4 Things to Remember Before You Go

You’ve decided where you want to go. You’ve got your Pinterest boards ready, you’ve booked your flight, hotels, and tours, you’re packed and ready to go! You’re reviewing your list of all the things you need to do before you leave. Have you packed your toothbrush? Yup. Have you closed all of the windows? Sure have!

Have you forgotten anything?

If you’re the typical tourist; probably.

No, it’s not your hairdryer or your glasses.

You’ve forgotten to study. You’ve forgotten to pack your mental toolkit!

This toolkit will add enjoyment to your trip, make it easier to navigate your environment, and likely give you more places that you would like to visit, either in the future or on the very trip you intend to take.

These are the tools I suggest you add to your repertoire.

#1. Study the language.

Duolingo, Drops, and Memrise are all good starts. You needn’t be proficient in a language to visit the countries which use it, but you should learn a few key phrases. Learn how to ask for help, how to say the word hospital, how to ask where the bathroom is, how to say please, thank you, yes, and no, and if there are any hand signs which are offensive. Beyond that, how much or little you learn is really up to you, but I would recommend you learn as much as you can before you go. Learning to read a few symbols if they don’t use a Latin alphabet would also be wise, or memorizing how to spell certain key words throughout your trip; the name of your hotel for example. The locals will also be much happier to lend you a hand if they can see you at least tried to learn some of their language before you arrived. Don’t be that tourist who shows up expecting everyone to speak English.

#2. Study the national history.

Read a book. Watch a documentary. Listen to presentation from a local. Watch a Youtube video. Even if you’re not a big fan of history, at least go through a few of these to get a sense of the culture and legacy of the place you’re visiting. There is almost no way to go about studying the history of a nation wrongly. The only possible methods you could go wrong with are thinking you already know everything, or listening to a bigot. While you’re learning it’s important to remember that opinions are not facts, and the facts don’t care about your feelings! You’re there to learn not be emotionally comforted.

#3. Study the local political climate.

Some places are not friendly. It’s common among certain communities to know that there are places where they are unwelcome. The Black and Queer communities for example, know that there are certain areas, be they towns or spaces, which they are not welcome; some under the penalty of death. If you’re unsure of what I’m talking about you can follow these links to the Wikipedia articles for sundown towns, and for the stances of the world nations concerning lgbtq rights. These articles are only a preliminary and baseline knowledge which you should be aware of, irregardless of belonging to or having friends in these communities. Many members of these communities will tell you that despite legislation which makes harming them illegal, the harm continues to occur in certain areas. Be aware that the situation and level of safety you feel in your city may not be imitated everywhere in the world you choose to go!

#4. Study the maps.

When Mom, Dad, and I visited London together for the first time, we ended up on top of a stair about to cross a bridge. The only thing that kept us from going further in the wrong direction was my knowledge that the route from the tube station to our hotel didn’t involve crossing water. I’d have done better to memorise that map, but knowing that we needn’t cross the Thames saved us an arduous journey, and it would have done even had my phone been dead and the hour been late. Knowing the local landmarks will save you a lot of walking, and make it harder for you to be led astray by strangers, either accidentally or on purpose.

Anything else you choose to study will only enhance your trip further, so don’t be afraid to keep reading, watching, and learning about your favourite places on earth!

Wash your hands, wear a mask, and stay safe gentle reader.