Surviving Your First Overseas Flight

June, 2012

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The big day has arrived – a holiday in a far away foreign country. You are all packed and ready to go. You have your passport, plane ticket, and some way to pay for your next few weeks. You are nervous an anxious and ready to go. Here are a few pointers to make your long flight a little more pleasant.

Before you go.

Pack as light as possible. You should have no more than two suitcases and one carry-on. If you are going to a tropical climate it will be even easier packing shorts and T-shirts. And, you can always pick up some new clothes at your destination.

Ensure that you have all of your medications and copies of your prescriptions. Check on the latest rules for carrying liquids in your carry-on. The rules and regulations change with the weather – so keep current.

Re-confirm your flight. My last trip was almost delayed by a day or two as a typhoon hit Taiwan and my flight from Hawaii was going through Taipei. I scrambled and got my flight changed to one that went through Tokyo, Japan and managed to get to Thailand as scheduled. I didn’t check ahead of time and fortunately was able to get on a different flight. I learned my lesson. While re-confirming, get your seat assignment. I prefer exit rows for more legroom.

Double check that you have everything. I use a checklist and check it 2 or 3 times before I go. Really make sure that you have your passport, tickets and some way to pay – cash, ATM card, credit card or traveler’s checks. A combination is a good way to make sure that you have alternative means of paying. If you are going to a country that has its own currency, plan to exchange a day or two’s worth at the destination airport. Don’t change money in your home country – you will get a terrible rate.

At your home airport

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Plan to get to your airport about 3 hours ahead of your flight departure. Check-in and security lines can be long and slow. Have your travel documents ready to show wherever you go. Again, check on the rules for what you can bring with your on the flight – especially in your carry-on.

I always eat at the airport before I fly. Things have gotten better and cheaper at airports and I prefer to have a meal in me and not rely on the airline food. I also bring some trail mix with me to munch on during the flight.

Take advantage of the duty free shops. Get your booze, cigarettes and other goodies for tax-free prices. Check the limitations at your destination country before you buy 6 bottles of whiskey and find out you are only allowed to bring in one. Also check to see if you can carry liquids on flights that have a layover or two. You may have to make your purchase at the layover before your last leg.

You can kill time playing with any electronic toys you own. Wireless access is usually available in the airports so you can check email and surf. You can also listen to some music if you have an Ipod of something similar. Wireless can be found in most airports right outside the Airline lounges. You don’t have to be a member to sit outside and tap into their unsecured network.

On the flight

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Try to relax and sleep as much as possible. The time zone changes and jet lag will be lessened. Avoid alcohol and drink plenty of water, especially on longer flights. Dehydration comes easily on long flights in dry cabin air. You can drink booze when you arrive.

Read and watch a movie to kill time. Do some of the puzzles in the on-board magazines. Keep busy as much as possible. Have some mints and gum to alleviate the air pressure during take-off and landing.

I usually avoid the main course of the airline food. I do eat the salad, bread and dessert. The main meal is rarely edible. This is why I eat before I go and eat my own snacks.

You will have to fill out a customs declaration form on the plane to turn in to the Custom’s officer. Do this on the plane and stick it with your passport.

Arrival

Head out of the plane as quickly as possible. You and everyone else will have to go through Immigration/Customs – so the race is on. Hopefully, you were given instructions before deplaning. If not, just follow the signs. Don’t stop to smoke or use the bathroom. Get in the shortest line and have your passport ready. Keep a copy of your boarding pass with you, just in case.

Be pleasant and polite to the Custom’s officer, get your passport stamped, turn in your customs declaration, and head for the luggage carousels. Make sure you have your own luggage and find the currency exchange.

Change enough money to last you a day or two. ATMs are conveniently located around the world, so a debit card is the easiest way to get local currency. It can be a little more risky using a credit card. Get your money and head for the exit.

Find the taxi or bus line and head to your hotel. You made it! Now, enjoy your vacation.


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Top 10 Things I Didn't See Coming...

August, 2012-Lovenia Leapart  

loveniais.com    

When I decided to move abroad:

 

1) That I would change my mind so many times about what country I wanted to go to.

Yes, research is important, but it can also be a double edged sword given the many, varied, and conflicting pieces of information out there about what it's like to teach and live in different countries.

2) That I'd actually get to the point where I'd be totally fine with not knowing what country I'd eventually end up living in.

