Be a Gracious Mooch: A Guide to Tagging Along on a Business Trip
Everything is better with friends. (John Lund/Tiffany Schoepp/Blend Images/Getty Images)
Nobody loves a mooch.
What happens when you score the coveted plus-one spot on your friend’s business trip? He wants you to come along, but it is a fine line to tread to make sure you get invited back again. How far exactly can the mooching go before you become a pest?��
Here’s an etiquette guide to make sure that you get invited again. Happy mooching!
1. Don’t expect a total vacation.
Take what you can get, but don’t set your expectations too high. (Terraxplorer/E+/Getty Images)
The idea of business travel might seem glamorous — jet-setting for free to a new city or country, schmoozing clients over oysters at the hottest restaurant in town, or enjoying a night out at the theater, but more often than not the reality is more like being crouched over a laptop in the hotel lobby surrounded by empty coffee cups and a plate of questionable scrambled eggs. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment by letting your visions of vacation grandeur cloud the original purpose of the trip. Make sure that you and your friend are on the same page about what the trip is: her business travel that happens to be (hopefully) enhanced by your presence.
Related: Put the Cell Phone Down and Back Away Slowly: Mobile Etiquette Gets Tough
2. Be self-sufficient.
Be prepared to go it alone. (Image Source/Getty Images)
No matter how meticulous a planner you may be, there’s a good chance your friend won’t be able to join you for that hot dog tour of Chicago or quack-along Boston duck boat ride. Work events come up, and you might not get an invite, so be independent and comfortable enough as a solo traveler to seek out your own adventures, or at least make it out of the hotel room and down to the lobby bar by yourself.
3. But don’t have too much fun.
Whatever you do, don’t give your working pal FOMO. (Chad Springer/Image Source RF/Image Source/Getty Images)
Talk ahead of time to find out what your friend really wants to do in the free time he has, and be sure to honor that by not doing all of the cool sightseeing on your own time … or if you do, at least don’t put the photos on Facebook. After all, memories are so much more special when shared with someone. That’s the whole reason your friend brought you along in the first place.
Related: Travel Etiquette: How to Not Be Annoying on a Plane
4. Take on the planning burden.
Making plans is your duty! (Jamie Grill/Getty Images)
When my friend Karen was preparing to travel to Amsterdam for a conference, she was so consumed with prepping for a big presentation that she didn’t have time to look into where to explore on her off days. Luckily she had me to plan our pilgrimages to the Anne Frank house, the Van Gogh Museum, and, most important, the many, many cheese shops. “My brain was fried after finishing work, so I was so happy to have you plan our fun outings,” Karen later told me. “Otherwise, how would I have known about the cultural significance of pickled herring?”
Related: Travel Etiquette: How to Behave in a Hotel
5. Be supportive.
You’re there to be a friend … and a shrink. (Les and Dave Jacobs/Cultura/Getty Images)
As the plus one on this trip, you have it pretty good. Your friend, more than likely, has a fairly full schedule of meetings, presentations, and quality time with the laptop. When work wraps up, ask about her day, take her out for a drink, and do what you can to help take some of the stress away.
6. Don’t be an embarrassment.
Don’t be that guy. (pink_cotton_candy/E+/Getty Images)
That complimentary dinner at the five-star steakhouse might seem like an invitation to order seven martinis and a porterhouse for two. It is not an invitation for you to get sloppy. Over the course of your mooch travel, you’ll likely meet many of your friend’s colleagues, and whether you like it or not, you are a reflection of that person. Allow him to shine by taking a step back. Don’t get drunk; dress appropriately; and for the love of God, no stories from college.
7. Be a gracious mooch.
Everyone likes to be thanked. (Datacraft Co Ltd/Getty Images)
You’re saving a ton of money by staying in your friend’s hotel room, so show your gratitude! Foot the bill for a special dinner out on the last night, send a handwritten card post-trip along with a small gift, or assemble a scrapbook of your best moments together. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll score an invite for next time.
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