Things You Definitely Must Do When On Foreign Soil

Things You Definitely Must Do When On Foreign Soil

Traveling to a foreign country can be a very enjoyable, enriching, and life affirming experience. Visiting new places can give you a very different perspective of the world and its people. There are several practical steps you can take before you visit a new country and after you arrive that can increase your chances of having a wonderful and memorable trip. 

Be Prepared

Of course, there are tons of little details that need to be addressed to prepare for your journey overseas. Check into what electric voltages are used in your destination country, and be sure you have the necessary adapters required to both protect your devices and make them usable while you are away.

Find out if your cell phone provider offers an international plan that you can utilize while abroad, because this could eliminate expensive international roaming fees. Make sure you let credit card companies know about your travel plans so they will not flag your activity as suspicious while you are traveling. It is also essential that you have a good amount of the local currency on hand for venues that do not accept credit cards.

Learn Basic Phrases

While it is not always possible to gain language competency for the country that you are planning to visit, just knowing a few simple phrases could make a big difference. Being able to count to at least 10 in the indigenous language of the country you are visiting could help to facilitate many common transactions. Other basic words that could help smooth over less than stellar foreign language skills are “yes”, “no”, “please” and “thank you.”

Take it Slow

It often takes a few days to recover from your journey to a new country. Give yourself a day or two to adjust to time zone differences, as well as cultural, language, and transportation differences. Make sure you have a solid understanding of the exchange rate so that you can keep an accurate tally of your expenses. Although you may be eager to hit the ground running, taking it slow at the beginning could go a long way towards making your trip more enjoyable.

Try the Local Cuisine

One of the easiest ways to connect with a new destination is by eating the local cuisine. Although it may be tempting to frequent places that serve dishes that you are already familiar with, you can often gain a much richer understanding of what makes regions like Bali in Indonesia unique by sampling their signature dishes. Bria Palmer from Chakrr says that anyone traveling to Bali needs to make sure to try the tastiest authentic cuisine such as satay lilit, bebek betutu, and lawar. It would truly be a shame to travel around the globe and miss the opportunity to introduce your palate to new ingredients and flavors.

Broadening their horizons by traveling abroad is a bucket list item for many people. If you are fortunate enough to travel to a new country and explore its culture, be sure you take full advantage of the opportunity. Learn as much as you can about your destination, make adequate preparations for your journey, and most importantly, have fun.