Yes, much of the time traveling is the beautiful days, epic adventures, and cultural extravagance that you see in your favorite travel posts on Instagram. But, what about when it’s not? The flip side is the anxiety, stress, homesickness, and tiredness and this is completely NORMAL! As someone who has gone through all of the forms of travel shock, I am going to break down each scenario to help you recognize and know what to do if you ever face these stressors. Although I have had to deal with many hard days throughout extensive traveling, I would 100% do it all over again. I will always and forever say “Yes” to the trip.
The Pre-Trip Travel Stress
The Feeling: There are a lot of things to do before any trip: getting your passport, calling your bank, ordering prescriptions, packing, re-packing, saying goodbye etc. It is very normal to feel anxious during this time. I rarely am able to sleep before a flight as I’m always wondering if I forgot to pack something.
What to Do:
Make a plan early on.
Tackle just a couple things each day to make the whole task list less daunting.
Stay healthy and get your sleep (even if not the night before). The more rested you are the more confident you will be in taking the trip.
Lay out what you want to pack at least a week before. This way you have time to fill in any gaps and MOST IMPORTANTLY remove what you do not need. Nobody likes traveling with too much stuff.
The “There’s 8 Hours to Go” Travel Stress
The Feeling: I am not an anxious flyer, however on a 16 hour flight anyone would go stir crazy. If you do suffer from any phobias of flying, small spaces, etc. you may want to speak to a doctor before your trip. However below are some tips on making the trip a little more peaceful.
What to Do:
Walk around OFTEN and drink lots of water. This is very important to keep blood flowing and stay healthy throughout the flight. I usually do yoga in the open space of the plane.
Bring some entertainment of your own. Maybe it’s a book, crossword puzzles, downloaded movies, sketchbook, work, etc. Changing up the activities helps the time feel like it’s going by faster.
Wear comfortable shoes that have some give, your feet are going to swell.
SLEEP - If you are the lucky person who can sleep on flights, go for it!
“Sit and recoup over a cup of coffee, chocolate cake, a Starbucks or something familiar. Although it may not be immersing yourself in the new culture right away, it is ok to take it slow.”
The Post-Flight “What Did I Do?” Travel Stress
The Feeling: For some trips the first steps off the plane is total bliss and for others it is a very anxious moment. This can change with certain circumstances such as did your bag make it? Was your flight on time? Did you know that it was going to be 100 degrees or that the cars have to weave in and out of a traffic jam of cows? Can you understand the language? On a recent trip to Scotland, I landed with no sign of my bag, my credit card not working, and staying in a less-than comfortable space. All of these immediate first impressions were not ideal and gave me the “what did I do” impulse.
What to do:
First thing to remember is even if the situation is not normal, the gut feeling is completely NORMAL and it is ok that your first moments were not the “wanderlust” feeling you had hoped for. Take a deep breath and don’t panic.
Allow yourself some comforts: Sit and recoup over a cup of coffee, chocolate cake, a Starbucks or something familiar. Although it may not be immersing yourself in the new culture right away, it is ok to take it slow.
Keep in mind all of the things you do have and know that it will get better. Yes, YOU DO have a safe place to sleep, YOU DO have back up cash, YOU DO have local people to reach out to.
Be prepared: the best thing you can do is to prepare yourself ahead of time. Have a lineup of places you want to see (I like to favorite places on TripAdvisor) to remind yourself how excited you are for this trip.
Pack ALL your must haves in your carry-on. (Chargers, toothbrush, glasses, medicine).
Know that you can reach out for help! If you need directions, ask. If you need help with the lock on your door, ask. If you need suggestions for restaurants, ask. Remember it will get better and you will have a great trip, no matter how it starts!
The “11th Day” Syndrome
The Feeling: Without fail, no matter the trip, the 11th day is always the hardest for me. I am usually so tired and cranky, but this is where the turning point happens. A typical American vacation is just under 2 weeks and often people push themselves so hard it is only natural to lose steam. If you are staying for a longer term, it is after the 11 day mark that you go from being a tourist to feeling like you belong abroad, but day 11-14 may be a bit rough and it’s ok...this is normal.
