4 Things About International Travel Which People Always Overlook

Traveling to new countries can be an amazing experience. The chance to see how people live and learn about their culture firsthand is an experience that can shape the rest of your life. It’s something I feel like everyone should experience, at least once in their lives.

However, I’ll be the first to admit that international travel is nothing like traveling in your home country. There’s a lot you have to plan for, and plenty of travelers overlook some of the most important things when they plan their trip.

If you’re preparing to take a trip overseas, read this list of four common things people overlook about traveling internationally. It will help you make sure that your trip is memorable and free of disaster.

1. Not Every Airport Is the Same

For international flights, the rule of thumb is always the same – be at the airport two hours before your flight takes off. 90% of the time, this works out fine for traveling within your own country. But for airports in other regions, two hours may not be enough. Several factors can come into play:

• The efficiency of the airport
• When they perform maintenance on aircraft
• How far in advance they start boarding
• The day of the week

USA Today recommends that you always arrive for international flights at least three hours early. Additionally, if it’s a weekend, plan on getting there a half hour earlier than usual.

2. What’s Polite for You May Not Be Polite for Them

In your own country, you know what’s acceptable behavior and what’s not. In another country, your customs and courtesies could get you in big trouble.

For example, Travel Etiquette clarifies that when you shake hands in the United Arab Emirates, you always use the right hand. The left hand is reserved for unclean acts in their culture, and you would insult someone by offering your left hand. Also, if you’re male, it’s considered rude to shake a woman’s hand if she doesn’t offer hers first.

This isn’t to say that you’ll always find yourself in big trouble if you make a mistake. People understand that foreigners may not be familiar with their ways. They’ll often show you patience, but it’s always a safe bet to know what’s acceptable beforehand.

Other things to check to avoid insults include the clothing you wear and the way you address people of different statures.

3. You May Not Have the Same Emergency Resources

When you’re visiting another country, any minor setback can become a big problem. You may not have the resources you’re used to having to help deal with emergencies when they come up.

For one thing, the language barrier will become a huge problem. For another, other countries may not deal with emergencies the same way yours does. To protect yourself, always do the following:

Register with Your Country’s Embassy

If your country maintains an embassy in the country you’re visiting, you’ll find that it’s your greatest resource for dealing with emergencies. Register online with your embassy, and provide your dates of arrival and departure. Make sure you store your embassy’s number in your phone and write it down. That way, if anything happens to your phone, you’ll still have the number.

Research the Crime and Terror Situations of Your Destination

Knowing the threat level of your destination will help you gauge how risky it will be. It will also help you identify which crimes, such as theft, are most common. You’ll then be better equipped to take care of yourself.

Set Up Your Healthcare Now

Even if your insurance provider will cover some of your medical expenses, most will not cover everything. In particular, Forbes reports that most insurers won’t cover expenses for medically evacuating you back to your home country. Reach out to your health insurance provider before you travel, and take out additional coverage to cover expenses they won’t.

4. The Difficulty of Getting Money

In your home country, it may be very easy to find an ATM and pull out any cash you need. In another country, it could be a different story. Cuba, for example, does not recognize American debit or credit cards.

Whenever you travel, you need to both take your credit/debit card with you and carry at least some cash. I’d recommend that you take about 25% of your total budget in cash. Keep in mind – cash amounts of $10,000 or greater have to be declared in customs, so you should try to avoid carrying any more than that.

Additionally, reach out to your credit card company before you travel. Most will automatically flag purchases made outside of your home region. Let them know where and when you’ll be traveling so that your card isn’t declined.