There are lots of fears I remember thinking about before starting to travel full time. Health is definitely up there at the top of the list.

I had visions of horrible hospitals, not being able to communicate in the local language and therefore not getting help, and, of course, being alone and needing help and not sure how to get it.

When I was in Malaysia last year, I ended up with crippling pain in my hip. I needed help. But, I was in Malaysia and had no idea how to get the help or where to even start. And, I wondered, how good could the treatments be in a country where a meal costs $2?

The view from Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers.

Happily, I connected with another traveler through my Facebook group for travelers. She and I met for a coffee, and I mentioned my hip pain. It turned out, she had gotten physical therapy in Kuala Lumpur and spoke very high about her therapist, and the place she worked. I was somewhat skeptical, especially when I called for an apointment and found out her therapist wasn’t available. I made an appointment with another therapist.

I was shocked to learn in the first five minutes of my appointment that her assessment was more in depth than any I’ve ever had in the US. She diagnosed, and explained what was causing my pain and how we’d fix it. I had two sessions with her (only because I was moving on to South Korea and couldn’t stay longer). Over the next several weeks, she checked in with me on WhatsApp. When I mentioned another symptom, she made a video of herself doing another exercise so I could use it for myself! To date, this is the best physical therapy appointment I’ve ever had.

Putting things in perspective, I woke up recently in my own country, with my head spinning so badly I thought I would black out. It turned out I had vertigo, for the first time in my life. I was alone, and my phone was in another room, so I had no way to call for help. It took me at least 10 minutes to figure out how to get up without the world spinning, and another 3 hours to feel I could even get up and go for a walk.

This reminded me that, no matter what country you’re in, the process of getting sick and getting well, is very similar. Here are a few tips.

Panic

For the first few minutes, it’s normal to get scared, especially if you’re alone. Take those moments, and then, take a breath.

Notice and Change Your Thoughts

Once you’ve taken a few breaths, pay attention to your thoughts. They’re probably something akin to, “Am I dying?” “How am I going to get out of bed?” “Who can help me?”

Next – change your thoughts. You can try ones like, “I’m ok,” “Everything is going to be ok,” “I can do this.”

Strategize

In my case, I began plotting how I could crawl to the bathroom to get my phone. In your case, whatever is going on, start tapping in to your brilliant mind and figure out the next best step – it might be too much to get to the bathroom, can you just touch the floor? Take one step, and then figure out the next.

Helpful Resources

Many foreign countries have a service that matches you with an English speaker for medical interpretation. You might want to Google that at the start of your time in a country so you have the resource in your mind when you need it.

If you’re alone, and need help, you can call your host / landlady / concierge etc (depending on the type of place you’re staying) and ask them for help. If they’re not there, they might have a friend or relative who can come help you. Neighbors are often great, too! (A good reason to get to know yours if you’re staying in a home or apartment for a while.)

The local US Embassy or Consulate (or, if you’re from another country, try your country’s embassy or consulate) can also direct you to medical resources and healthcare facilities.

If fear of getting sick while traveling is holding you back from starting the lifestyle, think about all the times you’ve been sick at home. If you figured your way to healing yourself in one country, have faith that you can figure it out in another. Yes, it will potentially feel uncomfortable, yes, it’s hard to rely on strangers, but you may also find out the world is full of beautiful people who are delighted to help you, wherever you are.