10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Traveling For Two Months

Before I left the U.S. on Wednesday, March 26th, there was so much I didn’t know. Like: “What do I pack?” I was going to be gone for over five months! And while I don’t yet know everything, here are a list of ten things that I wish I knew before I touched down halfway across the world.

1. Bring your own over the counter medications. Aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen are not easily accessible without a prescription.

2. You don’t need to take photos of things just because other people are. If something doesn’t speak to you, it doesn’t speak to you.

3. Buy a coin purse. Some currencies are more coin dependent than others so having change easily accessible makes a big difference.

4. Google Maps is better than Apple Maps, plus by reviewing locations you can remember all of the places you’ve already been.

5. Language barriers are very real, try to learn some basic phrases. English is not as widely spread as we like to think.

6. When packing and getting ready remember this acronym: K.I.S.S., (keep it simple, stupid). If your nightly routine has more than three steps, dare I say think again.

7. Guide books can only do so much, enjoy where you are and learn simply by being somewhere. It doesn’t always benefit you to know everything, work on balancing your curiosity while still being present.

8. Keep toilet paper/tissues with you at all times. Just trust me.

9. Libby & Duolingo are the best apps ever! No more expensive books and language learning is now like a game. These two really help the time to go by faster.

10. Silence is mandatory. You need a break that’s longer than 5 minutes to really let things soak in. Take time for yourself.

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