The longer you spend in a country, the more you start thinking in their currency. If you’re drawing from a USD bank account, this can be an amusing mental shift—or a dangerous one, depending on your risk tolerance and number of remaining limbs.

After two months in Guatemala, I was fully thinking in quetzales. (Side note: the Guatemalan quetzal is named after the country’s national bird, which is beautiful, elusive, and 100% not accepted at any local ATM.) At the time, the exchange rate was 18:1—so around 6 quetzales to the dollar. In other words, incredibly cheap… at least by American standards.

But here’s the thing: after a while, you forget. You start getting stingy in the local currency the same way you do at home. Or at least I do.

And when that happens—when you're standing at some existential crossroads involving your safety, well-being, or basic common sense—let me remind you: spend the extra $20.

If you live in a country with strict building codes, you’re probably used to trusting infrastructure. You expect the next stair you step on to be solid, the electrical wiring to be safe (see Tip #2), or a balcony railing to hold your weight. I'm here to tell you — that’s not always the case.

In many ways, the developed world has too many rules. In my opinion, we’ve gone a bit overboard in the name of “safety.” But if you’re traveling in a less regulated part of the world, just remember: always look before you leap.

In our ever-connected world, unplugging isn’t something that just happens—it’s something we have to choose. And let’s be honest, it’s not easy. We’ve been conditioned to check our phones like they hold the secrets of the universe (spoiler: they don’t).

For me, travel is the perfect excuse to disconnect—at least temporarily. With some, or ideally all, of my responsibilities covered, I can confidently tell people that if they really need me, they’re welcome to send a carrier pigeon or light a smoke signal. But breaking the habit of constant connection is harder than it seems.

Those of us who have been around a bit remember a time when we didn’t walk around glued to our screens. And many of us can recall the exact moment we realized the world had changed. For me, that moment came in the summer of 2013, as I drove past the Colosseum with my longtime mentor—and watched him grapple with the fact that there was no longer any escape from his inbox.

For simple everyday conversation it’s fine if you’re not 100% sure what was said.  But when it comes to safety, double or even triple-checking is a must. Learning a new language makes it tempting to nod along and pretend you understand, but sometimes swallowing your pride and asking again is crucial. This story offers multiple lessons (see travel tip #1), but ultimately, the difference between an OK and a disastrous situation hinged on one simple question: “Am I on the right bus?”

When I travel I try to do whatever I can to integrate into local culture – “live like a local”. One area where I break from this is when it comes to healthcare. If you can, always use the best doctor available, even if that doctor is financially out of reach for more locals. Trust me, I learned the hard way.