In a previous post, we discussed logistics concerns related to flying to and staying in another country to attend an anime convention. Let’s round it up with the last three items on our to-do list.

Convention Ticketing

Many conventions — especially large ones expecting a huge turnout of out-of-towners, now offer advanced ticketing services. Simply visit the official website of the event you are attending and purchase directly from them or the third party ticketing service they are using for the convention. The tickets/convention badges will either be couriered directly to you, or be ready for pick up at the Convention Secretariat.

If the convention does not have a ticket purchase function on the site, try e-mailing the organizers with your queries. Sometimes, it’s a simple matter of the organizers not expecting any guests flying in from abroad, so they did not prepare for it. However, most organizers are very welcoming of international guests, and someone on the staff may assist you in procuring your tickets for their con.

Unless you’re very, very desperate (and very, very rich) I do not recommend purchasing your tickets over a third-party source like EBAY. Scalpers love EBAY and are prone to fronting cheap tickets at premium prices once demand increases and the supply drops. If you don’t want to get caught shorthanded, secure your tickets as far ahead of time as you can manage. After all, it’s easier to re-sell your tickets when you change your mind, rather than try to buy tickets when everything has been sold out.

Money Matters

So how much money should you bring to a con? First it is important to set aside money for your airline tickets, accommodations, and food expenses, plus an emergency fund — we suggest at least USD 100 on top of your basic expenses. This will be your base fund.

Under no circumstances should you attempt to undercut your base fund to add to your disposable fund (which we will discuss later). Keep in mind that you are in a foreign country, and if you run out of cash there will be no one there to ask for help from. This is neither the time nor place to mess around with your money.

Moving on, let’s talk about your disposable fund. This will be the money you will be spending on toys, video games, manga, and whatever the hell it is you want to buy from the con. Save ahead, and never spend more than you can afford. Just come up with a nice amount you can realistically put away, can afford to splurge with, and then stick to it.

It also is important to come up with a shopping list and prioritize your purchases. There are so many things to buy that you may overstretch yourself. Personally, I usually purchase one big ticket item — which I will adhere to no matter what, and then have a flexible list of smaller items that I will purchase or leave off depending on the availability and the listed prices.

Personal Safety

Since most of us live in big, bad Manila and are doing fine so far, personal safety isn’t such a big deal when flying to other cities. Just remember to keep an eye on your property and your wits about you at all times and you’ll do great. Also be careful of locals who are a little too friendly as they might be taking you for a ride; and if you get lost ask a police officer or a mall/park concierge just to be safe.

A bigger concern than personal safety is actually rule-breaking. You should take extra pain in making sure you follow all the laws, guidelines, rules, and regulations of the country and city you are flying to, so that you don’t end up with any unpleasantness. Some cities — like Tokyo and Singapore, are very strict even with the most minor infractions, so any rule-breaking might land you on the next plane out of the country.

Don’t forget that even if it is an anime convention and that you are attending on your own dime, the local fans will still look at you as a reflection of Filipino otaku in general, so you should carry yourself with propriety and discretion.

That’s pretty much it for our list. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, feel free to drop me a line in the comments box. The next time my friends and I fly out to a big con in HK, SG, KL, or BKK we hope to run into you guys there! 😀