10 travel excuses not to make in 2012

by Jessica Festa on

So, you’ve always wanted to travel, but you just haven’t done it yet. Why not? Do you think you can’t afford it? Or, that you don’t have the time? When it comes down to it, obstacles shouldn’t be getting in the way of you fulfilling your dreams. This year, stop making excuses and travel.

Excuse #1: I can’t afford it

This is one of the most common excuses people make for not traveling. Traveling doesn’t have to mean staying in 5-star hotels and eating at Michelin starred restaurants. In fact, using less-expensive accommodation options, like staying with locals for free through Couchsurfing, volunteering on organic farms in exchange for room and board with WWOOF, or doing a homestay can give you more insight into the local culture of the place you are visiting. Hostels, a simple yet social form of accommodation, can also help you meet fellow travelers while saving you money. And, eating at restaurants that don’t have a big “English Menu Available” sign are not only cheaper, but more authentic.

You can also help yourself before your trip begins by saving up some money. Stop spending money on little things that you don’t really need, like a $4 Starbucks coffee (make it at home) or a $10 sandwich from the eatery near your job (again, make it at home). Also, stop splurging on bigger things, like new clothes, makeup, sneakers, big nights out, etc… Obviously you don’t want to deprive yourself, but cut back a little and look for alternative and cheaper options that can also be satisfying.Excuse #2: I don’t have anyone to go with

You don’t need anyone to go with! I’ve gone on backpacking trips through Europe and South East Asia by myself and have never had a problem meeting people along the way. If you stay in hostels, you will easily meet other travelers. Money exchanges, airports, markets, and walking tours are other prime spots for making friends. If you’re more interested in meeting locals, try a homestay, volunteer, or just seek out the cafes and bars where locals hangout and strike up a conversation. The best thing about traveling alone is you never have to adhere to anyone else’s schedule. Instead, you can wake up when you want, see what you want, and do what you want without having to feel the need to coordinate with someone else.

Excuse #3: I’m too young/old

You are never too young or too old to travel. If you’re young, why not do something abroad to help build your resume, like volunteer, study, or intern abroad. If it’s a matter of your parents being worried and you want to appease them, join a tour group like Intrepid Travel or G Adventures so that you’ll be with an experienced guide as well as other young travelers.

If you think you’re too old, think again. There are plenty of older people out there, not just traveling, but backpacking and trekking their way around the world. In fact, just this past October, 84-year old Richard Byerley broke a new world record and became the oldest person to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. And before him, the oldest person to do this same feat was 82-year old George Solt in 2010. If you still feel skeptical, there are tour groups that cater to those in their retirement years, like Road Scholar and Grand Circle Foundation.

Excuse #4: I’m afraid to fly

According to planecrashinfo.com, the chances of you being killed on a plane flown by one of the top 25 airlines is 1 in 9.2 million. And, even if you went with an airline that is deemed to have higher accident rates than the others, the chances are still slim at 1 in 843,744. If logic still doesn’t assuage your fears don’t get dismayed, you can still travel. Fill up your gas tank and take a road trip, pack a bag and travel by bus from city to city, or, for something a little more luxurious, opt for a relaxing cruise.

Excuse #5: My boyfriend/girlfriend/parents don’t want me to go

While it’s understandable that the people who love you will miss you, they should also try to be happy that you’re doing something that will make you feel fulfilled. There is so much technology available nowadays that keeping in touch is easy. Video chat on Skype, send e-mails, or keep a blog to let your loved ones follow your travels and know that you’re safe.

If it’s a significant other that’s keeping you from traveling, ask them to come along with you. And if they can’t, you still shouldn’t give up going on a trip that will enrich your life. As for your parents, it’s only because they are worried about you, so try to ease their minds as much as possible. Call regularly and send them photos, make it clear how responsible you plan on being, and show them blog posts and articles from other travelers who have been to the same cities. Despite the fact that I’ve backpacked myriad countries alone, my parents still worry, and that’s something that will never change. But, these trips have helped me have experiences I never would have otherwise and have helped shape me into the person I am now.

