Tips for traveling abroad.

One of the great perks of being an English EFL teacher is that you get to see many far and away places of the world. Traveling goes hand-in-hand with the career.

Are you ready for your next destination? Got your bags all packed, your car sold, and your mail forwarded? Great, you’re somewhat ahead of the game. Those may be some of your important things to do, but the list doesn’t end there.

When traveling abroad there are many things to take into consideration above and beyond the cost of your plane ticket. Some of the others are: registration with the Embassy, the best way to plan your trip, health and safety issues, knowing the regional information, Entry Visa regulations, and what other important documents you should have with you when you travel.

We’ll give you a quick sweet overview.

The quick and sweet overview:

1. Register your travel with your corresponding Embassy or Consulate.

It’s important that anyone planning to live abroad, or even travel, register at their corresponding Embassy or Consulate in their host country. You never know when there is going to be some type of disaster or emergency. Your Embassy will be able to offer you some kinds of assistance, but ONLY if they know who you are. If you just pop up on their doorstep without prior registration, guess where you’re going? Straight to the back of the queue.

Having the summers off is another great perk of teaching. If you are planning to take an extended holiday during your downtime for a period greater than about 4 weeks, then think about registration at your holiday destination as well. There are many adventurous travelers out there so pay particular attention to register if you are:

• Going to any countries that are having civil unrest, a volatile political climate, or is prone to natural disasters, earthquakes, or other “acts of god.”
• Going to any countries where there are no Embassies or Consulates. In such a case, leave your travel itinerary with the Consular Section of the adjacent country. If that is not practical, then leave it with your host country. Make sure to ask about current conditions of the country. Also find out if a substitute country acts in the interest of your country. For example, many times Americans can go to the Canadian consulate when no US officials are present in the country.

Be aware that most officials will safeguard your privacy and will not release the information you provide them without your written consent or extenuating circumstances.


2. Planning out your travel.

Getting out and going abroad is your first step in the right direction in your EFL career. Your journeys are going to be exhilarating, and here are some tips to get the best of them:

Get some guide books that are along the similar lines of what you’d like to get out of your holiday. For example, if you are interested in hitting up all the great pubs and clubs then don’t get a guide book about the best places to go bird watching.

Educate yourself about the weather and seasons, time zones and such so you don’t choose a flight that is going to land you in a bank of snow at 3:30am.

Check out your destination’s local calendar. This is important so that you know about festivals and holidays. Trying to book a hotel during some of the busier festivals is a nightmare. Save yourself some aggravation and read ahead. Find out about basic cultural norms, what to do/say and what not to do.

Try some alternative forms of getting out and about. If you normally rent/hire a car when you are on holiday, think about going by a bicycle this time around. God forbid!

Do your homework on the Net concerning your destination. Find out about any travel warnings or advisories that may have been issued. You should also find out great places to eat and stay, as well as places that you should avoid and be aware of.

Take any medications that you may be on, or you possibly foresee needing, with you. Some prescriptions are incredibly tough to get filled in some regions. Make sure that you prescriptions are legal where you plan to travel as well. It’s also a good idea to carry a copy of your proof of immunizations and vaccines for those overly anal immigration inspectors.

Lastly, pack lightly. Hauling around some huge luggage is not practical unless you are rich and can hire a pack-mule to lug it for you. Bring a handful of sturdy wooden clothespins, a couple of meters of string, and bag of detergent and you’ll be yards ahead of the rest of the crowd.

3. Travel Health and Safety Tips.

Wash your bloody hands. The vast majority of travelers never wash their hands even once a day. That is after touching money, products, goods, shaking hands, fumbling their keys (you’re supposed to be on a bike!) and lord knows what else. Then someone rubs their eyes, repositions the meat on their sandwich, or picks their teeth – and the entire day just made its way into their body. Game Over.

Keeping your hands clean (not OCD style) is the simplest and most effective way to avoid getting sick with some type of viral infection. It also reduces the chances of you spreading it them to someone else.

Stay warm and dry. Use the layer method when you are dressing. Light and thin close to the body, big warm and bulky the farther you go out. Usually 3-4 layers are fine unless you want to pile it on so thick that you can’t bend your arms to touch anything with your dirty hands.

Chill-out. Yes, manage your stress. Spending over your budget and a few other things can cause a lot of stress and take the fun right out of your travels. Try to stay cool, calm, and collected. This is especially true when dealing with vendors. Pounding fists on desks, and turning beet-red doesn’t work so well in many places in the world.

Some people like cold dark cramped quarters, where you hearing water dripping slowly. Drip, drip, drip. That is until it is shattered by horrific yells of pain. The best ways for you to find yourself in a similar situation is be an idiot and drink and drive. Drunk driving is a surefire way for you to find yourself someplace where you really really don’t want to be. Stay away from a car if you’re drunk. Simple as that.


4. Know the regional information of where you are going.

It’s not Kansas anymore. Many parts of the world are in civil unrest, have catastrophic flooding or natural disasters, widespread terrorism and epidemics. Know before you go and be wise.

Carry a guidebook with you, or at the minimal a map. Have important numbers handy – Embassy, hospital, police, tourist helpdesk, and the number for a taxi.

Make sure that you respect the culture and the traditions of the region where you are traveling. It can greatly enhance your travel experience and minimize any possible misunderstandings.

5. Visa Requirements.

Do your research about what are the specific visa requirements for you. Your country’s State Department or Interior Ministry should provide you with the information that you are looking for. In addition, you can find out information about Visas and travel requirements from destination country’s website.