5 Things to Consider when Planning an Excellent Overseas Vacation

Are you planning on having an overseas vacation? If so, there are many things you need to plan for, and many things to consider! Here are a few different things for you to consider, assuming that you have the appropriate passport or visa, and there are no sanctions against the country!

Consideration No. 1: Language Barriers While Vacationing

Language is a massive thing that people think so little about. Everyday the average person speaks over 16,000 words a day, hears between 50,000 and 100,000 a day, reads around 10,000 in instructions each day. In a society with a completely different language and alphabet than your own, you will be hard-pressed to get around without sufficient preparation. Luckily English is by far the most common second language, so if you speak English you can at least find a translator in a country.

Consideration No. 2: Religious Barrier

Many countries are highly religious, and you will at least be frowned upon by displaying any religion other than the majority religion in that country. Even highly civilized countries, such as Japan, have a high level of prejudice against people exercising their religion. In some countries it can be considered a crime to overtly practice your religion (such as by praying in public). This is especially true of Christianity and Judaism, the two most widely restricted religions in the world.

Consideration No. 3: Cultural and Economic Barrier

Many people will not give a second thought to culture and economics. Some will even go so far as to say they are open to any culture in the world. However, in many third world countries, things we would consider crimes are not prosecuted against. Pickpocketing, prostitution, thievery, and murder are common in many foreign countries. If you walk down the wrong street, you could be putting yourself in grave danger.

If you go to any country that could be considered unsafe, consider contacting the embassy. Some US embassies offer rooms for their citizens to stay in. These would normally be considered emergency rooms (so if there is an emergency, you will have to share your room with other US citizens that happen to be in the country). You can also talk to people in the embassy about where it is safe to roam about. Some embassies go so far as to recommend translators and local attractions.

Tip: Embassies are not made to cater to tourists, they are made for your protection. Do not expect them to be accommodating to your every whim, and remember that they are not required to help you out, so don’t depend upon them. However, if you are in an emergency, you had better hope you have memorized the phone number of the local embassy, as they are the best chance you have of making it out of any situation. Not all countries have embassies, mind you, and some will not be happy to see you.

Besides safety concerns, there are also cases in which seeing extreme poverty and suffering is upsetting (to say the least). Always check the local crime level and poverty level before traveling to a distant location.

The US Department of State offers two things you should consider doing. The first thing is to sign up for their STEP program, where you will get alerts for any increased danger in the country you are traveling too, and in case of an emergency they can pull you out. The next thing you should check is travel advisories. Look up the specific countries you are planning on traveling to. Keep in mind, a level 4 means you are not allowed to travel their as a US citizen, and if you do the US government will not be responsible for your safety. For these countries you must get prior approval from the US department of State. Countries that fall in this category are North Korea, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, South Sudan, etc. In addition to having a level 4 warning, the US government suggests you make a will if you don’t already have one if you are traveling to Afghanistan.

If you travel to North Korea, Sweden is the US government’s envoy, and they can provide limited protection to you as a US citizen. In South Sudan all government officials are required to travel in armored vehicles and have strict curfews. In Iraq, Syria, and Iran all US embassies and government officials have been removed.

Level 3 means the US government does not think that country is safe for US citizens, but they will not restrict travel to that country. Many countries fall into that country in South America, Central American, the Caribbean, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa. As of the time of this writing no country in Europe fell in that country.

Levels 1 and 2 aren’t anything to be worried about. According to many countries, the US falls as a level 2, and level 1 countries have the lowest crime rates in the world. If you are not a citizen of the US, consider looking up your country’s travel advisory warnings, and look for any safety programs to enroll in.

Heads Up: If you travel to a level 4 country (and make it back), then you will likely have a SSSS on any and all airline tickets from that point onward. This means, for every country, that you will have to go through extra security at any and all levels, they will scrutinize your luggage, passport, and ticket, and that you will get physically pat down. You cannot get rid of this, but it may disappear after a period of time. It is the government’s method of decreasing smuggling and terrorism.

Consideration No. 4: Transportation

Assuming that you have considered all of the above, and still want to go to your location, arrange for transportation in advance. Plane tickets, train tickets, boat tickets, and the like should be arranged way in advance. Do not depend upon being able to get them at the time. This is an absolute must. Transportation costs will increase as you get closer to departure. You may not be able to afford the transportation costs, which brings me to the final consideration.

Consideration No. 5: Currency

The US dollar is not used everywhere. As matter of fact, only a few countries allow it. This is a complete list of the countries that use US dollars as their basis of currency. When you travel to the country, get enough currency for three days worth of expenses, and have it easily accessible.

If you liked this article, be sure to check out more at planandorganize.com. Safe travels!