You're doing it! You're embarking on your first international adventure! You are probably having some feelings from excitement, nervousness and just genuinely overwhelmed with the process.
Here are some quick international travel tips to ease your stress and help you prepare. I will cover:
Passport & Visas
Cash & Credit Cards
Cell Phone
Travel Documents
International Power Adapters
Hello, Please, Thank you, Bathroom
Do a Little Homework
Free Tours
Power Bank
Smile
Passports:
PLEASE make sure that your passport is still valid BEFORE you book your international trip. It's also important to note that most countries will require your passport to still be valid within 6 months of your return date back to the Unites States. I have definitely known more than one pal that got to the airport and wasn't able to go on their adventure due to their passport expiring within less than 6 months, even though they were only going to be gone a week. They were devastated.
It's recommended from The State Department that your passport is renewed 9 months before it’s set to expire. They say 10-12 weeks for passport renewal, but since COVID, that timeline has stretched even more. When it's time for you to renew, check the U.S. Department of State’s website to find the passport facility nearest you.
If you need your passport faster, you can use the expedited service for an extra fee and receive your passport in 4-6 weeks.
Visas:
What is a Visa? A visa is an endorsement placed within your passport that grants you official permission to enter, leave or stay in a country for a certain time period. The most common visa types are tourist, student, work and transit visas. (envoyglobal.com)
You should also look into whether or not the country you are going to requires a visa. You can easily find this information through the State Department's website, Learn About Your Destination. Once on the site, simply type in your destination country and it will provide you Quick Facts like these:
This site will be helpful in letting you know whether or not you need a visa for your travel, and if so, where to get that visa, and if you need any vaccinations and what those are.
Cash:
Knowing the currency of the country you are visiting is essential. You can simply Google the currency, but you'll also want to know the exchange rate. Keep in mind that the exchange rate can change, even slightly, day to day. I use this Global Currency Converter to see the exchange rate. What makes it easiest for me is putting in $1, and then converting that to the country's currency that I will be visiting to familiarize myself with it. There is also an app that you can download, pictured below:
I always like to take cash with me. How much I take depends on how long I will be traveling in a certain country. Most developed countries take cards easily, but this is not the case in developing and middle-income countries. If you're able to, a month before your trip, go to your bank for foreign currency. If you are able to exchange at your bank, this will be the best exchange rate versus exchanging at the airport or a money exchange in your destination country. You can always use ATMs in other countries as well, but you will be subject to local and your bank's ATM fees.
Credit Cards:
The next important piece is making sure that your credit card companies know that you will be traveling out of the country. Most allow you to do this through their online chat tools, or you can simply all them. You will want to let them know the dates that you will be gone, and the countries that you are traveling to. This will ensure that they don't suspect suspicious activity and freeze your cards after use while abroad.
When you're talking to your credit card company, you will also want to ask if there are any foreign transaction fees so you are aware. If you have a couple of credit cards, choose to use the card that has no foreign transaction fees to help you save money, if that's an option.
Cell Phone:
You will also want to call your cell phone provider and ask what pricing options they have for usage in another country. Each carrier will have several options. For example, Verizon Wireless has an option called International Travel Pass where you can use your cell phone each day in another country for $10 with unlimited data, calls and texts.
It's also important to note, if you're on a budget (like I always am) that you can keep your cell phone in Airplane mode and connect when you are in WiFi to use for free. Have traveled extensively internationally and use this option 90% of the time, unless it's an emergency that I need my phone outside of WiFi. It works well, and it feels great to be disconnected when I am out of WiFi.
Travel Documents:
Whether you will have your smart phone or not, it's always a smart idea to print off the travel documents that you need before your trip. The documents that I always print off are any tickets, (flight, train, bus, boat) accommodation confirmation with the address, and any information or confirmation you have for pre-booked tours. I print them out, put them in a folder in the order that I will need them, and then pack them into my carry-on luggage. This has saved me on more than several occasions.
International Power Adaptors:
It's important to know that there are different power adapters, depending on which country you are in. Luckily, it doesn't change country to country, but there are 15 different types of sockets out there. This Universal Travel Power Adapter is the one that I have and it works very well. However, it only works for 150 of the 195 countries. If you are going to someplace like India or South Africa, you would need a different converter. Double check on this before you embark on your adventure to ensure you are able to charge up.
Hello, Please, Thank you, Bathroom:
At a minimum, these are the words/phrases that you should learn how to say in the country you are traveling to. You certainly don't need to be fluent, but the more than you can show locals that you are trying to appreciate their culture, the more they are willing to help you. Google Translate is a great tool to help in a pinch as well.
There are also plenty of free apps to use with translations. The one I use most is iTranslate. You can even put your phone over words on a menu, and it will let you know what it means in English. Of course, I always think guessing on a menu is a little more fun. ;)
Do a Little Homework:
If you are traveling to a country you are really unfamiliar with, do a little homework. Main inquiries I have had is the appropriate dress for females in public spaces, and appropriate attire in churches, as I like to explore them when I am traveling.
Free Tours:
Have I mentioned before that I'm cheap? But I promise you, cheap or not, I would love a free tour! You will be able to find free walking tours in most major cities, and I have never met a free tour that I didn't like. It's a great thing to do on your first day in a new city to help you to get acclimated and learn some cool tips for the city. Free Tour Guides are always working on tips, so they are going to put a lot into making sure that you enjoy your tour! You can look up free tours in any major city that you travel to. Click on the photo below for one of my favorite companies that give amazing free tours!
Power Bank:
If you are going to be out and about all day, and you don't want to worry about the life of your electronics, I would strongly recommend of power bank. They are inexpensive, and can be life savers. This Power Bank is very slim, compact and will work with most iPhones and Androids.
Smiles:
My last, but most important tip before your first international trip is to remember to SMILE! In the 41 countries that I have been to, I have definitely been lost, confused, sometimes even frantic. I cannot tell you how valuable it was for me to smile at strangers when I needed help, even if we couldn't speak the same language. Smiling is universal. It will make you happier while traveling, and those that you encounter happier as well.
Share your favorite tips in the comments below!
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