How to Avoid a Broken Heart While Traveling

A romantic entanglement with a local can give you an intimate look at another culture, and getting involved with a fellow traveler can provide welcome companionship. Avoid heartbreak by keeping your expectations realistic and being sensitive to cultural mores.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Blank-inside Greeting Cards
• Condoms With Spermicide
• E-mail Accounts
• Telephone Calling Cards

1. Keep your expectations of the new romance in check. The possibilities for communication and intimacy may seem endless while the wine is flowing and tropical breezes are blowing, but both of you have lives beyond your vacation.

2. Understand the cultural meaning your romantic partner brings to sex before becoming sexually involved. In some cultures, sexual intimacy means engagement to marry; a fling to you might mean a broken heart to another.

3. Don't assume because your romantic partner is from a traditional culture that he or she expects to have a traditional relationship with you. Your partner may have assumptions about your sexual availability that make flirtation with you desirable, but marriage out of the question.

4. Talk with a fellow traveler or a local resident from your home country if things become confusing. This may provide you with some much-needed perspective.

5. Stay in touch with friends and loved ones back home as you become immersed in a new relationship. Letters, e-mail and phone calls home will help you remember the values, culture and life you will be returning to.

Tips & Warnings

• It may be difficult to purchase condoms or dental dams in the country where you are traveling. If you think that sex may be on your itinerary, purchase and pack an adequate supply of prophylactics before your departure and store them in a cool, dry place away from bright light.
• Use your condom sense: When buying condoms in a foreign country, make sure they meet international health and safety standards. Look for the packaging code ISO 4074-1:1990.
• If dining or drinking with someone you don't know well, keep an eye on your food and beverages. There are many powerful drugs that are undetectable in drinks but can render you an unconscious victim of rape or other violence.