Learn a language: Learn a language: There are several good language tutors on CD and with all that time on your hands you might as well add a new skill to your CV.
Alternatively, sign up for an online degree or any number of training courses available online.
A good one to try is the BBC's online language school,
which allows you to learn at your own pace. Choose
from French, Spanish, German and more. For more information, visit (www.bbc.co.uk)
Read something new: As well as reading your favourite
authors, branch out and try a writer you've never read
before. If you're stuck for a place to start, why not
choose a book that's set in the country you're heading
to? Reading something that's about the place you're
visiting will fire your enthusiasm for the place and
if you're stimulated on your flight, you're more
likely to sparkle in your meetings when you arrive.
Here are some suggestions to whet your appetite;
India - The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Set in India, this meandering tale of family tragedy
is beautifully written. Roy's imaginative imagery
brings the sights and smells of this brightly-coloured
country to life with a delicate sense of humour. Start
this on the way over and you'll already be there
before the plane touches down.
America -
The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
This edge-of-the-seat thriller takes around 80 pages
to get up to speed but once it does you'll be
absolutely hooked. A west coast, working class student
enrols on an ancient Greek course at a prestigious New
England college, and worms his way into the strange
and secretive world of his five fellow classmates.
Their odd behaviour comes to a dramatic head, ending
in a tragedy that will change them all forever.
France -
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, by Jean-Dominique Bauby
You'd think that a story about a man who becomes
completely paralysed after a stroke would be the last
you want to read before trying to seal an important
deal. However, this book is one of the shortest,
sweetest, most inspiring novellas you'll ever read.
You'll probably finish it on your flight over.
Italy
- Pompeii, by Robert Harris
A story within a story, this dramatic tale of intrigue
and deception takes place in the days leading up to
the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which buried the
people of Pompeii in molten lava. While Roman
holidaymakers bask in the late-summer sun, there are
subtle signs that all is not well on Mount Vesuvius. A
gripping story in its own right and a fantastically
entertaining glimpse of Italy's ancient history.
Japan -
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
If you haven't seen the film, wait until you've read
this; if you have you'll realise how much better the
book is. A tale about a peasant girl who is sold as a
servant and apprentice geisha, it gives us a rare
insight into the mysterious (and shocking) world of
this Japanese tradition.
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