The Thomson Reuters Foundation started the site in 1997 “to place Reuters’ core skills of speed, accuracy and freedom from bias at the service of the humanitarian community.” The site serves as a resource both to journalists covering humanitarian crises and aid agencies seeking updated information critical to their delivery of services.

The foundation of AlertNet and their “community” is the membership of non-profit organizations actively involved in emergency relief. Also included are NGOs working in relief. These members publish their news from emergency hotspots directly to AlertNet.org. Members get emergency alerts and access to downloadable Reuters’ photographs that can be used in the organizations’ publications.

 “AlertNet focuses its resources on covering fast-moving humanitarian emergencies and on the early warning of future emergencies,” says a statement on the website. It is a great source of current, often real-time information available to anyone accessing the site, not just members.

The site’s home page includes the latest alerts, news, and humanitarian headlines from around the world. Click on “AlertNet for Aid Workers” and you can access news, blogs, pictures and maps related to emergencies and humanitarian concerns. There also is a search feature allowing you to search by region, country, topic, date range, emergency type and more. You will find current, even breaking information, as well as archived materials.

The Crisis Briefings section provides a wealth of materials on more than 80 emergencies. In it there are related news stories, the situation at a glance and in detail, a timeline, statistics, links, and a listing of all the humanitarian agencies working that crisis.

While the site is most beneficial for humanitarian teams, any group ministering abroad will find the current country information helpful. Unlike government agency sites, like travel.state.gov, where the information provided could be weeks or even years old, AlertNet.org is very up to date. Plus you get the first-hand perspective of journalists and humanitarian workers who are “on the ground” and in the middle of whatever is taking place at the time.

WHO provides an interactive travel map with details on requirements, risks and recommendations related to yellow fever, malaria and rabies. The site can be accessed directly at http://apps.who.int/tools/geoserver/www/ith/index.html.

WHO also provides pertinent information on each of its member countries. Each nation has its own web page that includes the country’s health profile, country brief, current outbreaks and crises, risk factors, and more. The outbreaks and crises section is especially helpful for travelers as it provides detailed current and archived information on emergency situations.

If the country was included in a weekly “regional situation update” then a link to that report is provided in the emergency section. These updates give a snap-shot of health and safety concerns affecting the region, list any acute crises presently faced, and summarize the “countries under surveillance.” The latter is a paragraph report on countries where dangerous or potentially dangerous activities are taking place.

To access the list of countries, go to http://www.who.int/countries/en/. To get a quick list of countries and regions currently experiencing a crisis, go to http://www.who.int/hac/crises/en/.

In addition to the travel information, humanitarian and medical mission teams will find the country background materials very beneficial. The country brief gives an overview of the country’s health and development, along with health-related opportunities and challenges. Through a link on its regional websites, you can access a detailed country health report. Risk factors faced by the country are also identified along with corresponding reports.

These background reports and related information can enable humanitarian teams to prioritize their response to the country’s needs. They also provide insight into current health strategies and how the team might connect with them.

Information like that provided on the WHO site is especially important to humanitarian and ministry team leaders, and to the organizations they represent. By staying abreast of the current health and safety situation, these leaders can better prepare their teams and take appropriate precautions to protect themselves.

After 75% of British Airways union members voted for a walkout due to low wages, London’s Heathrow Airport could be in danger of having to close. Europe’s busiest airport could be without a majority of its firefighters, engineers, and security staff due to the possible strike.

According to the Unite Union, British Airways employees are due for a pay raise after accepting a freeze in their pay last year. The raise has yet to come and on 22 separate occasions flights already been grounded at Heathrow due to British Airways cabin crew strikes.

The possible strike could also close terminals in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Southhampton and could put a major dent in the economy.

British Airways has offered a 1.5% increase in salary, but the Union is not satisfied with the meager raise. British Airways defends its position based upon the decrease in travel activity during the recession.

The impending strike is not yet certain. If the official strike does occur, then the Union would have to give British Airways seven days notice.

We will keep you up to date with the latest information.

Now gate agents basically come in two types. There are those who want to solve your problems and get you to your destination as quickly and smoothly as possible, and then there are those who just want to get you away from their desk. Fortunately, most fall into the first category but there are those want to kick the can down the road for someone else to deal with. Regardless of which type of agent you get, here are some tips to help your interaction and bring resolution to your problem.

Be polite but firm

Always be calm and polite when dealing with gate agents. Yelling at the agent because your plane was late won’t solve anything. Remember, they are people too and are dealing with the stress of trying to re-accommodate a lot of passengers. If you have an issue, state it clearly and ask for the agent’s help. If the agent tries to shuffle you along without resolving your problem, then politely but firmly insist that she help you.

