recent graduates, so get in before it's too late.

Many families don't require au pairs to speak the native language, and many even prefer it if you speak to their children in English so that they can improve their fluency. There are websites, such as Au Pair World, that help match people with families. 

10. Become A Destination Wedding Photographer

This one requires a bit of skill, but for those with the artistic temperament a wedding-photography business can offer free travel and an outlet for creative expression. It goes without saying that you will have to be a talented photographer, or at least a well-practiced one.

The wedding business is a competitive one with high entry costs (think computer, camera, lenses, editing software, portfolio, website, and, possibly, training), but it pays well. Many destination wedding photographers charge up to $10,000 a wedding, plus airfare, meals, and incidentals. While you'll be working hard during the wedding, extend your stay for a few hundred dollars and you are well paid and traveling free. 

11. Join The Peace Corps

Joining the Peace Corps is not a decision to be taken lightly. It requires a 27-month commitment in a developing country with few modern conveniences and not much opportunity to see friends or family. If you're still on board, and have a desire to make a difference in the lives of others, the Peace Corps can be a life-changing and rewarding experience.

Few opportunities immerse travelers in a culture as thoroughly as the Peace Corps. Expect to choose from an array of assignments, including teaching English, working in disease prevention, and building infrastructure. There is also an extensive application and interview process. The Peace Corps pays for travel expenses, living expenses, certain student-loan benefits, and it offers a $7,425 readjustment allowance upon completing your service.

12. Write A Literary Account Of Your Travels

If all else fails (or you are an incredible wordsmith), take a crack at writing the next "Green Hills of Africa," "Homage to Catalonia," or "The Sun Also Rises." If the book does well, you could have a cash cow on your hands in the form of royalties and advance checks.

Of course, most would-be authors will never see a cent from their travels or literary hard work. If you have the courage to try, you could end up with the traveling lifestyle and your pick of publications to print your essays and stories. 

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Imagine stepping into a friend's car, her favorite playlist pumping, only to be immersed in the sounds of hundreds of clanging pots and pans.

To an estimated 4% of the world, that's what the stuff we call music sounds like.

These people are tone-deaf, a disorder known as congenital amusia. People who are really tone-deaf aren't just bad at karaoke: They can't pick out differences in pitch, the quality of music we're referring to when we say something is "low" or "high."

Say you're listening to your neighbor practice the piano, for example. In general, you could probably say whether the note you just heard was higher or lower than the one you heard before that.

People who are tone-deaf lack that ability. They still hear a difference, but they don't process it the same way as someone who isn't tone-deaf.

A world that sounds completely different

We talked to Marion Cousineau, a researcher at the International Laboratory for Brain, Music and Sound Research at the University of Montreal who spent years working with people with amusia (or "amusics") in the lab to get a sense of what the world sounds like to them.

Each person she's talked to, Cousineau said, describes their amusia a little bit differently.

While some people hear clanging pots and pans, for example, others might hear sounds they find beautiful. In the lab, they find out if participants have amusia using a version of this test, which you can try online right now.

"We had a journalist once who came to the lab to do a piece on it once. He was crazy about music and was constantly going to shows and concerts. Then he took the test and found out he was amusic."

In other words, while some tone-deaf people might experience sound one way, others might experience it in a vastly different way.

Amusia runs in families

Exactly what causes tone-deafness is still somewhat mysterious, but researchers are finding some fascinating clues.

From studying families, for example, scientists have been able to conclude that it's hereditary, meaning that if you have it, chances are higher that your children will too.

We also know that amusia is a type of agnosia, a word derived from Greek roots that together essentially mean "not knowing." Agnosias describe conditions characterized by an inability to connect your sensory input (what you're seeing, hearing, or feeling) with your previous knowledge about the thing that you're sensing.

Brains that don't know they're tone-deaf

A 2009 study got a bit closer to telling us what's happening in the brain of a tone-deaf person when she or he listens to music and hears noise instead. For that study, two groups of volunteers — one with amusia and one without — were hooked up to an EEG so researchers could take a look at some of the electrical activity in different areas of their brains.

