Shalom Hartman this summer

[cellio]

I just registered for the Shalom Hartman Institute summer program in Jerusalem (after confirming a sane refund policy in case the region goes pear-shaped in the meantime). My rabbi recommended this program a few years ago and I've been eying it every year, and this year the stars aligned (dates, interesting topic, timely responses to email queries). It sounds like a great experience and I'm excited to finally be going.

I'm also kind of nervous -- not about the program, and not about the Iran thing (I can always bail), but rather about being a solo international traveler. This will only be my second time off the continent and the first time I went with a tour group so I didn't have to personally arrange anything, and somebody was steering us in useful directions. Those of you who've done this "foreign travel" thing, this is your enthusiatic invitation to tell me anything you think I ought to know, no matter how big or small.

Whee! Eeek!

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/merle_/]

I've only been to Canada and France, both tame locations where I speak the local language, so my experiences might not apply. In Canada I was not alone but in France I not only took the rails around alone and slept in hostels but one morning in Paris I woke up at 6am and just walked down random streets and alleys until late evening. I had no map, and given the weird six-way intersections no clue where I was. But it was fun. (at one point someone asked me for directions to somewhere and pulled out a map.. it was hard not to giggle)

Definitely take local currency. Travelers cheques are a good idea too, but local currency is much easier as finding open banks is tricky. Everyone accepts cash. I'd say more than $20USD worth; more like $50USD/week. Stash it all over you and in various weird places (clothing in your suitcase, bags, etc). Worst case you exchange it back when you return, or save up the smaller stuff and pass them out to friends.

Some go for it but I would not wear a fanny pack. It just screams "tourista target!". That said, bags can be snatched.

As versus the standard phrases like "please direct me to the bathroom" I would learn fragments like "left", "block", "where is", "hotel". It's much easier to put things together and anyone can comprehend a broken version of their language (even if they are laughing at you). But you probably won't have that problem.

Get maps, if you can, or gmap+print them. Printing them seems wasteful but someone is much more likely to snatch a phone out of your hand than a piece of paper.

Given the advance notice, check out what restaurants are on your must list and your probably list.

..and most everything else said above.

[cellio]

Thanks for the advice! I should probably have mentioned that I've been to Canada bunch of times, though always with my husband (his family lives there). That seems like it ought to be pretty different from going overseas.

I was planning to take a backpack (and use both arms' straps), rather than an over-one-shoulder bag that screams "grab me". Is that any better for blending in than the fanny pack that you warned against?

I'm perfectly willing to waste some paper to have nice maps in a size I can see. I'm assuming my smartphone won't work there, after all, so if I want maps on the go they need to be paper.

[http://users.livejournal.com/merle_/]

Canada is indeed probably quite different from going to another continent, even if it feels like it politically.

A backpack should be fine so long as the zippers are closed and you can tell when they are being opened (I was behind someone about a year ago whose wallet fell out of his unzipped backpack that kept unzipping itself!). It's always hip to have a backpack. Fanny packs, though.. sure, the stuff is in front of you so what is in the pack is safe, but it still makes you a good target if you have anything else.

Paper maps are always cool. They also never stop partway through loading.