Review all of your options

Often the agent will only give you one solution to your problem and expect you to take it. Don’t hesitate to ask if there are other options, including putting you on a different airline so that you land closer to your original arrival time.

Get a confirmed reservation

If you are dealing with a missed flight, never leave the counter without a confirmed reservation to get you to your final destination. Often the agent will say, “You can fly standby for this other flight,” and send you away. Your response should be, “Okay, I’ll try to fly standby, but I still need a confirmed reservation in case that flight is full.”

Ask for accommodations

If you are delayed significantly, be sure to ask for meal vouchers. Also, if you have to spend the night, ask for the airline to provide a hotel and meals. Many times if you don’t ask for it the agent won’t offer it.

Locate your bags

Be sure to discuss your bags with the agent before leaving the counter. If the agent rebooks you, ask that your bags be pulled and retagged to be on the same flight with you. Once you get to your new gate, check with the agent there to be sure this was done. By doing this you reduce the chance of a baggage delay.

Ask for a Supervisor

If you feel that you are not getting anywhere with the agent, ask to speak to a supervisor. Again, remain calm and polite but firmly state your situation and ask for resolution.

Most flights run smoothly, but if you do run into problems remember these six tips. Hopefully they will help you resolve your problem quicker and with less stress.

Frank Banfill

You see, even though Laurie wanted to go, flying was way outside of her comfort zone. In fact, you could say Laurie was scared to fly. But she knew if she was ever going to go on one of these trips, she would have to fly to get there. Her friends came back and once again told her all of the great encounters they had while serving abroad. Laurie made up her mind that the next time she was going to go—but she also knew she had to do something about her fear. Laurie began seeing a professional for help. She stayed with the counseling, sent in her application, and the next time around made the trip. She had an incredible week serving in Romania and came home with her own stories to tell.

While Laurie may be an extreme example, we all have our comfort zones.  We all have those places that we don’t want to leave. Sometimes we don’t want to leave because we are fearful of what may be outside the walls of what is comfortable to us. For Laurie it was the fear of getting on an airplane. For some it may be the fear of new food or strange cultures. Others never make an attempt because they are afraid they can’t get the money to go.

Yet every year thousands of people travel abroad on their very first ministry trip. They step out of their comfort zones and do something truly selfless, but very rewarding. They give of themselves to serve others in distant places.

Stepping out of your comfort zone, even if just for a week or two, has some very positive effects. First, it stretches you as a person. When we are stretched, we grow. We become stronger, better people. Second, it causes you to see things differently. You get a new perspective on life and the world. Finally, it enables you to accomplish things that could never be done inside your “zone.” You may even discover some gifts and abilities that you didn’t think you had!

There is a whole world waiting to be discovered. There are people waiting to be touched and helped. There are new experiences that will grow you, fulfill you and reward you. They are all there, just waiting for you to move out of your comfort zone.

 “Why don’t people learn English,” the American said in a loud voice.

 The gate agent actually spoke very good English, although with an accent. The problem wasn’t her ability to communicate but rather the American’s ability to listen—and to remember he was a guest in another country. The airline worker crossed a cultural barrier by learning and speaking a language that was foreign to her. One wonders what, if any, cultural barriers the passenger tried to cross during his trip abroad.

In our last three blogs we have looked at the issue of culture. We’ve seen that even though the world in many ways is shrinking, there are still vast cultural differences. That’s a good thing! It is what makes international travel so interesting and exciting.

Today, we give 10 more questions to consider when you travel to another country.

1. Are there different ethnic groups and even different cultures within the area where I am going?
2. What are the religious traditions of the area?
3. What is the attitude toward outsiders, particularly foreign nationals? If you are an American, how are Americans viewed? Do you need to keep a low profile?
4. What is the political situation there? Is it stable? Is there a strong central government or is power vested in local tribes or communities?
5. What is the host government sensitive about? Foreigners should always be careful about making remarks about the host government.
6. How are decisions made? Are they made by a group? By the community or family elders?
7. How should disagreements be handled? Is it important to save face?
8. What is considered taboo?
9. Is it appropriate to express emotions in public?
10. 10.  Should you take off your shoes when entering a home?

Hopefully our blog series on cultures has encouraged you to do your homework and ask good questions before your next trip abroad. While you certainly want to be as informed and sensitive to the culture as possible, you don’t have to be paranoid about making cultural mistakes. Most people understand when foreigners miss cultural cues. They just appreciate you making an effort to get to know them and enter into their “world.”

Starving, the college student and missionary host made their way to a nearby café. The food was pre-cooked and behind glass. “Order anything you want,” said the missionary.

The student looked and looked—at food he had never seen before. “Order whatever I want,” he thought to himself, “I think some of this stuff is still moving. What have I gotten myself into?”