They had both groups listen to a series of notes in which one was out of key.

Each time the out-of-tune notes were played, the researchers saw specific and similar activity across the brains of both groups. In other words, it appeared that amusic or not, everyone's brains were at least picking up on the mismatched sounds. But while both the non-amusics and amusics displayed similar brain activity in the first few milliseconds after hearing the sound, only the non-amusics displayed another smattering of activity a few hundred milliseconds later. This second burst of activity in people without tone deafness, the scientists reasoned, suggested that only the brains of people who were not tone deaf were communicating the harsh tune with a higher brain area, making them aware that they'd heard it.

In other words, the researchers suspect, while the brains of both groups had identified the harsh tune on some level, amusics were not aware that they'd done so.

"Their brains were picking it up," said Cousineau, "but they couldn't say there was a change."

That idea has been bolstered by severalother, more recentstudies that suggest that amusics have weaker links between fronto-temporal brain areas, one of the regions we rely on to think critically and solve problems, and posterior auditory areas, important for processing sound.

What this growing body of work has shown is that in amusics, many aspects of the brain involved in experiencing music are working just as they should. But somewhere up the chain of command — between hearing a tune and processing it — something goes awry.

And this is responsible for the vastly different musical world that tone-deaf people experience.

"A lot of the people who'd come into the lab were told all their lives that they can't sing, that there's something wrong with them and that it's their fault," said Cousineau. "But it isn't their fault at all, and that's what we were able to share with them."

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If you listen closely after someone asks, "So what do you do?" you can almost hear the other person's eyes roll as they recite their 30-second elevator pitch.

But talking to new people doesn't have to be such a drag.

There are ways to get the conversation going without resorting to irritating clichés.

Check out these 17 icebreakers that will help ease you into an engaging conversation with people you've never met before.

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"What kind of volunteer work do you do?"

Asking people about their volunteer work will open up "a world of wonderful conversation," writes strategy consultant Alice Korngold on Fast Company. 

Korngold says she especially enjoys meeting people who work on nonprofit boards because she gets to learn about how an organization was founded, how the person got involved with it, and about the "fascinating group dynamics of boards." 

"Are you originally from [wherever the event is], or did your business bring you here?"

This question will help you jumpstart an engaging conversation with ease because "it doesn't feel like you are asking for a stiff elevator speech," Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert and owner of The Protocol School of Texas, tells U.S. News & World Report. 

The conversation will allow both parties to talk about themselves, which is the ultimate goal of career-savvy people attending a networking event, Gottsman says.  

"Man, these networking events can be so crazy. Mind if I join you over here where it’s a little quieter?"

Find someone on the outskirts of the ongoing conversations and introduce yourself, says Ariella Coombs, content manager for Careerealism.com. 

Since they are alone and possibly looking miserable, they are probably uncomfortable with the social situation, Coombs says. By initiating the interaction, you can help to put them at ease and get them in the flow of a conversation. 

You may think your holiday plans are pretty snazzy. It's likely the Rich Kids of Instagram have you beat. 

The world's richest young Instagram users don't take a day off. Whether they're posing by a tree with a shocking number of gifts underneath it, jet-setting to an exotic locale, or steering a paddleboard near a tropical island, the sons and daughters of the global elite are always documenting it on their Instagram accounts.

Notorious Tumblr blog Rich Kids of Instagram has combed through the network, cherry-picking some of the most egregious examples of holiday-related excess. We've selected a few of our favorites here. 

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Many of the rich kids of Instagram are relaxing at home for the holidays.

A photo posted by Timothy Drake (@thetimothydrake) on Dec 8, 2015 at 8:10pm PST

In the elaborately decorated homes of their parents, they're putting their feet up.

