If someone from Iceland, Ghana, or Oman were to visit you in the States, wouldn’t you want them to understand some things about your culture before they arrived?
From popular culture, movies, YouTube videos, articles, blog posts, and travel guides, we can derive culture, cultural context and clues. We encourage you to do this as you prepare to visit someone else’s home country! Here are a few resources that may help you understand your host culture and ease the transition between home and host countries:
Recommended Books and Guides:
Lonely Planet
Travel and Leisure
CIA Factbook
Tripadvisor
#CISabroadtip: check out these smartphone apps too!
Smart Phone Apps:
The World’s 50 Best Travel Apps – Time Out Travel
Top 10 Apps for Smart Phones – Lonely Planet
I’m Safe App
Duolingo
*Duolingo is available on most smartphones and as a web-browser application. It features hundreds of lessons in a variety of languages and has been proven to be more effective than a classroom at teaching the basics of a new language! The best part? It’s absolutely free and endlessly addicting. Get a jump start on practicing your French today!
Recommended Videos and Movies:
Travel Tips: Why you need a U.S. Passport Card
Language Resources:
Google translate
Word Lens
Mango Languages
iTranslate
Learn a language for free: the five best websites
Living Language
busuu
Memrise
Mild Climate, but it Rains!
While Martinique has a mild climate (the average difference in daily temperature from the middle of summer to the middle of winter is only 5 degrees Fahrenheit!), it can be wild and unpredictable at times. You might experience a downpour one hour and clear, blue skies the next! Travelers should be prepared for the unpredictable and bring a supply of rain gear, just in case. Even though it’s not extremely hot in Martinique, most enjoy the rain as it cools the temperature down as well as the humidity and you can typically count on it stopping after an hour or two.
Crash Course in Martinican Creole
Each French speaking country has its own set of terms, words, and slang and Martinique is no exception! When ordering in a restaurant, chatting over coffee with friends, or bonding with your host family, you’re bound to encounter words that you’ve never heard in French class before. Check out the video below for a quick overview of some common phrases you’re likely to hear in Martinique, with French and English equivalents: