5 Considerations Before Visiting Foreign Countries

Posted by TravelKorner on December 8, 2013 in English, Travel Advice | Leave a comment

by Rod Raycroft

As more destinations open their doors to explorers, many are wrapped up in the midst of their own beliefs, that our hosts were prepared to welcome us. We find the waiter or hotel front desk challenging in understanding our order or of an online booking.

Before going on that foreign holiday, leave any close mindedness behind, that’s what I’ve learned after more than 20 years of travelling. The ability to accept and respect other cultures is well noted by American novelist, James Michener, who said, “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”

Planning

There are plenty of hotel deals online that you can book and for the most part these are ok, understand these sell-off rooms are most likely the undesirable rooms, next to elevators or exits and on the lower floors close to noisy areas.

Often packages sold by travel agents will have various pricing possibilities; as well, they can advise you when visiting a destination for the first time. They also have access to discounts through their partnerships with tour package companies, airlines, auto rentals and hotels that simply aren’t available online.

If it’s a short resort trip to a familiar destination, then one of those last minute online deals are probably ok. Just do your research.

Language

If you’re visiting a foreign country with an unfamiliar language, you are going to have trouble. If you feel comfortably with the foreign language, use it. Please remember your accent might be difficult to understand, so speaking louder or slowly may be insulting if the person has not asked for this gesture.

Plenty of books are available as quick references as well as apps on the various destinations. So its good to familiarize yourself a few basic words and sentences before arriving. Here’s the top ten to research and practice saying in the language of the country you plan to visit:

1. Yes/ No
2. Hello
3. Good-bye
4. Thank you
5. Excuse-me
6. Do you speak English?
7. Please
8. I would like
9. How much does it/this cost?

10. Where are the restrooms?

Discovery

Travelling to any foreign country or city is awe-inspiring. With a tight timeline, even the smallest country can prove to be a challenge to see it all. Going it alone is less-than efficient.

Here’s a tip if you seeing a city for the first time, take a half-day hop-on-hop-off bus tour to get familiarize with the key sights you want to go back to. Stop in at the visitor centre – often located downtown – where they’ll have maps and often coupon books for discounts.

If you’re in country for the first time hire a guide for a tour geared towards your interests of architecture, culinary, cultural, or visiting historic sites. You can also tailor and choose between group size and private as well as geared to any mode of travel you prefer – motorized, peddle, paddle or on foot.

Eating

You seen all those travel shows with the host eating delicious-looking street foods, tempting you to experience the real culture of the city. What you don’t see is the local knowledge that is provided when they are researching the show.

I’ve assisted celebrities such as Charlie Boorman and Billy Connolly on productions and TV shows such as Lonely Planet’s Pilot Guides. My tips to prevent sto     mach related problems while traveling in places with poor sanitation.

Eat it while its hot, especially meat from street vendors, after being cooked its safer. In a restaurant food is safely handled and prepared. Unlike the pick and point from on the street ordering inside a restaurant might be more of a challenge.

I enter Italian restaurants that are boisterous and outgoing for lunch, that are in the evening quiet and reserved. On holiday, you needn’t feel trapped by cultural differences. If menus are not available in your language, ask the waiter for advice or consider what was on outside window, as many Asian countries display the meals being served.

Buying meat at an open air market in a hot climates meat should be done in the early morning. Understand that the seller might kill that chicken or fish its is how they ensure to you that it’s fresh.

If this turns you stomach towards the local vegetables and fruits, buy uncut items and bottled water to wash them before cutting them with your own knife. Consider adding a packet of white vinegar or lemon juice to water, which creates a simple cleaner agent that eliminates most microbes.

Drinking

Here’s a tip when eating food in foreign countries, consider ordering it spicy or accompany the meal with a shot of hard alcohol. In many cultures alcohol is serve as digestives after the meal, often referred to as a medicine, perhaps to terminate some of the ingested microbes. Although, not a guaranteed method, it is a welcome treat.

Social drinking in countries vary, while in France Champagne is used to celebrate other European nations have their variation on the bubbly. While a Scot might gasp in horror seeing ice in the beloved scotch he’ll add a bit of water to open it’s bouquet.

When drinking socially in France beer is pour slowly and never fills the glass more than halfway and never fill your own glass. As in all European countries never drink before everyone has been served then when the toast is made, make eye contact with everyone individually, if you don’t superstition has it that you will have seven years of unsatisfactory sex. The same is true if you cross arms with others during the toast in Czech Republic.

Even ordering a drink is different in various countries, Ireland its  ‘Rounds’ as one person usually goes to the bar for everyone and its an unspoken condition that you will return the favour.

In Turkey try Raki (Lions Milk) with a meal, unofficially the alcoholic drink for this Muslin nation.

Consumption might seem overboard in Thailand when ordering whisky as the server continues to fill your glass when its below halfway as it is normally order as a half bottle or whole. Finishing a drink to leave, before the most senior person at your table has, is considered disrespectful.

While in Japan make sure the elder’s glass is filled first, perhaps this ensures that it will be first to finish and as in China, when toasting make sure that your glass is must be lower than superiors. But in Korea turn away from superiors when you drink.

As Clifton Fadiman said, “When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.”

Travel with an open mind to the world around you, this enables an understanding of everyone’s unique differences.

If you have some travel advice please  your comments are welcomed!