Fully immersing yourself in a different culture and lifestyle can be incredibly fun and interesting. It can also be incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. Have no fear! There are ways to ease the initial transition and not feel like every day is equivalent to a bucket of water being splashed over your head.

Remember that every day in your host country is going to be full of new people, food, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, commutes…everything! Help yourself fully embrace the newness in your host community, by breaking out of your day to day hometown routines.

Have you taken the same route to school the whole year? Mix it up. Throw in some different streets-even if it adds a minute to your usual commute.

Only like to watch dramatic, Victorian era period pieces? Get crazy. Watch some stand-up comedy instead.

Prefer to keep a steady diet of steamed broccoli with hot sauce? Get out of your food rut by adding some raisins.

Get nervous even thinking about talking to someone new? Do it anyway. You might as well use that nervous energy and expand your social circle.

Below are some other ideas, offered by fellow Greenheart Travelers, to inspire you for your something new. I threw a few of my own in there too!

• Wake boarding
• Talking to store managers about jobs
• Trying new foods
• Going for a run
• Trying hot pot
• Going rock climbing
• Hiking on new trails
• Trying out a new enchilada recipe that ended up being delicious
• Hanging out with a friend from school, outside of school, for the first time
• Playing a new game, Tomahawk, for the first time
• Going swimming at a new pool
• Writing a blog for the first time in 2 years
• Playing soccer for the first time in 32 years
• Cooking up a birthday breakfast bonanza
• Playing volleyball
• Running on a different trail
• Going to a friend’s house in a new way.
• Reviewing old Spanish vocabulary and trying to speak Spanish a little bit each day
• Making flashcards of new vocabulary
• Sailing
• Venturing on weekend “mini road trips” on a brand new driver’s license
• Eating macaroons
• Using chopsticks
• Paddleboarding

Now get out there and shake up your day!

What do you do to practice getting out of your comfort zone to get ready to travel abroad? Share you ideas below!