TIPS WHEN TRAVELING

By: McKayla Beard

THE DO NOTS OF TRAVEL

~DO NOT BE STUPID. THINK BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE LAWS ARE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PLACES. INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY DOES NOT ALWAYS APPLY IN MOST OF THE WORLD. IN PLACES LIKE MEXICO THEY’LL PUT YOU IN JAIL AND LET YOU PAY YOUR WAY OUT. WHICH I DO NOT THINK IS PART OF YOUR TRAVELING PLANS SO THINK FIRST.

~ Do NOT go around flashing wealth. This means don’t walk around with a lot of cash; if possible put it on a card. This would also include your apparel. No flashy jewelry, watches, iPods, and other things that obviously scream ‘mug me!’

~ DO NOT DRINK OR EAT THINGS THAT LOOK QUESTIONABLE TO YOU! IF IT SMELLS FUNNY, LOOKS FUNNY, AND YOUR INSTINCTS SAY DON’T EAT IT DON’T. THE LAST THIN YOU NEED IS TO EAT SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU SICK OR IS SPIKED. EACH COUNTRY HAS DIFFERENT CUSTOMS SO THEY MIGHT TRY TO GET YOU TO DO STUPID THINGS WHILE YOU ARE INCOHERENT.

“Mom is this water sanitary because it looks questionable to me?””

THE THINGS YOU SHOULD DO

Use the buddy system!! Especially girls for obvious reasons. Someone is more likely to rob a girl than a guy. Maybe it is because a purse is easier to snatch than to stick your hand in someone’s pocket. That doesn’t mean that it won’t/ doesn’t happen to guys but the statistics are smaller.

Keep your money close. Use a purse with a shorter handle so that it isn’t so accessible. Purses with locks are evadible at certain stores and online.

Keep your wallet in your front pocket because you’ll notice if someone is reaching in there. (At least I hope so!)

Don’t trust every one. Watch out there are some weirdoes out there!

Know where you are going. Have a game plan. This is a whole new place to you so can’t rely on your instincts when it comes to direction. Keep a map on you and if you ask for directions ask a reliable person like the people at your hotel. Don’t walk up to a random person and say ‘I am lost’ because who knows where you are really getting lead to until your there.

MAP

LASTLY REMEMBER TO BE SMART AND EMBRACE THE CULTURE YOU ARE IN. DON’T TURN UP YOU NOSE AND THINK YOU ARE TO GOOD FOR IT BECAUSE THE NATIVES PROBABLY WON’T LIKE THAT. SO HAVE FUN AND REMEMBER THEY ARE JUST LIKE YOU.