Information about the country you are traveling to is very important. Whether it's a tourist trip to a well-known hotel or a long trip to a completely unknown country: there is information that needs to be updated before each trip. A general knowledge of the culture and traditions will help you connect with the locals and have a good time abroad.
What things are important to learn about a foreign country
First of all, you should find out the contact details of the Russian embassy or consulate. If there is no official representative office of Russia in the city where you are going, then find out where the nearest one is. The telephone, address and e-mail (if any) of the Russian embassy should be written down on a separate sheet of paper. Put them in a safe place among your belongings. In case of possible problems, this information can be very useful to you.
Find out what currency is in the country and where it is better to change it. Sometimes it is more profitable to buy money from a foreign country while still in Russia, and in other cases it is better to withdraw it from an ATM on the spot or exchange it for dollars.
Climate and weather information will tell you which things to take with you and which ones are best to leave at home.
Be sure to check the local public transport scheme. For example, hourly wages and zonal tariffs for urban transport in some European cities sometimes come as a shock to Russian tourists.
Things like the time difference and the specifics of your cellular operator's roaming rates should also be clarified in advance. Sometimes there are opportunities to save money on communications, all this should be thought out at home.
The rules for entering and leaving the country may have their own distinctive features. Perhaps some things cannot be imported into the country, this prohibition often applies to fruits.
If you are bringing pets with you, then find out the rules for their import: additional documents or vaccinations may be required.
Check out the maps of the terrain of the cities of the planned stay. It may not be superfluous to download additional cards to your phone, so that upon arrival you will not have to spend money on your account balance for using cards from the Internet.
Be sure to try to find out as much as possible about the cultural characteristics of the country you are traveling to. Information about sights and places of interest is also very useful.
Where to get information about the country
Today, one of the best sources of information about any country are Internet sites. The information they contain for completeness and freshness is unmatched by any other source. There are special resources for tourists, where all the basic information is presented in a concise form if you have little time to study. Tour operator brochures may also be helpful. If you are buying a tour, then ask if a travel agency representative can offer you information brochures.
The best and most complete source of information about the cultural characteristics and history of different countries is books. Specialized publications can immerse you in the world of a foreign culture so completely that after reading them it will seem to you that you have already lived in the country under study for several years. Various guides and encyclopedias will also be helpful. They contain specific, but extremely useful information.