What to Do:
Take it easy. It’s all right to sit the 10th walking tour out. Plan around this time. You can certainly still immerse yourself in the culture while doing something more relaxing.
Suggestions:
Go see a movie: I love to go to movie theaters while I travel because every country does it differently but it gives me time to rest.
Read a book in a local park
Skype a friend from a coffee shop
With a couple days to rest you will be ready to go again. And even better, having experienced a local movie theater or read a book in the park you will feel more like a local than you ever did before.
The “I’m watching Netflix” Travel Stress
The Feeling: Sometimes if things seem too overwhelming either from work, navigating the new city, getting used to using a squat toilet, or whatever it may be, our instinct is to retreat to our comfort zone and maybe binge watch Netflix shows. If this goes too far you may find yourself in a bubble, making if feel difficult to go on adventures.
What to do:
Again, this is OK and normal from time to time, but you do not want it to become your routine. For me, I watch a show to wind down after a long day so that I am refreshed for the next. If you do feel yourself sliding into a bad routine of being in your bubble, revert back to your list that you made before you left of things you wanted to do or see and remember your initial excitement.
At the beginning of the day, challenge yourself to a goal.
Ask a friend to get a meal with you.
Find a new place to do yoga.
Use a new local phrase in conversation.
Find that place you bookmarked on TripAdvisor
Accomplishing a mini-goal will help you gain your confidence again and allow you to rule the city!
“Traveling isn’t all about seeing things, it is also about experiencing them. ”
The “There’s Not Enough Time” Travel Stress
The Feeling: Typically in your last few days or week, you may feel that there is not enough time to do what you want or regret that you didn’t see more. When I was teaching in India for 2 months I was in Varanasi the entire time and did not travel to sightsee. At times I felt horrible for not setting off to see the Taj Mahal and doing some of the things that is on everyone’s bucket list.
What to Do:
Cherish the time and activities you did have. Although I didn’t travel outside of Varanasi, I ended up becoming good friends with my students and engaging in very intimate cultural gatherings that I would not have been able to do if I traveled every weekend.
Again, plan out your trip ahead of time and mark the activities or places that are a MUST.
Traveling isn’t all about seeing things it is also about experiencing. Some of my favorite travel memories are what someone else might think are tiny moments, like what a waiter said in New Zealand, how a bus driver told me directions in Scotland, or the almond croissant in Ireland, etc. The whole experience is a journey...corny but true.
“Tell people both the good and the bad as this will help you process your experience.”
The “I’m Home, Now What?” Travel Stress
The Feeling:
Often times when we come home from a very impressionable trip it is very hard to answer the question “how was your trip?” How could you possibly tell someone everything you went through, good and bad, in one conversation? How do you go from speaking Mandarin every day to not? How do you go back to eating your local food? This feeling is usually referred to as reverse culture shock and like all the others, you will get through it.
What to do:
Journaling while abroad can help keep track of your trip and make it easier to talk to others when you return home as you have a reference point. Not to mention, you can tell all of your friends your favorite food spots for when they visit!
Tell people both the good and the bad as this will help you process your experience. Although my time studying abroad was not the easiest, being able to talk to my family and friends about the highs and lows made me realize that I learned SO much from my trip and really appreciate my time in a foreign university.
Some people may not be able to relate or connect. Chat to them in small increments, showing them a few pictures at a time with stories to go with them.
Learn to cook some of the food from your trip! This is a good way to both share your experience with your family and friends and for you to re-engage with the culture you have grown to love.
Stay active - you probably walked a lot more abroad than you do at home and it is important to keep your body happy and fit rather than settling back into your old slower routine.
Take classes or find a local group to practice your new language!
I hope this helps you maneuver the highs and lows of traveling. If ever you feel too overwhelmed or needing a helping hand, REACH OUT to your support network as that is what they (and World Internships) are there for. Going abroad is an incredible feat and you should be proud for taking these steps. Even if it isn’t all pristine and Instagram-perfect, the rough times make you stronger and to be honest make fantastic stories! (Maybe I’ll tell you how I got horned by a cow in India while going to get chocolate cake someday!)
