"Organizing a Trip Abroad
- London England Organizing a trip before starting University, or even later in life to improve your English or explore a new job is very common. Despite being common, it is not easy and there are many things that you need to consider when organizing a trip. So where do you start? What do you need to know and be prepared for? There are many things to think about and I will highlight the most important ones. If you don't understand everything on this page, translate the page into your native language, with the "google translator" below. Choosing a destination can be a big part of planning, so with this in mind you can begin learning as much as you can about the country or city. Going to a country without a sense of the culture, politics, customs, climate and economy increases the chances of something not going according to plan. You need to know what is and is not appropriate in the country you wish to go to. For example in most Spanish houses you do not remove your shoes at the front door but in Canada it would be considered rude to enter and keep your shoes on. (This is probably due to the type of flooring used in each country). My suggestion is to read lots of travel guides and articles while organizing a trip and learn as much as possible while you are still at home. Once you have a good idea about your destination, you can begin the hands on part of organizing a trip. Setting up a loose outline of what you want to do while you are there is an excellent idea. Highlight cities where you want to go and for how long, and include monuments, festivals and activities you want to experience. Having this outline was really helpful while I was in Spain for three months. It was an easy way to record where I had been and what I had done. Not to mention that it also shows you how much time you have left, so that you can adapt your plans if you realize that you didn't give yourself enough time in one place. Now you have the plans, but can you even enter the country? Visit the government website for your destination to view the requirements for entry. You will definitely need a passport to enter, but you need to see how long you are allowed to stay in the country with your passport. When organizing a trip you need to think about the legal aspects that will affect you as a traveler. (Passports, working and study VISA, driving permits, taxes etc). In Spain, I was allowed to be here for three months using my Canadian passport but I can live here indefinitely with my British one. That is pretty important when you are organizing a trip. You wouldn't want to plan a 4 month trip and buy your tickets without the proper documentation. (I am very lucky to have dual citizenship). Please note: if you have your passport already, make sure that it does not expire while you plan to be away. It sounds obvious but nothing is worse than having the security officer at the airport look you in the eyes and tell you that you won't be flying that day because your passport has expired. Another very important thing to have for your trip is travel insurance. In the rare case that you should fall ill or injure yourself while away from home, travel insurance insures that you will be treated and, when necessary, returned to your home country. Prices for insurance depend on several factors including your age and the length of trip you will be taking. I purchased my insurance through my bank, and you can do it through whichever bank you are currently with. When organizing a trip it is a good idea to visit you bank and explain what your plans are. They are usually very helpful and informed and they can also make note of your future plans so that your credit cards do not get frozen dude to a sudden use in a foreign country. Speaking of banks, while you are away you are going to need access to money. Some travelers like to use traveler's checks but I found that a debit card (for direct cash withdrawals) and a credit card are more than sufficient for keeping you connected to your funds. This really depends on you, and when organizing a trip you need to do what you are most comfortable with. If you prefer travels checks, then use them. It is a good idea to exchange some of your money in your home country before you go away, just so you have some cash on hand for the day that you arrive. After that, you can periodically withdraw money from ATM's or cash points. Ask your bank about how much the charges are for international withdrawals. If you get charged outrageous amounts per withdrawal consider using your credit card and then paying it off once a month over the Internet.The Internet is going to be your best friend while abroad. Not only does it let you write emails to friends and family, it allows you to view your bank accounts, monitor your spending and also to pay off your credit cards as you use them. If you are lucky enough to be staying with someone they will probably have access to the Internet. If not, you can go to one of the millions of Internet cafes all over the world and pay a set flat rate per hour. If you are not staying with friends, the Internet is also essential for booking hostels or hotels. For three months, I booked each of my hostels as I went. These websites usually charge you a reservation or deposit charge, and then you can charge the rest when you arrive or pay in cash. If you are staying for a longer period of time or are looking for an apartment you can use one of the many websites that unite renters with available apartments. If you are still scared about traveling alone, with all the horror stories that you hear on the news, it wouldn't hurt to take a self defense course before jumping on the plane. Organizing a trip is not just about what you pack and where you go, but making sure you can be safe while you are away. I took a self-defense class with a friend before I left for Spain and not only was it a fun day, it showed me how to avoid being a victim and if something did happen I now feel like I would be able to handle the situation and defend myself. So what have we covered? Knowledge of your destination, important documentation, travel insurance, money matters, value of the Internet and self defense. These are the core aspects of planning a trip that you need to consider. After this you can move onto smaller things involved with organizing a trip. Will you take a suitcase on wheels or a back pack? What clothes will you take with you? Are you going to take a phone with you? (I didn't, but it would have been handy sometimes.) After all this planning you may think that your trip is going to be perfect and nothing could possibly go wrong. But here is where you are setting yourself up for a hard time. You can organize a trip and feel like you have covered every aspect and every possible situation but you will soon realize that you can't plan for everything. The most important thing to do is trust your instincts. If your gut doesn't like something just walk away. If you do this, you will to have a wonderful time meeting new people and exploring a new country. If you are planning a trip to improve your English there are several other specific things to consider, which I will cover in my next article. If you are organizing a trip you will also need to prepare your listening skills for native speakers. Click here for help
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