A photo posted by Mark Francis Vandelli (@markvandelli) on Nov 29, 2015 at 7:37am PST

For her Instagram contribution, Tiffany Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, poses in front of a variety of gifts underneath an enormous Christmas tree.

A photo posted by Tiffany Ariana Trump (@tiffanytrump) on Dec 14, 2015 at 4:51pm PST

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Regardless of how much you make, it's easy to project an air of power and confidence commonly associated with the wealthy, as long as you focus on the right things.

Sylvie di Giusto worked in human resources for more than 20 years before becoming an image consultant in 2009. Her company, Executive Image Consulting, has worked with executives looking to improve how they present themselves and professionals looking to rise up the corporate hierarchy. She also gives dress code consulting to corporations, which have included McKinsey, BMW, and Thomas Cook, according to her website.

With inspiration from Vicky Oliver's book "The Millionaire's Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire, Even If You're Not," we asked di Giusto how anyone could look like a millionaire, regardless of their net worth. Here's what she said, with some of Oliver's advice thrown in.

Vivian Giang contributed to this article.

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Invest wisely by using the one-third rule.

Every man should have at least one good suit, and every woman should have at least one good jacket with matching pants or a skirt. Di Giusto recommends that these "investment pieces" should feel expensive, but that for her clients, "The more they make, the more they have to invest."

She clarifies that professionals can "shop smart," as long as they don't skimp on quality. She recommends visiting designer outlets, as well as online equivalents, like The Outnet and Gilt.

In her book, Oliver recommends sticking to the "one-third rule": Buy "one-third as many clothes as you do now, but spend three times as much on each item." So instead of buying three pairs of pants at average prices, buy one pair of expensive pants and wear them everywhere.

Consider every detail, down to your iPhone case.

Di Giusto remembers a job applicant she interviewed when she worked for a German company. The interviewee looked great and said all the right things. At the interview's conclusion, he took out his iPhone to schedule a follow up. As he edited his calendar, di Giusto noticed an offensive word emblazoned on his phone's case, and in that moment she found herself questioning everything she previously thought about him. She ended up hiring him, but he almost invalidated a great first impression with a careless oversight.

"If you're serious about your image, you need to be aware that it goes far beyond your suit," di Giusto said. That means realizing that your desk, your accessories, and even your smartphone's case need to be an extension of your professional image.

Conform your style to your industry, but allow one "statement piece."

It should be evident that regardless of your company's dress code, there's a general way that people dress according to industry. Di Giusto recommends that for the most part, you should not try too hard to distinguish yourself. If you work in finance, dress conservatively; if you work in tech, go for casual chic. A good rule of thumb is to dress the way your company's executives do.

That said, di Giusto doesn't want her clients to turn into boring clones of each other. She recommends one flexible statement piece appropriate for the workplace. For example, di Giusto has a pair of unique eyeglasses she likes to wear with business attire. She also mentioned a CEO who dresses the part in traditional dark suits, but has them lined with flashy pink or floral patterns.

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Photographer Eva Woolridge, 22, captured women's unique features for her photo series, "Embrace Your Essence." The series was originally for a homework assignment, but it unexpectedly went viral.

Woolridge told INSIDER that her favorite piece was of her friend Sana Manejwala, and that it was taken accidentally.

"I never considered myself pretty because my features weren't what's considered conventionally pretty. I noticed early on that my bone structure was different,"said Manejwala. "The older I got, I realized how those exact features and my bone structure make me unique. They represent my Indian roots."

Woolridge wanted to capture Manejwala's bone structure through lighting, but struggled to get the perfect shot — until she bumped into some of her equipment. 

"I got so excited... that I ran into one of the light stands when I was taking the photo," said Woolridge. "Her face was so relaxed and calm, while her eyes were like mid-reaction." 

Manejwala burst into laughter just a few seconds later, right after Woolridge snapped the picture.

"I literally captured her as her face was about to form into laughter," the photographer said. 

Woolridge's "Embrace Your Essence" series and her other works can be found on her website, EW Photography.

