{"id":9300,"date":"2018-03-27T09:00:26","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T16:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/?page_id=9300"},"modified":"2018-03-28T09:14:39","modified_gmt":"2018-03-28T16:14:39","slug":"paul_june07","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.internationalschoolsreview.com\/nonmembers\/paul_june07.htm","title":{"rendered":"Article – Paul Gioffi Well Weathered Edition 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well Weathered<\/h1><\/div>

Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations<\/h2><\/div>

Monthly Travel Column by Paul W. Gioffi
\nEdition 16<\/p><\/h3><\/div>

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Disclaimer:\u00a0<\/span>While travel can be exciting and rewarding there are unforeseen dangers that may arise. The Information presented in Paul’s articles is the author’s personal opinion and what may have worked for him yesterday may not work for someone else today or tomorrow. Therefore, you agree to use any and all information provided by the author at your own risk and agree that you will hold the author and ISR harmless in regard to any and all instances that may arise or result from use of this material.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div>

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Following, you’ll find travel tip 37 from Paul W. Gioffi. To read the introduction to this column which began in February of 2006 please see\u00a0Edition 1.<\/a>\u00a0To access other previous editions please see the\u00a0Index.<\/a><\/p><\/h3><\/div>

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Entry 37: The Difficulty Factor<\/h2><\/span>
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In general, things are more difficult when you\u2019re traveling outside your homeland, either a few hundred kilometers into the forest, across a few neighboring time zones, 35,000 frequent flyer miles into the next continent, or even in someone else\u2019s kitchen when you\u2019re rummaging through drawers for that ever-evasive corkscrew. Over time, we all fashion personal comfort zones which contain all of the required amenities and all of the necessary routines to minimize stress. Go beyond these safety borders and you may find that the world can be a different place. This is fine. Sometimes it is healthy to take yourself out of your element and explore the unfamiliar. We learn, we grow and we move forward. Outside your bubble of familiarity, you will also find \u2018the difficulty factor.\u2019 Usually, the further you go, the higher the factor (with some exceptions, of course). Take a simple everyday process that you know to be true in your hometown. Then, when you\u2019re that stranger in a strange land, multiply the difficulty level of getting through this process by two, by four, by six, etc. There are many variables working against you including different language, time, traffic, directions, behavior, customs, and the overall \u2018foreignness\u2019 of yourself and the place where you are. As stated above, there are exceptions. There are instances when things come off as smooth as Boston butter. Other times, however, even the smallest things must be run through the difficulty factor mechanism. Grocery store purchases, ordering food, making change at the market, getting accurate directions, paying bills, finding a newspaper in your language, not getting ripped off by taxi drivers, emailing, etc. The list will certainly be tailored by each traveler. Make your own schedule. Prioritize. Allow for more time each day to get even the simplest things done. Understand that the wheels of life and day to day transactions are not always as well-greased as you would like them to be.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>
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Well Weathered Article Index<\/span><\/a><\/div>
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\"\"<\/a>I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of Well-Weathered Travel Survival Notes & Other Curious Observations. Check back next month for a new entry.\u00a0Until then, safe travels.
\n<\/span><\/span>Contact me at Well_Weathered@yahoo.com<\/span>
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Learn more about Paul Gioffi<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote><\/h3><\/div>
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