This is kinda a follow up to some discussions at P-Con over the weekend…
One of the things that came out was that ‘our’ perspectives were significantly different than those who’ve never been out of the US.
The first question is what kind of ‘traveller’ are you? Business or vacation?
Travel is challenging regardless of why you travel. If it’s business, you are probably on a set itinerary, with a set schedule. And maybe repeat visit(s) to the same location(s). If you’re on vacation, it ‘may’ be somewhere you’ve never been, or have always wanted to go. No set itinerary, per se, just roaming, or it could be a tour group.
In either case, if you are curious, adaptable, and willing to see things from a different perspective, you may find yourself questioning the things you ‘thought’ you knew. All of a sudden those ‘certainties’ you know from home and the MSM are maybe NOT so certain.
One good set of examples are the tourists that came to the USA for the FIFA world cup. They were amazed to find out the USA was NOT like it is portrayed in their home media, and it’s a LOT bigger than they thought… LOL Especially the ones in Dallas that thought they could rent a car and drive to LA in three hours… 🙂
But one of the lessons you learn when travelling is that those rights, beliefs, morals, and all the other stuff you ‘know’, don’t mean crap when you get to a foreign country. The takeaway should extend far beyond the trip itself, and you should be taking a hard look at what you stand for, believe, and the freedoms you have here at home.
Also, not everyone speaks English or American anywhere in the world. And talking slower and louder doesn’t help! Just sayin…
Travel will teach you adaptability when plans change unexpectedly (happens a lot), and humility when you’re the one who doesn’t know the language, customs, or way things work (also happens a lot). If you are willing to listen to others, you can learn a lot rather quickly!
And your best bet for your safety is to blend in, e.g. no flashy t-shirts, ripped jeans, or loud clothing. And FFS, check the State Department Travel site BEFORE you go! There are specific things you DO NOT do in certain countries!
I know I’m missing a lot of stuff, but these are my thoughts. What say you?
I would add: Choose your traveling companions wisely. You will find some people are a) embarrassing to be with or b) always complaining or c) just miserable to be with when plans invariably change.
Don’t forget to repack your international vaccinations card after you buy new luggage. Especially on a trip to Africa. And if you do forget to take it with you, be prepared to do a bit of haggling and spend a lot of cash obtaining a suspiciously new old one with all the appropriate entries and stamps.
Not that I would have ever had such an experience myself. Don’t be silly. I’m just speaking hypothetically, of course.
Know that most tourist spots are just that. Example, “Visit a traditional Irish Village and pay entry fee to see people wearing authentic clothing.” At the time 20 years ago, they were all traditional villages. I asked the pub musicians where they went to relax after playing. They took me to one off the main path, where all the ones who had finished playing in the tourist pubs went. One of best nights and really great music during my trip to Ireland.
Don’t be afraid to try local food, with recommendations. Don’t spend $4,000-$6,000 to travel abroad with family and find out McDonalds serves a different menu than back home. “Oh hey, you’re an American? Do you know where the nearest…insert American franchise…is? Make the effort to actually learn and respect the locals, and speak a few words in the local language and you can be pleaseantly surprised and enjoy your visit. Most Europeans can speak English and will stop you from butchering their language if you make the effort. Traveling in Europe now, keep your head on a swivel and know there are no go zones, even for police.
I always assume I’ll be stranded in Tierra del Fuego without my checked bags. Always put a toothbrush and extra layers in your carry on. 🙂
The oil patch will send you to some interesting places. Lagos, Nigeria where dead bodies on the road side are stripped of their clothes and monkey meat is cooked on the street corner. And Russia just before the collapse of the USSR. It makes a missed connection seem trivial.