Things to Do Before Visiting Another Country

It's a couple of weeks before I embark on my next adventure in another place. Needless to say, I'm excited, as I always am, when It's time to explore a country I've never been to before.

Nevertheless, one mustn't let excitement get in the way of practicality when preparing for a trip. There are several things I always check, double check and re-check when I take a trip (whether locally or internationally).

Photo: Red Chinese Lanterns

Red lanterns hang between the buildings in Ongpin, a remainder
of the recent Chinese New Year celebrations.

The Importance of Learning About Another Country Before Going to It

It's the 3rd of April. In 22 days, I will be stepping on board a plane and leaving for a mission trip to Hong Kong. While I'm pretty excited, there's also this sense of caution that I have when going to new places. It's not because I'm reluctant. I love to travel and visit different countries, actually. I love going to different places and learning new things. I'm cautious because each place (each city, even), has its own culture, that could be the same as the culture we are accustomed to, or something totally different.