Idea #11: Stay up til 1am watching the Olympics.

Because even though you'll need two lattes just to make it through the next day, it's totally worth it.

Idea #10: Talk to a stranger.

When we're in a new country, our hearts are open to new experiences. We give off an entirely different vibe than the one we normally exude as we rush to work in the morning. Maybe it's in a subtle smile, the crease of our forehead, or just where our eyes wander, but when we're out of our routine, we're much more likely to spark up a conversation with someone we might have never otherwise met.

It's entirely possible to adopt this attitude even amid one's local environs. My parents, for example, recently spent the day perusing local museums and memorials. When I asked them how it went, they immediately started talking about the adorable Midwestern couple they met and the park ranger who pointed them toward a hidden exhibit. Acting like a tourist turned them into vacationers who were open to striking up a conversation with passersby.

Try it. Don't worry about looking like a weirdo. If it's awkward, you're never going to see the other person again. If it's not, then you get learn from someone new.