In less than 5 weeks I will be boarding a plane (then another, then another) to go to Liberia, West Africa! Ah! I cannot believe that the time is approaching so quickly. I so clearly remember sitting on my bedroom floor in February talking to the More Than Me founder on the phone for the first time. This trip was dreamed up so naturally through our conversation and now it is almost here. The plans are coming along well but, in true African nature, are not concrete (I may be sleeping on someone's floor for a bit... eh, oh well!).
I have traveled internationally before so I know a bit of what to do and expect and thought I would share some of that with y'all. For any international trip there are three major things you must think about before you even open the suitcase:
-First off- passport! Sometimes these can take a while to be processed but always a good idea to have. If you don't have a passport, I would recommend getting one (they are good for 10 years) even if you have no travel plans in mind, you never know when you might decide to go somewhere! It is not a good idea to travel with a passport that is within 6 months of expiring, just to be on the safe side. I have a friend who went to get on the plane to go to Kenya a few years ago and at that time realized her passport has expired!
-Next, check on the country you are traveling to and see if you need a visa (this will depend on your home country's relationship with the destination country). Some visas can be acquired in the destination country's airport. For Liberia, you cannot even get off the airplane if you don't already have a visa. Let me tell you, FedExing your passport to an embassy in DC is a bit stressful! I know I did everything as I was suppose to but sealing up that envelope and hoping it comes back to me still gave me a small feeling of panic!
-Third thing is vaccinations! Getting sick at home stinks but getting sick while in another country is awful! Check with the CDC to know what is required for your destination. Most vaccines are good for a few years so I did not have to get any new shots but do have to take anti-malarial medications (watch out, the kind I have can give me some crazy dreams!).
Once each of these is taken care of you can think about the little things such as the climate during the time of year you are going. For me, it will be the rainy season (ugh) so rainboots, raincoat, and an umbrella are currently at the top of my packing list! If you taking anything electrical, look up the plugs and see if you need a plug adapter. If you can talk with someone in your destination, ask them if there is anything they recommend you bring. This is especially helpful if you are going to a non-western country and can talk to a person whom is not a native; there are always things you wouldn't think you would need or did not think of that country not having.
If you have traveled internationally before, what other things would you recommenced in preparation?
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