1)  Do Not get overly excited when you see the words "Ice Coffee" on a menu.  You Will receive a glass of coffee with a giant scoop of ice cream in it.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but not necessarily an iced coffee either.  

2)  Asking for "cream" is more likely to get you a mound of whipped cream on top of your beverage than a swirl of milk in it.  

3)  Be prepared to drink a lot of instant coffee.  For some reason these dissolvable grinds are way more popular than in the States. 

4)  Don't expect a lot of options.  "Coffee, Cappuccino," and if you're lucky, "Latte, and Macchiato" are normally as far as it goes when it comes to selection.  

5)  If you do find a coffee shop that offers more than these typical varieties, don't try to get too creative!  Just because "coffee with vanilla aroma," "iced latte," and "soy milk substitute" are offered  on the same menu, does Not mean your foreign barista knows how to improvise like your favorite Starbucks back home.  Asking for a "Vanilla, Soy Milk, Iced Latte" is liable to get you a blended vanilla-soy milk beverage with no coffee in it at all.... Or a pumpkin one for that matter

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5b) Bonus tip: if you don't want a semi-strange, middle aged man to join you for your pumpkin milk shake, don't say "hi" to strangers when you cross the street on the way to Starbucks.  

6)  If you happen to live in an area with a global coffee chain (Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts), don't expect them to carry the same products.  This can be a good thing around Christmas time when "gingerbread" flavor hits Europe. 

7)  Get acclimated!  Enjoy the local, shot-glass sized espresso.  Sure it's not your order from your coffee shop (*chain), but European coffee has its own virtues.  Namely, it normally comes with a chocolate, biscuit, or chocolate coated almond or coffee bean!

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1. Try to order currency from your local bank before your trip. They won't charge you so it will be a lot cheaper than doing it at the airport and you'll probably feel better knowing that you have some cash on you. 

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2. Learn the exchange rate! I almost had a heart attack because I spent $1,000 at the grocery store; it was actually only $40.

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3. Use you coins! Their not like the coins back home; they're actually worth something and people use them all the time. I like to save mine for my daily coffee purchases. (See above)

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4. If you open an account in a different country, make sure to learn their policies, especially when it comes to closing your account. 

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5. You don't normally tip in Europe. If you're in a touristy location, they will probably try to trick you into thinking that it's normal to tip. As far as I know, it is not.