Newswise — Getting the most out of an overseas trip begins with homework, says a Purdue University classics professor.
"Often, the students I lead on study abroad trips have never traveled outside of the United States, the Midwest or even Indiana," says John T. Kirby, a professor of classics and comparative literature. "Whether visiting a foreign country for a week's vacation or living abroad, the principles for getting the most out of your travel experiences are the same. There are things one can do, and avoid doing, to make one's first international experience as thrilling and memorable as possible."
In the last three years, Kirby, who studies ancient Mediterranean cultures, has taught in or visited Florence, Italy; London; France; Germany; and the west coast of Turkey. He also is leading a group of students in Athens, Greece, this summer.
His trip to Turkey was inspired in part by the recent Hollywood movie about the fall of the city Troy.
"The recent string of movies about the Greek and Latin classics will surely encourage people to travel to Europe and Asia," Kirby says. "But, in many cases, the site is very different from what one sees in the movie, so expect to be awed in a different way. The archaeological site of Troy was not as massive or Hollywood-esque as it looks in the film, but it is actually more inspiring because it is where the 'Iliad,' Homer's immortal epic, takes place."
Here are five of Kirby's tips for novice travelers:
1. Students and most first-time travelers say that their senses are bombarded by new sights, sounds and smells. While Kirby says this is normal, people can better cope by preparing ahead of time by reading travel guides and watching videos about the countries they plan to visit.
2. The trick to sightseeing, especially when time is limited, is to plan ahead. "Don't only think about what you want to see, but also factor the travel time between sites," Kirby says. "You can waste a lot of precious time in transit."
3. Many major cities, such as Paris, Rome, Florence and London, are banked on either side of a river. So, when planning a trip, especially if planning to walk a great deal, it's important to know what side of the river your destinations are on.
4. If you are tracing family lineage on your trip, find out as much as you can in advance. Even though your first overseas trip may be inspired by wanting to visit the land where your family is from, be aware that this on-site research can distract you from visiting the country, or vice versa, Kirby says.
5. People think about what they will see, but what about what they will hear? "Ask yourself, 'How do you feel about being in a country where people do not speak English? What if the signs are in a different alphabet - Chinese or Hebrew?'" Kirby says. "This can be disorienting for some first-time travelers, and don't let anyone minimize those feelings. If the language thing bothers or worries you, think about making your first trip abroad to an English-speaking country, such as Canada, Australia or England."
Kirby also has additional travel tips and recommended restaurants and destinations available online at http://omni.cc.purdue.edu/~corax/what2see.html.
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