International travel is a wonderful thing everyone should do at some point in their life and it often falls in the summer My own international travel experiences have taught me some important lessons and tips that I want to share with you, possibly in time for your summer travel plans!
Research Your Destination Before You Go
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In my travels, I have found that learning about a country or region before I go affects the entirety of my trip. There are often plenty of articles from people who have traveled to that place before and made mistakes or learned through trial and error that are fun to read and will help you enter gracefully. However, more so than entering gracefully, it helps me get off on the right foot when I exit the airplane. By knowing how to dress, how to respond to people, and what to be prepared for, I tell the people I meet that I care enough to take time to learn their world so I can respect it. Read, watch, listen to as much as you can about the place you want to visit and I guarantee you will have a better trip and get more out of it than if you had not.
Go In As If You Knew Nothing
Steven Lewis
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Wait, I just told you to research before going, now I'm telling you to go in knowing nothing? No, I'm telling you to go into a country aware that the research you may be able to spout off is minuscule and tells you nothing of the lifestyles of the people, their history, or their culture. You may know what to do in certain settings but you do not know why, and that is just as important. Think of how much more respectful, "I read about _____ before I came, is that true? Can you tell me more about it?" is than, "I read about that, I already know what to do so I don't need anyone to teach me" is. Your entry into a country continues past stepping out of the airplane, and keeping the mentality and goal to be quiet and observant while someone shows you their way of life will help you keep entering gracefully, make friends, and enjoy yourself more.
Try Everything
Clem Onojeghuo
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If you can without harming your health, try every food placed in front of you, especially all the cultural dishes because that will give you another fun way to experience the place you're visiting. Not to mention the fact that there are many countries that offer food as gifts, especially to tourists and visitors so declining them would be rude. Try the food if you can, you are more likely to regret not trying it than trying it. Try to participate in as many cultural events as you can respectfully and watch and learn about the ones you can't. It opens your eyes to the beauty around the world and allows you to be fully immersed in a culture as you live life as the people around you do. Remember that the place you are from is not the standard to base "normal" or "weird" off of so be bold and try anything and everything openly!
Spontaneity Is Your Friend
Torsten Dettlaff
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The true enemy of any solid trip is structure. I am not saying to ditch the itinerary completely, just to know that things will not always go to plan and it's often better when it doesn't! There are more learning experiences and better stories when you let go of your plans and see where the day takes you. This can also be fun when you come back to your usual lifestyle and it's really good for you! The next time you travel anywhere, welcome spontaneity. If you miss a train or bus, catch the next somewhere random or stay where you are and see if you can find any cool places around that no travel website could have told you about, you will miss more if you stay in the rut of your itinerary than if you miss something on your agenda!
Stop to Talk to People
Dan Gold
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Making friends while you're traveling is a wonderful way to carry your trip with you after you leave and it isn't just for longer trips, it is possible to make friends on shorter trips too. If you frequent small shops, talk to vendors, and ask your taxi driver about their day, you will find that you get a fuller experience of every day life wherever you are and people who are often forgotten in the midst of a fast-paced day, especially in touristy areas, will get a chance to feel valued. Stop to talk to people as you go and you will have plenty of stories and memories to take home with you!
