Before you travel anywhere, it is always good to do some research. It is important to find out about your destination’s history, geography, language, eating habits, weather, safety, and culture. Today there are many ways to obtain this necessary information for travelers!

The old-fashioned (yet reliable) way is through books. You may visit your local book store or library to see what they have available for your destination country. Some choices include Lonely Planet, Frommers and Fodors, but there are many others. The great thing about a book is that you can take it with you on the plane or in the car and keep it for easy reference. (Remember to check that you have the most recent publication version so that the information is not out-of-date.)

Today, there are also many travel websites that will offer you everything from very basic to quite detailed information regarding your destination.  It is always a good idea to check with a few different sites to make sure you are receiving similar information. The books mentioned above also have websites that are worth a look.

The majority of countries around the world do not use the U.S. Dollar as currency, so you will need to know what type of currency they do use and the exchange rate. A good site for up-to-date rates is http://www.xe.com/.

Issues of safety are certainly very important to consider when traveling to a different country. Visit the U.S. State Department’s website at http://www.state.gov for current information regarding travel alerts and safety for your destination.

One of the biggest points to consider in terms of preparing to embark on your mission journey are the cultural differences you will encounter. You may be accustomed to living one way or doing things in a manner you think best, but, in order to fully immerse yourself in the experience, you must open yourself up to a new way of life. Being present in the moment will serve in deepening your mission spirituality. There are many resources that can help you to learn more about the culture and way of life of the communities with which you will share your time. Learning about their histories, languages and customs, along with how this connects to you, will help to lessen the culture shock that often comes when traveling to a new country. It also allows you to approach your experience with respect and an eagerness to learn more!