Travelers: Get Plugged in Abroad at the Right Voltage

 We often take things for granted—until we travel.  In fact, researchers claim that one of the biggest benefits of travel and particularly extended stays abroad is that we become more open-minded and more creative.  Having to deal with other cultures, from language to geography, keeps us on our mental toes! 

 We just “assume” so much in everyday life given our particular socialization.  We just assume that the world eats what we do, gets up or goes to bed when we do, etc.  Lots of travelers assume that electricity, including cords and plugs and outlets, are pretty much the same the world over.  And they are surprised to discover that different regions of the world may differ in voltage and in the kinds of plugs and outlets used to connect electric devices.

 For example, my Brazilian foreign exchange student years ago just “assumed” that she could plug in the pretty alabaster angel night light that a friend gave her as a going-away present.  She did get a shock, though a cultural not electrical one, when she discovered that the plug unit of her nightlight had prongs that did not match the configuration in her New York bedroom.  Second, she discovered that the wiring and bulb voltage did not match either, as they were 220 volts instead of the North American standard of 110 volts, so we did not try a foreign plug adapter.  The recommendation was to keep it in her suitcase until she got back to Sao Paolo, and make do with one that we offered her.

Meanwhile, my daughter had the opposite experience going to Argentina, where her 110 equipment did not fit the 220 voltage electricity there.  Even odder, she discovered that there was no standardization of plugs at all!  In just one house she found three different kinds of outlets to match the three different kinds of plugs.  The family by necessity kept an assortment of adaptors and extension cords throughout the house in order to make things run!  Some plugs had two round prongs, others had two flat prongs in a V-shape, and others had the V-shape configuration with a grounding prong as well.   When she plugged in a set of 110-lights, using an adapter, the 220 volts surged right through those little bulbs and burnt them to a crisp with a little "pop"!  Luckily they did not explode!

Of course travelers, exchange students, expats, and others don’t need to suffer any of these mishaps or disappointments.  These days it is easy to get both voltage converters as well as international adapters plugs to work around the globe.  If you shop around, you can find the complete sets, or you can get just what you need for a single country. 

TIP:  Check your charging cables for cameras, laptops, and other items.  They may indicate that they already work fine with both voltages, and so all you need is the right foreign plug adapters for your stuff.  If you forget, you can buy what you need at an international airport shop or in cities in hardware stores and electric supply houses.  I’ve found some hotels will lend them to me as well.  Buen viaje!