An overseas business trip can be fun to explore a new country while also getting paid to work.
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Depending on how long your business trip is, you could potentially be in a different country for a good few months, which gives you a huge opportunity to discover new things about a place you have never been to.
While you will be working for a large portion of your time, when you are not working, you can check out the local sights. There will be a lot of new sights to see in the country, so it would be good to have some sort of plan of how you are going to explore. If you have got an overseas business trip coming up, then here is our guide on how to make the most of it.
Learn some of the language
One important thing that can help you make the most of your overseas business trip is to learn some parts of the language. As you try and navigate through a foreign country, knowing some basic words and phrases can help to make the exploration a bit easier. Of course, no one expects you to be an expert or fluent in the language but having some common words and phrases ready to use will help you with your daily life.
Simple things like ordering food will be a lot easier if you know some phrases, and it is also just polite if you know how to say things like ‘please’ and’ thank you’ in the language.
These sorts of things can go a long way, and the locals will appreciate your efforts. It could even help you with your trip’s business side, as you will demonstrate to your business partners that you value their language and are putting extra effort in. The great thing about living in the digital age is that learning a new language has never been easier, these apps are all great options to choose from if you want to expand your language horizons.
Find a good place to stay
Having a good place to say is a huge part of an overseas business trip. The suitable accommodation will be dependent on how long your business trip is. While a hotel will be fine in a short-stay situation, if your business trip spans over a few months, it could be a better idea to find a place to rent.
Renting a flat for your business trip could be helpful in making your stay feel more homely and welcoming as you aren’t confined to the four walls of a hotel room. If, for example, your business trip takes you to Malaysia, then you could check out these properties to rent in Kuala Lumpur from PropertyGuru for some great options of places to stay. Renting somewhere out can allow you to settle into the area a bit quicker as it will feel less touristy than a hotel.
Often hotels are located in the busiest places in a city, so renting somewhere out is a good alternative if you are after a quieter area to stay.
Overseas business trip: Embrace the culture
Another thing you can do to make the most of your overseas business trip is to embrace the culture. As a foreigner, you cannot expect the same things as your home country, and you must be willing to embrace the local culture. When we talk about embracing local culture, one of the main things included is the local cuisine.
Each country has different food that represents their culture, and sampling the local cuisine is a really simple way to show your appreciation for the country. When you have some free time from your work schedule, why not explore the city and visit some local restaurants for some authentic food. The family-run and small restaurants will be the best place to find true, authentic food, and you will also be supporting a small business at the same time.
This is where knowing some language basics will come in handy as you can practice using your newly-learned words and phrases in a real environment.
Befriend the locals
Befriending the locals is a great way to make the most of your overseas business trip. The locals will be the best people to turn to when you are looking to explore a new city, as they will have a wealth of knowledge of all the best places to go to.
Often, being a tourist can end up being unintentionally expensive as you may get tricked into paying full price for something because you don’t know any better. Making friends with some of the locals can help you have an authentic experience of the area and they can show you what to do and what not to do. Again, knowing some language basics will be extremely helpful in this situation as it will mean there are fewer language barriers to overcome.
Top photo by Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
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