Story and editing by Alana Yzola

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The Audi RS 7 is one of fastest cars with four doors and a trunk that money can buy. A few months back, Audi introduced the new RS 7 Performance edition, loaded with all kinds of go-fast upgrades.

Earlier this year, Business Insider spent a weekend behind the wheel of Audi's road-going rocket ship and absolutely loved it. Now there's a new and improved RS 7. We haven't been behind the wheel, but it looks even better and faster than before, based on what we saw at the LA Auto Show in November.

When it hits showrooms, the RS 7 Performance will be the top-of-the-line offering in Audi's A7 series.

Here's a closer look at the new Audi RS 7 Performance.

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To create the RS 7, Audi took their stellar A7 four-door coupe and turned up the volume on the power and performance technology.

Instead of the A7's supercharged V6 engine, the RS 7 has a 4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine shared with Bentley's Continental GT and the Audi S8.

Although we didn't have ideal driving weather during our test of the standard RS 7, we can confidently say that this thing is fast.

'Tis the season to eat loads of chocolate-y, peppermint-filled treats with loved ones.

Yes, for the most part, holiday treats aren't great for you. But if you had to choose between a candy cane and a gingerbread man, we figured you might like some guidance.

So we took the best 15 desserts and accounted for their calories, fat, sugar, and protein content. That way, desserts lower in sugar, fat, and calories and higher in protein got ranked more positively than candies higher in sugar, fat, and calories and lower in protein.

Here were the winners and losers from best (#1) to worst (#15):

CHECK OUT: The ultimate guide to the most and least healthy Halloween candies

NEXT: Take this quiz to figure out what you should be eating this holiday season

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Hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and oftentimes it can lead to regret.

Some people have the philosophy that everything happens for a reason, and there is no point in having regrets.

But for so many of us, looking back on our lives can lead us to linger on one poignant moment or period when we wish we had done things differently, and that nagging question, "What if ...?," plays on repeat in our heads.

"This may sound a little melodramatic, but no matter how happy you are, at my age your regrets are countless," writes Quora user Gary Teal in response to the question, "When people look back on their lives, what are common regrets they have?" "You have made decades' worth of little miscalculations you can't completely erase from your memory, as well as a number of big mistakes that made life permanently harder."

Quora user Bradley Voytek points to a national survey about the regrets of a typical American, which found 13 common sources for regret. They are, in order: romance, family, education, career, finance, parenting, health, "other," friends, spirituality, community, leisure, and self.

Vaughn Bell at Mind Hacks notes that there are two ways people frame their regrets: The things they did that they wish they hadn't, and the things they wish they had done but didn't.

"The difference between the two is often a psychological one, because we can frame the same regret either way — as regret about an action: 'If only I had not dropped out of school;' or as a regret about an inaction: 'If only I had stayed in school.'

"Despite the fact that they are practically equivalent, regrets framed as laments about actions were more common and more intense than regrets about inactions, although inaction regrets tended to be longer lasting," Bell writes.

Here are some of the most common regrets as chronicled by Quora users (answers have been edited for clarity): 

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Romance

"I regret that I never fell in love with someone who was in love with me, when that would have been easy for me to do.

"I regret being like an old song sung by Buffy Sainte-Marie: 'Must I go bound and you so free, Must I love one who doesn't love me, Must I be born with so little art, As to love the one who would break my heart?'" —David Kahana

Children

"For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to have kids. But in my younger years, I foolishly assumed that unlike certain accomplishments like a career, the marriage and kids thing would just happen.

"Well, they didn't. I dated plenty of people but never even thought about making family a priority. Then, in my late 30s, a bout with ovarian cancer left me permanently infertile.

"I think about the kids I never had every day, several times a day. I have a great relationship with my nieces and nephews, and volunteer at a children's hospital on a regular basis, but it's just not the same to be around other people's kids. I would love to adopt or be a foster mother, and hopefully be in a financial and domestic situation that would make this feasible one day.

