Planning Resources & Tips

Research Checklist
As a foreigner in another country, you might feel more comfortable if you research the following subjects, keeping in mind the city, region, and country you'll be visiting. One more thing to keep in mind is your gender, as custom and courtesy relate differently between men and women in most foreign countries.

    √   Forms of greeting and gestures
    √   Courtesy, general attitudes
    √   Eating in the home and at restaurants (meal times, table manners, typical diet, etc.)
    √   Local dress
    √   Population of the city and country
    √   Religion
    √   The family structure including views on dating and marriage
    √   Customs
    √   Social and economic levels
    √   Work hours and hours of doing business
    √   Art, craft, dance, music, theater, etc.
    √   Local, regional, and religious holidays
    √   Forms of recreation, sports
    √   Land, climate, weather
    √   Past and present relations with the United States
    √   History
    √   Current government
    √   Economy, the value of a U.S. dollar, exchange rates, etc.
    √   Education
    √   Transportation
    √   Tipping and other forms of compensation

Planning for the Unpredictable
Kurt Vonnegut once wrote that travel plans are honey slowing dripping down toward your lips - sweet anticipation. Everything you do in preparing, up until the moment of departure, should be like appetizers before a feast. Savor this preparation time, however little there might be.

Travel planning requires you to consider how you live now versus your needs when you're far away from your comfortable home -- and this will require some research on your part.

Visit your local library and do some reading on your destination. Check out a guide book or two for ideas on things to do during your free time. Write the government tourist office of the country you'll be visiting - or check with the travel editor of your local paper regarding recent articles. Your local university and their library should be able to help you with a bibliography.

If you will be studying a foreign language, brush up on your language skills. The more you know before you go, the faster you will learn abroad. Not to mention that you'll enjoy your trip more and be able to relate to the culture more effectively when you're not in class. Buy, borrow, or rent a language tape or video. Listen to foreign language broadcasts on radio or TV. Do some volunteer work with a local group who may be assisting foreign nationals from the country you'll be visiting.

Collect the names, addresses, and phone numbers of friends or friends of friends who may live near or where you're going. Having even one contact in a foreign country makes a difference. This is the best way to experience the life of the foreign country you're visiting. It is also a good safeguard should you need assistance. You can write a note in advance of your trip, introducing yourself. Or, ask your friends to do so, and you can drop them a line when you're in the vicinity. The people you visit may then send you to their friends, until you have a network of acquaintances around the country.

Get a map of the country, region, and city (if available) you'll be visiting. Map stores, libraries, and government tourist offices should be a good starting point for finding out what's available. If you're a member of AAA, you should tap into the resources offered to you. You may have to wait till you get to your destination to get an updated city map, but in the meantime you should be able to photocopy local maps at your local library.

Culturegrams, published by Brigham Young University's David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, are another resource. Check with your local library, or call Brigham Young University at (801) 378-6528.

Once you're on the road, you are in touch with the "travel circuit." Plugging into this network allows you immediate access to a wealth of up-to-the-moment information. Keep you eyes open for places to exchange information. Waiters, street vendors, and taxi drivers are valuable resources for the traveler. Swap reading material or travel guides with others instead of tossing them out.

Always travel with an open mind and a kind heart. Your experiences will be ones that will last you a lifetime. Be prepared to enjoy them.

For many, a vacation is a much needed getaway. An intercultural learning trip is an enriching part of your life experience. The difference is simply a matter of planning and being intellectually prepared.

Anticipate and Avoid Travel Stress
According to many travel sources, traveling is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. Until relief comes in the form of new airports or fewer travelers, we'll just have to grin and bear it. The Partnership for Improved Air Travel, a consortium of frequent fiyers and travel suppliers, has some suggestions to make travel more tolerable. In general, plan ahead and plan for the worst possible scenario. Have "what if" alternatives thought out in advance. Verify and re-verify everything. Here are some specific ideas for you to consider:

Before you travel
When reserving flights, ask the airlines about:

1. Documents required for the destination country
2. Checked and carry-on baggage policies (so you can plan for the most restrictive)
3. Seating (some airlines pre-assign)
4. Special needs (special diet, wheelchair, under age, etc.).