Excuse #6: Traveling is dangerous

While I hear this one a lot, it’s always amazing to me that people can put such a blanket statement on traveling. Isn’t life in general dangerous? I’ve also heard that driving, smoking cigarettes, playing contact sports, drinking alcohol, and eating fatty foods is dangerous, but I’d say majority of the people I know do most of those things. You need to take risks in order to live a full life. Of course, you should take precautions. Walking back to your accommodation alone and drunk at 3AM in a foreign city (or even your hometown) probably isn’t the best idea. But if you use your brain, you should be more than fine.

One thing I always find, too, is that people perceive other cities as being more dangerous than they often are. On a recent trip to Ghana, Africa, my friends were extremely worried for my safety. On a hike in the Volta Region I asked a local who I had befriended if he would ever come to New York to visit me. His reply? “Isn’t New York one of the most dangerous cities in the world?”

Excuse #7: It’ll ruin my career

Most jobs give you time off (and if they don’t, maybe you should try looking for a new job), so use it. If you get two weeks take two weeks vacation, and try to plan it around holidays and weekends so you can add extra days into your trip. If you’re looking to go for longer, don’t look at it as the end of your employability. Traveling can help build and enhance your skills and also shows how adaptable you are as a person. You may also discover things about yourself along the way that can lead you into a job you didn’t even know you wanted, like teaching abroad, travel journalism, being a tour guide, or working for a nonprofit or travel company.

Excuse #8: I have a family

Take them with you! Just ask Meg Nesterov who writes Gadling’s Knocked Up Abroad, chronicling her travels with a baby. There will be challenges to traveling with a family, but with the right attitude and some planning it isn’t impossible. If your kids are a little older, they will be introduced to unique cultural experiences at a young age, and you can seek out destinations that have opportunities for learning. There are also tons of hotels out there that cater to families, and many homestays and volunteer programs that will accept families with children, as well.

Excuse #9: I’m scared of being culture shocked

Even the most well-traveled individuals can experience culture shock, and it’s completely normal. However, you shouldn’t let the possibility of some discomfort abroad stop you from seeing a foreign land. If it’s your first time traveling, start with a country or countries that are more Westernized and speak English. Once you get more comfortable with being away from home, you can start to branch out little by little. If you get to a place where you really feel uncomfortable, don’t run away but instead face the obstacle head on. Realize the unique experience you’re having and try new things that you never imagined you would. You can always sneak back to your hotel room and write your thoughts in a journal when you need a break.

Excuse #10: I don’t know a foreign language

Obviously, you can solve this problem by traveling to destinations where they do speak your language. However, by only sticking to primarily English-speaking countries you can miss out on a lot of great cities. You’d actually be surprised how many people in non-English speaking countries can, in fact, speak at least some English. And when they can’t, using hand gestures, pointing, and carrying a pen and paper to write down the names of landmarks or draw pictures can be very helpful. And just to be safe, a pocket dictionary never hurts.

6 tips for dealing with culture shock

by Jessica Festa on

When traveling, especially internationally or to more remote destinations, culture shock is bound to happen. Sometimes it is just the smallest feeling of discomfort, and at other times can lead to complete panic and an intense longing to get on the next plane home. While it is completely normal to experience these feelings of culture shock, it is also important to not let it ruin your trip. Keep these tips in mind next time you are traveling to help turn your anxiety into excitement.

Research the destination before you leave home

If you dive into the trip completely unprepared and not knowing what to expect, you are literally setting yourself up to be shocked by the culture. Search the internet, read a guidebook, or talk to travelers who have visited the destination before. Find out about customs and etiquette, ask about what kinds of clothing locals wear, learn about greetings, read about transportation and how people get around, and, most importantly, safety. Basically, just gather enough information so that you can be prepared for your experience abroad and have a better chance of blending in.Take baby steps

If possible, I have always found it helpful to begin international trips in the more touristy areas and then work my way to the more rural regions. You could also try staying in a comfortable hotel, at least in the beginning, just so that you have an escape while you are getting adjusted to your new surroundings. As you get more comfortable, you can gradually begin to get away from these comforts and immerse yourself in the culture more fully.

Learn some key phrases

Many times, becoming fluent in another language just to go on a trip that lasts a few months or less just doesn’t make sense (although, if you have the time this never hurts). It can be helpful to learn a few key phrases, however, to at least feel comfortable making small talk and knowing what people are saying to you. When in Ghana, Africa, for example, the locals would constantly shout “oburoni! at me. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought they were angry at me or making fun of me. However, I learned early on that this word, which literally means “foreigner”, is their way of trying to make conversation with you.