"But again, not the same. And it pisses me off when people say, "You're lucky you don't have kids, they're so much work, blah blah blah." Yes, but a lot of things in life that are worthwhile are also so much work.

"I think the mothering instinct is so strong in some women that the knowledge that one will never get a chance to give birth and raise their own child goes beyond regret. One that a bar chart cannot capture. I can deal with most of my other regrets in life but am having a hard time dealing with this one." —Caroline Zelonka

Parents

"I regret not choosing to spend more time with my parents in my twenties. I lost my mother in 2000, and I feel the loss of the friendship we never had.

"She was very demanding, very strict, and from the perspective of a young man, very unreasonable. It turned out, as I live through middle age, that most of the ideals I have today ended up being the ones she put on me.

"Sometimes, after a setback, I feel the impulse to call her, and in the second or so that it takes for me to realize she isn't alive to speak to any longer, I realize how much I still need her.

"You cannot negotiate with death. It is final, often sudden, and personal. The last night I had with her, at a hospice in Chicago, I was exhausted and asked her if she minded if I went home. She immediately whispered that absolutely, I should rest, and to be careful driving home. I curled her fingers around the nurses call button, and kissed her on the forehead. I remember I felt some relief that I was leaving.

"I know it didn't make a difference, leaving at that time, or leaving a few hours later. She was going to die either way. But reflecting on that moment today I know then that I didn't understand how precious those minutes were, and how a door was being closed that would never open again." —Jim Wagner

That's right, you can eat banana peels. And not only are they edible — they're also good for you.

If you live in the US, you're probably used to tossing banana peels in the trash. But people in other countries, including India, have been taking advantage of their nutritional benefits for decades.

While a banana's flesh is soft and sweet, the skin is thick, fibrous, and slightly bitter. To eat the peel, you can either blend it into smoothies or fry, bake, or boil them for at least 10 minutes. Heat breaks down the skin's fiber and loosens up that tough texture, making the peel easier to chew and digest.

Also, the riper you allow the banana to get, the thinner and sweeter the peel becomes. That's because of a natural plant hormone called ethylene that fruits release as they ripen.

Ethylene interacts with the sugars and fiber in the banana skin, changing complex sugars into simple sugars and breaking down pectin, a form of fiber in bananas that keeps them stiff. That's why the older your banana is, the flimsier it feels. At the same time, other hormones break down the green pigments in the peel, turning them yellow and eventually brown. 

Nutritional benefits 

The sweet flesh of a medium-sized banana contains significant percentages of your daily recommended intake of various nutrients, such as:

• 12% of your daily fiber, which helps with digestion and may help lower your risk of diabetes
• 17% of your vitamin C, which is important for your immune system as well as growth and development
• 20% of your vitamin B-6, which aids the body's ability to convert food into energy
• 12% of your potassium, which helps in development of cells, tissues, and organs throughout the body
• 8% of your magnesium, which is important for the body's energy productions and regulating glucose and blood pressure levels

If you then eat the skin along with the flesh you get an even bigger boost in these same nutrients:

"[The skin] contains high amounts of vitamin B6 and B12, as well as magnesium and potassium. It also contains some fiber and protein," San Diego-based nutritionist Laura Flores told LiveScience.

Eating the peel is not only good for your body but also better for the environment. 

In 2013, bananas were America's most popular fresh fruit. The average American ate 11.4 pounds of bananas over the course of that year.

Since a medium-sized banana weighs about 0.3 pounds, that equates to about 38 bananas per person, or roughly 12 billion for the whole US. And since most of us toss the peel, that also means a lot of organic waste. Most of this waste goes to landfills, but some of it is used as fertilizer, in water purification, and in composting.

