Photo attribution to Here Be Dragons
They say that it takes a village to raise a child. On the flip side, it also takes a village to go international. We often think of an international experience as something that we do alone. In reality, many people that go abroad seek counsel from more seasoned travelers, expats and people who have already had that international experience. Lucas Franchi, our guest who is teaching English in South Korea, recommends, “ seeking advice or counsel from every source you can conceive. Everyone you meet every day can teach you something; learn from them all.”
This week focus on talking to 5 people who have already gone abroad. We have outlined 10 key questions to ask them and where to find these pillars of international wisdom. When Kevin Kurkjian decided to take a gap year (an interim year after college to travel), he was clueless about how to embark on this adventure. He asked everyone he could about how to budget and plan for the trip, where to go, how to get there, etc. Because of their advice, he was able to travel around the world on less than $15,000. This challenge may seem daunting especially if you are not used to approaching strangers. Consider this your training bootcamp for going abroad. When you are in a new culture and country, you have to be flexible and ready to ask questions, no matter how silly it may seem to you.
Where to find your international counsel:
- International Clubs
- Language Classes
- International Chamber of Commerce (check your cities listing)
- Irish or British pubs (Yes…lots of foreigners hang out there)
- Meetup groups
Questions to ask:
- Why did you decide to go abroad?
- How did you choose where to go?
- How much money did it cost you? (Be a delicate asking this. Not everyone is as open about this.)
- How did you save money to finance your international trip? (e.g. a certain percentage a month, high yield savings account, cookie sale)
- What service did you use to book your flights and accommodation? (STA, Student Universe, Kayak, HostelWorld.com)
- What was your favorite and least favorite part of the trip?
- What resources did you use to research before you left?
- What kinds of things did you pack for your trip?
- Do you know of anyone in the (country/countries) where I am going that I could speak to?
- Who could you recommend that I speak with that has gone abroad as well?
What kind of advice did you get when you went abroad? How did you find it?
I am a 27-year old American female living abroad in Merida, Mexico. I’ve also lived abroad in New Zealand for a semester abroad. I’d be happy to provide advice for those looking to go abroad. Check out my blog http://travelnownotlater.blogspot.com for tips about living in Mexico, many other travel destinations (I’ve visted close to 20 countries), and just plain fun musings about travel and living abroad.
Hi Cara,
Thanks for sharing your blog here. New Zealand is a beautiful country. I have not yet made it Mexico. We would love to hear your advice. Please feel free to shoot me an email at olga@goinglobal.com and I would be happy to incorporate your advice for future posts.
Cheers!
Olga