TRAVEL TIPS

Some personal observations and learnings from recent travels between the United States and countries in Central and South America. 

• If you prefer flight crews who are stressed out, rude and who make you feel like a jerk if you ask for any assistance, I recommend you choose U.S. Airlines - United, American, Etc.  On the other hand if you prefer flight crews who are smiling, polite, and who offer assistance even before you ask, I recommend you choose one of the many Central and South American airlines that now have flights to and from the United States.

  

  Window view on an early morning flight

  
  
• If you would prefer not to hear any language on your flight except English, a U.S. Airline would be the recommended choice. Of course, in the event of an emergency consider the fact that the other-language speakers on your flight, whose presence has been ignored in all the announcements, may not have fully understood the emergency procedures so in the ensuing confusion you will probably end up dying along with them.
• If, on the other hand, you don't mind hearing a variety of other languages on your flight - both in the airline announcements as well as among the people around you; if you prefer that the flight crew be multi-lingual and if you even enjoy the sounds of different languages or the challenge of learning something new, then the Central and South American airlines are definitely your best choice. 
  
  
• If you are from the United States, recognize that calling 
  yourself an "American" is a rather vague reference, as everything from Canada, south all the way to Tierra del Fuego, is in fact America - North and South. In Latin America they have a more accurate way to identify those from the U.S. The term is (in Portuguese) "Estadunidense," the equivalent for the U.S. to “Bolivian”, “Brazilian”, “Panamanian”, etc., because all of us are American! The easiest way to say it in English is to identify as a "citizen of the United States," or by introducing yourself as "from the United States." 
  
  
• If you forget a small pair of cuticle scissors, a plastic shaving razor, or any sharp object in your carry-on bags it will, of course, be removed and theoretically discarded when you go through security to ensure everyone's safety on the flight. However, once the flight is under way and when meal time comes, the flight crew provides every passenger with metal knives and forks. 
  
  
  
  
  
• If you are boarding a direct flight flying from an international airport to a U.S. airport, the imperial over-reach of U.S. policies requires that you go through security twice. The first time is on your way to the gate, as we are familiar with in the U.S. However before your flight departs you will be required to line up a second time, take off your shoes, take everything out of your pockets, and have your carry-on items inspected again before you are allowed on the plane. After this second security check you are locked in the gate area - no more coffee breaks or potty breaks - until you board your flight.
  
  
• If you tend to be very schedule conscious and irritated by delays, Latin America may at times be a challenge for you. On the other hand, if you are a laid back, go with the flow, and relaxed kind of person who enjoys life and people, you will get along just fine!
  
  Bon Voyage!!