Experiencing life in another country is one of the most important and life-changing things you can do for yourself. When done right, you can gain an understanding of a different culture and see beauty that you can't see in your own bubble. Travel can be intimidating, so let’s get into some things you need to know before you do.

The first thing you need to do is make sure you have a native guide that can show you around and answer country-specific questions. This allows you to live like a native while making sure you avoid doing things that are culturally insensitive. It will also make sure you don’t get taken advantage of and are safe as well. An example of this that I learned the hard way is when I went to Costa Rica. Bargaining is part of the culture, so local vendors, knowing Americans will not, often give higher prices. When you can negotiate prices for getting multiple items, etc.

The second thing to consider is the amount of time spent in the country. To really understand the way of life and see all a country has to offer, you have to spend a decent amount of time there, at least a week or two. While cruises are fun, the issue I have with them is that they spend a day or less per country, so you get to see very little of each country.

Where you choose to travel also goes into this. For example, if you go to places like Jamaica or the Bahamas that are considered dangerous for tourists, you aren’t really experiencing the culture. The resorts that they have in these countries are like a bubble, as it’s not safe to leave them. You would get the same basic thing by staying at a resort in your home country.

Mentally preparing yourself is important too; there will likely be amenities you are used to that aren’t commonplace in other countries. In Spain, for example, dryers are not the norm; people hang their clothes typically on balconies or outside. Also, in Spain, big grocery stores are not the norm; you get your bread, meat, etc. fresh daily and from separate places. Walking to places is also the norm, as is taking buses. Last thing, because this is kind of universal wherever you go abroad, you will get sick when adjusting to the food. Of course, you should make sure your food is being prepared safely and get recommendations from locals as well as your own judgment. Different countries process their food differently and typically use fewer preservatives, but that shouldn’t deter you, as your body will get used to it. In fact, I think it’s important to share that I had a worse time getting readjusted to all we do to our food in America than I did when I first started living in Spain. Anyway, all of this is just a few things that will have to be embraced when traveling.

The final thing I can think of is when to travel. If you have a country, you’d like to do some research on their major holidays and celebrations. This way, you can again experience cultural events and see beauty you wouldn’t otherwise see. Again, I’ll use Spain as it’s where I’ve spent the most time, but the Holy Week floats are beautiful, so it’s a good time to go. As well, there is a festival called Tomatina held in Valencia, Spain, the last weekend of August, where they just throw tomatoes at each other, so if that’s your idea of fun, go. There are all kinds of different holidays wherever you go, most likely whatever you are interested in.