There’s not much more exciting in life than the opportunity to discover a whole new country!
Everything from the food to the culture is so different from the life you’ve left behind in the good old U.S. of A., and it’s an amazing chance to experience the world in a whole new way.
However, change isn’t always easy, and a lot of international travelers, particularly those who have never set foot in another country before, may feel a little homesick being far from the states for too long.
Good news-you don’t have to leave all of your American life behind in order to have the best foreign travel experience! Thanks to streaming music services like Spotify and Pandora, you can take your favorite American music with you everywhere you go! Here are some tips for building your ultimate travel soundtrack while you’re on your extended journey.
Stream Your Tunes From Anywhere
Technology has made it easier to pack a little piece of home wherever you go. A number of music apps allow you to connect to your favorite U.S. songs and playlists no matter where your travels take you. If you have a Spotify premium account, you should still be able to log in to your account and stream your favorite tunes for a quick little musical visit back home when you need it. A Spotify gift card makes an ideal “Bon Voyage” present, in case you want to drop a hint to your friends and family before hitting the road!
Don’t Forget to Download
Heading to a remote area with limited access to Wi-Fi? Make it a point to download your favorite playlists before you go. When you’ve downloaded music, including your Liked songs and other playlists you’ve made, to your mobile device, there’s no need for Wi-Fi or cellular data connections to be able to play them, making it perfect for long airplane trips, hikes through remote jungles or rainforests, or anywhere you can’t be sure there will be a reliable wireless network nearby. For those who prefer to stream their music through Spotify or Pandora, premium accounts will let you download your favorite playlists simply by toggling the download switch to “on.”
Stay Connected
Some music streaming apps contain a social component that lets you follow your friends. You can use this feature to keep tabs on what your buds back home are listening to- just send them a “follow” request! You can also ask your friends to share their playlists with you so they can stay up on your favorites no matter where you are. One word of caution- it can get a little pricey using an international data connection to share playlists over the phone. Use Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or another internet-based app to swap tunes with your friends and keep up with the hottest songs on the other side of the globe.
Before leaving on your trip, be sure to check on any restrictions that may keep you from accessing your favorite U.S. tunes from your destination. Some countries have restrictions on certain streaming websites and apps, and you may be unable to access streams from the United States. Others have different internet regulations that may limit your access to music. Being prepared in this event can save you a lot of trouble- downloading your music to your phone or another device will make it available without Wi-Fi, allowing you to skip streaming altogether. With a little advance preparation, you can be sure you’ll be rocking out to your favorite tunes and playlists from the USA no matter where you decide to go!