A Poem
New month, New Country, Day One:
 
How much should a taxi cost?
What’s the local transportation like?
How do we lead a taxi driver to the house?
Does someone have the map downloaded to their phone yet?
Does anyone have the house pinned?
What are the roads like?
 
Can we drive the whole way there?
How far do we need to walk?
How much does the bus cost?
Where do we buy a bus pass?
Is there a metro system?
How much does that cost?
 
Can we drink the tap water?
Should we boil it first?
What are we going to eat?
Are there any grocery stores nearby?
How do we get there?
Can we by the meat and veggies at the same place?
How much does meat cost here?
Do we need to carry all our groceries by hand?
How many days should we buy for?
 
How do we do laundry?
Is there a washing machine here?
Is there a line to hang dry or do we need to find a way to put one up ourselves?
Is laundry detergent on the grocery list?
What about toilet paper?
 
What kind of weather should we expect?
Do I have the right clothing for this weather?
Do I have appropriate clothing for this culture?
What is the kitchen like in the place where we’re staying?
Is there an oven?
A microwave?
Pots and pans?
Dish soap?
Anyone see a sponge?
Did anyone grab the leftover popcorn kernels from the last place?
Where do we take the trash out?
 
Do we have any cash yet?
Where’s the closest ATM?
What’s the currency exchange rate?
What’s the daily budget for food?
What do we have to spend on transportation?
Can we even afford the bus?
 
How do I say hello in this language?
Thank you?
Yes and no?
Is there wifi in the house?
What’s the password?
Will I be able to FaceTime home?
 
Is there warm water in the showers?
And can we flush the toilet paper?