Keep a journal

While it may sound a little corny, it can be helpful to write about your experience for a few reasons. One, its generally therapeutic to share your thoughts and feelings, and writing it down in your own personal book can allow you to be completely open. Moreover, I’ve personally always found keeping a journal helpful in shifting my mindset from being nervous about my new surroundings to being excited. Getting everything down on paper and seeing just how many unique experiences you have in one day alone can help make it clear the opportunity you have to immerse yourself and learn about a new culture and place.

Try new things, even if you’re afraid

While it may seem scary, actually participating in cultural experiences abroad can show you firsthand just how not-scary it is. Try a new food, even if it is something you would never eat at home, learn how to play a local instrument, or attend a cultural festival. Even simple tasks such as hailing a taxi or asking for directions can seem daunting, but you should try anyway. For example, while in Ghana I did most of the talking to locals in terms of asking where to eat or where to go, mostly because my travel companion was terrified to interact with the locals. She really wanted to have a dress handmade in the village, and when she asked me to help buy the fabric for her, I refused, hoping to get her to talk to the seamstress herself. After a bit of begging and pleading on her part, she finally forced herself to choose a fabric and ask the woman for the price. Afterwards, she felt a lot more confident about interacting with locals and experiencing the culture.

If possible, make contacts before you go

With all of the company information, social media platforms, and networking websites out there, it makes it easy to connect with people and companies from all over the world. This could be as simple as signing on to volunteer with an NGO in your destination, or contacting hospitality companies in the area. Ask around travel forums or post on CouchSurfing to see if anyone will be in the same area as you at the same time or has ever been to that destination and can provide information and other contacts. Even if you can’t find someone to meet up with in the country, it is nice to speak with people who have been there and learn about their experiences.

Dealing with reverse culture shock

by Gadling Staff on

You’re returning home after living overseas. Perhaps you’ve been gone only a few months… or perhaps you’ve lived in a foreign culture for a number of years. It’s possible that you became fully immersed into that host country and culture. Now, you’re facing repatriation back to your home culture.

Sometimes, people experience what is known as Reverse Culture Shock when returning to their original homeland: it’s a surprising mixture of bewilderment, loss, isolation and confusion. Your home country may no longer feel like home, and you may not feel like you belong there. Preparing for successful “re-entry” often depends upon applying skills of adaptability, change, and flexibility to ease transition back into one’s home culture.

Recognize that you are a different, new person.
You’ve probably changed significantly by living overseas. Viewing our old home from an international perspective may reveal new — sometimes scary — insights into our home culture, other societies, and ourselves. Your new attitudes, cultural sensitivities, global awareness, and broader viewpoints may or may not be in sync with the folks’ ideas back home.

Maybe you’re not even sure where home is anymore, or maybe you feel more connected to your host country. It’s ok to feel confused. Another name for this feeling is “personal growth,” and this is just a growing pain.

Remember that your home country has changed, too.
Changes — big and small — happened while you were away. If you were back for home leave or a short visit, you may have already observed some changes. But even tiny alterations in fashions, products, advertising, customer service approaches, bank fees, and political attitudes may combine to create an entirely new, strange environment.
The longer an expatriate is away, the more potential there is for shock upon returning. Changes that become subtly integrated in society while you were away can contribute to a feeling of surprise and unfamiliarity. Again, it’s ok to feel confused. Remember that, in the same way you may have struggled in your host culture for a while, you may struggle in your home culture for a period of time, too.

Jump right in, socially.

When people do ask about your travels, keep it positive and share a few key details to start.

Get involved in new things as quickly as possible. Join new clubs, take courses, visit a church, and meet new people even though you may feel foreign. Although difficult to find, seek out activities with other expats — people like yourself who have repatriated. Reach out to foreign nationals who are now experiencing life as an expat in the USA. Don’t dwell on the old days. It’s fine to think about them, but avoid mooning over them for extended periods.

