I recently finished up a big trip where I spoke in three countries—India, Singapore, and Australia. Travel is wonderful,you get to meet people from around the world, see new places, and gain different perspectives. However, there are some things to be aware of when speaking internationally. A few of these things are tips you’ll find on travel sites, others are just lessons learned from experience.
- Always know what power adapter you need and have multiples. Amazon is a great source for these, and in some countries it helps to ask a native what type of adapter you need. You may need more than your destination’s adapter—be aware of what airport you are connecting through.
- When giving international talks, try to remove any local humor from your slides. So try to pick more universal humor, or even region specific. The world is smaller, but trust me few in the rest of the world know about things like American football
- Be ready for any sort of projector. Have two of all the dongles, and be prepared to show things in limited resolution. This really applies anywhere, but you really never know what you are going to get
- Have fun—take in the local culture, food, and drink.
- My one crutch about international travel is that I like to stay in an American hotel, whenever I can. It’s nice knowing that I’m going to get when I go there.
Speaking internationally is incredibly rewarding, but it’s a lot easier when you prep.
