Here are the latest travel tips from Traveling Cyclones director Shellie Andersen ’88 as published in the May 2018 issue of Cy’s Suitcase — the e-newsletter for Traveling Cyclones everywhere. If you’d like to begin receiving this publication in your inbox, contact Shellie at shelliea@iastate.edu.
1. Back Everything Up
Keep both digital and physical copies of your passport, visas, driver’s license, birth certificate, health insurance card, serial numbers, and important phone numbers ready to go in case of an emergency. Back up your files & photos on an external hard drive as well as online.
2. Take Lots Of Photos
You may only see these places & meet these people once in your lifetime. Remember them forever with plenty of photos. Don’t worry about looking like a “tourist.” Are you traveling to look cool? No one cares. Great photos are the ultimate souvenir.
3. Observe Daily Life
If you really want to get a feel for the pulse of a place, spend a few hours sitting in a park or on a busy street corner just watching day-to-day life happen in front of you.
4. Smile & Say Hello
Having trouble interacting with locals? Do people seem unfriendly? Maybe it’s your body language. One of my best travel tips is to make eye contact and smile as you walk by. If they smile back, say hello in the local language, too. This is a fast way to make new friends.
5. Don’t Be Afraid
The world is not nearly as dangerous as the media makes it out to be. Keep an eye out for sketchy situations, but don’t let that be the focus of your whole trip. Use common sense and you’ll be okay. One of the best reasons to travel with the Traveling Cyclones is because we have guides who are with you and can help you in many situations.
