Research Checklist

As a foreigner in another country, you might feel more comfortable if you research the following subjects, keeping in mind the city, region, and country you'll be visiting. One more thing to keep in mind is your gender, as custom and courtesy relate differently between men and women in most foreign countries.

• Forms of greeting and gestures
• Courtesy, general attitudes
• Eating in the home and at restaurants (meal times, table manners, typical diet, etc.)
• Local dress
• Population of the city and country
• Religion
• The family structure including views on dating and marriage
• Customs
• Social and economic levels
• Work hours and hours of doing business
• Art, craft, dance, music, theater, etc.
• Local, regional, and religious holidays
• Forms of recreation, sports
• Land, climate, weather
• Past and present relations with the United States
• History
• Current government
• Economy, the value of a U.S. dollar, exchange rates, etc.
• Education
• Transportation
• Tipping and other forms of compensation