Safety Tips For Traveling Abroad

"To move, to breathe, to fly, to float; to gain all while you give; to
roam the roads of lands remote; to travel is to live" - Hans Christian
Anderson

1.) Enroll In STEP

STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) is a
government initiative that was designed with safety in mind for American
citizens traveling abroad. It is a free service you sign up for which
registers your trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate and
allows you to get travel warnings, updates and emergency alerts for the
country you are in. It also allows you to get access to help from your
government should you need it while you are traveling.

https://step.state.gov/step/

2.) Share Your Travel Itinerary

Keep mom, dad, a friend (someone) in the loop with the details of your
trip. If you have an itinerary with your flight info, what hotel(s) you
are staying at, addresses/phone numbers, cities you are going to, etc.
make sure at least one other person has the details before you leave.
Sending a quick email or post on social media to let people know you
have made it to your destination(s) safely is also good travel
etiquette.

3.) Separate Your Money

Do not keep your cash and credit cards together in the same place. If
possible keep your cash in several places (some in your wallet, some in
a hidden pocket in your luggage or shoe, some in your hotel safe, etc).
If you are carrying a backpack/bag make sure your money/wallet is not in
an outside easy to reach place.

4.) Scan/copy Your Passport

You can also download a scanning app, like TurboScan to keep your
important documents organized and safe in the Cloud

5.) Clear All Credit Card Hurdles

Before your trip, call/email/message your credit card company to let
them know where you will be going and for how long so they do not freeze
your accounts. It puts a real damper on the day when you need to use
your card or get cash and can't :(

6.) Invest In A Cell Phone Plan With Free Roaming

Being able to get in touch with loved ones, use your GPS, or call local
medical/government/hotel/cabs/etc are all important aspects of staying
safe while traveling and a global data plan can make that affordable.
Check with your provider to see what your plan covers and if it does not
offer a Free Roaming option, T-Mobile's Simple Choice Plan does. We love
our Google Pixel 2 XL and have Google Fi for our plan which quickly and
easily transferred all of our data, is usable without a SIM card in
over 100 countries around the world, and provides a flat fee for 6GB and
then any GB beyond that is free for that pay period so there are never
any surprise fees or costs. The camera on it is also the best so double
bonus!

7.) Be Safe About Being Charitable/Helpful

In many of the larger cities and metropolises, beggars are everywhere.
However, giving money directly is not always the smartest or safest
thing to do. There are SO many scams abroad that take advantage of
people being charitable/helpful so don't pick up money/wallets you find
on the ground or that people 'drop', don't agree to take pictures for
people handing you their camera/phone, don't get out your wallet and
sift through your money to give someone money on the street, and even
though your heart will get ripped out of its chest when you see small
children begging or looking extra sad and hungry with their parent who
is begging on the street, it is best to not give them money. Instead, if
you are feeling the need to be helpful, find legitimate local charitable
organizations to donate to; donate clothes you no longer need/want in
the drop bins or donation sites, or do some volunteer work through local
organizations that make it their business to provide services to people
in need.

8.) Don't Be An Easy Target

Carry your bag(s)/personal items at your side or in front
of you, within your view as much as possible. Also wear your bag in such
a way that you can release it as easily as possible in case it is
snatched so you don't get injured in the process. When dining or on the
subway always keep your bag in your lap, and in crowded places (like the
subway) make sure your bag is completely closed and be very mindful of
people bumping into you as this is a common technique for pickpockets.

9.) Make Sure You Have Important #'s With You At All Times

It is also good to make sure you have important emergency contacts stored in
your phone as well as written down and kept on you (in case your phone
runs out of battery, you have no connection, you lose your phone, etc
(We keep ours in a little pocket size notebook/pad we keep with us at
all times). Some numbers/info we recommend you have on you and in your
phone:

• Emergency contact(s) back home (in case something happens to you and
  someone needs to be notified)
• The nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate
• Nearby hospital
• Local cab company
• The number/address for where you are staying
• If you are traveling in a group you should have each others contact
  info