Pro-actively reconnect with old friends.
You may not have too much in common any more, but it’s worth a try. Rebuilding an old friendship can be worth the effort, especially when loneliness or alienation come to call. Hopefully, you maintained some contact with old friends, even if just through Christmas cards or the occasional email. Now it’s time to find out what they’ve been up to. Invite them for lunch to catch up on their activities. Pick up the phone; don’t wait for a call. Often these reconnections aren’t exactly equal give and take; it may be up to you to offer much more “give.”

It’s somewhat counterintuitive, but while it’s tempting to share all your exciting experiences with someone, your old friends may view you as different (which you are, and they are too). This is a good time to utilize those broadened people skills you’ve acquired overseas, and be a good listener even if you can’t relate to some of the conversation. Also: be flexible — if invited, go along to a friend’s reading group or quilt-making meeting, for example. After all, maybe this will be part of your new, home culture.

Save detailed accounts of your overseas adventures for only your closest family/friends.
This stems from the tip above. Tread lightly in recounting too much detail and sharing photos of your travels, especially with new acquaintances. Even if they ask, many people may be quick to lose interest in your adventures.

When people do ask — keep it positive and share a few key details to start. Many expats learn to deflect questions about international travels before they even arise.

Make your old house into a new home.
If you’re moving back into your same old house, it’s only sort of like being back home again. Neighbors may have remarried or moved. Maybe the kids are in high school or have moved on; perhaps the yard’s play gym is no longer necessary. Consider new plants or a garden. If a renter lived in your house, new paint, carpet and curtains can do wonders.

Your memories from life before overseas are a good starting point, but adjust your lifestyle and expectations to your new needs. A good way to help remember and embrace The New You is to hang some art or photos from your host culture in your old house. Familiar things can make tough adjustments smoother.

Rent before you buy a house in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Alternatively, if you plan to buy a house and are moving to an unfamiliar town, give yourself a few months to learn about the local real estate market before buying. Many companies will pay to store your household goods for a period of time before delivery to a new home. If you have to pay a couple extra months’ storage out of pocket, to give yourself time to really learn about the new area, it could be a wise investment.

If you get a house-hunting trip to the new location prior to the move, use this trip to find a furnished, short-term rental — and to get started photographing and thinking about potential schools, homes, Main Streets. This gives you the flexible option of easing into a new place before committing to buy.

Expect “Retail Overload.”
Maybe you’ve been living in a place where you bargained for food in open-air markets, or in a country with canned goods in different languages. Shopping in a western grocery store again can be an overwhelming experience for the expat. Western goods, availability, quantity, variety and choices can be daunting.

Take rice, for example. In your overseas host country, perhaps someone weighed out a pound of rice on a time-honored scale in an open market, and off you would go with a neat little package in some recycled paper. Contrast that to the myriad shelves of rice selections — white or brown? Jasmine or Basmati? Wild, long-grain, instant, long-cooking… hundreds of brands and products, all colorful and screaming out, invite you to pick them up… where to start? There’s no bargaining, just confusing price variations… And this is just rice. One way an expat can ease this overload is to visit smaller grocery stores. Initially, it may be smart to avoid mega-warehouses, like Sam’s or Costco. People in the midst of repatriation re-entry have been known to flee mega-stores in tears — and empty-handed.

Finally, allow yourself the cultural confusion.
Understand and acknowledge the unique nature of what you’re feeling. Give yourself transition time. Try to appreciate that your perspectives are in metamorphosis, and your brain is trying to create a new sense of normal.

It may be tough to avoid altogether, but Reverse Culture Shock can be enlightening — or at least broadening — in itself. Through anticipation, utilizing transition skills from earlier moves, and by adapting to local challenges, one’s repatriation re-entry can evolve into a fresh, new definition of “being home.”

For further information about reverse culture shock, consider reading Homeward Bound by Robin Pascoe, and The Art of Coming Home by Craig Storti.

[Image credits: Luke Robinson, FriskoDude, and (flicts)]

Gadlinks for Thursday, 1.21.2010

by Katie Hammel on

Can’t get enough travel news? Fear not, here is some more travel talk from around the web.


More Gadlinks HERE.

How to prepare for reverse culture shock

by Gadling Staff on

You’re planning your return from an extended vacation. Or, you’re coming back to live in an old, familiar place after a long stint working abroad. Either way, you’ll need to prepare mentally for your return home.

