Cultural Adjustment and Mental Health
If you are traveling far from your native culture, culture shock can happen, but generally won't if you are realistic and keep expectations to a minimum. Ask travelers as you go along about what is ahead, and read as much as possible beforehand about your next destination. (For more information on crossing cultures, see the relevant section in the Europe guide on the Travelbum site.)
Crossing cultures will certainly cause some type of mental strain as you adjust to new languages and customs, though. People tend to go nuts at times in places like India and China. There will be times when you need to stop and relax your brain for a while. Look up a friend to visit, find a secluded beach hut; plan down-time into your itinerary.
Get a dictionary and phrasebook, and use them; they are the keys to the culture. They are also absolutely the best investment you will make. If you can not use words, try lots of hand signals combined with sound effects. It works surprisingly well. The first things to learn should be basic greetings and thanks, and then the five "W"s, some numbers and so on. Admittedly, a lot of travelers struggle on this point but it does get easier as you go along (try to stop thinking in phrases). There are of course many websites, such as http://www.foreignword.com/, which offer online translations.
Guidebooks do not usually discuss things like integrating into the local cultures and avoiding culture shock but if you are trying to get beyond tourism, these are issues you are going to face daily. Along with planning your itinerary and packing your bags, there are several things you can do to prepare your head for the cross-cultural realities of travel.
Try some anthropological "participant-observation." Sit back in a cafe or park or other public place, and just watch what the local people do. Listen to how they address each other, watch their gestures, and get a sense of how they interact. This is most important to do when you first arrive; exactly the time when you would rather zip around touristing. It is surprising how often people move too quickly to notice the subtle nuances of local patterns of interaction.
Be aware of the adjustment cycle that nearly everyone living within another culture experiences. Like a roller coaster, it starts with a high (when everything is new and exciting), takes a serious nosedive (first signs of culture shock), swings back up again (as you work yourself through culture shock and get a handle on the local culture) and then may dip again (as you face unresolved issues) or continue on an upswing (as you feel more and more comfortable within the host culture).
Everyone goes through this cycle at different rates: for some it takes a year, others will go through the cycle in a few months. Knowing that it occurs will help you prepare for the experience. A short wave radio can also help you keep in touch with familiar sounds.
Lots of books on crossing cultures are printed by such publishers as the Intercultural Press (http://www.interculturalpress.com/). Some titles are general; others address specific cultures or countries. Most are written by professionals working in the field of cross cultural exchange, education and living.
EQUIPMENT
Whatever you take, make sure it is serviceable for your needs. A good exterior frame backpack is overall more serviceable than interior pack. Make sure pockets are accessible, that it is weather-tight, and that is can be more or less secured. A lightweight cover over the pack will help against the elements and casual rummaging.
Carry one little sack with a sewing kit, pocket knife, bandages, spare pen, lip balm, a small lock, an alarm watch, an empty film canister, tape (for sealing glue-less envelopes); stuff like that.
Keep clothing and other rain-sensitive items in garbage bags. A big poncho should cover you and the pack in the rain and has other uses.
Clothing should be sturdy, comfortable, practical, dark and able to layer. Wear pants with deep pockets, and keep cash and your passport in a front pocket at all times. Keep your hand in that pocket in uncertain times. Use a dark-colored towel. You won't want to look at a light-colored towel after several months of travel use.
If you need such things as a heavy winter jacket or grubby old work clothes, look for thrift shops. Bargains abound, and it is faster and cheaper than trying to have those things mailed from home. On the other hand, you can mail ahead such expensive items as film and new boots.