Other uses for the incredible banana peel

If you can't stomach the thought of eating a banana peel, then consider some of the many other ways you can reuse this valuable product of nature. Here are a few of the 16 ways that health and wellness website Natural Living Ideas suggests:

• Add a few slices of banana peel to a bucket of water and let the mixture sit for a couple of days. Use this to water your planets. The added nutrients from the banana will keep your plants growing strong.
• You can make banana vinegar from the peels that can then be added to salads and vegetables. See the recipe instructions here.
• Place your meat atop a ripe banana peel in your roasting pan to keep the meat moist and tender as it cooks. 

Whether you're gnawing on a raw peel or using it in your cooking, always make sure to wash it thoroughly.

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YouTube is flooded with the heartwarming videos of soldiers returning home from deployment and surprising their loved ones.

In time for Christmas Day, we picked our favorite ones.

Grab your tissues...

Story by and editing by Alana Yzola

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Domino's and Pizza Hut both offer a 14" hand-tossed pizza. Which one gives you more for your money? 

*Editor's Note: This was originally posted in October, 2014

Produced by Sara Silverstein

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From the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris at the start of the year to the ongoing war in Syria and political uncertainty around the globe, 2015 has been a tense year. 

As we wrap up 2015, here are 50 of the most unforgettable images of 2015.

A man holds a giant pencil as he takes part in a solidarity march in Paris on January 11, 2015. The march follows the horrific attacks by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the killing of a police woman in Montrouge, and the hostage taking at a kosher supermarket at the Porte de Vincennes.

Law enforcement officers stand, with some turning their backs, as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks on a monitor outside the funeral for NYPD officer Wenjian Liu in the Brooklyn borough of New York January 4, 2015. Tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from across the country gathered for the funeral of the second of two New York City policemen killed last month in an ambush that galvanized critics of Mayor de Blasio.

An activist kicks the shields of the military police officers during a demonstration in the military zone of the 27th infantry battalion in Iguala, Guerrero, January 12, 2015. Activists and relatives of 43 abducted trainee teachers from Ayotzinapa's teacher training college broke into the military zone, located less than a mile from where the students went missing, in an attempt to look for the missing students. The remains of only one of the 43 students has been identified so far.

Nothing's more compelling than the truth, and if you love uncovering the facts, get wrapped up in one of Goodreads' picks for the best nonfiction books of 2015.

To compile the list, Goodreads' editors nominated titles frequently reviewed on the site, which were then voted on by readers.

This year's selections cover everything from relationships to career advice to racial tensions. 

Scroll down to see the 20 nonfiction titles you need to add to your reading list before 2015 is over.

SEE ALSO: The 20 best fiction books of 2015

DON'T MISS: The 20 best business books of 2015

“Modern Romance” by Aziz Ansari

With a plethora of technology all around us, there are more ways than ever before to meet, date, and form romantic relationships with a wide range of people. So why do single people simultaneously seem more frustrated than ever? Along with NYU sociologist Eric Klienberg, Ansari explores the ins and outs of dating in the modern world.

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“Humans of New York: Stories” by Brandon Stanton

Stanton’s popular Humans of New York blog captures glimpses into the lives and histories of everyday New Yorkers through portraits and snippets of dialogue. The follow-up to his first best-selling book, this new collection dives even deeper with new humans and more in-depth stories. Sometimes funny, sometimes somber, sometimes brutally honest, it touches on all the raw emotions of being human.

Find the book here »

“Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” by Elizabeth Gilbert

Creativity is everywhere, in everything we do. And Elizabeth Gilbert, best-selling author of “Eat, Pray, Love,” wants to show every single one of us how to tap into our own caches of inspiration.

The book is divided into six sections — courage, enchantment, permission, persistence, trust, and divinity — with strategies and encouragement for coaxing out creativity within each one.

Find the book here »

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NOW WATCH: 7 ways parents set their kids up for success

The impact of climate change extends beyond just the weather. According to Harvard University researchers, melting glaciers at the poles are slowing down the Earth's rotation, and as a result, increasing the length of our days.

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Click here to read about how Kristin Addis quit her job to travel the world solo »

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