If you have relatives or friends who live or study abroad – don’t miss that chance: Go, and visit them! Take such an opportunity, and you will always win – an experienced guide through the city, a cheaper stay, or just the peace of mind that you are not alone there if you get lost. But, of course, it is not always a bad thing to get lost – sometimes we need to get lost to find ourselves. Well, this is not usually my case, as I can get lost even in my hometown, but I still haven’t found myself.
So, let’s think about some of the checks you better make before visiting your friends and relatives abroad. There are some questions to ask yourself before starting to pack. In the end, we share a short checklist for homework, which might help you find your next travel destination and the right person to visit.
Do you regret missing a travel opportunity?
Looking back, I have missed the opportunity to visit my friends (or the friends of my friends) in Florence, St. Petersburg, Shanghai, and Barcelona. Still, I have taken the chance to travel to Vienna, Rome, and Essen (Oh, that trip to Germany! What a lovely holiday with one of my best friends!) So, “Not so bad result,” I have been telling myself since then, trying to accept the reality. It’s nice to convince yourself: The missed chances are not the last options you will have. Barcelona is still on the top of my wish list. The air in Shanghai was so bad that the visit wasn’t a good idea at all. Florence and St. Petersburg are not going to be single city tours but part of long voyages in different cities, so they are still on the list too.
Are you sure you want to visit these friends?
Well, if you don’t really like your relatives or friends there, don’t go! You don’t need that stress! Be sure you have another already planned vacation on the other side of the world, or your colleagues desperately need you at the office. So, you can share that info with a friend of a friend a bit earlier, and later you can always use a phrase like “O, that city is really on my wishlist for such a long time. But you know – as I have already told …/name/, I have so much work at the office right now, they just can’t manage it without me…” (sadly face, deep sigh)
Are you sure your friends want you there?
Be sure you are a wanted guest! If they must study hard, don’t have time to rest, or if it appears they are desperately needed at their office – think again about your visit! In such circumstances, you might go there only if your idea is to know someone in that city. That means you won’t stay with your relatives, you won’t see each other, and they won’t spend time with you. Be sure to say it clearly! Even though they can feel obligated to see you at least for an hour (especially if you are relatives). For such gatherings, be prepared as you prepare yourself for a blind date. Check if there is whatever event in an hour or make a program to ensure you will be away before the long silence. Of course, such preparations must be optional (in case you likе the time spent together… What a surprise, but I heard it happened to a friend of a friend once.)
Is this visit worth it?
Before buying the tickets, think about your tour: Is this going to be the tour you imagined? If there is a big festival, some event, or a specific time of the year when you wish to be there – is this visit at the right time? Are you going to enjoy the festival? Are the giant Christmas tree and all the holiday lights going to be there? Probably not! Imagine it: It’s August – hot weather, no Christmas trees, but many tourists. And you – sweaty and sad about the missed festival. “I didn’t see what I wanted, the weather was too damn hot, I had to meet that annoying relative, but man, I saved 20 euro!” says nobody sane! Be sane! Do what you want, and do it when you want it! Not every option is a good option. Be sure to compare the pros and cons and to make the right decision for you.
Checklist for homework – why and how to visit your friends abroad
Open the social networks you use and check your friends’ profiles:
-Are there any of them you want to visit? Write or remember the names.
-Do they want you as a guest? Delete and forget those stupid people who don’t like you.
-Where are the rest of the people? Who is that person that remains? (OMG, I have just realized this is a way to find various things about you, your own life, and the people in it: who do you love, who do you care for, who cares for you). This exercise can have as a result that you live with the only one person you want to see. Or that you are the person everyone wants to visit.
-Call or write to those people to see how they are going. Nowadays, you can’t be sure about anything in the networks. Is this picture actual, or is it a memory from 1999? Does he, for sure, live in Hawaii? Whose are all those kids? How old am I? Where is this world going? Such things…
Read some articles about planning a trip – when and where to go, what to bring, what to see, and act a little more professional and mature, Por favor. Or not – just buy the tickets and surprise the one(s) you love! (“If I ask you to list all the things you love, how long will it take you to name yourself?”)
What kind of person are you – well prepared for a trip or always ready to visit your friends abroad?
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