Home Beckons

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As business development manager for a large corporation, I have traveled multiple times from the U.S. to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Each trip offered its own unique challenges, some of them magnified by my status as a woman traveling alone. Learn from my mistakes and enjoy your international travel, for business and pleasure!

To Do Before You Go

1. Allow time in your schedule for missed flights, traffic jams, breakdowns, mix-ups – they will probably happen, so if you have seriously important meetings, build extra time, even extra days into your schedule.

2. Check out the weather for your destinations so that you can minimize the amount of clothes that you pack.

3. Read newspapers on the internet for a week or two to get a feel for what the major news stories are in the countries you’re visiting. Knowing something about your destinations will make conversations with the locals more interesting, and they will appreciate your efforts.

4. Read a bit about the history and culture of each destination. Find out what is culturally acceptable and unacceptable. I recommend a series of books, by country, titled “Culture Shock!”, published by Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company.

5. Make sure that your cell phone will work wherever you’re going. If not, research on the internet the codes and process for calling home from each destination. This may sound trivial, but foreign telephones can be difficult if you don’t know the systems, and depending on language barriers, you may be on your own to figure them out.

Luggage – Choose Wisely

6. Rolling bags are obvious for checked bags, but also an absolute essential for your carry-on. Forget the designer bag unless it hooks onto your rolling bag. You’ll be thankful at the airport when the airplane’s late or when you’re rushing to catch a train, or walking miles on pavement from bus to train to plane to meeting.

7. Less is best. One checked bag is better than two; two better than three; three better than… You get the picture! Remember, unless you have arrangements for someone to act as your personal porter everywhere you go, you’ll be hauling your bags through airports, on buses, in taxis, on trains, and down those long, endless sidewalks.

Clothes – Important Decisions

8. Pick one color for clothing to minimize how much you need to take. I always wear black – suits, pants, skirts, sweaters, coat, shoes. Don’t worry that your traveling companions will think you’re wearing the same thing everyday. If you’re traveling with men, they probably are! If you need some color, spice it up a bit with your tops and accessories.

9. Wear shoes that make you smile! This may seem obvious, but always choose comfort over high fashion. Most of us can’t walk fast for miles, on pavement, day after day in spike heels. Everyone’s feet are different, but I must put in a plug for Franco Sarto Bocca loafers. With their classic style and comfort, I once took a brand-new pair to Japan and smiled for ten days straight!

What Else to Pack

10. Pack your carry-on very thoughtfully, as though you won’t ever see your checked bag again, because you might not, or it may takes several days for it to catch up to you! Things to consider: computer and cords, business books and work papers, camera, chargers, electrical adaptor, basic cosmetics and toiletries, one change of underwear and clean shirt, snacks. If you have a business meeting the first day after you arrive, wear a basic, universal suit jacket as your coat on the plane just in case the checked baggage doesn’t arrive.

11. Pack small, pack lightweight. Forget the raincoat unless it’s your main coat, but do pack a very small, light umbrella. Forget the sneakers unless you’re sure you will really use them. Take the smallest sized toiletries and first aid items you can find, but do take them. In many countries, convenience stores are few and far between, plus your schedule may not allow you time to shop.

12. Take two sets of all important papers with you, separated, of course, but not in your checked bags: passport and other ID, computer files on a stick, important business papers, itinerary with contact info. Keep your passport in your bra. Only kidding, but do keep it close to you at all times!

13. Pack a lightweight, soft bag into your checked luggage for souvenir purchases or to allow for returning with more business items than you took.

Safety – Don’t Leave It Up to Chance

14. Get local cash at the airport upon arrival, including change, no matter what the exchange rate. Check out my earlier post, “Japan and Korea on $8 a day” for my true-life horror story of ending up abroad without cash!

15. Get business cards from your hotels and your business contacts. Show the cards to taxi drivers; many drivers only speak their native language. If you are walking and get confused about your location, ask for directions immediately, quietly, and in a crowd by using the cards as reference.

16. Leave copies of your itinerary, including telephone numbers for hotels and customers with your family and colleagues. If you are traveling by yourself and have no in-country contacts who are expecting to see you each day, check in with your family or colleagues at least once daily by email or phone. If this isn’t possible due to the country you are in or due to your schedule, don’t tell them that you will do so.

17. Keep the contact information of native business people (customers, suppliers, colleagues) with you at all times, even if you don’t know them well. Their business connection with you, no matter how slim may offer your best chance for advice and help in case of an emergency.

18. Dress conservatively for business and during your free time. Minimize the amount of jewelry you take and leave your expensive stuff home. Blend in with the natives, if possible. It’s not only safer, but you’ll also get a more natural and relaxed response from those around you.

19. Know where you are and where you are going. Study your maps before you go out. Map out routes from the airport to your hotel, from your hotel to your meeting places, etc. Scope out the major tourist attractions, cathedrals, museums, government buildings, major street names, and any other landmarks that will help orient yourself to your surroundings. Again, you’ll be safer, but at the same time, you’ll be rewarded by your efforts as you begin to feel at home in a strange place!

For Travel, For Life

20. Relax, experience, and enjoy. As stressful and physically taxing as travel almost always is, try to keep your sense of adventure alive on every trip. Even after the initial thrill fades with return trips to the same location, keep your eyes and mind open to learning new words, trying new foods, seeing new sights. Attitude influencing experience – choose to be positive and you will be rewarded.

Hopefully, these tips will help to free your mind and body to appreciate each and every day of your journey until the time arrives when home beckons. Do you have other tips that you’ve found helpful in your business travels? If so, please pass them along in the comments section!