I'd recommend bringing a good SW radio. During the years my wife and I lived on our boat we had one (now, in our apartment, cable TV takes its place). We got a great deal of use out of it, listening to BBC, VOA, programs from Canada, and many other countries as well.
Get a good radio--we bought ours from Radio Shack--and at the same time get an additional antenna. The kind I'm talking about is like a thin cord that can be stretched out for 10-20 feet. Depending on where you live, you may have to string it out inside your house, or run it through a window to a nearby tree branch. It will make a big difference in terms of reception.
You may have to play around a little with the radio and antenna to get the sort of reception you want, but it will be well worth it if you are depending on it for English-speaking news and music.
Best to buy your radio where someone can give you help in getting what you need to insure the best reception in the "sticks".