At that moment, the college junior experienced culture shock. He was in a very strange place, far from his Southern California home, about to eat unusual food and surrounded by people talking in a language he couldn’t understand. For what seemed like an eternity, but only lasting a few seconds, he was paralyzed. He didn’t know how to function. He didn’t know what to do or even how to move. This was his first trip outside the U.S. and it was clear that he “wasn’t in Kansas” anymore.

The feeling of helplessness, however, soon subsided as the missionary explained the food options and helped him get settled.

It is often said that the world is shrinking. While travel, technology and satellite TV have brought the world closer, we must never forget that the world is still vast collection of cultures. The college student learned that first-hand!

Culture varies region to region, country to country, and even within a nation. Those who seek to deliver aid, conduct training, or spread the gospel abroad need to familiarize themselves with the culture where they will serve, even if they are only there a few days. While information won’t necessarily help you avoid culture shock, it will help you show respect and enable you to better connect with the local people.

Please see our last two blogs for thoughts on dealing with different cultures. We’ll have some additional tips in our next blog. By the way, the story with the college student happened more than 20 years ago. He has since visited more than two dozen countries. Guess he got over the culture shock!

Be Alert

International travelers often get in trouble when they do not pay attention to their surroundings. It is a common ploy for thieves and others to use distractions in victimizing people. Pay careful attention to those around you, especially when in marketplaces, tourist areas or while using public transportation.

One common trick is for two thieves to work together—one to distract you and the other to steal from you. Sometimes the thieves are actually quite young! In Israel, for example, two boys about nine years old acted like they were rivals trying to sell postcards to tourists. When one got the traveler’s attention, the other boy would steal items from the tourist’s purse, bag or pocket. This kind of scenario is quite common all over the world.

If something doesn’t feel right or look right, remove yourself from the situation. If you see someone acting suspicious, or there is an unattended package in a public place, don’t stick around.

Don’t Be a Target

Keep valuables out of site and never flash money in public places. One suggestion is to keep money in separate places—maybe a little in a wallet and more in a pocket. This way you pull out just what you need at the time. Consider using an under-the-clothes waist or neck safe, as well as belts with zipper compartments, to keep your cash, passports and other valuables out of sight.

Leave expensive rings at home. If you’re married, consider getting a cheap gold band before you leave home and wearing it instead of your wedding ring.

Maintain a low profile when walking around—don’t be loud and boisterous or do things that will draw attention to you. 

No Food or Water from Strangers

Do not accept food or water from strangers, no matter how friendly they might seem. Several U.S. embassies, especially in African nations, report numerous incidents of foreign travelers being drugged by “friendly” nationals who gave them seemingly harmless food or water.

Transportation

Use only licensed taxis and discuss the fare before you get in. Do not ride deserted trains or buses and avoid night travel by car if possible. If you have to ride a bus at night, try to sit near the driver.

Hotels

It is best to avoid the first floor and the top floor of a hotel as this minimizes the chance of outside access. Also, some parts of the world have hotels that are taller than the equipment available to local fire departments, so consider lower floors if possible. Don’t leave valuables in the room and keep miscellaneous items locked in suitcases.

A little attention and awareness may mean the difference between a bad experience and a good one when traveling abroad. Be sure to remind your team of tips like these both in your pre-trip training and also in your orientation once you reach your destination.

The early part of the trip is often filled with anxiety and uncertainty by team members, especially those who are rookies. While this may be old hat to you, remember that everything is new to them: new culture, new setting, and new people. It can be overwhelming to some. So your team needs a leader who early in the week seeks to calm them. The two best ways to do this are through information and organization.

Talking frequently about what to anticipate, both with the group and with individuals, can go a long way in calming nerves. Also, they are comforted when they see that you are organized and “on top” of things. How you handle challenges and changes sends a powerful message. If you are on edge, then your team will be on edge. They are watching you, whether you realize it or not!

In the middle of your trip, physical and emotional exhaustion can begin to set in. Be sensitive to this, and take particular note of how each team member is doing. You may need to encourage them to get more sleep, or you may need to carve out a little extra “down time” to get them over the hump.

On the emotional front, giving your team the opportunity to discuss their feelings and experiences helps them start processing the trip. This assists them in getting through the tough middle. Consider having an extended sharing time half way through the outreach where team members can tell about their most meaningful experiences.

As your time abroad winds down, you probably could put your team members into two groups. One would be comprised of those who can only think about getting home. The other is those who can’t imagine leaving. The first group needs to be encouraged to finish strong and to maintain their focus. Both groups need to begin looking beyond their experience to how it can impact them long term. They also need ideas for how they can continue their ministry even after they get home.

Regardless of the length of your trip, you will find your outreach flows through these three parts. Being sensitive to that and providing the right words and opportunities to your team at the right time will go a long way in ensuring an outstanding experience.