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Considerations for International Travel

Traveling overseas can be exciting. Maybe you are traveling for fun and visiting family or a country you have always dreamed of experiencing, or maybe you are traveling for work. In either case, there are many things you have to consider before your trip begins.

First, you want to make sure your paperwork is in order. You of course need a passport, but depending on where you are going you may need certain immunizations, identifications and other documents. Check with the website of the government for the country you are visiting to find out where you are going to be going to make sure you have everything in order that you need.

Next you want to pack well, including things to keep you busy during your flight. You may need to package different clothing options than you would pack at home. Make sure you bring all your medication and spare contacts or glasses because you may not be able to obtain these items while you are overseas.

Finally, prepare your home and family for you being away. If you are going to be away from the country for some time you may need to arrange to have someone come by and do household chores or other things for you. You will of course be putting your pets in boarding and making sure they are well taken care of.

This will likely be a trip that you remember for a lifetime, so make sure you bring a camera or video camera so that you can capture the memories. Enjoy your trip, even if it is for business you will likely still have a great time.

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Business Communication Tips for Costa Rica

Coppery-headed Emerald
Image via Wikipedia

When traveling to Costa Rica for business, the following tips regarding business etiquette and communication should be kept in mind:

-Hispanics consider titles very important. You should address an individual directly using the title alone. For example, a physician or Ph. D will be called a ‘Doctor’. Refer to teachers as ‘Profesor,’ engineers as ‘Ingeniero,’ lawyers as ‘Abogado,’ and architects as ‘Arquitecto.’ If someone does not possess a professional title, call them ‘Don (first name),’ which means gentleman. The feminine version of this title is ‘Dona (first name).’ It is a symbol of courtesy for business associates to refer to each other in this manner unless otherwise requested by either of them.

- Start out with the common greeting and a handshake. Abrazos, hugging between good friends, is not as widely accepted here like other Latino American countries.

-Politics can be discussed freely due to the stability of Costa Rican politics.

-Costa Ricans tend to refer to themselves as ‘Ticos.’

-Bad topics for discussion would be religion and any personal criticism. On the other hand, a safe and good topic for discussion with clients would be history, art, and family.

-Most Hispanics possess 2 surnames. The first comes from the father, followed by a second one from the mother. Use the father’s surname alone to address someone.

-Have proposals, business material, and business cards printed in both English and Spanish available at hand.

-As Costa Ricans only allow a limited time period on midday breaks from work, all are expected to be punctual for business meetings over lunch.

- Much of the business entertainment will take place in the evening, as lunch is the central meal of the day. Feel welcome to bring along your spouse to a business dinner while in Costa Rica.

Take heed of these great tips on Costa Rican business etiquette, and you can be confident to rock your clients with some business-savvy Costa Rican culture on the next business trip down to Costa Rica.

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Learn More about Business Culture in Costa Rica

Location of the Polar regions
Image via Wikipedia

When doing business in Costa Rica, it can be very useful to know something about the background and business culture in the place, along with norms and etiquettes of business meetings. Compiled below are some of these tips on Costa Rican culture:

-Dressing for business here means men wearing formal dark suits. In a warmer climate, you can choose whether or not to wear a jacket. Females can dress in a skirt and blouse or dress for professional business meeting. However, it is more common amongst women to dress in pants for work. Costa Ricans are greatly more serious and formal compared to the rest of the Latin American population. Thus, in business meetings, make sure you keep your jacket on!
-Local people commonly bathe a number of times due to the heat. Therefore, as agust, you will be expected to bathe at least once a day.
-It is obscene to make a fist where your thumb sticks out between the index finger and middle finger. This gesture is referred to as the ‘fig.’
-Most North American gestures are well-understood and accepted by Costa Ricans.
-Cost Ricans are one of the most punctual groups in Central America. As a North American business associate, you are expected to be on the dot for meetings and appointments.
-It is considered impolite and distracting to fidget with your feet or hands.
-Gifts are always welcome, and they are often freely exchanged between business associates in Costa Rica. It can be used to mark all sorts of special occasions, including the sealing of a deal. When bringing flowers to dinner at a home, you may bring along scotch, chocolates, flowers, or wine. However, refrain from bringing calla lilies. These are related to funerals.
-Avoid putting your feet up on furniture, unless the item is purposefully designed for doing that.

Keep these special facts about Costa Rican culture in mind while dealing with your business clients in Costa Rica. That way you’re sure to avoid many offended clients.

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