I am about to undergo the process below for my upcoming trip to India and invite you to join me, though some research will be involved.
JST is a great source, since you can click on any country and view an array of stories covering not only its food, tourist sights, art, entertainment, and humanitarian outreach, but also how various individuals perceive these places. In addition to blogs and Lonely Planet guides, even simpler sites like About.com or Wikipedia come in handy to prepare for a trip.
1. Purchase a travel-friendly notebook.
It’s fun to see how your perception of a place you’ve never been to changes after your visit. When you’re planning your trip or even when you’re on the plane over, you can pass the time by scribbling down what your imagination conjures when you think of the place. Write down the colors, the food, the smells—the people and what they’re wearing.
2. Perform quick-and-dirty cultural research.
Having some historical and cultural knowledge about the place you’re visiting will give you a higher appreciation for and a greater awareness of what you experience. Knowing a little about the local customs, religion, festivals, art and architecture, history, and mythology will give your travel experience deeper meaning.
3. Treat yourself to a cultural experience.
Before you leave, try to book a ticket to see a dance or music show, even if it’s a little expensive. Art museums can be static and one-sided, but live performances—flamenco tablaos, Peking opera, kabuki, Bharatanatyam, yodeling, mazurkas, Irish dance—give you a chance to participate in ancient tradition.
4. Pick a pet interest.
Whether it be photographing market places, researching the biography of a monumental hero, or falling in love with the work of a local artist, find an aspect of the place to make your own. When I went to Kyoto, I had just finished the Tale of Genji, so I relished in coming across restaurants, statues, museums, and shrines alluding to his world. Those places mark a special place in my memory.
5. Let the language speak to you.
Haven’t you ever admired the beauty of Thai script or wondered at the complexity of Chinese characters? Haven’t you ever relished the sound of Spanish or wanted to try your hand at Russian? Perhaps I desire India’s blessing, but I found a prayer that resonates with me, the Gayatri Mantra, and copied its exquisite Sanskrit lines into my journal.
6. Make a list of your own must-sees.
Based on your pet interest and quick-and-dirty research, formulate a list of sites that will enrich you. If you plan a 10-day trip, I would suggest seeing a ratio of 5 main attractions to 3 lesser known, off the beaten path ones. When you visit, bring your journal to record your thoughts. You never know how what you learn may come back to enrich you.
7. Make a list of tantalizing comestibles.
Sometimes, it’s best to let your stomach guide you. Searching the ethnic cuisine in websites like TasteSpotting and finding reviews of local restaurants that fit your tastes on TripAdvisor can whet your appetite not just for the food, but also for the country.
8. Make a list of coveted souvenirs.
Italian leather, Japanese tea sets, sarees, bangles, cloth paintings, posters, coin purses, mahjong, mancala, and chess sets—traditional pastries, teas, coffee. The world has a lot of amazing things to offer, and bringing it home to keep faraway lands close to you is admittedly one of the best parts of travel. These are mementos that will always represent your connection to that place.
9. Frame a question.
When entering a new environment, it’s most productive to angle yourself in curiosity. Only through wondering about the nature of place can you attempt understand and capture its essence. As an outsider, you man the unique vantage point of distance and transience, even while you attempt to immerse yourself in the culture. This discontinuity will allow you to figure out what it means to live there.
