"N" Looks at Nuts and Bolts of Getting Around...

Even if you are doing a single exchange (as opposed to going to two or more places on your trip)...just to get from your house to your exchange home, you will want to plan ahead. How to get around...from the airport to the house and then from there to the places you will be visiting? Hopefully your exchange contact has helped you figure out the best way to get to the house from the airport....I am usually tired after a long trip, so the added stress of sorting out getting to my next destination can add to my frustration. Here planning is key! You may have brought a GPS or rented one if you rented a car. I definitely want to have the directions in my carry-on, so I know I can get where I after a long flight NEED to be!
Maybe you will ask your exchange contact where the nearest market is so you will know where you can buy groceries! Of course, within a few days, you will have passed and maybe even visited several more grocery stores!

When I visited Rome last August, Angela had left bus routes to help me travel around Rome. I took the (cheap) bus from Fumicino Airport (touted in all the guidebooks) to the bus terminal and then (finally) found the bus to my new neighborhood.  Someone on the bus told me which stop I was looking for. Without Angela's help (and the man on the bus), I would have been stuck! Because of our location, it took me some time to get acclimated to getting around. But I DID get it, so Rome became an easy place to get around! Our Rome neighborhood pictured had three bus stops within three minute walk from our apartment!
If you do need to take taxis, I would suggest asking when you get in if the fare will include the tip. I'm not a suspicious type by nature, but I think that taxi drivers can take advantage of tourists, especially if they do not speak the native tongue!
One last help to get you get around is to know what systems are available to help you find your way in teh country you are visiting. Some places have "I" for information or "TI" for tourist information. English speaking employees will help you find you way. These are great places to stop for all sorts of information!
Next post will look at Other miscellaneous questions about home exchanges. As ALWAYS,  I would love you to ask any questions about doing an exchange!