How To: Make the Most of Your Abroad Experience

The “How To” series will discuss important topics related to volunteering abroad and traveling in general. As you read on, the following will give you advice on “how to” do something. Sounds simple enough, but a lot of these tips & tricks will make a world of difference once you’re out there traveling abroad. We know this because we’ve been there, and we’ll be sharing personal notes along with best-practice advice from world travelers!

So you’re going abroad! That’s awesome! I’m going to go ahead and assume that you are excited, but there must be a million things going through your head and that is completely understandable. You are preparing yourself for an entirely different world and you want to soak up as much as you possibly can with as little difficulty as possible- more trial, less error. Let me lay down the most basic rules that will allow you to travel with few to zero worries:

Not to sound like your mother, but wear sunscreen. Always.

Be weary of the tap water. I promise you, the stomach bug is no fun.

I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but call your parents from time to time (Seriously. You really don’t need your parents calling Customs and having them put out a search warrant).

Okay, so now that you have the basics down pat, let’s delve into the smaller details of travel that, when tweaked just ever-so-slightly, will vastly improve your experience.

Ditch The Guidebooks.

Leading up to your trip your internet tabs were most likely laden with links to Lonely Planet articles, WikiTravel, Buzzfeed lists, “Time Out” thinkpieces, and the like. Maybe you even invested your money in a fancy, laminated, fits-in-your-pocket guide from your nearest travel agent. You probably spent a great deal of time Googling places to go and things to do to ensure that you have “THE BEST TIME EVER.” In fact, I’ll assume that it is also how you landed here. While I am all for educating yourself pre-travel, I would advise against letting a guidebook determine your itinerary, for even the best laid plans may often go awry. Instead, if you are looking for the best place to grab coffee, shop, or wander – ask a local. They are sure to give you a glimpse into the real culture of the place, as opposed to the tourist culture. For more advice check out travel blogs like ‘Nomadic Matt’ or check CouchSurfing for a way to connect with locals. Remember, the road less traveled is usually one to write home about.

Leave Behind Your iPhone.

There is something to be said for leaving your technology behind and going off the grid. I mean, you didn’t choose to leave home for the sake of Instagram likes or retweets, did you? You picked up and left for a reason, that reason most likely being to experience something new, which is hard to do when you are busy scrolling through your newsfeed or being plugged into Spotify. Not to mention, without all of the technology, you will most certainly lighten your load by not having to lug around chargers, cables, cases, and the like. Plus, you’ll never have to rely on a place having wi-fi in order to use a map.

Should you choose to bring your smartphone, you should check out these apps– and don’t forget to buy a SIM card! 

Get With The Picture And Think Film. 

When you shoot pictures with a digital camera or a smartphone, we tend to spend more time obsessing over the finer details rather than just viewing the photos as memorabilia instead of a piece of art. When we take shots on a smartphone, our minds seem even further away from the trip, experiencing it for the sake of social media. Film, on the other hand, costs money, and therefore every snapshot is bound to hold more value, both monetarily and sentimentally.

Take a look at our team member Maurice’s tips on how to make your travel photos pop!

Move As The Locals Do. 

Public transportation– be it rickshaw, bus, or tube– is always going to be less expensive than taking a taxi, should you choose not to take on the city or town by foot. When you take public transportation, you become more exposed to how locals live, allowing yourself to more deeply immersed in the local culture. A new city can seem huge and confusing, but once you have figured out how to hail a rickshaw or find the No.19 bus, the place is yours to conquer.

Learn The Language… Or Don’t.

Learn these six words and phrases in any language: hello, one, please, thank you, excuse me, and bathroom. You’ll be surprised how far these will get you. Even when you don’t get something entirely right, natives will definitely appreciate the effort made towards trying to assimilate and immerse. Although, you could also take it a step further and take classes or teach yourself the language with help from Rosetta Stone or great apps like Duolingo.

There is also something to be said for not learning the native language. If you can’t quite pick up Swahili or Thai, figuring out how to get your point across sans-words is a great skill that can aid you in tasks for the rest of your life.

Tip: Mime out basics rather than complex concepts, i.e. to order eggs, mime out a chicken (cluck cluck).

Pack Properly.

Nothing puts a damper on your abroad experience much like having to pay luggage fees due to overpacking. Even worse, not having space in your bag for goodies picked up during your travels at the end of your trip. Basically, overpacking can only make you unhappy. Avoid overpacking by only packing the tried and true items, and try to pack for expected conditions. Be prepared, but that does not require bringing your entire wardrobe and medicine cabinet.

Try Everything And Show Some Respect.

This is easily both the easiest and toughest tip to work with. Why? It’s so easy to get caught up in your own world, and the customs of previous places you’ve visited. Broaden your palette and try the local cuisine. Partake in any cultural experience that you’re allowed to and don’t forget to always show respect for the culture you have been so graciously welcomed into.

Ignore All Of My Tips And Do Whatever You Want.

Look, I’m not sitting here claiming to know it all. I’m no expert, no guru, and I most certainly do not hold all of the secrets to travel. At the end of the day, whether you are watching the sunset from a caravan in Bangladesh or from a small cafe on the Amalfi Coast, you’ll figure out for yourself what it takes and what it is that makes your experience yours. So I’ll just leave you with this last bit of advice, from one wanderer to another: the reading stops here- get off your laptop and get out there and experience the world for yourself.

 Bon voyage! ¡Adiós! Viszlát! and Enjoy!