Plan Carefully

One thing we don’t think about as Americans going abroad is that, once we get to a destination, that our access to information might be a lot less than it is here. With your phone and internet connection, for example, you can always look up directions to get from the airport to the nearest hotel or restaurant.

I suggest writing down important dates, locations, and directions in a pocket notebook before you take off. That way, if you lose your phone, it gets stolen, or just dies on you, then you’ll be able to get where you’re going.

Penciling down some useful phone numbers and phrases in the local language can also be a literal lifesaver if you find yourself lost in, for example, Berlin after a flight gets canceled.