Lets jump right in with number 10
10. Start the planning ASAP!
Going abroad is not something that you can put off until the last minute like a homework assignment. You have to take into account getting a passport which can take up to six weeks or longer. Waiting to obtain a vaccination or your visa for certain countries can also take up quiet a bit of time. It’s good to start at least a semester before going, or even an academic year in advance the planning process. This will make sure you have enough time to look at all of your options and ask questions.
9. Learn some general traffic laws of your host country.
Fun fact, not every country has laws that give the pedestrian the right of way. In Mexico, even at designated crosswalks, drivers will not even slow down for people attempting to cross. It’s also a good idea to know if you plan of biking in your host country. What are the rules for bicyclist? What side of the road do they drive on? Do you need lights for your bicycle? These are just a few things to keep in mind as you step into a new country.
8. Don’t over pack.
Seriously, don’t. If you’re going for a semester, you only need about a weeks worth of clothes, that’s it. You will buy clothes while you’re there and if you come already with a fully packed bagged. You won’t have any space for souvenirs and other things. In my experience, military duffel bags are a good way to fit a lot of things, in a small place.
7. What are the dangerous insects of the country?
It was about 10:30 at night when I got up to get some water from the kitchen downstairs. I came across a tiny scorpion crawling across the floor that was no bigger than a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. I commented about it and my host uncle who was sitting on the couch watching T.V. immediately got up and ran over to kill it. I was surprised at how fast he moved for a man his age. But it was in that moment that he told me that they are extremely venomous and that I should exercise caution while getting into bed, or putting shoes on.
6. Not every carrier has unlimited data plans.
Even though with T-Mobile, I can use my phone in Mexico and Canada for no extra charge, it was only for six months. So I eventually had to buy a Mexican cellphone plan. To my surprise, the largest plan they had included only 12 GB of data per month. Unlimited data did not exist, and when I ask about it, the rep. thought that i was the weird one. I routinely use about 25 – 30 GB per month since I don’t have to worry about data caps. So the transition of cutting back my music streaming and snapchatting was definitely something to get used to. Plus I couldn’t pay online, so I had to go to the physical store to pay my bill every month. #Firstworldproblems
5. Call your loved ones/ friends.
Though you’re out having the time of your life, remember that you still left a world behind back home.
4. Learn how to barter.
Luckily my host family taught me how to do this, but in many parts of the world, you can still exchange goods for services. I would sometimes go to the market to buy groceries and I would trade items such as sugar or toilet paper. In most cases, this would come out cheaper than had I just used cash.
3. Don’t fool yourself just because something is cheaper.
I was guilty of this the entire time. Especially when it came to going out. Where as here, a normal mixed drink might cost about $5, there it was only $2. So you would think, oh it’s so cheap but in the end you would spend more because you were buying more, because it was cheaper. So just be aware of that.
2. Be ready to represent your country.
Why do all Americans have guns? Do all Americans live in mansions? There are homeless people in the U.S.? These are questions that I was asked while abroad. Some questions can be down right offensive. So it might be in your best interest to brush up on foreign affairs and the current political atmosphere of your home and host countries. Believe me, you will be asked any and everything.
1. The world isn’t that dangerous.
Being in the U.S. we’re kind of in our own little bubble. We only see what happens in the world through the filter of the mass media in most cases, and that can make it seem that other countries are just falling apart. For Mexico, people told me that I would be mugged and even become a victim of the war on the drug cartels. But once I got there, I saw just how normal Mexico was. People going to work and school, people shopping at Walmart and eating at IHOP. Totally different than what our news tends to show.So don’t let met a man on the T.V. be the difference between you seeing the world and staying in Southwest Missouri.