Survival doesn’t just apply to being in the wild or becoming one with nature. It is a term that exists when it comes to living life. When you are living life temporarily in a different country, survival may be a bit more challenging if you aren’t fully prepared. Making a list of things you need before leaving the country is just as important as making a list of things you need before going on a long hike or a camping trip.
We see differences in cultures and behaviors within our country all the time, but for the most part everyone has a similar way of living. But in other countries, not so much. Nothing would be more embarrassing than getting punched out by a well-dressed foreigner, because he thought you were threatening him with what you thought was an awesome fist bump. Of course, this is an overly dramatic example of what can happen, but you get the idea.
All in all, hopefully you’ve grown wise enough to know how to show manners when speaking and behaving in areas uncommon to you. Because preppers are well-mannered, this post isn’t about teaching you manners, but rather on how to prepare to survive in a foreign country. Preppers are survivors of adventure and there is nothing more adventurous than traveling the world. However, as a prepper, knowing how to prepare for any and every adventure is important, even if it doesn’t take place in the wild. So hold tight and pay attention to these tips––we’ve got your back.
Check Your Health
A zombie apocalypse can be prevented by checking your body for diseases before leaving the country. Protect yourself and others by having all of the appropriate vaccinations and renewed prescriptions of medication you take. If you aren’t sure about needed vaccinations, check out this site to see if you are up to date. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure your insurance covers you outside of the country.
Call for Backup
Be sure to contact the nearest embassy to let them know where you will be should you run into any problems while traveling. Most embassies and consulates are available 24/7 so be sure to have their contact info and even give your family a way to reach you in the case of any emergency. For more information, click on this link here.
Bring Money
Such a precious thing money is. It would be a shame to get to your destination and find out that they don’t use American cash (tsk tsk). Knowing how your money converts in the country you’re heading to is key. Ultimately, do some research on how other countries handle money. Carry local cash and check your card carrier to make sure that it works in your destination. Foreign countries sometimes have odd fees for everything, so know what you need to pay for before paying it.
Don’t Anger the Natives
Research the culture of wherever you are going. Get informed on greetings, body language, basic words and phrases in their language, etc. If you aren’t native to the country you will most likely stick out like a sore thumb. Don’t be the person that gets arrested for chewing gum in South Korea. Get to know the policies and laws. When in doubt just smile, because that is the one thing everyone can understand and appreciate, and it will keep you out of trouble.
Identify Yourself
Getting in and out of the country can be a long and stressful process if you don’t have any identification, so remember to bring all of your travel documents! This includes airplane tickets, hotel confirmation, passports, identification, etc. Preppers aren’t typically ones to lose and forget things, but make copies of documents just in case. Please, tell at least one person exactly where you will be, where you will be staying, and how they can contact you.
Of course there are more things to think about when going to another country but these are just the basics and as a prepper, when we are prepared there is no adventure that is impossible to overcome! Stay safe, live long, and prosper.