After traveling around countries in Asia, Europe, and South America in the past 12 months, I’ve learned (often the hard way) what to do and what not to do if you want to maximize your travel experience. With that said, if you’re about to travel to a foreign country, here are the 7 things you must do before your departure.
1. Visa & Passport Check
This is the most critical thing you must check off your list before you travel. Certain countries will require you to have a Passport that will not expire for at least 6 months from the date you enter. If you’re a digital nomad without a set return date, it’s better to be safe and have a buffer time of at least two years.
You’ll also need to make sure you have the required visas for not just the countries you know you’re traveling to, but also potential countries you may be visiting. For example, Canadians don’t need a visa to visit any of the countries in South America, but it is required for Brazil. VisaHQ is a great place to start checking for visa requirements, depending on your current citizenship.
- One last tip: Make sure you scan and have a copy of all your important documents including your visa and passport files. This will help expedite the process of retrieving another hard copy if you end up losing your original.
2. Pack appropriately
This may depend on where you are traveling to, and what season you are traveling in. The general advice is: pack light.
Despite what your friends, family, and the media tells you, it’s most likely that you can buy nearly anything you need when you’re there. Carrying around a bulky luggage may be the biggest obstacle from being spontaneous during your travels. It may even be better to leave some extra room in your backpack, in order to bring back any tourist gifts to your friends or family. Here’s a great article to help you start packing light.
3. Call your bank
Whether you want to use your credit card, debit card, or cash, you’ll be making a foreign transaction. Since your bank is on high alert for your security, it’s likely they will freeze your account if they see a transaction that is out of the ordinary – such as a $400 withdrawal in Argentina when you live in the United States! Make sure you call not only your local bank, but also your credit card company as well to notify them you’ll be making international transactions. In fact, if you plan to be living in a foreign country for a period of time, you can sign up with companies like Charles Schawb, where you can make unlimited ATM transactions without fees.
4. Get informed
A few months ago, when I tried to enter Colombia, I had to miss my flight because I needed a return ticket out of Colombia. I was already late, and by the time I purchased my return ticket, it was way too late. Now I know that there are certain airlines that allow you to cancel your flight within 24 hours of purchase. If you are ever asked for a return ticket, purchase a temporary ticket from any of the following airlines:
Delta United US Airways JetBlue Southwest Spirit Frontier American
You should also be informed about potential dangers or events occurring in the country, potential vaccinations you may need beforehand, and where your country’s embassy office is located. Use this website to learn more.
5. Learn conversation skills
You don’t need to be fluent before you arrive, but you certainly should learn the basics in order to have a simple conversation with a local person. There are still places around the world, where a majority of the people don’t speak a word of English. Being able to understand and respond at the basic level will not only help you connect better with locals, but it will also prevent you from being taken advantage of. If you’re a beginner, it’s unlikely you can reach that level at the speed you want by learning yourself or through using a free mobile app. You can use Rype to work with a one-on-one language coach, who will help you learn faster and keep you accountable before or during your travels. I recommend checking out Rype Club, which will pair you up with a coach from the country you’re traveling to, and provide conversation lessons tailored to your needs. It also includes a 14-day free trial.
6. Get involved in the community!
You can find almost any community online for the country and city you’re traveling to, even ones specific for expats. Look on Facebook Groups, Couchsurfing, or Meetup, to connect with current locals, finding accommodation, or simply asking for advice about the city.
7. Create an adventure list
One of the best things about traveling is breaking out of your comfort zone, and trying out new experiences you’ve never tried before. Do some research before you travel and make a list of everything you want to try for the first time. This can be an event/festival, food you’ve never tried, or an activity that’s popular in the country you’re going to. Make the list as long as you’d like, but since you may not have time to do all of them, prioritize the top 5 or top 10 that you want to try in your limited time.
Conclusion
Once you’ve gone through these 7 must do’s, embrace yourself in the culture you’re traveling to and prepare yourself mentally. More importantly, open up your mind to prepare for the new adventure ahead of you.
