Travelling to foreign countries.

Today I have decided to write about travelling. The reason behind this is because i have developed an admiration for visiting and experiencing new countries and their cultures. Ever since a tender age, my parents would take me travelling and show me different kinds of culture every country had and how important it was to be fully aware of each countries culture/tradition before visiting. 

Before any kind of travelling, it is important to know what kind of culture/tradition the country has/practices. Going to a foreign country blindly (without any information regarding their culture) may cause some problems/complications for the traveller themselves. One of the most common things that may happen is culture shock. While culture shock usually occurs to travellers that are travelling for a longer period/duration of time, this shock may also happen to short duration travellers. Knowing the countries culture will prepare the traveller which may prevent things as culture shock from happening. 

Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture and way of life. It can be caused by a range of things, both big and small, such as unfamiliar greetings and hand gestures, strange food, difficult language barriers, getting lost in a new city or making a cultural faux pas because you didn’t know the local custom. (McKlusky, Lauren. " Culture Shock Stages: Everything You Need To Know." Now Helath International, Lauren McKlusky, 20.1.2020, https://www.now-health.com/en/blog/culture-shock-stages/)

For example, when travelling to Egypt for instance, it is considered to be insulting to finish all your food, this signifies that the host did not give you enough food to eat. Whereas in Japan, if you do not finish your food, they will take it as a sign of disrespect or depreciation. So, in this case, it will be more than wise to know about these countries eating mannerisms, amongst others, before travelling to these countries. 

Another helpful thing to do before travelling to a foreign country would be to learn some phrases. This does not mean that one has to learn the official language of the country, this just means that learning phrases such as, Where is, I am lost, Can you help me, May I have, may come in very handy when in certain situations.

Researching the countries culture online or through a book/article/magazine would be the best way of getting prepared before travelling to a foreign country. Travelling with a friend/companion who knows the country and its culture well would be a huge advantage, but that does not mean that travelling alone would be bad. Going prepared and educated is always better than not being prepared and not knowing what to expect, this applies to almost all kinds of situations, not only travelling.