What is on your Bucket List? If you haven’t heard the
term “Bucket List”, it’s a list of dreams you want to fulfill before you die.
First thing on my Bucket List is “Travelling around the world”. How to prepare
for travelling abroad? What steps you need to do before travelling internationally?
I’ll help you find the answers to these questions today. An overboard trip
require a careful plan, it includes these steps: learn about your destination,
well preparation, and parking
I.
First of all, knowledge of your
destination is important. You may have heard about some places before, but
there will be a lot of things you need to be aware of when you plan your trip.
1. You
need to do some research to view more specific information about the country or
area. Thing can get lost easily, especially when people misunderstand in
communication. A typical, innocent gesture from US could mean something
completely different in other parts of the world. So learning about the custom
of the new place is always useful. ( give example: V sign palm inward = victory
in the U.S, = middle finger in England& Australia; beckon with index finger
toward you = summon someone in the U.S, = call dogs in Philippines: punishable
by arrest)
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| Vsign palm inward - US: victory, England: Middle finger |
 |
| Beckon - US: summon someone, Philippines: call dogs |
2. Some
country is beautiful and interesting to visit, like Thailand, however there are
a lot of protests going on in this country. And you have to watch out for
terrorist in some other places. So be aware of travel alert and warning.
 |
| Travel Alert: protest in Thailand |
3. If
you break local laws while abroad, your US passport won’t help you avoid arrest
and the US Embassy cannot get you out of jail. Thus, be knowledgeable of the
local laws, it’s sometimes vastly different from our own.
4. Some
information to get around the area will come in handy. Research about where to
visit, what to eat, how to contact to people….
After you got all the
information needed and feel excited for discovering the new place, you will
still need to do some more steps to prepare for the trip.
II.
It’s not the fun part, however, it’s
extremely crucial, you need to do these things to be well-prepared for your trip.
1. You
should apply and finish all the required travel documents ahead of time, such
as passport, Visa, flight ticket, travel itinerary, hotel confirmation…Some
papers could take up to several weeks and the steps are confusing. You should
have them all copied and place copies in your luggage.
2. Make
sure you have the contact information for the nearest U.S embassy in case of
emergency. If something bad happens and you have nowhere else to go, this will
be your life-saver.
3. You
should notify the bank, Credit Card Company or other financial institutions
that you are going overseas. Get vaccine shots if the information about that
country raise a red flag about disease issues. Get some local currency of the
place you will travel on hand.
Now you are knowledgeable
and well – prepared, you can just collect some clothes and be well on your way,
you think?? Oh no, actually packing is the last important step.
III.
Let’s pack smart!!
1. What’s
packing smart? It mean light, minimum and necessary stuff. I highly recommend
you to use a travel kit which is travel sized shampoo, conditioner, shower gel,
tooth brush, tooth paste, facial foam and so on …
2. You should be aware of the rules of the
flight: no liquids, weapons, seeds, or plants…. I fly with Delta all the time
and their rule is: 2 check-in bags which weigh 50 lb. or less; 1 carry-on bag
and one personal item that fit the restriction size.
3. Thinking
ahead when you pack your stuff. Don’t forget to label your bags in case one
gets lost. Separate your stuff. Split up your bank cards and cash to different
pockets as well. Just remember, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Besides
that, tag your bags with something colorful or noticeable so you can easy
identify them when you get off the plane.
4. On the flight day, be at the airport 1 -2
hours early. Have all document and information needed in a small bag that you
always keep next to yourself, such as passport, flight ticket, phone numbers
for emergency, and the hotel’s address and phone number.
After all those
preparation, the only thing you need to do now is to keep an open mind, and get
ready to have a blast.
Travelling is one of the best activities to expose you
to a new culture, broaden your mind, allow you to meet new people and
experience the wonders of the world. To be able to have a safe trip and a fun
experience without bad memories, a good plan and well- preparation is key.
Knowledge of your destination and thinking ahead for situations will help you
have a good plan and a great trip.