Then, at least 72 hours prior to departure, call the airline(s) to reconfirm your flight(s), and information given you as it pertains to items 1-4 above. Many airlines will cancel your space if you do not reconfirm. Ask if there have been any flight or schedule changes.

Know your flight options

Assume the worst will happen to your schedule, so delays or cancellations won't be so stressful. Have an alternate plan ready in case your flight is delayed or cancelled. Jot down some possible alternate airline phone numbers. Sometimes it's faster to make a reservation from an airport public phone than to stand in line at a ticket counter.

Budgetary

Plan some extra cash or credit line just in case the worst happens, i.e. needing an airline ticket, or a night or two in a hotel.

Bring along something to do

A favorite book, cassette player with headphones and tapes, travel diary, foreign destination guide books, pictures of your family. You can use them to break the ice with your foreign family.

Check the weather

Check the weather at your destination city and connecting cities along the way. You can't do anything about the weather, but you can be prepared for it. Surprises can be stressful. Various organizations have weather hotlines. All have a cost per minute.

Pack lightly and smartly

Pack special medicines, a change of underwear and socks in your carry-on just in case your luggage does not arrive with you. If you have checked luggage, bring along a folding luggage carrier on wheels.

Know your ground options

Best laid plans for ground transportation can get all fouled up when planes are late or diverted. Plan options so you can make last minute changes. Foreign bus and train travel usually require a reservation. If you simply arrive at the station, you may have to wait for the next scheduled departure.

On Travel Day

Call the airlines

Are flights on schedule? Check in at the airport at least two hours early for international flights; one hour early for domestic connections. You should receive a boarding pass and seat assignment for each flight. Verify information with airline personnel (not from fellow travelers and computer displays).

Air tickets & documents

Carry them on you at all times, not in your suitcase.

Theft

Thieves frequent airports, bus & train stations, etc. Be on guard.

Taxes

Airports may add "transit costs" ($1-$30 USD). Keep reserve funds available.

Funds

Bring some foreign currency with you, especially if you might be arriving late or after banking hours.

Camera Film

Film will be more expensive abroad and can often be ruined by security equipment. Ask that it be handchecked.

Sense of humour

Pack yours and keep it with you. Don't expect any from security personnel, immigration, etc. Watch what you say.

Patience

Relax, enjoy the trip. You're almost there!

On board

Talk to the flight crew and fellow travelers. Ask about relative costs, construction delays, distances, money exchange, tipping, ground transportation, what to expect on arrival, etc.

Delays

If you're delayed unexpectedly, try calling your family enroute to advise them of your delay. Consider spending the first night on arrival at a local hotel. Most homes will not accept students after 9:00 P.M. Likewise, if you're calling an "after hours" or emergency number for a foreign center, chances are it's someone's home phone and they may be getting groceries, or outside when you call. Allow for delays in planning.

On Arrival

Immigration/customs

Proceed through. Best to hand-carry your bags (don't plan on a porter).

Airport cabs

If in doubt, always use the official airport transport (vans/ cabs).

Ground transportation

Most cities have several stations, so make sure you get to the right one if you're making intercity connections. Remember, you may have to wait for the next available bus or train due to volume of travelers, advanced reservations, etc.

Calling home

Delay. Allow two to three days to learn the phone system (find time to go to the long distance office, etc.). Relatives from home can contact you at school if there's an emergency.

Returning Home

Call the airport

Call the airport and reconfirm your flights at least 72 HOURS prior to your return, or you may lose your reservation. Call again the day prior to check changes in departure times or schedules.

Problems

If you have problems with an airline, review your options calmly with airline personnel and if an acceptable solution cannot be reached, speak with a supervisor. Generally, airlines will not take responsibility for mechanical or weather related delays, but they must provide alternate flights. If the delay is their fault (as in over booked flights) they must provide lodging, long distance call if someone is waiting for you, and meal expenses or denied boarding compensation, plus an alternate flight. (Exceptions may apply on charters and bulk purchase fares.)

