There are plenty of reasons why international travel can enrich your life. You’ll see new a whole new part of the world that you barely knew existed outside of the Internet and second hand stories. You’ll expand your cultural, intellectual, and experiential horizons. And you’ll come away with great stories to tell the grandchildren.
Don’t Let Travel Phobias Curb Your Adventurous Ambitions
It’s a sad fact that many people never get to experience the adventure of international travel due to the raging case of travel phobia that stops them dead in their tracks. Perhaps the most common fears that prevent people from traveling outside of their own country can be boiled down to the following seven:
1. Running Out Of Money
2. Getting Lost
3. Not Being Home When Tragedy Strikes
4. Not Knowing The Language
5. Not Liking The Food
6. Getting Sick In A Foreign Country
7. Becoming A Victim Of Kidnapping/Terrorism
Fears Related To Lack Of Preparation
Every year, millions of people enjoy relaxing, adventure filled Caribbean vacations. Why shouldn’t you be among them? Why shouldn’t you be able to get on the plane and go where your heart is calling you? It may well be that the fear that is holding you back is intimately related to your phobia concerning your possible lack of adequate preparation.
Many people refuse to set foot outside of their comfortable home because of the overwhelming fear that they will somehow run out of money in a foreign land and be stranded there, penniless, forever. The fact that traveler’s checks, banks, and ATM’s exist on most Caribbean islands (many of them being territorial possessions of the U.S., U.K., or France) seems to escape them. Another consideration is they might get lost – as if Google Maps doesn’t function on smartphones just as easily in the Caribbean as it does in America.
The final consideration related to lack of preparation is that something terrible might happen to their friends or family back home while they are thousands of miles away on vacation. This consideration may be harder to ward against, except by the common sense admonition that if nothing bad has happened to them in the past few years while you’ve been right there by their side, they will probably do just fine for a while while you’re away.
Fears Related To Culture Clash
The next few fears on our list are related to the idea of culture shock. Have you ever wanted to visit the Dominican Republic or other areas in the Caribbean, but were held back because you were afraid of standing out in a negative way because you couldn’t speak the language?
Here’s a welcome bit of news in that case: Dominican Republic resorts are fully equipped with English speaking staff. And, even if they weren’t, the majority of locals in the Dominican Republic are so used to English speaking visitors that they’re more than able to meet you halfway if you have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed.
Another consideration is that you might not like the food. Seriously? Does it really take that much effort to consult the Internet and brush up on the local cuisine? Even before you make the decision whether or not to travel to the Caribbean, you might first venture out to a restaurant that serves such fare. Let the testimony of your taste buds be your guide.
Fears Related To Political Or Infrastructural Instability
Closely related to the fear of your loved ones falling ill while you are abroad is the fear that you yourself may be laid low by injury or some wasting disease. You should know that the Caribbean has plenty of local resources available to treat you should you fall ill, and that the U.S. Embassies in all countries in the region are fully ready to fly you back home for surgery or any medical procedure that you can’t get while you are abroad. After all, look how quickly the recent Ebola victims were evacuated from Africa back to the United States for treatment.
One of the biggest fears that some people may experience when considering whether or not to embark upon Dominican Republic vacations is the fear that comes courtesy of the media with nearly each passing day. This is the pressing fear of political instability throughout the world that can make international travel a potentially dangerous experience.
You should know that the Dominican Republic is a fully civilized and politically stable country, with a strong Catholic Christian heritage and plenty of law and order. The natives are friendly and very knowledgeable in English and other European languages. So, in the end, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t plan a vacation to this beautiful country, and leave all of your fears and phobias behind.