When I first made the decision last fall that, Yes! I'm ready to finally allow myself the opportunity to live abroad! - There was only one place I was seriously considering, and that was Hong Kong. Briefly, I considered Indonesia, and then it was a close race between S. Korea and China, with China making the winning offer in the end.                                               

3) That the recruiters would be almost more of a hindrance than a help in my job search. And that I’d eventually land a job without the aid of any recruiters. There were only 2 recruiting companies that I knew about when I began my job search and for the first few months, my job search consisted of looking only for more suitable recruiters.  The idea of finding a teaching job abroad on my own didn't even cross my mind at the time.

4) That almost everything that could come up to nickel and dime my savings would lay in waiting until just the right moment when it would be able to compete with the things I would need to prepare for my move abroad. A state tax bill cropping up from a filing 2 years ago, my desktop computer catching a virus that cost $$ to get rid of (just when I was starting to get offers for Skype interviews), then 6 weeks later an electrical storm blowing it out despite the surge protector (the computer was given to me, so maybe it wasn't in the best shape to begin with), the battery on my laptop gasping its last breath, having to buy my mother a new washing and dryer for her the new place that she had to get because of my moving abroad due to my brother deciding to flake about doing it, movers paid by the hour who worked as slow as molasses due to the 100 + degree heat wave during the weekend of my move, and an apartment manager who charged me (albeit, a relatively small amount of cash) a day of additional rent because I didn't turn in my keys Sunday (the day my lease ended) by 5pm, and turned them in on Monday morning instead.

Then I saw these 3 little guys singing by my doorstep…

Ha! Just kidding!  But I did hear a quote that went something like this – “Everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.”  And that kind of put things in perspective for me…

5) That more people would think what I was doing was cool than would think it was crazy.

I was genuinely surprised and extremely pleased and heartened by the support and encouragement I received by virtually everyone, including my more conservative/cautious family and friends.

6) That my Mom would be as supportive and encouraging. Though she never said one word to discourage me, she seemed to feel more resigned about the move then happy about it at first. But in time, she really grew to become pleased by the idea, proudly telling folks, "My daughter's going to teach abroad." whenever the opportunity arose. And during those times when I got discouraged and began to doubt my decision, she stepped right up and offered the encouragement I needed to get back on track.

7) That I'd go from allowing myself to make this decision purely for financial reasons to making it from almost an entirely intuitive standpoint.

At first, the justification for allowing myself to considering going abroad rested purely on the potential for financial gain. I thought, how else can you justify doing such a thing at your age? But in time, an internal transformation took place in me as began to see a deeper, wider scope of possibilities in this decision, and it allowed me to understand that if moving abroad was something I felt deeply compelled to do, that I didn't need justification.

 8) That in planning and preparing for this journey, this adventure would make me feel so young (not that I'm old mind you, but I haven't felt this kind of nervous optimism since graduating college umpteen years ago). So many things about the experience of making this move abroad came about were so brand new to me, and the process has opened up what seems like a whole new world of opportunities I might explore that I'd never even thought possible for myself before. The exhilaration of that fills me with this profound kind of wonder and a new sense of adventure.

9) That fears and insecurities from days and jobs past would rise up to the surface whenever things advanced in a positive direction towards this actually happening. It freaked me out at first, made me back away from an opportunity that in retrospect would have been fine for me to accept. But this life is all about lessons and as long as I continue to remain willing to face my internal challenges, I know that God will continue to give me opportunities to work at overcoming them - hence, the opportunity that is resulting in my move to China!

10) That in recognizing said fears and insecurities and plowing ahead anyway, I would come to understanding that I wouldn't have been able to do it, if I hadn't already had experience in doing just that. Meaning, fears never go away, but the more you push through them and move ahead despite them, the easier it becomes to do it. Just like ANY worthy skill in life, the more you practice something, the better you get at it.

Besides, like they say,

Women of Color Living Abroad: Brittany Smotherson 08/18 by Expat Women Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Women of Color Living Abroad: Brittany Smotherson 08/18 by Expat Women Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Expansion.....We're Going to Radio!

August, 2012—Cha Jones

Hello readers! I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who takes time to read the Women of Color Living Abroad blog. If you are a regular, you know that our bloggers are all around the world having many different experiences. As a former expat myself, who returned home on vacation and ended up in a head-on collision and hasn’t been able to return to my expat lifestyle as of yet, I will admit I envy the other contributors who are still able to live a life of traveling and adventure. However, it is my pleasure to work diligently to provide our members and our readers with different products and services to help make living abroad simpler.

So, in my effort to continue to be effective even while I am away from the international scene I have decided to start an online blog radio show which will broadcast every other week on Blog Talk Radio.

Are you one of our readers who are interested in moving abroad but have some unanswered questions?  Are you currently living abroad but would like to know about other options and opportunities beyond teaching English as a second language, then I am hoping that you continue to read the stories and get the tips here. However, I hope you also add our radio show for your listening pleasure. Get more information, tips, stories and resources from travel experts, industry leaders, recruiters, and the women and men who actually living, working and studying abroad.  