Although you may have grown up in this old familiar place, returning home can be a real jolt to the system. After all, you’ve grown accustomed to the lifestyle, attitudes, and perspective of some new culture. Now, this new culture is in your blood; you’re a new person now. Remember how different the new culture felt when you first arrived — the “culture shock” you experienced? Believe it or not, returning to your old stomping grounds can be just as rattling. This is known as “reverse culture shock.”

For weeks — maybe months! — you’ll be experiencing your home base with fresh perspective; seeing old friends who may not understand what you’ve seen and done; and navigating a (potentially) unfamiliar culture of consumerism. It can be stressful. Here are some tips for making the adjustment and learning to love your new, old home again.

Don’t expect your friends and family to want all the delicious details of your trip.
More often than not, they’ll ask, “Did you have a good time?” or “Was it what you’d hoped it would be?”. They’ll smile and nod and be happy to hear you reply, “Yes!” And … that’s it. No more.

So don’t plan the two-hour slide show, and make peace with the fact that even your closest friends and family may just not care about the time you found yourself on horseback roping cattle with Mexican cowboys or schmoozing on the Jungfrau ski slopes with Swiss business clients. You may have had a life-changing experience abroad, but back home, people were living their lives and enduring the same ol’ same ol’ you got to escape. So don’t rub it in. (To be fair, it may not be that they don’t care. It may be that, at home in their normal lives, they just can’t understand the massive, life-changing experience you enjoyed.)

Find some friends who can share your new, wider world perspective.
Seek out expats living in your area, or reach out to others who have also spent significant time in other cultures. There’s a good chance those folks will want to hear your stories — and they might even agree to look at your photos.

Get on Facebook.
Find your friends from abroad. Seeing photos and daily updates of friends you’ve left behind will help you feel connected to the life you left behind.

Get off Facebook.
However, resist the urge to simply hang on the Internet. Make plans that involve face-to-face contact, actual food, and real experiences. The best way to re-kindle the flame for the culture you left behind is to embrace it. Give it a hug. So make a dinner reservation, buy a movie ticket, and leave the house.

Make shopping lists.
Rediscovering a developed nation’s shopping experience can leave a person breathless. Nowhere in the world are there as many choices, stores, and products. After buying at local boutiques, green grocers, butchers, and bakeries, a developed nation’s mega-retailer or grocery store may feel overwhelming. The Halloween costumes for cats may be captivating, but you’ll never get out of there if you don’t stay focused and buy what you came for.


Keep up your language skills.
Get the foreign language channels on your cable service and watch Sponge Bob in Spanish. Don’t select English when you watch your DVDs. Call friends, speak to shopkeepers, read foreign magazines. Unless you make the effort to use your language skills, you’ll lose them. And down the road, you’ll feel really bad about that.

Incorporate foreign customs into your lifestyle.
Since most Western holidays have become consumer-driven events, many holiday traditions of foreign cultures can feel like a breath of fresh air.

Instead of spending an arm and a leg on artificial amputated arms and legs for Halloween, why not create a “Day of the Dead Altar” with fruits and flowers, and photos of relatives who’ve passed on? Alternatively, make a Dragon head costume and have dim sum for New Year’s Eve.

Get involved with a cause.
Westerners can be among the most generous and proactive members of the social and environmental activism movements. There’s no better way to feel good about your country than to be a part of an effort that makes the world a better place — for animals or for human beings, even for rivers, mountains, and forests.

Make plans to visit the country you left behind.
Investigate house swap websites or invite friends to trade your apartment or house so you can more easily afford to travel. If you know you have plans for a visit, coming back home may not feel so final.

Be careful what you eat.
In the Western world, high fructose corn syrup is in soft drinks, spaghetti sauces, and even sandwich breads. It’s easy to gain a few pounds after being away for so long, unless you check labels and look for hidden calories. And, while your first stop after the airport may be McDonald’s to eat some french fries, you don’t really need to “super size it.”

If you’ve learned anything by living in a foreign country, its that you can get by eating and buying and having less. Remember how happy you were with less. Less is more.

Returning home after a long experience abroad can be jarring initially. However, with a little patience, you’ll feel comfortable in your new, old home again — and richer for having explored other cultures.

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