Traveling to a totally different place from your homeland can be daunting. You are faced with a new culture, new people, new foods, and new surroundings in general. It can be confusing to your senses as well because everything is so new. Thus, it is necessary to spend time familiarizing yourself with your new surroundings for a smooth transition to get adapted.
Getting to know your new surrounding during a trip
Being overwhelmed with your new surroundings once you arrive at your travel destination is not uncommon. The majority of people have experienced it. It is important to develop your own strategies to help get past that initial overwhelm and recenter yourself. Here are some tips you can consider to do so:
Do your research ahead of time
Do a research about your destination and its surroundings in advance so you have big picture of what to expect. You will know if the places have everything you need to enjoy the trip. You can also mark places you want to get to know more for later exploration.
Stroll around
Once you arrive, spend time to stroll around at least the block from your hotel. To get you back from where you started, always turn right at each corner. You may discover many interesting places during your stroll that make you feel more familiar with your new surroundings such as cafes, laundromat, hidden bookshops, etc. It will feel like an accomplishment when you can walk one square block or two. It makes you more confident to enjoy the trip.
Look up and look down from time to time
During your little exploration of your new surroundings, try to look up more from time to time. You will notice towers, skyscrapers, staircases, balconies, etc. You also need to look down every once in a while and get to know more about the local civilization from the type of pavement you are stepping on. You may see different beauties from each perspective but both offer you new knowledge and information to store in your mind.
Look for portals
Portals can be in a form of doorways, arches, entrances, or gates. They have different charms but all are interested to get to know more about. Each type of portal may be carved with symbol or pattern that signify certain culture or tradition. Some portals are man-made and some others are naturally-formed.
Explore the narrows
Foreign streets tend to be smaller, cozy, and more intimate which make them more interesting to explore. Hence, you can get to know more of your new surroundings through the narrows such as alleys, lanes, and passageways. You may also end up interacting with the locals and learn more about their way of living.
Make sure to do it safely and avoid suspicious-looking narrows. Also, avoid doing this kind of exploration at night. If you are unsure of the place, trust your gut instinct and choose another route. It’s even better if you have someone to accompany your little exploration of your new surroundings.