We ask that you follow us on Blog Talk Radio and make sure you come listen to our first show where I will be interviewing our very own contributing blogger Brittany Smotherson Expat Women Radio Online Radio by Expat Women Radio | Blog Talk Radio August 18^th at 10pm (CST) or if you are in Korea, then you can catch the show at 12 pm LIVE.

Again, I’d like to thank you all for supporting us and please continue to look for all the upcoming changes that we are incorporating in the next few months.

Just Get Over It!!!

By Breian S. Brockington

You've finally made the decision. You got on a plane, walked through immigration, collected your bags and stepped into your new journey. Welcome, to living the expat life.

Fast forward a few months and the euphoria has worn off. Your neighbors have grown accustom to your loud music. You've gotten acquainted with the local food and you can even ask for what you want in the local language. But for some odd reason, EVERYTHING IS PISSING YOU OFF. You can't ride the subway without unwanted eyes always trained on you. You're thinking "Haven't you seen a ... person before?" I get it; you just want to blend in. Well I'm here to tell you, unless you've moved to a country where the majority looks like you...tough break. You may as well Get Over It.

I loved living and working in Bucheon, South Korea, it was an awesome experience. This is where I discovered "walking neighborhoods", partying until 7a.m., and my neighbors were the best. They never complained about my loud American music (I'm certain they were rocking along with me). They even rode in the ambulance with me when I took ill. However, there was one thing I couldn't stand while living there. Someone always wanted to touch my hair. Do I look like an art exhibition? Have you never seen a Black woman's hair before? Well, actually yes, and no. Depending on your ethnicity and where you decide to go you will be considered an art exhibition. The only difference being you're alive and they are allowed to touch (if given permission). Humans are curious by nature; it’s a part of who we are. When you want to see if something is real, what's the first thing you do? You touch it, smell it, or taste it, stare at it. If you've chosen a country or region where slanted eyes are the norm and here you are with your big round American eyes, let them stare, point fingers, even laugh. This is how culture barriers are crossed. Every now and then, let them touch your hair or skin. Don't get mad, just Get Over It!

Traditional Moroccan wedding attire

I've found that there is one thing Natives love. Natives love when you can speak their language. Yes, learning Arabic, French, Lingala, or Afrikaans can be difficult but that's an assignment you signed up for when you decide to live in said country. You'll find that your journey becomes less intense once you've begun learning the language. Now, nobody said you had to become fluent but making an effort is better than nothing. The people who live around you want to feel like you want to learn their ways and who they are as a people. Not everyone will be sensitive to your lack luster attempt to speak their language. Show a little effort and enthusiasm and you’ll see how many people are willing to assist you on your journey. I would suggest taking a class or brushing up on common phrases before arriving in your new host country. Yes, learning a language can be time consuming, but pointing and grunting just looks stupid. Get a book, a study buddy and hey.....Get Over It!!

Before embarking on my new journey my wardrobe was all over the place. Long dresses and a lot more revealing ones, high heels galore, and sheer tops, were the bulk of my wardrobe. But all of that changed. It had to because I was moving somewhere with a different set of norms. Firstly, I moved without transportation, which means I walked everywhere. Women who can walk all day in heels I salute you (and secretly laugh at you...Girl stop!) Those were the first to go. I am a cute, comfy flats girl all day. Also, in some places it’s cool to wear a short skirt but your upper half must be covered. In Morocco it's deemed OK to show "a little" skin and by little I mean your neck, maybe an ankle. Sometimes depending on where you live (big or small city), locals could be more or less tolerable to individual expression through dress. Has my wardrobe changed? Yes. Do I like it? Not all the time. But you have to find middle ground, and sometimes that middle ground is accepting what is expected of you so Get Over It and move on. Make friends with the locals, find out where everyone likes to shop and see if you can find a few staple pieces for your wardrobe.   

So many of us ESL teachers (and others) are diving head first into Arab and Asian countries for the money, then regret sets in because we have to change so much of ourselves. Do your research; decide if accepting someone else's norms and expectations is what you want to do. Whether you're moving to Asia, the Middle East, Africa or any of the other 4 continents, make sure it's the right move for you. Understand that if you're open to living as an expat, then you must be willing to change your mindset. Stop expecting a society that has functioned for century’s without you, to conform and accept your foreign ideals. To them you're just another over enthusiastic, arrogant, narcissistic, foreign douche. Check your self and (say it with me) JUST GET OVER IT!!!!!