You’ve booked the trip! Congrats! If not, why not? 😄 But really though, if you haven’t reserved anything yet, jump over to our post: Easy Step-by-Step Guide: How To Plan The Best Family Trip. That blog post dives into the first things you should do while planning a trip, including researching visa requirements, activities and flights… This blog details what to research before visiting a new country and can happen after everything is reserved. I usually do this country-specific research within the last few weeks prior to the trip. 

So, before hopping on the plane and just showing up, why should you get to know the country you are visiting? Not only do you NOT want to offend people, but you also don’t want to look like an ignorant tourist. I mean Americans have a bad enough reputation when traveling. Let’s change the narrative!!! Please stop wearing your socks with sandals abroad! 😁

Seriously though, every country is unique and it is one of the reasons I love traveling. It gives you a different perspective and forces you to look at the details you normally would overlook. Below, I have compiled a list of 4 important topics to research before visiting a new country. 

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Como Se Dice…? – Learn A Bit Of The Language

What language does the country speak? Do you speak this language? And if not, can you expect that anyone will speak English there? These are a few of the questions you should be asking. 

I would suggest learning a few key phrases before going to a country for the first time. Even just knowing how to greet someone, saying thank you, and goodbye show a great deal of respect. 

Thankfully, with technology these days, even if English isn’t widely spoken and you don’t speak the native language, there are ways to communicate. Don’t fret! Google translate will translate words using the camera mode (which is a lifesaver for menus and grocery stores!). It can also translate a sentence and speak the words for you. Genius! I recommend downloading the app for use on the go. 

There are other translation apps out there too, so find one that works for you. When we visited our host family in Panama, our kids communicated with their kids through an app. They just needed to speak into it, and then the app would say the phrase in the other language. It was amazing to see! 

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Money Matters To Research Before Visiting A New Country

Cash Or Card?

Having access to your money while traveling is important. Not all countries accept credit cards and some don’t want your cash. For example, in the Northern Netherlands where we live, most of the grocery stores don’t take credit cards. We need to pay with a pin (a debit card from a Dutch bank) or cash. 

Speaking of getting money out of an ATM, it is always a good idea to check with your bank to see what the fees will be and let them know where you are traveling. 

Currency and Exchange Rate

Check what the currency is and the exchange rate of the country you are visiting. It can feel a little bit like using play money when paying for different things abroad. Knowing that 10,000 Colombian Pesos is actually only $2.50 is good to know! I use xe.com to find what the current exchange rate is. 

Tipping

The last piece of money advice I have is to research tipping. No other country compares to the U.S. as far as tipping is concerned. Americans tip way more and more often than other places. In the Netherlands, you aren’t required to tip at a restaurant. I know, I just blew your mind, right?! Although, if you do get good service, it is nice to leave a few Euro for a tip. I usually aim for around 10%. 

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Safety – Research How To Stay Safe In a New Country

Water Safety

Not all countries have safe drinking water. A quick search of “Can I drink the water in ____?” will get you the answer you need. I would also include the city you are visiting. For example, in Medellin, Colombia the water is safe to drink from the tap, but if you are in other parts of the country it isn’t. Same with Panama. Panama City is safe but other parts of the country don’t have the filtration system set up yet. 

Emergency Number

A quick search of what number to call if there is an emergency is important. You won’t have time to do the search if an emergency is happening and 911 is not universal. Some countries even have different codes for an ambulance, police or fire. The U.S. State Department has an informative pdf you can check or just do a quick google search before taking off. Better to be safe than sorry. Save the number on your phone or memorize it.

Common Scams

Lastly, checking what common scams happen in certain countries is helpful so you don’t fall victim to them. Google “Common scams to avoid while traveling to _____ ” and you will find a list of them. This is not to scare you, but to keep you informed. From our experience, the most common involve taxis. When you know what to look for it is much easier to avoid a terrible situation. 

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What Not To Do When Visiting a New Country

The last thing I research before visiting a new country is a country’s customs. The last thing we want to do when visiting a new country is to offend someone and there are SOO many different ways we could without even knowing it. Let’s try our best not to. 

Here are some examples: 

• Did you know that it is offensive to touch a Thai person’s head or to use your feet for anything besides walking? 

• Some hand signals we use that mean a positive thing, may mean something else in another country. For example, the okay hand sign where you touch your index finger to your thumb is offensive in other countries and is equal to calling someone an asshole.

• If you google what not to do in the Netherlands you get, don’t walk in the bike lane (fietspad) if there’s a sidewalk. This is very important because the bikes will hit you. Also you will learn that Dutch people are not spontaneous which means making a dinner reservation is a little more important here as well. There is a pizza restaurant in Amsterdam where you need to make a reservation a year in advance!

• If you are traveling to a highly religious area, learn how people dress and dress appropriately to show respect for their culture. For example,if you are visiting Oman, it is advised to make sure your shoulders are covered and you don’t show your knees. 

I hope that learning some of these basic cultural aspects about your destination helps you avoid any blunders, keep safe, save money and have a wonderful experience.

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