A Student's Guide for Dietary Restrictions
A big factor in the decision process of where to travel abroad is the food of that country. Food is right at the heart of a culture, and a big part of what makes your experience. While it may not be a big deal to some, for those with dietary restrictions, it can very much make-or-break their decision.
Don't Worry! Here's a little guide full of tips to think about when traveling abroad.
Tip 1: Prepare for Your Adventure
The #1 rule of traveling abroad or traveling in general is to research where you're going.
I know that may sound intuitive, but you have to know the right things to look for. When I was preparing for my trip abroad my first instincts told me to look at Video blogs on YouTube and go on google, and while that was helpful it didn't provide very much insight on what my day-to-day would be like.
Try to research specific things such as where the locals and tourists have tagged themselves eating and drinking and gain insight on typical dishes and local specialties. Keep notes of things your interested in and then look into the ingredients of those dishes. Make a note of restaurants and cafes!
To take it a step further, you can go ahead and pin the locations of those restaurants in your preferred map app. That way you can know where these places in relation to your location and create trips catered to them!
Tip 2: Think About How Your Traveling
Now you have done the work and researched everything you could think of for trip destination. But what about the trip to get to your destination??
What airports will you be passing through? What dining options do they have? Are you allowed to pack anything?
Make sure as your purchasing your tickets, research the dining options that they offer. Many airports have a variety of dining options, including those that cater to dietary restrictions.
Check menus ahead of time! Depending on your flight, the airline may provide you with meals or snacks during your flight. Some airlines even allow you to pre-select meals when you are booking your flight. If so, do take advantage of this opportunity and look over your options.
Communicate with Airline staff! When you are boarding your flight, be sure to let the staff know about your dietary restrictions. They may be able to accomodate your needs or provide you alternative options. You never know and it wouldn't hurt to ask!
Tip 3: Exploring local Cuisine
Even though you have done a good bit of research before your trip, it's still impertitinet that you are able to identify dishes that align with your specific dietary needs.
Some common examples are:
Vegan/Vegetarian Options
Gluten-Free Options
Nut-Free Options
When it comes to exploring the street food of your destination, things can get pretty exciting, but can also be troublesome. The best way to prepare is to :
Do research on common street food dishes beforehand.
Observe food preparation, you could ask for something to be cooked separately.
ALWAYS communicate
Exercise caution when trying something unfamiliar, don't be afraid to inspect your food to make sure your not getting something you shouldn't. (But don't make it obvious, it could be taken as rude.)
Tip 4: Overcoming Challenges
One of the biggest challenges when studying abroad can be navigating language barriers. Especially if you are not a native or experienced speaker. This challenge increases in difficulty when you have needs that need to be communicated.
Luckily enough there are a couple of things you can do beforehand to prepare for this!
-- Learn Key Phrases: Create some flashcards or make a note in your phone of key phrases related to you your dietary restrictions in the local language.
-- Utilize Translation Items: Whether it be a language app on your phone or a pocket-sized language both, have terms highlighted and saved for ease of access.
-- Visual Aids: While not the best option, it is possible to create vision aids such as an image to help you communicate with others. This can be especially helpful if verbal communication is difficult.
-- Find Assistance: Again Never hesitate to ask for help!
-- Remain Calm: No matter what situation you might find yourself is, #1 rule is to stay calm. This ensures that things don't get out of your control and you are able to think clearly. There will be mistakes here and there, but you learn from them. If you have a restriction that seriously threatens your health, be sure to have some sort of medical card or a person who knows you health issues with you at all times.
Studying abroad is truly a great experience and with the proper preparation you can make the most of your trip! Hope This Helps! ;)
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