Doing the travel-abroad basics- beforehand

So, this blog should be fun (utmost, right Amy), interesting, informative and educational. If you are the ones whose intention is to travel abroad soon, to some less or more less developed country, my following sentences are for you. Well...hmmm...not for those, though, who plan to stay in a local branch of Ritz-Carlton; ya'll please just have a nice day and follow your own path to get there.

Ideally, you pick the country. I assume based on where your boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend) is living. Or, because you are already or a bit fluent in local language, or you know about the economy and development problems that deserve your input, or you are interested in the culture and people even with the variety of strange foods that they are consuming there. That's great and good for you. In my case, the country was picked up for me. Which means, I did not know pretty much anything. I was so clueless that even when dealing with my future boss (via email) I was talking about my appreciation of being entrusted with this "assignment in Bangladesh". Well, at least, they both are located in Asia.

OK, you know where will you be going, maybe it will not be even your first time goint there. But, better read some useful info, get yourself educated about your location - from variety sources and perspectives. There is probably zillions of e-links about your destination, especially if it is a political or disaster hot spot (now, are you really sure you want to go there?) and there might be even some erotic ones, if you are lucky and going to some fantasy location...but, don't click on these (right, Amy?). Well, the link doesn't work anyway, so then you can start lightly with the all safe one Lonely Planet (how to get there?) and continue to the unsecure one owned by the CIA (and be ready to be checked out...one day). You obviously are already familiar with the websites of the Bank and the Fund, and of the UN and the UNDP and all the developmental reports related to your chosen country. For serious readers and topics, there are also many magazines with on-line issues such as Jouranal of International Affairs, Disability and Development, Journal of International Relations and Development...etc. or issues available in the university library (of course, not in the GU one, though). Your academic advisor might also link you to some practical information (right, Amy?).

You probably will need to check a website of the State Department (even if the recent government is not your government and you are labeled as an alien in the US) as this official site can provide you with some general (good for alien, too) safety-related tips and give you a clue about essential vacination set required for a particular country. Be ready, you might need several of them shots....And it can take a while to obtain them all (especially, with Hep A and B - it take months) and therefore, be completely covered for your comming trip; so get started asap! (Hmmm...my last A and B shots will come as soon as I get back!). Also, get your travel health insurance...and hopefully, some local (international) hospital can assist you if you need it. Better not. If...if....I got some over-counter savers from CVS - box of band aids, Alca-Seltzer, vitamins, Visin, Tylenol, Anti-diarrheal (for sure!), Dramamine....and whatever makes you feel good and will kick your boat if you need it.

Make a copy of your passport, your insurance card and vaccination card, you know, for just-in case-something-happens event. I also scanned these documents and save it in my laptop (which I will have with me) and sent copies to my academic advisor as well as to a secretary of my agency.

I checked out a local address of my embassy (the Czech one), the US embassy, local address of my hosting organization and my local address of a place where I will stay and did share/exhange the info with all of the institutions as well as with my academic advisor. They all know about me now. They all have also my work schedule as I will be travelling around Indonesian islands pretty much the whole time. I hope that at least one of my relatives knows about me either (even though, in this case, I am not so sure).

What else....?

Hmmm....I bought a rain coat as I am flying into a region with wet season in progress. Oh, go to Best Buys to get some 'right ending' for your laptop cord as each continent has its power outlet specifics. Good for me, I was thinking, Indonesian looks same as in Europe; oh yeah...but, I have all American laptop (made in ...Asia). If you are flying through Singapore, you don't need to worry - you can find anything here (even tasty chilli at your favorite store "7 - 11" at 2am).

What else...? I guess...there will be some necessary paperwork that will you have to follow, besides the one required by your academic advisor (right, Amy). Most likely you will have to go to the embassy and ask for a visa to entry "your" country. Visa processing may take a while, so better go there at least a couple of weeks ahead. In addition, check the embassy website for visa requirements - beforehand; you may find out that all kind of pictures, letters or documents are needed for the appropriate visa application. My visa process took 3 days (business, of course) and I went there ...hmmm....on Monday before leaving for my trip on Friday. Nothing feels like last-minute-adrenaline in your body!

And what else....? Hmmm....get your ticket; it better be this two-way one (....and you will probably need one copy for the embassy).

If you find out that I forgot about something then GOOD for YOU!

PS. This is obviously post-dated, written with me being already out here. Thanks for understanding.