Many new international students arrive excited about the new environment and hope to explore new places. However, the unfamiliarity of the Seattle transportation system intimidates them against traveling alone because they are worried about getting lost. In addition, their language barrier make them afraid to ask others for assistance. These anxieties restrict them to home, school and local area. To remove this restriction and help them connect with the people in a larger community by visiting new places, this guide provides instructions on how to plan a trip.
1. Do your preparation. There are several things you need to have before planning a trip: a) a piece of paper that has your starting point and your endpoint addresses and the contact info of at least one of your friends. b) a smart phone with which you can look up directions on your trip.
2. Use Google Maps. Type your start point address in search box and then click Direction tab. It will pop up another box where you can enter your destination address. Click search. It will show you five options to get there. 1) Driving car 2) Take Bus 3) Walk. 4) Riding a bike 5) Flight. Choose bus options since newly arrived international students won't be able to drive a car at first. Click the bus button, it will show you the buses you can take, the bus stop you should get on and get off and how long the trip would be.
3. The King County Trip Planner is another way to find your bus route. This one will give more transportation options, such as light rail, train, express, shuttle, etc. It will also show you the total fare cost for the whole trip.
4. Know how to ask bus driver and passersby for directions in English. For an example of a conversation with a bus driver, click here. A conversation with a passerby, click here. Memorize all these sentences and practice them.
5. Download the OneBusAway app to your phone. This app gives you real-time arrival and schedule information for public transit vehicles operated in Seattle. This way, when you are waiting at your bus stop, you will know when your bus is coming.
6. Buy an ORCA card or have dollar bills and quarters with you to pay the bus fare. Use exact change as they do not give back change.
7. Bring the paper on which you have written your destination address, and your friend contact info, with you on your trip. Show people the address when you ask for directions. Call your friend for help if you get lost and have no other methods to figure out a way coming back.
8. Call Metro customer service at 206-553-3000, when you don't have access to the Internet to look up directions during your trip. The staff there will help you.
If you followed all above steps, you will have a safe and relaxing trip . I promise that you will be more and more familiar with the King county transportation system after several trips. It is not that scary.