If you're going overseas, especially for a longer trip like with studying abroad, a good way to ease the culture shock is to study up on the names in the news.

Every country has their own TV, movie, sports and political stars, and that's who people will be talking about. If you want to be able to keep up with the local chatter, do a little studying before you leave so that you know who's making buzz and why.

Being ready to name drop a few celebs will really make an impression on the people you meet as you travel.

[Photo: Flickr | cikaga jamie]