MetaChat - Poor girl's AskMefi - OMG WorldSmart Bling Bling

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

15 June 2005

Poor girl's AskMefi - OMG WorldSmart Bling Bling 19 weeks. 18 cities. 7 countries. 1 experience of a lifetime. 0 clue what I'm doing. Help!→[More:]

I'll be travelling on the WorldSmart Leadership Program on the end of July. The program, a spinoff of Up With People, will take me and a bunch of other young adults through 18 cities in the US, Japan, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, spending a week in a different city. We will be studying, working, living with host families, and doing community service - all mainly related to intercultural communications.

I've travelled before, but nothing as maddening as this. And I have no idea how exactly to prepare for this.

How do you pack? What should I watch out for? What should I buy? What country-specific information should I know? How do I do laundry when I'm only spending a week in a host family's home? How do I cope with insane jetlag? What do I DO?

Any and all tips and help would be really, really appreciated. I'm an about-to-be 20-y-o female from Malaysia if that helps. Thank you ever so much.

(If I had the means to get a Mefi account, I'd post this on AskMefi. But as I don't, and since my MoFi account hasn't been approved since December, I thought I'd try posting it here. Sorry if it's against the guidelines; mods, feel free to pull if necessary.)

post by: divabat at: 08:03 | 16 comments

Well, I'll be the first to state the totally obvious - which is pack light. I once spent three months travelling and I brought only 1 shoulder-strap carry-on, light enough to carry easily anywhere. It seemed like I was really overdoing the "underdoing" at the time, but I ended up patting myself of the back so much I became bruised. Of course my husband got really tired of seeing my orange sweatjacket, but there you go... Since you'll be wearing the same things again and again, go with basic colors and simple cuts, in fabrics that wash and wear easily. Select things you can layer.

Bring some really cheap and lightweight, but fun, things to give away. I've been out of the U.S. too long to make suggestions there, but when I travelled, since I was from New Orleans, I bought Mardi Gras beads and doubloons, and voodoo dolls. When I come from Greece, I bring olive oil soap and worry beads. You get the idea.

posted by taz 15 June | 08:28

Tins of Old Bay seasoning go over well in Japan. Ditto little pins from the Smithsonian.

Bring an extra pair of work gloves (seriously, you should bring work gloves to other countries. When you wish you had them, it's too late) to give away to significant people (village patriarchs, &c.) in less-developed countries. They are often expensive/unavailable there, and you can make yourself very welcome by giving someone important, something useful.

In some countries gifts to hosts are de rigeur. Elsewhere, they transform you into a gracious ambassador of culture. Like taz says, travel light, but bring plenty of little gifts.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 09:17

Of course, it doesn't look like you're going to too many less-developed countries. Still, useful gifts are thoughtful gifts.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 09:18

Taz - I've heard "pack light" too. I just hope it's not TOO light - I still need to wear something :P But thank you, it is appreciated. (And Mardi Gras beads ROCK.)

Hugh Janus - I live in Malaysia, where we don't have Old Bay seasoning, the Smithsonian, or work gloves. (Especially with regards to seasoning - airport custom laws may bar me from bringing in plant material) I do have plenty of local gifts though, and I hope they do enjoy them :)

posted by divabat 15 June | 09:21

There are guidelines?

posted by grouse 15 June | 10:06

Does Up With People still exist???

posted by matildaben 15 June | 10:48

That's great. Particularly in Japan, where you are really expected to enter a household with a gift, anything you give that comes from your hometown (or home country) is appreciated.

You don't even have to be that accurate with the hometown gifts -- I'm not from DC, but little airplane pins from the Smithsonian were the perfect omiyage.

But since you're from Malaysia, I bet your local gifts are more than appropriate.

Sounds like you'll have a great time; good luck. If you need specific country advice, I can help on the US and Japan. Just post questions you might have. I'm sure others will help (especially bugbread w/r/t Japan) as well.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 10:57

You'll be able to do laundry at the host house, i bet (many Europeans have washing machines), so don't worry about that at all.

Pack light, and bring more money than you think you'll need (double even--or make sure your bank acccount is stocked up, and that your family has an extra atm card to send you in case you lose yours or it won't work in one place or another).

Definitely keep a journal so we can hear about it all--it sounds like a great adventure. : >

posted by amberglow 15 June | 11:30

oh, Pick up one little waterproof toiletries bag that can fit every single thing you need each morning (soap, shampoos, deodorant, razor or makeup, etc)--it's easier to bring that everyday in a random family's bathroom, than to keep running in and out to grab something, and it'll help make you a good guest--you'll be able to do everything in one shot, and not hog the bathroom.

posted by amberglow 15 June | 11:38

posted by amberglow 15 June | 11:47

I must have been struck on the head. I'm seeing double.

posted by Hugh Janus 15 June | 11:58

one was for her, and one was for her evil twin? : >

posted by amberglow 15 June | 16:50

Along the lines of "pack light", make sure that you can easily carry everyting for long distances without the aid of luggage trolleys or porters. Not all airports have either and they can both be more trouble than they are worth anyway. Even when I travelled for business along with a 32kg display stand the size of a set of golf clubs, I always made sure to pack everything so I could pick it up and carry it if I had to (which turned out to be often).

posted by dg 15 June | 19:20

matildaben - Up With People as we know it doesn't exist anymore, but they're the same people running WorldSmart now. It's less performance-y and more community-based.

amberglow - *gasp* the rumours are true! I do have a twin! Maybe. o_O But yes, if I can get my blog (or heck, the local newspaper) to listen to me, I'll definitely be journaling it.

Thanks everyone, it's really appreciated. :D

posted by divabat 16 June | 00:07

definitely have your big bag be a wheelie bag too. have a wonderful time!

posted by amberglow 16 June | 00:14

Bring pictures of your family and your hometown - it's a good way to start a conversation, particularly when common language is limited.

I pack a lot of black - one pair of black pants, one black skirt, one skinny little black dress, one pair of black shorts. Also, a pair of jeans, jean shorts. Then some colorful tees, a few colorful blouses, a jacket. A base of black allows you to dress things up or down as needed.

Learn how to say at least a few basic phrases in each language - "hello"
"please" "thank you", at minimum, but as many as you can. Even a weak attempt to communicate in a native language creates goodwill.

What a great opportunity. Have fun!

posted by madamjujujive 16 June | 08:08

← The Dinner Party || Hi →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN