Preparing for Your Overseas Vacation
You have finally chosen your destination, found the tour group that’s best for you, and made all the arrangements. Congratulations! Chances are that you probably have a few weeks or months before it’s time to pack your bags, which gives you the perfect opportunity to do some pre-trip preparation that will make your vacation much more enjoyable.
Most travelers find it helpful to use this time before their trip to read about the country’s history and culture, learn a few words of the local language(s), figure out which sites are of special personal interest, and make a few friends who have previously spent time in that country.
History & Culture
When you take the time to read about the country’s history and culture before you go, you’ll find that you have a much greater understanding of the sites you visit and the people with whom you interact overseas. Many guidebooks and history books contain fascinating information about the places you’ll be visiting. If you don’t enjoy reading, or if you can’t find the time, try watching movies that were made in that country, or listening to local music. Every little bit helps.
Language
Knowing a few words of the local language can make your trip much more enjoyable. You don’t have to become a grammar expert, but knowing some basic greetings, polite phrases such as please and thank you, the numbers, and simple questions like “Where is the bathroom?” and “How much does it cost?” can be extremely helpful. The local people are usually very appreciative when travelers have taken the time and effort to study their language, even at the most basic level. Knowing that you have made the effort also makes them much more willing to switch to your native tongue of English, too.
Prioritize Your Sightseeing
Vacations are never as long as you want them to be, so it’s important to know your priorities for sightseeing. What places are on your must-see list? If you don’t take the time to think about it ahead of time, you’ll probably run out of time while you there and then kick yourself for, say, not having seen the Eiffel Tower while you were in Paris because you simply ran out of time. Don’t let this happen to you! Know what your top priorities are and make sure that your vacation includes scheduled time to visit those places.
Make New Friends
Before you depart, speaking with people who have already been to the country can provide great insights into your travel destination. You’ll learn a lot about the culture, politics, and history, but even more valuable is the practical advice that they can give you, such as which restaurants and clubs to go to (and which to avoid at all costs). If you become close friends with people who grew up there or spent significant time overseas, you may get invitations to meet with their relatives and friends who live there, giving you a personal connection that your vacation would otherwise lack. If you live in a large city, you can usually find these types of contacts among the local immigrant communities. If you live in a more remote area, you can always hop online to “meet” people through chat programs.
Of course, you can go on your trip without doing any of this preparatory work and still have a wonderful time, but in general the more research and preparation you do in advance, the richer and more memorable your overseas experience will be. |