Lost/damaged baggage

If baggage is lost or damaged, a claim must be filed at the airport. Keep your claim checks. Airlines should pay on the spot for immediately needed items (usually $25-$50 for toothbrush, socks, etc., that which you need within 1-2 days) while your bags are located. Have lost luggage forwarded to the school.

Reservations

Sometimes computers lose names. You could check-in and not be on the flight. It's a good idea to keep documentation, dates, names, etc. of the airline personnel you speak with at all times so that your record can be reconstructed and problems resolved. Be firm and polite and get a solution that is reasonable, acceptable, and easy for you.

Suggestions & Tips

Battery operated book light with extra batteries (for studying at night)
Beach towel
Binoculars
Calculator (for calculating conversion rates)
Cassette tapes for class review
Clothes hangers and folding hangers, clothes pins and twine for clothes line
Cold remedy
Ear plugs (students say you'll be glad you did)
Feminine hygiene products
Flannel night gown/pajamas
Film for your cameras (it's costly in some places)
High energy snacks
Kleenex
Multi-purpose tape (scotch, masking, duct)
$10-$15 USD in singles and a couple of $5 and $10 for emergencies
Notebooks and pens
Photo ID for cashing traveler's checks
Plastic bags (they're very hard to find in some areas of the world)
Pocket knife w/opener & screwdriver
Rain gear and/or umbrella
Rubber shoes for the shower, beach
Sewing kit
Sturdy, comfortable walking shoes
Suntan/Sun burn relief lotion
Toiletpaper
Vitamins
Warm sweater
Wash/dry wipes
Water bottle (a drinking water bottle, not a hot water bottle)
Document case or belt (to go inside your clothing) for passport, money, air tickets, extra passport photos, emergency addresses, etc.
Small notebook (for recording daily events, expenses, names)
Ballpoint pens
First aid supplies for minor incidents - band aids, aspirin, etc.
Currency guide, list of sizes relatives wear, and size conversion chart
Travel alarm clock
Camera
Insect repellent
Sunglasses, prescription for your corrective lenses, extra eyeglasses if you wear them, extra contact lens solution, etc.
Small towel and washcloth, bath soap, portable clothesline, plastic hanger, packet of suds
Guidebook (look over the large stock and take along your favorite)
Small flashlight, extra batteries.
Bilingual dictionary and possibly a 501 verb wheel or favored grammar text
Gifts. Most people wait until abroad to determine if gifts are appropriate and if so, pick up something locally (candy, flowers, bakery, specialty food, cosmetics, etc.). Others prefer to take gifts from home and suggest small, light, generic items such as hometown candy, specialty food or recipes, unusual regional spices, anything imprinted with an attractive local or regional emblem or team (lighters, t-shirts, cards, etc.), pictures of hometown, area or family/friends.
Avoid electrical appliances such as razors, hair dryers, and curling irons. They're heavy and tend to be temperamental when in use.
Women, wear minimal make-up and plan on a simple, easy to care for hairstyle. Forget manicured fingernails.

Going Beyond the Basics

If you're heading for remote or less developed areas you may also want to consider the following:

Dressings for minor injuries (they need more care in severe climates to avoid infections). Steri-Strips and similar adhesive tapes for holding together the edges of a clean wound if immediate medical care cannot be found.
Water purifiers. For weight, convenience, effectiveness and low cost, rely on the simplicity of iodine. The dose is 5 drops of 2% tincture of iodine in a quart of water. Double the dose if the water is cloudy. Wait 20 minutes before drinking. Filters, cheese cloth, immersion heaters may also come in handy. Portable purifiers are sold by backpacking supply stores.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics, if you're traveling out of reach of medical attention. Ask your doctor for the most appropriate choice or a prescription for ear, eye and/ or skin infections; pain, fever or cramps; anti-diarrhea (antimotility and anti-microbial agents).
Where sterile medical equipment is scarce, consider carrying a small supply of sterile needles, syringes, and a stitch kit that can be used by a doctor in an emergency. Some countries require a prescription for these items and they will cause problems with customs officials. If you feel need to carry these items, get a certified letter from your doctor explaining why.

