What to Know Before You Go

When I got the phone call at 3:35 a.m. informing me I was going overseas on the possibility of a job, I headed to the library to read up on Bali.  That’s where I thought the caller said I was going.  Bwa-ha-ha!  Joke was on me.  I was headed to Balikpapan (BTW, nothing in those pics existed when I lived there).  Instant freak-out at the Indonesian consulate in Singapore when I obtained my visa.  The Jungles of Borneo?

I went.  Still glad I did!  Very, v-e-r-y strange life, however.

It pays to do some research (I eventually got to Bali, and good thing I’d done my homework).  Wherever you’re going, get some data in a hurry.  It’s incredibly easy to learn a lot in a few hours these days.  Hurray for the internet!

So what do you most urgently need to know?  Where to spend your research time most fruitfully (especially if you have to leave in the morning!)?

        *  Visa types and requirements: every country has a website with visa details.  Get your info straight from the authorities or reputable visa agents.  Beware some “agents” which have not updated their website in three years.

        *  Climate/weather: what clothing and supplies will you need to pack?

        *  Safety issues: better to be safe than sorry.  Check US Department of State advisory bulletins, and google city, country, crime rate.  Of course, you practice personal safety and security measures at all times everywhere!

        *  Cost estimates: kayak.com, hotels.com, cost of living index sites, even craigslist can give you quick ideas as to price ranges on hotels, housing, food, sales taxes or VAT, and more.

        *  Courtesies and culture: avoid making a complete idiot of yourself.  E.g. in Indonesia, do not “wave bye-bye,” especially to a child.  They freak out since that motion is identical to their non-verbal signal for “come here.”  No bare shoulders, no shorts or mini-skirts, no first name basis introductions, or similar cultural taboos could cost you a great deal of unnecessary trouble, complications, or plain old embarrassment.  This is something you can intensely study for years and still not get it all right.  At least make a stab at some of the more overt behaviors which can generate major misunderstandings.

        *  Business culture and attire: suits or dresses or skirt/slacks with blazer?  How to present a business card?  “Get to know you” before you get down to business?  If you work, run your own biz, whatever, this one’s the deal killer.  Find books on international business etiquette or do some internet research on city/country + business attire, business etiquette.  When in doubt, ask what the proper procedure and form is, explaining you’d like to adhere to their customs but don’t know them all “yet.”

        *  Something special: take some time to treat yourself to a popular local food, museum, sight – something unique which interests or intrigues you.  Who in their right mind goes to London without taking in at least one play?  Somewhere in your research, even quick-study, you’re bound to come across something, so cram it into your schedule somehow.  This is the feature which makes all travel worthwhile.  All the rest is necessary, but this is the item which matters.

 

May your road rise to meet you - with very few bumps!

Ann

Useful Reference Guides for the Road Warrioress

The more you know before you go, the more likely your success – whatever your purpose for your travels.  Culture Smart! The Essential Guides to Customs and Culture – from Kuperard, a UK publishing house – www.culturesmart.co.uk – avail as e-books

Understanding a country’s culture and customs makes a huge difference between a successful trip or relocation, whether it’s for business or pleasure.  Attitudes, beliefs, behaviors underlie every interaction, and challenges are routine in every cross-cultural interaction.  Body language – the Silent Language – can be particularly baffling for the uninitiated.

These are practical guides written by expats who have successfully relocated to the particular country.  Basic manners, common courtesies – the etiquette of everything from dining to conducting a business meeting – are the meat of each portion.

Countries include: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brazil, Britain, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, USA, Vietnam.

Got many of these on your travel agenda?  Your wish list?  Start your engines - with a little boning up on the country.

May your road rise to meet you!

Ann

Customs Matter in What You Wear, How You Act

Don’t pack your little black silk cocktail dress if you are going to Thailand.  Wearing black to a dinner or party, the color of death and mourning, is a serious faux pas among Thais.

An emergency medical service which expanded into Malaysia had to change their corporate color, logo, and reprint all of their business cards, letterhead, promotional materials – everything!  Their corporate color was a deep blue, the color of funeral procession attire and an omen of death.  Better to use ordinary white business cards with standard black print than to use blue paper or ink, especially for a business related to healthcare.

It’s Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dragon – and New Year gifts must always be given in pairs!  Odd numbers are inauspicious in gifts.  For New Year gifts, money is popular, but oranges, which symbolize gold, are even more popular.  Give four oranges (or four dozen) because recipients often “return the good luck” by giving back to the donor, and they would have to reciprocate with an even number or it’s bad luck for the coming year.  By giving four or eight (eight is an especially auspicious “big business” number) oranges, your receiver can return the favor with an even number.

Pay attention to culture, customs, superstitions of the countries you venture to visit.  Internet research can be useful on-the-run.  Better is to study up before you go.  Check travel guides in the public library for sections on customs and culture.  Read books on countries’ traditions, history, culture, customs for more comprehensive cross-cultural training. 

A weekend pouring over the books can spare you from packing unneeded – even dysfunctional – items or insulting your hosts or people you meet.  There’s no point hauling so much as the few ounces of that black silk cocktail dress when every ounce counts on airlines and above all, on your shoulder as you haul your “stuff” around.

May your road rise up to meet you!

Ann