| When you move to a new city, one of the most | | | | small talk with you. It's an added bonus to feel |
| important things to do is get familiar with it. Once you | | | | recognized in a new city - takes away from that |
| develop the familiarity, and knowledge of the closest | | | | feeling of "anonymity" that can haunt us at the |
| supermarket, shortest way home, and how to get | | | | beginning. |
| from any one place to another without looking at a | | | | 5. Bring good shoes. I know this may sound funny, but |
| map, it goes a long way towards feeling at home in | | | | if you're moving someplace with lots of cobblestone |
| that place. There's something comforting about | | | | streets that you plan to walk on, make sure you bring |
| knowing neighborhood restaurants, and where to go | | | | comfortable, flat shoes, with a strong sole. If you only |
| for anything you need, without having to look for | | | | bring heels, or thin-bottomed shoes, you'll wear through |
| directions or ask for a reference. | | | | them in a week! |
| Here are a few tips and ideas to help you navigate a | | | | 6. Be a Tourist. Yes, be a tourist with pride! Dare |
| new city: | | | | yourself to take every double-decker bus trip in the |
| 1. Get a map and a guide book. Ideally, do this before | | | | city, boat trips, city guided tours. This is such a great |
| you leave. This way, if you love a particular brand, say | | | | way to learn tips about the city, hot spots, you might |
| Fodor's or Lonely Planet, you are guaranteed to find it | | | | not otherwise have found, and, if your tour guide is |
| in the language you're most comfortable with. Take a | | | | nice, you could tell them you recently moved to the |
| look at the local points of interest, areas considered | | | | city, and ask them for local tips on where to eat, drink, |
| highly touristy (i.e. shopping centers), and parks and | | | | shop, etc. |
| monuments. | | | | 7. Research nearby destinations. Sometimes, you may |
| 2. Plot out and points of interest to you on the map. | | | | want to get out of the city for a break, or change of |
| Using the map with the guide book, you might want to | | | | pace. Your guide book is one source of easily |
| highlight any areas on the map that you want to visit, | | | | reachable day trips. You could also go to the nearest |
| or consider living close by. If you are moving | | | | train station and pick up some schedules to see what's |
| someplace with a subway/metro, you may want to | | | | within a one-hour train ride, and then research those |
| try and figure out which stations match up to these | | | | cities online if your guide book doesn't list them. |
| points of interest. | | | | 8. Connect with nature. Sometimes the best way to |
| 3. Seek out people from your host city before you | | | | "zone out", see how the locals relax, and enjoy some |
| move. Ask them for any tips about places to see, | | | | downtime is to go to a nearby park. See if your guide |
| places to eat, and, especially, any areas considered | | | | book mentions any, or this is one of those tips you |
| dangerous. Again, highlight these on your map. | | | | could ask for, from your tour guide, if you follow tip 6, |
| 4. Become a regular. If you find a restaurant, news | | | | or a new friend, if you've followed tip 4. |
| shop, bookstore, or cafe, for example, that you | | | | If you enjoyed these tips, feel free to download my |
| absolutely love. Make a point to go there at least a | | | | free report with additional tips and strategies about |
| few times a week. Before you know it, the waiters or | | | | successfully transitioning to a new culture. |
| owner will be asking you how you are, and get into | | | | |