Tips to Make It Memorable

Begin a travel journal. Record the memorable moments and the lonely times. Pin down the essence of a place - its colors, smells, sounds, the native costumes, the food you eat, the people you meet. Jot down particularly useful words and phrases. Collect addresses and keep track of expenses. You won't believe how precious this journal can be until five or ten years after your trip.

Keep a journal just of interesting people you meet. Ask if you can take their picture to make the memory keeper more complete.
Consider your hobbies and career and make attempts to meet people with similar interests while abroad. Take career/hobby mementos to share or exchange abroad. Set career/hobby projects to pursue abroad. Business or hobby cards can also be used as conversation openers. Meet the people!

The Art of Traveling
When you pack your bags to explore the beauties of your own country, or to travel around the world, consider these keys to a happy journey:

Travel lightly.

You are not traveling for people to see you.

Travel expectantly.

Every place you visit is like a surprise package to be opened. Untie the strings with an expectation of high adventure.

Travel hopefully.

"To travel hopefully," wrote Robert Louis Stevenson, "is better than to arrive."

Travel humbly.

Visit people and places with reverence and respect for their traditions and ways of life.

Travel courteously.

Consideration for fellow travelers and hosts will smooth the way through the most difficult days.

Travel gratefully.

Show appreciation for the many things that are being done by others for your enjoyment and comfort.

Travel with an open mind.

Leave your prejudices at home.

Travel with curiosity.

It is not how far you go, but how deeply you go that mines the gold of experience. Thoreau wrote a big book about tiny Walden Pond.

Travel with imagination.

As the old Spanish proverb puts it, "He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him."

Travel fearlessly.

Banish worry and timidity; the world and its people belong to you just as you belong to the world.

Travel relaxed.

Make up your mind to have a good time. Let go and enjoy it.

Travel patiently.

It takes time to understand others, especially when there are barriers of language and custom; keep flexible and adaptable to all situations.

Travel with the spirit of a world citizen.

You'll discover that people are basically much the same the world around. Be an ambassador of goodwill to all people.

Traveler's Checklist
Prepare an itinerary, but do not lock yourself into a rigid itinerary too soon. Give yourself the flexibility to make changes as you desire.

Determine the total amount that you want to spend. Then proceed to budget this amount for the various expenditures: transportation, lodging, meals, entertainment, gifts, books, side trips, etc.
Get your passport. Make photocopies of the identity page of your passport and air ticket for separate safekeeping. This will facilitate easier renewal should your passport be lost or stolen. A passport is your best form of identification and comes in handy for cashing traveler's checks.
Check on whether or not you need a visa for the country(ies) you'll be visiting.
Study the cultures of the places you will be visiting including the language, arts, geography, history, customs, etc.
Check your calendar for obligations you might have during the time you'll be away. Take appropriate action.
Determine clothing and items you may need for your trip. You may want to take less clothing with you and buy some items locally, at your destination. You can see what the locals are wearing and blend in with them, instead of looking like a tourist.
Draw on your past experiences (and others) to make up master lists of wardrobes, toiletries, health needs, miscellaneous.
If you plan on buying items abroad, pack your clothes into a medium-sized suitcase and pack that suitcase into a larger one. The larger suitcase can hold all your purchases on the trip home.
Get your financial means together. Check expiration dates on credt cards, get your traveler's checks, etc. You may want to prepare a foreign currency "packet" which contains just enough foreign money to take care of your immediate expenditures upon arrival for taxis, buses, tips, etc.
Leave copies of your itinerary with family members and friends. Don't promise anyone you'll call them as soon as you arrive. Remember, telephone service, and especially long distance telephone calls, may be too difficult for you to arrange when you first arrive. If you're planning on doing even a modest amount of long distance calling, get an AT&T International Calling Card.
As you purchase items abroad, record their cost. This will save you time in filling out your home country customs declarations.
If taking expensive electronics or cameras, register them with customs at your home airport before leaving the country(so you don't have to pay duty on them when bringing them back home!)
Store your valuables defensively (in interior pockets or money belt). Don't use back pockets or purses which can be snatched by joggers or bikers. Necklaces, earrings, and watches are also favorites of snatchers. If you really want to play safe, leave your jewelry at home and only wear a cheap, inexpensive watch.

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