Travel Sense Tip: Check out Cultures at Home Before Going Abroad

For me, the real fun in traveling is in planning my trip. In a post on my UrbanTravelGirl.com blog, I wrote not long ago about the joy I find in first considering, then pondering and finally planning my getaways. And when these trips involve traveling internationally, the fun factor goes through the roof. While I know some folks hate the hassles of exchanging currency, packing foreign-language phrase books, and haggling over hotel reservations several hours and time zones away via Skype, I jump in with gusto.

But then, I've got a pretty broad definition of what constitutes planning and "research." Picking up guidebooks, phrasebooks and e-mailing friends and associates in advance to find out who they know in the country I'm visiting is just one leg of my reconnaissance. The other, when I can, involves checking out the culture I'll find abroad before I leave home. And it's probably easier to do than you think--especially when you live in a metropolitan area as diverse as Chicago's.

So next time you've got a trip planned far, far away, get prepared for it way close to home. Some things to consider:

• Check out the cuisine. No matter where you go, food seems to be the great equalizer--and a delicious window into a country's culture and its soul. Chicago's home to dozens of ethnic groups and it seems each of 'em has opened a restaurant or grocery store somewhere in the metro area. Look them up and visit before you hit the road--nothing like getting a taste in advance.

• Learn the lingo. For example, if you're traveling to Spain, Italy or France--and have planned your trip far enough in advance--sign up for a language class at the Instituto Cervantes, Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago or the Alliance Française de Chicago. Better yet, become a member at one of these institutes or just sign up for their e-mailing lists to find out about cool (and often FREE!) cultural events that'll let you peek into these fascinating cultures.

• Find out through film. Just like food, cinematic trips can get you in the travel mood by giving you glimpses of a country's scenery--and even more important, its mores and traditions. Sure, it's just a film, but you can get a feel for what a country values (are they all about amassing wealth and showing it off, or about long, conversational meals with loved ones?) by viewing its filmmakers' works.

• Get to know the nearby foreign nationals. Maybe it's just me, but I'm always fascinated by folks from somewhere else (probably because I'd always rather be somewhere else, but that's another post!). Chicago is a globally connected, world-class business and cultural center--and folks from many other countries live here either for short stays or permanently.

I've met some great people from Italy by hanging out at events hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago or Italian American Chamber of Commerce - Midwest. I've been thrilled to meet Spanish nationals affiliated with the Tourist Office of Spain at its media events. And if you get involved with Chicago Sister Cities International (as I have with both the Milan, Italy, and Paris Committees), you'll have the chance to interact with folks from Chicago's 28 "sister cities," stretching from Bogotá, Colombia, to Prague, Czech Republic to Shenyang, China!

And then, once you're back from your trip, keep your vacation alive (assuming you want to, of course!) by hitting a restaurant or checking out a film from the country you've just visited. I fell in love with Costa Rica during my dad's and my New Year's trip to this Central American land... and when I returned, I wanted to check out Chicago's one-and-only Costa Rican restaurant, Irazú. Even though the day I visited the Chicago weather was frigid and blustery, inside I felt transported back to this friendly, beautiful land. And when I return from Italy, I try to find some Windy City spot featuring cuisine from that region--and love to say hello to their native-born chefs, if only to hear the same charming accents I'd enjoyed while on vacation.

We may not be on vacation all the time, but our vacation experiences can live on in us.

Pictured, above: Thinking of exploring Costa Rica? Before you go, check out Irazu', Chicago's only Costa Rican restaurant. During a recent visit, I savored "El Tico," a "chef's favorite" meal featuring rib eye steak sauteed with onions and bell pepper and served with sweet plantains, cabbage salad and "gallo pinto," the trademark rice-and-black-bean dish in Costa Rica.

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Maureen Jenkins s a food/travel writer and communications professional who's visited more than 30 countries and territories, lived in Florence, Italy -- and is spending the year in Samois-sur-Seine, a charming village near Paris, France. The self-proclaimed “urban travel girl” talks travel, food and wine – abroad and in Chicago – in “TCW Travel Connection.” Read more of her thoughts on living globally at UrbanTravelGirl.com.